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The human body is a beautiful machine and keeping it running means understanding how it actually works.
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Jason McIntyre
Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd@foxsportsradio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Rachel Nichols
Now, let's get this party started.
Jason McIntyre
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Hello and welcome to the Herd. It's a lovely Thursday in sunny and warm Los Angeles. Yep, we got the heat wave out here. Sorry to those of you dealing with cold March weather. We don't know what that's like. And it's not just the weather that's hot in la. It's the Lakers. Oh my goodness. Or as the kids like to say, OMG. Welcome to the herd. It's me, Jason McIntyre, in for vacationing. Colin Cowherd. He's now cut me off, won't talk to me because the Lakers are so hot and he knows he's got to come back and do where Colin was wrong 17 times on the LA Lakers. I'm joined today by Rachel Nichols. Listen, we had a spirited morning meeting. Rachel, I know you're fired up, obviously, NCAA tournament. But the Lakers are the big story. We got Giannis.
JJ Redick
Giannis, yeah, there's a lot going on right now.
Jason McIntyre
There is a lot happening. We're going to get to Giannis in a moment, but I need to start with the Lakers and their win last night over the Rockets. They go to Houston this week, sweep the Rockets with two dominant fourth quarters. Monday it was defensively, okay? Remember the blitzing, the pressing of Kevin Durant. Wednesday it was offense and it was a Luka Doncic talking spicy. Did you hear him? That's what I bleeping do to the crowd in Houston after just taking over. Luka was sensational, as they say in soccer, folks, I'm just telling you. I know people like to say, oh, he's overweight, he's not dunking. Are you watching basketball? Why are we doubting this guy? The highlight reel from last night alone, the alley. Oops. Ayton Rui LeBron. It was incredible. And the Lakers performance overall made three things. Look at this job. Look at he's making Jabari Smith dance, poor guy. And then he's Looking at the crowd saying, that's what I do. I'm just telling you, if you don't like the Don Luca, you got problems. This guy is one of the best shows in the league and what he showed me last night. In the Lakers, three things are very obvious. Yes. Number one, the Lakers are contenders. Serious title contenders. The round mound of rebound who just last weekend was no way. They're not. I think you got to change your tune when you could take down New York, Minnesota, Denver and sweep Houston on the road. Peaking matters more in March than it does in January and December. The Lakers are hot right now. That's clear. Number one. Number two is LeBron James has fit into the role JJ Redick put him in. They had some come to Jesus discussion. I'm sure it's going to come out later on about what went down. But look at this hot streak. The Lakers are on fire. LeBron's doing everything right. He had an amazing game last night. 13 of 14, six dunks, the most he's had in a game since 2017. We'll give LeBron his own segment shortly. But I think my big picture takeaway, watching this team gel or coalesce, as Reddicks likes to say. I think it's very clear, guys that I would rather face OKC in the second round than the San Antonio Spurs. The spurs terrified me. Okay. They are downright scary. Okc really, really good defending champs. But right now, the way the Lakers are playing, as you hear J.J. redick here, I'm not afraid of the Thunder. Here's Redick on the Lakers hot streak.
JJ Redick (continued)
There's a lot of things that are really good right now. Again, talked about it before the game, just high level of, of people embracing the roles that the team needs. I think our, our guys are doing a fantastic job of making in game adjustments as we toggle through different defenses, you know, different things that we want to exploit on the offensive end. Just from where we were earlier in the season on both those things, just being able to execute in game and then, and then embracing, you know, the roles that the team needs. I think it's just at a much higher level right now. You can tell when a group is connected and we've, we've been very connected for the last couple weeks.
Jason McIntyre
It's just so smart. Gotta love JJ Redick. And let's be real, it's not just LeBron who's bought in Deandre Ayton. I think he's going to remove his nickname of dominating, which is goofy. You don't Dominate anything, okay? You get on the block, you score a couple buckets, you catch a couple lobs, and you play defense. That's the reality, you know, you're not out here looking for some big contract. Stop trying. Let Luka cook. I mean, Austin Reeves was terrible the last two games and the Lakers won handily. And I look at this potential opponent, you know, everybody. Oh, the Thunder are terrifying. Yes. They won the title last year. Do I need to remind you guys how they did? Because against that Denver team, Aaron Gordon was on one leg. He got hurt in Game 6. Game 7, he's on one leg and OKC wins. And then you face the Pacers in the finals. And game seven was looking scary early. And then Tyrese Halliburton goes down and OKC pulls away easily. I'm not quite putting an asterisk by their title. It's not like the Raptors. Remember when the Raptors beat the warriors because KD was down and Clay was down? Like, that's different. This OKC team is really good. But as you see some highlights here. Kayson, Wallace. Yeah, really nice. Caruso, Nice. Lou Dort. Here's the problem. They're so deep. OKC runs like 12 deep. They're a great regular season team. A bunch of young guys who are try hards. They run non stop. But here's the problem. You start looking at the postseason and there's a great Pat Riley quote. You play eight and you trust seven. You're not playing 12 or even 10 guys in a playoff series. It's too high level. The minutes matter. You're not having SGA come off the court for 20 minutes. So like Mitchell, who's a really nice player, Jared McCain, Wiggins, Isaiah Joe, all these guys are hugely valuable. There's just no minutes for them. So when you shrink the bench, I like the Lakers matchup against the Thunder and you know, I'm trying to sell the staff guys. I'm terrified of Wembanyama. There is no matchup for him anywhere in the league and the Lakers certainly have nobody. Wembanyama. I was like fifth row when Wembanyama went for like 28 points in the first quarter against the Lakers. Now, it was a mass unit, Lakers, but they got humiliated. There are. There's no zone defense that's going to stop Wemby. He's unstoppable. And you look at Stefan Castle, go look online what he did at head to head against Cade Cunningham and sga. He's the best young defender in the league. I do not Want Luka facing him in a seven game series again. Lou Dort, Yeah, he's fine, but we know he's a cheap shot artist, getting thrown out of games, doing dirty stuff. Lucas had his way with him. And oh, by the way, do I need to remind you guys the last team and player to take down OKC in the playoffs? You got it. Luka Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks two years ago. I looked it up. Luka averaged a nice 24, 10 and 8 in that series. Utterly dominant. And guess what else happened? All the role players on Dallas fit perfectly. Everybody did their role. I think the Lakers could do that. And honestly, if you don't think the Lakers are at least a major contender to come out of the west, you haven't been watching the basketball close enough. All right, I want to pivot to another story in the NBA that is a little troubling. You could see this coming from a mile away, but reports surface yesterday that Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks are kind of sort of beefing. And I'm looking for the exact quote here because it's a little