The Ringer NBA Show – “Who Said What? NBA Media Day Quotes Edition. Plus, Potential Fred VanVleet Replacements.”
Date: September 26, 2025
Hosts: Howard Beck (“B”) & Raja Bell (“A”)
Episode Overview
With Media Days in full swing and the NBA preseason upon us, Howard Beck and Raja Bell reunite to break down the latest league developments and have some fun with the classic clichés of Media Day. The episode’s main focus is on the Houston Rockets’ dilemma after Fred VanVleet’s season-ending injury, potential replacements, the state of the point guard market, and a lively “Guess the Media Day Quote” game, which spotlights how hope and narratives are constructed around players with something to prove. Notable player commentaries, team directions, and a reflection on aging stars are woven throughout the discussion in typical "Real Ones" fashion.
Key Topics & Insights
1. Summer Catch-Up and Family Stories
[00:22-04:30]
- Raja shares personal updates: his sons excelling at Elite 11 football camp and Curry Camp, with Steph Curry granting his son a character award in a “surreal” moment.
- Both hosts reflect on parenting, time flying by with older kids, and how life off the court informs their perspectives.
2. NBA Headlines & the Fred VanVleet Injury Fallout
[05:34–16:35]
Rockets’ Championship Plans Thrown into Chaos
[07:42] Beck:
“The Rockets were supposed to be—and may still be—a contender in the West… Fred VanVleet, not the best Rockets player by sheer talent, but maybe the most important. And there’s no ready-made replacement there at the position.”
VanVleet’s Injury—Operational Dilemmas
- Beck illustrates Houston’s tightrope: build for KD’s narrow window or let the young core develop?
- After trading away two valuable starters for Durant, depth is thin; the team's stockpile of draft picks becomes crucial trade capital, but usable, significant upgrades are scarce.
[07:42–09:07] Bell:
“I thought they were positioned really, really well… The most important thing outside of, maybe, the Kevin Durant of it all, is someone that can run it. Like, you need a conductor… Now, I'm not willing to trade...one of those nice young pieces...maybe I’ll take a C [grade]...but I need someone with real experience. Could be long in the tooth maybe, and that’s why I get him at a discount, I don’t know. But I need someone who can run a show, Howard.”
Replacement Options and “Pie in the Sky” Names
Potential Point Guards (from Bill Simmons/Zach Lowe discussion):
- Modest options: Ayo Dosunmu, Jose Alvarado, Scotty Pippen Jr., Payton Pritchard, TJ McConnell
- Big swings: Austin Reaves (unlikely), Jaden Ivey, Derrick White, Colin Sexton
- Beck’s ideal (unlikely) fit: Jrue Holiday.
- Bell: “Jrue’s like pie in the sky for me.” [13:08]
On Running the Show and Leadership Void:
- Loss of VanVleet and Dylan Brooks = leadership vacuum
- “...KD is, as great as KD is…that’s not usually what you think he’s coming in to do.” [12:56, Bell]
Roster Maneuvering Difficulties:
- Getting a high-salary vet means moving VanVleet’s contract or combining expensive pieces/valuable prospects (Steven Adams, Reed Sheppard mentioned as possible trade chips).
- The West is stacked; Rockets can’t coast with current depth and experience.
3. Why Not Russ?
[16:35–19:21]
- Producer Cliff floats Russell Westbrook as a candidate; both hosts dismiss the fit.
- Bell: “No, he’s not a Rockets fit...There’s too much of a vacuum there in leadership for a personality like Russ to step in and who knows what happens there…”
- Beck: “Given Ime Udoka’s profile…and what he has forged this team into with a defensive personality, a defensive edge, Russ doesn’t fit that…Oh, the biggest thing: Russ and KD together…Are you kidding me?” [17:48]
- Russ’s market evaporated; Bell admits (with an apology) he was wrong in thinking there’d be an immediate landing spot for him after declining his option.
4. Aging Stars: Diminished Roles and Self-Awareness
[21:10–26:54]
Transitioning Out of Stardom
Bell draws parallels to Carmelo Anthony and himself:
- “What you were as a personality is worth it while you’re doing a set amount of good things that contribute toward winning. When that equation changes...you have to understand your place in the hierarchy…That’s hard for people to come to grips with.” [22:59]
- Beck and Bell agree Russ’s lack of self-awareness about his diminished on-court value has hurt his chances.
On Retiring and Priorities
- Bell: Describes emotional difficulty when realizing he was “done,” but how family/time home helped shift his focus.
