Full Episode: NBA Playoffs Breakdown with Brian Windhorst | Nervous about Knicks-Pistons | Isaiah Thomas on shirtless Lebron.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Stephen A. Smith Show

Episode Title: Full Episode: NBA Playoffs Breakdown with Brian Windhorst | Nervous about Knicks-Pistons | Isaiah Thomas on Shirtless LeBron
Release Date: April 14, 2025
Hosts: Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst
Platform: iHeartPodcasts

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1. Introduction

In this episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, host Stephen A. Smith delves into the intricate dynamics of the NBA Playoffs with renowned NBA writer and Hoop Collective podcast host, Brian Windhorst. The discussion spans critical analyses of team performances, coaching decisions, player movements, and off-court controversies, providing listeners with expert insights and Stephen A.'s unfiltered opinions.

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2. NBA Playoffs Breakdown

a. Phoenix Suns Fire Head Coach Mike Budenholzer

Timestamp: 03:07

Smith opens the discussion by addressing the recent firing of Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer after a dismal 36-46 season and subsequent playoff exit. Brian Windhorst offers a nuanced perspective:

"I don't think Budenholzer was the biggest problem, but he certainly did not get the most out of that roster. The biggest concern is his lack of connection with Devin Booker."
— Brian Windhorst [03:07]

Windhorst critiques the Suns’ inability to effectively team-build despite acquiring high-profile talents like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. He emphasizes that the real issue lies in the management’s shift from draft-focused strategies to trading picks for veterans, which hasn’t yielded the desired results.

b. Kevin Durant's Potential Move

Timestamp: 08:16

When questioned about Kevin Durant's next destination, Windhorst remains cautious, asserting that the situation will become clearer post-playoffs. He speculates on the New York Knicks as a potential suitor, noting Durant's past hesitations:

"I don't understand why [Durant] didn't go to the Knicks in 2019 instead of the Nets. The Knicks have some pieces that they could offer for Durant."
— Brian Windhorst [08:34]

Windhorst underscores Durant's desire to "control his destiny," suggesting that if the playoffs don't go as expected, Durant's market could shift dramatically.

c. New Orleans Pelicans Fire President David Griffin

Timestamp: 11:28

Transitioning to the New Orleans Pelicans, Smith highlights the team's decision to fire President of Basketball Operations David Griffin after six seasons with limited playoff success. Windhorst agrees, citing Zion Williamson's inconsistent availability as a significant factor:

"David Griffin built a team around Zion, but the lack of availability and injuries have hindered the Pelicans' progress."
— Brian Windhorst [11:28]

He also points out poor player transactions, such as the acquisition of Dejounte Murray and the unsuccessful extension of CJ McCollum’s contract, which did not translate to on-court success.

d. Philadelphia 76ers Retain Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse

Timestamp: 13:40

Smith expresses surprise over the Philadelphia 76ers' decision to retain both general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse despite a disappointing season. Windhorst offers a tempered view:

"Ownership believes in the direction Morey and Nurse have set, especially after significant moves like signing Paul George and extending Joel Embiid."
— Brian Windhorst [13:40]

However, he warns that their tenure is precarious, stating:

"They have no margin for error. If next season isn't excellent, they're on the hot seat."
— Brian Windhorst [14:40]

e. Los Angeles Clippers' Performance and Kawhi Leonard’s Impact

Timestamp: 24:18

Discussing the Clippers, Windhorst praises Kawhi Leonard's exceptional performance in the latter part of the season:

"Kawhi has never shot the ball better than he did this season, averaging 25 points on 52% shooting and 43% from three-point range."
— Brian Windhorst [24:18]

He acknowledges the Clippers' strong offensive output but raises concerns about Leonard's durability and the team’s reliance on his performance to advance in the playoffs.

f. Golden State Warriors’ Playoff Prospects

Timestamp: 19:26

Windhorst analyzes the Warriors' position following their narrow losses and Steph Curry’s thumb injury:

"The Warriors are an older, smaller team now facing challenges with key players injured. My confidence in them has been shaken."
— Brian Windhorst [19:26]

He highlights the Warriors' inconsistency, especially in high-stakes games, and questions their ability to live up to Draymond Green's championship guarantee.

g. Minnesota Lakers vs. Wolves Series Analysis

Timestamp: 28:37

Smith raises concerns about the Knicks’ lack of grit against the Pistons and potential struggles in the second round. Windhorst responds:

"The Knicks have weaknesses but are a very good team. They might pleasantly surprise, but their lack of experience could be a hurdle."
— Brian Windhorst [31:35]

He acknowledges the Pistons' limited experience and forecasts a competitive series, albeit with potential vulnerabilities for both teams.

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3. Isaiah Thomas Criticizes LeBron James’s Professionalism

Timestamp: 66:13

A notable segment involves Isaiah Thomas publicly criticizing LeBron James for his shirtless warm-ups. Smith defends LeBron’s overall professionalism but acknowledges the appropriateness of Thomas’s specific critique:

"LeBron James usually epitomizes professionalism, but isolating an incident where he was shirtless during a public warm-up is fair criticism."
— Stephen A. Smith [31:05]

He elaborates on Isaiah Thomas's longstanding role in advocating for professionalism within the NBA, highlighting Thomas's contributions beyond his on-court performance.

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4. College Football: University of Tennessee’s Quarterback Situation

Timestamp: 26:13

Smith shifts focus to college sports, discussing the University of Tennessee’s decision to part ways with starting quarterback Nico Yamalava due to failed NIL contract negotiations. He emphasizes the broader issues within NCAA regulations:

"This situation underscores the NCAA's exploitation of student-athletes and the urgent need for a collective bargaining agreement."
— Stephen A. Smith [33:05]

Smith criticizes the current NCAA framework, advocating for reforms to ensure fair compensation and representation for student-athletes.

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5. WNBA Draft: Paige Bueckers’ Strategic Moves

Timestamp: 28:37

Turning to the WNBA, Smith praises Paige Bueckers’ foresight in securing lucrative deals outside her rookie contract:

"Paige Bueckers not only excelled on the court but also secured a three-year deal with the Unrivaled League, outranking her WNBA earnings."
— Stephen A. Smith [33:05]

He lauds her strategic investments and anticipates her growing influence both as a player and a businesswoman in women’s basketball.

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6. Rory McIlroy’s Historic Major Win

Timestamp: 29:39

Smith celebrates Rory McIlroy’s achievement in becoming the sixth golfer to win all four major championships in the Masters era after an 11-year drought:

"Rory McIlroy's perseverance and determination exemplify the spirit of never giving up, culminating in his historic win."
— Stephen A. Smith [30:35]

He underscores the importance of resilience and dedication in achieving long-term success, using McIlroy’s journey as an inspiring example.

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7. Political Incident: Break-In at Governor Josh Shapiro’s Residence

Timestamp: 33:05

In a shift to politics, Smith addresses the alarming incident where a man, Cody Ballmer, broke into Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence and set a fire. He condemns the act and reflects on societal issues:

"This heinous act underscores the growing violence and instability rooted in political and social tensions."
— Stephen A. Smith [33:05]

Smith emphasizes the need for moderation and compromise in political discourse to prevent such tragedies, advocating for a centrist approach to bridge the pervasive divide.