clunky when it comes out on social media and you. And you start to wonder, well, who's leaking this? Is this coming from the Bucks or is this coming from Giannis? I'm going to read it to you. The Bucks want Giannis shut down for the remainder of the season after his latest injury. And if you haven't been paying attention, the Bucks, who haven't got out of the first round the last three years. Giannis keeps getting injured. Not great for a guy who's 31 years old. The team's playoff chances dwindled, but Atenokounmpo has refused the team's requests and wants to play. Why? You're hurt. You're not making the playoffs, but Giannis wants to play. It gets better, folks. There have been multiple meetings over a tenokumpo status in the last 24 hours since its hyperextended knee, and a disagreement has ensued between the sides on whether it is best for him to return. I'm of the belief and feel free to disagree, that this is Giannis leaking this because he's afraid to be the bad guy. And I know you guys know this old quote, hey, if you try to please everybody, you please nobody. And Giannis is trying to come out not looking like the bad guy. He is terrified of being Kevin Durant or LeBron James. And I, and I get it, you don't want everybody hating you around the league and in Milwaukee, where you set up shop and won a title. But it's looking increasingly like that's going to be the case, folks. I'm just going to break it down for you pretty easily. Okay? Richel and I agree. Tanking works. I am pro tanking, especially, especially in this draft. Milwaukee sitting at 28 and 40, they're 10th in the West. They're not making the playoffs, like seven games out. So they have a 13% chance right now at the top four. And top four would be DebonSA, Peterson, Acuff, Boozer, maybe Caleb Wilson. In that top four, they only have a 13% chance. But Dallas is 23 and 47, only five games worse than the Bucks. They have a 37% chance in the top four. So you're telling me if you shut down Giannis, and I know they're not good with him right now, they think they're 2 and 9 in their last 11. So they're not good with him. They're horrific without him. So you can triple, almost triple your chances from 13 to 37 of landing in the top four if you lose a lot more games, Folks, with Giannis, they're at least competitive. They can score. You see it on the screen. Without him, we're talking a full on dumpster fire like the Utah Jazz, who benched four starters last night. Well, you know, Jaren Jackson's hurt and they give up 147 of the Timberwolves without Anthony Edwards, it's like, yeah, they're trying not to win games because they want another good pick. The Bucs should be doing that. So why the hell is Giannis insisting I want to come back and play? Because he's trying to make it look like the Bucks don't want him to play. Do you remember what just went down with Max Crosby and the Raiders? They wanted to tank for Fernando Mendoza, so they tried to shut down Max Crosby. How did Max Crosby respond? He went and posted a video on Instagram of him shooting basketball in his ridiculously awesome basketball court in his backyard, just swishing threes and moving clean. You're like, max Crosby can play. Why isn't he out there now? He obviously was injured. Obviously the meniscus. He needed surgery, but there was a push and pull. Why? Because Max Crosby wanted out. Giannis wants out. So now we're setting up a situation where the team and player are at odds and Max Crosby could say whatever he want. Jay Glazer broke the news on this way back. Matt Crosby wants out. Okay, Giannis, I'm telling you guys, he wants Out. I know he had a great run in Milwaukee. He would love to stay because he loves the city and his family. Kids were born there and all that. He wants to win, and he's not winning in Milwaukee anytime soon. So the move is to force your way out without looking like a jerk, like Anthony Davis. Remember when he was with the Pelicans and he was like, I'm not playing. Trade me. And Anthony Davis walked into the arena and they booed him. His own arena, because he was being such a jerk about it. Giannis doesn't want that smoke. He definitely doesn't want the LeBron Heat. Remember when LeBron left for the Heat, he did the Jim Gray special. I'm taking my talents to South Beach. He was hated in Cleveland and around the league because he looked like a bad guy. So what? You guys know, being in the media, you're taking all kinds of arrows. You're wrong about this. That's a terrible take. You gotta have thick skin now. Maybe it's because I have a family and I'm older, but I really don't care about the social media stuff. Giannis, Kevin Durant, LeBron, these guys live on social media. They grew up with it. It's almost an extension of who they are. And it becomes very difficult to tune that noise out. So I understand where Giannis is coming from, but somebody in his camp has to say, Giannis, it doesn't matter. People are going to forget this. You gave Milwaukee a title. Just move on, my guy. And I'm hopeful that Giannis can just pull the band aid off and say, you know what? We had a great run. I'm ready to move on and play somewhere else. I don't think they're going to hate you in Milwaukee. So spicy start to the show. We got Luka, we got Giannis. We haven't even got to LeBron. We've got some NFL moves, Rachel. I mean, listen, this is a great show. I think there may be some basketball happening tonight in the NBA. I don't know.
JJ Redick
March Madness.
Jason McIntyre
March Madness is, I think, happening. But coming up next year on the Herd. Hey, Albert Brier floated something fascinating on Lamar Jackson. It was kind of eye opening. I was taken aback. Ravens fans online, not happy with it, but there appears to be truth to it. Things are going down in Baltimore. It doesn't look great. That's next on the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific, on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, this is Jason McIntyre join me every weekday morning on my podcast, Straight fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't your typical sports pod, pushing the same tired narratives down your throat every day. Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at the sportsbook, and all the best guests. Do yourself a favor and listen to Straight fire with Jason McIntyre on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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And this is 40s and free agents.
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The games may be over, but the NFL never stops. This is my favorite part of the calendar.
Daniel Jeremiah
Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine. The NFL draft, pro days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future.
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You got quarterbacks on the move.
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We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season.
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Absolutely, it's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your favorite team.
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Smart analysis. Real conversations every week.
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I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Erin Welsh
Usually on this podcast, We'll Kill youl, we talk about the diseases, infections, and biological threats that can make us really sick.
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But right now, we're doing something a little different.
Erin Welsh
We're stepping back and looking at what the human body needs to keep going.
Dr. Erin Welsh
When you consider what we know about sleep in humans, there's one rule that comes out. We are predictably unpredictable sleepers.
Erin Welsh
We're talking about why sleep works the way it does, why our bodies don't follow neat rules, and why modern life makes rest so hard to come by.
