THE HERD - Hour 3 - Eric Karros stops by The Herd, the Knicks are not contenders

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 3

April 14, 2026
Main Guests: Eric Karros
Topics: Dodgers dynasty & Dave Roberts' management, Shohei Ohtani, MLB contenders, NBA playoff outlook, Knicks' contender status, LeBron/Lakers’ roster issues
Host: Colin Cowherd
Co-hosts/Analysts: Nick Wright

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Episode Overview

In this third hour of The Herd, Colin Cowherd is joined by former Dodgers first baseman and analyst Eric Karros to discuss the Dodgers’ ongoing run of dominance under manager Dave Roberts, the impact of analytics on managerial clout, and Shohei Ohtani’s push for greatness. The episode then pivots to NBA talk with Nick Wright, including skepticism about the Knicks’ title chances and LeBron’s future with the Lakers in light of injury struggles. Key moments include insights into team building in modern sports, the toll of "usage" on NBA stars, and candid reflections on watching one’s child compete at the highest level.

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I. Dodgers Dynasty and Dave Roberts’ Leadership

(03:58 – 10:54)

Key Discussion Points:

• Dave Roberts' Unique Strengths:
  • Karros emphasizes that Roberts' exceptional ability lies in his clubhouse management. He makes everyone, from stars to reserves, feel valued and protected from external criticism.

    "His ability to communicate, his ability to handle the public, to take bullets for the organization, take bullets for, for the players..."
    — Eric Karros (04:10)

  • The “lazy” narrative credits L.A. success only to payroll; Karros argues Roberts should be recognized among the greatest managers alongside Lasorda and Alston.

    "He does need to be recognized as one of the great managers of our time."
    — Eric Karros (04:45)

• Roberts' Tactical Leverage:
  • Despite the prevalence of analytics, Roberts displayed strong autonomy in on-field decisions, notably in last year's playoff run (e.g., surprise lineup choices like inserting Miguel Rojas).

    "That came out of nowhere. And that was really just, you know, Doc having a gut feeling..."
    — Eric Karros (05:58)

• Dodgers as a Supportive Organization:
  • L.A. presents less negativity than East Coast cities; even amid high expectations, the Dodgers’ fanbase is more supportive, thanks to sustained organizational stability.

    "Right now...everything is going well with the Dodgers. They've been on a run. This thing has been...extraordinary to get to where they're at right now."
    — Eric Karros (09:59)

• Depth and Postseason Variables:
  • Karros calls this “probably the deepest Dodger team” he’s ever seen.
  • Acknowledges postseason vulnerabilities: "Every team is vulnerable...who knows?" (08:07)

Notable Moment:

• Emotional pride as a father: Eric’s response to watching his son Kyle play in the majors, echoing Howie Long’s nerves watching his own sons in the NFL.

  “You get all that nervousness...and I've just got to sit in the stands or sit and just watch it. You can't release it...”
  — Eric Karros (11:57)

  • "I wish I could enjoy it more...but you just, you get worked up." (12:36)

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II. Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers Lineup Strategy

(06:37 – 08:07)

Key Discussion Points:

• Ohtani’s Pitching Ambition:
  • Karros expresses awe at Ohtani’s focus and drive, calling him a “dominant” pitcher if he specialized, but doubts a Cy Young is realistic due to starter limitations.

    “If he was solely pitching, yes, he could do it. I think it's going to be tough...he's going to have to be perfect..."
    — Eric Karros (06:42)

• Kyle Tucker’s Batting Spot:
  • Recommends Tucker hit second to capitalize on his patience and skills, maximizing the lineup's depth.

    “Probably the deepest Dodgers team that I've ever seen...and probably one of the deepest baseball teams I've ever seen put together.”
    — Eric Karros (08:07)

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III. National League Powerhouses: Phillies, Braves, and Contenders

(12:53 – 13:52)

Key Discussion Points:

• Karros highlights the Phillies (if healthy) as the Dodgers’ top National League challenger, also name-checks Braves and Padres but questions San Diego’s rotation health.

  “Philly, when they're clicking on all cylinders, that staff can be real competitive.”
  — Eric Karros (13:15)

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IV. NBA Playoffs Outlook and Jersey Sales Insights

(19:03 – 26:18)

Key Discussion Points:

• New NFL Coaches Briefly Touched (18:20 – 21:59), then pivots to NBA:
• NBA Play-in Headlines:
  • Discussion on Charlotte Hornets’ intriguing roster and rookie Conkan Apple’s impact.

    “You could say that Concanipolis has been the most important player for a playoff team.”
    — Nick Wright (22:28)

• Jersey Sales Reveal Fan Sentiment:
  • Steph Curry and Luka lead NBA jersey sales.
  • SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) and Jokic far lower in popularity than in media acclaim.

    "SGA, the presumptive MVP again. Media loves him. Do the fans? He's only eight.”
    — Nick Wright (24:10)

  • Market size matters: “L.A. and New York and San Francisco are huge...Steph and LeBron are iconic.” (24:45)
• Fun riff on surprising omissions from the top 12—Jalen Brown, Cade Cunningham, Booker.

