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- [00:00]
A
What's poppin Real Ones. Logan Murdoch, you know who it is. Log Bu. Not the two. I'm here for another edition of Real Ones. We got Raja in today, we got Howard in today. And we play a little game of real or fake. Who was doing good. Should we be believing Lamelo's raps? Should we believe in the Sixers start? Should we believe that the Sixers are going to make this happen throughout the season? Or when Joel Embiid maybe might be at full strengthen off a minute restriction? Or when PG comes back into the fold? We talk about superstar egos. We talk about a lot of things in this episode. It was really, really fun. It was great to get back in the lab with Raja and Howard my faves and got a great show up for you. So Real Ones up next. Cliff, play the theme music. Bobby. Real ones. Logan Murdoch here, Roger Bo there. How Howard Beck in the cut. Guys keep all that in there. No, it's that time of year. We're working in the form. It is time for our. The game we like to call periodically that we do periodically called real or Fake. In order to do that, we enlisted Cliff who was says his brick in Philly, he got the. Got the flyers long sleeve on. I ain't seen him in a long sleeve in about eight months, but. How you doing, man? What's going on? How's everything?
- [01:33]
B
What's up, buddy? Man, this is quite the turnaround going from the. From the beautiful California sun to the coldness of Philadelphia. Got the coldness in my heart, man. It's ready to go.
- [01:42]
A
Roger was invited, by the way. Roger was invited.
- [01:47]
B
Roger, you was invited. You didn't pull up, man. That's crazy.
- [01:50]
C
I usually when someone gets like. If you're invited to something, someone alerts you to that, right? Like, is that. That's typically how that works.
- [01:57]
A
Okay.
- [01:57]
B
Nobody.
- [01:59]
C
I mean, I don't know. All good. I'm glad to know that I was invited.
- [02:03]
A
Invited.
- [02:04]
B
Hey, man, maybe next year. Anyways, let's get into it. Let's get into it, man. Real or not? Real ones. Real or not. Going to overreact about week one in the NBA. A lot of things went on looking like Logan's pick for mvp. Victor Wembanyama has been going absolutely bonkers this year. Some people even say he might even win Defensive Player of the Year. Real or not? Is this real that Victor Wembanyama could possibly win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year?
- [02:34]
C
I'll go first. I think it's real. I'm not here saying that it's definitively going to happen, but I think it's very real if he continues on the pace he's on. We've already offensively talked about the type of things that he does for a guy that size, with the agility, the shot making, the creation, the skill set, all of that's. It really is alien. Like, I mean, I would challenge anybody to find someone that's done it at that level. Aesthetically, the way he's doing, it's pretty remarkable. But defensively, I mean, he's a human eraser. I do think that there's something to be said for you guys always talk about on the media side as writers and voters that, that narratives are important. I do think that's something pretty cool that would, I don't know. Was it mj? Was he the last person to do that? Let me see. Did he ever do that when both in the same year.
- [03:31]
A
1988, right. Or 87? I believe that.
- [03:33]
C
Yeah. So I, I think, I mean, listen, I, I, as far as what people would vote for, I think there's something there from a skill set and from a production standpoint, I, I don't think there's a question that it's possible if we're going off of what we've seen early.
- [03:47]
A
Yeah, that's the thing.
- [03:48]
D
Yeah. No go Logan.
- [03:50]
A
Go Howard. No. Go, Howard.
- [03:51]
D
No. Like, the winds have to come behind it, right? And the spurs are one of the last undefeated teams right now. So as long as we're doing early season, one week overreactions, small sample size on everything, but you know, the spurs look really freaking good right now, Wemby. I mean, look, we, we, we, we saw it last week, we talked about it last, last week on the podcast. Everything looks better, right? Like, the shot blocking was already there, but like, his handle looks tighter, he looks more fluid, he looks stronger. Everything about him offensively just looks devastating in itself. And the defensive part was already devastating. The defensive player of the year in the MVP stuff are both going to come down to like, are the spurs one of the best teams in the west at a minimum, or one of the best teams in the league? And that's probably the higher bar. It's the part that Wemby can't control as much, but the great players elevate their teams and what he is doing is certainly going to make everybody around him better and the spurs better. Plus, on top of that, Dylan Harper looks like he is firmly in rookie of the year running. We'll probably hit that later in the pod. Like they have so much talent, dear. And Fox isn't even playing yet. And the talent around Wemby means that he doesn't have to do everything all the time. I think this, this is actually a pretty well balanced team which. Which bodes well for their win total and their ability to finish in the top four or five in the west, as tough as the west is and all of that would then bolster MVP and Defensive Player of the Year candidacy. So, yeah, it's real. I think it's. I think it's real on both counts right now. And I'm saying that as somebody who was skeptical of getting carried away with MVP hype, Logan Murdoch, as someone who.
- [05:33]
A
Was right on both ends, I'm not even surprised by this. The thing he has a lot of going for him, right? The spurs have a lot going for him. Like, they're 4 0, but they've had a really bad schedule. I mean, a really soft schedule. Excuse me. Play Dallas, New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto. They're going to play Miami on Thursday. Then they're playing Phoenix, who is to start the season. Then they have the Lakers, who are hobbled. Is Luka going to be back by then? Then they have Houston for the NBA Cup. Like, I don't see like a formidable, formidable opponent until, like Golden State. They have. But they have them twice at home. And Wimby, who's going to guard Wendy on Golden State right now. I don't know. Right. Like, there's a chance for the spurs to run it up and really have a great start to the season if he continues to play like this. The one thing that like about Wimby, that is crazy. Other than the six blocks per game, you know, other than. Which is nuts.
- [06:33]
D
He's down to only 4.75 blocks per game.
- [06:36]
A
Oh, sorry. Was that after. That was after.
- [06:38]
D
That was three. Three. I'm sorry.
- [06:39]
A
I'm sorry. My bad. I'm sorry. That was. That was through three games. Excuse me.
- [06:43]
D
The pace is way off now.
- [06:44]
A
Yeah, but he's one of those guys. And I think I was talking to Beck, I might have been talking to my editor, but about this recently. But he's the guy. When you talk about Face of the League, and I know it's just arbitrary and stupid and all those things in the discussion, but the thing that Wimby has going for him is we haven't had a player since, I think Steph, who is like the group Chat mvp, Like, when you're like, yo, man, I. He's cooking right now. You need to see this Live. You need to watch this right now. There's no. I can't wait for the highlights. He's cooking right now and he's going to do something that you haven't seen before in about 30 seconds because two possessions ago he already did something you haven't seen before. Like what was the play that he had a couple of days ago? I think it was against the Nets that we all talked about where he got up, where he blocked two of the Nets bigs, right? And then gets a logo three half court and then a logo three. Right? And then yeah, he had one last. That was fucking crazy. He just has these crazy, crazy plays that he had. The one against where he does the rock the cradle against the Mavs and then he just. He just has plays or when they were playing against New Orleans that he got put on a poster by Zion. What they didn't show was the possessions later in the. Later in the game where he's just like taking Zion to task where he's just blocking everything Zion tries to put up. And he takes it personally. I think if they continue to play the way that they play right now with the early season schedule, they can be right in the mix for the. The top four in the Western Conference. I know this is a lot of superlatives and I'm feeling myself because I've been right so far. But I do think with this schedule and who they're playing to start, they could be something and it could be one of the surprises of the NBA just off of schedule alone right now.
- [08:32]
D
Of all the tracking stats we have the one that I don't know if is available, but I want and somebody will start tracking this like he's going to lead the league in blocks on the same possession. I don't know anybody else who. It's like block, boom, block again. And then it's going the other way. And then of course, he's the only one who can do that twice and then go finish it off with a fucking 30 foot three pointer. It's just he's so much fun to watch. Quick note on the blocks. He's got more blocks than 20 NBA teams right now. He has 19. He has 19 through four games. That's more blocks than 20 NBA teams.