Dr. Erin Welsh
The second half of our series takes us to the digestive system with a multi part series on what happens after we eat. Okay, I just have to say that all of my favorite words apparently are digestive words.
Erin Welsh
Sphincter, peristalsis, duodenum. It's fascinating, it's funny, and it matters so much more than you think.
Dr. Erin Welsh
Episodes of our new series run from January 20 through February 17, with new episodes every Tuesday on the Exactly Right Network.
Erin Welsh
Listen to this podcast will kill you as part of the Exactly Right Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts on the
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Adventures of Curiosity Cove Podcast what if the Right Fit isn't what everyone expects? In the case of the Right Fit, Ella explores movement, confidence and belonging to and learns that not all strength looks the same. Tennis is powerful, fast, focused and kind of fun. Strong swing Ella this Women's History Month story introduces kids to women who change sports by trusting themselves and moving differently. A thoughtful episode about identity, courage and helping kids discover where they truly belong. So it's okay if I'm not quite sure what my thing is yet. It's absolutely okay when and if you do find a sport you love, you may be the next Gertrude, Tony or Venus at Curiosity. Listen to Adventures of Curiosity Cove every Monday from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Lala Kent
Hello gorgeous. It's Lala Kent, host of Untraditionally Lala. My days of filling up cups at Sur Me being be over but I'm still loving life in the valley. Life on the other side of the hill is giving grown up vibes. But over here on my podcast Untraditionally Lala I'm still that Lala. You either love or love to hate. I've been full on over sharing with fans, family and former frenemies like Tom Schwartz. I had a little bone to pick with Schwarzy when he came on the pod. You don't feel bad that you told me I was a bootleg housewife? I almost flipped a pizza in your lap.
Jason McIntyre
Oh my God. I literally forgot about that until just now. Sorry, I don't want to. I don't want to blame alcohol that I got to blame that one on the alcohol.
Lala Kent
This is about laughing and learning when life just keeps on life in because I make mistakes so that you guys don't have to. We're growing, we're thriving and yes, sometimes we're barely surviving, but we do it all with love. It's unruly it's unafraid. It's Untraditionally Lala. Listen to Untraditionally Lala on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Jason McIntyre
You are now entering the no Bull zone sponsored by credible Great rates with none of the bull. So Albert Rear came on the show yesterday and we were talking about Lamar Jackson. He took it to an interesting place. Obviously it's been a trying. What are we looking at? The story came out in December so we're looking at about three months in Baltimore. The story came out from. I believe Mike Preston was the journalist that like Lamar Jackson was falling asleep in team meetings. He was up late night playing video games. He's basically an overgrown kid. There were his own rules basically that he had around the organization and Baltimore didn't exactly push back on this. It wasn't like a this is fantastical or whatever people are saying now about politics, but there were a lot of oh, that's interesting. I can see that. Even apparently John Harbaugh was wearing thin of his act. Lamar had just been so not there and not locked in that it was like, is he taking this seriously? Like what's going on? And he would show up at minicamp and then dip after a day and it just remember he would miss a bunch of practices and people like why is he just missing a Wednesday practice? And there really was no explanation. Albert Beer tried to connect a lot of the dots yesterday. Take a listen.
Albert Breer
If you look at Lamar's history, the years he's missed games due to injury have been the ones where he was in a contract dispute. And you look at it, 18, 19, 20, great start to his career. 21, he's first eligible for a contract, doesn't get one, misses games. 22, contract issue lingers, misses games. And then last year they talked about extending him before last year. Last year he winds up missing games. So you know, I do think that there's that part of it and I think it's complicated. This is all complicated by his playstyle. You know, is, is, is, are the Ravens all in with him? Are the Ravens going to, going to see this through with him?
Jason McIntyre
And I think Rachel had the stat. He's been hit more than any other quarterback in recent years. I mean he's just taking a pounding. Here's where it gets interesting. So he's a two time mvp. So there is a chorus of folks saying, oh you got to pay him. He's Lamar Jackson. You want to compete? Well, just paying Lamar mean you're automatically Going to compete. I mean, they missed the playoffs last year. I know it was week 18 and if the kicker makes a field goal, that's very makeable. I think it was 44 yards. They're in the playoffs, no big deal. And Pittsburgh misses. Problem is they didn't make the kick and Lamar missed games and they weren't great. And then it was compounded when essentially they push out the coach. Now I say they because it was the Ravens, but I mean, more than a few people think Lamar Jackson was involved in that. And then it got worse. They lose their center, Linderbaum, he goes to the Raiders. They try to get Crosby, they pull out of it. Then they get Hendrickson. You look at the depth chart, they lose two of their three tight ends. Mark Andrews is still there, but they lost likely in free agency. And the third string tight end who was pretty good kid out of Iowa State, he's now with the Chargers. So you're losing depth. You've got an unhappy quarterback, you've got a rookie first time coach. You've got the black eye of the Max Crosby saga. You bring on Hendrickson, I don't know. You know, he's a fine player. Is he going to be a game changer for that defense? I don't know. I feel bad for Jesse Minter. You see him here posing with his family. First time he gets a head coaching job. He's got a minefield in Baltimore. Yeah, he's got a quarterback who when healthy and locked in is awesome. But I'm not so certain that things are looking rosy in Baltimore. And I, and I'll add this, what happens if Lamar says, guys, if you don't give me what I want, well, I'm not signing for anything less. Then it becomes a real ugly power struggle. When you give a quarterback this much power, things don't always work out that, that great. Let's go to Rachel Nichols with the news. No, no, no, no.
Rachel Nichols
Heard on the news.
Jason McIntyre
This is the Herdline news.
JJ Redick
Jason, we actually got some pretty shocking and a bummer story out of Detroit today. Cade Cunningham, you know, he was diving on the floor for a ball. If you can see when it happens, he basically falls on the ball and it turns out he's got a collapsed lung. He's going to be out for at least two weeks, evaluated after that. And the Pistons right now are still three and a half games ahead of the Celtics in the Eastern Conference standings. But I don't know, without Cade Cunningham, they really lose the locomotive of that team. I've been saying before he got hurt that I think the Celtics are going to win the east in these playoffs. You changed your tune at all given all of this. And obviously the first. The first order of business is that Cade turns out to be okay. But he seems to be okay. It's just a matter of time. What do you think?
Jason McIntyre
I dug into some recent injuries similar to a collapsed lung, and I think C.J. mcCollum missed like 17 games.
