Hour 3 - Luka Doncic debut

Summary

Summary of The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3: Luka Doncic Debut
Release Date: February 11, 2025

In this engaging episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, host Colin Cowherd teams up with basketball analysts Rachel Nichols and Chris Mannix to delve into the high-stakes world of NBA trades, focusing primarily on Luka Doncic’s surprising debut with the Los Angeles Lakers. Released on February 11, 2025, this episode provides listeners with a comprehensive analysis of the recent trade dynamics, team performances, and the broader implications for the NBA landscape.

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1. Luka Doncic's Trade to the Los Angeles Lakers

Colin Cowherd opens the discussion by highlighting the unexpected nature of Luka Doncic’s trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers. Prior to his arrival, the Lakers were enjoying a strong performance, spearheaded by Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves, and the ever-dynamic LeBron James. Doncic’s move has sent shockwaves through the NBA community, raising questions about the Mavericks' organizational decisions and the Lakers' future prospects.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (04:34):
"Shocking is the only word. The Lakers were playing against a tanking team, so instead of focusing on the game, it was all about Luka."

2. Analyzing the Mavericks’ Trade Decision

The conversation shifts to dissecting the Dallas Mavericks' rationale behind trading Luka Doncic. Mannix expresses skepticism about the trade, emphasizing that trading away a "generational talent" like Doncic is unprecedented and hard to justify. He critiques the Mavericks for not securing a more substantial return and suggests that internal issues within the organization may have influenced the decision.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (04:10):
"There is never a justification for trading Luka Doncic, a 25-year-old generational talent. It’s baffling to both fans and NBA insiders."

3. Impact on the Los Angeles Lakers

With Doncic now part of the Lakers roster, the episode explores how this addition changes the team dynamics. The hosts discuss the potential synergies between Doncic and LeBron James, as well as concerns regarding Anthony Davis's injury history and the team's defensive capabilities. While the offensive lineup appears promising, Mannix and Cowherd express concerns about maintaining balance and depth.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (22:08):
"The idea that you can have games where one of them is on the floor and likely more, you know, much more of the time, both of them from the entire game, that's insane. Yeah, it's nuts."

4. Organizational Challenges within Dallas Mavericks

The episode delves deeper into the Mavericks' internal dynamics, particularly focusing on GM Nico’s role in the trade. Mannix questions the trade’s execution, suggesting that Nico may have acted autonomously or under pressure, leading to suboptimal outcomes for the franchise. The discussion touches on the strained relationship with the fan base and the broader implications for team loyalty.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (17:11):
"They are only starting to discover that this is a Dallas fan base that thrives on loyalty, that is used to Dirk and had a setup and an influence from Mark Cuban about the way this team was going to operate. And they feel very betrayed."

5. Comparative Analysis: Golden State Warriors and Other NBA Teams

In addition to the main focus on the Lakers and Mavericks, the hosts compare the Lakers' strategy with that of the Golden State Warriors, who recently acquired Jimmy Butler. Mannix views the Warriors' move as a method to inject versatility and excitement into their lineup, though not necessarily positioning them as immediate contenders. This comparison underscores the varying approaches teams take to remain competitive in the league.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (09:07):
"I think they were desperate. I think they basically acknowledged as such in the days leading up to the deadline."

6. Future Outlook and Team Performance

The discussion extends to the future trajectories of both the Lakers and Mavericks. Mannix expresses concerns over LeBron James’s sustainability at peak performance alongside Doncic, while also contemplating the potential of the Mavericks’ rebuild. The hosts speculate on how these teams will fare in upcoming seasons, considering their new rosters and strategic adjustments.

Notable Quote:
Colin Cowherd (22:07):
"And whatever their other deficiencies are defensively, I still have some worries LeBron might run out of gas at some point."

7. Broader NBA Insights and Speculations

Towards the episode's conclusion, Cowherd and Mannix touch upon other NBA-related topics, including potential trades, team strategies, and player performances across the league. This segment provides a holistic view of the current state of the NBA, offering listeners a well-rounded analysis beyond the central Luka Doncic narrative.

Notable Quote:
Chris Mannix (36:59):
"If you had called every team about Luka Doncic, even the teams like Detroit, where he wasn't going to sign a long-term deal, I would say 90% of them would have still put together a package to trade for him anyway."

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Conclusion

In this episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, listeners gain an in-depth understanding of the seismic shift brought about by Luka Doncic’s trade to the Lakers. Through insightful analysis and expert commentary, Colin Cowherd, Rachel Nichols, and Chris Mannix unpack the complexities of NBA trade dynamics, team strategies, and the ripple effects that extend beyond individual player movements. The episode serves as a valuable resource for fans seeking to comprehend the intricate web of professional basketball’s ever-evolving landscape.

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Notable Quotes Summary:

• Chris Mannix (04:34):
  "Shocking is the only word. The Lakers were playing against a tanking team, so instead of focusing on the game, it was all about Luka."

• Chris Mannix (04:10):
  "There is never a justification for trading Luka Doncic, a 25-year-old generational talent. It’s baffling to both fans and NBA insiders."

