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The Supreme Court Basketball Podcast
Looking for entertaining basketball content without the drama? Check out The Supreme Court: A Basketball Podcast! Join Robaire, Chris, and Henri every Wednesday for the latest NBA headlines, news, and transactions.
The Supreme Court Basketball Podcast
Not So Super Sunday
The recent Super Bowl sparked heated discussions about the outcome of the game and the halftime performance by Kendrick Lamar. The episode further delves into the aftermath of the Lakers' trade involving Luka Doncic and explores the implications of Anthony Davis's injury on the Mav's future.
• Recap of the Super Bowl and Eagles' dominant performance
• Analysis of Kendrick Lamar's halftime show
• Discussion on the Lakers' trade maneuvers and Luka Doncic's role
• Insights on Anthony Davis's injury and its consequences for the Mavericks
• Reflection on other NBA trades and their impact on respective teams
This podcast episode encourages listeners to engage with the ongoing stories in sports while providing rich analyses of pivotal moments within all leagues.
Thanks for listening!
all rise. The pod is now in session and we got another one for y'all and another one. Yeah, we got a. Got a couple of topics we'll get through today Discussing the Lakers, aftermath of the Laker trade, already feeling some effects, at least in Dallas. Lincoln pulled out a receipt already. He didn't? Even have to wait 30 days.
Speaker 1:We got a recap in the Super Bowl. Oh my goodness, it was a good whooping. Not only would they whoop, you happened to catch the halftime show, there was another whooping Rough day for light-skinned. It was a rough day, not a day to be a light-skinned brother man. So yeah, good halftime show, relatively, I mean, by most people's standards Lackluster Super Bowl, but it is what it is. What else we got fellas, a little talk about, ad him and max christie had a nice debut and then it ended just that quick. So you thought dallas fans were mad before. Looks like they're gonna be mad a little longer because street clothes may be making an appearance here for a couple weeks just when we thought he had left the building.
Speaker 2:Injury right, man, man, oh man. So where do we start?
Speaker 1:since we already own him. Now, a couple weeks, just when we thought he had left the building, now he's back. Man, man, oh man. So where do we start? Since we already own it, man, never mind. I guess we start with the Super Bowl, being that that's the biggest event right now in the world, at least here in the States, you know what I mean. So for those of you who follow football or care, today was the Super Bowl played by the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFC. Not much of an exciting game, not too competitive, unfortunately.
Speaker 2:I've seen better, but I've seen worse, which was actually surprising.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was surprised the way they got in there and stepped on their neck when it was 24-0. I was like, yeah, I'm not counting them out yet. I've seen it too many times, especially as a Niners fan. But I was like, nah, I can't count them out just yet. But to start in that third quarter it was like, yeah, this is happening. You could feel the way they jumped, the way that defense, how many times they got to Patrick Mahomes was just like Like consecutively, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's almost like it wasn't quite reminiscent of the Tampa Bay game, but it was similar.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was very strange how easily it felt that the Eagles were just superior, like you would have thought they would have come in the favorite and they were the ones looking for a three Pete it was. It was so weird. But yeah, not much of a game, but I mean to see, I was happy for for them to to get that win. You know what I mean. You look at them. They, that team, had been put together very well, had Some ups, had some downs, and then coming into it, I didn't have high hopes for them. I just thought here comes a three-peat, but pleasantly surprised in that regard. But man, I tell you the way they beat them. You know, chiefs not scoring until the second half, and even then, by that time the Eagles were playing not to lose instead of playing to win. So it didn't even feel like that score. Whatever they scored felt like the aftermath of like, yeah, let them get some points up. Yeah, it was way too little, too late. It was. You know, it was garbage time Blackwood better turn a name in football.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's all it was. That's all it amounted to, I mean, by the two-minute warning mark, like what else could be done at that point, like all Philly had to do was get a couple of first downs, you know, take the knee a few times and that's the way it ended. But I had a hunch it would be a blowout. I just didn't see it going the way of Philadelphia Eagles. I thought it would be a blowout the other way. I mean, yeah, I just figured they were a better team. You know they had. I thought Patrick Mahomes was going to have an historic night in that he would be the first quarterback, maybe the first team, to win the three-peat. Now, as it stands, your Los Angeles Lakers are the last team to actually three-peat any professional sport in the state.
Speaker 1:Right, I expected it to be close, though, but yeah, clearly not.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I thought it was going to be. I really wasn't that interested in this game because I thought it was going to be Not necessarily lopsided, but I thought Casey was going to win. Because I thought it was going to be not necessarily lopsided, but I thought Casey was going to win. But what happened is, early on, if you watch the game, a lot of uncharacteristic. Like you know, mistakes happen. You saw the fumble, the interception. It was just like penalties, yeah, right and right. Then and there I said usually when that happens, the game does not, you know, go the way and they score quickly off of it. So they scored quickly off of it. So they scored quickly. But I mean the first half score it was just like, yeah, the way you guys are playing and the way that score is looking like, I knew they couldn't come back unless they were going to pull, like Brady did against the Falcons. I just didn't think that was going to happen.
Speaker 2:Really, what happened, really how you can sum this game up was all their inefficiencies during the season. It finally showed its head. You played against a team that's great defensively, has a great offensive line and that defense. They didn't have to really get pressure from the outside or anything. It was that front four putting in work. I mean, they just kept sacking them. I've never seen Pat Mahomes get that frustrated and look that out of sorts. Once that happened, he started, you know, forcing the ball downfield.
Speaker 2:And you know, one of the interceptions came because he got bumped. One of his linemen got bumped into him as he was throwing and he stepped on his. You know he threw it off his back foot and that was it Throwing off your back foot. You know your back leg is always going to be bad and it did I. Just I couldn't. Okay, they lost, but to lose like that and the only reason you scored was garbage time, yeah, I mean we could have been seriously looking at a donut game If it weren't for them pulling out their guys and backup quarterback and backup guys. It could have been a donut. Yeah, and I don't think we've seen who would have thought that, coming from the Patty Mahomes team you know Andy Reid over there yeah, they had no they didn't have an answer from no side.
Speaker 2:Defensively, offensively, they just it was out of sorts and I think it kind of caught them off guard and they couldn't gain their footing and the rest is history.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they got so used to whooping on people that they finally got hands put on them and didn't know what to do. It was like what do we do in this moment? Like, yeah, we've never been in this situation. You get punched in the mouth.
Speaker 2:Pretty much. I mean, it was just, it was an evening of whooping feet, that's what it was.
Speaker 1:That's what it was, and if it, sounds like we have low energy about the game. That's because it just that's just what it was. It was one of those days where I wasn't too hyped about it myself, and nobody I know I don't think anybody expressed any real enthusiasm for the game itself. The most exciting part, if you will, I mean let me say this before I get to that point I'm happy that Jalen Hurts has some sense of vindication. You know what I mean Some justification. He got his. It was good for him, and even Nick Sirianni, who's been getting a lot of huff for not being able to finish.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I thought pretty much oddly enough for somebody who's been in what Super Bowl with the last three years, he'd been there twice, something like that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, last three years he'd been there twice, something like that. Yeah, yeah, so I played against jesus. Yeah, you lose.
Speaker 1:Once you were on, it's like now you won the hot seat because you didn't get back or you failed to win, like that's the, that's the nfl, that's best sports in general. Now it's such a what have you done for me lately type of deal. If you don't, if you don't replicate that success you had that very next season. It's like, yeah, you went your way out, damn near. But aside from that, I mean the game itself. You know, a bit of a snooze fest. Way too dominant, way too lopsided. That first half I knew we weren't getting any last quarter theatrics and heroics from anybody Like that game was pretty much in the bag by that point. So I wasn't worried about that. I knew that ship had sailed early in the third quarter, the highlight of the game, what I was looking forward to, and most of us out here on the West especially who are lovers of Kendrick hip-hop I heard you like him young Was the halftime performance from none other than Kendrick Lamar, k-dot, compton Zone.
Speaker 1:Hell of a performance. Man For all of it was. Again, like I said earlier, we discussed it. Uh, I thought it was a bit low energy, like it didn't seem as hype as it would have been for somebody who was taking his victory lap, but I mean in terms of like that's rap maybe I mean like if you look at a bruno mars, you look at a beyonce, you look at even I mean I can't.
Speaker 1:I guess you can't even say that, because if you look at what dre did, that was that had energy to, you know what I mean, with everybody coming out, it was a run, Maybe because that had to do with it was on the West too.
Speaker 2:It was in Eaglewood Right A certain level of energy. Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1:It seemed like slightly muted energy. It just didn't seem like everybody was on team, fully turnt up, like I would have expected it to be, knowing he was going to do what he did. But I mean Kendrick, in true Kendrick fashion, that performance was complete with a whole bunch of Easter eggs, subliminals, stuff you got to dig for, and it was very intentional and, as only Kendrick Lamar can do, he communicates that very effectively and very intentionally and deliberately. But in a way that you don't always catch, it takes some digging and some looking. So that was that. In a way that you don't always catch, it takes some digging and some looking. So there was that.
