← Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Straight Shooter with Stephen A.
Stephen A's Take: Stephen A recaps the NBA Playoffs! Redick's comments!
00:22:03
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- [00:00]
Ryan
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- [00:25]
Stephen A. Smith
No purchase necessary vgw group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply. AT&T has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed. Like getting through self checkout by yourself. Not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you can depend on deals you want and service you deserve or they make it right. Learn more@att.com guarantee@&t connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.com. guarantee for detail earlier this week we saw the Los Angeles Lakers eliminated from playoff contention at home, by the way by ant man himself, Anthony Edwards in the Minnesota Timberwolves. The lakers lost in 55 and the team met with the media yesterday to talk about the off season and what needs to happen heading into next year. Head coach J.J. redick had one thing on his mind yesterday when talking about what the Lakers need to do to improve. Take a listen.
- [01:34]
Ryan
I'll start with the off season and the work that's required in an off season to be in championship shape. And you know, we have a ways to go as a roster and certainly there are individuals that were in phenomenal shape. There's certainly other ones that could have been in better shape.
- [01:57]
Stephen A. Smith
First things first. Obviously he's talking about Luka Doncic. It doesn't take an Einstein to figure that out. That may not be the only person he's talking about, but clearly he's talking about him. At the very least, he's the one that's going to have the ball in his hands the majority of the time. He's going to be the face of the franchise for the next decade, or at least the foreseeable future. He is a basketball iconic superstar globally I might add. And so because of that you're looking at him and you know, the conditioning or lack thereof, the manner in which he was attacked, the manner that the fact that in game five, in the closeout game he gave up nine blow bys for crying out loud. That is something that has to be rectified. J.J. redick knows that. And his willingness to speak about that is not hypocritical in any way, ladies and gentlemen, because J.J. redick say what you all about him, but he has always been somebody that's been in shape. He was always his his pension. And what rode his success through Duke as an All American and then ultimately on a professional basketball level was the fact that JJ Redick's movement without the ball was obviously a very, very significant thing. The man has always been in shape. So when he talks about one's conditioning, it's not like we could look at him and call him out for anything. We certainly can't do that. That's number one. Number two, when the Lakers talk about improving their roster, understand that they don't have a boatload of things to work with. You got some players, the Austin Reeves, the Rui Hachimora's, the Jared Vanderbilts of the world, the Gabe Vincent's of the world, all of them are hovering anywhere from 11 to 13 million in salary. Here's the problem with an Austin Reeves that's making about 13 million. If you move him, how much equitable compensation are you getting in return? He's established himself as a bonafide number three option for the Los Angeles Lake. He's averaged about 20 points game this year. He's improved vastly. And if you're going to move him, okay, what kind of equitable compensation are you going to get in return for his services? Because at $13 million, again, the salaries don't necessarily match. He's grossly underpaid. So because he's grossly underpaid, you know, it's one of those situations where if you move him, you're going to get shortchanged on the return. I don't know about that, but the biggest thing it brings me to is wondering. Having me wondering about LeBron James. If LeBron James decides to come back for his 23rd season, which everybody and their grandmama believes he will, I think a legitimate question to be asked is what is he playing for? Do y'all understand that since LeBron James has arrived in Los Angeles, they missed the playoffs, they won a championship in the bubble, but then they spent the next three years or four years or so either missing the playoffs or getting bounced in the first round. And at least once they were swept. Since 2020, okay, LeBron James has gone to the Western Conference finals, Darvin Ham's first year, all right, but other than that, he's been home in the first round or before then. So you look at the Los Angeles Lakers right now. You look at the rest of the Western Conference, ladies and gentlemen. OKC is not going anywhere. Houston's not going anywhere. Minnesota's not going anywhere. Dallas is not going anywhere. I gave you four teams right there and we don't even have to count all the others. Where's Denver Gonna fade. Jokic is still around. Jamal Murray still there. Aaron Gordon is still there. Michael Porter Jr. Is still there. Where they going? That's five teams. Clippers, Lakers had their way with them during the regular season. The Clippers are the ones still playing. Going up, going for a Game 7 tomorrow night in Denver in the first round of the players while the Lakers are already home. And five, five, what's up with them? So I gave you sixteens right there. Six teams. If you're LeBron James at some point in time, it's appropriate and fair to ask what is he playing for? Cause are the Lakers going to win? Okay, he's the one with the assets. Houston's the one with the assets. Minnesota got ant man and some defensive wizards around them. Dallas, Kyrie eventually will return. Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, Derek Lively, they ain't going away. I'm just saying we got to pay attention to these things. You're talking about five to six different teams before you even think about the Lakers. LeBron James is still an all world player. He's still one of the greatest. There is no question in that. But if conditioning is an issue with Luca and the ability of the Lakers front office to do something to improve the roster are all high question marks. Where does that leave LeBron James? Is he really playing to win? Meaning does he believe that they can win with him? Is he playing because he just doesn't feel like relocating. Is he playing so his other son could come into the NBA? These are the questions that people are asking and I think they're legitimate. Because right now with the Lakers going home in the first round, it's almost so you can't even take their regular season efforts seriously anymore. You got to wait until the postseason when teams have an opportunity to plan and plot against them in the best of 7 series. Can't ignore it. I certainly am not and I don't think the rest of you can either. The situation is what it is and there is absolutely, positively no way around it. By the way, as an aside to the people of Dallas, can we take the heat off of Nico Harrison just a touch? Because you talk about somebody that doesn't look Too bad today it's Nico Harrison. Because when you look at Luka Doncic and you look at the way everybody from Julius Randle to Mike Conley Jr. To an ant man to a Jada McDaniels, when you see the way everybody was blowing right by him, he is a defensive liability. And offensively, because they pressured him 94ft for most of the game, come fourth quarter time, he didn't have the legs. Is he going to dedicate himself? Is he going to recognize that he's the new face of the franchise for the Los Angeles Lakers? Is he going to understand the importance of making sure he's in peak condition so he can maximize his talents? Because I got news for you. As great as Luka is, and we all know he's great, you know somebody else who's having just as big of an impact as Luca is his former sub, Jalen Brunson, who, by the way, helped Luca, carried the Dallas Mavericks to a Western Conference finals about three years back. That same Jalen Brunson, who the Dallas Mavericks didn't want to give 53 million to, and the Knicks ended up giving him over $104 million, too, before signing them to a new contract where he sacrificed $100 million, which he could have signed had he waited an extra year just to ensure that the New York Knicks got their boy Mikel Bridges, his former boy at Villanova, to come play with him with the New York Knicks. Jalen Brunson did that. That same Jalen Brunson has carried the Knicks to a second consecutive berth into the Eastern Conference semifinals, courtesy of a 116, 113 victory over Detroit in Game 6 last night in Detroit. Jalen Brunson, as I told you, was The Star, dropping 40 points on the Pistons, including a late three pointer with four seconds left in the game to seal the victory. So I'm looking at a Jalen Brunson, and I'm saying to myself, this is what he brings to the table. There's no doubt about that. Mikhail Bridges showed up in the open court. When you let the brother flourish, what does he do? He gets it done. He gets it done. Anunoby can't say enough about the defense that he put on. Cade Cunningham. Held him like 32 shooting for the series. Carl Anthony Towns, not impressed with his offensive output. We need more, but we'll see what he does defensively. We'll see. So that's just where I'm at with it. I look at the New York Knicks, I'm very, very proud that they Pulled this out, that they got out of the first round. No doubt about that. They advanced to the Eastern Conference second round, however, where they'll be playing against the Boston Celtics. All right, and I'll get to all of that some other time. For now, for this moment, however, I'm going to get to somebody you all seem to love, because he's got some things that he wants to say. He's got some things that he wants to add, he wants to bring to the table. I can't imagine what he is. But you know what? It's Friday. I'm in a good mood. I don't mind letting my nephew come on the show. That's right, Nephew Josh. Joining me now to break it all down, here he is. What's up, Josh? How are you, man?
- [11:09]
Josh
You see me, I'm in full celebratory mode.
- [11:13]
Stephen A. Smith
Are you sitting at my desk?
- [11:15]
Josh
This is not your desk anymore. This is our desk. So it's funny, once again, you letting your friends off the hook. So JJ Redick is just allowed to. Like you said, he must be talking about Luka Doncic, isn't he?
