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The Ringer NBA Show
Could the Warriors See a Complete Overhaul With Early Exit? Plus, the Phoenix Dysfunction.
01:11:23
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- [00:00]
Zach Lowe
You're listening to the Ringer NBA show presented by FanDuel. America's number one sportsbook is the best place to bet on the NBA because not only does FanDuel have all your favorite player props, but now you can even check out stats and recent performance trends right in the app before you make your picks. Just download the FanDuel sportsbook app today to get in on the action. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.
- [00:40]
Raja Bell
Welcome.
- [00:41]
Unknown
To the brand new Zach Lowe Show. That's right, I'm back to have the same in depth NBA conversations you're used to. We're going to talk about the games. Yeah, the games. The X's and O's. The drama, the trades. The playoffs are coming up and now you get to see every episode in full on video on Spotify and on my own YouTube channel. Episodes drop every Monday and Thursday with a collection of guests you're going to love. So make sure you follow and subscribe to the brand new Zach Lowe show on Spotify or wherever you watch or listen to your podcast.
- [01:15]
Raja Bell
Let's go.
- [01:16]
Unknown
This episode is brought to you by Indeed. Slow and steady doesn't always win the race. Like when Phil Jackson really needed a shot in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, he just gave the ball to Kobe and let him cook. And that helped win the game. If you're looking to hire someone fast, use Indeed. Indeed sponsored jobs. Get 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. Speed up your hiring process right now with a $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.comringermba that's indeed.comringermba. terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. What's poppin? Thrill and slogan. Murdoch here. Roger Bell there. Cliff on the boards. Victoria on the videos had a crazy static. Bro. Are your ears okay from what the hell happened with Victoria's static on her on her line, bro. Welcome. Game up.
- [02:07]
Raja Bell
Yeah. Recovery. Yeah. If I came in here half asleep, I'm not now.
- [02:10]
Unknown
Oh, man. Dude, I was. She woke my game. I was half asleep my damn self and it was static. Oh, man. Speaking of static, there's a lot going on in the NBA Raja. There's a lot going on. There's playing. It was. There's. It was like Black Monday on yesterday. Gez A lot of people got fired. A lot of people got. A lot of people got axed. Some more clarity on the Denver Nuggets firing of Michael Malone. And Calvin Booth would like to get your opinion on that. Then we're going to talk a little play in tournament. We're going to talk Mavericks, Kings. That looks pretty promising. There's Atlanta Hawks, Magic. That looks pretty promising. Heat, Bulls. I think you wanted to talk about those games. I don't know if there's a game on the west coast that you want to talk about necessarily.
- [02:55]
Raja Bell
Oh, yeah. Give me all. Give me all of the. Give me all of those.
- [03:01]
Unknown
All right, man. First off, let's talk about. Let's go to Phoenix, man. Let's go to Sky Harbor. Let's figure it out. Coach Bud got fired, which is like the least surprising thing of all time, right?
- [03:12]
Raja Bell
Yep.
- [03:13]
Unknown
Kind of got a fire coach after a season like the Suns had three coaches in four years. For the Suns. It's just a. It's really bad in Phoenix, man. I just got back there from there a couple weeks ago. The city itself was great. I had a blast there. But whenever you were going through the arena, it was just really depressing. Right. And we'll get into all the reasons why, but what are your first impressions of why Coach Bud got fired and was it just the right thing to do based on how this season had gone? How do you feel? What are your thoughts from.
- [03:50]
Raja Bell
Think about the fire first? My. My thoughts are just kind of sad because I don't know Phoenix. I don't really know them in any way other than the. The kind of joyous place it was when I was there. Like, and I've got such fond memories and, and the town was electric. The. The building was electric. Like, everything about that kind of era of Sons basketball was. Was. Was great. And so it's sad to hear that. You know, it's the antithesis of that at this point. As far as Bud being fired, I mean, do you have to fire him? I mean, I guess I. I don't know. What am I supposed to fucking say to that? Like, it. I'm trying my best to be really fair. And I've said this on air before, that the Suns, the. The ownership group and whoever he's entrusted, you know, Ciola and folks like that have done such a good job of, like, reconnecting with. With some of, you know, some of us that weren't really connected to the Suns in that way and inviting us back and, you know, inviting us to Steve's ring of honor and, and Matrix's thing and, and stats and so I am very appreciative and supportive of that. But this is dysfunctional. That's what this is like. Sorry, Logan, but like, if I'm being fair and I say that about other organizations that can't keep a coach and they're, they're just firing one after the other and trying to put a band aid on, on. On something like, then I have to say it about the Suns and this is dysfunctional at this point.
- [05:27]
Unknown
Well, no, I think that. I don't think. I think it was more the roster and the setup and the vibe of this team that was bad. And I think Bud's year there was an extension of that. Right. Where whether it's trying to give advice that sound advice. I think Chris Haynes reported this of him telling Bradley Beal, hey, man, maybe you should be like Drew Holiday for this team. This is. That's. That'll be a good role for you. Right. And I think that that would help our team win. Bradley Beal ego is like, nah, I'm Bradley Beal. And it's like, you're. Yes, you are Bradley Beal. I mean, if you were trying to be more like Drew Holiday in this context, we probably would do. Right. That's sound advice. You don't think so? Wait, hold on. Okay, so anyway, that's one thing.
- [06:12]
Raja Bell
Yeah, yeah, no, that's one thing.
- [06:14]
Unknown
That's one thing. Right. And then never got a good relationship with Kevin Durant, whether it's kd, and I've written about this already, whether it's kd, not really liking the offense that Bud put out there specifically for the roster that was. That they had on the floor. Right. A lot of young guys, especially post trade Kevin, thought that they should have simplified the offense more for the group that they had. Right. As a consequence, they look really predictable in a lot of games. I think also with that against the Celtics, when you, you know, you have like here, you shoot. No, you shoot. Also, Bud didn't have a great relationship with Devin Booker. Right. I guess that that's, that's a fair thing to say. So when you don't have a good relationship with your star players and you and the other player doesn't want to do take a role change. And me and you have talked about Bradley Beal all season and his injuries and just the lack of overall self awareness that he, that he tends to display, I think it was a recipe for just disaster in all ways. Right. And I think that you can say also the record of Coach Bud wasn't optimal considering, you know, Frank Vogel got the same group to 49 wins in a six seed last year. But I think overall, I think this, I don't think this is an indictment necessarily on Coach Bud going forward as a good coach. Right. I think that this was just a bad situation for him. And I think that we kind of looked at the Suns with rose colored glasses because of the talent level, but the locker room vibes between those two entities just wasn't good. And I think that this was. What else are you going to do? You're going to try, like, you have to kind of. What else are you going to do if you're Matt Ishbia, right? Like, I don't know what else you can do.
