What's Wright - Best Of - Chiefs in PANIC MODE, Giannis TRADE? Lane Kiffin doesn't get it

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd: What's Wright – Best Of

Episode Theme:
A whirlwind tour of the week’s top debates with Nick Wright, focusing on the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff outlook (and panic), potential Giannis trade scenarios, and Lane Kiffin’s move in college football. Nick examines the thin margins between NFL success and failure, the complexity of NBA superstar trades, and the personal responsibility behind headline-making coaching moves.

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Chiefs in Panic Mode?

Main Discussion:
Nick Wright and Damanze dissect the Chiefs’ precarious playoff position, analyzing whether fans should hit the panic button for Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and Co.

The Chiefs’ Current Standings

• The Chiefs sit at 6-6, two games back from a playoff spot (02:48).
• They lack critical tiebreakers against key AFC teams (03:03).
• Only certain way in: “The only way they guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs is by winning out…winning out gets them in.” – Nick Wright (03:11)
• AFC is as wide open as it’s been in years; if the Chiefs get hot, they could become favorites fast (03:54).

Key Issues Plaguing the Chiefs

• Chronic third-and-long failures: “All season long this team has been forcing third and longs and then been totally unable to get off the field.” – Nick (06:20)
• Defensive weakness: lowest in sacks and forced turnovers (07:33).
• Poorly timed turnovers have cost them crucial games.

Nick’s Emotional Barometer

• Nick finds it “very difficult to trust this team to win five straight because quite simply they can’t get off the field.” (05:03)
• “My confidence has been shaken because it should be.” – Nick (11:32)
• If they win the pivotal Houston matchup: “If they win Sunday… then I will feel like, all right, beat the Chargers next week and you’re going to go to another Super Bowl. That’s how I’ll feel.” (11:08)
• Mahomes has led three go-ahead fourth-quarter drives this year—Chiefs lost all three games anyway, highlighting thin margins. Tom Brady only lost three such games in 15 years (12:47–12:55).

The Thin Edge of NFL Margins

• Nick pinpoints missed opportunities, especially a blown interception against the Jaguars, as potentially season-defining moments (13:31).
• “That’s how thin the margins are.” (13:31)

The Pathway Forward

• For a wildcard, the Colts must collapse, the Chargers must tumble, and Chiefs must win out—or at least key matchups (18:31–19:16).
• “The only way to be sure they get in is win all five and they have not yet looked like a team that’s ready to go on a five game winning streak. It’s the reality.” – Nick (19:16)

Notable Quotes:

• "They had to have the Broncos game and they lost.” (11:32)
• “[This season] might wreck the season.” (07:13)

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Giannis Trade Watch: Is the Greek Freak Done in Milwaukee?

Main Discussion:
From chasing LeBron’s scoring records to possibly leaving the city that loves him, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future is a hot topic.

The Giannis Dilemma:

• Damanze suggests Giannis seems insincere about his Milwaukee commitment. Nick disagrees slightly, suggesting it’s more nuanced (25:18).
• “He wants to be beloved in Milwaukee and doesn’t want to play for Milwaukee anymore.” – Nick (26:24)
• The Bucks mortgaged their future for short-term win-now moves, leaving their championship window closing. “Those bills have all slowly but surely come due.” (27:43)
• Giannis’ recent injury (calf strain), not catastrophic, could accelerate a decision (29:00–30:01): “It is very possible that last night was Giannis’s last game with the Bucks.” – Nick (30:01)

Top Trade Destinations (as discussed via ESPN’s proposed deals):

• Atlanta Hawks (most interesting): Giannis and Cole Anthony for Trae Young, top picks, giving Milwaukee multiple routes for a quick rebuild (32:23–34:17).
  • “Atlanta’s the best trade. Houston’s the most interesting. The Knicks are far and away the worst trade and would only happen if Giannis demands it…” – Nick (44:46)
• Houston Rockets: “I don’t love this for either team.” – Nick (36:11)
• New York Knicks: Would require swapping Giannis for Karl-Anthony Towns and little else, which Nick thinks is a bad deal unless Giannis insists (39:11).
• San Antonio Spurs: Could leverage their young talent and picks, but would Giannis want it? Spurs may need to accelerate before Wembanyama’s window closes (41:11–41:51).
• Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green and picks to Milwaukee—Nick calls this a nonstarter for the Bucks (43:18).

The Trade Reality

• “I think we now…it is more likely than not that because of the injury last night, the next game Giannis plays in the NBA will be for a different team, which is crazy.” – Nick (44:37)

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Lane Kiffin Doesn’t Get It: College Football’s Wild West

Main Discussion:
Lane Kiffin leaves Ole Miss for LSU, provoking a broader debate about responsibility and narrative in sports.