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8. Conclusion

Stephen A. Smith wraps up the episode by thanking Brian Windhorst for his insights and reiterating the importance of balance and professionalism both in sports and society. He celebrates the achievements of athletes like Paige Bueckers and Rory McIlroy while addressing critical societal issues, urging listeners to strive for moderation and collective progress.

"We have an obligation to think about the impact of our words and actions, striving for common sense and decorum in all facets of life."
— Stephen A. Smith [36:13]

Smith closes by acknowledging the bravery of women participating in space missions and encourages ongoing discussions on pivotal topics in sports and beyond.

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Notable Quotes:

• Stephen A. Smith on Phoenix Suns’ Future:

  "The team, the core was built through the draft and have now gotten in a situation where even if they want to rebuild, rebuilding through the drafts is going to be difficult."
  — Brian Windhorst [04:55]

• Brian Windhorst on Kevin Durant’s Situation:

  "Durant has on the record with Draymond Green saying, I want to control my destiny."
  — Brian Windhorst [08:34]

• Stephen A. Smith on NCAA Reforms:

  "The NCAA spent decades taking advantage of the student athlete. Yamalava is not the bad guy here; he's the face of change that is imminent."
  — Stephen A. Smith [33:05]

• Stephen A. Smith on Professionalism in the NBA:

  "Professionalism matters. This was a rare moment when we could look at LeBron and somebody like Isaiah Thomas would ever dream to utter the word unprofessional when it came to him."
  — Stephen A. Smith [31:05]

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, expert analyses, and critical viewpoints presented by Stephen A. Smith and Brian Windhorst. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the show, this overview provides valuable insights into the current landscape of professional sports and its intersection with broader societal issues.

Transcript

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The championship is back in the bay for the first time in 40 years. On the new limited podcast series Dub Dynasty, we hear from head coach Steve Kerr on how Steph Curry almost never even joined the Warriors. In fact, I thought we had a.

[Brian Windhorst]

Draft day deal to end up getting.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Him to Phoenix for the entire behind the scenes story of Golden State's incredible 10 year run. Listen to Dub Dynasty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.

[Brian Windhorst]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The NBA playing tournament is here. That means the NBA playoffs are soon to follow. My favorite time of the year. I'll let your boy Stephen A. Smith show in the house. Let's go. What's up everybody? Welcome to the latest edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. Coming at you as I love to do at the very least three times a week over the digital airways with YouTube and of course iHeartRadio. Got a lot of stuff to get into today, so I'm not gonna waste too much time getting into it. The NBA play in tournament is here and that's exactly where we're getting started with the NBA playoff matchups that were finally set yesterday on the last day of the regular season. And joining me now to break it all down is senior NBA writer and host of the Hoop Collective podcast, the one and only Wendy himself, Brian Winters. What's up big time? How are you man? How's everything?

[Brian Windhorst]

Mr. Smith, always good to see you.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, first of all, before I start off, I just want to say thank you because obviously you're being on the podcast, but also your contribution to first take my day job on ESPN every weekday morning from 10am to 12 noon. The Times that you've been on, you've been absolutely outstanding. I'm real proud of you, big boy. I really appreciate it and I just wanted to thank you right here, just, just to your face, I wanted to say thank you for everything.

[Brian Windhorst]

Thanks for having me last week, you know, you took a couple days off, was the Masters were Going on. You know, I had to, I had to take up some of the heavy lifting. It's a, it's a heavy as that crown on, on first day.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me tell you, you did great. You did great. I was watching you, man. But listen, man, we got a lot of stuff to get into, but the first order of business is to get to the firings in the NBA at the conclusion of the regular season. Just a couple of hours ago, or so we've all learned, the Phoenix Suns fired head coach Mike Budenholzer after going 36 and 46 and playoffs in this first season with the team. Talk to me about, first of all, do you think this was the right decision and what you think it means for the future of the Phoenix Suns in terms of their next coach, their failed roster, etc? What are your thoughts?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, I don't think Budden Holzer was the biggest problem, but he certainly did not get the most out of that roster. And I think probably the biggest concern is, is that he seemed to not connect with Devin Booker. And going forward, I don't know who will be on that roster. Some of the guys, I'm not sure that they can change, but I'm sure Devin Booker will be there. And things didn't go well with him and Booker this year and they have to focus on Booker now. That's got to be a franchise focus. And he and Booker did not vibe and maybe if they'd have won, it had been different. Obviously the best way I could describe the Suns is that over the last few years they've been really good at talent acquisition. If you look at the talent they've brought in, Durant, Beal, even getting a guy like Tyus Jones, hell, they acquired Grayson Allen. Grayson Allen led the league in 3.3 pointers last year. This year had some injuries and didn't they get talent? What they can't do is team build. And I'm not so sure how much of that is Bud's fault. There's, there's a lot of people got their fingerprints on that, but Bud didn't get pretty much got the least out of this group. I mean, if you look at their roster and you watch them play, you're like, how could this team only produce 36 wins? And I know they had some injuries. I think they were 33 and 29 when Kevin Durant played and 3 and 17 when he didn't. So I'm sure if I was Mike Buttonholzer's agent right now, I'd say, well, you're Firing me because Kevin Durant had some injuries. You're firing me because he sprained his ankle, that's fine. But still, even 33 and 29 with their talent with Durant doesn't make sense. They did not get the most out of this team. And that's just reality.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I remember I watched you on TV a few a couple of weeks ago, and it was very riveting what you were saying. This is a guy. And because I think the owner's. The problem is there's no way around it. You get the ownership. You get the ownership of the Phoenix Suns. Monty Williams, who took your team to the Finals, is gone. Chris Paul, who was your point guard in the backcourt with Devin Booker, he's gone. Deandre Ayton, who was your starting center, he ultimately departed. You fire Monty Williams, you bring in Frank Vogel, and then after Frank Vogel, all right, he's gone after one year, and now Budenhoser is gone. And then you talked about all the picks that they've given up, how they've mortgaged their future. Essentially talk to the audience about that and how bad things are in Phoenix right now in light of what I just articulated.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I just want to take you back to 20, 21. They made the Finals, okay? And if you remember, they're up 20 in the finals and they sort of fell under the sword of Yasata Campo, who came into full bloom. They won four straight games, if you can remember. I mean, it was, it was, you know, one of the COVID years, but, you know, he had this incredible Game seven. If you remember the team that they had, Stephen A, it was Devin Booker, who was, I think, draft drafted 10th or 11th. Some of the gum in the late lottery, maybe it was 13th. But as a draft pick, he had Mikhail Bridges, a guy they got on draft night. They made a draft night trade to acquire him. You had Cam Johnson, who, not going to the hall of Fame, probably, but an excellent role player who fit alongside Devin Booker beautifully. You had deandre Ayton. Now, deandre was taken in the Luka Doncic draft. And so if you want to say that they screwed that up, they took him one. That's fair. However, they drafted him and he led that. He was their franchise center. They went to the finals the next year. He was their franchise center. They won 64 games. Those are all draft picks. They built that team through the draft. And then their big move after they went eight, they went, you know, they had the bubble in Orlando. They went eight. No, in the bubble. Even though they didn't make the playoffs. Chris Paul saw them and said, that's a team I want to be a part of and engineered a trade to get to Phoenix. But the team, the core of the team, was built through the draft and after that, especially after Matt Ishbia bought the team, they just stopped drafting. They just started trading the picks and trying to get instantaneous improvement with veteran players. Those veteran players didn't work and now they can't rescue themselves through the draft. This is a team that actually drafted very well, built a championship contending team through the draft, and has now gotten in a situation where even if they want to rebuild, rebuilding through the drafts is going to is they don't have any picks, they don't control their picks. So it's, they really are in a situation of their own making. And it'd be one thing if they were in the middle or at the bottom and they led to this situation. They were at the top and they did this. Now, if Matt Ishbo was here and he was defending himself, what he would say is, well, you're talking about 2021, you're talking about 2022. When I made the Durant trade, the, you know, the team wasn't performing well. That you're talking about a, a former, you're talking about a former version of the team and that's a fair thing. But I know that taking the tools away from the decision makers and how they built the team, which was the draft, I think is a mistake.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Last question on this particular subject. You're Kevin Durant. Where would you possibly want to go? You're the Phoenix Suns. What team are you coveting will take him because of the assets you can get in return for his services? How do you answer that?