Speaker 1:Artistically, it was wonderful. The production was great in terms of it. I mean I haven't seen a rapper put on a full production, a show like that in quite some time and for people who were talking about, little Wayne should have performed. It was in New Orleans, like and do what? Compared to that you know what I mean Like I can't think of a rapper who would have put on the show like Kendrick did, Like that was a full spectacle of a show, just just Samuel L Jackson coming out as uncle.
Speaker 1:That was like oh, you can't be. That was a definite oh man, that was a that. That was brilliant on this part. I guess that was the surprise he was talking about. He was leading.
Speaker 2:Not only coming out to full production, but a full production. That was part of his vision, that's part of his company, pg Lang. That's what made it like every aspect of it, not just the music, every aspect is like his baby.
Speaker 1:And most people that would have happened.
Speaker 2:And that's the thing about Kendrick Lamar is, everything is intentional and I knew there was going to be some type of message or something to it. I knew there was going to be some type of message or some you know something to it. It wasn't just going to be okay, let's go out there, perform and get everybody. And I think that because the game was so lopsided, it didn't help, hendrick, because you know we all loved it.
Speaker 1:They still sing along with you know, not Like Us but Before you get to that part, yeah, what were you?
Speaker 2:saying. I'm just saying because it's just. When you look at it, it was dead by the halftime.
Speaker 1:It was already dead.
Speaker 2:And the Eagles fans. You know they were happy, of course the Eagles fans, but as a whole at the Super Bowl stadium it was. So I mean because you think about what was on the line. There was a storyline of can you three-peat and I think pretty much everyone that was watching the game kind of knew like that's out the window, it's over. By the time halftime came I don't think anyone was thinking like, oh, kansas City's going to come back. It was just like, and then here comes halftime, you know, yeah, and now we have to pick ourselves up, even though we shouldn't have. I mean, I enjoyed it, you know, being a west coaster, but yeah, for sure and being a fan of kenny right yeah and there are some bias.
Speaker 1:I ain't gonna lie to you like, that's just what it is. Biases exist and I have mine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm sure you got yours too, but you know I'm a braiders fan anyway, so it's not like I want to kid. Is he to win?
Speaker 1:and I'm a dolphins, Chris you a fan of the Niners.
Speaker 2:None of us had a dog in the fight, so it was like whatever, but congratulations to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Speaker 1:You know, much deserved victory Again. That's good for Nick Sirianni, good for Jalen Hurts, so you know it only raises their stock. But that story from trash to treasure and literally pulling out a ring, the sacrifice that he made towards the end of the season was not for naught and that's good too. It didn't go to waste. But towards the crescendo of the halftime show we got what we were all waiting for, what everybody was looking forward to.
Speaker 1:What he teased throughout the performance was his performance of Not Like Us. His smash that quite literally put him on this platform. Like that has pretty much been his calling card for this year. I mean, no, he did release a great album. I love GNX. It's one of my favorite albums of this year. I see rap albums but, um, how'd you guys feel about his, his teasing that out before he finally went into it and and his performance of that? I thought he gave us the out when he said you know I want to perform your song, but you know they sue, and that to me was kind of like I get it, I get it.
Speaker 1:We heard the hook a little bit, we heard a couple of bits of it. But when he said that, I was like okay, well, that's his acknowledgement that, look, I want to give that to y'all, but it ain't going to happen today. I said I respect it. I respect it because when you light skin and hurt it's a bad combination. Things end up in court. So I said okay, cool, that's fine. And then he came with it and it was a slow burn to it. And then it was like here we go. When he looked in that camera and called that man's name, I said oh yeah, that was mortal combat With the most. Yeah, with that mischievous smile like that.
Speaker 2:Oh man, Just like you actually thought I was going to get this one off.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure. Yeah, that was yeah.
Speaker 2:And with the fact that he teased at it too, like yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah A couple, yeah, a couple.
Speaker 2:And I'm thinking how I was thinking was going to happen was he wasn't going to do it. He was just going to kind of play the music and hopefully the the crowd will get into it and they would sing the song for him. But when he finally ripped it, I said, because when you sing the pattern of the songs, you went. He went from, you know, the kind of joyful, happy, and then the GNX, supposed to be the darker side.
Speaker 2:I'm looking for a war, I'm looking for you, you know, confusion, I'm looking for all you know. I'm looking for that type of energy and it was kind of fitting. So I mean, it was. It's just. I just wish that the crowd got more into it as far as the energy, because it really had it's not really telling the story People that if you don't know any better and you just watch it, you would think that they were an end to it, that you have to understand before that at this point that was the only shining star, for you know, for Sunday was the halftime, because everything else yeah that was much anticipated.
Speaker 1:The game itself was like yeah, whatever, I wasn't playing, you know what.
Speaker 2:This wasn't one of those, you know, like hey, man, you know I'm giving something for the game Like there was a lot of people I didn't really hear that many people kind of getting prepared for this. It was just like, yeah, sunday it's a game.
Speaker 1:Yeah, even to that point we just kind of made a little food at home and just sat on the couch. It wasn't about, oh, let's see where we can go and let's get this much and do. It was just like, nah, we're good, we're gonna sit at home and we're going, you know, ran errands this morning and everything, even us recording, is late, because we were just kind of like life is we, you know we'll get here, we will get to it when we get to it because it just it wasn't that emphasis on it, because it didn't even.
Speaker 1:It almost still felt like their foregone conclusion that, hey, the chiefs are going to win this. So what am I really looking forward to besides Kendrick and that's pretty bad when the biggest game in sports is the appetizer to the entree of a halftime performance but yeah, that's exactly what it was, just to show you the kind of monster year he had, that we anticipated this performance more than the game. We cared about it more, we were more passionate about that performance. I mean, that's most people, even football fans. But again, I thought it was great in terms of just the show.
Speaker 1:He kind of set the bar and the standard for rap artists to come after him, for him at the halftime show, like that's pretty major because you really are as much as it is America's game and that's our day, that's our big sporting event, that's our World Cup. He did set the standard and for rappers who will now take center stage and have the honor of performing at the Super Bowl, you got to put forward a real show, a real Hollywood production. You know what I mean, because the world is watching you Again, as much as it's an American thing, it's our pastime. This is going around the globe, it's going everywhere, and Kendrick definitely delivered in that sense. Again, I just would have liked it to be on some damn near crunk type energy, but you know for what it was. He executed his vision artistically, so wonderful performance.
Speaker 2:He's got his flowers right away oh definitely.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean. On the internet, you were seeing what people oh, yeah, the one thing that some people were critical of is just the energy, like, oh, the energy's kind of mid, or this is kind of mid in terms of and it wasn't so much his performance, but it's true the energy level. You also got to look at, hey, who's actually in the Superbowl crowd. You know what I mean. Who who has the money to pay for them tickets? They not like us. You know what I mean. It's like no doubt, and we don't have at it, but yeah it, it was a great performance. We, we sat there when, when not like us dropped, it was like okay, this, this, this is something.
Speaker 1:Even I love the little nuances like people literally land on the streetlights. The streetlights, oh my goodness, it was time for us to come in the house. That's how we knew them. Streetlights came on, we were in the house. So it was just small things like that that reminded you of yeah, this is our city, this is where we grow up, this is how it looks, this is how it feels. Seeing Serena come out was was disrespected the most time, but it was like so that was that right there, yeah, right.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say this, though, because you know I was checking out the stuff. It we have to not forget that all different demographics watch this Superbowl and the halftime, and the reason why rappers usually don't get the love is because they're it's a much younger thing. You know, across demographics it's much for the younger crowd and you know cause I was reading and listening they were like who is this guy? Couldn't under the we've, could have had better entertainment, but obviously it was coming from a demographic outside of our you know us and for sure that played a role. That's going to play a role into the noise. That's going to play a role into the noise that's going to be said I couldn't understand it, I didn't get it.
Speaker 2:And see, this is where the problem is and I think that, for all intents and purposes, how great it was, just that's going to. I think we have to not forget that. You know, we're not the only ones watching it and it was great, it was just like you said. When I saw the street with the streetlights, it was like wow, that was, you know this is home and also what you, what you may have missed.
Speaker 1:I mean, obviously we get the symbolism behind that. You know, it's dude was hanging out on the corner. That's the hood, you know what I mean. That's where we come from. Also, it was not to the Bay Area and he had the turf dancers doing their thing under the street light. I thought that was really cool. Kendrick is always giving props to the Bay Area. I thought that was fly man Again. The Serena thing, that was that extra, that was that salt in the wound that only, like Kendrick, again he's going to be a penny dude, like you know straight up. But hey, hey, she's a grown woman. She participated in it, knowing full and hell. Well, you know what her relationship was with drake at one point, you know.
Speaker 1:So, hey, you know it ain't all on him, but you know it was just next hollywood couple yeah they act like they're on the path to marriage or something you know it's like oh she's, we go almost dancing on his grave, if you will like that.