- [08:05]
Raja Bell
This has been mismanaged. It's been, it's been mismanaged. Like, let's just look everything for everything you said, right? Like, I'll try to address them all, although I won't, I won't do it justice. But let's, let's say again, Bud's not running an offense that people like, Bud's not doing the things offensively that puts the team in the best position to be. That is supposed to be addressed before you hire him. That is supposed to be addressed with Bud. It's supposed to be addressed with the brain trust with the Suns. And then you are supposed to include Devin Booker and Kevin Durant to whatever degree. Bradley Beal, maybe, maybe not. I don't know how he's looked upon in that organization, but at least those two are supposed to have some prior knowledge about what he intends to do. Give some feedback. Hey, I don't think that's gonna be a good idea. We don't wanna do that. Like, we don't play like that. And I reference this all the time with Steve Kerr and when he brought in Terry Porter and it did not work because what you were selling to us as a team in place. And I thought Steve did a decent job of probably reaching out to Amari and Steve Nash and Sean Marion and he even called me, not as a, as a sign off, just as a courtesy to let me know what was going to happen, but he was selling it as if things weren't going to change. Like, this is what's going to happen and then Terry Porter's not doing that. And so now there's like a disconnect. People are like, yo, what the fuck is going on? And so I only say from personal experience, like when you are making moves like that with a roster that has the type of pedigree that they have. You ha. This has to be worked out up front.
- [09:44]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [09:44]
Raja Bell
Like, relate relationships. Like, when you are going through a coaching search, you're building a team in that. In that. In that coach's locker room. And if he's not a relationship guy, like, you should know that, like, Bud's got enough of a track record if he's not a relationship guy. And I don't. I don't know him one way or the other, but if he's not, you certainly get somebody on that staff that's a relationship person.
- [10:08]
Unknown
Right. I mean, they tried. I think they tried to do that with. They had Fisdale on the staff who tends to connect with players, but based on everything that I see, he was just a guy that was liaison between KD and Bud. It wasn't necessarily like the rest of the group. Right. You know what I mean?
- [10:24]
Raja Bell
However, like, however you slice this, it has been mismanaged. It's been. It's been mismanaged for a couple years now.
- [10:31]
Unknown
And like, I don't know if you've ever seen a. I don't know if you've ever seen this Raja, but I want to roll this by just a visual. Like, I've never seen a superstar player. I was there for about a week a couple weeks ago, and I've seen them in person when they. When they played in the Bay Area, but I've never seen a star player talk to a coach between every single stretch down the court. Like, kd, as he's running from one side of the court to the other. Every single. Every play was yelling something at Coach Bud. Like, it wasn't pretty either. It was like, what the hell is going on? Or it's always like, a micromanaging of relationships between those two guys. And I think that was a microcosm for the rest of the roster. But they just didn't trust each other. Have you seen something like that where, like, every time down the court, not just like, maybe once or twice a quarter, like, hey, I got to give you some advice. Like, no. Every possession they are seem to be going at it.
- [11:33]
Raja Bell
I've never seen anything like that, but I've seen dysfunction. I've been in huddles. You know, I tried to give KD the benefit of the doubt and Bud the benefit of the doubt. When the first started becoming public about those two, like, having the words and shit like that does happen. So, like, you know, I don't have to definitively say that. That it's a bad look, because things happen sometimes and I'm not there, but it's usually a bad sign. And I've been in huddles and locker rooms where someone's talking and, you know, a player that holds weight on that team is looking at him with the fucking side eye look. And everybody else on the roster is looking at the player in agreeance like, yeah, this shit is crazy. Fuck what he's talking about. Like, and that is toxic. Like, that's a toxic environment. There's that. That is just a. You've got a complete lack of trust from your star down. And at that point, that is a coach that has to go, like, whether record or record or not, or someone has to go in that situation. And so, no, I haven't seen that, but I've seen other situations that are very similar to that.
- [12:41]
Unknown
I. This reeks of. I mean, obviously we've talked about this a lot with my sbo with the new owner syndrome, but like, everything that every person you talk to within that organization or around an organization or anyone that is. That has paid attention to them on a daily basis, basically, when Matt Ishbia got the job, he pushed aside James Jones and just said, I'm going to make all the decisions. And for. And James Jones was a really good gm. We've praised him on this show, right? And he. He's basically just kind of put it into the background and every decision has Matt isb's fingerprints on it. Right? And it's also almost seems like he's just flying at the seat of his pants with this. Right? Like hell. KD's on the market. Let's do everything we can to just go get him. I just want Katie on my team, right? Not. Not thinking about the picks that you're sending back, right? Getting rid of Cam Johnson, getting rid of like a lot of your depth to acquire kd, right? It wasn't even a negotiation. Same with Bradley Bill. Honestly, like, hey, okay, get Bradley Bill. I don' Just do it. We're going to throw a boatload of picks. And I mean, Washington just kind of just fleeced them on that trade. You look at the picks that they got and how they're set up for future success. You take that deal 11 times out of 10 if you're Washington, right? But, like, you're just. It just seems like he's willing and dealing. Coach Bud's a good coach. He's done really good with Giannis. I've seen him on tv. Let's. Let's figure it out, right? Instead of like, what you're saying is instead of doing what you're saying, you know, let's talk to the guys, let's look at film. Like, it just seems like a guy in Matt Ishbia that isn't really. He says he's empowering people, but isn't really empowering people to do their jobs. And that's what this all reeks of. And now Phoenix is in a mess right now. Right? Like, it's gotten so bad that I feel like the only way you go back to even being able to build another team is tearing everything down in the studs. And I'm not just saying trading Bradley Bill, which shout out to Gambo down there in. In Arizona, who said that they're going to trade Bradley Bill or Bradley Bill's not going to be in the roster next year. And you, you tr. Not only do you have to trade him, you got to trade kd. You got to kind of think about trading Devin Booker to get some of your assets back because you're not going to be able to build the team that you want to build around Devin Booker. With the current climate that we're in right now, in terms of picks, in terms of what's your return for guys, it's pretty bad in Phoenix right now. Rob.
- [15:19]
Raja Bell
Yeah. You've. I don't know, the inner workings of the relationship between their front office and ownership. I'm going to take your word for it. You guys report for a living. Whoever is steering the ship, you've run it aground and you are going to now have to take some desperate measures to be able to recoup the assets that would be able to allow you, moving forward, to try to build again. A few things. Like you touched on Bradley Beal not wanting to be Jrue Holiday. Look, I like Bradley Beal. I'm a Bradley Beal fan. He's a really good player. But you also said there was a lack of self awareness. I couldn't agree more. Like, at this point in your career, you've got multiple bags, you've been the guy, you've had the opportunities. It hasn't come to fruition. In terms of championships, at what point do we say, hey, look, I have to play a role and be the best version of that role to try to help this team win. Now, provided the man's not telling you to sit down and you don't have a, a place in this, you, we. We've got to be able to do that as professionals at some point in our career. And look, I'm I'm the guy sitting here telling you when dudes are young, when dudes are trying to get to the bag and trying to get to the mountaintop, those things can be in conflict. What you're asking me to do, to sacrifice for us to win and what I need to do to get to the top of this mountain and maximize my earning potential, like, those two things can be in conflict. And finding the sweet spot is what good organizations do. But, like, that's not where we're at with him. So, like, there should be a level of, like, we're disrespecting jrue Holiday by saying, I ain't willing to be Drew Holiday, bro.
- [17:02]
Unknown
You just want a chip. Drew Holiday, he single handedly swung multiple chips, bro. As soon as he got on the Celtics, it was like, oh, that's the. That's the tipping point. And the Bucks. And the Bucks, so.
- [17:16]
Raja Bell
So, like, I find that fascinating. Look, is there a. I love Devin Booker. This is going to sound crazy because I know I'm straddling the fence all over that phenomenal player. Is it possible that he's a. That he's not the franchise player? Like, is that possible on a, on a championship level team? I don't think that's a slight. I know whenever you say that, people look at you like you or like no one's downplaying that. Like, there's only a handful of those dudes.