[Brian Windhorst]

Before I answer this, I just want to say it's going to be hard to read the Durant situation until we see the playoffs play out. Because, for example, you could see a team surprise lose in the first or second round and wake up in mid May and say, we are Kevin Durant away from winning it. And so the, the market for him in a month could be different than now. So that's my precursor. I do think the concept of the Knicks is an interesting one now, in my opinion. I've never understood why Kevin Durant didn't go to the Knicks in 2019, instead went to the Nets. I, I get what they were building in Brooklyn was compelling. I heard, I have heard what he said about that. I don't understand why you wouldn't go to the Knicks. And I am not going to assume or guess at what Kevin has thought about that. The fact that the, you know, the Knicks, as you know, Stephen A. They're probably not headed for a great postseason. They've had a very good regular season. They won 50 games. They've got some really good pieces. They have been shellacked by the teams ahead of them in the league. Not even shellac. They have been totally washed out. They have no wins over any of the teams better than them in the league, essentially. And so they have some pieces that they could offer for Durant. Now, I'm not gonna make any assumptions here because that's how you get out over your skis. And you got to see how this. The Knicks, maybe the Knicks will surprise us in the playoffs, but Durant has on the record with Draymond Green saying, I want to control my destiny.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yep.

[Brian Windhorst]

I.

[Stephen A. Smith]

That he. He has a control now. Yeah. The bottom line is he's lost talk. He's lost most of the control, or at least he should because they haven't won. Bottom line, no way to slice it. I mean, he's been swept twice. He's been out in the first round and then went to the semifinals about one time over the last five years. That's what his career has been since he was. Since he departed and went to Brooklyn. I mean, there's just no other way around it. Let me transition to New Orleans right now because the Pelicans have fired their president of basketball operations, David Griffin. In six seasons, the teams made the playoffs twice, but never won a series. I blame, obviously, Zion Williamson from the standpoint of his lack of availability. I'm just looking at his numbers here, Wendy. In six seasons in the NBA, he arrived in 2019, 2020 season, he's played 30 games or less in four of them. He missed the entire 2021, 2022 season. All right, we know that due to his injuries, but he played 24 games as a rookie, 29 games the year after missing the entire season in 2022, 2023, and then this year he's only played 30 games. Lack of availability, bottom line, I think if he's available, He's a career 24 point per game scorer or so. I think if he's available, David Griffin probably still has his job. Your thoughts?

[Brian Windhorst]

I agree. Absolutely. And David Griffin invested in him. You know, he gave him a contract that was protective, that they could waive him right now, not owe him any money. But ultimately, David Griffin built a team around him. And, you know, there were three Players like, look, if you were defending David Griffin again, if you were David Griffin's agent, you would say, well, how do you have fairly assess a player who's always injured? But they did do a couple of things around him that didn't work. Number one, they traded for Dejounte Murray this year. They paid a pretty penny for Dejante Murray. Now, he tore his Achilles, but before he tore his Achilles, it was not going well. He traded for and then extended the contract of CJ McCollum. CJ McCollum is a quality player, an excellent person to have in the locker room, but has not been a difference making player. And he, you know, you can blame one side or the other, but the relationship they had with Brandon Ingram, who was a core player for them, went south. He wanted out of there and they ended up having to trade him. The return on that trade is not ideal. We'll see. There's still draft picks out there happen. But the direction of the talent inflow and the talent outflow, what was thriving there and what was not thriving was not ideal. There were these brief flashes over the last couple of years where the Pelicans were all together and they looked really good. And there was these stretches where you said, oh, now I see the vision. But those didn't last. It would not have surprised me if David Griffin was given one more year, but it would only have been one more year. And so he got unlucky, but he also made some choices that didn't work out.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Last question before I take a quick break. Surprise at all when it comes to the Philadelphia 76ers that both Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse are retained after this disaster season. I got no problem with Nick Nurse staying on board. This was not his fault. He didn't have a team to coach with. Embiid out with, with Paul George ultimately out. But Daryl Morey, who I like as a person, I take no joy in saying this, but I was shocked that he was going to be retained by the Philadelphia 76ers. What about you?

[Brian Windhorst]

I was mildly surprised, but I found out, I heard that ownership under, you know, ownership was on board and agreed with and endorsed, signed off, whatever you want to call it. With the moves that they made last year and the, the two big ones are obviously signing Paul George and extending Joel Embiid, you know, Josh Harris, David Blitzer. It was like Daryl Morey went to them and said, this is what we have to do. No doubt, we got to do it. And they disagreed. They were on board with it. So I think they are giving him the grace that this was a terrible year in terms of injury and misfortune. But what I would say to both Daryl and Nick is you have no margin for air. Now, if next year isn't an excellent year, you're gonna. That's probably. I would say that the hottest seats in the NBA right now, looking into next year, we got to see how this season ends. But right now, the hottest seats in the league are probably Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse.

[Stephen A. Smith]

I really should say just Daryl Morey, but I know that Nick Nurse is the guy he picked. So I guess they come with it because that's why I think Willie Green is going to be out of a job. Because you got rid of David Griffin in New Orleans and obviously the next guy that's succeeds him is going to want to have his own coach, his own guy in there. Stay right there, Wendy. We'll be back. I gotta. I gotta pay some bills. Don't go anywhere. It's the Stephen A. Smith show right here with my man Brian Wintour to talk about the NBA Play in matchups up next. Don't go away. All right, folks, I need you all to stop what you're doing and listen up. You know I love this time of year, right? The NBA Play in tournament is set to begin this week. And with all this action going on, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you take advantage of it all. That's why we've partnered with prize Picks. The best place to win cash while watching sports. The app is easy to use. Just pick more or less than a few player stats and you can win up to 2000 times your cash on a single lineup. That's right, the 2000 times payout just dropped. So build your lineup, lock it in and win up to 2000 times your cash. The rewards have never been this big. Best of all, prospects will give you fifty dollars when you play your first five dollar lineup. Win or lose, you'll get fifty bucks for playing. Use promo code SAS and download the app now. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get 50 instantly after your first five dollar lineup. Prospects. Hey, hey. Run your game today. I'll give you my picks for tomorrow night's game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Orlando Magic. So let's get right to it. All right? First up, will Atlanta's trade Young score more or less than 27 and a half points is ice Dre. It's who he is. This is his time of year. I'm going with more. Next up, Paulo Banquero of the Orlando Magics. Will he score more or less than 29 and a half points? I'm gonna say more because I think he's a stud. If he had been fully healthy this year, Orlando wouldn't be in a play and they'd be one of the top six seeds in the Eastern Conference easily, as far as I'm concerned. I love being Carol. That brother's the real deal, make no mistake about it. I'm gonna go with more on this. Next up, will the Atlanta Hawks Onyeke Akonwu score more or less than 14 1/2 points? I'm gonna go with less. I'm gonna go with less. I don't know why, honestly, because Orlando could be suspect from time to time, but I'm still going to go with less. And finally, will the Magic's Franz Wagner score more or less than 25 points? Even though I know he's more than capable of scoring more? I think Van Carol is going to eat up so much of the offense. I'm going to go with less on this one for Wagner. So there you have it. Young Ben Carol Kongwu Wagner more on Young More Ben Carol less on a Congo and Wagner on Wagner rather. That's it. That's all I got to say. Hope you love it. This Stephen A Prospects in the house. It's our time of year, y'all. It's our time of year.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top one on one, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

