The Ringer NBA Show — “Wemby's Injury Woes. Plus, the Pistons Are Beasts of the East.”

Date: November 18, 2025
Hosts: Logan Murdock, Raja Bell, Howard Beck, Cliff (Producer)

Episode Overview

This episode of “Real Ones” dives deep into two major NBA storylines:

1. Victor Wembanyama’s calf injury and the league-wide plague of injuries, including how modern basketball culture and capitalism contribute to these problems.
2. The red-hot Detroit Pistons’ surge to the top of the Eastern Conference, exploring their identity, roster, and whether they’re true contenders.

Additional segments include:

• Draymond Green’s courtside fan incident and a discussion on fan-player boundaries.
• A critique of the Pelicans’ ownership and organizational direction.
• A lively listener mailbag covering Anthony Edwards’ future, league issues, and Ty Lue’s job security.

The show is fast-paced, candid, and features animated banter, seasoned player perspectives, and rant-filled rips on NBA front offices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Wemby's Injury and the Modern NBA Injury Epidemic

Segment Starts: [03:18]

• Wemby Out with Calf Injury:
  • Victor Wembanyama will be reevaluated in 2–3 weeks for a calf strain; the injury adds to mounting concern about his long-term durability.
  • Logan: “When you talk about calf injuries now, I think we should...start talking about them the appropriate way. We shouldn't look at these as a weeks-long injury, we should look at this in terms of months, because calves are...annoying injuries that could lead to something worse” [03:55]
• Ripple Effect of Injuries:
  • Howard notes the danger for league awards, given the “65 game rule” for awards—if Wemby misses 17+ games, he’s out of MVP eligibility.
  • “We're gonna have some really warped results because of the 65 game rule...sometimes you're just really injured, and it's gonna knock out serious MVP candidates.” — Howard [05:51]
• Injuries League-wide: A ‘Sh*t Show’
  • Howard provides a long, alarming list of injured stars: Giannis, Anthony Davis, Trey Young, John Morant, Zion, etc.
  • “It's just been a fucking shit show. That is a very long and mostly significant list of names.” — Howard [07:40]
• Root Causes: Youth Overuse, Pace of Play, Capitalism:
  • Raja: “The pace is so much higher now...the math on how many miles you run now in a game versus the early 2000s would be significantly higher.”
  • Modern basketball players start playing pro-level ball (year-round, dozens of games a month) as children, leading to early wear-and-tear.
  • “Some of these kids are playing NBA seasons in fifth and sixth grade...by the time you get to the NBA...there's gotta be something there.” — Raja [10:00]
• NBA Schedule and Capitalist Pressures:
  • The hosts criticize the league's refusal to shorten the 82-game season, citing financial incentives.
  • “If you were doing it based on...what's in the best interest of the players...it would be a shorter season. Everybody knows this.” — Howard [19:37]
  • “Most players...if put to them: ‘You'll feel better or you'll make more money,’ no brainer. Let's make the money.” — Raja [21:10]
• AAU, Youth ‘Capitalism’, and Early Injury:
  • Even non-NBA youth circuits mimic this, with parents pushing kids to play and local clubs incentivized to hold more tournaments. [17:09]
  • “This is my realm...it's pervasive...there's too much.” — Raja

2. Detroit Pistons: Beasts of the East

Segment Starts: [22:16]

• A 10-Game Winning Streak and Identity:
  • Pistons are on a 10-game win streak (first time since 2007–08), 12–2 overall, and dominating with a physical, defense-first approach.
  • “They're tough, man...figuratively and literally...a very stout defensive team...they represent Detroit.” — Raja [24:34]
• Key Stats & Style:
  • Highest free throw rate in the league; allow the second lowest field goal and effective field goal percentage. [27:11]
  • “They're kicking ass and they're saying, 'yeah, you can get your points at the free throw line, that's fine, we're locking everything else up.' We don't give a—” — Logan
• Depth and Resilience:
  • Winning despite missing Cade Cunningham, Asar Thompson, Duran for stretches, Tobias Harris, and Jaden Ivey.
  • Howard: “They've won the last three without Cade...last four without Asar...They haven't had Tobias Harris for eight games. And Jaden Ivey has yet to play this season. That is depth.”
  • Dennis Jenkins (on two-way contract) has stepped up with 21 points and 9 assists per game as a fill-in for Cade. [31:36]
• Pistons’ Chip on Their Shoulder:
  • Logan: “You want...people that all have chips on their shoulders...J.B. Bickerstaff, Cade, redemption stories—really puts something in their bones.”
  • Raja: “Motivation and hunger...are hard things to...talk about. You gotta be about that.”
• Offense is Catching Up:
  • Already 3rd in defense, only 15th in offense; hosts predict as their young scorers develop, they’ll be top 10 on both ends. [37:05]
  • Duran’s improvement is key: “It's not Cade, it is Duran.” — Logan
• Eastern Conference Context:
  • East is “comically bad” without Giannis/Bucks at full health—Pistons’ record may inflate, but it’s helping development and confidence. [27:11]
  • Is Detroit potentially the best team in the East?: “100%.” — Raja [38:54]
  • “Detroit was a little bit closer...that was a series [with the Knicks].”
  • The Detroit home crowd, especially now the arena is downtown, could become a difference-maker. “That is a fucking tough place to play.” — Raja [40:13]