- [09:08]
A
Hey, Howard, is that more or less than Tim Kawakami?
- [09:14]
D
That's a deep cut. The Bay Area ones? No. The Twitter lifers?
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B
No.
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A
No.
- [09:21]
D
He's way behind. Okay. No one's passing Kawakami ever. Kawakami's got lifetime record. So quick Note on the, on the blocks pace. Just because I found this absolutely fascinating. Especially when he was, as Logan mentioned earlier, at one point he was at 6 PER was on pace to be chasing Mark Eaton's all time record. Mark Eaton has the all time NBA record. 456 in 1984. 5. He played all 82 games, notably. And guys don't do that now. So it's a little harder. You guys know the last time. So that was. 456 is the all time record. And it's a thousand years ago. Do you guys know the last time anybody even hit 300? Not even 400, much less the 456. When was the last time?
- [09:58]
C
When was Mark Eaton 8485?
- [10:02]
D
And I'm saying.
- [10:05]
A
No.
- [10:06]
D
There's only one guy since 2000 who has even hit 300 blocks in a season. No, but Raja, I think you played with them.
- [10:18]
A
Not. It's not Amari, bro.
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C
No.
- [10:21]
D
Theo Ratliff.
- [10:22]
A
Theo Rattler. Talk about a deep cut.
- [10:24]
D
Did you guys not overlap?
- [10:26]
C
I didn't. The Kembe came fourth. Theo.
- [10:28]
A
Oh, you came for the playoffs.
- [10:31]
C
I came then you came after.
- [10:32]
A
Yeah. Okay.
- [10:33]
D
All right, all right. So you just, you just missed him. Theo, in 2003, OH4 had 307. 307 blocks playing for the Hawks. That's. I think that was still with the Hawks.
- [10:42]
C
Yeah.
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A
Or.
- [10:45]
D
But that's the last time anybody even got to 300. The last time anybody got. Again, Mark Eaton. 456 is. Is the. Is the record. The last time someone even got to 370 was Akeem Olajuwon in 1989. 90. Like this guys, this just doesn't fucking happen. Like what we're seeing with Wemby and the. And it's not just that. Like most of the time when you see these guys who are just absolute, you know, blocking machines, obviously they're not doing all the other things that Wemby's doing because nobody's ever done all the other things that Wemby is doing at that, that size. So like everything is a first. But he's going to chase, if not the record for blocks, he's going to be the best shot blocker in like 40 something years. And on top of it is possibly going to, you know, you know, hit like three threes a game average 25 and 12 and whatever else is behind it. And five assists. Like it's. It's awesome. It's insane. It's awesome. Nobody should miss a single spurs game this season. Sign up for all the Streaming services, because you don't want to miss any spurs games. That's my pitch today.
- [11:48]
C
Yeah, his blocks for possession, like, that double block is a real interesting thing because even cats like, like Mark Eaton, Manu, Theo, you know, I. I watched a lot of those guys, and you don't remember as many true, like, double blocks per possession, type of. Type of results. The kembe comes to mind, though, when. Because the Kembe was good at that. And it might not sound like a lot, but it's. It's not an easy thing to, like, block a shot, have your momentum, and the guy's momentum is coming at you, you know, basically pulling you down to the floor and then get back up and block another one. It's a little harder than it. Than it. Than it really sounds. Logan, I thought you had an interesting point about, like, watching Wemby and kind of, you know, group chatting. And the only other player you remember is, like, Steph Curry, because he's doing, like, when Steph was doing. We're kind of immune to it now. He still has moments where you're like, holy, wow, look at that. Like, I watch him the other night, and it was remarkable. It was very remarkable for a dude that age running around like that. But when we first started seeing it, I mean, you hadn't really ever seen that. I mean, since Reggie Miller almost, but, like. But Reggie Miller on steroids, in terms of what he was doing, just flying all around the court, I would put that in the. Like, that's how I felt when I first saw mj. Like, that's how I felt. I was like, holy, what is that? Like, no one's. No one's doing that. He's having those moments. And, and his. His. His just size, skill set, overall, the way it looks, it's exactly what you said. Like, it's. When Steph was doing that, you've never seen anything do that. So being locked into it is the only prudent thing, right? Like, you got to check that out live because it's crazy. You've never seen it. And then lastly, 14, like the spurs to have the type of success that they need to have for him to potentially win those two awards. They have to have that upfront schedule. Like, that's exactly what you want them to have. Not just for the pure wins and losses of it all, but for the easing into who we're going to be as a team and finding that stride and that confidence so that, like, by the time you see some smoke, you're already dialed in. Confidence is high. Roles are established. Like, there's a lot of chemistry development that happens in that early window that, if you can capture it in the right way, can kind of, you know, catapult you into playing maybe even better than you ordinarily would over the course of a season.
- [14:08]
A
Yeah, I mean, they don't have a big, Like, a team with a. Like a generational big until, like, November. They play the Denver Nuggets on Black Friday, which I will be watching. Two notes, and then we can get to the. To the next question. One of those notes is the last person to win MVP, a DPOI in the NBA was Akeem Olajuwon in 94.
- [14:33]
C
Akeem, yeah.
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A
And Asia Wilson just did it this season, which she was a fucking beast.
- [14:39]
B
Who.
- [14:39]
A
And the second note that, like, I love about Wimby defensively is not only is he a great shot blocker, but he can guard for someone of his size. He could guard all five. Like, I trust him with all five positions, which is if you catch him on a switch, even if you're out at the logo, like, he's guarding you all 94ft, bro. Like, it's. I don't think we're ever going to.
- [15:03]
D
We.
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A
We have not seen a defender as good as we. And I know there's a lot of superlatives, but, like, if he does what he's supposed to do and continues his trajectory, he's going to be the best defender of all time.
- [15:15]
C
Not only that. Sorry. Not only that, but Howard was talking about stats that they track, and I don't. You know, I'm not into all of the true stats, so I'm sure they have, like, you know, rim protection numbers and stuff that factor into how many you change. But just pure shots that he deters from a. Hey, I'm looking. I see him. And I'm not even gonna try that. Like, that's the thing, too, right? We're talking about ones that he affects around the rim where he doesn't block them, but he makes you take a. A really tough, low percentage shot. Like, those are trackable, but you can't track the ones where I catch it. And I look at that, and I'm like, opening, and I'm like, no, I'm not doing that. Like, the amount of those that he affects is incredible, too, because people. People are just not that confident in running up in there.
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D
Quick note on that. Theo Ratliff, season 03.04. He actually split between Atlanta and Portland. So just a quick fact check of ourselves.
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A
All right, what's the next question, Cliff.
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B
Let'S stay in San Antonio, man. Let's talk about the return of de' Aaron Fox. The possible return of de' Aaron Fox coming soon. Here participate in five on fives. Now, the spurs guards are balling. We talking about Devin Vassell, Stefan Castle and the rookie Dylan Harper, all averaging above 16 points per game. Now, Fox did sign the extension. He's there for four years. He might be some trade bait. I don't know. I don't want to speculate, I don't want to get anybody aggregated here on this platform here. But how does he fit into the fold of the spurs when he comes back? Like, is it just seamless he's going to go in there, you know, take up whoever's menace or is he going to mesh with Wemby in the offense? Like, how does this work with Fox returning to the spurs lineup soon? I want to go Howard first because I know Howard's going to say something spicy.
- [16:53]
D
Listen, if overreaction theater one week in, the spurs are undefeated. Dylan Harper, by the way, does not look like a rookie. Him and Edgecomb both do not look like rookies. You watch them play. If you did not know they were rookies, you, you would not know. Dylan Harper has been awesome. Stefan Castle's picking up where he left off. You mentioned Bissell. There's a really well rounded cast here. And there's a thought that hits me at some point where it's like, is de' Aaron Fox just kind of superfluous? Like, do they really need him? And at the time that they traded for him.