  “Yeah, Austin Reeves is popular, isn’t he?” (25:58) “Where’s Derrick White on this list?” “Who?” (Brief jokes at Boston’s expense) (26:02)

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V. Why the Knicks Aren’t Contenders; Roster Construction Under New NBA Economics

(26:48 – 36:13)

Key Discussion Points:

• Knicks’ Limitations:
  • Lack of bench and overreliance on Brunson after Bridges/KAT regressions.

    “I just...think the Knicks will fare worse in the playoffs this year than last year.”
    — Colin (27:40)

  • Nick Wright notes:

    “There is a ceiling on a player his size...I think you could be a great team and him be the second best player. Probably really hard for him to be the best player and win a championship unless you fill out the rest of the roster perfectly.” (28:30)

• Impact of CBA and NIL on Trades:
  • Big multi-pick trades like for Bridges are now rare in new financial environment.

    “That's the old CBA where Rudy Gobert fetched nine picks. Nobody's getting that anymore because the draft is better because of NIL.” (27:00)

• Knicks vs. Boston/Detroit:
  • Colin sees Boston and Detroit as problematic playoff matchups for NYK.

    “I think Detroit will push them around and I think Boston's going to be a bad matchup.” (29:10)

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VI. Lakers, LeBron, and the Future – The Toll of Usage

(29:55 – 36:53)

Key Discussion Points:

• LeBron’s Aging and Role:
  • LeBron has proved he can still dominate in short bursts, but can no longer sustain max-level play over a full season.

    “On any given quarter...he’s a top six player in the league and he knows it...He was saving his energy for the second half and big spurts and he can still provide those.”
    — Nick Wright (32:40)

• Austin Reaves and Luka’s Durability:
  • Both have struggled with injuries when asked to take on higher usage roles.

    “Austin Reeves played in a career low 51 games...his body just can't hold up...He was injured multiple times this year.”
    — Nick Wright (34:23)

  • Karros draws a parallel to Brock Purdy at QB—talented but needs favorable circumstances due to size/durability.
• Future Roster Construction:
  • Lakers need younger, more athletic players entering their prime—not relying on 42-year-old LeBron, Reaves, or Luca as high-usage mainstays.

    “You've got to get really young, really athletic guys either going into their prime or in it..."
    — Nick Wright (35:07)

  • “Michael Jordan’s the last guy to lead the NBA in usage and win a title; it wears you down.” (35:52)

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VII. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Dave Roberts:

  “He cemented himself in the Hall of Fame and he does need to be recognized as one of the great managers of our time.”
  — Eric Karros (04:40)

• On Watching Your Kid Compete Professionally:

  “You get all that nervousness...and I've just got to sit in the stands or just watch it. You cannot release it.”
  — Eric Karros (11:57)

• On Knicks’ Ceiling:

  “There is a ceiling on a player his size...Probably really hard for him to be the best player and you win a championship unless you fill out the rest of the roster perfectly.”
  — Nick Wright (28:30)

• On NBA Trends:

  “That's the old CBA where Rudy Gobert fetched nine picks. Nobody's getting that anymore because the draft is better because of NIL.”
  — Colin Cowherd (27:00)

• On LeBron in His Twilight:

  "On any given quarter...he’s a top six player in the league and he knows it.”
  — Nick Wright (32:40)

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Key Timestamps

• 03:58 — Karros on Dave Roberts' clubhouse skills and L.A. culture
• 05:47 — Managerial leverage in an analytics era
• 06:37 — Ohtani's ambitions and pitcher limitations
• 08:07 — Kyle Tucker’s optimal batting order role and Dodgers depth
• 11:57 — Eric Karros on the emotion of watching his son debut
• 13:15 — Phillies as NL threats; Braves, Padres mentioned
• 19:03 — NBA/NFL coaching transitions, Dolphins' draft potential
• 22:28 — Hornets’ rookie Conkan Apple’s value
• 24:10 — NBA jersey sales insights and what they reveal about fan base priorities
• 27:00 — Impact of new CBA/NIL on trade market
• 29:55 — Knicks’ offensive limitations, lack of bench depth
• 32:40 — LeBron’s brilliance in spurts, but age showing
• 34:23 — Austin Reaves’ and Luka’s injury histories; “usage” discourse

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Conclusion

This hour showcases The Herd’s signature blend of deep-dive team analysis, candor about the realities of stardom and roster construction in modern sports, and lively back-and-forth between Colin, Nick Wright, and guest Eric Karros. The consensus: the Dodgers are the gold standard, but even dominant teams are vulnerable. The changing NBA (and NFL) landscape puts a premium on depth and younger, durable stars—while fan passion and market size continue to shape the narratives around both dynasties and superstars.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

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[Eric Karros]

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[Eric Karros]

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[Nick Wright]

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[Eric Karros]

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[e-mail] Everyone deserves to be connected T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces. Our networks are coming together bringing more T Mobile coverage all over the country. Switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com Switch and now T Mobile is available in the US Cellular Store in Pasco. Bigger network the combination of T Mobiles and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage savings versus comparable Verizon plans plus the costs of options, benefits, plan features and taxes and fees vary. Savings with three plus lines include third free line free via monthly bill credits Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required. Liberty Mutual customizes your car and home insurance and now we're customizing this rush hour ad to keep you calm, which could help your driving. And science says therapy is great for a healthy mindset. So enjoy this 14 second session on us. I think you've done everything right and absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, anything that hasn't gone your way could probably be blamed on your F not being emotionally available because his father wasn't emotionally available and so on. And now that you're calm and healing, you're probably driving better too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Liberty. Liberty Liberty Liberty.