It's Julie Stewart Banks. I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League, and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Brian Windhorst]

I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say. And not just about hockey.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Believe me, he does Energy Line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast and it's going to be, well, it's going to be quite the ride. We're officially linemates, Nate. We're the energy line.

[Brian Windhorst]

We'll have plenty of folks join us, current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers. And wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Okay. We'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interests away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do, provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate?

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm vibing Julie. I'm ready to roll.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Foreign welcome back to Stephen A. Smith Show. My man Brian Wintos, one of the ultimate NBA insiders, right here with yours truly right here on the Stephen A. Smith show of the Digital Airways of YouTube and of course iHeartradio. Let's get to the Western Conference playoffs. The Clippers in the Warrior season came down to a battle to stay out of the play in and warriors lost. What do you make of it and what kind of position do you believe that puts the warriors in in terms of living up to Draymond Green's guarantee that the Golden State warriors are going to win the NBA championship?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, in theory they haven't really lost anything. They get a victory over Memphis, who frankly has not delivered many impressive victories in the second half of the season. That said, it's a one off playoff game and the warriors have not done well in the plane at all since they the couple of times they've been in it. They still are in the playoffs. They get a team in Houston that will be a challenge. Who beat them a couple of maybe the week and a half ago. But you know, the difference between the number two seed, the number seven seed in the west is negligible between those teams. What I would say is they lost three of the last five games coming in. Yeah, and, and, and at home. These were home games and now they've got Steph with a, with a thumb injury. They got Jimmy Butler with a thigh contusion and he played 48 minutes and you've already got an older team that's a smaller team. So you're asking them to play almost down the line with bigger guys and you're now wearing on them a little bit. I'm not sure you gave yourself the best chance to succeed. I will say Jimmy Butler has routinely been amazing in single elimination situations. This is why they traded for him for this game. Even though he's banged up and he just played all those Minutes. I had expected him to be great on Tuesday night. My faith in the warriors has been a little shaken with the way they finished though. You know, they went 19 and 2 during that stretch when Stefan and Jimmy were in the lineup together. You and I talked about him a lot in there. And then they, after all that, they still didn't get what their goal was, which is to get a top six seed. And the way they were outplayed on their home court in a, in a, in basically a vitally important game against the Clippers, it was worrisome. And so I, I, I, I, I, I take nothing off the table, but my confidence in them has definitely been shaken.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me ask you this question. When he put you somewhat on the spot, my brother, if you're the Golden State warriors, which should you have preferred? This play in where you're going up against Memphis. Ultimately, if you beat them, you're the seventh seed and you get Houston in the first round or you win yesterday and you're the sixth seed and it's the Lakers you draw in the first round. Which one should the warriors have preferred?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, if they beat the Grizzlies handily or, you know, have an easy victory where nobody else gets hurt and they don't have to play three overtimes or something, you could look in the mirror and say it's not the worst situation because you still get five days off or at least four days off between now and the start of the playoffs. You can rest up and you get a team that is impressive defensively but not experienced and you would have an experience edge over them. And the one thing I would say about Golden State is I don't doubt that Jimmy Butler or Steph Curry or Draymond Green can go into a road arena and win. The Lakers had a lot of success against the warriors this year. Now the last time they played, the warriors did get them. But the Lakers are an awesome home team. They've been an awesome home team throughout the year. The reason the Lakers are the three seed is because they were so good on their home court, specifically against the west teams. They, they just absolutely are a different team on their home court. And when you think about the challenge of dealing with Luca and all, everything that comes with him, and we've seen Luca be a difference making player in playoff series. We know LeBron can still be. Yeah, Stephen A. I think if you're, if you're a Warrior, you're not devastated. But you gotta handle your business on Tuesday. You've got to because the last thing you want to do is have to play another game where you're facing elimination. Then you got a quick turnaround and then you're looking at the Thunder.

[Stephen A. Smith]

And.

[Brian Windhorst]

And so yeah, I get it. But I'm also a little bit cautious to make assumptions in this Western Conference.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Transitioning to the Los Angeles Clippers. They now face the Nuggets, who fired head coach Mike Malone just last week. I'm wondering what can we expect? But I got to tell you something. I've watched the Clippers over the last 21 games. They're 18 and three and they've got the best offense in basketball. And in that span, that best offense has been led by Kawhi Leonard. We know what kind of year James Harden has had. We know that Norman Powell gives you a third option. I mean, when we talk about Austin Reeves in LA with, with LeBron and Doncic, look at what this brother. Norman Powell has been with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard after Kawhi Leonard missed the first 34 games of the year. So I'm looking at Kawhi Leonard since March averaging 25 on, on better than 52%, shooting, 43% from 3 point range. This brother looks terrific. And suddenly you're looking at the Los Angeles Clippers and you got people speculating this is the second best team in the West. Not the Lakers, but the Clippers. What are your thoughts about the Clippers?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, what an awesome showing they had going into Chase center on Sunday, facing the wrath of Steph Curry. I know Steph Curry has thumb banged up, but it wasn't like he was 2 for 15 on threes. He was drilling the shots, he was hitting them with haymakers. He delivered a huge fourth quarter, absolute full dosage of playoff Jimmy Butler, who basically didn't leave the floor in that game. And the Clippers absorbed every blow and basically controlled it was the warriors trying to get leverage the whole game, including throughout the entire overtime. Harden was great. You mentioned Kawhi and his stats. I mean, he has never shot the ball better than he did down the stretch of this season. And you could say, well, that doesn't mean anything if he can't make it through the playoff series. I agree. And you know who else agrees? The Clippers. I spent some time with them last week and their response was, hey, we're doing great. We just got to keep Kawhi healthy. Everything we're doing is trying to keep Kawhi healthy. Stephen A. They played him in a back to back the second to last week of the season. Then on the game on Sunday, they. They played them 47 minutes.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

Now, they don't do that unless they feel like they got. They. He's in a good place now and he looks great. I know. And sometimes he can be in a good place. He can. It can go left at the drop of a hat. That's the Kawhi Leonard experience. But they're gonna try to. They're gonna try to ride it. You know, when he. When he won that title in Toronto, that jump shot was so calibrated. You know, people talk about and have seen the Steph Curry shooting displays and warm ups where the dude makes 85 consecutive shots. I'm telling you, I remember watching Kawhi before the finals games in 2018. He would make 65 jumpers from the mid range in a row. They would have saw it.