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A
Excuse me, is he what?
- [17:26]
D
Superfluous, Excessive, unnecessary. Okay, a luxury item.
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A
There we go.
- [17:35]
D
Like there was a case for acquiring Dear and Fox at the moment they did last season. They were very young. Wemby, you know, was, you know, a one man wrecking crew. But he needed help and you certainly wanted an elite playmaker around him. They had brought in Chris Paul, but obviously, you know, end of his career, Chris Paul, like, who's going to be his running mate? Is Stefan Castle really going to be a career point guard? Dear and Fox is established. Like it made a lot of sense. But you didn't know you were going to get Dylan Harper. And you also couldn't know for sure, you know, the trajectory of Castle at this point. If you would come into this season without Deer and Fox, would you be making a trade for a de' Aaron Fox? And this is not a knock on Deer and Fox at all. I want to be very, very clear. This is Not a knock on Deer in Fox at all. But if you were the spurs with this team right now doing what it's doing right now without ADR and Fox as part of it, would you be rushing out to make a trade for a max salaried point guard? I think the answer is probably no. And I, and I do think not to get hot takey and aggregationy here but like there's a case for when he's eligible to be traded, which is going to be in a few months still because of the extension that he signed over the summer. Is there a case to unclog the, like the guard rotation and get other stuff you might need to help bolster the front court? Maybe. I can't say that there isn't a case. So yeah, maybe he's superfluous.
- [19:01]
C
Catch my make believe real quick because I'm sure there's, there's. It would never be able to happen for salary reasons. But just send them, send them up this like, send them like just up the road a little bit to Houston.
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A
Houston?
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B
Yeah.
- [19:14]
A
Well, Houston unfortunately isn't in like the west in the east coast. Like they're in the division. Could you imagine them trading him in division?
- [19:23]
C
No. I mean that'd be crazy. But it's not like you're trading. No, that's, that's very fair. That's fair. That's fairly.
- [19:29]
A
I don't, I think that it would be a good trade and I don't think this. Let me not.
- [19:33]
C
I don't know what this. First, I don't know what this for. Look, when I saw a phrase like I think people know me well enough to know now that I've done no research on the, on the, on the actual cat numbers or who has assets to get. Well, I don't know but like if you're talking because I agree with everything Howard just said, like Howard's question, do you trade for him now with what you have going on? It's a simple answer. No, you do not. Right. And it is early. Right? Like so, like, you know, I, I don't think Dylan Harper. I think Dylan Harper is a better pro than he was at, at Ruckers. I think he's been bred to do that. So I don't think he's going to have much, you know, regression. I don't think it's always going to be great. But I think he's really solid to good and he's only going to get better. I'm just looking at that like that team I know needs a PG And I know how badly they need it, and I think they're that close with one to being able to make some real noise. So, like, aside all of the rest of it, obviously, like, full disclosure, I have no idea whether it would work or not. I'm, like, sending to Houston, and it's not a disgruntled situation where you'd look like an ass if you were San Antonio for doing it. Right. Like, it's not like.
- [20:42]
A
And he's from Houston, if I'm not mistaken. I think he's from Houston.
- [20:46]
C
Yeah. I don't know. That's the first thing I thought when Howard started talking. I'm like.
- [20:49]
A
And Houston is desperate enough to be like, yo, what y' all want?
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D
You can really use him.
- [20:58]
A
Who's that?
- [20:59]
D
You really use the.
- [21:00]
A
Aaron Fox, the Kings. Yeah. Sorry.
- [21:05]
D
Sacrament.
- [21:06]
A
I'm going up in there and I'm going up to SAC in a couple of weeks. And it's. I'm just expecting it to be super sad. Just super sad. Why did you do that? Anyways, next question.
- [21:22]
B
Speaking of rookies, there's a. There's a. There's a rookie there in San Antonio who's been balling out Dylan Harper. Like, Raja just mentioned averaging 16 a game. There's also another rookie in Philly, you know, my hometown, going crazy this season. Vijay Edgecombe. Raj, you called it out before the season. Would you say no?
- [21:40]
C
He's electric, bro.
- [21:41]
B
He's electric, right?
- [21:42]
C
Yeah.
- [21:42]
B
Howard, I want to know. Give me the rookie standings right now as it stands for Rookie of the Year. This is very, very early. First week of the season. The top four rookies are averaging over 15 points each player. Cooper Flag, Conipel, VJ Edgecombe, Dylan Harper, all averaging over 15. And you also have a sleeper rookie as well. So give me your top rookies right now, and who's going to win this award?
- [22:04]
D
I think some of those averages might have come down a little after last night, but. But, yeah, dude. Like, no, the list of rookies who are off to phenomenal starts, like, noteworthy starts. Like, ooh, I like, we need to pay attention type starts. Definitely your boy VJ Edgecomb, who's been absolutely fucking incredible. Cedric Coward is right in there. Trey Johnson, he. I mean, obviously coming in. A lot of people were hyped about him and thought that he was going to be like the. Like the. I don't know if there's a sleeper in the class, but, like, the guy to keep an eye on outside of the top three con Knipples off to a really Strong start in Charlotte. The Hornets are actually in general looking really good. Dylan Harper we mentioned and Flag this rookie class so far again, you know, early, early on and this is like small sample size theater. Cooper Flag, after all the hype, nearly nearly unanimous rookie of the year pick, all that stuff among rookies, he is only sixth in scoring, sixth and assists and fifth and rebounds. We won't bring in his shooting because boy, so like set. So here we are in a, in a year where we had an absolute consensus number one pick, a guy who's been talked about as generational best in Zion, best since ad, best since whoever best, you know, not best in Wemby, but like one of the all time great number ones of the last 10, 15, 20 years and a week in Cooper. Flag's struggling a bit. His team is certainly struggling and this rookie class looks so great that I don't think we should be getting too carried away with crowning anybody. Listen, this is not pandering to our producer Cliff, but like if we had to vote today, which is preposterous, VJ Edge comes out out in the lead I think pretty easily and I think Dylan Harper is right on his heels.
- [23:56]
A
I just, I feel bad for Cooper, bro. I feel so bad for Cooper, man.
- [24:00]
D
This is what happens when we overhype people.
- [24:02]
A
No, no, I mean it's that. But also I want to note Raja did not overhype him. Project was actually spitting facts last year.
- [24:09]
C
Thank you.
- [24:10]
A
He was the part, he was the one that like yo, pump the brakes. And he's usually good with those things. He said he would be a really good plug and play type of player in his first year, but not necessarily the generational type of talent, at least to start. But what I am sad about is the reason why I'm sad about Cooper Flag is it seems like, and who am I to question a Hall of Fame level point guard who is knows who has forgotten more than I'll ever know about the game. But I do feel like at this point with the experience, it's experimentation that Jason Kidd has put on the Cooper flag the same way he did with Giannis Adetekumbo back in the day is kind of backfiring on the, on Cooper's rookie of the year candidacy because like when you play him, when you play Cooper alongside d' Angelo Russell, he plays pretty well and then but Jason Kidd is hell bent on making him a point guard or putting him and giving him point guard minutes. That is kind of point shaving his eligibility for rookie of the year and it's really messing it up right now. But when he's in playing in the position that I feel like he's supposed to be playing or that he's. That he's the more effective in, he plays really well. And I think he's on the. And also on the level of, you know, VJ and all of those guys, I think he does play pretty well. But the fact that he's being shoehorned as a point guard is going be to. Against him right now and maybe that'll help him in the future. I think that, you know, it's a valuable skill to have to be able to run an offense. But right now, like, I feel bad because it feels like his talents aren't being used constructively within that offense because of what his coach wants. So that's why I'm sad for what's going on with Cooper because he absolutely should be in that discussion.