[Rob Parker]

Liberty Mutual customizes your car and home insurance. And now we're customizing this rush hour ad to keep you calm, which could help your driving. And science says therapy is great for a healthy mindset. So enjoy this 14 second session on us. I think you've done everything right and absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, anything that hasn't gone your way could probably be blamed on your father not being emotionally available because his father wasn't emotionally available and so on. And now that you're calm and healing, you're probably driving better too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty.

[Nick Wright]

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 [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Sports Radio. Well, you know, when Joe Torrey, the last dynasty we had in baseball, pre Dodgers, was Joe Torrey and the Yankees. And I always thought like, the strength of Joe Torrey is the ability to be collaborative in a very loud baseball city. Now, Los Angeles isn't as angry as a lot of those traditional east coast markets. Sports talk radio is more supportive than cynical. But Dave Roberts similarly has a star studded locker room. And because he's not a big personality, he always kind of protects his team. You know, he, until last year when he literally pulled every perfect lever in game seven. Finally people went, you know, Dave Roberts really knows what he's doing. Well, a guy that sees him nightly is Eric Carroll, the former Dodger. Been an analyst with a team for years. Good dude, son. Now Kyle made his major league debut. We'll get to that in a minute. You know, you, you're with Dave Roberts all the time and there is something about wearing. Well, I mean, you had, you know, you know, Tommy Lasor, the late Tommy Lasor. Tommy was. Tommy could be combative and you know, depending on the mood or the winning streak. What is it like to be around a star studded team with this sort of high EQ mentor? You know, I mean, really there's no chaos with Dave. He's like, he's like the high school teacher all the students liked. What is it like to be around him?

[Eric Karros]

So, you know, you hit it right on the head as far as recognizing, you know, Dave Doc pulling all the right levers last year in the World Series. But what he's even better at is creating a clubhouse culture and, you know, making everybody feel like they're a huge part of the team. Whether you're, you know, number one on that team or you, you know, with the way they use the roster, you're, you're number 40. And his ability to communicate, his ability to handle the public, to take bullets for the organization, take bullets for, for the players. You know, I don't think he doesn't get enough credit because the lazy, the lazy way to describe things are, well, what a great team and the resources. But there have been a lot of great teams. There have been a lot of high priced teams that don't win World Series and you know, he's won three of them and he cemented himself in the hall of Fame and he does need to be recognized as, you know, one of the great managers of our time. And look at when you talk about LA history, you've got two hall of Famers in Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda, and he's going to be a third. And arguably he is going to be

[Nick Wright]

the most successful of the three with analytics. There has been a sense over the last 15 years in baseball, but that the GM's hand, the manager the lineup. And some of that I think is situationally. You kind of sit down with the GM in the front office and the analytic guys and talk about certain matchups in a series going forward. But I felt last year, especially in the playoffs, that felt very Dave Roberts. I mean, some of those levers were late inning, do you believe? Because has he added credibility inside the organization? Does Dave have more power than the average manager simply because of winning? And that buys him not just credibility, but leverage?

[Eric Karros]

Well, I think he's always had the credibility, right. And I think the trust, though, has evolved over, over time. And that just comes with the success, the experience. You talk about the World Series and some of the levers that he pushed. I mean, none other more important than putting Miguel Rojas in the starting lineup. And, you know, going with him, that, that came out of nowhere. And that was really just, you know, Doc having a gut feeling and wanting, you know, Miguel out there. And, and you know, one of the things about it was he felt like, look at this may be his last year. He's going to go out and play like his life depended on it. Not like other guys won't. But the compete part was, was going to be off the charts and it proved true, especially with that. I mean, who saw that home run coming except for maybe Doc?

[Nick Wright]

What do you make of Ohtani's two starts this year? What do you make of it?

[Eric Karros]

I mean, look at he, he's. Whatever he puts his mind to, he's, he's going to be dominant and that, that's, that's anything. If he was solely a pitcher, I think he'd be the best pitcher in the game. You know, he's still trying to do both. He's done everything that they've asked. You know, the word is, you know, he wants to win a Cy Young. Put that on the resume. If he was solely pitching, yes, he could do it. I think it's going to be tough just because I don't know that he's going to have enough starts. And because of the limited amount of starts, he's going to have to be perfect because he has a, you know, a bad outing or two that's tough to rebound when you're trying to compile numbers. So can he do it? Of course I would if you asked me, you know, can Shohei do this, do that? 100%. I'm saying yes to everything until he proves that he can't do it because he puts his mind to it. It happens.

[Nick Wright]

Last year, Mookie Bets had that injury early in the season, came around later. Otani struggled against the Phillies in the playoffs. Even a great lineup, you got Kyle Tucker. Now this year, that's had a little bit of a power outage. He's not hit. I mean, your. Your kind of takeaway on. On the. It's an interesting lineup. You've got a lot of viability. If you're Dave Roberts, there's a lot of people you can move. Is there a best place to put, like, a Kyle Tucker in that lineup? Is there a place you think he belongs?