- [17:47]
Unknown
This is what I think about Devin Booker. And like you, I love his game. I love what he's about as a person. I love his drive. I love all of that, all of that, all of that. But I would say this, and this is to your point, right? He has always kind of needed an alpha personality next to him to succeed. And I think the biggest thing that has been a hindrance for him is the trade for kd. I think that that has been a hindrance for him. And hear me out on this, ra Because Kevin isn't a number one personality. And all the things right, kind of goes. Flows to the background. Devin, because this is my opinion, Devin has kind of treated Kevin the way he treated Chris Paul and like, kind of shying away from the top.
- [18:42]
Raja Bell
We're 10. We're 10 years in, bro.
- [18:44]
Unknown
No, but listen, we're 10 years in because he feels that way. Because he sees like, yo, Katie's my idol. I looked up to him. I want to hear what he has to say. But he is kind of taking that backseat role. And Kevin Durant isn't Chris Paul personality wise. And I do Think that if I'm going to agree with you on that point is I think that that is. That personality trait has been a great hindrance for Devin Booker throughout his career. And I think it's been the difference between him being a number one to what you're describing as maybe a more complimentary piece, a great superstar level complimentary piece, but a complimentary piece nonetheless.
- [19:22]
Raja Bell
However, the. You want to shine that up, do it.
- [19:25]
Unknown
You see me like I was your job to write.
- [19:28]
Raja Bell
You the writer. I'm not a writer. I'm getting on here telling you I put a poetic spin to it and I appreciate that. Let me distill it because I'm gonna say it again. We're 10 years in, right? And he's a phenomenal player. But at some point, you ain't. You're not the number one on a championship winning team. And that's not me saying that. That's historical fact. You ain't won a championship yet. Like, so, so, so, you know, I'm just. I'm talking about every one of these big three players in a way that, that I see that. Right? So, like, if you're the Suns and you're saying we might have to give up on Devin Booker and, and. And not give up in terms of we don't, we don't love him and we don't want him, but in terms of like, we are just in such a bad spot that, that we have to explore all options. Well, I, I mean, maybe I don't think. Hold on, let me finish though, because it's not my bad, because. And Kevin Durant, I'm gonna be like, the KD situation. Phenomenal player. I'm the biggest fucking KD fan. I love kd. But you were all culpable in this in some. In some way. Like, we're all culpable in this. You don't get to be a trio of that level of talent and have it be the cluster F that it was and all of us not get some shit on us, including the organization who I just gave shit. Like they, the coaches, like, everything surrounding that has been mismanaged. I'll just use the word again. Mismanaged. But like, every player that was supposed to be the focal point of that has some culpability in that. And KD is no different.
- [21:10]
Unknown
Yeah. So I think. I don't think it's that hard of a decision. Raja. You need to tear this down. The studs. That's what it is, right? Like, I want to evoke the great Alonzo Carter get your feelings out the shit. Like, I get it. I understand that you have an attachment to Devin Booker. I understand that you maybe don't want to get rid of him. I understand all those things. Right. I understand that he wants to be and he told me a couple weeks ago he wants to retire a son because of how rare that is in Arizona sports. It doesn't happen, right? Like, this is something that I love and Phoenix is a great place to live, you know, it's a great place to be a star, all those things. And I think that he fits great in with Arizona. All that being said, the organization hasn't done enough to put an optimal team around Devin Booker. Right. Like, and I'm going to say this post, Matt Ishbia and I know there's going to be people like, oh man, but he got you Kevin Durant. Oh man, but he got you Bradley Beal. But they didn't build a team. They didn't build a functioning deep team. You look at them, Raja, and you got, if you have a team where Kevin Durant is your backup and sometimes starting center, you have a problem in the way that you construct a roster. They haven't constructed a roster around Devin Booker in the way that they are supposed to. Clearly the proof is in the pudding. We saw it this season, right? But you, because you haven't done that and you don't have any avenues to do that, you are doing a disservice to him and honestly, you're kind of doing a disservice to yourself by not tearing this down the studs and figuring it out the right way. A hard reset is necessary in Phoenix and don't nobody want to say that within the organization. Organization. But that's what it is. That's the only way through.
- [22:51]
Raja Bell
Let me come at it from Devin Booker's perspective because look again, I want to make sure that everybody understands. I think Devin Booker is fantastic.
- [22:59]
Unknown
Love him.
- [23:00]
Raja Bell
But when I, when I am talking about number ones on championship level teams like I am, there are only a few of those in the NBA for me. I don't have as nearly as many of those in my tier as your average person would have in their tier of people that are capable of doing that. And so I don't see it as any real disrespect to him. He's incredible. I, and I said what I said about like, if I had to move that because of the situation I put myself in as much as I might not want to because all of the feels and the emotions and the history. Got to do what I got to do, right? Having said that, let me flip it and go from Devin Booker's perspective. I love the fact that he wants to be in Phoenix. Phoenix is amazing. Like, I would have loved to have stayed in Phoenix and had that history, albeit at a much lesser level, a player than him. But I would have loved to have the connection to that valley and the people there and have my, my kids were born there. I would have, I would have liked that association in that way. I respect all of that. You should want to get the fuck out of there. You should want to go at this point because what are they going to do to get you where you're trying to go? No, like, if you, if, if recent, if, if recent track record is going to speak for what's going to happen moving forward, how do you think? Show me the roadmap to how we get to me being a champion. If I'm Devin Booker here in Phoenix, I don't think they can show you that. So even like if I'm him, I'm like, hey, bro. Like, hey, that's valiant. I love it. Like, that's old school shit.
- [24:34]
Unknown
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- [25:42]
Zach Lowe
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- [26:10]
Unknown
All right, man, let's do 10 minutes on the Pelicans. We got so deep in the weeds, I got a text from Cliff like, yo, make sure we get to the other topics.
- [26:19]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I'm sorry, I don't even like to talk about the Suns like that.
- [26:23]
Unknown
I feel you. Let's talk about the Pelicans really quickly. Right? Where Griff, as I think is another similar to Bud, is another casualty to the situation. More than like an indictment on his acumen and talent level, bro. Like, honestly, I think the Pelicans did Griff a favor. You know, like you, you go through so many things with an organization and it's just, it's just time. And the fact of the matter is the Pelicans are a team filled with bad luck. An organization filled with bad luck saddled with Zion who has injury troubles and a whole host of other things that have taking him down and if not, let him reach his full potential. Right? That's putting it lightly. I know I'm poetically sanitizing the message that Raja would have went hard on, but Zion just hasn't been what he is supposed to be. Right? And then you have a cavalcade of injuries around him, right? You have, you go from building a team that can win in spite of Zion, but also needs Zion to get to the next level. And then, you know, you have the Lonzo ball experiment that didn't work, right? You have the Dejante Murray injury and he also hasn't played that great in a Pelican uniform anyway. You just, you know, like in New Orleans, they're not even, they're not even the first priority in the ownership, right? The Pelicans are, right. The Saints are very much so. You could see that within the organization with their facilities, right. Probably have the worst arena in the league. No disrespect, but this just is what it is. And there's a lot going on bad with the Pelicans right now. And on top of that, Raja, they're going to bring in Joe Dumars, which I don't think is a really good idea. Shout out to Joe Dumars. But I don't, I don't. I don't think this is the time for him. It's. It's just all bad. I said. I just, I said 10 minutes on the Pelicans for me to rant about how bad the Pelicans are and how it's great that Griff has freed himself from the situation.