JJ Redick
Yeah, he did.
Jason McIntyre
So let's just assume Cade's out the rest of the regular season. I don't know that Detroit has the supporting cast to keep hold onto the number one seed. Like who's their go to scorer? He does everything for them.
JJ Redick
Yeah.
Jason McIntyre
So is it Jalen Duran?
JJ Redick
I mean, also, he.
Jason McIntyre
Stu.
JJ Redick
He defends really well.
Dr. Erin Welsh
Yeah.
JJ Redick
Also. And you know, this has been problem again, even before he got hurt. The Pistons defense, if you look at them before the All Star game and after the All Star Game, before the All Star game, in terms of opponents, you know, points per game keeping them down, they were third in the league and now they're 13th. So their defense was their stock and trade. It's sort of how they got where they got. And that was already on the downslope. Cade's a really good defender. You can switch him. You can do a lot of stuff on him. He's got a big body. Oh, and by the way, Jason, you said he might not be back the regular season. He's only played 61 games this year. Oh, so he's been in the MVP conversation. The idea would be that, you know, of the top five, he'd probably get votes. And you know, for a young player, that's a big accomplishment to get. Forget winning it. But to even get into that top five and be named as a finalist.
Jason McIntyre
Can you get all NBA? You can't get all NBA.
JJ Redick
No. Any of it. None of it.
Jason McIntyre
Wow. So that opens a spot for someone. Oh, Kawhi will probably get it, right? Yeah, but he makes 65 chance.
JJ Redick
Right, but I just. I mean, the NBA will fill out. I'm a voter. We will fill out all NBA. But it's just, you know, this kid had such a great season.
Jason McIntyre
He was third in MVP in the MVP race.
JJ Redick
And to be in that contention and then not even, you know, possibly make it because he would basically, I did the math. He'd have to come back in 18 days to get four games left in the schedule for the Pistons.
Jason McIntyre
Do you want to rush someone back from a collapse? I've never had a collapsed lung. I don't have you? I got. No, I have not. I don't know what that is. Oh, this is the injury on the screen. Let's see.
JJ Redick
Yeah,
Jason McIntyre
yeah, he's laboring, calling for a sub. Yeah, looking at the bench.
JJ Redick
Look at him.
Jason McIntyre
That's not great.
JJ Redick
That's serious business. You know, unfortunately they caught it and he is completely going to be okay.
Jason McIntyre
But I'm looking at their schedule. So they have one against the Thunder, one against the Lakers, two against the Wolves. No Anthony Edwards in those, I'm assuming Raptors, Magic, Hawks. I mean, the schedule is not brutal. It's about middle of the pack. Yeah, I think the Knicks. Well, the Knicks probably won't overtake it, but your Celtics will.
JJ Redick
Yeah, I mean, you know, we'll see. Luke and LeBron, as we were talking about early in the show, they combined for 70 points as they beat the Rockets last night. LeBron, man, this was a turn back the clock game. 13 of 14 from the floor, six dunks. Kevin Durant was impressed. Take a listen to what he thought of LeBron. This is him post game.
Rachel Nichols
I think he can play until he's 45 years old. I don't know if he want to be around that long, but I think he could play for another four to five years, folk, to be honest. And so, yeah, it's not a surprise anymore. I mean, his age, he is 41, but looks great out there. I mean, when you love the game as much as he does, he'll do anything to stay locked in and stay on top of your game. So he's very inspiring as he would be,
Jason McIntyre
man.
JJ Redick
I mean, we. The conversation all year has been, should he retire this season at 41, should he retire next season of 42? You think Katie's right that he could be playing for years?
Jason McIntyre
Well, I mean, Tom Brady at our own network, I mean, kept playing and was at a high level. I'm looking now looks like 21, 6 and 5 for LeBron. Yeah, those are amazing numbers at 41. Yeah.
JJ Redick
No, I mean the question has never been on this. Will he stay with the Lakers or won't he? Is LeBron still good?
Jason McIntyre
Right?
JJ Redick
We know he's still good. Yeah, he is a top level player. It's does he fit with this roster at age 41, 42.
Jason McIntyre
Have you changed your tune on that?
JJ Redick
I think that it really depends on the role that they want to give him next year. Because I think the money, look, if he just says I want a bunch of money, then they can't keep it. Like they got to pay Austin they need to add some other players to make Lucas, you know, better and all of that stuff. If they can figure out the money, then it opens the conversation of what will his role be. And he's buying into this role right now. Is this what he wants the rest of his career to be is defense and scrapping on the floor? Are they going to play him as many minutes. Are they going to play him at the end of games? Because just the three guys are still. They've been playing better defense, but they're still not a defensive juggernaut.
Rachel Nichols
Right.
JJ Redick
You'd need like in game six of the Western Conference finals against Wemby. Right. You need to sit one of those guys. So it would. Would he be okay with that? I mean, there's just a bunch of role questions. If you go to a place like Cleveland that's a much more strong defensive team, so he could play.
Jason McIntyre
Is he going to get shots with Harden and Mitchell?
JJ Redick
Yeah, I mean, I think.
Jason McIntyre
I think they're more ball hoggy. I mean, Harden and Mitchell alone, I want to see how they work in the postseason.
JJ Redick
Harden has really shown in recent years he is comfortable dishing the ball out. I mean, if you look, he is not the player that, that he was in Houston.
Jason McIntyre
Who would be the third option? Would LeBron be the third option or Mobley?
JJ Redick
I. I think he would be the second option. I think Harden would become the third option. But. But we've seen that. It's not like. I'm not projecting like, we've seen that. He. He did that in Philadelphia. He did it with the Clippers. Like he's done it on two teams already.
Jason McIntyre
He didn't really like either of those. It asked. Ended up leaving, but.
JJ Redick
Well, yeah, he left Philadelphia because he said, I took this role change, give me my money. And they didn't.
Jason McIntyre
Kind of screwed him. Yeah, well. Sorry.
JJ Redick
Well, in his opinion.
Jason McIntyre
Yes, in his opinion. Thank you.
JJ Redick
Thank you. So, I don't know. I mean, I.
Jason McIntyre
45.
JJ Redick
45 is a long time.
Jason McIntyre
Let's not jump to KD trying to deflect from another bad performance. Is it real that he had two shot attempts in the second half or four or something?