- [25:55]
C
Yeah, you gotta be. It's a tough conversation. They're all playing so well. And, and Coop was always. I don't. I don't. He was. He was always going to be some version of, of this. What, what exactly? Like the, the ceiling for this year versus the floor. I don't know. But he was always going to come in. Despite what you heard, he was not coming in to drop 25 points a game. He didn't do that in college. He doesn't project that when you watch him play. That's not what he wants to do. Some of these other dudes, Trey Johnson, you know what he likes to do? Get to the cheese, bro. That's what he's trying to do. He is trying to get the buckets. Like, you can feel that when you watch them play. And that's not a, that's not a knock or anything. That's just their style of game. So, like, I think you got to be careful a little bit in watching, you know, this first year and although we will, you know, reward whoever looks best in the first year, using that first year as, as a, as a true indication of what they're going to ultimately be in three or four years from now, because KU has the type of game where he might not look the best this year and could very easily be like the number one or two guy in a couple years from now just because of all the things that he does. And I would just say again, like, there's a void that you get when you hit an NBA floor that doesn't have, you know, their best players on the floor. And there are a lot of shots available to you in some of these instances. Right. Whether your team's not just great overall or like, there's not a true number two or number one in place, and you get the opportunity to just go crazy and, and so you, you know, you're content with your shot attempts or, or, or. Or what have you. And sometimes if you're a true scorer in a league like the one we play in now, where scoring's at a premium and you can't do some of the things physically to stop these guys from storing the. From scoring, the courts wide open. You could come out of the gates and be like, really, really good at scoring the ball in the NBA. And it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be the guy out of that class in three or four years from now. That's all I'm saying. Right. That's not trying to foreshad in anybody in particular. I just want to go back to Vijay because, you know, I've watched the sisters play a couple times because I'm, you know, obviously I'm from St. Croix. One of my favorite places to go with my family or to vacation around here is the Bimini Bahamas, right? Like, we hop over to Bimini all the time, catch ferry. You catch a little PJ over there, like, because the island used to offer one. I don't, I don't fly PJs. I don't want to get that straight. But the island, when you visit them, used to now, real. Sure. I used to be.
- [28:33]
D
Helicopters.
- [28:34]
C
Listen, I used to be buddies with the guy who, who developed that. And his dad was a developer, and they'd let you take their company jet over to hang out for a few days. And I want to say this because I used to go to a gym there that's just off.
- [28:47]
A
Let me hold $20, bro. Let me hold $20, dog.
- [28:50]
C
Let me finish my thought, boy. Like, it was just off. It was just off the property there, right? It's a little. It's a. It's a, It's a. It's a gym. And there'd have. There'd be kids running around that gin. One of those kids. I was told the story about him being in my high school gym. I also saw him when he was a young muk in. In that gym, like a. Probably like second or third grade. I ran into a woman the other day who used to, you know, work at that hotel. And she asked me if I remembered that, and I said, was Vijay one of those kids? She said, yes, Vijay was one of those Kids. So I'm, I'm locked into watching him and seeing how he progresses. His athleticism, his burst, his, his fearlessness when, when he launches himself. It's tailor made for coming out of the gates, being really, really electric, you know, like it, it is now. He's still slight of frame. If you watch him like, he, he's not, you don't have his man body on him yet. But you're playing in a league where they're not too many dudes that are going to take you down out of the air and make you get, you know, get up and shoot free throws over and over again, Right? So, like, you're okay. I would say this about Philly, Cliff. I like them without the beat.
- [30:03]
A
You.
- [30:03]
B
Know, let's keep it there.
- [30:05]
C
I like them without the big.
- [30:06]
B
That's the next question. Let's keep it there. Philly's 3. 0 right now. Joel Embiid played two games. He has a 20 minute minutes restriction for the season so far. He scored 20 points the last game he played. Set out last night versus the Magic. I believe the Sixers played the Wizards tonight. Let's keep it there. Let's keep it with Philly, man. Yo, I, I, obviously, I'm a little bit biased here. I'm a little bit biased here.
- [30:23]
A
Hey, we'll always keep it with Philly. We'll always keep it in Philly. Okay?
- [30:27]
B
Yo, Raj, I still can't wait till they wear them jerseys, man. Them jerseys.
- [30:30]
C
Yeah, it's gonna be tough.
- [30:31]
B
But let's keep it to Philly, though. 30 right now. What are you, like, what are your expectations for the Sixers? Like, I'm look, as somebody who's been here, it's been hype. They got the same hype almost as the Eagles right now. It's a bye week, so everybody's locked into the Sixers. Like, how you, Howard, how are you feeling about the Sixers early on this season? How are we feeling about the Sixers in the Eastern Conference right now with playing without, you know, a half of Embiid, playing without Paul George and Jared McCain. How we feeling?
- [30:56]
D
It's funny because as somebody with no, like, emotional investment in this, I've still been on this weird roller coaster where, as you guys know, I was, I was, I was the one saying, I think they're going to be all right this season. I think they could be top four. But that was all predicated on the idea that Embiid and Paul George would eventually be some semblance of themselves opening night. I'm watching and they're looking really kind of rough around the edges. And Embiid, him in particular, like, Joel Embiid looks like he doesn't, he can barely move at times. He is so clunky. He doesn't want to leave the perimeter, he doesn't want to get inside. They're curtailing his minutes, obviously. And so there's a, there's a part of that that's just like the big warning sign. But then there's the flip side of it, which is that Maxi and Edgecombe look like the most explosive backcourt in the league. And like, at the end of last night's game, the Magic announcers, while their, their team is losing, are like kind of clowning Embiid and Paul George without naming them. They're laughing about how it's Maxi's team and it's not like, quote the other guys when they come back and they're like, they're like, they were, they were like laughing about this. They were having fun with it. But like, the, the truth of the matter is like, they waited. They, they, they've stumbled into this completely unintentional two timeline thing. And unlike the warriors two timeline thing where the back end was never going to work out, like, the Sixers feel like they're firmly in transition right now, right? And, and look like it could, it could change. Embiid maybe just needs to get his legs back under him and like ease his way back in after eight months out or whatever it was. Paul George we haven't seen yet. We'll see what he. But when Paul George comes back, Paul George as a, as a win, who's like a third or fourth.
- [32:36]
A
You just made Cliff depressed. You just make Cliff depressed.
- [32:38]
D
No, look, no, dude, the thing is, they're legit, right? They're legit exciting right now. They're good right now without Embiid even being himself and without Paul George even being on the court, like, that's. It can only. I think it could only get better from here within this season. And the fact is, you could be really confident about who they are after.
- [32:55]
A
I don't know about that, bro. I really don't know about that, man. I'm sorry. I, I. Let me, let me.
- [33:01]
D
The schedule has been soft.
- [33:02]
A
Let's be clear that the schedule has been soft for sure. But never underestimate a superstar ego. I'll just say that, man. Like, when you're trying to, like, I mean, you kind of saw it last year with Paul Ge kind of threw a little shade at our Guy became, you know what he was balling. Right? Like, it's, it's. It's. You're on.
- [33:25]
D
You're worried about the two vets are going to be like, absolutely.
- [33:29]
A
Ben Affleck.
- [33:29]
C
I would, I would.
- [33:31]
A
It's not. It's their team. It's Embiid's team. And he's already pissed off. He can't play more than 20 minutes. The. Like, it's good vibes for the young guys doing it, but that's the problem. I've lived the two timeline. Trust me. I know that it does not work under any circumstances. Right. Like, it's cool when you have, like the young vibes and they're doing good, but then you have these vets come in and they're trying to put their mark on it. Like Embiid is. And B. And Cliff knows this because he lives it. Embiid is a bit. A lot sensitive to everything that is being said about him, about the team that he plays for.
