Second Round Syndrome | A Philadelphia 76ers Podcast
Second Round Syndrome | A Philadelphia 76ers Podcast
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Second Round Syndrome Strikes Back

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In this milestone 20th episode of Second Round Syndrome, hosts DJSportsZone and Jordan Sabel look back on one of the most dramatic seasons in Philadelphia 76ers history. After becoming the first team ever to erase a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Celtics, the Sixers' magical run came to a crashing halt with a second-round sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks. With another postseason ending in disappointment, the hosts ask the question many fans never thought they'd ask: what comes next for Joel Embiid and the future of the franchise?

Inside the Sixers' Identity Crisis:

• The Embiid Debate: DJ officially declares himself "done" with the Joel Embiid era, citing another injury-riddled season and continued playoff frustrations. The hosts debate whether the Sixers can realistically build around Embiid moving forward, despite his dominant first-round performance against Boston and the challenges of his massive contract.

• Front Office Overhaul: Following the firing of Daryl Morey, the discussion shifts to newly promoted President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey. The duo examines whether fresh leadership can finally correct years of questionable roster decisions and prevent more franchise-altering mistakes.

• Coaching on the Hot Seat: Nick Nurse remains in Philadelphia, but for how long? After another second-round exit without a single win against New York, the hosts discuss whether Nurse enters next season under serious pressure.

• Roster Regrets: The success of former Sixers prospects continues to haunt the organization. From Jared McCain's breakout postseason run to the emergence of other former Philadelphia players around the league, the hosts argue that a lack of youth, development, and depth remains the biggest obstacle standing between the Sixers and true contention.

NBA Finals and Draft Buzz:

• Spurs vs. Knicks: The NBA Finals are set as Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs prepare to face Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks. The hosts preview the matchup and reflect on San Antonio's thrilling path through the Western Conference.

• The Race for No. 1: With the Washington Wizards securing the top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Jordan breaks down the debate between AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson while highlighting several other prospects rapidly climbing draft boards.

• A Summer of Questions: As the Finals begin and the offseason approaches, the hosts examine the difficult decisions awaiting Philadelphia and whether the organization is finally prepared to move in a new direction.

A mix of analysis, reactions, and bold takes, this episode explores a franchise caught between loyalty and reality—while asking whether the Sixers can finally escape the cycle that gave this show its name: Second Round Syndrome.

Podcast: IG/YouTube/TikTok @secondroundsyndrome • X @2RoundSyndrome
DJSportsZone: IG/Facebook/YouTube/TikTok @djsportszone