JJ Redick
I didn't count this. I know, I know. Last time it was one basket, but I thought.
Jason McIntyre
I mean, I didn't bet it, but the over on Kevin Durant points I thought was automatic. I mean, he had like 18 points.
JJ Redick
I told you. What did I tell you Monday morning? Lakers were winning both of these games. Yeah.
Albert Breer
Good call.
Lala Kent
Right.
JJ Redick
So, I mean, Houston is not in Good shape right now. They are not. All right, let's move on to a little football. Bucks GM Jason Light spoke to the media about losing wide receiver Mike Evans to the 49ers. Remember, Evans was Light's first draft pick. The two reportedly have a good relationship, and that's why he said after this, he said, I'm not angry. He said, I'm really just in mourning right about this. And also, both he and Evans, so both sides agree, had made it clear they offered him more money than the 49ers did. So he didn't leave for the money. He's beloved in Tampa. Really good relationship with the front office. Why do you think he left the team?
Jason McIntyre
Quarterback upgrade. Should I save that for Cowherd Rock Purdy? I don't. That's a great question. Maybe Kyle Shanahan sold him something. Hey, we're losing iuk, we're losing Jennings. We need you as our guy. Whereas I don't want to say he was being de emphasized in Tampa, but they have the young kid Abuka. I think Godwin's back, so maybe an oppor. That's a good question.
JJ Redick
I think maybe some stability. Right? Shanahan, 49ers. That is stability.
Jason McIntyre
Not going anywhere.
JJ Redick
Todd Bowles definitely on the hot seat.
Jason McIntyre
Yes.
JJ Redick
Right. And you know, that requires more desperate moves, different vibe in the locker room. Things can go south more quickly. I don't know. I just. Look, a guy of this caliber who's had this much success with this one team does not tend to pick up and leave, especially when they're the ones offering him more money. So this is very unusual.
Jason McIntyre
Should we send this to Giannis? Hey, Mike Evans could have taken more money to stay. He left. Yannis, it's okay. Nobody cares.
JJ Redick
I mean, by the way, there's kids in Tampa who care. Jason, what am I going to do
Jason McIntyre
with this Mike Evans jersey?
JJ Redick
Yeah, but Mike Evans is not under the kind of. I'm not excusing what's going on in Milwaukee, but he's not under the kind of national pressure that. That, you know, he is. But it's super interesting, and I'm curious to see how he does on the 49ers. Apparently, he had at least three teams going after him.
Jason McIntyre
Wow. Yeah. And he didn't have an amazing season last year. Right.
JJ Redick
We all know what a quality. Yeah, we know what a quality guy is, though, on the field. You want him, and it's just such a great threat, you know, draws defense.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah.
JJ Redick
That sort of thing.
Jason McIntyre
All right, Rachel with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by. The Herd lie news. All right. The weeks flying by, we haven't done much NFL draft, but this Ty Simpson discussion is interesting. We got a guest coming up who's going to tell us, will Simpson go in the first round like Summer projecting or is he more of a second round quarterback? That's next on the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.
JJ Redick
Please join Fox in supporting our troops from daily needs to global emergencies. You can help us be there for those who serve, just scan the QR code or visit Go FOX Redcross to donate to the armed forces today.
Jason McIntyre
Back here on the Herd. We haven't done a ton of NFL draft this week even though some mock drafts are popping. And we have one from the Athletic. Let's bring on Nick Baumgartner from the athletic, co host of the One of these Years podcast. Big Detroit Lions guy. Nick, very excited for your mock draft. I'm mostly thrilled. Thank you for not putting Ty Simpson to my jets. Thank you very much.
Nick Baumgartner
Great. Yeah, you bet.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. Let's start with Ty Simpson. There's, there's not a lot of mystery. Mendoza goes one we would have said a lock 100%. Okay. Where do you have I. Yeah.
Nick Baumgartner
And why so, so for me, you know, I don't think he's a first round pick, but I mean, I was a little bit in this boat with Jackson Dart around this time last year. It got a little closer to, you know, by the end where some teams said, okay, I like him enough, I'll trade up into the bottom of the first round. Like I could see that being a situation. But if you look at the whole thing right, like it's only one year of experience, the first three quarters of his tape from last season is really good and the last quarter is really bad. And so you just don't have enough. I really, I really would have loved to see him come back a year. It's a little bit like the Will Levis situation in terms of, in terms of tape and experience now. I mean, off the field, I think it could be different. And this might be a deal, A thing that tips him over the top for some is that, you know, he's the son of a coach. Jason Simpson. Is his dad there. UT Chattanooga, I believe it is, or UT Martin. I'm sorry. So he's been around football forever. Smart kid. But you know, it's a limited, limited sample size for sure.
Jason McIntyre
So it's interesting, you said Simpson started hot And I remember a bunch of good fourth quarters. I was like, this guy's clutch. What do you think happened in the second half of the season? Was he thinking draft? Did defenses adjust? Had they seen a lot of tape on him? And they're like, ah, that we know his tendencies because that Indiana game, I think it was a Rose Bowl. He was atrocious, right?
Nick Baumgartner
I mean, if you watch like the Wisconsin game they played in September, you would have thought this guy's going like number three in the draft or number two. It was amazing right through September into Halloween. He was great. And I really think it was a situation where the, the tougher teams on the schedule were later. The first game where you really got paused with him was when they played Oklahoma the first time. He was a mess in that game, was better the second time they played him. And then you get into the playoffs, like you say, you go against team like Indiana who throws different stuff at you, and he was just all over the place. If he doesn't recognize what he's seeing or if he's uncomfortable at the line of scrimmage, he'll start to panic. And that's the stuff he. You can't really rely on right now in my mind, as a first round pick level stuff. Mendoza doesn't do that. You know, that's the difference. One of the differences there.
Jason McIntyre
It's weird. I, I did see some chatter like, hey, maybe they bring on the Raiders Kirk Cousins and he starts and Mendoza sits. I'm vehemently against that. I don't know, where do you stand on the whole, hey, Mendoza looks like he's ready or he should sit, you know, weigh in on that place.