• Chris Mannix (17:11):
  "They are only starting to discover that this is a Dallas fan base that thrives on loyalty, that is used to Dirk and had a setup and an influence from Mark Cuban about the way this team was going to operate. And they feel very betrayed."

• Chris Mannix (09:07):
  "I think they were desperate. I think they basically acknowledged as such in the days leading up to the deadline."

• Colin Cowherd (22:07):
  "And whatever their other deficiencies are defensively, I still have some worries LeBron might run out of gas at some point."

• Chris Mannix (36:59):
  "If you had called every team about Luka Doncic, even the teams like Detroit, where he wasn't going to sign a long-term deal, I would say 90% of them would have still put together a package to trade for him anyway."

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This detailed summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and expert opinions that provide listeners with a thorough understanding of Luka Doncic's debut with the Lakers and its broader implications within the NBA.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Rachel Nichols]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Rachel Nichols]

Now let's get this party started.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Sports Radio. Nichols, Rachel Nichols joining us, Fox Sports NBA analyst covering the NBA since the early 90s. So, but before Luca got here, the Lakers were strangely hot. Now, some of that's just Anthony Davis was healthy and great. Austin Reeves is having a remarkable season. And LeBron is out of his mind. So that's not surprising. The Luca thing's interesting because he'd been banged up. So you're asking him. Probably not in the best shape. Hey, here's a bunch of new guys. What was your take on the moment last night?

[Chris Mannix]

A moment is a great way to describe it, because the fact that a game was happening was kind of beside the point. It was like watching the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. I mean, they were. Lakers were playing against a tanking team. The Lakers were up the entire time. It was just basically a coronation party. No one had to stress about the result of the game. So instead it was just all about Luka. From the moment they laid those Luka shirts out in every seat for every fan, they played Serbian music. Colin last night during warmups, and then, of course, he is announced last in the lineup. I saw that and I asked Luke about it after the game. I was said, you know, when did you find that out? You know, what does that mean? And he said that LeBron actually texted him in the morning and said, whatever you want to do, I'm good with. And I thought that was interesting because LeBron never said that to Anthony Davis. So that's one sort of side factor there. And the other side is that Luca said, I want to be last, which is kind of audacious and interesting too. Now, Luca did tell me that starting in the next game, LeBron gets his honor back as far as Luca is concerned. But I thought that was interesting all the way around and kind of tells you a little bit about the future of the franchise.

[Colin Cowherd]

So players really deeply care about that stuff?

[Chris Mannix]

Oh, yes, of course they do. All this stuff they shouldn't care about, they care about.

[Colin Cowherd]

Wow. You know, it's. When I look at Luca, the conditioning, the defense, he's been banged up. Obviously, giving up Anthony Davis, Christie in a 1 first round pick is not nearly enough. Did that catch? I mean, it caught everybody, including Dallas insiders, off guard, didn't it?

[Chris Mannix]

Oh, shocking is the only word.

[Colin Cowherd]

Still, I went and looked the day after for Dallas. Reports on it may happen there were none.

[Chris Mannix]

Zero, zero. No one knew. Everyone was shocked. Danny Ainge participated in the trade from Utah, facilitating the trade, and he didn't know during the trade as it was happening, no one knew. And I will tell you, I think all of the sort of damage control that Dallas has tried to do since with the Public statements about Luca's conditioning and work ethic with the private leaks that they've had sort of to the same effect, I don't think it has helped them at all. I don't think there is ever a justification for trading Luka Doncic, 25 year old generational talent, a guy who has been a prodigy since age 11. If you're going to do it, you have to just own that you're gonna do it. Say what you mean, stop trying to denigrate him and his future and get a better deal for him. Because I think that is part of what has been so galling to so many Dallas fans and so mystifying for NBA insiders. Doing a one team trade where you didn't even talk to anyone else and where you didn't even get all of their assets is so crazy. Especially when the guy that you were so hell bent on trading for, Anthony Davis, has an injury history. You know, it wasn't a shock when he got hurt the other night. It obviously was bad luck, but it wasn't a shock. Collin, if you look back at the percentage of games that Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis have played for their respective teams, the Lakers in the time AD has been there and the Mavericks in the time Luka has been there, Luka has played about 70% of the regular season games he was able to play. Even being quote out of condition. Anthony Davis, 55%.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Chris Mannix]

During his Lakers tenure. That's a huge swap you're making as if you're the Dallas Mavericks.

[Colin Cowherd]

And Anthony Davis is older by several 31. Yeah, the mark Williams move. Listen, he's missed more games than he's played. I didn't. I saw him at Duke and I just remember long, athletic, nice little touch around the rim. You know, a guy that's going to develop over time. I thought he was perfect. A little bit like Robert Williams of the Celtics. I'm not sure if he's going to be available for four games in a seven game series, but when he's available, he changes the chemistry of the defense. Right. If you remember Robert Williams against the warriors in the final when he played Golden State was kind of flummoxed about you couldn't score at the rim. So I thought it worked that he didn't pass a physical. Now, J. Mack had said this earlier. Is this one of these things where apparently there was a story where LeBron didn't love how much power Luka had in the move and Luka had a say or is this just the physical went Sideways on Mark Williams.