The Kiffin Problem

• Nick frames it as a parable about choices: “Nobody gets everything. There are trade offs that adults have to make…” (25:43)
• Kiffin chose between two desirable options (legend at Ole Miss vs. bigger contract at LSU), then acted sad/martyred about it (49:59–50:18).
• “You are not allowed to be sad about the choice if you’re the one that’s making the choice.” (50:18)

Personal Responsibility Theme

• Blaming the ‘calendar’ or the system is a dodge: “The amount of otherwise smart people blaming a grownup’s decision on an inanimate object…the calendar—is just embarrassing.” (55:32 & 55:39)
• “Lane Kiffin did what he thought was best for Lane Kiffin…” (60:30)
• The same lesson, for parents & coaches: if you make the choice, own it (51:01).

Media Critique

• Nick criticizes media members making excuses for Kiffin due to personal interest or industry connections (55:02–59:31).
• “There is some level of shamelessness in some of the coverage of these things…” (60:26)

Notable Parental Analogy

• “When you have two really good options in front of you… Sadness should not be associated with it because you are...making the choice.” (51:01)

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Key Timestamps

• [02:48] Chiefs in trouble: standings, tiebreakers, playoff path
• [06:20] Defensive woes: 3rd-and-long failures
• [13:31] Season-defining mistakes and playoff margins
• [25:18] Giannis’ (in)authenticity and rumored discontent
• [30:01] Giannis’ injury triggers trade speculation
• [32:23] ESPN’s best Giannis trades breakdown
• [49:59] Lane Kiffin’s options and the choice paradox
• [55:32] Nick’s media critique: accountability vs. excuses
• [60:26] Wrapping up Kiffin: “He did what was best for Lane Kiffin.”

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Notable Quotes

• “All season long this team has been forcing third and longs and then been totally unable to get off the field.” – Nick, [06:20]
• “If they win Sunday…then I will feel like…you’re going to go to another Super Bowl. That’s how I’ll feel.” – Nick, [11:08]
• “Those bills have all slowly but surely come due.” – Nick on the Bucks’ future, [27:43]
• “It is very possible that last night was Giannis’s last game with the Bucks.” – Nick, [30:01]
• “You are not allowed to be sad about the choice if you’re the one that’s making the choice.” – Nick, [50:18]
• “The amount of otherwise smart people blaming a grownup’s decision on an inanimate object…the calendar—is just embarrassing.” – Nick, [55:32]

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Summary Takeaway

Nick Wright brings passionate, razor-sharp analysis to three “can’t-miss” stories—conveying the fragility of NFL playoff hopes, the dramatic uncertainty around NBA superstar movement, and the need for honesty about personal agency in sports leadership. This episode is rich in sports insight, real talk, and memorable analogies—perfect for anyone who wants to stay plugged into the biggest sports narratives of the week.

Transcript

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[Nick Wright]

Welcome to the Best of the Week for what's Right with Nick Wright. The best takes and moments from this week on the show. Enjoy. All right, Damanze, let's get to it. The Chiefs are 6 and 6.

[Damanze]

Chiefs are a rough spot, you've always said, with a combination of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes that they've always had a shot. But now Your Chiefs are 6 and 6 in two games out of the wild card, not two games out of the Arrowhead Invitational. The wild card.

[Nick Wright]

Yep.

[Damanze]

They have no, no, none of the key tiebreakers with the head to head teams. How worried are you at the state the Chiefs are in right now?

[Nick Wright]

Well, listen, I mean you've got to be really concerned. The only way they guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs is by winning out. And I listen some folks are, it is not a mathematical certainty that winning out gets them in, but winning out gets them in. And so they, they are alive. And the AFC to me does feel as wide open as it has at any point in my life. Maybe since, oh wait, the year Brady went down.

With an injury and it wasn't a great Peyton Manning year and so certainly the most wide open it's been in more than a decade. So if they were to get hot, play their best football, get in, I think that they would be immediately the Vegas favorites to win the conference. The problem is getting in is going to be very difficult because of those tiebreakers they don't have that you mentioned. Now if they were.

To beat Houston and the then the Chargers, which are their next two, then maybe they could lose to Denver and sneak in at 10 and 7 because they would have a tiebreaker over the Colts, tiebreaker over the Ravens, which won't matter, and a tiebreaker over Houston. Maybe there would be a path there. But the only certain path is winning out. And right now.

It is very difficult to trust this team. Even though Patrick's had at least a five game winning streak every year of his career, it is very difficult to trust this team to win five straight because quite simply they can't get off the field. And this was a problem in Week 1 against the Chargers, it was a problem against Josh Allen, it was a problem against Bo Nix, and it was a huge problem against Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys where historically.

What the Chiefs defense would do really well is.

One good run stop on a drive to put you in second and nine, one forced incompletion to put you in third and nine and then dial something up to get you off the field. All game long and all season long this team.