- [34:05]
C
Right.
- [34:06]
A
You mean to tell me he's not going to try to try to take back his team when he comes back in the lineup fully, right?
- [34:12]
D
Paul George, he can.
- [34:14]
C
Logan, he can't. That's. Well, that's the question.
- [34:16]
A
But that's not.
- [34:16]
C
That's.
- [34:16]
A
But that's not the point that I'm saying. I'm saying, like, when he gets the guardrails put all taken off, I'm saying what he's going to try to do.
- [34:23]
C
Paul George, he don't know that.
- [34:25]
A
Yeah, he don't know that. And Paul George had Gilly yelling his face for 45 minutes about what it means to be a Philadelphia 76er. He's going to be trying to prove himself, too. This is gonna. This has the potential to be a little toxic transition man, is all I'm saying.
- [34:41]
C
Paul. Paul George, a much more natural fit with what they. With what they're currently doing that's successful and allowing those young guards to continue to develop and be the engine than Joel Embiid would be. Right. And the only argument I will listen to for Joel Embiid coming back and being allowed to be the. The guy again is if he is at 95% of his former self, that is. That does not look like it's going to be the case. Now. If you told me, hey, we're getting 95% of Joel and be back. Stamp it. Let's have the conversation. Let's chop it up. I might still err on the side of saying, let these young guys, you know, be the engine but we could at least debate that if he's not, that this is a no brainer for me. Their pace, like, you can't slow that down. These young bloods are getting up and down the court. They, they're getting, they're, they shot the ball. I mean, I stopped counting, but, you know, it, it took me back to like, I know other teams play like this now, but it was like I, they were getting it up with 16 seconds on the shot clock into the front court, quick pick and roll, finding a shot, boom, it's in the air. Or they're in your paint and they're spraying it out. And I don't think you can play through Joel Embiid and continue, you know, to have that type of pace and let these guys spread their wings and, and, and flourish in the way that they're, they're flourishing. And I don't know that either one of them keeps these numbers up, but I like them playing this style. I think they're a tougher, they're a tougher matchup. Even though they were getting pummeled on the glass last night, right? Like, because, because Orlando had a few possessions or whatever, four offensive rebounds, like, they were just, they were bully balling you. But what they're saying to you is, yo, we're going to get it out the net and we're going to go get three. You just got two, you know, and they're just, they're just going. And I like that. It looks better. It feels better for me personally than it did watching, watching them try to go through and beat. I'm just keeping it a buck.
- [36:37]
A
Cliff, before we, before we get this out, you have the, you have the final say as a Philly bull. But I have a question for you. Four games in, three games in. Is VJ a Philly bull? Is he a Philly Bull yet? Has he earned it? Does he have the title?
- [36:50]
C
Nah, don't do that. Don't do that, Cliff. You know, we don't give. No, not yet. Come on, Cliff, don't do that, bro.
- [36:55]
B
BJ's super. Like, he already super.
- [36:57]
A
Has he earned the right? Has he earned the name V?
- [37:01]
B
Yeah, he come from, he come from the churches, man. We, we respect Vijay around these parts, man. I'm in all seriousness, though, I like, I can't go anywhere without people talking to me about Vijay. Like, I was just in the general.
- [37:10]
A
When you get in the jersey, come on.
- [37:13]
B
You know, I'm not grabbing no jersey of nobody, man. Unless it's, unless it's a throwback six.
- [37:17]
A
As you're wearing a jersey right now.
- [37:20]
B
This is. But this is an old school Eric Lindros joint. This is. Okay, this is from 90s era, you know, I mean, early 2000s Philly stuff right here. This ain't. This ain't nobody new on the team right now. This ain't Matt Vay Meech cough or anybody like that not grabbing the Edgecomb jersey. But I'm a support. I'm a show love, you know what I'm saying? I like what the Young sisters are doing, honestly. And Maxi, averaging 37 a game, he's been on one, and I don't think that's been talked about enough. Like, I want to know, like, your thoughts on the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference, like, how realistic is it that the Sixers, if healthy, can actually compete with the Knicks and the Cavs like before the season? Howard, I know you kind of. I know you kind of said, you know, they could. Yo, if healthy, they can really compete. Let's say you do get a version of Joel Embiid that's 85, 90%. But my problem is, right, and this is just me speaking personally, is the backline defense.
- [38:03]
D
The backline defense. Low is going to spray his neck. He's shaking his head so hard.
- [38:06]
B
But it's the backline defense. It's relying on Andre Drummond and Adem Bono, who's in his second year, who's also a foul magnet, and Drummond, who's all right, I'm not going to say the word, but Drummond, who's, you know, maybe a little bit past some years where, you know, he is a rebounding monster and maybe can defend a little bit. I think being a backline defender is probably the most crucial part of what the Sixers actually need because they don't play a lick of defense, and that's the problem. So I can't take this team too serious until they get a backline defender.
- [38:35]
D
Is that the front court? Without Embiid being somewhere close to even 80% of himself, the front court is just, it's a mess. But their ability to just get up and down and just throw, you know, just. Just rain points on, you know, they can be in a lot of games, like, you're not, like, they're not going to be a threat to win four out of seven in a playoff series against a really tough team that, that actually plays D. But, you know, listen, the, the Eastern Conference, after the, the Knicks and Cavs, I think there's nobody you can rely on right now. Nobody. And the Magic are Off to a really, like, all magic at all the hype in the world. Oh, they got Desmond Bain every. All this, like, the magic look really rough right now. They're going through it.
- [39:20]
B
The.
- [39:21]
D
Everything in the top of the east after Cleveland, New York is open. The Sixers can be in there in the regular season. Logan. I'm not saying that means they're a threat to, like, make a run to the conference finals, but throw that every fat ass asterisk you want on this sentence, but if Joel Embiid and Paul George are any near, anywhere near themselves in the spring with Maxi Edge complaining like this, I mean, come on. We can't pretend.
- [39:47]
A
Why do we keep. Okay, bro, this is my problem. Why do we keep giving Joel Embiid and Paul George the benefit of the doubt when they haven't earned it? How many times are we going to see this? I'm tired of this. I am tired of this. I'm tired of the caveat. They already approve it. I'm sorry, Cliff duo there.
- [40:02]
D
I'm not proclaiming them back. I'm saying if we listen, there's no.
- [40:07]
A
Reason if they come back that you gonna get disappointed.
- [40:10]
D
You're acting like these guys are like 40 years old with, like, you know.
- [40:13]
A
I saw them when they were in their 30s. Did they disappointed? I saw them when they were in their late twenties and they disappointed. I saw them when they were in their early twenties and they disappointed.
- [40:23]
C
I would. I would look. Paul, Paul. Paul George. If you said Paul George was three or four of. In terms of your perimeter scoring options and was bought in to doing that in a supporting cast role like Paul George, I'm good with that.
- [40:39]
D
Yeah.
- [40:39]
C
I'm providing.
- [40:40]
D
Is to be their third option.
- [40:42]
C
Absolutely. And. But. But here the. The sticking point. First of all, Mike d' Antonio used to say this all the time. Like, and if you're not going to win a championship because only one team's gonna get to do that, we're gonna be excited. Yeah, right. So I would ask the question, hey, bro, like, you worried about, you know, whether their backline defense is gonna. I don't think they're winning the chip anyway. So would you rather see games hovering around 100 or you want to see them in the 120s? I'm going with the 120s, so. So, like, I'm really not tripping off of that. Like, I. And I think that playing that style and they are soft and they did get pummeled on the glass and defense will be an issue. But to Howard's point, You score enough in this league, you're going to be in a lot. You're being some ball games. Like you're going to have a chance to, to be there whether you win a championship or not. You know, I, I don't think you can, but, like, you'll be there. If you get Joel Embiid back as a defensive presence and a supplementary offensive piece, we can start talking. I'll talk to you. Like, we can have it. But if Joel Embiid is going to come back and it's going to bog down the offense because we got to play through him just to get the defense.