[Chris Mannix]

I mean, we don't know what was going on inside the Lakers front office, why they decided to rescind the trade. And the reason we don't know is they don't have to say, and this is a fascinating aspect of these NBA rules, that when the guy comes over, you give him a physical, it could be a hangnail. You can say, I don't like the way he looked at the eye chart. So you have the power as the trade partner to not only rescind the trade, you are now marking Mark Williams as damaged goods to the rest of the league. Right?

[Colin Cowherd]

Good point.

[Chris Mannix]

So you are distressing Charlotte's asset. And what if Charlotte had made a subsequent trade to back up the fact that they didn't have Mark Williams anymore and had approved that trade themselves? And then they would be stuck having given away some of their assets to replace a guy that ended up back on their bench. So it is all within NBA rules. The Lakers did nothing wrong. However, it is an interesting situation that the Lakers have put Charlotte in. And with the reporting right now that Charlotte is going to the NBA and saying, hey, something's fishy here, they don't have any recourse because of what the NBA rules are right now. But it does bring up a situation that we should all keep watching because it's possible this gets addressed in the next CBA or something like that.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. I. I don't know. I do think Jimmy Butler makes the warriors more interesting, and I do think they needed a 2 for Steph. Pods isn't there. Draymond's more of a 3 at this point in his career, So I think it works. He's also kind of the opposite of Steph. He's about defense mid range. He's not ball handling in threes. There was a little bit, though, and I had said this a month ago, I'm like, they need Jimmy Butler because I watch Warrior games when Steph's off the floor. They're boring. They're not fun to watch. And people, this is the Bay Area new arena. They are charging top of the league, and it's like, it's not a very good product. Did it hint at desperation or do you think this is something they willingly did and just thought, hey, it's going to get us in the playoffs?

[Chris Mannix]

I think they were desperate. I think they basically acknowledged as such in the days leading up to the deadline. And I think this does make the end of Steph's tenure in Golden State much more palatable.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Chris Mannix]

Does it make them a contender? Absolutely not. But they maybe weren't even going to make the playoffs this year, which would be just embarrassing with Steph Curry playing as well as he is still playing, being required to carry the load the way he has been required to carry it for the first two thirds of the season. Now if he has an off night, if he can't play, Jimmy Butler can ostensibly go in and lead the team and put the team on his shoulders. So that makes just a huge difference for them. It's going to make those games for those fans much more fun. It's going to make the games for Steph more fun, which is important as a franchise. You want to reward him.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's an intense player that's fun to watch 100%.

[Chris Mannix]

And you don't want this to turn into Kobe at the end of his career where he's dragging this 20 win team around. You want this to be a fun, functional team even if they're not a contender. Steph's won four titles. If he leaves without ever winning another one, he's going to still go down of one of the greatest players of all time and one of the most accomplished.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Chris Mannix]

So what we really want to do in this stretch is make this fun and make it respectful of him and what he deserves.

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Rachel Nichols]

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[Colin Cowherd]

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[Colin Cowherd]

So I think I, I had talked about this when James Dolan went all in on the sphere. He kind of got out of the basketball world for a couple years and the Knicks really built a formidable front office. They've made a lot of good moves, right? I mean, I, I like everything the Knicks have done for two years, but I have watched them and I watched the last game. I've watched them play Boston twice and get bulldozed. It's not competitive. They don't have the scoring options. I mean, that game against Boston the other night was over in four minutes. I like their front office. I guess my take is Boston's the best team in the league. I'd bet anything they're going to win again. What's New York going to do? They're, they're not going to beat Boston in a seven game series. Where, where, where is New York? You've got Mikhail, you got Jalen, you got Carl Anthony Towns. There was a lot of rumors Carl Anthony got there to get to another deal. I still think Giannis is a swing eventually. Where are the Knicks in their rebuild? Because I think to this point you'd have to be overjoyed outside the games against The Celtics on what New York has done.

[Chris Mannix]

Let's not forget the Celtics are a historically good team.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yes.

[Chris Mannix]

What they did last year was literally historic. Had never been done before. And then they won the finals in dominant fashion. And just because they've hit a little bit of a lull this season, we've seen all kinds of champions have a little bit of a hangover. It's 82 games. You're bored in the middle of season. No matter what you say. Doesn't mean they're not still a historically good team when it matters. And against the Knicks, trust me, it matters. They're motivated, so we see the difference there. I think the Knicks have done a terrific job, as you said. I like the moves that they made in the summer. It was a lot to give up for Bridges, but I like Bridges, and I like his fit there once he got comfortable. I just don't think they're as good as Boston, and there's a chance they could sneak into the Finals anyway. No one expected Dallas to get into the Finals last year. No one expected Miami to get into the finals the two times they've been in the last five years. So it could happen. They're just not the favorites. I would put them behind Cleveland and Boston in terms of the favorites to reach the final. And I think they'll just have to keep developing, developing with this core. And, yeah, if a Giannis comes up down the road. Giannis made an interesting comment after the doctor trade. He said, yeah, he goes, I think all European superstars should play in big markets. Guys should play in New York.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's what it feels like to me. It does. It does. It. It feels like the. And I like Carl Anthony. Little quirky, little inconsistent. Terrific. Very gifted offensive player and flourishing there. Yeah. Nope. Shooting. Great threes. So I want to go back to the Dallas Mavericks. So this has been my theory.