Has been forcing third and longs and then been totally unable to get off the field. And that is why despite Patrick playing at the level that he is and he was brilliant on on Thursday and he's currently, he's third in the league in yards, fourth in the league in Touchdowns for second in the league in qbr the ESPN stat, first in the league in the nerd stat that I don't love epa he's having an awesome year. But.

Poorly timed turnovers by the Chiefs in previous games and the total inability all season long.

Aside from the Colts fourth quarter against the Colts to make impact plays on defense might wreck the season. They are right now the fourth worst third and long defense in the league. They have.

The fourth fewest sacks in the league. They have the sixth fewest force turnovers in the league.

And.

That'S why they find themselves in this position.

[Damanze]

With all that said, do you think that there was a move that they could have made during the.

[Nick Wright]

Trade deadline.

[Damanze]

During the trade deadline to change that?

[Nick Wright]

Well, I mean listen the Eagles picked up Jalen Phillips. They could like he's the only real impact pass rusher. They're not, they weren't going to trade for Quinn and Williams when you have Chris Jones like and.

At the trade deadline people wanted them to go after a running back and they by the way they almost did trade for Breeze hall. But I don't they need more from listen, they paid George Carloftis this offseason. They have drafted edge rushers. They're just, it's it's Chris Jones or nothing on.

Getting to the quarterback and that's a problem. And now you have this game against Houston to Monze where Josh Simmons, who's been an A plus as a rookie left tackle when he's been out there he missed that month with the family issue. He suffered such an unlucky fluke freak injury that I don't know if you saw how he got hurt. I never saw blocking.

I forget who an edge rusher for Dallas.

And the Chiefs running back. I don't know if it was Hunter Pacheco tried to help him to chip like where they throw the shoulder and they missed the cowboy and hit him in the left arm and snapped his wrist.

[Damanze]

Oh damn.

[Nick Wright]

So his, so his own teammate just friendly fire and so what is that.

[Damanze]

Two, three weeks for a fracture like.

[Nick Wright]

No, I think it's. I think he's out along. I think he might be out the rest of the year but he's certainly out this weekend. Yeah and they play in my opinion the best pass rush in the NFL this weekend in Houston. Juwan Taylor will see if he plays they if he's just out then they should be able to at least make do because then you have Jaylen Moore who you sign this offseason.

If he is if he and Juwan Taylor are out and you have to play Wanya Morris, who they have tried and tried and tried to make a legitimate NFL tackle and just hasn't worked, then you're in real, real trouble. And.

So it is. It's very precarious. It's the most precarious it's ever been in Kansas City. There's no getting around that.

Now. With that said.

I know myself and I don't think it will be unreasonable or irrational.

That if.

If they win Sunday, and I'm telling you right now with that offensive line situation, Chiefs -3 and a half are not going to be one of my picks this week. If they win Sunday.

Then I will feel like, all right, beat the Chargers next week and you're going to go to another Super Bowl. That's how I'll feel. I will. I feel like they're a win away from being a win away, if that makes sense.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And so I.

I have not my hope. I've not given up hope or given up belief. But my confidence has been shaken because it should be. Because they had to have the Broncos game and they lost.

They then really had to have the Colts game and it took everything furious fourth quarter, the biggest fourth quarter comeback of Mahomes career to win that one.

And then they had the opportunity against Dallas and that's again, I'm not going to bang on the defense.

Too much, but three times this year to Monze, the Chiefs have trailed in the fourth quarter. Mahomes has led a fourth quarter comeback to take the lead and then they lost the game anyway. Three times. Via Scott Kasmar for context.

The third blown fourth quarter comeback.

For, for Tom Brady in his career.

Came in year 15.

Year 15 tapping three times this season. So it's, the margins are that thin and if there is one game or one moment that to me.

Just.

Stands out as if they don't go on this run and if they miss the playoffs by a game that I'm going to look back to.

It will be up 14 nothing against the Jags dominating that game. Trevor throws a lollipop up in the air, two Chiefs have a chance to pick it and basically in the game in the first quarter they bump into each other and it falls to the ground. They kind of laughed and like, ah, you know, they're dominating the game. And then that led to a Jags touchdown. Couple hours later, Mahomes throws the hundred yard pick six a little bit after that, after the Chiefs take a late lead, Trevor falls down. Chris Jones doesn't see it, he runs it in. That's the difference right now between the Chiefs being six and six and having none of the tiebreakers and the Chiefs being seven and five and having a few of the tiebreakers. So that's, that's how thin the margins are.

[Damanze]

You were saying like they're a win, they're one, they're two games away. Even if they, you're saying they, they could, they could also make the super bowl if they do make the Super Bowl. Are you still like scared of those defensive problems with getting off the field?