- [11:32]
Stephen A. Smith
So that's one. That's one of the things he's. That's one of the people he's talking about.
- [11:36]
Josh
Oh, well, Luka Doncic is so out of shape that JJ Decided to play him the most minutes on the team. He averages the most points on the team. Second and assists. No, first and assist and second and rebounds.
- [11:55]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, first of all, you're missing a point just because he played them, because Luke is one of your best players and you have to play him. And JJ Reddick clearly showed that he wasn't willing to use his bench because he lost complete faith in all of them. He's just saying what you have to do because of how much you need it. He wasn't saying. He wasn't saying that the man is out of shape. He's a bum. He's saying that you've got to be in championship shape to win a championship.
- [12:20]
Josh
Oh, well.
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Stephen A. Smith
And that's actually factually correct.
- [12:23]
Josh
What would J.J. redick know about that?
- [12:26]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, J.J. redick didn't win a championship because he was never a star player, but he was always in shape, and he was always considered one of the best shooters in basketball. And by the way, I'm not letting him off the hook because, listen, he should have found a way to use his bench. How you gonna go a whole second half, game three, and not use your bench once? That's egregious.
- [12:44]
Josh
You gotta use your Bench or not use a center. You wanna use a center. You can't stop nobody in the paint.
- [12:50]
Stephen A. Smith
He doesn't really have one. I mean, Jackson Hayes wasn't the answer. What are you gonna do, Josh?
- [12:54]
Josh
That's the tallest play. You play the tallest player. You the coach. You gotta.
- [12:58]
Stephen A. Smith
No, you don't. No, no, no, no, no. There's plenty of tall players that were scrubs. There's plenty of tall players that weren't active enough that didn't handle their business the way that you would like them to. You can't go by that. Just because you tall don't mean you automatically get inserted into the lineup. I mean, listen, you trying to tell me there ain't nobody on Golden State that was Draymond Green. But for the longest time, they put Draymond Green out there and, and ask him to embrace the challenge of going up against bigger dudes simply because you didn't have guys that we confident knew how to play into the system.
- [13:27]
Josh
Does Rudy Gobert look like Hakeem Olajuwon? If you have somebody out there with some hype? 12 for 15, 27.
- [13:35]
Stephen A. Smith
If they can't play. If they can't play, yes. Because Rudy Gobert is like what, three, four time defensive player of the year? Uh, but also, you know what a lot of put backs and what have you. Listen, the Lakers could have got. They could have consummated the Mark Williams deal with Charlotte. They didn't do that. Okay. Talking about he failed some physical or whatever. They got to go out and get it big. We know they were too small. They didn't have the personnel, the teams.
- [13:58]
Josh
The teammates that they did have, though. You're not going to play Jared Vanderbilt.
- [14:02]
Stephen A. Smith
I thought so. I mean, Big perk made that. And, and I, I think you gotta throw. If you can throw out Dorian Finney Smith and you could throw out Rui Hachimori, you could throw Jared Vanderbilt out there. I think the. I think the problem is, is that Minnesota plays defense so well. You needed as much offensive firepower as you could possibly muster. Jarrett Vanderbilt doesn't have to be guarded. And that puts Minnesota at. That puts the Lakers at a decided disadvantage when they're on offense.
- [14:30]
Josh
So I feel like the guy that was doing the most work on the team is taking the most heat. Even you just saying that. Nico is not looking so bad today. You still gave away Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. You still looking bad?
- [14:45]
Stephen A. Smith
Well, that remains to be seen. What if Dallas makes the finals next year?
- [14:50]
Josh
What if Dallas makes the finals? You got Dallas, you don't think.
- [14:54]
Stephen A. Smith
Hold it. You don't think they have a chance?
- [14:57]
Josh
No.
- [14:58]
Stephen A. Smith
And do you know that, do you know, do you think OKC got a chance?
- [15:01]
Josh
Okc?
- [15:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
- [15:03]
Josh
Yes.
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Stephen A. Smith
Do you see? Did you realize that not only did Dallas bounce them out in the playoffs last year, but did you know that in the two meetings that Dallas had this year without Luka, they beat okc?
- [15:18]
Josh
Yeah, that's okc. Maybe they match up well with them, but I don't think they match up well with enough teams in the West. Dallas, to make it to the finals, to make it through everybody.