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IN THIS EPISODE

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TRANSCRIPT 🔗

WEBVTT
00:00:03.759 --> 00:00:06.080
Welcome to second round two.
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Round two.
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Welcome on into second round syndrome, your talk for the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA.
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I'm your host, DJ Sportstone.
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With me, as always, is my co-host Jordan Sable.
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Jordan, second round syndrome has struck again for the 76ers.
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How are you doing?
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And I see you're uh wearing something different than uh Sixers gear.
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Maybe you're sick of them, but uh what's going on?
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Yes, DJ, maybe I am a bit sick of the Sixers with how they've been performing in that second round.
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But yes, I am repping the new U.S.
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men's national team or U.S.
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soccer jersey.
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Obviously, the World Cup is um days away at this point.
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It's been a long time coming, and I'm just super excited for for the World Cup and the World Cup fever to hit this country and for you know soccer to kind of grow it uh as well.
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But yeah, um, let's talk about the Sixer.
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That's why we're here, but just hyped for the game today and um for the upcoming World Cup.
00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:10.640
Yeah, it's been a while since we did a show.
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Life has just gotten in the way, and I'm glad to be back.
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If you missed the podcast, I've still been posting every single day on DJ Sports Zone, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook.
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I've been posting reactions to all the conference finals games.
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I'm definitely gonna be covering every single finals game because we got the San Antonio Spurs going up against the stinky, awful, disgraceful New York Knicks.
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I'm sure you can guess who I'm rooting for this upcoming finals.
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We have so much to talk about.
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We're gonna talk about the the Sixers coming back against Boston down 3-1.
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For the first time in franchise history, the Sixers have ever done that.
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The first time the Celtics have ever blown a 3-1 lead in franchise history.
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We're gonna talk about the Sixers getting their asses kicked by the New York Knicks after they got swept.
00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:04.319
Then we're gonna talk about a little bit about the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs.
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The Spurs, they took down the defending champs.
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We're gonna talk about the Knicks sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers and what we're gonna see going into the NBA finals starting on Wednesday night.
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So, with the Sixers, right?
00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:19.759
I was very impressed with them in the first round.
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Like it's so crazy seeing the difference between the first round and the second round, right?
00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:26.960
The Sixers were down 3-1.
00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:28.879
Everyone, including myself, thought it was over.
00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:31.680
I mean, we reacted to their performance after game one.
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They got blown out, right?
00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:35.439
They got blown out in games one and game four, right?
00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:36.960
And Bede finally came back.
00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:43.120
And honestly, after coming back from the appendectomy, Embiid looked pretty healthy overall, actually.
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They played extremely well.
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And honestly, I'll give Embiid some credit because this episode, I'm gonna go out Joel Embiid.
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Anyone that knows me knows that I am a huge Joel Embiid fan.
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I've supported this man every single year.
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Now I'm kind of at the point where I'm I'm done with that.
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It's not personal.
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I love Joel Embiid as a person.
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I'm sure he's an amazing human being, right?
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One day I would love to meet Joel, right?
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That's how much I admire him, everything that he's done for this organization.
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But the Sixers would not have made it past that first round without him.
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I want to be very clear.
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He was incredible, right?
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We obviously got a great game or two from BJ Edgecombe, right?
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We we Tyrese Maxie looked pretty solid in that series.
00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:30.400
Paul George played incredible defense against the Celtics, right?
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And you could even say, okay, maybe in game seven, the Celtics maybe could have won if Jason Tatum was in, right?
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He was out that game.
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Honestly, that that was one of the best series I've ever seen.
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It just was.
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I mean, we we've seen the Sixers go against so many mediocre opponents in the first round, whether you're talking about like a Miami Heat team with like Kelly O'Winnick and Josh Richardson, whether you're talking about a Brooklyn Nets team with a young DL D'Angelo Russell, Jared Allen, heck, even Jared Dudley was picking fights with people in that series.
00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:07.840
I mean, you could talk about the Toronto Raptors with no Kawhi Leonard at that point.
00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:11.360
You could talk about the Brooklyn Nets with Mikhail Bridges and Nick Claxton.
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The Sixers haven't had many great opponents the first round, right?
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Now, they they did face the New York Knicks two years ago, but they lost that series.
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This time they faced the Boston Celtics, who were so good this year, right?
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And a lot of that had to do with Jalen Brown.
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But then you got Jason Tatum back.
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And I thought they were gonna go all the way to the finals.
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Like I thought they were gonna beat the Sixers easily, right?
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Maybe not a sweep, but maybe five games, right?
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Maybe you could squeeze a six game, right?
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That's what the Sixers did a couple years ago when Embiid was on one leg and half a face dealing with Bell's palsy.
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But they were able to do it, right?