- [41:50]
D
And I think Logan's concerns about the chemistry aspect of this, the ego aspect of this, I think that's real. I think it's valid. I think that's fair. But neither Roger and I or I are saying Logan that, that we're expecting like MVP level Joel Embiid back, nor do they necessarily need that right now just to be competitive. All they need is for him to give them some semblance of rim protection and, and, and fill it up back line that, that like. And he, he has to be.
- [42:17]
A
Okay, just be Mitchell Robinson back to.
- [42:19]
D
The chemistry and ego part. But, but he, yeah, he. Yeah, he has to be a super expensive Mitchell Robinson. Hopefully. You're hopefully healthier than Mitchell Robinson because that dude can't stay on the floor either. But, like, they don't need MVP Joel Embiid now. That's the beauty of what they now have with this incredibly explosive backcourt. So it does require Joel Embiid to be okay with sliding into a different kind of role at this stage, after all the knee surgeries and everything. That's hard for guys. But like, there, there is a. There's an outline there.
- [42:51]
C
Okay, that's hard for. That's hard for regular, low maintenance guys.
- [42:55]
A
I know, right?
- [42:58]
C
I mean, that's hard for just your aver doing.
- [43:03]
A
Okay, let's do the. Let's do a mellow question and let's go to Mailbag, because I know there's a mellow question there. Let's blow this pot up early. Let's blow. It's October 20th. Let's blow this pot up.
- [43:13]
B
If there's. If there's two players that absolutely makes this pot go crazy. One is Lamelo Ball and the. The other is Russell Westbrook. But I will say that I just. I will say this. I will say Lamello Ball is off to a crazy good start. Probably the best start of his. I would say his young career because he's always hurt at some point in the season. But look, he's mad efficient. Averaging 28, 8 and 9 on pace to have his best field goal percentage by far. I think his three point percentage is at like 36% and he's averaging just from the field, 48%. I think his highest his career is 43% in any given season. Think about that. Like Howard, I know you got plenty of thoughts on LaMelo Ball, the efficient Lamelo ball. The Hornets are actually looking decent. How we, how are we feeling about LaMelo Ball?
- [43:56]
D
Guys, I'll just say this, this is, this is early reaction theater.
- [44:02]
A
Don't do this. Do not.
- [44:03]
D
For good and for bad.
- [44:04]
A
No, no.
- [44:05]
D
I'm just going to say as somebody who's been pretty critical of LaMelo Ball and been a skeptic, like I think he's super fun but not super winning player. I, I've been impressed. I've been really impressed. I've. I've watched the Hornets. It's a weekend, Logan. Shut up, man. That's the whole point of overreaction theater. A weekend is to overreact. A weekend.
- [44:28]
C
It's not overreacting to call. This is where we always disagree. Sorry. Like this is where we always. The two of you. It's not overreaction to acknowledge what he's doing.
- [44:38]
D
Yes, thank you.
- [44:39]
C
Like that's not an overreaction.
- [44:40]
D
And all I'm saying, look, this is. I ran the stats every which way you can on stat head. This is the best three game start to Lamelo's career on every count and not just counting stats. Efficiency stats. His, he's at 9.7 assists per game. That would easily be his career best. He's shooting a career high on threes. He's shooting a career high on twos. He's even rebounding at a career high rate. Right now he's getting to the line at a career high rate. 6.7 attempts per game, making 5.3 of them. This is the best three game start of his career. And it's not. It is not Lamelo like you know, pulling up shoes and crazy like 1 footers from 35ft just because he can. He's not out there just screwing around and putting on a show. He's playing winning basketball. The only thing I've ever asked as somebody who has been occasionally on this pod critical of him is I. The skill set is obvious and he could do incredible things with the ball in his hands as both the scorer and playmaker. Can you do it in a way that contributes More to winning. And that just filters out some of the nonsense. Each game, like a few less. Just crazy plays, crazy attempts, wild passes, whatever. He's done that. That's all. That's all you can ask. And like, they're slowly building a sounder supporting cast around him. And maybe that's part of it. Maybe he's just maturing into it. It's three games. I'm not going to get carried away, but I'm impressed with what I've seen so far. And Logan's got the towel off his head, so maybe he's ready to, to chill.
- [46:05]
A
Exami. It's three games, bro. He played against Brooklyn in Washington. Okay. Did you see the shit that he did down the stretch against Philly? Like, yo, they threw the fucking ball out of bounds like they fucking lost the lead against a good team like he is.
- [46:19]
D
I'm more under control than I've seen him generally.
- [46:21]
A
It's been like you said, it's been three games. I'm not about to anoint any. Like, did I anoint?
- [46:27]
D
Did I say his mvp? Did I say he's all NBA? Did I anoint, Roger? Did I anoint?
- [46:32]
C
I don't think you anointed. I think you.
- [46:34]
A
It was impressive. The Washington game was impressive. That was a great triple double. He could do that.
- [46:38]
D
But I'm just like, yo, man, so far, so good. He needs to keep it up.
- [46:44]
A
That's.
- [46:44]
D
That's all we can say about anybody. One of the best three game stretches of his, of his career.
- [46:48]
A
I'm broken. You've broke me. I'm broke.
- [46:52]
C
It's. Oh, bro, don't kid me. I don't want to do it. I'm not going to do it. You're not going to beat me today, Cliff. I'm not doing it.
- [46:57]
D
If we can't.
- [46:58]
B
Come on, give me critical of actually.
- [47:01]
D
Having a good run, then what are we doing exactly?
- [47:04]
B
Roger, either Lamelo or Russ, we got. He had a crazy in and out last night too.
- [47:11]
C
Russ, Nah, Russ, like, look, look, I, I ain't even seen Russ play, bro. I'm not, I, I, he's out. I just hope Russ finished his. Yeah. Just finished his career in NBA.
- [47:18]
A
That Russell. Nasty, bro. It is gross. It's a gross.
- [47:25]
C
It's always, it's always difficult for me. It will always be difficult for me. Even though I sit on this side of the mic, it will always be very difficult to me. For me, even having been in the NBA and made an entire career out of it, to throw slander at dudes that are that good at playing basketball. It's re. It's always hurts me mellow. Now things can be true about, like, you know, to Howard's point, like, some childish possessions and some loose possessions and. And, you know, doing things through. Through the course of his career so far that. That people could construe is not necessarily in the best effort to win games at times. Like, we can have those combos. And I'm with that. Like, I'm not here to not call a spade a spade, but, you know, and it was my argument around the all star thing last year is you have to acknowledge when people are really, really, really fucking good at something, and that dude is really, really good at playing basketball. And, you know, we sit here and we split the hairs about, like, whether he's good at winning. And that's fair. Like, that's fair at the end of the day, because at some point, like, that's our job. And. And the best players in the world are great at it and win games. So I'm here for that. I do that, too. But, like, that dude can hoop. He can hoop fair.
- [48:40]
A
I'm gonna say this, and y' all know me. If they win, which is what the ultimate metric of this is, because he can score like, dog, his stats were crazy last year. And if they win, y' all know me, I'll shut the fuck up and call a spade a spade, too. Y' all know me.
- [48:57]
C
Yeah, I'm not saying that they will. I don't. I don't want you guys to misconstrue.
- [49:00]
A
All I'm saying is that it's three games and he play and. And the wins markets Washington and Brooklyn.
- [49:07]
C
Yeah, look, I think we're having two different conversations because I agree with everything that you're saying and what Howard said. And I'm. I was on like, hey, look, that's only three games. So. But bigger picture, I mean, even if he shouldn't, you know, like, I. He's. That's still pretty. Some of the stuff he does is crazy, man. Like, there's some times where I just like to sit back and. Because, like. And be like, yo, that's pretty crazy.