[Nick Wright]

Oh, I'm scared. I'll be scared. Listen. Of. Listen. I don't think that is, those are going to go away. What I.

What I do think is.

They have, they are better than a 6 and 6 record and the AFC is wide open. And if like again I have to.

[Damanze]

You're expecting some teams to slip.

[Nick Wright]

I'm expecting a couple things. One is I.

If they make the playoffs it will mean they're on a five game winning streak and playing their best football of the year. So I will then of course you know, believe that they can get through this version of the afc.

And then to answer your hypothetical, if they were to then make the super bowl, they'd be on an eight game winning streak.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And I of course would feel like those things are solved. It's also, and this isn't excuses, there's just reality. It's an unlucky year.

To potentially be a 10 win team since they expanded the playoffs in 2020. So we have five years of it. 0. 11 win teams have ever missed the playoffs. Only two in five years 10 win teams have missed the playoffs and eight teams and this isn't by winning a bad division. This is wild card teams. Eight teams with eight or nine wins have gotten a playoff spot. So if it were just a year, you know the. But this year it's not that. This year the AFC is wide open but.

There'S not really a middle class. It's teams that are going to win 9, 10, 11 and then teams that are awful with really. No is not a glut of seven or eight win teams. It doesn't look like. And that's going to make getting into the tournament really hard.

With that said.

The, all of this is predicated on obviously the Chiefs winning this weekend. So if they win this weekend they have the same record as Houston with the tiebreaker. Right. So that moves them ahead of Houston. They still would need to jump two more teams. Will they play the Chargers who they're two behind but the Chargers schedule is the hardest in football by a mile. Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, Broncos. And Justin Herbert has a broken left hand. So again, if you're assuming.

Chiefs can win the next two, that puts them in really good position versus the Chargers and the Texans. And then you just need one of the actually you know that would do it, wouldn't it? That would do it because what the Steelers and Ravens take care of themselves so that would do it. Now with all that said, I actually think the team most likely to full on fall fall apart is the Colts. I think the Colts are mid fall apart already.

And demand if they lose to the Jaguars this weekend they might not win again. They've already lost three of their last four. Their one win was in overtime against Atlanta and their final five are at Jacksonville, at Seattle, home for the Niners, home for the Jags, at Houston. And Sauce Gardner is going to be out. So I the Colts, Daniel Jones has a fracture in his leg, Sauce is out. Jonathan Taylor is slowed down. So I the team ahead of the Chiefs most likely in my opinion to just fall off is Indy.

[Damanze]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

And, and so that's the the path for the Chiefs to make it at 10 and 7 is Indy Falls apart and the Chargers fall apart and then the Jags, Texans, one team from the AFC North, Bills, Patriots, Broncos, Chiefs get it. So like that's the, that would be the route. That's the path. But that's a the only way to be sure they get in is when all five and they have not yet looked like a team that's ready to go on a five game winning streak. It's the reality situation. Today's show is brought to you by our new presenting sponsor, Hard Rock bet. Big News Hard Rock BET is now live in Michigan. Sign up today and place your first $5 sports bet. If it wins, you get $150 in bonus bets on top of your winnings. And if you're more into casino games, new customers can get up to $1,000 back in casino bonus. If you're not up money after your first 24 hours playing slots, win money or get a casino bonus back. Plus you get $200 in bonus spins. Winnings paid in cash. Not sure what to place your first bet on? Head over the Hard Rock Bet stats hub and it'll help you out. It's loaded with trends, streaks and stats to help guide your picks. Numbers don't lie and neither does the data in there. Check out the stats up now. Get the edge and bet with confidence. Plus Hard Rock Bet offers new promos daily plus big legendary rewards. Drop every Thursday like gifts under the tree. So whenever you're listening, just open the app, check out what they've got waiting for for you. Download the Hard Rock Bet app and make your first deposit payable and bonus bets. Not a cash offer offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in Florida Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital LLC in all other states. Must be 21 plus and physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concern about gambling in Florida, call call-1888- admit it in Indiana. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-809 with it gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee or Virginia.

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[Nick Wright]

Demanzi let's talk Giannis yeah, so on Tuesday.

[Damanze]

We talked about how impossible it was for Giannis to be catching LeBron on that all time season points. Today we're going to be talking about how possible it is that he's leaving Milwaukee. Do you think that's going to eventually happen? His agent and the Bucks are talking about his future there. Giannis seems a little fake too.

[Nick Wright]

What do you mean?

[Damanze]

I don't know. I feel like he says one thing and he always means another thing. Like I feel like he did the same thing with the like Drew Holiday trade. I feel like he did the same thing with this off season, saying that he wants to be there and like he kind of hasn't wanted to be there the entire time.

[Nick Wright]

So this kind of goes back to the Lane Kiffin thing. It's very important in life to learn at an early age.

Nobody gets everything.