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And Jalen Brown immediately was going on Twitch, complaining about everything, saying the refs had an agenda and you know how this was his favorite season, and how him and Stephen A have had beef going back and forth.
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He was crying on Twitch, and I I actually had hope.
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I thought the Sixers might be able to go on a run, right?
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I was not happy with the Sixers this season, you know, and as you know, watching or listening to every single episode.
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I was not happy, right?
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They traded away Jared McCain, they didn't have any depth, but they they were still winning some games, and they could have lost the plan.
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Like I said, it was possible that they could have fallen to the 10 seed, they could have got knocked out of the play, and we were even talking about their lottery odds, right?
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Because they had a top four protective pick.
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Obviously, that doesn't matter anymore, it's relevant, but then they go into the Knicks series, and it looks like they don't even try.
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And the funny thing is, Jordan, the one game it seemed like they did try was the one game, game two, that Embiid did not play.
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Embiid was clearly injured in that Knicks series.
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Now I'm not using that as an excuse.
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I I want to be very clear about that.
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I am not using that as an excuse, I'm using that as an observation, saying when Embiid is hurt, because he was healthy in the Boston series, in the Knicks series, he was injured.
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And the Sixers played way better with Embiid not on the floor.
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Normally it's the opposite.
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The Sixers are usually terrible with Embiid off the floor.
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But because Enbiad is injured, which he usually is at this point, it's very rare when we do see him healthy and we see what the Sixers team can be in a very rare occasion when he's healthy.
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But because he's not, now you know the question once again pops up of does the Sixers team need Joel Inbiat anymore?
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Because we know we what he could do when he's there, when he's healthy.
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But at this point, seeing that he played 19 games last season, the season before he played 39 games, and this season he only played 38 games.
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And I'm the injuries are not his fault.
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I've said it a thousand times.
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I don't think he's purposely missing games or anything like that.
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It's not load management, it's just he always gets injured, right?
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How how do you plan an appendectomy?
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How do you plan appendicitis?
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It's so random, right?
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That's not a basketball injury, right?
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Things happen.
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It's not like right now, we're all wondering what happened to Mitchell Robinson's broken pinky, right?
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And the Knicks won't even tell us, right?
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It didn't happen in the game, didn't happen in practice.
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He did something stupid off the court, right?
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That you could be mad at Mitchell Robinson for because he's usually injured too.
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But in this case, you can't be mad at Joel Embiid.
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This is just who he is.
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So, Jordan, I'll ask you this question: Do you think the Sixers are just better off without Embiid at this point?
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Because we have Maxi developing still, VJ is is coming up here.
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We have this 22nd pick coming up from the Jared McCain trade.
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What do you what do you think is gonna happen here?
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Well, the thing is, um Embiid is locked down to a long-term contract that pays a lot of money because he we paid him, we locked him down to that supermax contract, I think, a couple seasons ago.
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Um, and those are hitting next year and then the year after.
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I believe the year after that, too.
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So the thing is, if we're we're not gonna be able to trade, I don't think we're gonna be able to trade an asset like Joel Embiid around the league because of the demands of his supermax contract.
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But again, it's all up to the decision making of Mike Ganzi, who's the new general manager for the team, with um obviously Darren Mori getting um dropped as a result of how this season panned out and obviously the calamity of trades and and tra and transactions that have happened throughout his tenure.
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Obviously, look at Julian Champigny now at the Spurs performing like he's great.
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McCain traded to the Thunder, which you've talked about DJ on and on throughout this podcast and throughout the season about how terrible a trade it was.
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And look at him performing in the east in the Western Conference Finals against the against the Spurs.
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He was phenomenal.
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He was phenomenal throughout the all of the playoffs, pretty much.
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Um, what a great bench piece, would have been super helpful for our team, but um Maury let that go.
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But yeah, eventually it's gonna come down to let's see what Mike Ganzi can do.
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Um and we'll talk about this probably later on in the show.
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But in general, I think Embiid is still super important to this team.
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I would like to see him stay.
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Um, I would like to see him be the guy that stays with the same team for pretty much his whole career.
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And I know that's a rarity in sports, um, but I think Embiid represents Philadelphia, and Philadelphia represents a player and needs someone like Embiid.
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Um, a guy who's gonna fight to the nail for everything.
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Even if he does get injured, he'll come back and still produce at least similar to what he was doing previously.
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I would like someone like that.
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So I'm on I'm in the uh the bracket of I think we should keep Embiid personally.
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Um we're kind of stuck, like I said, with the contract stuff.
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It's it's complicated, it adds an extra element.
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It's tough to trade.
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He's he is tough to trade because play because organizations know his injury history.
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At this point, we're kind of at the we have to we have to may have to run the length of this contract.
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I don't know how easy it will be to get him out of the organization.