- [28:31]
Raja Bell
Yeah, man. Where to go with this? Shout out to Griff. You know what? Had he had been there, he had been there, what, six years now? 2000, probably 19 or something like that. Like, it was, you know, at some point the buck has to stop somewhere. And, you know, whether you can point to Griff for any or all of that, I mean, eventually the buck is going to get to you, right? If we're not getting this right.
- [28:59]
Unknown
But to his point, to be fair, though, I think he did a good job with his role, right? Like, he. You got Zion, who was the number one pick there. You tried to build around him. Yeah, good. Guys.
- [29:07]
Raja Bell
I'm not saying I'm. No, no, no, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that it's that. That. What? What? Look, I'm not there, right? Like, again, when I always try to. And maybe it's not great podcasting, but like, I try my best to, to. Because there's so many dynamics going on in those organizations to not, like, point fingers if know definitively who's making someone do what or whose call it was to do this and that. And so, you know, what I am saying about that is, like, if your job is to manage it and your job is to be the president of it and so on and so forth, if it's not working, eventually the buck is going to get to you and it's going to have to stop with you, right? Like, whether. Whether you fully deserve that or not. I know that Griff is really, really good at his job. I know that Griff felt very supported early. He thought it was a great situation. I had conversations with him in regards to that and maybe even hopping back, you know, on that side of the, on that side of the profession. I do know that it was very, very tense with, with, with the camp. You got that draft pick wrong.
- [30:14]
Unknown
And sometimes it happens, right? Like, I mean, it wasn't wrong in the moment, but that sometimes.
- [30:18]
Raja Bell
And it wasn't wrong from a talent perspective, like, everyone would have made the pick. You know, I actually said like, who. What class was that again? Who was in that class? Who was in a class?
- [30:31]
Unknown
I think it was 2019.
- [30:35]
Raja Bell
No, that wasn't the class that I, that I had said that about. It was the Markel Fultz. It was the Markel Fultz. That was, that was the.
- [30:44]
Unknown
But no, it, I mean, that was RJ Barrett, Darius Garland. Some good guys. Accident.
- [30:48]
Raja Bell
Yeah. But it's a tough.
- [30:49]
Unknown
Everyone, it was fine.
- [30:51]
Raja Bell
Everyone makes that pick. It just happened to be that like it was it. You know, the pick was injury prone. Flashes of brilliance, but. But injury prone. And then not a. Not a pro. Like, I don't. I didn't just get that from one source. Like, I got that from multiple people. Like it's, He's. It was very, very hard work to get him to act like a professional and get the point.
- [31:14]
Unknown
Bad, Raja. It's bad when people in your own camp are tell. Are just like, this guy here. This guy.
- [31:21]
Raja Bell
Yeah. I don't know what they're wit's end. They're at their wits end with it. Right? And so you know, like, look that again. If you expect David Griffin or any other grown man to be able to take another grown man who is making the type of money that, that he's making and the franchise is tied to him in that way and change his habits just because they say so, you're a dummy. It doesn't work like that. That shit does not work.
- [31:52]
Unknown
You all won this morning.
- [31:56]
Raja Bell
Like, that is not real life, bro. This man. This man, clearly he has been raised in a situation and I don't mean by his parents necessarily, but just maybe the whole AAU system to be able to do what he wants to do when he wants to do it. And it's. And it's hard for that to be. It's hard for that to be the standard in your building. And we can say, hey man, well, we got vets around here and we got, you know, we're bringing in the CJ McCollums and we're bringing in the these and then like these are the people who are going to be the, the cultural leaders. And that's all well and good for real. Like, don't get me wrong, I advocate for that all the time. And C.J. is phenomenal, like, and a phenomenal player human being, all of that. But. But Zion is Zion. Like that is.
- [32:41]
Unknown
Yeah, the role players don't matter as long as the. As. As much not to say that C.J. mcCollum isn't good. But, like, none of this shit matters if Zion don't pop. We're trying to build a roster around one person.
- [32:52]
Raja Bell
Yeah. And so it becomes really difficult when that is inconsistent, less than professional, and has injury history that may or may not be linked to the lack of professionalism. And it just becomes very difficult. And so for all those reasons, like, look, again, I'm friends with a lot of dudes in the NBA. I'm not the type of friend that says he, you know, eventually they can't be let go because it's never their fault. What I'm saying to you is if, if all that happens on Griff's tenure, as much as I think it was out of his control, I mean, eventually the buck gets to you. Right? And that's kind of what happened there. Griff is, Griff is great at his job. Like, great. And I think Griff's track record at being great at his job and developing others that are currently great at their jobs speak for itself.
- [33:40]
Unknown
Hey, man, I'll say this. We're going to talk and this is a great transition. The Denver Nuggets, which now have an opening for a front office guy at a basketball ops, right? I mean, I don't, I mean, I don't know. I don't know. It's pretty good. He's pretty.
- [33:58]
Raja Bell
Text my. Text my dog Grippy, real quick.
- [34:00]
Unknown
Holla at Chris, man. Trying to get a scoop right here. Let's see what's happening. But the Nuggets, man, I sent you a story yesterday, Joe. Excuse me, Josh Cronkey, Stan Crocky's son. Dog, first of all, the Cronky's got so much bread. Jesus Christ. Just like, damn, bro. Like, I, I was, I was, I was just preparing for the podcast and I was just like looking like, yo, Josh, let's look at this. Wikipedia ye stand and God damn, God damn Walmart making money. But anyway, Josh, to his credit, I will say this to his credit, did speak to the local media in, in Denver and was really answered every single question about, you know, for better or worse, the decision. And I honestly, like, I was pretty enlightened to, you know, what it, what the decision making process. Now, don't necessarily agree, but I do think that there were some interesting things that Josh said. There are a couple quotes that really stuck out. He said that he was thinking of making a change, a change like this around Thanksgiving, right. And whenever he wanted to make a change. This sometimes happens in the NBA, in sports in general. Whenever you want to make a Change the team goes on a run, and it's like, damn, I can't make the. I can't make it now. I can't do it now. And he wanted to also, you know, close shop around the All Star break, but Denver got hot, right? And then he was just. It seemed like he was waiting on a losing streak to happen before he made this move. Is that a good philosophy or a bad philosophy here, Raja? When you're thinking about what Denver is trying to do at this point.
- [35:49]
Raja Bell
I mean, I don't know. Who am I to judge whether that's a good philosophy or bad philosophy? Overall, I don't know. I've never run a fucking team. I don't know. What do you want me to say? Here's what. Here's what I can definitively say. I understand where you're coming from, Josh. Sounds like your mind was made up a long time ago. Okay.
- [36:10]
Unknown
He was out here playing Double Dutch.
- [36:12]
Raja Bell
Yeah. I don't know why you'd be doing that. Just go ahead and rip the band aid off and go. Like, if you're. If your mind's made up about it, and it seems like very little was going to sway that, then just go ahead and do what you got to do. What I know is there's a code. Like, there's an unwritten set of rules. It was, like, made men back in the day, and they were notorious in some instances and stuff like that, but they operated by a code. You hear that with dudes you know today, like, in. In different arenas, like, they're like, yo, man. Like, we might do X, Y and Z, but there's a code to this. Like, there are certain things we don't do. Why are you firing them at that point in the season before the Memphis.