[Stephen A. Smith]

When he was warming up, we saw. When he was warming up, Toronto against Milwaukee in the conference finals, we saw him.

[Brian Windhorst]

You and I were standing there in Toronto getting ready to do tv, and they were exhausting the workout guys. They had to have multiple workout guys. Not at a practice day before a game. That's what he looks like right now. That's where his jumper is calibrated. So look, in all honesty.

[Stephen A. Smith]

So what are we saying? What are we saying? You saying you got him going to the conference finals? Wendy, let's tighten this up. You got him going to conference finals.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm saying whoever is healthier in this series between Jamal Murray and Kawhi Leonard, that might be the difference. If Kawhi Leonard can make it through a first round playoff series, which by the way, he is not the last two times he's played. It's not like a conspiracy theory or something. If Jamal. You know who's better and healthier because when Kawhi is playing this way, the Clippers aren't a five seed. I don't know what their seed is. They ain't one, but they ain't five. And when Jamal Murray is playing top of his game, the Nuggets are very, very hard to beat. 4 out of 7 now you've got Oklahoma City on that side of the bracket. You know how I feel about them. I am gonna believe that they can win the west, but I am telling you, this looks like Kawhi Leonard of 2019 today. I don't know about tomorrow. I don't know in 10 days. Today, that's what he looks like.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let's not forget to give James Harden some love too, because he's been terrific as well. Let me transition to The Lakers, Minnesota. Rudy Gobert is a liability. We know anytime Luka Donchi, Luka Donkey could pull up in a cab, Rudy Gobert's already is already messed up. Okay? I mean, that. That's tie. It is. That's how bad it is for Rudy Gobert when he sees Luka Doncic. Having said all of that. Now, Don got LeBron James as a teammate. Austin Reeves has really elevated his level of play. JJ Redick, as far as I'm concerned, as a candidate for coach of the year, I think he's done an outstanding job along with his staff. I think Minnesota's lone shot to win this series is Anthony Edwards has to be the biggest star on the stage. And here's the thing. Even with Luca and LeBron, I think he's capable of doing it. I still don't think it'll be enough for them to win the series. I got the Lakers winning the series, but do I think that Anthony Edwards has it in him to potentially be the biggest star on the stage? Even with LeBron and Luca? I think he could do it. What. What do you say to that?

[Brian Windhorst]

I want to watch him try. I want to watch him try. So it is. So, yeah. Luca torched the Wolves last year when he was on the mavericks. I'm talking 33, 10 and 8 in that series, especially the games in Minnesota. He didn't care about being in Minnesota. He dropped a dagger on those fans repeatedly. The thing about this matchup that I think is interesting is LeBron has to. We have seen LeBron can still be a dominating player, but we've also seen he's got to kind of moderate his energy. The advantage that he's had since Luca has been back is it sometimes he's able to moderate his energy and then hit the gas in the fourth quarter. If the war. If the Wolves are going to play the way that they like to play, there is opportunities for LeBron to rest on defense. They'll put him on Rudy Gobert because he's not afraid to fight him in the post. He doesn't have to run around on the perimeter. He'll have to be in some screen and roll action. They'll put him on Jaden McDaniels, who, you know, has moments where he hit shots, but like, LeBron will be able to. To. To come off of him.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Well, don't put Jaden McDaniels on him. Don't put Jada McDaniels on him. LeBron shoots 55% when guarded by JD McDaniels.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's a great stat. I'm glad you just educated me on it. So I think this matchup is somewhat I don't think anybody feels great in the west, but I think this matchup is somewhat comfortable for the Lakers, at least in the way they can align. Now the curveball is ants because that guy can come in to crypto and drop 50, I wouldn't doubt it for a second. And so that's what I want to see. The Wolves are not as good defensively as they were a year ago, but they are better offensively and you can trace that right to ants being and the guy, by the way, he had seven threes on Sunday and became the the seasoned leader in most three pointers made. The guy is a verified weapon from three point range. This guy gets it going from outside. He can beat you with that as well.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let me ask you this real quick because I got to get ready to go. Knicks, Pistons I'm not high on my Knicks. I'm worried because they don't have the same grit that they've had in years past. That's problematic for me, Wendy. If they had Hartenstein, if they had Dante, if they had Julius, a healthy Julius, I think that team is better than this Knicks team. I think this team is more talented, particularly offensively, but they don't have the same grit. And because they don't have that, I'm worried about them in the first round against Detroit. I give them no shot against Boston in the second round if they were to get there. I, I'm worried about them losing to the Detroit business and I'm worried about Tom Thibodeau potentially being on a hot seat even after a successful season because he didn't work and develop the depth that the Knicks would need to utilize and so they don't run their starters into the ground. I'll give you the last comment about the Knicks in this series against Detroit. Real quick. Go ahead.

[Brian Windhorst]

You said a lot there. You said a lot there. It's, it's. And it's good insight. You see, the Pistons are not selling to people that don't live within certain miles of there of Detroit. They're afraid of the Knicks fans coming in like they did to Philadelphia last year.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Wow.

[Brian Windhorst]

Let's just. I agree with you that the Knicks have some problems. However, the Knicks are still a good team. I know that the expectations for them were very high and that there's two teams in front of them that won in the mid-60s and that there's frustration amongst Knicks fans that they weren't able to match the Cavs and the Celtics. I still will tell you I think the Knicks are a very good team. I think they've got a lot going for them. I do not think that they are as good as the three teams that won 60 games this year because I'm going to include the Thunder who also swept them this year. I think the Knicks will pleasantly surprise in this first round. I respect the Pistons. I also think that they have almost they have very little experience at this level and of their core guys like you know, I know Tobias Harris and Malik Beasley have played big games before. I know Tim Hardaway Jr's play games. But I'm talking about, you know, you're asking, you know, Cade Cunningham and stuff to go into the guard and maybe he will. Maybe I'll maybe in 10 days again I'll think that he can. I think the Knicks are. I think the Knicks have a lot going for them. I think their weaknesses are big. I think they've got a lot going for them. I think that'll win out in this series. But I think you may sweat. I think there could be some cursing emanating from from you as you're in here watching watching games over the next week and a half.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Appreciate you Wendy man, thanks. Thanks a lot for the knowledge my man. Got a lot of stuff to get into these NBA playing games and ultimately the NBA players. Our most exciting time of the year. I'm gonna look forward to talking to you about you take care of yourself. I catch up with you later. Gotta take a break. But Lord have mercy please don't go away. Cause somebody got all up in LeBron James all up in them and his name was not Stephen A. Smith. Not at all. It was a Hall of Famer with significant credentials. Wait until you heard you hear what he had to say. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. More to Stephen A. Smith show coming in your away in a minute after I pay these bills. All right everybody listen up. With all the big time sports action that's happening each and every day, the Stephen A. Smith show wants to make sure you are taking advantage of it all. That's why we've partnered with Prize Picks. The best place to win cash while watching sports. The app is really easy to use to make a lineup. All you have to do is pick more or less on a few player stats. Choose from any of your favorite players. Luka Doncic, Jimmy Butler and Zach lavine all in the same entry. Then sit back and watch. The list is absolutely endless. You can play prize picks in over 40 states, including California and Texas. Best of all, Prize Picks will give you $50 when you play your first $5 lineup. Win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks. Just use promo code SAS and download Prize Picks right now. Again, download the app and use code SAS to get 50 $50 instantly after your first $5 lineup. Prize picks run your game.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of Spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

It's Julie Stewart Banks. I'm doing a new podcast from iHeart Podcasts and the National Hockey League and I'm paired up with one of my favorite players, the always quotable Nate Thompson.