- “If I contractually had another year, I probably—I would have went…But sometimes it forces you to realize…what else is going on in my world and is it more important?” [26:54]
Media Day Quotes: Bingo and Guessing Game
[29:03 onward]
Media Day Clichés Highlight Reel
- Hosts reminisce about the universal “best shape of my life”/“gained 15 pounds of muscle;” “put up 10,000 shots,” “I’ll play any role,” “identity is defense,” etc.
- Bell: “I checked most of those boxes. Whatever role. Yeah, for sure.” [30:28]
- Bell: “At the end of it, you’re throwing anything you can at the wall. Just see what sticks.” [31:57]
Quote Guessing Game: Notable Moments
1. “I haven’t felt like this since college. I could just walk in a gym and I feel good.”
- Correctly guessed by Raja: Zion Williamson [32:21]
- Beck follows up: “With Zion, he looks amazing. I don’t doubt the optimism…I think for all of us…there is a little bit of a ‘won’t get fooled again’ feeling here.”
2. Willie Green on Zion:
“When he’s available, he’s one of the best players in the NBA. And nobody can argue with that. But… availability is going to be huge for him.” [34:46]
3. “I hope that we win more games than we won last year, but the truth is it's not going to be measured in wins and losses this year, but it is going to be measured in success.”
- Beck gives the answer: Matt Ishbia, Suns owner [36:44]
- Hosts joke about Ishbia’s “spin-candor” and the Suns lacking a clear roadmap.
- Notable commentary on Steve Nash joining the Suns as Senior Advisor: “He will help out for sure. In terms of vision, Steve is really good with that…” [37:27, Bell]
4. “I literally sat there and cried for two hours… Is my career over?... My basketball career flashed in front of my eyes… I’m in my prime… and it felt like it was all taken away.”
- Jason Tatum (Beck explains, Tatum was on a media “recovery tour” post-injury)
- “The flashing before my eyes…really kind of hit me.” [44:02, Bell]
- Dr. Martin O’Malley: “I don't think I've seen a person's calf look as strong as his...at six or eight weeks, he was doing double heel rises...” [44:38]
5. “I’m super excited. I haven’t had a good screen in two years.”
- Jordan Poole, joking about his reunion with Kevon Looney on the Pelicans [46:20]
6. “I think if I came in here and preached how much I want to win and tried to take every dollar and make it difficult for the organization, I’d seem like a fraud...I want to win bad...I don’t think a couple more M’s will change my life.”
- Mikal Bridges on taking a slight discount to stay with the Knicks [47:32]
- Discussion focuses on player priorities, cap strategy, willingness to sacrifice money for situation and success.
- “If 18 year olds are on that wavelength already, some of them, I don't think it's crazy to think somebody with $100 million would say, I'll give up a few of them to live in New York City and play with my buddies on a pretty damn good team.” [50:52, Bell]
- Beck adds context about past examples (Malone, Payton, Rick Fox).
Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)
- Fred VanVleet’s importance: “You need a conductor, you need someone that can really put all those…instruments…into this tune that puts out this beautiful music.” – Bell [07:42]
- On leadership vacuum: “You very quickly are down two real leaders…As great as KD is…that’s not usually what you think he’s coming in to do.” – Bell [12:28]
- On Media Day clichés: “I checked most of those boxes…At the end of it, you’re throwing anything you can at the wall just to see what sticks.” – Bell [30:28, 31:57]
- On Tatum’s Achilles: “I don't think I've seen a person's calf look as strong as his. At six or eight weeks, he was doing double heel rises.” – Dr. O’Malley (via Beck) [44:38]
- On self-awareness for aging stars: “When that equation changes and you don't recalibrate who you are…in a locker room…it’s not always your place to be that voice.” – Bell [22:27]
- On cap circumvention suspicions: “I try to be careful about just assuming anything…there are players in this league still to this day who do want to win as much as they want to make the money…” – Beck [49:48]
Final Thoughts & Tone
The episode masterfully blends locker room authenticity, skepticism about preseason optimism, and genuine care for players’ humanity and off-court lives. Bell and Beck strike a warm, critical, and occasionally humorous tone, never shying from candor—whether about burned-out bodies, management spin, or the realities of NBA team-building in 2025.
Key Timestamps for Major Segments
- Summer recap / Family life: [00:22–04:30]
- Rockets’ VanVleet dilemma / Replacements: [07:42–16:35]
- Russ, leadership, aging out of NBA: [16:35–26:54]
- NBA Owners, Ishbia/Suns situation, Nash's role: [36:44–40:54]
- Media Day cliché game (multiple quotes): [29:03–50:52]
- Rapid fire / Closing: [50:52–end]
For listeners new and old, this episode offers a blend of sharp NBA analysis, player psychology, and behind-the-scenes reflection—a perfect snapshot of early-season NBA discourse delivered in the Real Ones’ signature style.