[Eric Karros]

Well, I think he belongs in the second spot, assuming that he plays like he's played, you know, the last few years. Right. Just because of the patience, his ability to make things happen, to elongate the lineup. You know, hitting ahead of when guys are healthy, Mookie and Freddie, you know, all those sorts of things. You know, look at this team is as deep as anybody. Probably the deepest Dodger team that I've ever seen. And I've been watching, you know, these guys have been in the organization since 88, and probably one of the deepest baseball teams I've ever seen put together. And, you know, real credit to the front office. And they're doing things right now that, you know, there's no Blake Snell, there's no Mookie Betts. You know, they're only going to get better. Are they vulnerable in the postseason? Every team is vulnerable. I mean, you make a pretty solid argument that, you know, if 10 or 11 things don't go their way, if just one of them went the other way. Toronto wins the World Series last year. You go back two years, San Diego could have arguably knocked them out in the Division Series. So are they the best team during the regular season? Yeah. Will they withstand it? Yeah. Will they win a World Series? Who knows?

[Nick Wright]

You know, one of the advantages, and I think maybe people are happier. It's the weather, perhaps, that I bought. Mets pick up Bochette by his third game is that Matty's getting booed. Jazz Chisholms getting booed. The Dodger. And again, you can say this because they're winning. But for years and years, they were winning their division, but they weren't winning a World Series. When you're a member of the Dodgers, it doesn't feel as caustic. It is more supportive. And I wonder if that's kind of the LA culture. But I never feel, despite the expectations, there's negativity that around the Dodgers. Is it. Is it. Was it that way as a player, even during lean times?

[Eric Karros]

Well, I think look at when there's lean times, when there's struggles, you can go back to the previous ownership, and it wasn't always roses. Right. There was a period where, you know, the league had to step in and, you know, pay the paychecks. Right. So right now, look at. Everything is going well with the Dodgers. They've been on a run. This thing has been, you know, I don't want to say set up on autopilot. It took a few years to get going, but ownership and then obviously, the front office, you know, the compiling of the players, I mean, it's just. It has been extraordinary to get to where they're at right now.

[Nick Wright]

So what.

[Eric Karros]

What I. I think, if anything, sometimes the fans may get.

[Nick Wright]

They don't realize what.

[Eric Karros]

What they're seeing.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Eric Karros]

Because this is truly a dynasty.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Eric Karros]

And you, you know, you just expect, hey, okay, let's get to October and compete for a World Series. It's truly a special time here.

[Nick Wright]

They have to remember five of the top six payrolls can't hit right now. It's like, I'll see Dodger fan complaining because, you know, the back end of their bullpen last year. And I'm like, guys, this is a long season. It takes a while to figure it out. Okay. Your son Kyle made his major league debut last year with the Rockies. I want to roll a piece of tape. Oh, yeah. There we go.

[Eric Karros]

There we go.

[Nick Wright]

That's cool.

[Eric Karros]

Ek.

[Nick Wright]

He's hitting some hard luck. He finally gets one to go.

[Eric Karros]

Yeah. Happy to do the show. When that happens. That didn't happen, I'd be like, all right, hey, guys, I'm out of here.

[Nick Wright]

That shouldn't happen.

[Eric Karros]

We're not showing any highlights.

[Nick Wright]

That's just the best. Oh, man, I love that. Love that. There you go.

[Colin Cowherd]

All right.

[Nick Wright]

There you go. Kyle Carroll's proud father. For the record, when you watch your kids play, this is second year for him. If. When you watch your kids play. I was nervous. I was a wreck watching my daughter play volleyball. What is it like to watch your son play Major League Baseball?

[Eric Karros]

So I think the best way to Describe it. Howie Long, you know, fellow employee here at the network, you know, he said it best and he had two kids play at the highest level in the NFL and he said, you know what it's like? It's, it's, it's you getting ready for a game when you were playing and you have all the adrenaline, you have all the, all right, the excitement and then you can go out on the field and release that. Right. He could do it on a football field, I could do it out competitively on a baseball field. Well, I still get all that nervousness, that adrenaline, and I've just got to sit in the stands or sit and just watch it, Right. You can't release it because then it's

[Nick Wright]

like, oh, look at that guy over there.

[Eric Karros]

What's he doing? And just so that, you know, I wish I could enjoy it more and I should theoretically enjoy it more. But you experienced it just. It doesn't matter if it's a high school or youth sport, whatever. You're watching your kid play and you just, you get worked up. That's just the reality of it.

[Nick Wright]

Hey, before we let you go, is there a. Right now the Dodgers are the deepest, best team in baseball.

[Eric Karros]

Yep.

[Nick Wright]

And I've said, I thought, I think the Yankees starting pitch. Oh, if, if Soto came back, the Yankees starting pitching, they're bullpen right now with the Yankees the mess, but they're starting pitching could give the Dodgers trouble. Is there anybody in the National League that you look at and you think they match up with the Dodgers?