- [15:28]
Stephen A. Smith
All right, let me switch to the Knicks real quick. I know you were excited about them. I see you drabbed out and you better have paid for that yourself. You better not have charged it to my car. I'm kick your ass. I'm telling you that right now. You better not. But let me ask you this question. Were you surprised that Knicks won last night?
- [15:44]
Josh
Surprised? No.
- [15:46]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah.
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Josh
Nah.
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Stephen A. Smith
Okay. All right. Do you believe, do you. Are you ready for this?
- [15:51]
Josh
Yeah.
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Stephen A. Smith
Do you believe that Jalen Brunson is the greatest Knick ever?
- [15:57]
Josh
Oh, you wasn't here last year. I changed his name to mj. I call him Michael Jalen Brunson. I even put his head on the little dunk emblem. And because there's stats that show that, you know, he's right on that level of Michael Jordan. Like, you know, he may just be missing the Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson all put together, but he might go with your ignorance.
- [16:22]
Stephen A. Smith
You always crossing the damn line. You always going a little bit too far. Most 40 point series clinching wins on road in NBA history. Michael Jordan had four. Okay, he has two. Congratulations. With that we understand that D. Wade's up there, Charles Barkley's up there, Giannis is up there or whatever. Stop with the, stop with the Jordan comparison.
- [16:40]
Josh
No, no. Can I do what you do?
- [16:43]
Stephen A. Smith
Go ahead.
- [16:44]
Josh
How long, how long has, how long was Jordan in the league?
- [16:47]
Stephen A. Smith
Jordan was in the league for 15 years total. 13 in Chicago.
- [16:51]
Josh
So Jalen Brunson is about half that and he's half his 40 point game situation. So he's on the trajectory.
- [16:58]
Stephen A. Smith
Talking about his size and his overall game. He can't, he couldn't defend like Jordan. Jordan's a nine time all NBA defensive player, ten times scoring champion. So just stop it. Don't, don't, don't display. Let me not show you how ignorant you are today, but let me ask you this. What do you think the Knicks are going to do against the Boston Celtics.
- [17:15]
Josh
Well, we got to take you one game at a time, brick by brick. We're going to break even in Boston and then we're going to break even in New York. It's step by step. We gotta go seven games. We gotta make it nasty. And yeah, we gotta fight. And you gotta stay out the Garden. Go ahead.
- [17:34]
Stephen A. Smith
So I have to stay out the Garden? Why?
- [17:35]
Josh
Yeah, you're not. You only show when we, you know, when we at the brink of winning a series or something like that. You don't be there through the wars and stuff.
- [17:45]
Stephen A. Smith
First of all, I've gone there during the regular season. I was on tv. I did a countdown from the Garden, for crying out loud. And I flew from LA to do the show from the Garden. That's number one. And that was the game. They got blown out that game. Bobby. Boston didn't even make it a competition. But I was there when they, when they beat Philadelphia last year in the playoffs. Okay, I, I was there. I was there this season for a few games when they won as well. Don't, don't put that on me. But I will say this. I think the Knicks are going to lose the series in five.
- [18:13]
Ryan
Goodness.
- [18:14]
Josh
First.
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Stephen A. Smith
And I'm, I'm hopeful, but I think they're going to lose.
- [18:17]
Josh
First of all, you're talking to me. So when you mentioning them games that you went to, I know that it's for work. You don't go there because you want to. People like me pay our hard earned money to go. You got a free hard earned money.
- [18:28]
Stephen A. Smith
You just lied. You just lied. First of all, hard earned money. I'm speaking hard earned money. Which one is it? You either stealing from me. You understand what I'm saying? Because that's what you do. You take my, you take my card and you talk. You. You build tickets and then you let me know that you built the tickets. You just said that last week. So which one is it? Is it your hard earned money or is it you saying I used your card?
- [18:48]
Josh
I'm speaking for the masses. It's your money that gets me into the Knicks game. But I'm talking about, for the most part, the people in there spend their hard earned money. You get to come in for free and you barely do. You only come when we winning. We don't like it. Talk about the Lakers. You want to be where it's warm. You're not from there, you're from here. You see me representing us, right?