[Chris Mannix]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. I'm gonna lay this out.

[Chris Mannix]

Give it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Give it. Go.

[Chris Mannix]

Go.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay. Okay. So I called somebody that is known, Nico, the GM of the Mavericks for 22 years. Yeah. And I said, he made the Kyrie deal, and it worked. He made a great trade deadline deal. It worked. He drafted the kid out of Duke. Lively. I'm like. And he rose very quickly in Nike, the. The shoe giant in North America. My 20, 30 years as a lot of success. He can't just get dumb. They've got new owners. And my belief was, especially when they only got one draft pick, is that he found a trade partner. He knew. Luca. The Lakers know they can resign. Luca. I Mean not. You're not going to send them to New Orleans. So it was a limited trade. They should add more than one team. But my take is to only get Christie AD in a draft pick at some point. You were just told, get it done. Now. I am. According to Dallas insiders, it is just a lone wolf. It's hard for me to believe the new owners staring down the barrel at the new max contract. The 75 million a year double Mahomes almost didn't have some influence in this deal.

[Chris Mannix]

I mean, look, it's possible, but a number of people would have to be publicly lying, so maybe they all are. But Nico has described the series of events as he went to ownership. Ownership has described the series of events as Nico came to them. There's been insiders quoted among connected reporters saying it went in that direction. So anything's possible, of course. But I do think it originated with Nico. I don't think Nico's dumb at all. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and I've known him for decades.

[Colin Cowherd]

His career, even his moves just in Dallas have been pretty damn cagey.

[Chris Mannix]

But I do think that as an organization, just like with any organization in any field, you can get a little inside yourselves, right? The sort of something becomes a problem, then it becomes the only problem that everyone talks about. Then finding solutions becomes the key. And then it's like, well, who has an outside of the box solution? And then if you have that outside of the box solution and you know you're about to do something that will wreck the fan base, you do tend to go to the trade partner you're most comfortable with. He's known Rob Pelinka for decades himself. They had a very long and close relationship through Kobe Bryant. So it might urge you, even if you are in no stretch of the imagination a dumb guy, to go toward that sort of. I can trust this guy. I know that Rob's one of the few guys in the NBA who won't leak this. All sorts of parameters that made it the best decision for Nico in that moment to only go to Rob and the Lakers, but it was not the best decision for the franchise overall. And it's just possible circumstance obscured that for him. I know that the Lakers were saying, hey, we got to hold back one one of those first round picks because we don't know for sure that Luka will sign. And you're maybe that would have dampened the trade market. The Dallas Mavericks traded for Kyrie Irving, who was going to be a free agent just months later, and who had a terrible reputation at the time. Teams trade for people. Toronto traded for Kawhi Leonard, knowing that he was almost definitely not going to stay. Guess what? They want a title out of it. I guarantee you if you had called every team about Luka Doncic, even the teams, Detroit, where he wasn't going to sign a long term deal, I would say 90% of them would have still put together a package to trade for him anyway. And you could have gotten a better deal if you're Dallas. It's just inarguable. And the fact that they are facing this much backlash anyway tells me it wouldn't. It's not a situation where, oh well, at least they avoided all the fan backlash by doing it this way. They didn't. I think that they have done irreparable harm in their relationship with the fan base. And I think they are only starting to discover that this is a Dallas fan base that thrives on loyalty, that is used to Dirk and had a setup and an influence from Mark Cuban about the way this team was going to operate. And they feel very betrayed.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so J. Mac mentioned this. I saw this last night. Dirk Nowitzki was at crypto.

[Chris Mannix]

Oh, yes, he was.

[Colin Cowherd]

So was that symbolic?

[Chris Mannix]

He said that he wanted to be there for Luca, that they got legitimately close and that he wanted to be there. He said, I'm still a Mavs for life. He's. I'm still loyal to the Mavs. He made that point. Dirk did. But it's not nothing that he was sitting there with Luca as opposed to sitting in the arena in Dallas. It's not nothing.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know who I feel bad for? Dalton Connect.

