The Ringer NBA Show — Group Chat Episode: "The Celtics’ Spoiler Potential, CP3’s L.A. Exit, Giannis Suitors, and More, With Chris Ryan"
Date: December 4, 2025
Hosts: Justin Verrier, Rob Mahoney, and guest Chris Ryan

Episode Overview

This installment of Group Chat dives into a variety of hot NBA topics with Justin Verrier and Rob Mahoney welcoming Chris Ryan. The group tackles the bizarre Chris Paul Clippers exit, the Boston Celtics’ surprising spoiler potential, the complicated futures of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the juggernaut Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Chicago Bulls’ futile hunt for a "Pascal Siakam type." All the signature Ringer Group Chat humor, friendly shade, and sharp NBA insight are on display.

1. Chris Paul’s Sudden Clippers Exit & Legacy

(02:15–11:43)

• CP3 Gets Sent Home: Chris Paul posted to Instagram at 2:40am, hinting the Clippers told him to go home; he was later officially released (02:34).
• Reactions:
  • Chris Ryan: “First and foremost, very strange story. I mean, obviously I think reporting will bear out like what actually happened... He seems like a strange scapegoat for whatever is wrong with the Clippers this year.” (03:00)
  • Justin: “This is really bizarre and just like bush league treatment for one of the greatest players of all time.” (03:45)
• Why Cut CP3?
  • Clippers’ season is a disaster, but the one positive story was CP3’s farewell tour—cutting him seems counterproductive.
  • Rob: “His farewell tour might have been the only positive piece of PR... I’m surprised they wouldn't even just like allow him to sit on the bench.” (04:23)
• On CP3's On-Court Value:
  • Chris: “This is one of the first stops…where he hasn't improved the team... But it doesn’t seem like Chris Paul is the problem here.” (04:59)
  • Rob: “He looked absolutely washed. It was kind of a tough watch at this point.” (06:05)
• Could CP3 Play Elsewhere?
  • “I think he’ll still end up somewhere...he still has a lot to offer. What he is is emblematic of where the Clippers were: old, slow, stagnant.” (06:24)
  • Chris wonders if CP3 forced a return to L.A. despite other ‘sage vet’ offers and muses if his “last action in the NBA [ending] like this” has a historical parallel. (07:17–08:32)
• Front Office Critique:
  • Conversation shifts to Clippers’ Lawrence Frank and recent questionable moves. DeMarcus Cousins recently blamed Frank for the team’s troubles. (09:44)
  • Justin: “For as miserable as the Clippers are, they're about to hand over a top five pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.” (10:56)
  • News breaks live: CP3 and coach Ty Lue reportedly hadn’t spoken in weeks (11:08).

Notable Quote:

“The whole point was him coming back for one last ride with the Clippers…why is Chris Paul the guy being sent home?” — Justin (03:45)

2. Name That Take! — Boston Celtics Spoiler Watch

(12:07–21:29)

• Name That Take Game: The crew plays a game guessing each other's hot NBA opinions.
• Celtics’ Spoiler Potential:
  • Justin’s take: “I've seen the Lord in Jason Tatum's X-rays, and the Celtics will play spoiler to someone in this year's playoffs.” (15:50)
• The Celtics Without Tatum:
  • Jalen Brown’s leap is fueling strong play; role players (e.g., Jordan Walsh) have stepped up (16:57).
  • Rob: “Jalen Brown has gone from energy burst scorer to the metronome of this team... in an Anthony Edwards, Donovan Mitchell-esque level.” (17:33)
  • Chris is skeptical Tatum can return from his Achilles injury and be effective, likening the scenario to Kevin Durant’s return timeline (18:01).
  • Celtics’ defense is suspect; the team’s style (high volume threes, offensive rebounding) gives them high volatility and makes them a dangerous playoff matchup (16:57–19:57).
• Wider East Landscape:
  • Discussion on an “unburdened Celtics” being a fun, dangerous lower seed, and a possible chaotic, wide-open Eastern Conference playoff picture (20:00–21:32).

Notable Moment:

“A Celtics team that is unburdened by expectations has actually been a really fun watch…and has been really competitive with almost everyone they've played against.” — Rob (20:57)

3. Sixers: Exciting (but Fragile) Dark Horse

(21:42–28:32)

• Sixers’ New Identity:
  • Chris: “They now have the most exciting, delightful backcourt in the NBA... I think Maxey's an All-NBA player and it's obvious he has the keys to the franchise now.” (23:31)
• Embiid’s Ongoing Situation:
  • Sixers keep Embiid day-to-day for mysterious reasons; uncertainty lingers (21:59).
  • “They got dinged $100,000” recently for injury misreporting (24:01).
  • Embiid himself calls Maxey “the face of the franchise.” (24:14)
• Can Embiid + Maxey Work?
  • Rob: “Maxey is not... a first team All-NBA guy, probably second team.” (27:19)
  • The hosts note how Maxey already has four playoff runs under his belt and “I fully trust him to be that guy at this point.” (28:06)

4. Who’s the True Dark Horse in the East?

(28:32–29:22)

• Rob stumps for the Hawks as a possible second-round surprise, “with or without Trae [Young]” (28:49).
• Teases possible Hawks trades and Giannis suiters. (29:19)
• Brief break for ads.