[Eric Karros]

Well, I think look at when the Phillies, if Wheeler comes back and they get, you know, Lizardo and Sanchez going right. They got Duron at the, at the back end. I mean, that's a team. Look at Philly. Philly lost three games to one last year in the series and they could have easily won that series as well. They get a few breaks. So, you know, look at the Phillies are the obvious one. The Braves are playing well. I mean, San Diego's got a nice record, but I think they, you know, decimated with injuries and the starting staff, you know, somebody will emerge and there'll be trades. But right now I'm going to say, you know, Philly, when they're, we're clicking on all cylinders, you know, that staff can be real competitive.

[Nick Wright]

Great seeing you. You've aged well, not surprisingly. You live a good life,

[Eric Karros]

be well. Colin, thanks a lot, buddy.

[Nick Wright]

You bet. Eric Carros, FOX SPORTS yeah, that's crazy watching your kids play like professional sports. How nerve wracking would that would be

[Colin Cowherd]

Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am

[Nick Wright]

Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app. Hey, it's Rob Parker and Kelvin Washington from the Odd Couple on Fox Sports Radio. And in addition to hearing us live weeknights from 7 to 10pm Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, we are excited to

[Rob Parker]

announce brand new YouTube channel for the show.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's right, you can now watch the

[Nick Wright]

Odd couple live on YouTube every day. All you got to do search Odd Couple FSR on YouTube again. YouTube just search Odd Couple FSR. Check us out on YouTube and subscribe. Hi, it's Colin Coward. If you want your outdoor space to really stand out, deckorator Surestone technology is where you should start. When you build your deck with Decorators decking made with Surestone technology, you're getting something totally different from the typical wood fiber composites out there. Decking with Surestone technology is made through a patented process that uses crushed rock which gives every board incredible strength and durability. And deckorators engineered it with a unique surface design that increases traction in wet conditions. So if you live in a rainy area or you've got kids running around outside, it's a safer, more comfortable surface. Plus, there are more than 40 different color and size combos. So you can design a customized outdoor space that actually fits your home and your style. It's durable, it's safe, it looks great and it's going to stand out. Build seasons right around the corner. Order a sample today. Visit decorators.com herd to get your free sample. That's decorators with A K Again, decorators.com herd we're lost and kickoff's coming up. I don't want to miss the lineup.

[Colin Cowherd]

I'm gonna ask that man for directions.

[Nick Wright]

Hi there. We're trying to get to the stadium.

[Rob Parker]

Well, you're gonna take a left at the old oak tree at this here road.

[Colin Cowherd]

Nah, I'm just kidding.

[Rob Parker]

Let me get my phone out.

[Eric Karros]

How is their signal out here?

[Rob Parker]

T Mobile and US Cellular are coming together. So the network out here is huge. We get the same great signal as the city, saving a boatload with benefits. And there's a five year price guarantee too. Okay, here's the turn. Actually, can you pull up the way

[Nick Wright]

to a T Mobile store?

[Rob Parker]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available at US Cellular stores in hermiston Best mobile network based on analysis by Ooklove Speed test intelligence data. Second half of 2025. Bigger network. The combination of T mobiles and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details. Liberty Mutual customizes your car and home insurance. And now we're customizing this rush hour ad to keep you calm, which could help your driving. And science says therapy is great for a healthy mindset. So enjoy this 14 second session on us. I think you've done everything right and absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, anything that hasn't gone your way could probably be blamed on your father not being emotionally available because his father wasn't emotionally available, and so on. And now that you're calm and healing, you're probably driving better, too.

[Colin Cowherd]

Liberty. Liberty.

[Eric Karros]

Liberty. Liberty. This is Julian Edelman, host of Games with Names.

[Colin Cowherd]

On our latest episode, we got comedian

[Eric Karros]

Blake Anderson from Workaholics and the hilarious this is important podcast.

[Nick Wright]

Let's go. We did beat him in improv.

[Colin Cowherd]

You had an improv against the team?

[Nick Wright]

Yes. We would pull up, their schools would be there with signs for us. It's competition. What you would win is a bottle of Goldschlager. James Fester threw it out of a van because he didn't want us drinking it.

[Colin Cowherd]

For more games with names, visit the

[Eric Karros]

iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Nick Wright]

JMac with the news.

[Eric Karros]

No, no, no.

[Nick Wright]

Turn on the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

This is the Herdline news. Fun fact, I. When I moved out to the South Bay, I played basketball one day against these two big white guys and I was like, damn, those guys are athletic. They're like, oh yeah, they're going to be pro baseball players. Their dad's Eric Caros so his sons can play hoops for sure.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, they went to the public in Manhattan Beach. Yes, sir, Miracosta. And indeed. Yeah, big school, pretty good sports. And they.

[Colin Cowherd]

It's almost like you're coming out west this week or something. Coward.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, well, maybe I am.

[Colin Cowherd]

You miss it too much. All right, let's get to the NFL. Colin, I totally forgotten about this, but did you realize that we have 10 new head coaches in the NFL? Almost a third of the league and six of them have no head coaching experience. Where we want to drill down is on the Ravens and the Dolphins. They are the only coaching staff see with zero full time head coaching experience. Now the Dolphins, it doesn't matter, right? We agree they're tanking. They're playing the long game, they're purging bad contracts. But the Ravens have Lamar Jackson and I'm just like, that is interesting. That's an inexperienced staff with a veteran team that's been knocking on the super bowl door now for a couple years. I think they take a step back. But I'm curious where, if you agree.