Speaker 1:That was symbolically what I took from it. But and and I'm sure it may not have been intentional, but again, this is Kendrick and this dude is he's playing chess. He's four or five moves ahead on some Kasparov type shit. So, yeah, that was that was great and that was that was you know. Second half. I was damn near falling asleep, so, but again, congrats to the Philadelphia Eagles. Maybe one day, yeah, in my lifetime I'll get to see my Dolphins. Crazy, I think we're all in that boat. I mean, I've had the pain of watching it get too close too many times here the last few years to where it's just like.
Speaker 1:But you can witness the championship in your lifetime at the very least. Literally. Dolphins have not won since seven years before I was born. You know what I mean. Like I've never seen the Dolphins win a championship.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. You already know what I'm feeling as a Raiders fan. You know it's just real tough right now. I mean you know I'm happy KC. I really honestly I don't care, because if Kansas City, of course I don't want them to win, you know, and not to free Pete. But the thing is I know eventually, I mean as long as they have a great quarterback like they have, they'll be okay. You know, they're always Coach-quarterback combo.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they got that figured out. Everything else is falling into place. They're getting some receivers. I guess they need help on the D-line, maybe the O-line too, and the rich tend to get richer. You know what I mean when these guys become free agents, when they're looking for a place to go, everybody's flocking there. So I didn't feel sorry for them. It was just kind of like, yeah, I mean hey, I thought you guys were going to get this, but you absolutely didn't. And to that point I mean. Similarly, this NBA has been cause that's the other thing that I think the, the trade deadline did was kind of take away the energy of the Superbowl. If you think about it, we totally shifted from what's interesting when you say that the city fill it out.
Speaker 1:I've heard more about Luca. I've heard more about Katie being upset. I've heard more about Luka. I've heard more about KD being upset. I've heard more about AD and how he started that first half. And so, when you really look at it, all the days building up to the Super Bowl weren't about the Super Bowl, it was about the Lakers. It was about okay, I think they're a championship team now. I think, even in the midst of football, the big bad brother, somehow the Lakers stole the headlines and even to the same point, they're still doing the same thing. So if you didn't hear Dalton connect back with the Lakers, first round pick back with the Lakers, mark Williams not with the Lakers.
Speaker 1:And so we got word that it was coming out and it was like, well, hey, what's going on here? What do you mean? The trade is being rescinded, one. I can't ever personally recall a trade being rescinded. Nothing comes to mind for me where I'm like that has happened.
Speaker 1:So immediately it became what could have happened here. What is the condition that the Hornets didn't fulfill for us to be able to get to this point? And what we found out was when they looked under the hood for us to be able to get to this point and what we found out was, when they looked under the hood, it wasn't what it was supposed to be. The car facts came back real dirty and it was like bad enough to where they're like no, we're not doing this. We knew he had back problems and the fact that back problems were not the thing that stopped him from becoming a Laker tells me that there's something very wrong there, to the point where you knew Luka wanted a rim running center that he could throw lobs to the fact that this rescinds. But the Lakers actually get hurt in this process because trade deadline's over. You don't have anywhere to go now except the buyout market.
Speaker 1:What did you guys think about it when you heard about it? I was surprised because, again, I've never seen trade rescinded it. I was surprised because, again, I've never seen trade rescinded and when I read the reports it was the lakers finding many issues with his physical right. I'm not sure what that, what that means exactly, but apparently it was bad enough for them to take that action. But I mean right. Part of me is kind of excited because low-key, you know I'm excited to see Dalton connect yeah, you know he listen he brings back shooters, definitely, and I wasn't ready to go.
Speaker 1:I think we had something we obviously wanted, we still got it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm like yeah yeah, not, not we with the Lakers. I feel like they they have something in Dalton connect. I agree, he, he's a player who's I mean certainly not experienced on it on an NBA. I agree, he's a player who's I mean, certainly not experienced on it on an NBA level, I mean. But there there's something to be said for those three, four, three and four year college players. They're, they're, you know, you call it a little bit more mature because you're a little bit older, obviously not 18, 19 years old.
Speaker 1:Right, you're ready to take a job at the next level, which is really what it is. College is just like anything it's you matriculate into college and hopefully you go in onto bigger and greener pasture. It's the same in basketball. So, as much as the league likes to put the emphasis on youth and I get it from a business perspective you know it's a better proposition for you to get a young player who's who's cost controlled. You have more time. But I think Dalton Connect was special and he has a chance to do something and I think he fits with this team. I'm definitely you still need a big no doubt, and as much as I thought mark williams would be the remedy for that, clearly that that's not the case. The question is now like where do you go from here? What else can be done that you still got?
Speaker 2:a bigger problem. Yeah, I think that's the bigger problem.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that's the bigger problem, and I saw reports that Connect may not play on Monday for personal reasons. So then the question becomes is he?
Speaker 1:sore about the fact it's like bro, you're a rookie, you are a rookie who came in the league, who, if we're talking about what we need versus what we want versus what we have, this is truly the part of the business. But this is what all the players always talk about. When you do it, it's okay, it's just business. When I do it, I'm selfish, and that brings up a great conversation because it really is the same thing. Right, we're all kind of leveraging and it's a weird dynamic to me, because the difference is a team commits to you, you commit to a team, but you always understand the team. The team is going to look out for the team.
Speaker 1:It's weird because if you think about our jobs or everyday jobs, this is a little different. Right, you know you're showing up for a paycheck. Could you quit and go to a new place? Yeah, but you're not getting somebody who's like, hey, your work is slipping, you used to be great, we're going to send you over to our competitor. You know what I mean. So you never know what that feeling is like. If we get tired of work. We're just like, yeah, I'm out of here. Cool, here's my two weeks. If you're lucky and I'm out, I'm moving on to something else, I wouldn't got me something else, but this, this is a little different. So it's interesting that they're already citing personal reasons and I'm like how long does that recovery take? Yeah, it feels a little bit too early in the process to be messing games.
Speaker 2:That recovery shouldn't be nothing because you're a rookie.
Speaker 1:You are a rookie. Fight up and shoot. Whatever you get you should be happy with really, you know what I mean. Like what was he? He should be, what was he? I'm just thankful to be back Drafted.
Speaker 2:what late in the first round.
Speaker 1:I would say Like 15th or not late, but he wasn't a lottery pick. What was he? 15th or 16th or something like that. I forget what it was. I would say 19 outside of the lottery and those dudes ain't even guaranteed half the time. So it's like, yeah, I get it.
Speaker 2:And to this day to this day.
Speaker 1:I don't even think about more seasoned veteran outside looking in, I would imagine. Well, actually I take that back because we have not seen too many people handle it well, but what I, what I'm stumped by consistently, is their reaction to the reality of being a professional basketball player. Being a professional basketball player, being a professional, I believe you can be dealt with it.
Speaker 2:It's not even maybe I'm thinking.
Speaker 1:I'm thinking about me and what I would do in my perspective and my mentality. I wouldn't get that comfortable to plant my flag anywhere, first and foremost because you just never know when you, when you'll be uprooted you and your family, not when you're.
Speaker 2:you're not a superstar, at least you might want to rent lease.
Speaker 1:You might want to stay in a hotel, ken Norman style, like he did when he played with the Clippers years ago. But as you remember that Clipper team as a kid, I thought it was weird. Now, as an adult, I totally understand. He was not going to commit himself to a place that he may not be here for the long haul and for a rookie. You certainly, I mean, I get it. You don't know any better, so how do you not take it personal? But, yeah, you're feeling good, you playing with LeBron, you know what I mean. Like this, this, this, you're in LA. You can't. Yeah, I mean, you talk about a rookie jackpot. Let me tell you the I ever had to choose a path for a basketball player 100% hands down, devin George, walk in the league, run off three done, get a big contract from the Mavs, ironically and then just sail off into the sunset. I'll take it all day, every day.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I'm a ball-fader with life he might be the luckiest player to ever play in the NBA. Oh man, considering his level of talent. All he got from it, from that experience, man, championships, contracts.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, fun that comes with being an NBA player.
Speaker 1:Everything for.
Speaker 2:Devin Everything for him.
Speaker 1:Check, you know Everything for him was icing on the cake. Oh for sure, Everything for him was icing on the cake. Everything was a plus one for Devin George. Division three player.
Speaker 2:Division three yeah, man, you know what? I guess we'll have to wait till Monday to find out everything. I just want to know how bad was that injury? What was that? Just think about it For them to rescind it. Yeah, they're going to keep that, but it had to be on something.
Speaker 1:Getting the HIPAA laws and all that it had to be bad for them to say yeah, you talking about head, shoulders, knees and toes yeah.
Speaker 2:For them to say like yeah, we ain't taking this straight, bro, I'm sorry, I take this back multiple issues multiple multiple issues. I've heard of trades.