- [37:00]
Unknown
Well, actually, they. They. They. I think that emboldened them to do it. They were like, oh, no. But what I'm saying.
- [37:05]
Raja Bell
Yeah, that's it. It definitely did. But before that, what I'm saying is, like, people get fired in season if it's absolutely necessary, don't get me wrong. But, like, typically, with three games left in the season, man, like, six games left in the season, like, these are people that you've spent a lot of time with, like, short of them coming in your office and telling you to kiss their ass and, like, knocking everything off your desk, let them finish the job.
- [37:32]
Unknown
And even some people stay even then, as you know. So even if you do.
- [37:37]
Raja Bell
Yeah, try to trust me. Like, some people stay.
- [37:39]
Unknown
There's just a wild shit that we both know behind the scenes that if they still got their job, you understand.
- [37:44]
Raja Bell
I'm like, there's a little bit of a code to a dude who has brought you a championship pretty recently. The. The GM who's helped do that. There are three games left. I still will tell you. Anyone trying to spin. Anyone look at me, where's the camera? Anyone trying to tell me that G gives them a better chance to win in this year's playoffs is full of shit. So if, like, I just. I don't. Like, I didn't love that. Like, just let them finish it. Fire him. As soon as they lose in the playoffs, boom, we're out of here. Because I always think that, like, you're trying to give, like, like, this is your business, but at the end of the day, you're trying to help that roster do everything that it can do, right? And I know Adelman's probably good. This is no reflection on him at all. One person there had taken you all the way to the promised land in that big chair.
- [38:44]
Unknown
So. Hold on, wait. This is one thing that. This, the Memphis thing and the Denver thing, that is just a grave oversight by their team that I don't think is being mentioned enough when we talk about new coaches this late in the season. How is a player supposed to trust a coach at this stage, right? Where not even I know, like, this is a bad. You build trust over a season and time spent together and bad losses and good wins, right? You're putting Adelman in an impossible situation. You're putting the new Memphis Grizzlies coach in an impossible situation because you're asking them to go through the peaks and the valleys at the biggest stage of the season, right? Like, luckily, Denver has Jokic, who is, like, this strong pillar of leadership, right? Where I feel like that's makes the Denver situation a little bit better. But, like, who do you turn to when you're trying to calm things down and calm all these things down? You're asking a guy like Adelman, who doesn't have any head coaching experience, to learn both on the fly at the highest level and still try to build trust with these guys. It's one thing to build trust. Like I said in the previous pod, when you're an assistant coach and you got your arm around a player and saying everything is going to be okay. But then when you have to also be the bad guy here and also have real. Just. It's a totally different seat. Totally different seat. And I really think that the organizations, whether it works out or not, really put their Players and a really bad situation.
- [40:22]
Raja Bell
That's my point. By your logic. By my logic, or by both of them, there's no way that you can sit in front of a mic and try to sell to your fan base and the players in that locker room that that is putting them in the best position to maximize success right now in the short term.
- [40:40]
Unknown
Even if Michael Malone was an asshole, he's the asshole that I know for the time being, until you get in the offseason.
- [40:47]
Raja Bell
But that's the operative part of this for me. It's the time. It's, it's, it's the, it's, it's the amount of time that you have to do this. Right? Like the. If you're saying to me, for future, for the health of our organization, this is a different conversation I'm having with you now. Like you did that in the off season. You don't think he's the person in moving forward, but you're talking about in the short term, like right now, in the middle. Fuck, middle of a season, at the end of a season. 78, but 74 to 79 games in and a slight playoff run. You're telling me that the dude that's never ever done it with this group is going to have the best chance to get the mo. The success out of them.
- [41:24]
Unknown
Stop, stop, stop. Please stop. Anyways, let's stop with this segment. Let's talk a little playing because we'll talk about the playoffs, like as a whole on Friday with Howard Beck. We'll talk about a little bit of the play in. I do think this Atlanta Hawks Magic game is intriguing. It's the first game on Tuesday. It could be something. My Miami Heat in Chicago. You want to talk about Dallas Kings real quick?
- [41:54]
Raja Bell
Nope.
- [41:56]
Unknown
Do you want to talk about any of the eastern conferences at all? Like, honestly, do you have any thoughts about the Eastern Conference playing?
- [42:03]
Raja Bell
I mean, the Eastern Conference. Yeah, I mean, I don't really have thoughts. I mean, I'll be there, tacos in hand, tonight to watch the, to watch, you know, the Atlanta Orlando game. Like, I'm, I'm, I'm there to watch it. I don't have true thoughts on it. I mean, there's only one game in the play in that really. Like.
- [42:19]
Unknown
I know, I know.
- [42:20]
Raja Bell
You know what I mean? Like, we gotta be on here.
- [42:24]
Unknown
We get a lot of criticism. Like, oh, you're just talk Warriors. And I'm like, bro, the warriors are the most interesting team in the. One of the most interesting team in the league. And this is the Best match.
- [42:32]
Raja Bell
And the other dude is throwing grenades.
- [42:34]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [42:37]
Raja Bell
So, yeah, that's what we're talking about. One more got a whole artillery that he brings out on the court. And the other one's got Steph Curry.
- [42:44]
Unknown
Oh, my God. The puns are all there, dog. The thing with, like, Ja. Real quick, before we get into it, it's like, bro, like, I don't believe him. You know what I'm saying? Like, when he tries that hard, I don't believe him. This is probably gonna get me messed up, but, like, I'm probably like, I talked to Cliff about this earlier. It's like, dude, what are we doing? Stop. And the explanations are even worse than the actions. I'm just like, dog. Anyways, here's.
- [43:08]
Raja Bell
Here's what I don't know. And here's what. But here's what I don't know. I. I mean, I don't know him, but I don't know who he knows in Memphis. I got family from Memphis. I used to spend summers in.
- [43:23]
Unknown
I lived in.
- [43:24]
Raja Bell
I want no problems in Memphis.
- [43:26]
Unknown
None. Listen, just say that to the love and respect.
- [43:31]
Raja Bell
No problems with Memphis.
- [43:33]
Unknown
I love Memphis. I love Memphis. Hey, here's another thing. I. I don't. And I say that really. And I'm not saying that. You know, some of it is from fear, but, like, most of it is from love, right? Like, I lived in Memphis for a summer. I absolutely loved it. I love the people there. There's good people. It's hardworking. And it's a real underdog city, too.
- [43:53]
Raja Bell
No doubt. No doubt.
- [43:53]
Unknown
It's a city where, like, you got them fucked up at all times. You talk about their rivalry with Nashville and all the things like that. Like, it's just. It's great.
- [44:01]
Raja Bell
And have I told this story on the pod about, like, the. The wildest. Like, most. It was. It was the most beautiful experience. Probably. Like, I had a shirt. I was staying at the Peabody, and I had this. It might have been Easter or mlk. And I had this suit. And I was like. I didn't wear suits all the time, but I was suited. I was ready to go. And the Peabody. I missed the dry cleaning cut off or something like that. And so I had called the bellman up, and he was like, yo, like. And he could see the look in my face. He was like, yo, man, I take that home and have my wife touch that up for you. And I was like, what? I don't know why I felt comfortable doing that, but I did. And my man took that shirt home for Me, his wife.