[Chris Mannix]

You know what? I think Dalton Connect has to be the happiest guy on the planet right now. I understand he was on the bench last night. He looked a little disoriented. I just want you to imagine you're Dalton Connect for a minute. You get drafted, you get drafted to the Lakers, which you didn't even really expect. You weren't necessarily on the board for them. You walk in, you're playing for the LA Lakers, you become a little bit of a cult hero. Hero. The way sharpshooting rookies always do. Right? The fans love you. You're playing with LeBron James. You got the Bronny show going on next to you. You got all the stuff going on. Then they trade for Luca. Hey, Ma, I'm going to spend the next however many years of my career in a Laker uniform, living in Los Angeles, playing with luka doncic. And LeBron James. And all of a sudden you get a phone call, what, 48 hours later, by the way, you're going to Charlotte and who knows what's going to happen to you after that. Then they rescind the trade. I understand some people might feel a certain kind of way about being traded away by their team and then called back, but if I'm Dalton Connect, I'm nothing but happy.

[Colin Cowherd]

You know, the other thing is the Lakers now are a very young, dynamic offensive team. Austin's young, Dalton's young, Luka's young, Jackson Hayes, semi young. They're there. When I watched them last night, my take was, oh, they're fun to watch. The Lakers are fun to watch. Lot of good energy, need a rim protector. But I kind of felt like AD and LeBron was a little bit of a train of nowhere. I did. I felt like, well, LeBron's older ad gets hurt. Austin Reeves could end up a lot of times being the number two guy on the floor. I'm like, that doesn't feel like anything. Like I'm watching last night. And I'm like, when Dalton Connect plays, you got a catch and shoot guy, athletic guy. Like, they're fun now.

[Chris Mannix]

There wasn't a feeling prior to this trade that the Lakers were headed to the Western Conference finals.

[Colin Cowherd]

Exactly.

[Chris Mannix]

And now you can make that case. Now, what is going to happen when they hit a Denver and you've got Nikola Jokic in the middle and no one to defend?

[Colin Cowherd]

Denver can't defend.

[Chris Mannix]

Well, I was going to say, but what. And what is going to happen when you hit Oklahoma City? But Denver has defensive problems of its own and Oklahoma City doesn't have huge frontline, you know, situation there either. So.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hurt a lot.

[Chris Mannix]

Yeah, he's back now, but he is more frail, I would say, than some of the other, you know, real big, big forces in the NBA, in the West. And the Timberwolves are not what they were last season. So I think there's a lane there. I still wouldn't call them the favorite in the west, but I definitely think it's going to be interesting. I was at that game last night, Colin, and there was a substitution where they said, and now for LeBron James, Luka, Doncic and just that idea that if they wanted to, the Lakers could play either Luka or LeBron for 48 straight minutes often. Both of them is crazy. And whatever their other deficiencies are defensively, I still have some worries LeBron might run out of gas at some point. I don't think he's going to be able to play at the level he's been playing this last month for the next six months straight. But no matter what, the idea that you can have games where one of them is on the floor and likely more, you know, much more of the time, both of them from the entire game, that's insane. Yeah, it's nuts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nuts. Was fun to watch. Rachel Nichols, as always, great seeing you.

[Chris Mannix]

Thank you.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right, we take a break. Come back. Herdline News live in Los Angeles. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific. Hey, it's Steve Covino and I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Covino and Rich on FOX Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. And of course, the iHeartRadio X. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich? We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that, well, other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out. We like to get you involved, too. Take your phone calls, chop it up, as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planet Earth. Be sure to check out Covino and Rich live on Fox Sports radio and the iHeartradio app from 5 to 7pm Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich wherever you get your podcast. And of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.

[Rachel Nichols]

Some might say homes.com is the best home shopping site. But why is it their sleek ad free user interface. Enjoy search experience without distractions. Maybe it's their unmatched school insight featuring district detail and reviews from expert sources like Niche, Every parent's dream. Or is it their super comprehensive agent directory? Or how they always connect you directly to the listing agent on every listing. Homes.com even offers a comprehensive search experience with 22 data visualization layers, 7 environmental layers and an option to search by commute and architectural style. Homes.com is bringing you all the in depth info you need. Homes.com We've done your homework.

[Colin Cowherd]

You can count on T Mobile to help keep you connected from big cities to small towns on America's largest 5G network. Switch the T Mobile keep your phone and they'll pay it off. Up to 800 bucks per line via prepaid card. Learn more@t mobile.com Keep and switch up to four lines via virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service port in 90 plus days with device and eligible carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months. Everyone's forgotten who runs this valley. Time to remind them. Yellowstone fans step into the Yellowstone universe. Our family legacy is this ranch and I protect I live my life. Hosted by Bobby Bones, the official Yellowstone Podcast takes you deeper into the franchise that's captivated millions worldwide. Action Explore untold behind the scenes stories, exclusive cast interviews and in depth discussions about the themes and legacy of Yellowstone. You know, the first students to settle this valley fighting was all they knew. Whether you're a longtime fan or new to the ranch, welcome to the Yellowstone. Bobby Bones has everything you need to stay connected to the Yellowstone phenomenon. I look forward to it. Listen to the Official Yellowstone Podcast now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's go to work.

[Rachel Nichols]

John Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique tale. Take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors. And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[J. Mac]

Saturday on fox primetime hoops. Two of the Big Ten's best go head to head at 7:30 Eastern. 11th rank Michigan State takes on Illinois.