Speaker 1:We've heard of trades that were nixed because heard of trades that were next because of injury, like that's happened before. But for you to say like, yeah, we want our money back player like we, we got the short end of the stick on this one and we ain't going for it. So right, yeah, let's. Let's recall that the age of 23 run that one back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, saying what is happening right now where a lot of these guys? They they're. Is it because they're playing too much basketball? Absolutely, because I mean the joel and bead effect is happening. I mean as a matter of fact, you know not to, I know that's not on the topic, but he's supposedly about to be out. You know, within, within, have to have another knee surgery. What is going on?
Speaker 1:like what really is going on?
Speaker 2:so, yeah, that process, that hot process of that scalpel, that's the only thing. That's that's the only thing he's been consistent in his life is the scalpel and pain beds, because he didn't get to play a lot. And for the Lakers, like you said, it's a trade deadline. I mean, as a Laker fan, I was happy because I said, okay, at least we got a big man and we could try something with him to see what we'll do. But now I guess we have to go back with the original plan, which is it's for the future. A hundred percent. I don't know what to see, you know, okay, we got to do it, we got LeBron.
Speaker 2:We got to have a piece of that. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I know we've said it a ton of times, but here I go again. Maybe it's time to give Dwight a call. You know what I mean. Oh, I'm with it. I'm with it, yeah.
Speaker 2:What are you?
Speaker 1:going to hurt what?
Speaker 2:are your other options right?
Speaker 1:now Christian Wood and a heartbeat and put him, because at least I'm going to get six fouls, I'm going to get six good ones. You know what I mean? I'm going get somebody to clog.
Speaker 2:And not to sell Dwight Short.
Speaker 1:I think he can give you more than that even now? Oh no, absolutely. I think he can. If you looked at when he was playing overseas and him adding a three ball and all this, what is it going to hurt? The man wants to be there. You need a big body At this point. There is no risk. Christian Wood ain't playing for you. So what are you losing? You?
Speaker 2:you know you bring back a champion and yeah, I, I kicked the tires on that all day I think this is a league thing, because if it was solely a laker thing he would have never got back the second time after the kobe, you know his his well short stint with the lakers. At that time there's if it was like purely just a laker issue, if the lakers wouldn't have just wouldn't allow them when we were in the bubble. I don't think that was the issue.
Speaker 1:There's something going on, I don't know who he's rubbing into it with AD, so but I mean, that's not even an issue. Yeah, but that's not even.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, so there has to be, because how about? Forget just the Lakers, that he's not in the league at all? You know, that's. That's telling me that there's something going on, right.
Speaker 1:There's something going on with someone you know yeah. I don't want to belabor in that point.
Speaker 2:Commissioner. I mean I'd be dealing with, I don't know, it has to be something. I guess we'll never find out, but still.
Speaker 1:When you brought up Kobe. I know you didn't mean to, but it kind of triggered something in me I was thinking about recently. I missed all the trades and stuff like that. We didn't mention it last week, but we tend to forget that there is a Kobe connection at play in all of this. Oh for sure, it's the ghost of Kobe Bryant still in the crypto, still at Staples Center. We got Nico Harrison, who is the man responsible for bringing Kobe on board at Nike. Obviously, we got Rob Paleninka, kobe's old agent. Now.
Speaker 2:Laker GM.
Speaker 1:Right, yep, and those two I mean who had a relationship but crossing paths to make this work. I just thought that was kind of lost in the sauce, that like there is the irony of it. Yeah, that Kobe spirit kind of looms still in his head Some residuals?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that Kobe spirit kind of looms still in his head. Yeah, no doubt. Then you hear the story of what happened. It just started over some conversations and didn't even really take it seriously, and then next thing you know it really developed. If you believe that, yeah, but I don't. But now do we believe? I don't believe that. Just like, do you guys really believe that Rich Paul and LeBron James are blindsided and didn't know? To me it actually makes sense.
Speaker 1:And I only say it makes sense in this sense. Normally I would have said no. The problem is, if LeBron gives you any pushback and you still do it, it's now blatantly like we've moved on. You're not that guy anymore. I think the only way you can pull this off because, keep in mind, it's now blatantly like we've moved on. You're not that guy anymore. I think the only way you can pull this off because, keep in mind, the Lakers couldn't hold on to nothing.
Speaker 1:When I say nothing, I mean we can argue that we lost Kawhi because we could not stop talking, and that was literally his test. I'm going to put something out and just see if you can hold it. And sure enough, we couldn't. Everybody was nope, he's coming, he's coming. You get magical on late night TV. Yeah, wink, wink and Paul. That's just not who we are. Anything Laker related has always gotten out, but this, being a generational international superstar, rob understood that I couldn't even get this to them until the 11th hour, because even Utah, even Danny Ainge, had no clue that he was about to be helping the Lakers acquire Luka.
Speaker 2:Doncic, he didn't find that out until Absolutely.
Speaker 1:So that's why I'm saying I honestly think, yeah, they kept this under wraps, but it's weird how we can show that we can do it. We just never chose to do it. But when it came to this one, these two started with a cup of coffee and it was like would you ever trade? And I'm sure if I'm Rob, I'm like you know, my old boy is being funny, we gonna laugh, ha ha ha. And he's like no, I'm kind of really serious about it.
Speaker 1:And then the comments from coming out about you know, comments from coming out about you know, when you look at the greats and how hard they work and how well they kept their condition, I was like, oh so no, this this was not a mishap, this was a bro. We don't believe you are that dude. Long term you can put the ball up today, but I'm not putting my, my future on you, I'm not putting 345 behind you, because you've shown me that you're not that guy. That, to me, is probably the best thing that could have happened for the Lakers, because Luka is going to be on his Kendrick in a way that he's going to try to destroy the league. You definitely hope so.
Speaker 1:Yes, you hope, that's all you can do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Well, because you know they said that in his draft report that was the issue Said he was going to be great, be a superstar, all-star, everything else, but he lacked those type of intangibles to want to be the greatest. That heart, yeah, you look at everything, you check all the other boxes, but that heart. I don't know if you have that and maybe, just maybe, in Dallas they know how great he could be if they know it would possibly never happen in a Mavericks jersey, Yep.
Speaker 1:I can see that.
Speaker 2:Because it's like you said $350, $340, $350 million for a player that's not going to achieve what he possibly could be, because the only way he would have to feel because I guess by all accounts you know, they said he didn't show any type of, you know, willingness to want to be better after losing in the finals. So you know, because usually that wakes the player up like you know what. I tasted it a little bit. I got yeah, I can't lose again something to come back in the best shape of my life, I'm gonna do something different. And they said, all accounts, it was just like, yeah, it's another season, you know, and granted, he's only 25 years old, but there's no one a part of the organization that will be at his caliber, or even, you know, almost to that caliber, that can hold him accountable and he would listen. So I think they had nothing in place, no infrastructure in place. You know, you hear the reports about you know literally snatching, you know, a beer out of his hand, like, really Like you're going to be sick.
Speaker 1:We didn't hear it, we saw it. There's actual videos of Michael Finley taking that beer can out of little buddy's hands. So no.
Speaker 2:So think about the Lakers. They knew it. Like, like I said, I just don't believe that they make that decision unless they just knew he's going to be great but it's going to take for some adversity, and the only way that we can make it happen is if we trade him to kind of light that fire Now, granted, we still have to see it, you have to. You know. Only time will tell. But I just, I just don't see it. I can't imagine there's going to be a time with Luca being. I mean, I hope not, because I'm a Laker fan. I don't want to see it. I'd be pissed like damn. Even though you know, even though I mean, did we really lose? You started to look at it and make me wonder. I was upset with the trade at first, but AD is going to be out and he has to miss some significant time, you know, with that injury.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and we'll see if he'll be able to come back. You know, full strength after that, or this is going to be like a you know, repeated offense. As far as you know, injuries go and it'll nag him throughout the rest of the season.
Speaker 1:So and you know what's terrible If you're a Dallas fan. You were upset. You got the casket at the arena. You got the casket at the arena, you got all this vitriol about the trade, and then AD shows up and gives you 24 points in the first half, goes off, screams I'm here. I'm here letting him know hey, yeah, I know you loved him, but you're going to love me too. And you got to see that as a fan. And then you see Max Christie. So you got AD giving you 24. You got Max Christie giving you 23. Couple with Kyrie, your bigs all that you already have and you got just enough of a sample to get excited. And then a non-contact injury. And they're talking about several weeks.
Speaker 2:I would have preferred not to see it.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean. Like it would be better if it was just like I didn't get to see what this was about to be. The worst thing that can happen is it's the hope. That's what kills you, man. Oh yeah, Because you got to see it. There was a splash of it Like damn, and listen, the league already knows who Anthony Davis is, what he sure. And it's disrespectful the way they even. If you looked at some of the grades, it was like Dallas Mavericks, F Lakers, A+++.
Speaker 2:I was like wow, how about the odds, the championship odds? Like listen, ours went up and I was like significantly, how yeah?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but so you?
Speaker 2:know what I mean? Well, this is what I would ask you guys Because one thing how, yeah, yeah, but so yeah, you know what I mean. Well, this is what I would ask you guys, all of our defense.