Nobody gets everything.

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And.

[Nick Wright]

There are trade offs that adults have to make where they do the old cliche pros and cons list and you determine what matters most to you and what will make you happiest and act accordingly. And when you say Giannis has seemed a little fake, what I think is causing that.

Is he wants to be beloved in Milwaukee and doesn't want to play for Milwaukee anymore.

And he I think recognizes those two things might be in conflict now. I don't think he would ever be reviled or hated in Milwaukee at large. He's a franchise legend. He delivered them their only championship since Kareem there. You know, he has been a great NBA citizen and an even greater NBA player or vice versa. However you want to look at it. He's One of the 20 greatest players ever, all of that is that cement is dry. But I think he understands.

That in whatever is left of his prime, which could be, you know, up to four years maybe he might have that, that much longer in his prime. This buck seems not going to be able to compete for anything. They, they have mortgaged and second mortgaged and taken out payday loans on the future and those bills have all slowly but surely come due.

And so I think it's pretty clear he does want out.

And I think it's also pretty clear he doesn't know exactly how to do that because he doesn't want to just straightforward do a trade demand. But we are inching towards it. So in today's NBA there. And by the way, it should also be noted, last night it looked like he might have suffered a catastrophic injury. The dreaded non contact look back did someone kick me Reaction which everybody these days knows that is part and parcel with an Achilles tear. But we've now had back to back big time athletes in a couple weeks have that exact reaction to what appears to be that injury. And for both of them it was the far less serious but still very scary calf strain to what happened with Sauce Gardner a couple weeks ago to him with Giannis last night. And so I talked with.

Yeah, I'm allowed to say this. I actually oddly, randomly.

No, I'm not going to say who it was. I talked with one of the greatest athletes ever.

In real time about Tyrese Halliburton's Achilles right when it happened and.

That what that person said was.

In our game, the calf strain is the new.

I think he said acl, not in that you're out a year with it, but it's the most dreaded injury and it's because the, there's no way this again, this was this guy's opinion. But he would know there's no way to rehab it. You simply have to stay off it. So I think Giannis, like here's the thing that I think is noteworthy and why I wanted to start with this. It is very possible.

That last night was Giannis's last game with the Bucks.

That'S on the board. I, I might even go as far as to say it's the most likely.

Reality because.

If he has to miss weeks, maybe up to a month with a calf strain and obviously he and Milwaukee are going to want to be incredibly cautious with this.

Then come December 15th, you know, that's 11 days away and.

That'S when everybody who signed this off season is eligible to be traded more People are eligible to be traded starting the beginning of January and this just could happen in the next month. And at this point I think it is going to happen in the next month.

[Damanze]

Where do you think would be the best landing spot for him?

[Nick Wright]

So ESPN credit to them did a good job.

Putting together five trades and this is why I'm, I really want to credit them because with the new CBA and the aprons it is very difficult to construct trades that actually work. So these five ESPN trades, Bobby Marks has given them the stamp of yes, the CBA would allow it.

The off the board.

Most interesting one that I actually think.

Might be the most win, win, have a chance to compete, go on deep playoff runs and you could sell it to both fan bases.

And sadly is the least likely to happen is Giannis to the Hawks.

So here is ESPN's Trade is as follows. Giannis and Cole Anthony for salary reasons for Trey Young and recess. So the number one overall pick from a couple years ago in Recessey Trey Young, who's got a couple years left on his deal and then some really juicy picks, most notably.

The first round pick the Pelicans traded to the Hawks. Which keep in mind here's why that trade is so interesting for Milwaukee. That first round pick the Pelicans traded to the Hawks to Monze is the better of New Orleans is picked this year or Milwaukee's pick this year.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

So what one of them is going.

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To be down there.

[Nick Wright]

Right. What Milwaukee would then allow for is if by trading Giannis you fall apart in the short term, you then have the Pelicans ping pong balls and your own ping pong balls. Right, right.

And whichever is the best of those two, you get that pick in this draft. Atlanta also has 20, 27 first round pick, top four protected in this trade that is again.

Well, this is the worse of the Pelicans and the Bucks, but maybe you could sweeten it to the better of and then a couple other picks. So that to me is really interesting. If you keep Jalen Johnson, you keep Dyson.

Milwaukee then can maybe flip Trey Young as well. And Recesse was the number one pick of a draft. And Atlanta, which has proven they're just as good with or without Trey Young this season, maybe better without him. Giannis, Jalen Johnson, Porzingis when he's out there to very interesting team in a wide open east and with flexibility moving forward. So that's the one that makes the most sense for everybody. I don't know that I think that one is.

Realistic in that I Don't know if that's something Giannis would sign off on. Yeah. And. But I think that's the best Milwaukee can.