- [49:29]
A
He could do that.
- [49:30]
C
Like, that's pretty wild, because not a lot of people could do that, Michelle.
- [49:33]
A
Respect. All right, we mail back time.
- [49:39]
B
Wait, can we get one more? I just want to get one more in with you. Specifically, Logan. Is it time, contract year, Kaminga.
- [49:45]
A
Well, I mean, I thought that's why I wanted to get the mail back, man. Why are you doing me like this, I don't want.
- [49:56]
B
And you know what? Just for that. Just for that. This is the first metwe question. Howard, I sent this to you already. This is. Hey, my name is Alicia and I'm a long term listener of the pod. Do the warriors have a genuine path to the title or is it all over hype? Thanks, guys. Is Jonathan Kaminga contributing to a possible championship if the Golden Warriors. Let's go, Logan. Take it away.
- [50:14]
A
Is this Alicia? Alicia.
- [50:16]
B
Alicia, yeah. Her name is.
- [50:17]
A
Shout out to the homie, bro.
- [50:18]
B
Alicia Stout. Yeah, Alicia Stout.
- [50:20]
A
Shout out to the homie, man. I really appreciate you listening, man. What's this? Six, seven.
- [50:26]
C
My kids. My kids told me the other night that's ISO. They're ice, so just get out the way.
- [50:33]
D
Done.
- [50:35]
A
Why y' all do me like, okay, no, they're not winning the championship. I'm tired of the hype. They like, also, the warriors are another team of like, we'll see what happens. Because. And I think Howard was talking to me about this like, yo, man, the warriors look great to start the season. They're going to look good. Great.
- [50:50]
D
Howard Beck impression, by the way.
- [50:51]
A
Phenomenal. Last season, they went like, what, 12 and 6 to start the year? The year before that, 12 and 2 to start the year. They're great at starting seasons. What happened after that? Injuries, Right? This is the oldest team. This is the.
- [51:04]
B
This is.
- [51:04]
A
I don't know if it's the oldest team in the league. I think there's another team that's older than there, but they're one of the oldest. Clippers are older, right? Yeah, there's. They. They signed Al Horford to. To solve their front court problem. And Draymond Green is still starting at center, ladies and gentlemen.
- [51:21]
D
Like that rotation thing, though, that's a. That's a. We want to finish games without Horford. If we start games with him and he's only on a 20 minute restriction, then we can't play him for like the middle two quarter. Like, you know what I mean? Like, that's all right. It wasn't about him.
- [51:34]
A
Thank you, Steve Kerr. I didn't know Steve. Steve Kerr said he don't want to come on the podcast no more, but here he is. Oh, that was what Steve told us.
- [51:41]
D
Said to us. You were there at the same press conference.
- [51:44]
A
You said that verbatim. And I'm like, like, okay, Steve, like, great. All right. Al Horford's also back to backs. Also, Al Horford's not playing back to backs. Right. So Draymond's going To also, those are problems is also going to be closing games even despite what Steve Kerr says. So no, they're not going to win the title, bro. They like, they win 45 games. You should be happy in the Bay Area. But like, like they're gonna, they're gonna, they're gonna ride Steph's brilliance into the ground and then they're gonna, they're gonna not be healthy going into like when they're supposed to be healthy. They're going to have a two week stretch where Howard saying they're the great Howard and Bill and everybody on the ringer is going to say, oh, they're a great stretch. All the warriors are back, baby. They're going to disappoint. Like this is going to happen. This is late stage warriors dynastic run. Okay? They're not even at the dynastic run. They are where they're supposed to be, okay? It's just, they're just going out sad. They should have made trades years ago to fortify this roster. They haven't done it. And you be to tell me after the off season that they had that we're supposed to expect them to be good, long term and consistent. Stop. I'm tired of it. I don't want to hear it no more. Why did you do this, Cliff? Next question. I'm not trying to hear this stuff now. I got to go to Chase and I got to hear people talk about, oh, look at what you said. I'm standing on. I'm tired of the propaganda. Real talk.
- [53:07]
B
Did you see Draymond, did you see Draymond mock Eldon after you missed the free throw?
- [53:10]
A
He's a, honestly, he's a mid season for him. To be fair. Draymond's in season four.
- [53:15]
D
Did you guys see that? There's like some new like NBC like medical sitcom. Draymond's on a like gurney being wheeled into the emergency room or what the hell. I don't know what, I don't know what the hell it was like on Peacock last night. There was a promo for this. I don't know what's going on. I just want to be clear to Alicia's question and to Logan. I have never claimed that the warriors have a path to the title. I think they could be really, really good. I've never said path to the title, Logan.
- [53:41]
C
For the record, I, I, I do. Can we be, can we, can we talk about the Kaminga piece of it though?
- [53:47]
A
You can talk.
- [53:47]
D
Not without Logan's head exploding.
- [53:49]
A
I don't want to Talk about it.
- [53:50]
C
I don't. But, I mean, you could correct me if I'm wrong. You watch way more. I didn't. I haven't watched every one of their games this year. But he looks a lot more complimentary and bought into doing what they would need him to do to be a contributing part of that off.
- [54:07]
A
He damn. He damn. We're better for the next team that wants to sign him.
- [54:11]
C
But, I mean, that's all you can ask for, right? Like, you, you gotta, like, you got a guy who's kind of stubborn about his role. You know, he's young, he wants certain things out of it. He's, he's bucking up against the system. But, you know, the hope would be at some point he gets to this point where you can have him out there and he's contributing in the way that you need him to contribute to win games. Like, that's, that's progress.
- [54:38]
D
And even if it's because he's thinking about the next team, Logan, I mean, Raja and I talked about this over the summer. Like, the problem for Kaminga could be if you're auditioning for the next team, it may mean that you're, you're forcing the issue. You're going the other way and forcing the issue because you're trying to put up numbers to show your worth to somebody because you want someone to trade for you and you want them to give you a big contract that you could not get from the warriors, that he's playing under control and playing within a format and moving the ball and everything. Those are all good signs for him and for the Warriors. And if it ultimately still ends up in a trade at mid season, you know, that's probably good news for everybody because it means that they found a good return that they think does bolster their chances of making a deeper playoff run right now.
- [55:20]
C
Also, I just got to give him a little credit because he looks, he looks like he bought in in a way that.
- [55:24]
A
Awesome points, at least very great astute points. What's the next question?
- [55:31]
B
You're going to hate me for this next question, but this is from. This is from Adam Bo greeting real ones. Since it's never too early to talk trades, I wanted to know your thoughts on some realistic trades that could actually make a difference. The obvious example is, I can think of is the Jonathan Kamenka trade against the warriors and other. My unlikely. My unlikely dream trade would be for Bam Adebayo. Thanks, Adam Bo.
- [55:56]
D
Oh, boy.
- [55:57]
A
I'm not doing this.
- [55:59]
D
The panel listeners obviously have it in for Logan panel.
- [56:04]
B
You don't have to think of a Kaminga trade though. It could be anybody.
- [56:06]
A
Like, panel.
- [56:07]
B
The Rock is finding a point guard. Like, it could be any of that.
- [56:10]
A
Panel. Panel. Anybody, Anybody got anything? I don't.
- [56:14]
D
No. I do not think the Miami Heat are trading Bam Adebayo for a package built around Jonathan Kaminga. I think that one's safe to say.
- [56:21]
A
Yo, man, here's the other thing about the warriors, bro, sorry. You can't shit on Kaminga behind the scenes for three years and then try to get a return for like Bam Adebayo. Like, I'm sorry, like every. I think the, the. I think everyone knows.
- [56:35]
D
I don't think the warriors expect that.