- [19:10]
Stephen A. Smith
I spent you just this first time you wore that. This is the first time you wore that. So I've got. When I think about the Knicks, you don't know any better because you're a young whippersnapper. You're too damn young to appreciate it. But Bernard King, I know you've heard that name before. Patrick Ewan, Walt Clyde Frazier, Earl of Pearl Monroe, people like that. You know, Carmelo Anthony, I would tell you that, you know, you got to put Walt Clyde Frazier, because that's a guy that delivered a championship. Obviously, it was several decades before you even born, but bottom line is, that's what happened. That's the champion. Carmelo Anthony wanted that smoke. He was. He was damn good. But Jalen Brunson is next level. Ewan is there, too. But Ewan was obviously continuously getting smacked down by Jordan. No shame in that. But I think what I hold against Ewan is how he got outplayed against Akeem Dream Olajuwon in the finals when the New York Knicks had a chance and they weren't, and Jordan wasn't in their way. Then he let Akeem get in his way. I can't. You know, I gotta look at that.
- [20:10]
Josh
So. So what are you saying? That who. Who's. Who's the best Nick ever? Because I did hear that conversation.
- [20:16]
Stephen A. Smith
I got. I would go to. I would go with, walk Clyde Frazier. That's what I'm gonna go with. I said, that's right. That's what I'm gonna go with. That's what I'm gonna go with. A champion. A champion. That's what I'm gonna go with. But let me ask you this, man, before I let you get on out of here. What's this about? You had about some goat list or whatever. What's on your mind? What's that about?
- [20:35]
Josh
Oh, like, I got, like, a goat list. Like, it's a new one. Cause we argue about LeBron and Jordan a lot, but it's people like Ant man that is like, he's on the trajectory. He's been on Minnesota, he's the number one pick. Every year he gets better. Every year he goes further. And it's like, at what point do we start to, like, put them people in? Jokic three MVPs. Already got a chair. Giannis, your MVPs. Defensive play of the years. We gotta start a new fluctuating list. You like to call it fluid. I'm gonna call it fluctuating. My words bigger than yours. And, yeah, I think we should.
- [21:14]
Stephen A. Smith
Longer, huh? Longer word, but go ahead.
- [21:18]
Josh
Yeah, I think it's something that we could get into after every game. It could change up depending on what I feel like Shay is on.
- [21:24]
Stephen A. Smith
So in other words, you wanna have a goat discussion, but you want it to be something that changes after every damn game.
- [21:31]
Josh
Yeah, because that's what the goat. That's what the goat is. This whole Michael Jordan, this whole Michael Jordan stuff, y'all don't let go. Y'all don't let go. Nothing new could come in because we.
- [21:43]
Stephen A. Smith
We don't want to let go of facts. We want to let go of facts.
- [21:48]
Josh
The facts understand?
- [21:50]
Stephen A. Smith
We don't want to let go of facts. Josh, have you ever seen Michael Jordan play?
- [21:54]
Josh
Yeah, you know, I'm 36. Yes, I've seen Michael Jordan play. I'm just not moved. I was moved at the time.
- [22:02]
Stephen A. Smith
Did you say, you said you're not moved?
- [22:05]
Josh
I was moved at the time, but now, now I know that y'all only show us the makes. What about the misses? He didn't win six straight finals.
- [22:15]
Stephen A. Smith
Yeah, he just. He won three. He three peated twice. And the two years that he didn't win was because he retired.
- [22:22]
Josh
No, no, no. He lost to Orlando. I was there for that.
- [22:25]
Stephen A. Smith
Excuse me, excuse me. He lost in 90. He lost in 94 to Orlando. Right. And then 95. He came back with 17 games left in the regular season after playing baseball. I was there because he dropped a double nickel on the Knicks that year before the playoffs. You forgot about that, didn't you? That's right. Be quiet. Say goodbye to the audience. And that your uncle Steve just had to school you in your novice self school.
- [22:49]
Josh
We don't know about the 55 point game. It's not enough.
- [22:51]
Stephen A. Smith
Double nickel.
- [22:52]
Josh
LeBron 28 straight.
- [22:58]
Stephen A. Smith
Goodbye, Josh. Ladies and gentlemen. He has to go. I've got work to do.
- [23:09]
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