3. Short Segments & Mailbag Highlights

Draymond Green v. Fan Incident

[42:16]

• Draymond confronted a court-side fan after recurring taunts; the situation de-escalated (“red card” warning issued).
• Howard: “There are boundaries...I don't know that this guy crossed any boundaries. I did like, the body language...like he was saying, 'So, what's up?'...You're not the show, just sit down and shut up.”
• Logan: Interactions like this are increasingly performative, fans clout-chasing. “It felt like the fan was trying to get a little bit of a moment. Even though the joke wasn’t that bad, it felt that way.”
• Raja: “You don't know what the person you’re engaging will find offensive...once you realize you've triggered Draymond and you're the spectator, sit your ass down.” [47:09]

Pelicans, Willie Green Firing & Organizational Dysfunction

[53:59]

• Stern criticism of Pelicans ownership for underinvestment, being “second fiddle” to the Saints, and repeated coaching/front office turnover.
• “Set this franchise back at least a decade, maybe two...it's pretty bleak.” — Logan
• Per Kendrick Perkins & Tony Allen: Players have to eat at the Saints’ facility, not their own.

Mailbag:

On Anthony Edwards & Wolves’ Future
[59:14]

• Will Anthony Edwards be the next star to “force his way east”? Which West “megastars” have reason for concern about their team’s future?
• “Out of that group, I think by default, Anthony Edwards has perhaps the most...hard to figure future. But I'll say this: I think [Wolves] new owners...are going to invest.” — Howard

NBA’s Big Issue, 2020s: Accessibility, Health, or Gambling?

• Logan: Accessibility and pricing—NBA’s pivot toward digital exclusivity may hurt fan engagement [63:10]
• Howard: “If there’s one thing...in the next five years, I think it’s player health.” [64:29]
• Raja: Gambling’s omnipresence on young players/fans is a looming issue.
• Quote: “We're seeing more injuries at an alarming rate, but I think the other thing is accessibility, man...it's harder than ever to watch games.” — Logan [63:10]

Clippers, Ty Lue job rumors & Coaching Drama

• Sarcastic listener question: “Do y'all think the Clippers can't fire Ty Lue because they're worried he'd snitch them out?”
• Raja: “He knows where all the bodies are buried, dog. You gotta keep him close.” [68:05]
• Logan, fiery: “I'm so sick and tired of the narrative that [the Clippers] are the team and we should watch out for them. I'm tired of it. Free T-Lue!” [68:37]

Hornets’ “surge” mini-rant

• Hosts rib the listener for even asking about them: “You gotta earn the right to be talked about on this podcast...they not relevant.”

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Wemby’s injury and the danger of ‘calf strains’:
  “Anytime that has happened, particularly in the playoffs...it could lead to an Achilles tear. And that’s what you really don’t want, especially for a franchise guy and a league pillar like Wemby.” — Logan [04:45]

• On high pace and overuse as causes:
  “You have to train to play [today’s] style...your body, when it’s finely tuned...they’ve almost gone to the other side of the pendulum with that...You gotta be in some cardio shape.” — Raja [10:00]

• On season length and money:
  “If you design(ed) the NBA schedule now from scratch...you’d probably go 60, 66 or whatever it would be...Everybody knows you would do it...as opposed to what makes the most money.” — Howard [19:37]

• On the Pistons' physicality and depth:
  “I’ll bet on that clearly more physical and aggressive team every single time. I might not win every bet, but over the course of time, I’m gonna win more than I lose.” — Raja [25:50]

• On the Clippers:
  “This team sucks...I’m so sick and tired of the narrative that they are the team...Free T-Lue!” — Logan [68:37]

Episode Flow & Tone

• True to the “Real Ones” name, the conversation is raw, candid, and free-wheeling with strong player insights, especially from Raja.
• Playful banter, non-stop ribbing, and running jokes about not paying attention to meetings and falling asleep on air.
• Critique spans from NBA cultural/structural problems (league greed, over-played youth, accessibility) to playful bites at underperforming franchises.
• Listener questions spark rants and deeper league analysis—not just surface-level answers.

Recap and Takeaways

• NBA Injury Problem: Concerns about injury rates aren’t going away—it’s a systemic, youth-to-pro issue with no easy fix. Awareness is high, but money keeps the calendar packed.
• Pistons Are Real: Their physicality, depth, and hunger make Detroit a genuine threat in the East—even if their schedule might be inflating their record, the foundation is there.
• NBA’s Future: Player health, fan accessibility, and a looming gambling boom are the biggest threats to the league in the late 2020s.
• Fan Conduct: There is a fine line between passionate heckling and seeking social media fame at a player's emotional expense.
• Coaching Carousel: The Pelicans are a cautionary tale in failed investments and lost identity, while the Clippers are floundering under unrealistic narratives.
• Mailbag Madness: As always, Real Ones listeners bring the best and the dumbest questions—be ready for a podcast roast if your team isn’t earning airtime.

(For a focused listen, the Wemby/injury discussion runs [03:18]–[22:16], the Pistons segment dominates [22:16]–[42:00], Draymond/fans is [42:16]–[53:00], Pelicans/ownership is [53:00]–[59:00], and the mailbag spans [59:11] to the end.)