Speaker 2:Because one thing that we didn't look at when it came to that trade and that they were, you know, they were trying to break down. When you looked at AD, was he just running? Was there something behind it? Because he was asking for a five, you know. So he can play the four and Dallas pretty much granted him that. But see, I just don't know, If you look at it from that standpoint, about him kind of voices, his opinion about playing the four, going back to playing and being more comfortable with that. Was that a part of the reason why they traded him?
Speaker 1:I don't believe that.
Speaker 2:How about this? Were they even looking for trades before this? That's what I wonder. Was he on the market before this Luka deal went down?
Speaker 1:I don't, because the last time you saw him it was what? 42 and 23, or?
Speaker 2:something ridiculous.
Speaker 1:I think they found a secret sauce over these last 10 games where you started to see like, hey, this might not be so bad. Where it would have been really nice is if you had kept him and added a Mark Williams or something like that you know a big or really got him. I'm personally torn on the whole four or five thing At this point. It's just like, dude, you're playing basketball, like I get it, but no, like it's not like you're sitting banging inside all day or outside all day. One way or the other you could look at Jokic being on the outside more, just as much, if not more, than inside like. So to me that that whole argument is more in your head in today's NBA, where you don't, you know, you don't have David Robinson and Tim Duncan where it's like you, and even that they're interchangeable in a lot of ways. So I don't think it was that. I think there were times where AD was frustrated because he couldn't see where the vision was going. He, he understood who he and LeBron were, and it was like what are you actually doing to get us what we need? Cause this window is closing every day, and so I I do think he had some frustration there. But I think this was one of those situations where I would have thought they would have built around AD before they built around LeBron, because AD is third one. You know what I mean. So I think if there was truly shopping and trades, it would have been more conversation with Bron, like, hey, you talked about the Warriors last time, what about this, what about? And then it's like, yeah, I.
Speaker 1:So I think this was a you couldn't refuse. You know, it's just the, it's just what you couldn't refuse. You literally had somebody tell you hey, top three player in the league is up for grabs, and I'm not even clearing the cupboard. That's. That's the part that shocked me more than anything. And this year I was just like you, bear. I was like I don't know that. I like this because we got nothing in the middle. What are we going to do?
Speaker 1:But then when I looked at it, I was like you still got a first round draft pick, you still have some room and you still got a couple of players that you could move. And that's when I was like, okay, I'm with this, because you didn't have to clear the cupboard for somebody you absolutely shouldn't have had to clear. There's no way. I don't care how cool we are. I'm like, hey, I'm giving you the golden ticket, I'm giving you potentially the face of the league and your market in particular for the next 10, 12, 13 years. If he gets reasonably if you talk about health and everything all NBA five times in a row with his current, with a beer in his hand. So if he takes a slight step off of that and just go, yeah, let me swap out this beer for you know some water.
Speaker 1:You know some coconut. What are they really losing, though?
Speaker 2:You think, okay, look at it like this, and this is how I see it. Let's say he does not become, you know, the super workout guy that gets great in shape, but he still is putting up the numbers before you know, prior to coming to the Lakers. Yeah, if the Lakers don't think it's going to work, they still have a tradable asset, a top guy. I mean they down the line, as long as he's still in his prime. I'll say this this is how I know that. In my mind, I believe that it was all BS between Nico and Rob Belenka, because I think they played it this way because they knew this trade wouldn't have got done, because, your boy, that Celtic for life would have gone against the Grange fully to ensure the Lakers didn't get that. I mean to the point where I don't care if this works great for my team, lakers are going to win out of it. No, but here's the thing.
Speaker 2:Cut my hair off, nico Harris has placed his career not only with the Mavs, I think with ever being in the league. If this trade does not work out and the reason why I believe that is because you traded away let's say the Lakers go ahead and win and Luka becomes.
Speaker 1:Multiple years, and not only. Let's not forget, this is the same man who chose not to re-sign Jalen Brunson and give him the contract that he wanted, and we see how that's working out so far. He's whiffed already.
Speaker 2:That man is already on the guillotine. Yeah, we just waited to see if that bloody deal. Pretty much this will look like wait a minute. So you messed around and gave away the future. Wow, you mortgaged our future for some behind some friendship move. That's how that would look.
Speaker 1:And the irony of it is, chris, like you mentioned, they didn't have to give away their future to acquire him. The odd thing is they were willing to give up more for Mark Williams in terms of their future. Like that was weird to me. But I mean, obviously, and that's, it was almost like we have to. And that that's the one thing where I look at Rob and I'm like, yeah, you're dealing with Charlotte. One, so they're really not going anywhere. Two, as much as they like him, they weren't that high on him. So you basically gave them a deal they couldn't refuse and it was like, but if you, if you stack it up don't get me wrong ad is is, ad is ad.
Speaker 1:You gave up 80 in a first round pick to get luca and then you went and got backyard bummed for lack of a better term Like the kid is young, he's got a lot of, he's got a lot of potential, but he's also injury prone and what he was not good at is very pronounced. You gave up a first round pick. You gave up a spot up shooter. You gave up a first round pick. You gave up a spot up shooter. You gave up a pick swap for a chance.
Speaker 1:Basically, at least Luca. You know, hey, hey, you say whatever you want, he's out of shape, he's fat, he's blah, blah, blah and he still can't be stopped. That's that's the craziest thing Watching Luca play is that you look at him and he's like Luca would have you thinking you could go throw your shorts back on and be okay, because he doesn't look like he's in great shape all the time. He's not super fast, but he knows himself well enough to know. As long as I keep you moving, it's going to be jab, step here behind the back, stutter, step in and out.
Speaker 1:He, he. His arsenal is so wide that he knows exactly what he needs to do, that that play where he, he gets rudy gobert on skates and pulls that three to win the game. It's just like that man just literally looks and sees what he needs to do. You got people like ai coming out like he cold, he played like he, a black dude, and that's like the highest compliment coming from him out of his mouth, like he's saying you know, I ain't trying to get in trouble, but he was basically saying that he played like us and so if you look at that and you're going, ok, let's say that right now, the next two years, for example. What we've seen in the past is what we get. You still get a top five all NBA player and you didn't clear out the public At the very least, at the very least.
Speaker 1:Yeah, on the low end, that's like the floor. We're not even talking about a ceiling. We're not talking about if LeBron exposes him to this workout regimen, this sleep regimen, this hey, I'm in the cryo chamber, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here, I'm here if he gets into that mode. This is thanos snapping his fingers like the fact that he wants to go ahead and go, and the crazy part is I could see that being more of a possibility than him being the luca. He is now one. He's still shocked about being traded. I don't think he ever thought anybody would trade him. Two, not only did they trade you, they came out and told you you're not that dude, you're not the future. It's one thing to trade a guy and just be like you know. It's another thing to be like bro, you ain't worth this money.
Speaker 1:Pretty much that's what they told him From the ownership. That's their statement they released. But you know what that could be when you break up with somebody, all the worst things about you come out now now with you everything you don't want to hear as a man, you this, and that you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:It's okay, that wasn't an issue all these years. I was with you. Now I ain't here, no more, and no, we ain't going there. But it could have been honest as well. But I understand they need with you. Now I ain't here, no more. No, we ain't going there. But it could have been honest as well. But I understand they need and it could have been them appeasing their fan base. They want a reason and an explanation. So you got to give them something, some kind of justification for why you dealt our superstar Right, our international superstar, the future face of the league. At least he has the potential to be to the Lakers and of the league. At least he has the potential to be to the Lakers and of all places. You send him to the Lakers. You give them what they want yet again and, let's be honest, you give them what they were going to be striving for in the next two, three, five years anyway.
Speaker 2:We don't talk about it much.
Speaker 1:We won't talk about it much on this show because this is kind of a Lakers-centric show. Let's keep it real, like. But me as a celtic fan, right I understand. Like this is the kind of shit that teams are like.
Speaker 2:I hate the lakers for they find a way to, to push our guys all the time, every time you look up, you know it's that conversation.
Speaker 1:Whenever there's somebody up for a free agent, unrestricted free agent, or trade or or a superstar who becomes available, the first thing you hear laker fans, y'all want everybody, but oh yeah, y'all tend to get them in some way or another. So I understand, like so if you're the dallas ownership.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're a new ownership group. You got to appease your fans and give them some sort of reason why you shipped out their biggest star, who should have been theirk 2.0, quite frankly, absolutely. He should have been a career man. He should have been a career wherever he played.
Speaker 1:He should have been a career player wherever he was playing at right. But there are two things, there are two ways I can look at this. Right, robert, you mentioned earlier Luka's only 25. I don't I'm. When you say 25, I'm not thinking only Because not only is he 25, but that isn't young. I mean by comparison, like if we're contrasting him with, like, lebron james or anthony davis. He's not in his 30s, obviously, so he still has some headway, he still has a runway. But 25 for somebody who's been a pro. Youngest mvp in euro league basketball 17 right he's been a professional for quite some time.