Nick Baumgartner
I think he's ready to go. I think this is a really safe quarterback. You know, I've heard some people ask, you know, is he only the, the lock at the top? Because this isn't a very good group and he's like the best of a bad group. And I, I don't think that's fair. I think I would compare it to kind of like last year. You know, Cam Ward, I still think has a chance to be good depending on the situation around him. But the reason why I liked Cam Ward a lot last year, apart from his physical skills and everything else, is he got better every year he played. The arrow just went up and up and up. And it's the same thing with Mendoza. He's all about when you talk to scouts and coaches, all about his preparation, all about his work ethic. You know, like he's got the Unique personality and all the crazy stuff and people have asked about is that going to fit? Is that not going to fit? Like, to me, he comes in and is all about his business. That's all you hear about. And I think he's going to be a guy who not only is a good fit for a rebuilding franchise, but a guy who I think can handle the lumps, you know, for a year or two that are going to happen for a young quarterback.
Jason McIntyre
I like the Cam Ward comp. So, yeah, I'll ask you. So now that Cam Ward has Brian Dabel calling plays, as opposed to. I think it was Callahan with disaster last year, bigger upside in the next three years. Mendoza or Cam Ward? Mendoza has Kubiak, who just worked years with Sam Darnold in Seattle.
Nick Baumgartner
That is a great question, man. I. I would maybe reserve the right to change my answer after I see what the Raiders do in the draft.
Greg Rosenthal
Yes.
Nick Baumgartner
But I will go Cam Ward. I will go Cam Ward because I think. I do think I really like Cam Ward. And if they can, I'm just gonna. I'm gonna go on the limb and say they're gonna give him some guys, right? And they're not gonna totally, like, just completely abandon him and. And ruin him, basically. But I think if you give him some help and you continue to lean on his improvement. You watch his tape last year? Same thing. It started, you know, not so great by the end of the year. Much better. I think we're gonna see another level from him as time goes on. He's got an extra year on Fernando, but I also. I don't want that to be a downgrade on Mendoza. I think he'll be good, too. I just. Cam's athletic ceiling, I think, pushes him a little bit higher.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, I tend to agree. I don't want to bash this draft to say it's not great, but certainly it does feel a little light at the top, especially when it comes to skill position players. Everybody has Tate High, but no real other elite receivers. There's one great running back and, you know, the sexy skill positions are what everybody loves. I'm curious, you have Jeremiah Love going seventh to Rachel's commanders. They need a lot on defense, but I've seen some. Some people speculate that the Tennessee Titans, as you see Nick's mock on the screen, the Titans, who? You have Sonny Styles. We'll get to him in a sec. But I'm curious, what do you. What do you think is the high that Jeremiah Love could go, given the success that some of these young Guys have had Jameer Gibbs, Bijan Robinson early in their careers.
Nick Baumgartner
Well, I'd love to see him at 4 with the Titans with, you know, like we just mentioned with Cam. I think he'd be a great fit there. I think with Dabel coming into, if they're going to invest up front and do some things there, I would love to see him there. And the reason why is I think he's a better prospect than Ashton Jeant. He was. I think he is in the tier of your Bijan and your Gibbs tier. I think if I was going to rank those guys, GT would be just below that. Not a bad player still. But I do think this is a better player. This guy's a true three down weapon. Sub 4, 440 can jump and run through people. He can run anything, do anything. You know, he's got a little bit of that Ladanian Tomlinson, you know, dare I say inside of him. This is a very, very player. And I really hope that teams dealt like I've seen some of the like our beat writers at the Athletic get a mock draft and they had him dropping like 14 and I was like, guys, I don't think that.
Jason McIntyre
I don't know.
Nick Baumgartner
He is a very, very good player. Easily one of the top five players in this class if we're just going pound for pound. So I think he's legit. I think he's legit.
Jason McIntyre
Someone mentioned to me after the combine, remember how the Chiefs, a lot of people were pegging Jeremiah Love to the Chiefs. I guess they came back and they were like, there's no chance. We're getting.
Nick Baumgartner
He's not gonna make it.
Jason McIntyre
Overpay for Kenneth Walker.
Nick Baumgartner
Well, yeah.
Jason McIntyre
Interesting. So. So you know, again, Sonny Stiles was a really good player on Ohio State's loaded defense. Let's add that they were stacked all three levels. Caleb Downs and, and Reese. I don't know about drafting Sonny Styles for a linebacker, so I was hoping my jets would grab him at 16. He would fit great.
Nick Baumgartner
Yeah.
Jason McIntyre
But it is dicey. Linebackers going in the top 10. I think recent memory, there haven't been many good ones. Just your thoughts on kind of a lack of a premium position there at four.
Nick Baumgartner
Yeah, it's definitely. That's the high I would say for him would be four and. But I also would say I don't see him falling out of 10 right now at the situation because. And I'll say this the difference with Sonny Styles and you make the point about the linebackers. This is. You don't see this it's very rare. It almost never happens, but this is an extremely rare prospect in terms of physical. 6 foot 5, legit 240, easily the best athlete in terms of a big man, you know, linebacker at the combine that we've maybe seen ever. I mean, he was like sub 4, 4 jumping through the roof just like. He still runs like a fast safety, still sees the game a little bit like a safety. I think the things you could do with Sonny Styles in terms of positional versatility are all over the place. Like, you could do so many things with him. So I think he's got that wild card to him a little bit. And it's not the same thing as like what this, what Seattle ended up doing with Nikki Binwari last year, right, where they put him in there and, and had him be a sub player. But I think Styles is a guy you can move around, you can put him off the edge, you could drop him back, you could cover. He could do all kinds of stuff at 65240. But he's got to go to the right coach, he's got to go to the right team, right? So it depends, but I think that He's a top 10 player in this draft. Four is probably the highest that he would go and maybe that's too high, but I think maybe five to ten somewhere in there. I think he's my own. He's a guy that could slip in there.
Jason McIntyre
I feel like some. Some of these workout wonders over the years have just been unbelievable in Indy and you were like, okay, he was good during the season. I don't remember him being considered like a top 10 pick during the season. So do you think teams are over analyzing running around in your underwear and lifting weights and stuff?
Nick Baumgartner
I. I think part of the thing with Sunny Styles was like, I think a lot of teams wanted to confirm some of the stuff that they saw on tape. Like, right. Like, it's like, you know how fast they are too. It's a little bit different than the old days where, you know, they have the GPS numbers on these guys when they, when they get out before, you know what he topped out at. But I think that they want to see what is he going to look like when he's all juiced up and ready to go and is he going to compete? The other thing too, with Sonny is he did every drill. He's one of the only guys at the combine that did every single drill. And that is a huge deal in today's world where all these guys skip drills. Kids don't think it's a big deal. But if he did the three cone and the short shuttle, which might as well be retired, nobody wants to do those anymore. He did everything. So to me, he's a competitor. He wanted to show up and go. I think a lot. I think. But I do think that the scouts in the NFL had him higher than the media did too during the season. Linebacker is just a tricky. You don't know what teams are going to look at. But I do think the fact that Seattle made that run last year with athletes in the middle of their. Middle of their defense, you see hybrid level guys. Now, Micah Parsons has changed the way people think about some of these guys. So I think some of that could change as we go forward.