[Damanze]

And doesn't it all. It has seemed like Giannis has wanted to play for a big market team. So the way that he talks, that.

[Nick Wright]

Might be hard but. Right. And Atlanta is bigger than Milwaukee, obviously. But it's not like the marquee market. I also think Atlanta is more attractive to American born NBA stars than international.

So I think that. But from a basketball perspective, you stay in the Eastern Conference. The team keeps really good pieces. I think there's a lot of reasons for it. The next trade ESPN brings up is the one we talked about all summer, which was Giannis to the Rockets. Here's the thing. So this is Giannis and his brother for Shingoon and Van Vliet who's obviously out for the year with an injury and one first round pick.

I don't love this for either team.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

To be totally honest, I don't think that's quite enough. Daman say if you're.

Milwaukee.

[Damanze]

Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

As much as I love. I love Shingoon, that's to me not enough. Because you've traded away so many of your own future picks. Like you need more draft capital. And if I'm Houston, I'm like, man.

I'm all of a sudden getting really old. Like I already have Durant. Now I'm adding a guy in year 13.

[Damanze]

Promise. Younger.

[Nick Wright]

Yeah. Right. I. It doesn't right now as is. We have the number one offense in all of basketball and we're doing it without a point guard because Shingoon kind of plays that. So that's just if I'm Houston. And the other thing is if I'm in the west this year, I don't know that I want to push all my chips in this year because I might feel like OKC is just sitting there anyway. So I loved that this off season. I don't love it as much now the. The next trade.

ESPN had and again, I usually like to make my own trades, but the CBA is so restrictive and there's only a handful of teams that this would make sense for that it didn't make sense for me to. I would have come up with these. Everybody's talking about these same four or five teams and if we're talking about the same teams, we're all going to be talking about the same players. So I'll just give Kevin Pelton and Bobby Marks their. Their credit for getting this out there and crib off Their work. The next one, Damon is the Knicks Giannis and Sims again for salary reasons. Sims back to New York, by the way, for Carl Anthony Towns colic diadet. So it's really Giannis for towns plus a 20, 26 first round pick. That won't be a first round pick because it's the Wizards pick that's top eight protected and where are the Wizards? So like that, that one's. That's a fake good pick. Like let me just look at the standings real quick. Yeah, the Wizards, where I thought they would be, where they always are dead last. So that, that, that the. And then some pick swaps.

And, and just really just pick swaps. So that's the problem. The problem for Milwaukee getting to getting Giannis Demons A. I'm sorry, the Knicks getting Giannis is. It's really just Giannis for Town straight up with likely no extra picks.

[Damanze]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

Man.

That'S a tough sell. Yeah, that's a really tough sell if you're Milwaukee. Yeah, go ahead.

[Damanze]

Well, yeah, I was about saying you might. I think Carl Anthony Towns is the better shot. Obviously Giannis is the more physical, imposing.

[Nick Wright]

Player, but oh, Giannis is a way better player.

[Damanze]

Oh yeah, it would change.

[Nick Wright]

You would lose shooting, you would lose some spacing. There's no doubt about it. But if the Knicks could flip Towns for Giannis and, and that's the only rotation pieces they're trading. They become the overwhelming Eastern Conference favorites over the Jalen Brunson and Giannis running pick like there's overwhelming. I just. They traded all those picks away for Bridges.

And so the only way Giannis goes there is if.

The he says that's the only place I want to go and Milwaukee bends to it. So there's two more.

The spurs, they can include a bunch of picks.

And again, it would be a real negotiation. Are you including Castle or are you including.

Dylan Harper?

[Damanze]

Are you.

[Nick Wright]

Are we trading Dear and Fox? That's the one that.

If.

If I were Milwaukee, I would be interested in.

If I could get Harper instead of Castle and if I were San Antonio, I might look at it like this, man, I do not know.

How long Wimby's prime is going to be.

Like, I think that is, I think because of his size and already the injury stuff, I think that like you can't treat Wimby's timeline like Cooper flags or like a traditional.

[Damanze]

So basically saying he's untouchable when it comes to trading like and actually think about putting him in or.

[Nick Wright]

No, no, no, no. I'd never Trade him. What I'm saying is I'm s. I think sometimes when you have a great, really young players not yet to his prime, you're like, let's wait to make the move.

[Damanze]

Oh, okay, so you're saying like, move now, act now.

[Nick Wright]

I'm saying I'm, I'm saying if you're San Antonio, it might make sense to accelerate because you don't know if in 10 years, what, you know, your best chance to win might be right. You know, the next four years or something. So that to me is an interesting one. But again, does Giannis want to go.

From Milwaukee to San Antonio? And does Giannis want to spend the end of his prime as maybe the second guy on a team? I don't know. And then the last one is Golden State, which I just don't understand why Milwaukee would do this. This is Draymond, Kaminga and Heald, none of which are at this point in their careers useful players. Like at a high level, without Steph, without, you know, somebody that creates the offense. Draymond, super useful in his role, but on a bad team. And then a bunch of first round picks. I totally get why the warriors would do this, but I don't.