- [44:43]
Unknown
He was dead serious, too.
- [44:44]
Raja Bell
He ironed. She ironed that bad boy to a T. Like, it looked better than it would have looked coming from a dry cleaner. And I was able to roll out the next day like fresh to death. And, and that was, that was Memphis, Tennessee, bro. So, like, yeah, I got a lot of love for Memphis. That was like the most, it was the most genuine. Like, I don't know what the word is for that. Like, it was just, it was reality, really. Yeah, no, that was, was crazy, bro.
- [45:06]
Unknown
I, I shout out to this. I had one of my greatest Uber drivers ever in Memphis, bro. He just, he, he picked me up from the airport in the Cadillac and we listened to nothing but eight ball and MJG and E40, bro. And like, it was one of the best 30 minute drives that I've ever had. It was like, we, I don't have the Tennessee accent, but they was like, we rock with the Bay. We rock with y'all too short. E40. We rock with y'all heavy. I'm like, respect anyways.
- [45:35]
Raja Bell
No doubt.
- [45:36]
Unknown
All that to say, well, they gonna.
- [45:38]
Raja Bell
Be rocking with the Bay. They gonna be rocking with the Bay tomorrow night, right?
- [45:41]
Unknown
Tonight I'm going to the game.
- [45:43]
Raja Bell
Oh, it's tonight.
- [45:44]
Unknown
It's tonight. No, it's great. You've played in some of these games, Raja. The center, I call them the center of the universe games where all of the NBA world is looking at you and you know, right. Like, that's going to be one of those games. I love, I love being at those games. I love being around in those games. I can't wait. I'm getting to the arena early. All those things. The warriors right now are, let's say, teetering. It's, it's, it's pretty. I don't know, it's funny how one a one game or one stretch can change your outlook on a team. Like we said when the trade happened that they would be a second round team that would be a good season for them if they made it to the second round, right? Yep. I, I, I don't, I think this last week has really messed them up, man. The Harry B three pointer to buzzer beater and then this, this loss to the Clippers, who we'll talk about on Friday, because the Clippers look amazing, look really good. But the warriors, they just look old right now. Draymond is missing bunnies, Jimmy Butler's hurt. They are. Defenses are just collapsing on Steph right now. It doesn't look good for them. I do think that they're going to win tonight, but I don't. They got to play the Rockets. I think the Rockets can beat them. Raja. And we talked about the Rockets. We talked about the Rockets a couple of weeks ago. That they're not to be fucked with Aman Thompson on Steph Curry is a problem right now.
- [47:20]
Raja Bell
Yeah, Rockets are going to be. Rockets are going to be a tough draw, period, specifically for Golden State because they'll put their paws on you like, and, and Golden State just now, here's the thing, Roger.
- [47:33]
Unknown
Golden State can't punk them. You're not going to punk Houston. Houston has a size advantage with Steven Adams and Shangoon, and they have a guy that can guard step. I'm not going to say stop, Steph, because you're not going to do it, but, like, bake his life hell.
- [47:49]
Raja Bell
They also have multiple. Even though they have multiple wings that get on top of the rim, like, they're, they're just, they're. They are really attacking you. Like, that's the style of play that they're going to play.
- [48:00]
Unknown
And wings that can guard, bro. Like, say what you want about Dylan Brooks, bro, can guard.
- [48:05]
Raja Bell
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, they, they're. They're an attacking defense and an offensive team and specific to playing Golden State with lack of depth and age, that could be a problem. Like, it just could be. Like, they're good. They're the type of team defensively that they have the, they have enough perimeter dudes that lock down and length. You know, Stephen, if we're being real, what he kind of has struggled with at times, like, he always cracks the code eventually. But like, that dude who's long, physical, it's a rare thing. Long, physical and can move.
- [48:43]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [48:44]
Raja Bell
Like, we're talking the elite of the elite. But like, you know, for someone who's. Who makes their living moving around and getting jumpers off real quick, like, length can. Length can be a deterrent and a distraction. And you know, now you're getting beat up and banged around the floor and you know, reffing is going to. Reffing is going to be critical if, you know, if and when that series happens, like, how. How do they call those games?
- [49:07]
Unknown
I don't want to also. I don't want to also say, like, just make it a foreground losing that Golden State is going to win this game, because I really don't think so. They're owing three and playing. So let's, let's do the, the Memphis side of it and how they would match up against Houston how do you see them matching up against Houston if they, if they were to win tonight?
- [49:27]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I think I still. I'm still taking Houston. I like. I like Houston. I think that style of play, size, physicality and all of that, more of a fair fight between Houston and Memphis. I think they're more equipped maybe personnel wise, like with. With, you know, the roster. And, and like I said, the physical, the physicality of it, the length of it, maybe the youth of it in some instances to go up against a Houston team that's going to be like, you know, foaming at the mouth to get out there and hoop. But I'm still taking Houston. I would still take Houston.
- [50:05]
Unknown
I'm gonna be real, man. I don't like Memphis's roster and I think I've. I've kind of. I've kind of. You know, I don't know. I've talked about it in, in the past, but like, I don't. I don't like it. Like, I don't. Like I said this in the last episode, I don't like Triple J in. In the role that he's in, I think he fouls way too much. I think that Ja, with the injury history is. Is one thing, but also I don't think that he's really transformed his game enough for this time. I think he gets really predictable in the postseason. And my favorite player of the group, Desmond Bain, I think he'll be well suited on another team in a couple of years because I think he is. He's a number three. But I think like, he. I can't wait to see Desmond Bain in a. In a Dylan Brooks type role for a team, you know what I mean, where like, he's not expected to carry the offensive load at sometimes and he could just like really key in on a player that he's defending and just hit a corner three, bro. You know what I mean? Like, I can't. But I just don't like their overall roster. I think if they played against Houston, I think Houston has the personnel to, you know, play them and their length, because Memphis does have some length and play that way. But they also put Amen Thompson on ja. Right. Like, I. I think that that would be a really good matchup for the Rockets. I really do. And I think the Rockets would win. Honestly, it would be a shorter series. They played Memphis.
- [51:32]
Raja Bell
Yeah, well. Yeah, you might be right. And I think what I take away from that, what I would say about that series or both series is like, if you are the Rockets playing Memphis, you're gonna, you're just, you're going to be better at doing kind of what they do than they do it, right? Like, you're just better at that. Like, you're bigger, you're stronger, you're, you're, you know, you're all that. Like, where Golden State could stretch a series against Houston in a way that Memphis can is like they play a completely different style than Houston. Right? Like, and Memphis doesn't play the exact same style, but we're talking about like long, like length on length, strength on strength, you know, X, Y and Z. Like, Golden State plays a very unique style. Like the way they, the way they get you caught in that blender. When things are working offensively, if you don't deal with that, you could have all these defenders that I'm talking about. But if you're not, if you are not executing defensively on any given night and you're just a fraction of a second off on those switches, boom. Layup. Damn. Another three like, and you're out of sync defensively. And if you get out of sync and he's hot, Steph Curry, that is. Game's over.
- [52:45]
Unknown
Yeah, right.
- [52:46]
Raja Bell
So they could get you caught in that space.