[Brian Windhorst]

I wore nine NHL sweaters and I have story after story to share. And believe it or not, I have plenty to say. And not just about hockey.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Believe me, he does Energy Line with Nate and JSB is the name of the podcast and it's gonna be, well, it's gonna be quite the ride. We're officially linemates, Nate. We're the Energy Line.

[Brian Windhorst]

We'll have plenty of folks join us. Current players, some of my former teammates, hall of Famers. And wait till you see some of the connections that Julie has. She has quite the Rolodex.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Okay, we'll lean into Nate's playing experience and tap into our interest away from hockey and try to do what energy lines are supposed to do. Provide an emotional boost. How do you feel about all that, Nate?

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm vibing Julie. I'm ready to roll.

[Julie Stewart-Banks]

Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Let's stay in the NBA for a quick topic that raised a few eyebrows this weekend. That's because hall of Famer Isaiah Thomas called out the one and only LeBron James himself for being, quote, unprofessional. End quote. For wearing no shirt during early shoot around on Friday. This is what Isaiah Thomas had to say about LeBron while NBA TV rolled the warm up video. Y'all gotta see this. Take a Look at this. I just totally, 100% object to this. If I was the GM or coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this. The professionalism in our NBA league has diminished so much. I like LeBron, but to walk out on the floor before a game with no shirt on and shoot, I mean, come on, man, where we at? What we doing? Adam Silva, if you want to find somebody, find that. Put a fine on that end quote. Isaiah Thomas is 100% right. It's just a bad example to use. Because you see, contrary to what some of you trolls out there want to instigate and fabricate and start up, when it's talking about Stephen a. Smith and LeBron, I told y'all, I'm gonna always be fair. I'm going to do my job. Regardless of how we feel about each other, I'm going to do my job. LeBron James is not the greatest example to use because 99% of the time, the brother epitomizes professionalism. LeBron James is usually dressed up. LeBron James carries the mantle and conducts himself with the proper level of decorum and professionalism. Media interviews, post games availability, stuff like that. LeBron James shows up, big events representing the NBA brand. It's LeBron James you lean on, so to mention a word unprofessionalism, and him with a broad brush would be incredibly unfair. But if you're isolating an incident, which Isaiah Thomas did, then it's more than fair. And the reason why it's more than fair is because you're thinking about what's going on in the moment. You're a man out there with no uniform, no T shirt on. In a professional environment. You're not in a closed door practice. You're out at the arena where fans have already been allowed to enter the arena. It is a professional environment. But most importantly, it's about who this critique is coming from. Y'all do understand that that champion that is Isaiah Thomas was also the president of the Players association for years, right? Did y'all know that when it came to diversity in the sport covering the NBA that one of the biggest people who spearheaded that movement was Isaiah Thomas, who brought it up and made it an issue during collective bargaining negotiations in the 80s. Did you know that? Because he did it. So people like me and Michael Wilbourne and various others who have been blessed and fortunate enough to cover the NBA for years, including women, by the way, Isaiah Thomas was one of the people who spearheaded that movement. And when they talk about the level of professionalism long before David Stern, in the aftermath of the brawl at the palace in Auburn Hills in 2004, so implemented a dress code law. Before that, it was Isaiah Thomas who was a leader amongst many. The Michael Jordans of the world, the Alonzo mourners of the world, the Shaq Diesel. Go back and look at the footage. Did you see how they came to a game? Did you see how they were dressed? Do y'all know who the most popular coaches were at that time? Pat Riley. Remember how he dressed? Chuck Daly. Daddy Rich, as my man John Sally would call him. Remember how he dressed? Everybody would would bow to the altar of Chuck Daly, God rest his soul. Larry Brown helped upgrade my wardrobe. I'll tell y'all that story one day if I haven't already. Remember how coaches were dressed. You ain't see coach dress coaches dressed in warm up suits and sneakers. There's a level of professionalism that came associated with the sport and Isaiah Thomas didn't escape mentioning that as well. When somebody like whether it was Jalen Rose or whoever else was on the set with him, when they said, yo, what about the coaches? Isaiah said them too. So he's talking about professionalism and a standard that has been ignored. Now in terms of the media, I think it's safe to say that if anybody had the right to speak on this issue, it would be me. In case y'all didn't notice, your brother dresses quite nicely. Matter of fact, I gotta talk to my damn nephew Josh and how he get he been dressing. He gotta upgrade his wardrobe because there's a standard that comes across associated with your boy Stephen A. You don't believe me? Ass first take. It ain't no accident. I might say it with a smile on my face, half jokingly, but I'm also serious. Oh, you gonna dress on first take. You ain't gonna just show up dressed any old kind of way. He ain't going down like that. Professionalism matters. This was a rare moment when we could look at a LeBron and somebody like Isaiah Thomas would ever dream to utter the word unprofessional when it came to him. But it doesn't mean that particular critique wasn't appropriate for that one time. It's worth mentioning, plain and simple. Coming up, the WNBA draft is tonight. Paige Beckins is expected to be the number one overall pick, but she also has another deal in the works. I'll get into that. But first, the University of Tennessee is now looking for a starting quarterback after nil. Contract negotiations broke down over $4 million. $4 million. We'll talk about that and then some. Up next, this is the Stephen A. Smith show in the house. Back with more in a minute. Back here with the Stephen A. Smith Show. Let's get to some quick hitters from the world of sports. Did y'all hear about what happened to the University of Tennessee this past weekend? The university has moved on from starting quarterback Nico Yamalava. Nico was a no show at practice on Friday while his nil contract negotiations with the university were ongoing. University was prepared to pay Nico $2.4 million, but apparently representatives for Nico wanted $4 million. Head coach Josh, what is his hypo, had this to say about Nico. Quote this program has been around for a long time. There are a lot of great coaches, a lot of great players who came before that laid the cornerstone pieces, the legacy, the tradition that is Tennessee football. It's going to be around a long time after I'm gone and after they're gone. End quote. On Friday night, Yamalava notified the team that he was in the process of filling out his paperwork and planned to enter the transfer portal when it opens up this Wednesday. This is a bad look for this kid. Let's get that out the way first. It's a bad look for the kid. It's not entirely his fault he's a kid, they say supporters reportedly his father's involved. Obviously he's got an agent. We all listen to our representatives, we all listen to our lawyers. But the adults in the room ultimately have to concede and acquiesce to what the client wants. In this case, it would be Iam Olava. When you look at Nico, he's a kid, he's a young man, and in all likelihood he's following his father's advice and they're going from there. The NCAA is the ultimate culprit, of course, because they've been exploiting kids for ages. This is why they ultimately had to acquiesce to things like nil deals and transfer portals and what have you, because they utilize the system to their own benefit at the expense of kids for decades and now they're receiving their comeuppance. But along the way, we also have to recognize the losses we've suffered. Mike Krzyzewski, although he was in his mid-70s, there's no doubt that these kind of things played a role in his willingness to walk away from the game. The same could be said for Roy Williams at the University of North Carolina and their basketball program. It most certainly could be said I can speak directly to this because Nick Saban told me himself as to what played the role in his deciding to walk away from college football as the greatest coach the game has ever seen, along with various others. It's also why, you know, folks, you know, didn't want to participate in it. When you think about Dabo Sweeney at Clemson, why you think that this stuff is a headache for him, why he never want to get involved in it. But you have players now in colleges acting like pro athletes or acting like as if they're pros, because the system now allows it and mandates it. What it ultimately comes down to, ladies and gentlemen, is the need for a collective bargaining