[Nick Wright]

It's funny and I don't know why I'm so interested in this. The feeling around the league is the Miami Dolphins have no players. And I'm just here to tell you that Malik Willis is going to be much better than people think. And they have a two first, a second, four thirds. They could go get six or seven starters. Now they don't have any cap space this year, but if they hit on guys, you know how it works. The cap is always greater than expected. And also if Jeff Halfley, who, who I mean, one of the first times I remember last year and the year before, really thinking Green Bay could match up defensively with teams. I think that's the Halfley presence. I think they got the coach right. I think Malik Willis, it's a quarterback coach league. I think the jets have a lot of players. They don't have the right coach or quarterback. People look at the Dolphins as talentless and I'm like, I like the quarterback a lot. I like the coach they hired. I think the GM is going to hit this league. You know it and I know it. Everybody, everybody thought Green Bay and Seattle were too young. And I mean New England are too young. Too many players. I think Miami is going to be surprisingly feisty this year because I think they got the coach and the quarterback right. That's why I'm so interested in the Dolphins draft.

[Eric Karros]

Wow.

[Colin Cowherd]

So my only question with Willis is I think he has four career starts. And you remember Drake May that first year he didn't even start out of the gate in the Patriots. They had. I forget the coach, but he was like, yeah, we're going to play our best guy. And it wasn't Drake May. They were a disaster. Then the next year super bowl. But I got to disagree. I think this is like a five win team. You look at their win total, I saw a five and a half out there. It's. They're down there with one of the weakest rosters, Colin, in the league. Now maybe they load up in the draft. But I will just say on, on Halfley, the defense was awesome with Micah Parsons. And then when Micah Parsons got hurt, if you look at the numbers, it was just like oh, this is not a great unit. I am curious Ravens. We touched on the Bengals earlier. Do you think a rookie head coach with the Ravens can take Lamar to the playoffs or is there a pullback there as well?

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, the. Do you mean Steelers without Aaron Cleveland? Yeah, I mean I feel the same way about Baltimore. I just. I'm not quite sure if Jesse Minters it but I might take his. Probably a lot of these guys, a lot of the young hotshot defensive coaches. Mike McDonald great rep has been a hit. Demico Ryan's great rep been a hit. Well, Jesse Minter reputation great. So I prefer offensive coaches but every year there's a defensive coach hired every year and he's the hot defensive coach. Well, that's Jesse Minter. So if we're following along the last several years, I think. I think Jeff Halfley's going to be a good coach. So I think. I think Baltimore is so structurally sound that he'll be fine. They'll be fine.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let's move on to tonight's NBA action. It's the play in Colin. Get excited. We got two games tonight. First up, Heat Hornets. Interestingly, some money coming in on the Hornets. People really like them. They're a fun team. Three point shooters. And then the late game is Portland and Phoenix. The sun's kind of limping to the end here. Portland, hey, you're west coast blazers back in the playoffs for the first time in forever. Any read on these games tonight?

[Nick Wright]

I think Charlotte because of concan apple is really, really interesting and it's the first time ever that I remember them really being kind of a fascinating team. The east is weaker so I think if anybody was rooting I think people want to see Charlotte would be a nice story. Conquer Nipple's been. I mean he was a good college player. I mean listen in that whole rookie of the year award, Cooper's the better player but he's on an awful team. You could say that con canymple has been the most important player for a playoff team.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's not a bad take.

[Nick Wright]

And so if that's. And that's what he is, he's the most important player for them. So when he. He'll probably. My guess is I think Cooper flag's better but we are talking rookie of the year mvp. That stuff comes down to you got to be on a viable team and Cooper Flagg's not in Concanipolis.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, Kanippel's been great. I think some of this like oh my gosh, he's the next troopers are a Little overblown. I need to see a little more. He's been great as a 19 year old, but like we now have a full season of tape on him. I'm going to guess tonight Eric Spoelstra has a defense cooked up for him. I would not be surprised if some of his unders hit. I haven't bet them. Just putting that out there. All right, Colin, final story is to the NBA and I always love this. They have jersey sales numbers for the NBA players this season and we have the top 12 for you. Shockingly, Steph Curry is number one in jersey sales. He's been with the warriors forever, but they're still buying his jersey. Luka Doncic, number two. You have to squint to find SGA, the presumptive MVP again. Media loves him. Do the fans. He's only eight. Jokic, where's he? Oh, you squint. Yeah, he's 10th. Colin, the most pop. Why do you think that the league made Saturday night, right? All the playoff games, Lakers, Rockets is in primetime. The other games are on Amazon prime And that's because LeBron is fourth in jersey sales. People love the frickin Lakers. And I know the media. This great story with sga, the fans disagree. They don't love OKC the way the media does. And if you look at these jersey sales, Colin, the proof is in the pudding. People love Brunson, People love Curry, Luka, Lakers.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, I mean, I also think L A and New York are in San Francisco are huge. You know, markets certainly. Well, I mean Steph and LeBron are iconic. Wemby will be iconic. Yeah, I know real nothing here. I'm trying to think, you know, Jalen Brown's nowhere in the top 12 but a teammate is.