- [52:48]
Unknown
I do see that. And also the warriors, the warriors have been really great defensively down the stretch. Their offense hasn't really messed up with their defense. Post Jimmy Butler trade. I think it's like 15th or something. It's definitely not in the riser zone in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency rankings. But what I do think that they can do and they can put if, if they control pace in the game, the warriors can really do some damage against Houston in the half court, right. Like if they play the defense, the half court defense that they're supposed to and make the, and slow the game down, I think they can grind out this series. Problem is I don't think that once they get through a series with Houston, I don't think that they are going to get through another series.
- [53:35]
Raja Bell
Like, yeah, that's punitive, bro. That's what I was going to say, that if they were to, if ifs were fifth, but if they did, that would be punitive like that Getting there.
- [53:43]
Unknown
They'Re going to get their ass whooped. It's like no matter what, they're going to get their ass whooped. That's what Houston is going to do. And another thing with Golden State, man, like, this is something to keep an eye out for everybody. But like if the, the warriors roster and the guys on there are really playing for their Collective futures right now, right? Like, I don't care about the contract situation. I don't care about none of that. Like, if they fall in the play in and don't look good in the playoffs, everybody on that roster is expendable other than Steph Curry. Like, everybody. And if I don't cover Joe Leg up a long time, I know that I see something happening in Milwaukee right now, Raja, and I know this is like, this isn't this. I know this isn't like an old rumor. This is not. This is. This is not a new rumor. Excuse me, with Giannis, but if Giannis is on the table, they are going to go after him and they're going to. Doesn't matter that Jimmy Butler signed for what he signed for. It doesn't matter that Draymond is. Has the contract. Everybody can go. If Giannis is on the table, I think they are going to look at that very, very carefully. Another thing that's going on is underlying is the Kaminga situation. Rashid. It's.
- [55:06]
Raja Bell
Yeah, what's that?
- [55:09]
Unknown
I think we've talked about this on the program, but there's always been kind of a disconnect between how the coaching staff of Golden State feels about Kaminga and Joe Lako feels about Kaminga. I think the big reason why Kaminga hasn't gotten a deal and agreed to a deal is because the coaching staff is like, eh. And Joe lacope is always like, give him a chance. And I think that a lot of it has to do with Kaminga's a bit miscast, at least by Joe Lick. It was like, oh, he's the next future number two guy. I think he can really be something. Whereas like, in big games, he hasn't done great or not necessarily great, but he hasn't had the performances that would elicit you saying, this is the next guy. Okay, you think about. I talked about this with someone last week, but like, you think about last year and the Kings. Warriors playing when the. When the Kings just blasted the Warriors, Kaminga tried to get in his bag and be that number two guy and he just fell flat as that and they got blown out. He's not a guy that is going to carry an offense. And I think there has been, at least from. I'll have a nuanced discussion with myself about this. But like, the coaching staff has. Don't. Doesn't trust him and Kaminga knows that and it's really pissing Kaminga off and that's been a historic thing. And Kaminga says, well, when Andrew Wiggins was down a couple years ago. I held it down for you guys. Why shouldn't I have this trust? And the coaching staff is. Well, we. They don't trust his. They don't trust his mind 100% of the time. Which is why you, why you're seeing him not play down the stretch in big moments, like against the Clippers, their.
- [57:03]
Raja Bell
Biggest game of the season, when you're saying that they don't trust. So the DNP the other night, like, that was, Was that his scheduled dnp? Like, that was just like.
- [57:11]
Unknown
No, he was, he was, he was fully healthy. He was fine.
- [57:13]
Raja Bell
Okay. So that's a pretty big disconnect. And I just want to make sure that I'm clear as I'm. Because you're, you're informing me on this. The. Not. The not trusting him is a decision making thing. Like, like he hasn't learned enough to make these decisions yet, or he's not listening to what we're telling him to do and he's stepping outside of what we're asking him to do and then thus stepping on someone else's toes.
- [57:40]
Unknown
I think it's a. I think it's a little bit of both in the same step. I don't think that he's stepping necessarily on people's toes, but I think it's a maintenance thing. Every time he doesn't get what he wants or he doesn't get the minutes that he wants, the coaches see him as like a guy that is sulking and they're like, that's just it.
- [58:00]
Raja Bell
This is tough for me because, you know, I really like Steve Kerr in them. Like, I do. And so if you're telling me that Kamingo went in after not playing down the stretch, like in whatever game that was. Was it Clippers? Clippers.
- [58:12]
Unknown
He didn't play at all in that game. He got a full dmp.
- [58:15]
Raja Bell
Yeah, but what, yeah, the Clippers game. What was the game that you said play down the stretch against.
- [58:19]
Unknown
Well, no, when he didn't play, I was, I referenced the Kings playing last year where he did play.
- [58:23]
Raja Bell
Oh, the Kings play.
- [58:24]
Unknown
And he didn't do. And he didn't play in the way that like, you would have wanted him to play.
- [58:28]
Raja Bell
So, so if, if there's anything that happened between the, the, the DNP and the last time they played that was completely disrespectful and out of pocket for a player to come in and do to a coaching staff or another player, and that DNP was, hey, you're gonna learn your lesson. You ain't gonna do that shit again. Then forget what I'm about to say because you're sending a message to him and we've got a curb behavior. I'm all for that. He is not the type of player that should be getting DNPs. With what the. With the roster that Golden State has.
- [59:03]
Unknown
I agree.
- [59:04]
Raja Bell
He is not the type of player that should be getting DNPs. I can. I love Steve Kerr. I think he's a great coach. He should not.
- [59:09]
Unknown
We both love Steve Kerr.
- [59:10]
Raja Bell
In any world. In any world, should he be getting DNPs. He. I'm just going to reference the Laker game that. That I watched when. When.
- [59:19]
Unknown
Amazing.
- [59:21]
Raja Bell
He, like, Pod was. What do they call him? Pajemski. What do they call him? Pods.
- [59:26]
Unknown
The Pods.
- [59:27]
Raja Bell
Pods was great. Pods was great. Out of his mind in the first half, but almost as great was Kaminga's ability to just be on top of the rim and. And. And just assaulting the rim against the Lakers in a way that nobody else from Golden State can do.
- [59:44]
Unknown
Nobody, bro. Just for the simple fact in that Clippers game, though, Raj. And I agree with you. I definitely agree with you when it comes to Kaminga. And also, like, again, you know, like, when you. When it talks about. When we talk about Steve Kerr, he has consistently done this where he'll see a lineup thing that he just doesn't like. He said this week that he doesn't think that Draymond and Butler and Kaminga played together great. They don't. That lineup just isn't good. But what I think with Steve Kerr is sometimes he gets in his own way with this lineup. Right. Like, you think about in the Olympics with Tatum, and you think about something locally with Moses Moody, who has been playing really well and. But he was just in Kerr's doghouse for whatever reason. Like, Kerr puts people in his doghouse for whatever reason, and it backfires pretty frequently. And I think it's. It backfired definitely in the Clippers game because if you watch the Clippers game, Kawhi was getting everything he wanted. And I'm not saying Kaminga would have necessarily stopped Kawhi, but Kawhi had a performance where, like, similar to LeBron in 2016 finals, where you just got to put bodies on him. And at the very least, Kaminga would have been another body that you put on him. Right. And then could have gotten you some extra offense down the stretch. Right. And that's something that they need to figure out. But, like, I don't. I don't. I I don't think the relationship is tenable between the staff and Kaminga right now. And I would not be. He's probably not going to be on the roster next year. I don't think he's going to be on. I don't think it's, I don't think that the. Either whether it'd be a trade or something, but like, I just don't, I don't personally see, I definitely did.