[Colin Cowherd]

Don't you think it's ironic that Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson, who were kind of rivals, reportedly didn't love each other, are going to both be on the market? I think it's kind of ironic, right? Like Aaron sort of looked down at Russell and Russell, you know, kind of rolled his eyes at Aaron and now they're both in the exact same spot. Coaches of multiple teams moving off them.

[Chris Mannix]

Yeah.

[J. Mac]

And are either of them ahead of Kirk Cousins or Sam Darnold in the pecking order?

[Colin Cowherd]

Not Sam. No, no, no, no. Sam Darnold still in his athletic prime. Yeah, Sam Darnold's the best available free agent quarterback. That's the best quarterback that's available on the market now. Now for a year. Now the question becomes if it could have Aaron Russell or Kirk Cousins. Just for a year. I think I'd take Kirk Cousins. No drama. Accurate adult, can, by the way, be a mentor to the other quarterback.

[J. Mac]

Motivated to bounce back after getting benched.

[Colin Cowherd]

And like I thought, he ran out of gas. He needs an entire off season. Remember his first game against Pittsburgh? It's like he looked like, tender. He couldn't move, couldn't. Couldn't drive the ball. And then he was pretty good and he was average. Then he was bad. So I think. I think Kirk Cousins, like, how about you bring him in? I mean, if you draft Shador Sanders, you're going to play him. I just. Kirk gives me limitations, but no drama. Great in the room, good at the podium.

[J. Mac]

He's not going to wear his hat backwards.

[Colin Cowherd]

Not really, no. J. Mac with the news. No, no, no.

[Rachel Nichols]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herd line news.

[J. Mac]

What are we doing here, Philadelphia Eagles? Colin, we're still celebrating that super bowl win over the. But remember, a year ago, it did not look like they'd be going back to a Super Bowl. However, head coach Nick Sirianni spoke on how last year's struggle helped this season's success.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think I look back on last.

[Chris Mannix]

Year and how last year ended, and I'm grateful.

[Colin Cowherd]

As crazy as this sounds, I'm grateful how last year ended because it shaped us to who we are today and where we're standing today and the adversity at the beginning of the year. And shoot the adversity through the season, through injuries, through ups and downs, through everything. The next Bill Belichick right there.

[J. Mac]

Well, it happens to everybody.

[Colin Cowherd]

Right?

[J. Mac]

You go through adversity, right. And then you. You come out on the other side stronger, assuming you don't quit throwing the towel.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, I think. I think this was a Super bowl with multiple MVPs, coaches, GMs, owner, quarterback, O line, D line. It was a. It was a very. It's a very complimentary football operation. Whereas I felt in the end of the year for Kansas City, it was a lot of Mahomes, Chris Jones across your fingers. I mean, it was very dependent because Travis Kel, not the same player.

[J. Mac]

You didn't trust Kareem Hunt coming out of the back.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I mean, it was Andy Reid, Mahomes, Chris Jones and a lot of smoke and mirrors.

[J. Mac]

Just say it. It's fine. I know they went 15 and 2, but it was a smoke and mirror season. They didn't score 30 points except until that Playoff game against. Was it the Bills? Yeah, they just couldn't score all season. They weren't good.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, it's fair.

[J. Mac]

And by the way, how about this Eagles after the buy this season went 16:1 Colin. That's absurd. Look at that. 16 and they had the early buy. Remember, they had to change some things after that Tampa loss.

[Colin Cowherd]

31 points a game. That's something.

[J. Mac]

Now Martin, when I brought this up, he's like, you know, it's not about adversity. It's about Saquon Barkley. Saquon Barkley joins the offense. Now there are the points per game. Through the roof.

[Colin Cowherd]

So you know who won this year? Biggest picture in the league, Running backs. Every team that went and got a running Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley. I mean, look around the league. Aaron Jones, Josh Jacobs. Every team that went and got a running back made the playoffs. All those teams. I mean, J.K. dobbins when he was healthy for the Chargers.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Good one. Next up is the Saints. They officially announced Kellen Moore with the next head coach. However. How about this? This is kind of spicy. Yesterday, a gentleman by the name of Grant Paulson of 106.7 the Fan in Washington D.C. reported a rival team official told him the Saints job was Cliff Kingsbury's if he wanted it, it was made clear to him that was the case. However, Kingsbury said, I'd rather call plays in Washington D.C. with Jaden Daniels.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think he's smart. I do not think the Saints is a good gig. In fact, I think when we rated jobs, when there were like seven openings, I think I had the Saints Saints last everybody was making fun of New England. I'm like, new England's job's great. I get Drake Maine a good owner. Yeah, I mean, I, I listen, Ben Johnson stayed in Detroit for a year and we didn't know how that would affect his job market. You know, the old strike when the iron's hot. He got the best job.

[J. Mac]

He got a good job.

[Colin Cowherd]

So I. I don't think the Saints a good gig.