Speaker 1:He's not new to this. He's shooting this. He's got the miles. Yeah, right, his habits by 25 are pretty much who he is and I know that there is the hope that he'll get around LeBron and LeBron's influence will pay off. Right, it's valid. Yeah, but at 25 years old, let's be honest you pretty much are who you are. Your habits are pretty much set in. But, all that being said, but he still managed to be who he is, with all those bad habits. Right, and I thought about it again. I said let me think about it in boxing terms.
Speaker 1:People are familiar with Roberto Duran, one of the greatest champions in all of boxing, one of the greatest middleweights. He had a habit his walk around weight and his fighting weight. He would cut weight like crazy. This man would walk around literally 50, 60 pounds overweight, go to camp, cut that weight, be ready to fight, make the weight right, and he would do this all the time. He would balloon up and down. That was his thing. He's known for this.
Speaker 1:Roberto Duran was one of a kind he's not the only boxer who did it, but he did it in a way that was like he was unrecognizable outside of the ring outside of camp. You wouldn't, you wouldn't be able to tell him, you wouldn't know that was him. So maybe he's one of these anomalies that can do this off season. He can put on a wave, he can go out and drink, have a good time, not dedicate himself to playing, to being in basketball shape, because, for as great as Luka is, as box office as he is, he is the furthest thing from the picture of athleticism. Oh, by far, and for all of again.
Speaker 2:I know we get on At age 45,.
Speaker 1:He's in under the ring.
Speaker 1:We've killed Zion for less. I guess the only difference there is obviously durability and availability. He has not played, he's missed a shit ton of games, so I kind of get why it's justified in that sense. But at least when that brother is focused you can see not only in his form but is his play and his explosion. You can see his athleticism right, his, literally down to his musculature, his frame. So he has that going for him. But, luca, we've never really seen that. No pictures of his brother blowing up in the summer.
Speaker 2:You know again.
Speaker 1:I don't mind you celebrating with a couple of cold ones. That's not my issue. But apparently the ownership and that front office knew that this it ain't just a beer or two. He tends to overindulge to the point that it causes him to be out of shape. And the last thing I'll say about his shape, again, I'm not listen, I'm not a sports therapist and I'm not a physical therapist. I don't know, I'm not an expert at this. To my understanding, the injury he currently has sustained that calf injury is largely due to what Either dehydration or being out of shape?
Speaker 1:Yeah Right, and you ain't going hard enough to be dehydrated and listen if, as you guys mentioned before, you're replacing beer with water, that that'll get you. That'll definitely do it. That'll do it to you. That'll do it. Shit, that beer will dry you out. But oh yeah, as you guys mentioned earlier, he should have a fire burning him in him from last season and that failure. So if you're not motivated by that we're not even. We're barely halfway through the season and you've lost motivation already. That means you can't sustain that motivation. Maybe it's just not in you. And again, my Maybe it's changed the scenery now.
Speaker 2:Listen, I don't even wish this for the Lakers.
Speaker 1:I don't wish this for them, but I hope he does not turn out to be the prettiest Junk car that you ever seen.
Speaker 1:Not even a junk car, I mean just a complete bill of goods, like he might be the prettiest bill of goods we've ever seen and you might never. I mean, look again, I don't believe luca will ever be anything worse than a perennial all-star again, worst case scenario, I don't see it. But but I do think in that statement released by the ownership there is some truth to him and his lack of preparation, his dedication and oh, they've seen. Oh, they've seen it firsthand. Right, they've seen it firsthand.
Speaker 1:They've seen it firsthand this whole time. Listen, they're not just capping so they can please the Dallas faithful and justify their move. It ain't all capped. Keep in mind, when it first came out, our first question was what are they not telling us? Right? That was the first thing we said Like, hey, what are they not telling us? Because you just don't. Something went horribly wrong with y'all. We still don't know the extent of that, but something ain't right. Yeah, no doubt that was my thinking. I was like, yeah, and again, they made. It was their move to make. They made the move.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:They made the call after midnight.
Speaker 2:When you talk about even though he's only 25, but he's been playing professional basketball night. When you talk about even though he's only 25, but he's been playing professional basketball, you know he really has like 10 years into it almost in the professional basketball. I don't think that it's about he lives up to expectations of skill set, because maybe that come around. But when you think about it, like, ok, he already has some wear and tear, he's only 25, but he has wear and tear as far as playing professional sports, you know, but he doesn't have that want, that will to want to stay in shape and want to get that healthier and to get stronger and maybe a little bit quicker, and so he can give a little bit more effort defensively.
Speaker 2:When you put that along with, you know some of the reports and the things you've seen, you know, with drinking and blowing up in the offseason. I think that could have been cause for pause. Yeah, I can see that and I can see the other things that, like I said that we don't know because we're obviously not in Dallas and we're not around them like they are, that they've seen enough and I've had to believe that they've talked to, they've spoken to Jake, jake, and there had to be some type of of input from Jake Kidd too also. That it's like, yeah, there's something wrong and let's just say for.
Speaker 1:Let's just say, there's a scenario.
Speaker 2:Right, and let's just say you know, just for just having this conversation, that they're like Lakers. It looks good, like you said, it's shiny, but boy underneath that Lexus, boy whoosh, that ain't no Lexus motor. That sucker rusted, that sucker's butting out. And look, we just shined it up the dish off onto you. Because I just don't believe that Nico would put his career and not only career, like I said, with Dallas, but in the league his future on that trade. I just don't believe it and I'm just listen. I don't want it to be like that, because I'm a Laker fan, I would have you just. But if we don't win chips up out of this, if he doesn't learn, lakers are not worried about this season. They want to see what he's going to do in the off season and how he comes back. That's going to tell us after this season is up. This season is up.
Speaker 1:You get ahead, because we don't even know what happens. If he doesn't like the way this season goes and is like I'm out. That's still a possibility. We're talking about Luka being locked in. That man is not locked in. I see why they went and got a center. They are very much auditioning for him. The same way, to me, the one thing the Lakers are going to pay good, bad and different they're going to pay. I don't see a scenario Even if he has a horrible season, bad attitude, they're going to pay. But we're not convinced that he. He might not be convinced that. Yeah, because if I'm on the outside looking in at what they've done to this point, I'll look at y'all have pulled out one ring. These guys, when they are healthy, have had y'all at the top of whatever you need it to be. They run into a bus or when they get against Denver, but what help do they have? So why am I going to sign up for this?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's, true I will give him more money than anybody else. You know, for this yeah, that's true I will say, man, we can't give him more money than anybody else. You know what I mean. So it's not like it's going to be this big, you know? Oh well, this contract is so much more than the next one right now. So I'm like, yeah, that goes both ways at this point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that depends on if you believe that whole Dallas deal. I thought it was going to be there my whole career. I thought I was going to be there my whole career, saying like I believe he thought that because he was right behind Dirk.
Speaker 1:I totally believe he thought that Mark Cuban talked about hey, send me the divorce papers before you see me trade this man. So I'm sure and especially if you think about yes, 25, you've been in the league in a while. But some of that is just a lack of maturity in life. Some of that is still feeling invincible, where I can have a couple of beers and still go drop 35. Like yeah, I got it.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:There was a time where we would go kill a large chili cheese, fry in a pastrami and wash it down with a two liter and get up and go play basketball in 30 minutes. What?
Speaker 2:a year. That wasn't a second you. That's not so far gone.
Speaker 1:That's not lost on me at all, I get that, but I guess again Dallas having again a far more intimate understanding of who he is, seeing him day in and day out, they've gone better than anybody else. So to me it was like that was, and again you can never make sense of, again to put it in like relationship. It's like damn you, you this bad, but you single, ain't got no kids and never been married and never had a family. Like that. It's like why, why, why are you alone?
Speaker 1:Like yeah, we ask the questions like for real like at some point, like so you know, we could be wrong.
Speaker 2:But again, well, yeah, because everybody else doesn't know what they're getting, but they're down to what they were getting with ad, so it wasn't like we were hiding but not.
Speaker 1:But now they actually have to feel what that, what, it's like you might have had an inclination but now you know exactly. Oh, this is the risk of getting in business with ad, is that at any given moment, he might not?
Speaker 2:be. Which is sad.
Speaker 1:Which is sad because he was balling. He was really having a good show. Yeah, yeah, but man yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's unfortunate, but you know, at this point 28 and 25, and now this injury going into the, you know, going to the midway point of the season and they all start breaking everything and that's going to be tough, to the midweek point of the season and the all-star break and everything, and that's going to be tough because you know, I mean it's good timing that it's all-star break, because, hey, he's got some time to recover.
Speaker 1:He's not going to be in that game now, so him and LeBron aren't going to get to take the floor one last time this year. But you know, I mean listen for no other reason. It creates enough speculation that we have this and plenty more to talk about surrounding this trade, because there's so many rumors, a lot of conspiracy theory floating and some of this is plausible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I believe some of it to some extent. I don't, you know. Again, I've learned. You know the pandemic has taught me to not thumb my nose up at the conspiracy theorist. Taught me to not thumb my nose up at the conspiracy theorist. It's just fun to discuss because there are a lot of possibilities and there are a lot of things behind the scenes we don't know. So it just makes for a lot of fodder and it gives us more material to discuss.