agreement. There are no uniform rules or regulations in college football anymore, college basketball, because of the money involved. And the only way to rectify that is, is to have a collective bargaining agreement. And let me tell you why it's necessary. You know, it's bad when a corporation like the NCAA is begging for con, for congressional interference. Usually they run from such things. Now they're running to that because they want Congress to solve problems for them that they can't pull off themselves. So there's no doubt that the NCAA probably likes something like this going on because they know it's going to create a public uproar. And as a result, elected officials are going to be clamoring to get involved, similar to what Cory Booker, Senator Cory Booker, alluded to a couple of weeks ago right here on this show, along with other elected officials. This is what the NCAA wants. So if you're the players, if you're representatives of the players, if your parents, you want a collective bargaining negotiation to take place. So there are uniform rules and regulations that everybody has to follow, because that's what it's going to take to save the sport of college football and basketball. Without it, the sport is going to die. I'm telling you that right now, because the NFL or somebody else is going to find a way to infiltrate the proceedings and take advantage, whether it's the NBA, the NFL, or anybody else, because business is business. But in the end, let's not forget the most important thing in all of this. The most important thing in all of this is that this was necessary because the NCAA spent decades taking advantage of the student athlete. Yamalava is not a bad guy here, but his representatives are making him look like the bad guy because they're chasing an extra million, a million and a half dollars. His valuation was at 3.1 million. He was getting paid 2 million, around 2.2 million. Tennessee was willing to go as high as 2.4 million. His valuation was at 3.1 million, but he's asking for 4 million. So worst case scenario, we're talking about a difference of $1.6 million here. And that's what all of this is for. After taxes, take off half that 50%. Come on now, we could do better. Collective bargaining resolves this issue. Getting adults in the room and negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. And the good news there is that finally, after all of these years, players will have representation. That's what the NCAA had denied them the opportunity to have for so long, and they got away with it. I don't want to hear about Senator Ted Cruz or anybody else trying to get involved in all of this in any kind of salacious way whatsoever. I want to see you collectively bargain a deal with the NCAA that doesn't require congressional interference. Because Congress clearly took the side of the NCAA for far too long. Otherwise the athletes wouldn't have been exposed for as long as they were exposed or exploited. Rather, it wouldn't happen that long if you had done the right thing decades ago. So Yama Lava is not the bad guy here. He just looks like it. Because you sign a contract, you want to honor it. Your quarterback shouldn't be looking to just desert your team. That's how he looks right now. But it ain't all his fault. It really isn't. It's just that he's the face of change that apparently is imminent. Now let's get to the WNBA that's preparing for the draft tonight. Paige Beck is fresh off her national championship with UConn, is expected to be the projected number one overall pick. But that's not the only deal Beck is in the works. Sources told ESPN yesterday that she's also signing a three year deal with the three on three unrivaled league. Paige signed an nil deal with unrivaled last year which gave her equity in the league. Sources tell ESPN that Becca's first year salary for the 10 week unrivaled season will exceed what she would make in four years of her WNBA rookie contract. Now keep in mind, her WNBA rookie contract was scheduled to pay her a little over 78,000 this year. The highest paid player in the WNBA is Kelsey Mitchell in Indiana, who's getting paid about 239,000 right now. Paige Beckers. They're saying over four years she would make a little over $350,000. Whereas in this 10 week league she's scheduled to make more than that. If y'all remember last year in its first year, it was projected that the unrivaled league would make approximately 12 to 13 million dollars and they made over 27 million. So consider that. Pay attention to that now pay attention to the brilliance of this girl's Paige Beckers who just won a national championship by the way, who was spectacular all season long. National player of the year went to Juju Watkins of ufc, of course, but Paige Beckers was something sensational, went to the Final Four all four years of her career, got injured to an acl, came back, overcame it, finally won a national championship and now it's considered on the Mount Rushmore of UConn basketball, which is a great, great tribute to have along with the people like Diana Taurasi, Brianna Stewards of the world, Maya Moore's of the world, that kind of thing. But let's get back to what the brilliance of Paige Beckins truly is. Do y'all know that she invested in the unrivaled league last year while she was still in college? Did you know that she has an equity stake in the unrivaled league? Do you know that she's making money as a partner as well as a player and on top of it all is only going to build her profile even more. So when she gets drafted and goes to the wnba, she'll get more money and endorsement dollars from that. Paige Beck is doing her thing, clearly guided by the right people. She knows what the hell she's doing. Major, major props to that young lady. She's doing big things. It ain't just Caitlin Clark now, it's Paige Beckers and soon hopefully it's going to be juju Watkins when she comes back from that knee tear. And she's gonna wreak havoc too. Wishing nothing but the best for her. Let's not forget Asia Wilson, who's the best in the business right now. Let's not forget her for WNBA best in business. Our last quick hitter takes us to golf where history was made at the masses yesterday. That's because Rory McElroy became just the sixth golfer to win all four major championships in the Masters era. McElroy joins Gene Zarazin, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger woods is the only golfers to win the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and a Tour Championship. Here's the story. It's really a story about perseverance. The man was suffering an 11 year drought, came close numerous occasions, finished in the top 10 at the masses eight times over that that time span and still couldn't close the door until he finally did yesterday. It's a story of perseverance and here's why you should love it. Never giving up, always coming back to fight the good fight, to try to strive to be all you can be. That's what Rory McElroy did and it paid off. He's 35 years of age and regardless of that huge monkey that was on his back, he kept going. There's a lot of times we could look at people and we could look at their talent and we could say, hey, we just don't have that ability. We just don't have that greatness. But you know what we all have inside of ourselves, if we really dig deep enough, the ability to persevere no matter how rough times get, we can somehow find our way through the maze and come out better than we were when we entered the fray. That's the lesson to steal from Rory McElroy and major props to him for his accomplishments. That's all I wanted to say about that. Coming up, Gayle King goes into space and some idiot set foot fire to the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. I'll get into those stories and more up next right here on the Stephen A. Smith show. Back with more in a minute. Welcome back to the STEPHEN A. Smith show. I want to get into a serious headline from the world of politics. Police in Pennsylvania have arrested a man they say broke into Governor Josh Shapiro's residence early Sunday and started a fire while Shapiro and his family were sleeping. Shapiro, his wife Lori, their four children and another family were forced to evacuate the home, which was significantly damaged by the fire. Thankfully, no injuries were reported. 