- [56:38]
A
I think the Warriors. Nevermind, man. I don't want to talk about the Warriors. Next time, next time, next time. I just don't have it.
- [56:44]
C
Next.
- [56:45]
D
His, his question was actually, are there realistic trades that we could come up with?
- [56:48]
B
That was just an example. That was just an example. So is there any. Howard, is there anything you can see with like the Rock is done.
- [56:53]
D
If you could have just left out the second part instead of derailing.
- [56:56]
B
No, I would.
- [56:58]
C
What does it take to get the Aaron Fox out of, out of San Antonio? My question for you, Howard Beck.
- [57:05]
D
No, listen, if, if I'm, if I'm any team in the league, maybe not the Rockets, because as Logan pointed out earlier, like they sending him right up the road would be, I think difficult for both teams to make that deal. But who knows any team in the league that needs a point right now. I think Darren Fox is one of the guys I would keep an eye on. Like, I, like I'm not saying like it's automatic that he'll become available, but I mean the spurs have a long road ahead here with a really young, fun roster and a lot of potential.
- [57:36]
A
Hey, Howard. Dear Fox for John Moran who says no spurs, but the.
- [57:45]
C
Right up the, right up the road of it all keeps not sitting well with me because. And I don't know why, because I mean, maybe I'm crazy but like I understand it normally, but in this scenario, if you're San Antonio, you have an embarrassment of riches problem, right? Like, hey, we've got this piece. It doesn't necessarily fit because we've got all these young guards. We're not on the same timeline. We want to allow them to develop with. With Wemby closer, closer to his timeline. So like it's just. We have excess here. The fear would just be you'd have to face him all the time in Houston, like, I don't, I don't. I don't see it necessarily like the ones where guys just want out or like you can't come to an agreement on a deal and you don't want to send them somewh. Because it's kind of contentious when you play them those. I understand why you don't send them closer in conference, but like, sometimes a deal, and I'm not saying again, I've not done all the legwork to parse out whether it could work or not. But like, sometimes it's like just a win win. Like here, dude, this helps you.
- [58:40]
D
It helps us if we're, if we're going east west thing, which is like the traditional thing when you're, you know, sending out like a big star and you don't, you know, it's the whole I don't want to pay some blah, blah, blah. And like, teams don't always abide by that. But if you do, like, Chicago Bulls could use Deer and Fox. There's one Miami Heat I think probably love Deer and Fox. I'm not saying that based on intel or anything. I'm just saying, like, here's a team that absolutely needs just high end talent, period.
- [59:06]
A
But who would Miami part?
- [59:07]
D
Could the Milwaukee Bucks make a deal for him? I mean, they don't have the goods, but like, you know, Giannis could certainly use another running mate. They're like, there are teams out there that if he becomes available, the Nets as a rebuilding team. Maybe.
- [59:22]
A
Michael Porter Jr. At the Texas, baby. Let's get it, Mike.
- [59:27]
D
Michael Porter junior's throwing up some crazy shots right now, by the way.
- [59:31]
A
Yo.
- [59:31]
D
As if we couldn't see that coming.
- [59:32]
A
I'm gonna just be real. The Nets are like a low key, cool league pass team just for the hubris. Just to see Cam Thomas chuck up, not pass the ball. Edge lord. Michael Porter Jr. Out here, he had.
- [59:47]
C
A 40 ball with zero assist, bro.
- [59:50]
A
So you had the Cam Thomas game along with the Wimby game. That was a phenomenal game to start the season, bro.
- [59:56]
D
That was. There was a lot going on there. I also am proud of myself. I now understand or now can pronounce Jaeger dmen's name correctly. Jaeger dmen. I've got it down. I've got it down.
- [60:09]
B
Finally.
- [60:10]
D
It only took like the entire summer. The kids right in my backyard.
- [60:13]
A
Are you making your Barclays going to return at some point in the future?
- [60:18]
D
Should be soon, right? Knocked me out because we were all out in LA for core week last week, but now they're on the road, but, yeah, I'm gonna go see some. Some Nets Cam Thomas show in person.
- [60:26]
A
Let's go sooner. Let's go. All right, we got one more. We got one more.
- [60:31]
B
Yeah, let's go, let's go. Yeah, let's close it out with Rashad B. What's poppin?
- [60:35]
A
No, no, no, no. We got one. We got one we gotta have. We got one from our guy. Oh, yeah, sorry, sorry, bro. What's his name? We can shout him out, though.
- [60:44]
B
What's his name? What's my man's name? Hold up here.
- [60:48]
A
Beforehand.
- [60:49]
B
His name is Keith.
- [60:51]
A
No, no, no, no, not that Keith. Keith from the social for sure, but the other dude. I wanted to shout him out because we're not answering.
- [60:57]
C
Yeah, Rashad.
- [60:59]
A
Rashad, yeah.
- [60:59]
C
Adam Bo.
- [61:00]
B
Yeah, Adam Bo was the other one. I was about to say Rashad's question, so. Adam Bo.
- [61:03]
A
Oh, shout out to Rashad. Shout out to Adam. But we talking. We. We going keep from social, bro. We gotta hold down.
- [61:10]
B
Let's hold on. Let's hold down, Keith. All right, well, Mike Brown keep up the rec league. Every dude gets menace rotation. The streets need to know. Shout out to Keith, man.
- [61:21]
A
Shout out to my brother, the Cardigans, bro. The car, bro. His cardigan game at court week was insane, bro. He had the Cheryl Swoops Team USA jersey and a Cardigan, bro. It was out here. Oh, he's gotta fit off and had the hair dye with the long hair, bro. He was out here getting fits off. You were invited, Roger. Just what? You know, you were invited.
- [61:42]
C
Good to know. Good to know.
- [61:44]
A
I just want to. I don't know, like, probably, I don't know, the intricacies of Mike Brown's offense. I just want to say it's just hilarious just how polarizing Mike Brown has been over the years, dog. Just all of the things. He's a great guy, but the way he is, the way he has been so polarizing the fan bases and fans and some people in the locker room as being such a nice guy has been. Been very wild. And I just. I think I wanted to use this opportunity, wanted to shout Keith out, but also to be like, damn, three games in, we're already getting Knicks questions about how they're going to do and Mike Brown questions. It's tough, Howard. It's just tough.
- [62:21]
D
Oh, it's also like just the shock to the system for the Knicks and Knicks fans, like going from TIBBS with the 5.3 man rotation to, let's see, 11 guys averaging double digits in minutes right now, all the way down to Tyler Kolek at 12.3 minutes a game. Like, I don't think Knicks fans are used to the idea of, of a bench playing and yet might be to an excess right now what Mike Brown's doing. But like, listen, like some of this is they don't have like their regular rotation yet. Like Josh Hart missed the start of the season. He's playing now. Mitchell Robinson still out. Like when you've got your core seven or eight guys. And I think some of this is just him figuring what that out is, figuring out what that is. Like, I don't, I don't expect that Mike Brown's going to spend the entire season playing an 11 man rotation. No, I think he will be more expansive than Tibbs was with the, with the rotation. I think that was probably part of the point of the exercise of changing coaches. I think he'll give them that. I think he will lean less hard on, on Towns and Brunson and try to keep them fresh for the postseason. I think that's probably the plan. But no, I don't think he's going 11 deep for the whole season.
- [63:32]
A
Good job. Yeah, I think, how. I think Raja agrees with Howard. So that's. There you go, There you go. All right. We're all checked out now. So I think that's, that'll do it. I think we're good. That has been another edition of Real Ones. We are back on Friday. I have no idea who's going to be there. I know I will be there. Ladies and gentlemen. We do this every Tuesday and Friday. I am Logie Boo. Not the two. Big CC Cliff is on the boards. Big VV Victoria is on the video. That's Howard Beck. That's Roger Bell tapping. We'll see you guys Friday. Ah, all this shits. Bye.