Speaker 2:Too much mystery. That's why because when you like, you said somebody, that many teams, they would open up the cupboard and like what you want, dog, it just would have been. Just think about that, because if you don't, if you thought, they got a hard with Rudy Gobert.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's what would have been crazy. But you know what? I actually understand it a little more and I'll tell you why. Look at what the Phoenix Suns are about to deal with with KD and Bradley Beal. In essence, the Lakers avoided that. Let's say, the trade didn't go through and it had been loud and it had been covered. That would have been a problem, right, because LeBron wasn't on board with it. Ad wouldn't have been on board with it.
Speaker 1:You would have brought those guys back feeling disrespect. It's exactly what K is going through now, to where he he finds out, oh, I'm, I'm all in, I'm all in these trade rumors. And I get a call from Steph like, yeah, we were trying to get you back and he had to tell Steph I just I don't feel like it's right, I don't feel like the time is now, in essence, putting him down slowly, cause you ain't got that much time left. So if the time ain't now, it ain't happening. Let's call it what it is. That was a conversation amongst old friends where it's like, yeah, that's not the time, that's just an easy way of saying I don't want to be back, I don't want to come play second fiddle to you again because been there done that was MVP and still felt like I was robbing Sunco.
Speaker 2:I'll never be as beloved as you are, but damn KD, how much more I mean. Come on now. You've made many stops. You've made some stops since then and it has not panned out. It's not panning out now.
Speaker 1:Brooklyn is an all-time failure.
Speaker 2:You look at how they assembled those Avengers and that, yeah.
Speaker 1:So to that point, I think that it did make more sense to me when I thought about it in that way. Think that it did make more sense to me when I thought about it in that way because you keep it amongst you. If you guys figure, hey, it's not going to work out, they're fine, it's not going to work out, but you don't deal with the backlash. I mean, we're talking about a rookie potentially having emotions about, yeah, I'm out for personal reasons and he don't have any cachet in the game yet. But you think about a KD, bradley Beal and all these guys now who now have to come back and play. Phoenix needs to blow it up. Phoenix needs to trade all of them and get as many assets. Because when that team got put together, I was like that's going to be a problem of epic proportions and it just hasn't been. They can't value a big man because there's too many people who need the ball, too many shots going that team, the way it's constructed.
Speaker 1:I think we're starting to see that the league needs true teams. You need the Drew Hollidays of the world, you need the Mike Conleys of the world, you need these plug-and-play guys. You need the Tony Allens of the world. You need those guys who really are a compliment to where you are deficient. Everybody doesn't need to score. Yes, I need somebody who is a great wing defender and can disrupt. Yes, I need somebody who can just knock down the open shot when they're called upon, versus having to do it all day, every day. And I think we're starting to see that. Come back to basketball, because if you look at what happened with Boston right when they got Dromidae, it was a wrap. Their whole look, their feel, everything about them was like yeah, this is different. So I think that's what we're going to start to see more and more of.
Speaker 1:And also, this trade has uncovered one more thing that has been kind of a revelation. Well, it shouldn't be, but we've never seen so much uncertainty. So for that reason, you can't feel comfortable anywhere, even as a superstar Ever. That rug can be snatched under your feet at any moment. Now we know that. Like so if you are a KD, I mean, and a lot of this stuff.
Speaker 1:Like you mentioned earlier how it seems unfair when the players initiate the move versus when ownership does it. One is just business and the other is something else. Right, file under disgruntled employee or malcontent, right. I guess the only problem is because you got too many of these Jimmy Butler type instances where guys are just they are for lack of a better term kind of malcontent, like you can't put them in a situation that's optimal anywhere. They will find something to complain about, they'll want out, they'll gripe about something and some of these dudes just cannot find their footing anywhere. But now we know that no one is safe. You can be dealt at any given moment, which is all the reason why I never understood the personal feelings, because that's part of the game, right.
Speaker 1:Aside from that, again, we can talk about that trade and the aftermath and after effects of it forever. There were other trades made around the deadline. Anything else that was. It was impactful enough that that made it really moved the needle for whatever respective team that Jimmy Butler going to Golden State. Not really, that's the thing, yeah, that's the thing. That one was so far ahead, because what you're looking at is you're looking at a face of a franchise for a decade or more versus another. Stop with Jimmy Butler. Cause, really, do we think Jimmy Butler's that more transformative than an Andrew Wiggins or whoever? No, it was just kind of like hey, it's time to try something, yeah.
Speaker 2:I think we should look at it because of what the super max and now isn't what it could be that whole dynamic, as far as contractually, the money is going to garner a different type of response from ownership and all the teams. Because if I'm going to invest that type of money in someone and that's the thing, because the mid-level exceptions and guys you can be an all-star and the type of money that you're receiving is that of superstar money and that's too much money that's tied up into guys. That, I think, isn't the final piece To me. Jimmy Butler he's always played well enough to where he could be the number one guy on most teams, but did we look at him as the same as the KD Did we look at him? He wasn't that top tier to me, but his play was good enough to where it could garner some type of push, to where he was going to get the money and be by default recognized like that. When he went to Miami he was recognized like that, but he was never on KD LeBron Steph, we didn't view him like that. We didn't view him in the top five, you know. So I think that plays a role and you know, then you have Steph plays a role and you know, then you have Steph.
Speaker 2:I think, like you said, chris, teams are gonna have to start to develop because I think that the the mental space and the strength and there's not that many dogs in the league anymore. So your superstars, that you see, they have all those, you know tangents, but there is no probie and by that there's no LeBron's that's floating around as not not not just skill set. I'm talking about that will to want to be the greatest. And you see that. And you see, because I mean, what conversation are we having about Luka right now? Yeah, because LeBron James, kobe Bryant, they understood number one.
Speaker 2:You're going to have to keep that body in shape Because it's a long ride trying to win the championship. Just to get there is a hard-fought road. Then, on top of that, to win it, you know, and to have to be the guy, and what your body has to go through and the things that you have to do to win. That's why, when I look at Boston, they and, like you said, they have the recipe is you can get two all-stars, but you're still going to need those. You know, those extra additives like a Drew Holiday and other pieces that can kind of keep everything cohesive. And I think you know much, you know what honestly, much like, even though you know we had, you know who we had back in the day when we repeated with the Lakers you still had a B Shaw, you still had guys like him. That really kind of kept everything tight. And you know behind the scenes things that you can't quantify. You know on the stat sheet and part of that the presence of a real vet.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I think you're going to have to start they're going to start looking at those guys and realize that you know what they really have a place again. And getting back to specialists, I think you'd have think, like you said, we have to get back to that and I think that's where the Lakers hopefully we can get to, because Luka, he's not going to be everything for us, but I think if we can assemble a roster, a young enough roster, around him that can kind of cover up some of those things, coupled with a little bit of I don't know who, we could get as far as someone you know in a senior position to come up in there and kind of lead the way. But I think we'll be, hopefully we'll be okay as long as we think that Luke is going to kind of grow out of this. And, you know, hopefully we'll think the Lakers are to come out on top Now and hopefully will.
Speaker 1:I think the Lakers are going to come out on top.
Speaker 2:now, of course, dallas. I like AD.
Speaker 1:So the other trades we mentioned Jimmy Butler going to Golden State for Andrew Wiggins and some Home Depot dudes. Then you have obviously Zach Levine going to Sacramento. Does that do anything for anybody? Does that pique anybody's interest? Does that sound like anything that makes them dramatically better? Does that make them a contender? So that trade, okay, never mind.
Speaker 2:Look at you Laws, yeah right.
Speaker 1:Any other trades. I mean, obviously LaLuca is obviously the headline in this story, but I mean there were other trades made but again, none of them. They sounded bigger than they really were. When you stopped and you really assessed what the value of the trades are, it's like, yeah, because they were swaps.
Speaker 2:Pretty much.
Speaker 1:Even LaLuca's trade was a swap, but the two don't compare just in age and what could be. I think right now we're seeing AD at the height of what he's going to be moving forward this stretch this last eight to 10 games. I don't think there's a next level for him. Luka, there very much is a possibility, I think, and I think that's why the rest of them are kind of like okay, you get Zach Levine, you lose the Aaron Fox, you send Brandon Ingram to Toronto. Okay, what are they doing there? You know what I mean Sam and Scotty Barnes. You just don't feel that there's.