38 year old Cody Ballmer turned himself in the police and is being held on charges that include attempted murder, aggravated Austin and terrorism. According to an affidavit, Ballmer said he was angry with the governor and would have beaten him with a hammer if confronted. I'm going to repeat that he would have beaten him with a hammer if confronted. There is a quote from the fire chief in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and he says I have absolutely no compassion for anybody who commits such heinous crimes. Fire Chief Brian Interline told the New York Post following a press conference Monday. Just hours after Balma lobbed multiple Molotov cocktails in the Gov. Josh Shapiro's home early Sunday morning, he said to anybody that affects my firefighters and American citizens, you don't deserve any of the luxuries that we have here when you create such heinous acts against our own people. That's what he had to say he said, I would hope that they send him to El Salvador for a tough crime and absolutely, I would support that 100%. The fire chief continued, he has no business getting any of the luxuries that we have to offer here in the United States of America. I have to tell y'all, ladies and gentlemen, I don't disagree with a single syllable the fire chief uttered. And before I explain why, I'm gonna put up this quote from Governor Josh Shapiro. So you see what he had to say via tweet in the aftermath of what transpired. He said, last night at about 2am My family and I woke up to bangs on the door from the Pennsylvania State Police after an arsonist set fire to the governor's residence in Harrisburg. The Harrisburg Bureau of Fire was on the scene and while they worked to put out the fire, we were evacuated from the residence safely by Pennsylvania State Police and assisted by Capitol Police. Thank God no one was injured and the fire was extinguished. Every day we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities. Last night they did so for our family and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe. At Pennsylvania State Police is on the scene leading this investigation and will keep the public updated, end quote. The fire chief back to him is absolutely correct. See, ladies and gentlemen, this is what I talk about when we're talking about little old me as a sports commentator being a presidential candidate. Think about the vitriol that exists on both sides of the aisle. I'm not going to accuse any politician of being at fault for this heinous act. Mr. Ballmer should be thrown under the jail. There were children in there, two adults, a different family. And what does he say to the police? I would have beat him up with a hammer if I could have. Clearly, you want to inflict violence. Why? We don't know whether this is anti Semitism or not, but there is no doubt that there will be people who are supporters of Governor Josh Shapiro who will say so, and who's to say they are wrong? Anti Semitism is certainly a problem that exists in this country right now, especially in light of what's been transpiring over in Gaza and other areas with the Palestinians and Israelis. We all know what's been going on over the last year and a half or so, if not more. But here's the deal. We can't have this as a society. We can't make this okay. And the rhetoric that we spew, we have to be very, very careful because of the potential impact that it has. I've often said this as a sports guy. In the end, no matter what you say, outside of the actual participants whose livelihoods are directly affected, for the rest of us, it's a game. We're covering games, and we're covering the exploits of magnificent athletes that most, if not all of us wish we could be but can't. It's just that simple. But when you're talking about politics, that's real life. When you're talking about the economy, when you're talking about inflation, when you're talking about the potential of a recession, when you're talking about the borders, when you're talking about safety in the streets, when you're talking about national security, when you're talking about taxes, when you're talking about inflation, when you're talking about health care, you're talking about real life issues. And when you're doing that, you have a responsibility to make sure that you are incredibly, incredibly sensitive to the potential fallout of one's words and actions about what transpires in our nation's capital along with our state and local governments. Now, one would say that has absolutely nothing. I'm certainly not pointing the finger at Governor Shapiro. I'm simply saying the vitriol emanating from folks arrive in large part due to how folks believe their personal lives are being affected or that of their loved ones, communities, et cetera. Which is why, to me, it's important to be moderate and centrist, understanding that both sides don't get to get everything they want, understanding that both sides have to engage in compromise, understanding that both sides need to be pulled from the fringes to the center, pulled from the fringes to the center is incredibly important. Why do I say that? I say that because if both sides have something to complain about equally, but even more to celebrate, then people are not just thinking about what they have to lose, they're also thinking about what they have to gain. And as a result, decorum and common sense kicks into the equation. And we don't have to worry about the level of vitriol we're witnessing. We have to think about that. We have an obligation to think about that. That's why you've been seeing me talk about these issues on this show. That's why you saw me on this Week on abc. That's why you'll see me on Hannity's show and Cuomo show. That's why you'll hear about me leaving the door open, even though I have no desire to be a politician. Not with the kind of success that I've been enjoying in my career. Why the hell would I want to do that? There's only one reason. If the world is so jacked up that whatever I achieve doesn't even matter, because nothing but mayhem and degradation is surrounding me in our society. That's the only incentive. I think Josh Shapiro has the potential to be an excellent Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States of America. I think some people fear that, maybe even Mr. Ballmer himself. I've mentioned names like Wes Moore, governor of Maryland. I've mentioned names like former governor of New New York, Andrew Cuomo. I'll continue to mention others as the names come along. But the goal is common sense, a pull to the center from both sides of the aisle. Just like we got people on the left worried about what they're worried about whether it was woke or cancel culture or abortion or, you know, now with what Trump is doing with the tariffs and how it's potentially hurting small businesses in this country, even though small businesses, some small business members say they are in support of the tariffs, far more might say otherwise. You got other people on the right talking about, oh, excuse me, what about a third term? Like Steve Bannon going on with Bill Ma real time this past Friday, talking about circumventing the 22nd amendment of the Constitution so Trump could run for a third term. Implemented in the Constitution in 1947, ratified in 1951. Oh, you're going to sit up there and say, well, it's relatively new and just like there were people that worked to make modifications and alterations and changes to the Constitution back then, we could do it now. Hell to the no. We got to come to the center. Otherwise we'll be talking about the lives of the few flourishing at the flagrant expense of the very many. We can't have that. We, we gotta be in search of more things to celebrate, not more things to lament. Speaking of celebration, finally, I want to give props to Ms. Gayle King, Katy Perry, Aisha Bo, who was just on the show last week, and the other women who went up in space today. They were among six women who traveled aboard Blue Origins, all female, suborbital space tourism mission. The ladies took off just after 9:30am Eastern in the company's new shepherd rocket in West Texas. The company shared that the capsule flew more than 60 miles above ground before landing nearly 11 minutes later. Jeff Bezos, whose fiance Lawrence Sanchez was also on the flight, greeted the ladies shortly after they landed. Major, major props to them for their bravery as well, because you ain't catching me up in there, I tell you that much. I'm not that curious, ladies and gentlemen. I'm a human being. I'm meant to be on Earth. I don't need to be on Mars. I don't need to be above Earth's orbit. I don't need all that. I'm a God of fear and individual. You know what? You know when I want to go that high, when I want to go higher than that, because I want to go to heaven, that's about it. But I ain't knocking anybody who thinks otherwise, who feels otherwise. Those ladies are tremendous tribute and props to them for what they did. We celebrate them, we congratulate them. It takes courage to do what they did and I'm quite sure it was a wonderful, life altering experience for them, which we'll be hearing about in the days and the weeks to come. My major props to all of you wonderful ladies. You did something I'll never think about doing. I could tell that much. But I thank you for it nevertheless, as I'm sure the rest of America does as well. That's it for this edition of the Stephen A. Smith Show. I will holla at y'all at a later date. Hope y'all enjoyed it. Thanks again to my man Brian Wintos from ESPN for dropping this NBA knowledge on this show. Until next time everybody. As in the next couple of days, peace and love, Stephen A. Signing off.

[Greg Rosenthal]

What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents. The only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101 free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Stephen A. Smith]

The championship is back in the bay for the first time in 40 years. On the new limited podcast series Dub Dynasty, we hear from head coach Steve Kerr on how Steph Curry almost never even joined the Warriors. In fact, I thought we had a.

[Brian Windhorst]

Draft day deal to end up getting.

[Stephen A. Smith]

Him to Phoenix for the entire behind the scenes story of Golden State's incredible 10 year run. Listen to Dub Dynasty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.