I don't.

I don't know why.

[Damanze]

And I feel like Draymond going to another team, that definitely stunts how much longer he's in the league.

[Nick Wright]

I think they buy. Yeah. 100%. And I, I, you know, Draymond, you would then maybe flip Draymond to a contender that could want.

[Damanze]

Right.

[Nick Wright]

Because he's. Draymond's still super useful if you're playing big basketball games.

[Damanze]

Yeah. IQ and all that stuff. But. Yeah.

[Nick Wright]

And so, and if I'm Milwaukee, I don't know that I want a bunch of first round picks from Golden State when I know Golden State's got that ownership, that coach, and going to have Giannis even when Steph is gone. So Atlanta's the best trade. Houston's the most interesting. The Knicks are far and away the worst trade and would only happen if Giannis demands it and. And Milwaukee acquiesces.

And then I don't see the warriors and the spurs. One really depends on how aggressive the spurs want to. Want to be. So. But I think Giannis, my big takeaway demon is I think we now it is more likely than not.

That the next. Because of the injury last night, the next game Giannis plays in the NBA will be for a different team, which is crazy, by the way, if you're thinking about upgrading to the all new iPhone 17 Pro designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever, but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way to the store or transferring all your data. Good news, when you order a new phone online with Boost Mobile, they'll send an expert to your home. How about that? Or home? Or work to deliver your brand new iPhone Pro and get you set up on Boost Mobile within minutes. No hassle. So how about that? You get the new iPhone, it comes right to you and a tech comes in. Get all your stuff transferred, get you set up on the network. Visit boostmobile.com to get started. Delivery available for select devices purchased at boostmobile.com terms, of course, do apply.

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[Nick Wright]

Limu emu and Doug, here we have.

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[Nick Wright]

Excludes Massachusetts. All right, let's talk a little college football if we can.

[Damanze]

Yeah. So, big story in college football. Lane Kiffins now going to lsu. You wanted to talk about this, but not as like a college football story, but more of. More of a media story. So the floor is yours.

[Nick Wright]

So.

There is something.

Here's a little parental, you know, to tie in demase being a new parent. Here's something. You don't have to worry about this for a very long time. Demons a. But this is, I take this with you, some parental wisdom. Okay?

[Damanze]

Okay.

[Nick Wright]

Because this to me has applied mostly particularly with my daughters, more so with you than with you. And really the most with the Indiana, our youngest, which is.

You give them options, both of which are things they want. It's not like, you know, be cliche, eat your vegetables or clean your room. It's two things that they would want to do independently. Like, oh, you can go to the mall with mommy or you can go hang out with Nana. It's your choice.

And then.

They seem.

No matter what they choose to, instead of being, be excited about what they're going to get to do, sad about the thing they're not doing.

And one of the things that I've said to your little sister a bunch is you. I don't want to be harsh, but you're. You're not allowed to be sad about the choice. If you're the one that's making the choice like you are, you have two options. They're both good options, whichever. No matter how much.

Wistfulness you might feel about not being able to do the other, you must feel like you're going to get more joy from doing the one you're choosing. That's why you're choosing it. Okay, so like when. When you have two really good options in front of you.

And you are the one who's making the choice. Sadness should not be associated with it because you are. If it really is making you that sad, then pick the other one like you're making the choice.

That is a lesson.

That more adults, most notably in this case Lane Kiffin.

And some of his apologists in the media, never learned.

Lane Kiffin had two great options.

Stay at Ole Miss, coach this team through the College Football Playoff, get a sick raise, get an even better contract and be a legend in Oxford. Or leave Ole Miss.

Go to rival lsu, get an even sicker contract.

For a more prestigious program, and have an opportunity to create a historic legacy while knowing that will mean abandoning your team on the precipice of the biggest games it's played in program history.

Please do not.

Cry these alligator tears about.

How sad you are or how tough this was. You chose to leave. That is your prerogative. You are absolutely allowed to do that.

But if it, if it's that devastating of a choice, then you should have chose to stay.

And you had to know there was a very realistic, overwhelmingly likely.

Possibility that if you chose to leave, they were not going to let you coach the playoff. You chose it anyway. Again, the. The ridiculous, lawless college football world.

Allows these things to happen in a way they could never happen in pro sports. You could net like could never. If last year, before the AFC playoffs started, the Bills couldn't have said, hey, Andy Reid, we'll give you 30 million a year to leave Kansas City and come to us immediately. Even if Andy wanted to, they're not allowed to because there's a governing body in place that doesn't exist in college football. So this is allowed to happen. And Given made his choice, so be it. Salute. Good luck. I think it screws over the players a bit, but even though they're young people, they kind of know the business they're in in college football. It's the Wild West. Fine.