[Colin Cowherd]

Who missed three, what, three fourths of the season, three fifths of the season.

[Nick Wright]

That's kind of surprising. Tatum being seven is kind of surprising.

[Colin Cowherd]

I thought you said he had no aura.

[Nick Wright]

Well, he's, he's got some, he's got, he's got jersey selling aura.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's got some juice.

[Nick Wright]

Steph Curry, by the way.

[Colin Cowherd]

By the way, Cade Cunningham, number one seed Detroit. Do you see him anywhere on there?

[Nick Wright]

He's not a flat. He's just a really, really.

[Colin Cowherd]

He's a really good player.

[Nick Wright]

Oh, he's a really good player.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah, but they're going to be buried in the deck when it comes to marquee TV playoff games. And I'm, I'm on record. The Cleveland Cavs take them down in round two. I don't know if you want us, you want that.

[Nick Wright]

I'm trying to think of somebody. Is there no Devin Booker on this list? Yeah, yeah, he's not on this list.

[Colin Cowherd]

Booker was. I'm told Booker was 13 and Cade was 14.

[Nick Wright]

All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Hell, I'm surprised Austin Reeves wasn't ahead of those guys.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah, Austin Reeves is popular, isn't he?

[Colin Cowherd]

Very. Oh my gosh.

[Nick Wright]

Where's Derek? Where's Derek White on this list?

[Eric Karros]

Who?

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a joke. Sorry. Boston people. I know Ryan Rosillo takes those, those digs seriously.

[Nick Wright]

So I know J. Mac with the news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by.

[Nick Wright]

The Herd lie news. Look at that in Chicago. It's the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd.

[Colin Cowherd]

Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific Sunday. NASCAR is back on Fox and we're headed to the heartland as NASCAR's best go full throttle in Kansas. Our pre race coverage begins at 1 Eastern with the green flag dropping at 2. It's the Advent Health 400 Sunday on Fox.

[Nick Wright]

The it, it, you know, I, I said earlier with Nick, I think college sports has become more chalk, especially March Madness. We all know why it's the nil. The Michigans and the, you know, the Florida's in your top college basketball programs. You, Yukon, whoever they can Arizona, you can just go, they always get great players but you can just add like if you have any weakness you can just go buy a mid level, you know, mid conference level guy and fix your issues. Pro sports, I think the Dodgers are making baseball a little chalky. NFL's never been that way. Even the Patriots dynasty, there was 10 years with no trophies. And I mean Kansas City, the last two years does not feel like the same team. The NBA, it's interesting because of, there's limitations on acquisitions and trades because of the new cba. That's why we have seven champs in seven years. So it's, it's hard to make. I mean the Knicks made a big move with Mikhail Bridges, who's a B level player. They gave up five first round picks. You, you would not even consider doing that today. That's the old CBA where Rudy Gobert fetched nine picks. Nobody's getting that anymore because the draft is better because of nil. So I think, you know, when I look at the playoffs, it's real chalky. I think, you know, I think it's going to be Detroit and Boston now that Kate Cunningham's back. I think it's going to be Denver OKC in San Antonio on the Western Side I never quite sure what to do with the T Wolves love the coach and but they've been, you know, kind of an average regular season. But here's the thing we used to really love, did we not? We loved big NBA off season trades or inseason trades. It feels like it's done. Old KD was a big move and it hasn't really moved the meter. And I, I just think the Knicks have. Cat had a down year. Mikhail Bridges went backwards a little and that means you need more from Brunson and they have no bench. So you're going to ask Jalen Brunson. I need more offense from Jalen and there's, there's nothing. You can't go to the bench and get points. So I just, I think the Knicks will fare worse in the playoffs this year than last year where Bridges and Cat both to me had better years. Here's Nick Wright earlier on why the Knicks aren't contenders. You are short changing Jalen Brunson a bit there it listen, there is a ceiling on a player his size. That's just the fact of the matter. Becky Hammond said it two years ago. Everyone killed her for it. All of league history tells us that that is true. I think you could be a great team and him be the second best player. Probably really hard for him to be the best player and you win a championship unless you fill out the rest of the roster perfectly. Which the Knicks thought they did. Yeah, I mean they thought the Mikhail Bridges move because Boston had so many good perimeter players, they wanted to go get guys that could hit a 3 and play D. That was Mikhail Bridges. So they gave up five picks. You know, had they given up two, they don't get him probably or three. And they'd have more picks now to go get Giannis. So they're kind of limited. I like the Knicks. They're a fun watch. They remind me a lot of the Lakers offensively. They have great halves, great quarters, great nights. They're really skilled. They got about five guys I like. No bench. Lakers have no bench. Knicks have no bench. Lakers can't really defend the three. Knicks can't really defend the three. But I think Detroit will push them around and I think Boston's going to be a bad matchup. The Lakers, because of the injuries to Luka and Austin, they're just not going to last long. It is interesting that when you get new ownership, how a season ends has a greater impact. I mean, Jeanie Buss to some degree felt she owed. I mean the franchise was a disaster. LeBron comes in and their merchandise goes up. They win a Covid championship. He was more consistent than younger ad, in better shape than younger Luka. And so I do think it would have been genuinely hard if the, if the Lakers had not sold the majority of their organization to the Dodgers owners. I still think it would be incredibly hard to get rid of LeBron because of what he's delivered. He's still an incredible asset. Still moves jerseys go to any Laker game. It could be a Tuesday night against Orlando, it's sold out. But I think the OKC loss and if they get swept or beaten five games makes it much easier for a new ownership group to come in and say, guys, we can't, we got, we have, we got, we need four more players. And I do think when you acquire Luca, there is a way, you know, when LeBron was in his prime or Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown, there isn't necessarily a way to build the Celtics. Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum can both defend. They're both in their prime. They don't miss despite Tatum's injury, they don't miss a lot of time. You don't have to build a roster to plug holes with certain players. SGA is not a great defensive player, but he puts forth an effort. When Luke is your best player, there's a way to build the team. You've got to have a rim protector. You've got to be exceptional in terms of length, size and perimeter defense. Luke has got limitations. Six years ago, LeBron could be that guy. He can't anymore. So here's Nick on LeBron's future as they take on the Rockets in round one. Here's what I find the most interesting about LeBron's future. LeBron took on that Swiss army knife third option role out of necessity, but I don't know if that's the role he wants for the final days of his basketball life. Especially because the moment. Here's a crazy stat for you, Colin. The the first three games that Austin and Luca were out, when LeBron went immediately back to being the number one option, he had not had a three game stretch with that many points and that many assists since the Lakers won the title six years ago. And that the truth is though, it was a three game stretch and he can't do it for 82. LeBron's in a weird spot where on any given quarter or any given eight minute, seven minute spurt, he's a top six player in the league and he knows it. But I remember talking once To Kurt Schilling about this as he aged, he said I would go into a, I would go into a Red Sox start at the end of my career. And I had 12 great fastballs and I had to use them wisely. I had 12 great pitches. LeBron in any given night, if you watch the lakers the last two years, if you noticed, LeBron generally lets the game come to him early. When he had Luke and Austin Reese, he kind of wanted to, he conserved his energy. He wasn't having a lot of great first quarters. He's really smart. He was saving his energy for the second half and big spurts and he can still provide those. The problem now without Luca and Austin Reaves is he's got to play like that in the first quarter and there's, you're going to see total limitations. They're going to make LeBron work on the defensive end. If you're, if you're Houston, your whole game plan is make LeBron work.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. So Colin, listening to this LeBron take, I, I, I know Luca may come back. Austin Reeves seems unlikely. I, I, I just started thinking about Reeves and I looked up some numbers. So you, when did the Lakers take off? Right in March. They went 15 and 2. What happened? LeBron less usage, Austin Reeves more right. Austin Reeves played in A career low 51 games is one of the reasons because his body just can't hold up. He attempted eight and a half, sorry, 7.3 free throws per game, most in his career by a mile. His style is attacking the basket, drawing fouls. LeBron can hit withstand that with his body. Austin Reeves cannot. He was injured multiple times this year. And I wonder, do you think now this is going to impact his offseason?