Speaker 1:And I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Ingram, but when you're talking about these trades that were like, okay, you got the thing that pushed you over the top, I don't, I don't, none of those jump out to me personally. Yeah, no doubt I mean again, it's, it's leluka and everything else. Nothing else jumps off the to me and nothing else jumps off the page, nothing significant, and nobody becomes a contender overnight with an addition. They're pretty even swaps. And also we we tend to forget this. I mean it was historic in so many ways, but one being this was the first time two All-Star not even All-Star, all NBA players, were swapped midseason. This is the first time ever. This is the first of its kind. That's why it is a bit of a watershed moment for the NBA and the league and that's why it made so many. It made the news the way it did and we're talking about it for weeks and we'll be talking about it a whole lot longer yeah, we'll be assessing this because we want to see how this thing plays out.
Speaker 1:So far things have happened the way we kind of thought they would. I don't want that for Dallas or AD. I think he's a great fit and I think he did kind of raise their expectations to at least Just a half.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, just one half I mean. But then again, like I say, it's that glimmer of hope, that's what kills you. It's like, damn, we got our hopes up and now we got what it could be, what it could be, and now we got to wait for possibly next season. We don't know how that works out for Dallas. But I mean, if he can get back and in shape and find his rhythm in that team, I that team, I mean, yeah, wouldn't it be a hell of a story? If he does get back, he gets a championship this year or he knocks the Lakers off en route to it in the Western Conference or something like that.
Speaker 2:Oh, I could totally see that. Yeah, that'd be a hell of a story, I think, because the Lakers messing out on the center really set us back, or the other guys that got there down low, gaffer you forget, you forget.
Speaker 1:you still got Gafford and Lively.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, you got. You know what?
Speaker 2:I will say, though, the only thing is, you know I kind of farewell, that was kind of tough. Was I mean seeing Chris Middleton? You know seeing him for all those years, you know they, they kind of departing, you know that departure was just one of them things where I know it was tough business and basketball I'm happy.
Speaker 1:I'm happy you brought that up, because I totally forgot about that trade only because I felt like for kyle kuzma. Maybe it's just me, maybe I don't understand basketball. I don't see how you give up, chris. Maybe it's the style of play. They want to get up and down. Maybe maybe he's able to run the floor better. He's younger, I can only justify that one to get younger. Yeah, because if you look at what Kyle does, kyle is a volume shooter. He's a little bigger, but other than that, yeah man.
Speaker 1:He's one of the guys I learned to stop. Like I got over him. Like when he was traded, it was like he wasn't part of that young core. I thought, like you got to keep around, like he was one of them guys like, yeah, he could be a bit of a fan favorite, you know, I could see him having that kind of effect and he can have moments. But it's just moments. It'll never be more than that.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean. It'll never be a consistent play where you can kind of install him somewhere and you know what you're going to get night in and night out.
Speaker 2:But that's the thing too, not to switch up, but the whole KD thing. I think that KD mentally he thinks he's one way and he wants the notoriety, he wants to be remembered as the guy, no matter what team he's on. But it's a pattern now I think we have to look at. We've got to go back to OKC. You know he wants to be devoid of any type of, you know, criticism that comes with being the leader, but he still wants to be recognized as a leader and he still wants to be, he still wants to win. But I don't know if he has those pieces that because, by all accounts, look at it, we know what happened.
Speaker 2:We know what happened in that series which led to him ultimately leaving, and how people were mad at the wrong guy and realized, like wait a minute, kd, you you kind of swung and missed and you kind of didn't really put your best foot forward, and you know. And and that series which led to you going to golden state. You know what I mean. And the same thing with this one. I just want to play, but that's not. I'm sorry you can't be in the position that you're in and to be recognized, to get the money and to be the guy and not put. It's not just the game, and I think that's what why you need some of these guys that aren't necessarily they're not going to be the best player on the team, but they hold certain type of key characteristics that you need in leadership and to keep everything cohesive, to work, and that's what the Suns are missing and I think that's why they kind of you know.
Speaker 1:A real leader. Is that what you mean, Right? Is that what you mean to say?
Speaker 2:Yeah, because that's because Kate playing with Katie is what you mean. Is that what you mean? To say yeah because that's because, besides Golden State, you've seen you can assemble some of the greatest talent you can have. The question is, who's going to be the leader? And he clearly can't be that Clearly Because the Phoenix Suns.
Speaker 1:He has no desire. That's the last thing he wants.
Speaker 2:I thought the Suns was going to be a force to reckon with. Oh yeah, I was worried about that and it ain't happened. Dog, I'm sorry, it just did. I mean blow up in you. You know what, the more we talk about it, the more I agree it's time to blow it all up. The book can be some, and that's a whole nother conversation. I just work. Hmm, I mean, does he? Oh?
Speaker 1:that, that that comes down to an owner coming in and just deciding I know what to do and I'm going to swing big, and I'm a swing often and and it just didn't work, and it happens from time to time. I think that's, that's a problem that they're going to have to figure out, so so yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean for us Laker fans, we're going to have to hold on and we're going to you know kind of this year is going to be what it's going to be and how it ends. I'm not going to be mad at it because it's understandable. I don't expect us to just be this team just because, you know, especially with no defense and you know, losing AD and losing a rim protector and a big that we're going to need in the playoffs anyway, I don't expect much this season. But really what I'm looking for is to see, I want to see Luka being around LeBron and seeing how that rubs off into going into the offseason, because, see, that's where it is Going into the offseason and let's see if certain things he may have picked up.
Speaker 2:Or LeBron, is he going to spend one of those summers where you're going to hear even if I, you know I'd be pleased if I start hearing about it LeBron, he's been working out in the summertime, he's been getting up with LeBron and he's, you know, hired a nutritionist, all these. If, well, he don't have to hire nobody. Lakers probably, you know, probably do that. But I want to start to hear those things going into the offseason this season, I mean after we lost our big man, and then you know, I mean, it is what it is, we'll see what it'll turn out to be.
Speaker 1:We don't know what the future holds, but one thing I can all but promise you is it'll be exciting. At the very least, you know it'll be exciting.
Speaker 2:Even if it's a train wreck, it'll be be some fun basketball if you don't get nothing else out of it.
Speaker 1:So yep yeah I think we pretty much covered the gamut of our topics. Man, I mean much more on the horizon right now, and in the world I mean there's plenty going on, but in terms of sports and culture it ain't a lot besides it being full-time basketball. Now you know that, since football is over, I mean, you know if you count spring football in march, but you know, wherever you are, no. I'm just saying you're running into the All-Star game and you know, let's see what it's going to look like.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's that time of the year, huh.
Speaker 2:Look out for the Spurs, check that team out. Oh, definitely yeah.
Speaker 1:Can't sleep on that. I think that, to be fair, that's probably the one trade that they got some good running mates, because they kept the veteran Chris Paul there to kind of facilitate and get them set up and get those two running together. So, yeah, if there's any other one to be excited about, yeah, it was that one, I think that that was the one. So yeah, I think that's it, man. Yeah, With all that news. The was that one, I think that that was the one. So, yeah, I think that's it, man. Yeah, With all that news. The other good one we have some good news, I guess, sort of good news, If you are following the show, have been following the show you want to continue to follow. We are now on YouTube, so you know sound effects for that, if I had it.
Speaker 1:But we on YouTube now you can find us at yeah, you can find us at yeah, for real, I need to upload that. We are at Supreme Court Basketball on YouTube. Just type in at. Don't forget the at symbol Supreme Court Basketball. Our episodes are available there. Of course, I don't want to be begging for it, but I would appreciate it. We would appreciate it all. If you like, comment, subscribe and if you really love us you know absolutely if you really love us, you know if you're really big in the show, give us a love offering, feel free to give us a love offering you know give us a good love offering.
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Speaker 1:We don't get that Right, yeah, yeah, so with that I hope to hear you'll hear from us soon and we look forward to you know signing off. I'll check y'all next week. Anybody else Go for it?
Speaker 2:Ben, you know I'm just saying. You know this was another good one in the book. You know more to come. You know I'm telling y'all come check this out. There's some real stuff going on over here now. You know as much as time moves on and everything you're going to figure out and kind of be in the flow with us when you hear some of our isms and our words and everything Telling you, tap in with us. Now you want to be one of the ones that said, yeah, I'll start, don't you want to be one of them?
Speaker 1:people that was just like, yeah, I remember you know, a couple episodes I've been waiting from the giddy up. Yeah right, Don't you want?
Speaker 2:to be one of those. Tap in with us now.
Speaker 1:And the merch came in and came right. All went. Went the way we wanted it to. Yeah, thank y'all for rocking with us. We're, we're looking forward to bringing you more. This has been good for us. This is you guys are barely getting into who we are. We got some fun plans coming up for our, our origin stories we're barely getting into that stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, on this, on this platform, on this thing we're barely we got some stuff cooking for you guys. So hang with with us. Tell a friend, subscribe, like you said, hit those like buttons, keep us going, the level of engagement we get to see that. So that drives us to keep coming back and doing more, no doubt. But these are my brothers. Just coming back to be with them is more than enough, but we want to take you on that journey with us, so don't forget to like, subscribe, hang out with us for a minute.
Speaker 2:I'm.
Speaker 1:Chris signing off. Catch y'all next week Out. Peace yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.