Jason McIntyre
All right. I want to keep this positive. I loved Reuben Bane all season. Man, I watched that guy just wreak havoc on opponents. And I had him, you know, I liked him at 2 to my jets. And then he gets to the combine and he, he has the dinosaur short arms or whatever they say and yeah,
Nick Baumgartner
the T Rex arms.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, T. Rex arms. There you go. And if. I think the number is. If he were drafted in the first round, he would be the first guy with under 32 inch arms drafted. Oh, yeah, there was some ridiculous. And then you hear that. So people drop Bane a little bit, but nobody's dropping him catastrophically down to like the 20s. How did you handle and navigate putting down eight at the Saints?
Nick Baumgartner
So I think that a lot of that too is a little bit similar to what we just said. Like, I think the scouts and bang is polarizing with scouts and in some of the teams. There are some teams and there were some teams even when he was ripping and tearing during the season, there were some teams that saw him as a 3 tech and had him as like a second round graded player, which is great. But you say that you're like, that's nuts. But they were like, this guy's got extremely short arms and it's, it's an outlier. He has, I believe, the third shortest arm measurement for an edge since 1999 at the combine, which it's. That's crazy short. However, when you watch him on tape, and I think this is where most scouts end up landing on him. When you watch him on tape, the most of his reps are over in such a blink that the length almost doesn't matter most of the time. He's also so good against the run. He's so violent with his hands and the burst and everything else that I think that he's definitely one of these. The tape speaks for itself. I think that he's an outlier, and I think. But you have to. You have to be willing to buy that. And a lot of scouts don't love that outlier. That doesn't happen much. But I do think he is one that you can make that bank on, but not at number two or three, you know, somewhere, maybe towards the bottom of the top 10. I also wouldn't be shocked if he slides even into the top of the teens, but I don't think people are going to overthink it. I think he's a good player.
Jason McIntyre
It's weird. He did dominate, but then you're like, oh, he's wrecking the acc. Can he get through left tackles in the league who are mountainous men like Williams? Yeah. I don't know. My gut tells me he's going to fall.
Nick Baumgartner
I think he might. Yes.
Jason McIntyre
Yeah. I know that sounds unpopular.
Nick Baumgartner
His range could be all over. I don't know if that. Yeah. But, like, I wouldn't disagree with you
Jason McIntyre
because he might be value at, like, 24, right? Yeah.
Nick Baumgartner
Yes, there are. Because there are teams that don't know. So. Yeah. Anyway, go ahead.
Jason McIntyre
All right, Nick Baumgartner, the athletic. Check out his mock draft. Great stuff. And the One of these Years podcast, Detroit Lions. Won't be next year, obviously, but good luck, man. Thanks a lot for taking the time.
Nick Baumgartner
All right, thank you. Yep.
Jason McIntyre
Good stuff on the NFL draft from Nick. I don't want to make it sound like I'm bashing Ruben Bane. I like the kid. I watch him all season. I wanted him at 2, and then the measurements come out and you're like, well, you can't take him there because these left tackles are in the NFL, Rachel. They're like 6, 6, 350 with long arms that just keep the guy at bay.
JJ Redick
But, yeah, I mean, this is happening across sports, right? That as the game evolves, size is more important than it really ever has been. I mean, that's one of the Kyler Murray questions, right?
Jason McIntyre
Yeah, for sure. I don't love Kyler Murray. And in college basketball, one of the big traits I'm betting on offensive rebounding.
JJ Redick
Yep.
Jason McIntyre
The teams that are crashing and grabbing boards because they're huge. More opportunities, more fights at the Apple. Yeah. So, all right, first hour done. In the books, we barely talked about LeBron. He went 13 team for 14 last night with six dunks. As Rachel said, he's 41 years old, people. Can you put some respect on his name, please? Can I have goat noises. Can we queue in goat noises for LeBron? Second hour coming up next. This is an iHeart podcast.
Lala Kent
Guaranteed Human.
In this lively, opinionated episode of The Herd, Jason McIntyre sits in for Colin Cowherd and is joined by Rachel Nichols and JJ Redick. The show dives deep into the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers’ late-season surge, the increasingly tense situation between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, player health updates, LeBron’s continued excellence, and early talk around the NFL Draft. The discussion is energetic, full of candid insights and friendly banter, with several memorable quotes and sharp analysis.
[03:02 - 07:03]
Lakers' Impressive Road Sweep:
Jason McIntyre emphasizes the Lakers’ back-to-back wins over the Rockets, powered by dominant fourth quarters and star performances. He applauds Luka Doncic for his brashness and the team’s collective “highlight reel.”
“Luka was sensational, as they say in soccer, folks, I’m just telling you. ... Are you watching basketball? Why are we doubting this guy?”
— Jason McIntyre [04:21]
3 Big Takeaways:
“There’s a high level of people embracing the roles that the team needs... You can tell when a group is connected.”
— JJ Redick, on the Lakers’ chemistry [06:17]
[28:35 - 30:41]
Offensive Explosion:
The crew marvels at LeBron’s 13-of-14 shooting night, including six dunks — the most he’s had in a game since 2017, at age 41.
“I think he can play until he’s 45 years old. ... He is 41 but looks great out there. ... So he’s very inspiring.”
— Kevin Durant (quoted by Rachel Nichols) [28:57]
Can LeBron Keep Going?
JJ Redick discusses whether LeBron can keep up his level of play, how his role might evolve, and the financial/roster implications for the Lakers.
“It really depends on the role they want to give him next year. ... He’s buying into this role right now. Is this what he wants the rest of his career to be?”
— JJ Redick [30:02]
[07:03 - 09:38]
Regular Season Success, Playoff Questions:
Jason argues OKC’s 12-man depth is less meaningful in the playoffs, citing the Pat Riley creed: “You play eight and you trust seven.” He explores their previous title run, pointing out injuries/fortunate circumstances.