[J. Mac]

So this. So Kingsbury, being a head coach in Arizona, went through a bunch of crap with Tyler, the owner. He's seen. Hey, man, a lot of stuff matters. It's not just I'm a head coach and dodging this bullet in New Orleans. I think very smart.

[Colin Cowherd]

By kid, you have got to not. I mean, let's be completely honest about the NFL as a head coach. There's two things you got to worry about. Do I have a nutty owner Or a solid owner. And there's about 10 of those. And do I have a really good quarterback? Either a young guy that I can mold or an old guy that can win. You're not winning in this league when you got crazy owner and mediocre quarterback. I don't care how good your roster is. I mean, Jeffrey Lurie of the Eagles and Jalen hurts beyond the roster. It's like, oh, I can win with those guys. That's a good. Philadelphia keeps. You know, that's a good job. Yeah, there's about. Let me tell you something. There's about seven, six or seven great quarterbacks, coaches, owners, GMs. It's a like any profession. There's a lot of these owners right now that are below average.

[J. Mac]

I'm trying to think of a job Kingsbury would leave for again. Leaving.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's think about one.

[J. Mac]

Well, I got three. The New York Giants.

[Colin Cowherd]

I thought about that.

[J. Mac]

They don't have a quarterback yet. Do they have a path to one? I don't know. The Miami Dolphins are interesting. What do you think of two? I don't just Kingsbury like him. Does he want to be.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're just playing for second place in that division. Until Josh Allen's out of his prime, you're playing for second place.

[J. Mac]

Okay, so the third one is Arizona, but he's not going back to Arizona, obviously.

[Colin Cowherd]

No, I think Arizona is well coached. I think they have a quarterback. Well, I. When I watch him, I think they're. I think out on Gannon.

[J. Mac]

I'm just saying, like, he's got to show improvement. I'm just thinking around the league. I don't know where there's an opening Kingsbury would leave for. And you got Jaden Daniels. Like, you're not hard up to leave him. He could be the next Mahomes for all we know, right?

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a good question. It's a very good question because we know there's going to be seven new coaches next year. Where are the openings? One of the openings. And I feel terrible for saying this because I think he does a good job. Zach Taylor, if they don't make the playoffs again.

[J. Mac]

Oh, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

With Joe Burrow.

[J. Mac]

That's it right there.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, that's that. You know, again, I think Zach does a good job. I think the ownership is weak.

[J. Mac]

You're the only one in that camp. I mean, not even Bengals fans are out on him.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's Music.

[J. Mac]

I mean, they don't like him. He's not a good coach.

[Colin Cowherd]

Music. Is he. Is he a B coach?

[J. Mac]

Politically correct.

[Colin Cowherd]

Okay, so music said he's a B coach. Oh, come on, Billy. I don't think you understand the limitations.

[J. Mac]

B isn't bad. He's not a B.

[Colin Cowherd]

Had to sell stadium naming rights in Cincinnati to pay for Burrell's contract. They are at. You could argue it is. Bottom three ownership situation and the owners now the gm. How's that working in Dallas?

[J. Mac]

Maybe the Bengals will trade Joe Burrow. Call him fat on the way out the door and disparage his character.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let me throw this one out. Dallas. Cliff Kingsbury in Dallas. What are you going there for?

[J. Mac]

Crazy owner, bad quarterback.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, you weaken Washington. So Jerry says, hey, it'll weaken washing. After Washington sweeps the Cowboys next year and drops 45 on him, you're going to try to weaken the commander.

[J. Mac]

Brian Schottenheimer has not even hung a picture in his office and you've got him out the door already. That is cold blooded coward. Final story is the 49ers. They have some decisions to make. Obviously. Deebo Samuel asked for a trade. Brock Purdy's eligible for extension. 49ers owner Jed York said, I know we want Brock to be here for a long time. We'll do everything we can to make that work. Colin, 49ers could host the Super Bowl. It's in the Bay area next year. That's not a quote that he's coming back at all costs. We want Brock to be here for a long time. I'm just, I'm really curious if Aaron Rodgers somehow. Remember, isn't he Northern California guy? Is that where he's from?

[Colin Cowherd]

Do you think they trade Brock Purdy?

[J. Mac]

What's the market for him? You got somebody who loves Brock Purdy. I think he's good.

[Colin Cowherd]

But, but let me tell you something. Six months ago you had this guy. You had it. Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar, Brock Pie.

[J. Mac]

His numbers last that that season were, were of worthy of top five. He was awesome.

[Colin Cowherd]

What would you pay him? What's the most you'd pay Brock Purdy?

[J. Mac]

I mean I'm, I'm a cheapskate. So I would probably go. I would cap it at 40 mil. A very team friendly.

[Colin Cowherd]

A Daniel Jones contract.

[J. Mac]

Yeah, I give him a penny more than Daniel Jones. I'm saying he's way better than Daniel Jones. And if, and if he pushes back, be like, dude, what do you want me to do? We look at the teams paying their quarterbacks top dollar. They're not even making the playoffs.

[Colin Cowherd]

You think Kyle wants Aaron?