So that's my take on Kiffin. My take on the commentary surrounding it is, listen, I'm not into all. Everybody's like, ah, Jimmy Sexton, you know, has all these coaches. He's the agent. That. That actually is true. But then there's a lot of. And Jimmy Sexton works for caa and CAA represents these media personalities and, and so they're conflicted out. I listen, I used to be repped by CAA that that bag demands a. That you carry some of your electronics and is a CAA sports bag.

I'm no longer Repped by caa. People throw a lot of like eight. I don't think people totally understand how the agent stuff works. Like, people.

People seem to think folks in the media work for their agents when we are the ones who pay the agents. Like, the agents work for us. So I'm not going to get into the agent part of it because I think that is a red herring. Here's what's not a red herring.

The amount of otherwise smart people.

Blaming a grownup's decision.

On an inanimate object. This object is the calendar. Oh, it's the calendar's fault. The college football calendar is just everybody here. That's the issue. You can't blame. You know, of course Lane is going to take the best job and it's the. Is the college football calendar a mess? Sure. Does that mean we remove agency from.

Choices adults make?

Like to. Again, this is not a perfect example, but I've talked, you know, somewhat about how one of my career. I don't even want to call it Bucket List, but things I'd really like to do but doubt I'll ever be able to do it is be a part of an Olympics broadcast, Right? So the Winter Olympics are around the corner.

And I, again, I have a real contract, not these weird college football contracts. So I couldn't even do this. But just stick with me for a moment. Let's say the Chiefs do go on a sick run and make the playoffs. And then let's say they are. We're staring at a divisional round of Chiefs Ravens, and then potentially a conference championship round of Chiefs Patriots.

Like the First Things first bonanza.

And in the week of that divisional round, NBC calls me up and they're like, nick, we want you to come to Milan. We want you to come be a part of our.

Winter Olympics broadcast. But obviously you'd have to be done with First Things first immediately.

If I said yes to that.

And then why Wilds and Brew were understandably upset within. People were like, well, you can't blame Nick. It's this stupid calendar. Like, why do the. Why do the Winter Olympics have to, you know, overlap with the NFL playoffs? Like, if only it were three weeks later, it'd be fine.

[IBM Advertiser]

No.

[Nick Wright]

Yes, it would. A lot of things in life would be easier and maybe better if we had them planned out. Like the. I talk about all the time, the US Open men's final being on the first Sunday of NFL football. I hate that. It's the calendar. Change it. Fine. But again, choices adults make weighing all their options.

They must be accountable for them and certainly we're not going to blame dates like it's just so the and the amount of water carrying that I've heard over the last week from folks that simply it's like I like the too long didn't read version is either I like Lane Kiffin or Lane Kiffin is a source or Lane Kiffin and I have mutual business interests. Whatever it is, it's just embarrassing.

And again I don't even.

Kill him for the decision.

I think there's pros and cons of the decision. I happen to think he made the way riskier decision. He could have been a legend at Ole Miss for the next 20 years.

But it's not what he wanted to do. So you know the contract allows for it fine.

And.

But it's almost like.

[Damanze]

Miles Garrett with the contract that he accepted and like he was I'm tired of losing and then he got the money and he stayed.

[Nick Wright]

Yes. And then by the way no problem with it. Yeah but I'm not going to feel badly afterwards. And so the I don't, I don't know man. I just, there is some there's a level of shamelessness in some of the coverage of these things that I I.

[Damanze]

I find just not acknowledging the fact that like he made his decision. He left.

[Nick Wright]

He just made a decision. It does it screws over the Ole Miss kids a bit. He knew it. He was okay with it. We don't need to he, we don't need to pretend it was deeper than Lane Kiffin did what he thought was the best for Lane Kiffin and was able to.

The he he would have been more sad about missing out on the opportunity to coach LSU.

Then he is sad about leaving the kids at Ole Miss and missing out on the opportunity to.

Coach in the College Football Playoff. It's as simple as that.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

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This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Liberty Mutual / Snapdragon Advertiser]

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[Nick Wright]

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[Nick Wright]

What a matchup we got, y'.

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All.

[Nick Wright]

This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beat, everybody showing that school pride game like this. Yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.

Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo. No matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going.

Janice Torres here and I'm Austin Hankwitz. We host the podcast Mind the Small Business Success Stories, produced by Ruby Studio in partnership with Intuit QuickBooks.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

We're back for season four to talk to some incredible small business owners.

[Nick Wright]

The big thing about working at tech is that it's ever evolving, ever changing. Everyone's a rookie. That's how fast the industry is changing. So what I'm really excited about is to be part of that change. So listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Host / Advertiser]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.