[Nick Wright]

Well, no, I can't go to the

[Colin Cowherd]

Lakers and be like I want all the money.

[Nick Wright]

Well, it's a great point. Austin Reeves body is not 79 games with massive usage with LeBron closer to his prime. He didn't have that massive usage. And the second thing is Luca's body's not built for it. He's not in great shape. And the truth is in that Oklahoma City game, he was getting dinged up in the first and second quarter before he left in the third. So if you look at Austin and Luke again, there's a way to build the Lakers going forward. It can't be with 42 year old LeBron. You've got to get really young, really athletic guys either going into their prime or in it, even if they're limited players. Because Austin is not an 82 game guy with massive usage.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And Luka similarly led the NBA by a mile in usage. Even Michael. Michael Jordan's the last guy to lead the NBA in usage rate and win a title. It wears you down. So there's absolutely. Luca's one of those rare stars. There's a way to build around him. Kyrie Irving

[Colin Cowherd]

kept getting hurt. Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

Getting injured. So, you know, and I think Laker fan doesn't want to admit that. And people will say, well, LeBron's still an asset. He's still good in spurts. He now is a bit of a liability because Austin and Luca, they're going to miss games. They can't be that high in ball usage. Austin's body and Luca's body, they're not built for it.

[Colin Cowherd]

I wonder if the Lakers can make blessing in disguise. Obviously, this stinks. You know, they're going to lose the series barring a miracle. But now, you know, Austin Reeves can't go around the market, be like, I'm a Max guy. Wait, the second you became the number two to Luca, you kept getting injured.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, you can't be enough. Maybe he's not built physically. Like, he's an awesome player.

[Nick Wright]

Well, I've said this about Brock Purdy. Brock Purdy is a very good player. I should be more positive. He's more athletic than I give him credit for, but he is a smaller player. Yeah. And he does need certain things to go his way. And he gets dinged up. And. And luckily, one of the injuries was end of the year, so he had an off season. But Brock Purdy gets dinged up more than you'd want your quarterback to get dinged up. All right, J. Mac, I'm in Los Angeles tomorrow, so doing a show from the West Coast. Good stuff. Want to thank Eric Caros and Nick Wright and Albert and everybody that stopped by. First things first is around the corner on a Tuesday. The hurry.

[Colin Cowherd]

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