5. Name That Take! — Giannis Antetokounmpo's Next Team

(30:49–42:43)

• Justin's Take: Miami should be uniquely aggressive in trading for Giannis this season. The new CBA reduces in-season trade possibilities; Heat pragmatism + need for top-end talent makes them the best bet, even as “it’s near impossible to come up with an appropriate suitor.” (31:23)
• Practicality Check:
  • Rob: “They’re third place in the Eastern Conference right now.” (32:28)
  • Justin: “Yeah, but everyone’s third place in the East.” (32:30)
• Thunder as the ‘Death Star’ Option:
  • Chris floats OKC as the only team with the draft ammo and depth to get Giannis, but says it might destroy the team’s greatest strength: depth. “It's crazy that the Thunder don't need Giannis... they’ll probably handily win the NBA title this year.” (34:00)
• Atlanta as a Dark Suitor:
  • Rob likes the Trae-for-Giannis concept (soundtrack: “I think Trae has to be in the deal.”) (39:39)
  • The guys weigh the Bucks’ strategy—go for the best “superstar” or the highest volume of assets in a trade (40:25).
• Giannis’ Social Media Purge: Spurs rampant speculation after deleting years’ worth of posts, believed to be classic European soccer star contract maneuvering (42:11–43:31).
  • Chris: “This is a very European soccer thing to do, is to like, kind of keep things out there. Popcorn’s popping, let everybody know I'm not happy.” (43:20)
• Giannis Effort Lately:
  • Rob: “I feel like I've seen some of the worst Giannis defense games from him lately in a long time.” (45:00)
  • “He's just not playing with the level of acuity and specificity and focus that he normally does.” (45:08)
• Legacy and Uncertainty:
  • Chris: “There often seems like there needs to be a moment where Giannis has to reaffirm his commitment... It's unique.” (47:03)

Standout Soundbite:

“The Miles Turner signing was a guilt trip for Giannis.” — Justin (48:46)

6. Name That Take! — OKC’s Looming Dynasty

(48:58–57:06)

• Justin’s Take: New CBA prevents overspending; OKC’s accumulated assets and pragmatic team-building create “a juggernaut with a potential for longevity we haven’t seen in decades.” (49:49)
• Thunder’s Current Dominance:
  • “They've only lost one game. All the benefits they have from past trades haven’t even hit yet... It’s largely built off shrewd execution, development, and identification.” (50:33)
• Concerns for Parity:
  • Chris: “It’s getting spursy in its boringness... I don’t know if you put together like the most feasible super team you could if they beat them.” (53:09)
• Superteam Hypotheticals:
  • Rob: “The Thunder are one of these teams who they're reeling off all these wins... They're not an unproven team anymore. They just won the title and have the freaking MVP and the deepest roster in the league.” (54:45)
• Challenges to Thunder:
  • Two obstacles: national exposure and a lack of a natural foil; Justin wants the "KD Warriors–LeBron Cavs" style drama (57:06).
• Personality Fit Is Their Secret: Thunder draft for both talent and attitude—a key edge (59:01).

7. Name That Take! — Chicago Bulls’ Search for Siakam

(59:52–66:18)

• Justin’s Take: “Chicago needs a Siakam, not an AD.” Bulls are stuck in the treadmill of mediocrity, and their front office anonymously told ESPN they seek their own ‘Pascal Siakam’ (60:25).
• Siakam-Type Problem:
  • Rob: “There’s not a lot of guys who do all the shit Pascal Siakam does.” (62:12)
  • The hosts laugh at the idea that Chicago wants both a Siakam and a Tyrese Haliburton—just not something you can lottery-ticket your way into (62:23).
• The Bulls’ Vicious Cycle:
  • Justin: “If they can get AD at a discounted price...I would go for it just as a stopgap, but I think long term that just compounds the cycle of being mediocre, mediocre, mediocre.” (61:35)
  • Chris: “If there aren't that many sleeping giants in the NBA... Chicago is certainly one... of fan passion and also media frenzy... even the three alphas version of the Bulls and they show up for it.” (63:13)
• Playing-Style Issues:
  • On AD: “Stodgy AD... wouldn’t necessarily solve all their issues.” (64:46)
  • On “gunking up the pace:” “You don’t like Josh Giddey now? Wait until he’s just pounding the air out of the ball…” (66:01)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Jayson Tatum’s Return:

  “I'm highly dubious about this. Like Jason Tatum is the first man on the moon with this Achilles injury and will be back this season and be effective. I just personally have not seen that in my lifetime.” — Chris (18:01)

• On the Sixers:

  "They have the most exciting, delightful backcourt in the NBA..." — Chris (23:31)
  "Maxey's an all-NBA player and... has the keys to the franchise now." — Chris (23:31)

• On the Thunder’s Dynasty Potential:

  “Curtailing overspending is only going to compound OKC's advantage, creating a juggernaut with a potential for longevity that we haven't seen in decades.” — Justin (49:49)
  “They may not win every title, maybe it'll be more spotted–Spurs dynasty than it was perhaps like a Lakers dynasty.” — Justin (51:46)

Important Timestamps

• Chris Paul Clippers exit begins: 02:15
• Name That Take – Celtics: 12:07
• Celtics’ spoiler discussion: 15:50
• Sixers section: 21:42
• Name That Take – Giannis/Trades: 30:49
• Giannis’ social media, Bucks malaise: 42:11
• Name That Take – OKC: 48:58
• Name That Take – Bulls, Siakam: 59:52

Addendum: Episode Tone

• Classic Group Chat balance of deep analysis, rapid-fire “Name That Take!” banter, NBA insider perspective, and self-deprecating humor. Chris Ryan’s chemistry with Rob and Justin is evident, with everyone unafraid to poke fun at each other or the broader NBA landscape—prime example: their incredulity at Chicago’s hazy front office logic, or the skeptical but analytical look at Celtics “spoiler” dreams.

Summary prepared for hoops fans who want the inside story without the sponcon, ad breaks, or group intro/outro fluff.