[J. Mac]

That's a good question. That would Be fascinating. That would be. Not quite Luca to the Lakers, but Aaron Rodgers to the Niners. That's spicy.

[Colin Cowherd]

Aaron Glenn did not want the player or the person in the building unless camp no TV interviews like Aaron Glenn put his foot down, bro. I'm not. I'm not looking at part time Aaron. And if Aaron, I mean again with the Niners. They got to win some games now. They had a bad season, you know. Lottie Da Aaron. I'm gonna go do some traveling. I don't think that plays in San Francisco.

[J. Mac]

I had to look this up. Aaron Glenn's never won anything, so he needs to start fresh. Kyle Shanahan's been on the doorstep. Can Aaron Rodgers get me over the hump?

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think he can. If not, you know Aaron's not coming in cheap, so you're not going to be able to rebate. You're going to have to hit on like five draft pick. That old line needs rebuild building.

[J. Mac]

I wonder what the podcasting rules are going to be if the Niners make a run at Rogers.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, I don't think.

[J. Mac]

I don't think they're gonna write that into the comments.

[Colin Cowherd]

I. I don't think they care about.

[J. Mac]

I'm kidding.

[Colin Cowherd]

Come on J. Mac with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. Good stuff today, J. Mac. We really did a nice job. The hold on.

[J. Mac]

When do we not have good stuff?

[Colin Cowherd]

It's a great question.

[J. Mac]

I'm not kidding.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, when I'm passing out after six minutes on the air is not a great day. And handing the show to you and you didn't even know going to do it.

[J. Mac]

I don't know if I was like a backup quarterback getting called in, but it felt like Tyrod Taylor. Justin Herbert.

[Rachel Nichols]

Ish.

[J. Mac]

You being Tyrod Taylor.

[Colin Cowherd]

Remember this. The like Fox's medical team hurt me. By the way, Nick Wright was on earlier. A lot of mea culpas. Not really, but talked about the big upcoming season for Kansas City, the Chiefs. We all know since Patrick's been there seven years, they have a two game one or two game season. It starts in the conference championship. Right. Two years they've gone 01. Both years they made massive changes. One year after going 01, they fired the D coordinator, brought in Spags. One year after going 01, they traded Tyreek Hill. Three years, they've gone two. And oh, we know what you do after that. You hold a parade. They've now twice gone one one. The first time they did it they remade the offensive line. I'm very curious what they do the second time. They will make a major adjustment. I don't know what it'll be, but it's not going to be quiet this offseason in Kansas City. I promise you that. Well, 31st they need now. Would Kansas City move up to get the offensive tack? I don't think there's a great offensive tackle in this draft. I think, I think Joe alts better than who the Chargers gots better than all the offensive tackles. It is a running back D tackle, decent tight end class. But you know, it's just amazing how things change. First it's Travis Kelsey, Taylor Swift, Cloud9 and then you look up and you trail 34 to nothing. Colin Recency bias it's 34 nothing. You got humiliated in the biggest game in America every year. It's the reality. That thing that's going to leave a mark that stays on the resume. Don't, don't get into that garbage Points and yards in the fourth quarter some.

[Rachel Nichols]

Might say homes.com is the best home shopping site. But why?

[Colin Cowherd]

Why?

[Rachel Nichols]

Could it be their sleek, beautiful design, ad free interface, a distraction free search is certainly a breath of fresh air. Or maybe it's their in depth school info. Perfect for parents wanting the best for their kids. With district details and reviews from multiple sources, they've got you covered. Or Perhaps it's the homes.com is the only site that always connect you directly with the listing agent who knows the home best? Is home shopping the way it should be? Be homes.com We've done your homework.

[Colin Cowherd]

Whether you're ordering wings for the game, whipping up a seven layer dip, or ordering pizza, there's something about football that makes me want to eat. And this football season, Uber Eats has the best deals for me on game day food no matter what I'm craving from two for one pizza to buy one get one Wings Uber Eats we'll be dropping new deals each week. All season long. I'm in Uber Eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Order now for game day. Terms and conditions apply. See app for DC Details hey, it's Alec Baldwin.

[Rachel Nichols]

This past season on my podcast, here's.

[Colin Cowherd]

The thing, I spoke with more actors.

[Rachel Nichols]

Musicians, policy makers and so many other fascinating people like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd.

[Colin Cowherd]

I love writing more than anything. You're left alone, you know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon. Go pick up a kid from school and write at night. And after nine hours, you come out with seven pages and then you're moving on.

[Rachel Nichols]

And actor and comedian Jack McBrayer.

[Colin Cowherd]

The most important aspect is the collaboration with people that I like, I trust are talented. That has been the most amazing gift to me about this crazy business that we've chosen. Meeting these people who have such diverse talents and you're able to create something together. Listen to here's the thing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans, let's go to work. Join Bobby Bones on the Official Yellowstone Podcast for exclusive cast interviews, behind the scenes insights, and a deep dive into the themes that have made Yellowstone a cultural phenomenon. Our family legacy is this ranch, not a protector of my life. Listen to the Official Yellowstone Podcast now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.