- [61:31]
Raja Bell
I didn't see that game. I was in a gym with tie up in, in Kansas City, so I can't really reference that game. But what, what you're saying is essentially what I'm saying and what your eyeballs see when you watch them play is like, he is, he's different physically sometimes than the other pieces that you have. And there are instances, like we couldn't have the argument and the discussion as basketball as hoop heads about when and where that's valuable and when it might be less valuable. And we don't want to put it out there. That's, that's fine. But there, he isn't a DNP type of guy. Like, not on that team. There's no, there's no, there's no world where he should be getting DNPs, because you've said that he is in one of your top nine, 10, like, options on that team. Like, there's no world, especially on that roster, bro.
- [62:21]
Unknown
Especially.
- [62:22]
Raja Bell
But that's what I'm saying on that particular, on that particular roster, there's, there's no world that you can convince me that that's okay. Even if he's not scoring.
- [62:32]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [62:32]
Raja Bell
Just as the athlete to your point, the wingspan, the athleticism to put on one of these elite wing. There's no world that you can convince me that that's okay. And so when you tell me he's not going to be on Golden State next year, I mean, if I'm the.
- [62:47]
Unknown
Player, I don't, I don't, I don't think so. I mean, he's restricted free agents, they can do, do that, right?
- [62:51]
Raja Bell
Like, they can't keep him if I'm the player. My conversation with you is like, look, don't do that. Don't. Don't match that. Like, don't what, you don't want me here? Or if you do, Mr. Lake Up. He surely doesn't. Like, don't do that to me, man. Let me go somewhere and play, bro. Like, don't do that.
- [63:10]
Unknown
I mean, also, not for nothing, bro, like, and I know, and I know Steve a long time You've known Steve a long time. Sometimes he likes to use the. Oh, but you know, you can redeem yourself in the next game. You know, maybe like, we're going to need you in another game and we're going to. But like, you embarrassed him. You embarrassed that dude. You embarrassed Kaminga for sure. And this is not the first time he's felt embarrassed.
- [63:31]
Raja Bell
Right Again, Steve. Steve. Steve's a. Steve's a longtime gentleman in this game. There's a code to this shit. You knew what you. When you DNP somebody, like. Not that to your point. You are absolutely right. I'm sorry for cutting you off. That was to embarrass someone.
- [63:49]
Unknown
And I don't know if it was consciously, but it did happen. Like, he. Kaminga is embarrassed.
- [63:57]
Raja Bell
What you saw, you forgot.
- [63:58]
Unknown
Sanitize again. You forgot.
- [64:00]
Raja Bell
Yeah, well, because. Yeah, because I don't. I don't see a world in which you forgot to put him in.
- [64:04]
Unknown
No, there ain't no forgot. Hell no.
- [64:06]
Raja Bell
So then that means consciously you guys decided not to play him and you.
- [64:11]
Unknown
Went on the radio saying that he's not. He doesn't fit with your two best players.
- [64:17]
Raja Bell
Yeah, look, look, I'm not. I don't want to take shots at Steve like Steve. You don't. Look, we all have players, like, even at. At youth basketball level, bro.
- [64:25]
Unknown
Like, there's a players to Roger Bell Doghouse.
- [64:28]
Raja Bell
No, but like, most people can relate. You coach a YMCA team or you coach some like that. Like, some of the players you like more than others. Some of them you look at and you're like, man, no matter what he does, you're like, it's human nature, right? Like, you try to give them all a chance, but you're gonna be drawn. Like, there might be a kid, like, I've seen it.
- [64:44]
Unknown
There might be a kid that like, you know, like, you know, might punch a player and you'll be like, no, but he's great for our team. He's great. You know, there might be another player that like, you're like, hey, man, he can't. He's so athletic. But like, we just don't trust him in high pressure situation. Like that happens. That does happen.
- [65:00]
Raja Bell
Happens. It happens. What do you want me to say? It happens. And you're. And look, you can get again. I. I am. I am a. I am the best example to myself and to my children of this. When you are valuable enough and. And you are performing at a level that is desired enough, you. They will let you get away with some of that as soon as you are not worth that. Gotta go.
- [65:33]
Unknown
And we might. And we might see that. We might see exactly what you said this summer with Golden State, where they're like.
- [65:40]
Raja Bell
It'S gonna happen to every. It's gonna happen. I mean, everyone is gonna point where you're not worth it. Yeah. Hey, it's gonna happen.
- [65:46]
Unknown
Like, we love Real Ones right now. They love Real Ones right now. I don't know.
- [65:51]
Raja Bell
Let me text Griff, man. See how many. Yeah, let me see what. What I got on my contract.
- [65:55]
Unknown
You might need a job. All right, relax. We're just kidding, guys. You know, everybody's looking for me. Like, oh, what are we doing? Oh, man. Out of here. Yeah, that's a good time to do you want to do any predictions real quick?
- [66:09]
Raja Bell
No, I really thought. I really thought the Golden State. I'm excited now because I knew I was watching Atlanta, Orlando, staying up. I thought Golden State was. Oh, I'm up. I'm up.
- [66:17]
Unknown
Yeah. Okay. All right. Hey, hey, Bevy.
- [66:21]
Raja Bell
Who knows?
- [66:22]
Unknown
I'm gonna be at that thing, too. It's about to be Popping, bro. I already got my. Oh, I'm ready to go. Yo, the Real Ones group chat might be Popping Rogers. Hey, ladies, before we get out of here, Raja, ladies and gentlemen, has been participating in the Real Ones group chat. He has actually been starting some conversations, I think that does not actually just links to his kids recruiting stuff. He's actually like, yo, this is crazy. You know, like, he's participating. It's playoff time. We're ready to go.
- [66:50]
Raja Bell
Yes. Play. It's playoff times.
- [66:53]
Unknown
That's what happens, bro. Hey, you. You was coming hot. This podcast. This is a great podcast, but I'm seeing you riding in the playoff form like, we're ready to go. Let's do. It's gonna be exciting.
- [67:02]
Raja Bell
No doubt.
- [67:03]
Unknown
All right.
- [67:04]
Raja Bell
Am I drinking tonight? Damn it.
- [67:06]
Unknown
A little. Little wine, huh? A little rose.
- [67:09]
Raja Bell
Nice. Nice. Taco night, bro. I'm gonna make some tacos. So it might be a little. Yeah, I don't. We'll find. We'll figure it out. Maybe a little tikis. I don't know. I don't know.
- [67:16]
Unknown
Little tikis, man.
- [67:17]
Raja Bell
I don't know.
- [67:17]
Unknown
So jealous. I'm so jealous. Anyway, well, I'm about to be at the game. Actually, not that jealous. Anyways, that was another edition of Real Ones. Shout out to Cliff on the boards. Victoria on the video. That's static. Please, please, please. Come on. Let's get it together, guys. Jesus. See you guys on Friday. Ah, all the shits love y'all real ones.
- [67:44]
Raja Bell
Foreign.
- [67:53]
Unknown
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