Luka’s Past Success Against OKC:
Reminds listeners that Luka Doncic has previously “taken down” OKC (“24, 10 and 8 in that series, utterly dominant”) and sees a similar blueprint for these Lakers.
[09:38 - 15:48]
Disagreement Over Playing Status:
Reports indicate the Bucks want to shut Giannis down after his latest injury, but Giannis insists on returning, despite the team’s playoff chances being slim.
“The Bucks want Giannis shut down for the remainder of the season... But Atenokounmpo has refused the team's requests and wants to play. Why? You’re hurt. You’re not making the playoffs, but Giannis wants to play. It gets better, folks.”
— Jason McIntyre [10:17]
Motivations Explored:
Jason suggests Giannis is leaking his side to avoid looking like “the bad guy,” drawing parallels to Max Crosby in the NFL and Anthony Davis’ New Orleans exit.
“If you try to please everybody, you please nobody. … Giannis is trying to come out not looking like the bad guy. He is terrified of being Kevin Durant or LeBron James.”
— Jason McIntyre [11:15]
Tanking Argument:
Citing the Bucks’ low playoff probability and draft odds, Jason advocates for shutting Giannis down for the potential of a top-4 pick.
“With Giannis, they’re at least competitive. They can score. ... Without him, we’re talking a full-on dumpster fire like the Utah Jazz.”
— Jason McIntyre [12:46]
Final Thoughts:
Jason urges Giannis to “just pull the band-aid off,” assuring him Milwaukee fans would understand after his contributions.
[25:28 - 28:35]
Collapsed Lung, MVP Candidacy Impacted:
JJ and Jason discuss Cade Cunningham’s two-week minimum absence due to a collapsed lung, the Pistons’ reduced playoff prospects, and what it means for Cade’s All-NBA/MVP ambitions.
“The Pistons defense... before the All-Star Game, in terms of opponents’ points per game, keeping them down, they were third in the league, and now they’re 13th. ... Cade’s a really good defender.”
— JJ Redick [26:39]
[21:23 - 23:24]
Albert Breer on Lamar’s Contract Disputes and Injury Absences:
Albert Breer connects Jackson’s injury absences to his contract issues, raising questions about his long-term future with the Ravens and organizational commitment.
“If you look at Lamar’s history, the years he’s missed games due to injury have been the ones where he was in a contract dispute.”
— Albert Breer [22:41]
Jason on Ravens’ Uncertain Outlook:
Summarizes issues with depth (notably at tight end), questions about new head coach Jesse Minter, and the risk of a power struggle with Jackson.
[32:14 - 34:14]
Evans Leaves Despite Larger Offer from Tampa:
Jason and JJ dissect why Mike Evans chose the 49ers, pointing to organizational stability and quarterback play.
“Mike Evans could have taken more money to stay. He left. Giannis, it’s okay. Nobody cares.”
— Jason McIntyre [33:46]
[35:15 - 47:22]
Quarterbacks Mendoza & Cam Ward: Who Has More Upside?
Nick asserts Mendoza is “a really safe quarterback” who’s steadily improved, but ultimately gives a slight edge for athletic ceiling to Cam Ward (“I think his athletic ceiling pushes him a little higher.” [39:21])
RB Jeremiah Love’s Draft Ceiling:
Nick places Love in the “Bijan and Gibbs tier” of running back prospects and expects him to go very high—potentially higher than projections.
Linebacker Sonny Styles:
Styles’ elite athleticism makes him a top-10 prospect, though Nick notes he must land with a coach able to maximize his hybrid skillset.
Reuben Bane (Edge):
Noted for his impact despite short arms ("dinosaur short arms"). Nick expects some teams will downgrade him, but his tape justifies a top-10 selection.
Luka Doncic’s Swagger:
“That’s what I bleeping do to the crowd in Houston after just taking over. ... If you don’t like the Don Luca, you got problems.”
— Jason McIntyre [04:21]
On Lakers’ Role Acceptance:
“...Our guys are doing a fantastic job of making in-game adjustments ... Just from where we were earlier in the season ... we’ve been very connected for the last couple weeks.”
— JJ Redick [06:17]
On Giannis Not Wanting to Be ‘the Bad Guy’:
“Giannis is trying to come out not looking like the bad guy. He is terrified of being Kevin Durant or LeBron James.”
— Jason McIntyre [11:15]
Kevin Durant on LeBron:
“I think he can play until he’s 45 years old. ... He’s very inspiring.”
— Kevin Durant (via Rachel Nichols) [28:57]
On Mike Evans Leaving Tampa:
“Should we send this to Giannis? Hey, Mike Evans could have taken more money to stay. He left. Giannis, it’s okay. Nobody cares.”
— Jason McIntyre [33:46]
| Time | Segment/Headline | Key Takeaway | |-----------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:02 | Lakers Win & Luka’s Rise | Lakers are peaking, Luka is dominating, and the team’s chemistry is at an all-time high | | 06:17 | JJ on Lakers’ Chemistry | Team’s in-game adjustments and role buy-in are elite | | 09:38 | Bucks/Giannis Drama | Tension between Giannis and Bucks over injury status; tanking debate | | 11:15 | Giannis Fears “Bad Guy” Media Narrative | Giannis may be leaking his perspective to avoid backlash if he leaves Milwaukee | | 21:23 | NFL: Lamar & Ravens’ Fractures | Connections drawn between contract disputes and missed games for Lamar; organizational dysfunction | | 25:28 | Cade Cunningham Injury Update | Pistons’ playoff outlook dims; Cade’s awards chances jeopardized | | 28:57 | Durant on LeBron’s Longevity | Speculates LeBron could play till age 45 | | 32:14 | Mike Evans’ Motivations | Chose the 49ers for stability, not money | | 35:15 | NFL Draft: QB Prospects & More | Mendoza is safe, Cam Ward’s upside; Love as elite RB; Styles & Bane as draft wildcards |
Hour 1 of The Herd (March 19, 2026) is a spirited, wide-ranging episode focusing primarily on the surging Lakers, Giannis’ uncertain future in Milwaukee, and major player moves/Injuries in the NBA and NFL. The personalities bring sharp, honest insights—never shying from bold takes—anchored by big-picture context and memorable anecdotes. Listeners get an inside look at league dynamics, player psychology, and front office strategy—a must-listen for fans, even if you missed the episode live.