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Do you think that's a possibility, DJ, that we'll be able to trade him?
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And what for?
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Well, I'm not even let me just ask you this question here because I I obviously don't agree with you here, but let's just say you can trade the contract, okay?
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Would is this is your answer because of the contract, or do you actually think we should keep in beat, as you said, for the longevity of his career?
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Oh, so he could stay on the same team for his whole career.
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Like, if you can trade the contract, would you?
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I think the contract is like a huge portion of the of the issue because it's a supermax contract.
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But I'm saying I'm saying ignore that.
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Ignore that right now.
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Like, if you could right now, based on what we've seen the last three years, let's take the sample size here.
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Would you trade embiad?
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Yeah, because production's not been good enough.
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Okay, that that's where I'm at right now.
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And again, I know that the the contract is untradable.
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You know that the contract is untradable.
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Anyone that has a brain that's listening or watching this podcast right now knows that this contract is untradable.
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Okay, that's the reason why Eat is probably going to stay on this roster because I don't think anyone that comes in this organization, whether it was Daryl Morey before, whether it's now Mike Gansy, the new president of basketball operations, I don't think anyone, I don't think Adam Silver, if he comes in himself, it becomes the the president of basketball operations.
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Nobody can do it.
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There's no magic wand that somebody's gonna waive and he's magically going to appear in another jersey.
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It's just not gonna happen.
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But the problem is, is you're gonna run into the same results every year.
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Joel Envid is already 32 years old.
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It does not get better with age, right?
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The last three years have been terrible, and he's dealt with injuries his whole career, but in particular, these last three years, it it's it's been so bad, and I don't see it getting any better.
00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:58.399
Now, maybe I'm wrong, I hope I'm wrong.
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I love Enbiad, I would love to see him here until he is retired, which could be next year, who knows at this point.
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But I would love to see him on the roster still, but I I have to accept reality at this point that I don't think the Sixers are doing anything with Joel Embiid on the roster.
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Again, I hope I'm wrong because I would love to see Embiid win a championship for this organization.
00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:22.879
They haven't won a championship since 1983.
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It would be so cool if Embiid was the one to do it, but I have to live in reality because after watching that New York Knicks series, like nobody could miss on that team.
00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:32.240
Nobody.
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I mean, after that Hawks series, Mikhail Bridges has looked like a superstar, like he's been so good.
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:40.080
OJ Nanobi has been so good, right?
00:12:40.240 --> 00:12:41.840
Josh Hart has been incredible.
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Obviously, there's not much you have to say about Jalen Brunson.
00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:46.960
Jalen Brunson is so good, right?
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He's so shifty, he could shoot from anywhere.
00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:54.159
Carl Anthony Towns, even though he's been in foul trouble most of these playoffs, he's still been productive.
00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:58.639
He still walks out with a double double, even though he's always on the bench because he's in foul trouble.
00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.120
And then, do I even have to mention Landry Shamit?
00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.399
Like, oh my goodness, another fumble from the Sixers, right?
00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:10.000
He was somebody that we traded for Tobias Harris, gave Tobias Harris that awful five-year contract.
00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:11.759
And we see Landry Shamut.
00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.360
I think he's one of the biggest reasons the Knicks are where they are right now, right?
00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:17.360
Because he's been so productive off the bench.
00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:21.279
This is a guy that Tom Thibodeau barely wanted to play last season, right?
00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:28.559
It wasn't until the media and fans were complaining of, oh my goodness, you're running your starters into the ground, play some of your guys.
00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:31.039
And then he started playing campaign and Landry Shaman.
00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:34.559
This season, Mike Brown uses his depth, right?
00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:40.799
He plays Landry Shaman, he plays Miles McBride, he plays Jordan Clarkson, Jose Alvarado, who they traded for at the deadline.
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All right, he plays these guys and it works out for them.
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The Knicks are extremely deep.
00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:48.080
The Sixers are not.
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I mean, the bench is awful.
00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:54.480
I mean, Quentin Grimes had a decent game or two, but outside of him, who do they have, right?
00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:57.039
And as you said, Jared McCain would have certainly been helpful.
00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:00.320
Now, would the result have changed with Jared McCain on the roster?
00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:01.440
I don't think so, honestly.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:05.120
I think they still would have gotten swept, but your future would have been bright, right?
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:06.159
Brighter, I should say.
00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:12.320
It's still bright when you have Maxie and VJ on the roster, but imagine having Jared McCain in there as well, right?
00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:17.600
And I don't want to hear that uh Daryl Morey, Nick Nurse, they they couldn't find any playing time for this guy.
00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:18.240
Any?
00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:18.639
Right?
00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.000
You look at the Thunder, right?
00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:21.600
And forget the injuries they had.
00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.200
Yes, I know Jalen Williams was out.
00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:38.639
Yes, I know AJ Mitchell was out, but you still have Shea Gilgres Alexander, you still have Alex Caruso, you still have Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Kasen Wallace, you still have all these guys that they could have played, and they still found minutes for Jared McCain.
00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:47.919
McCain was starting in the Western Conference Finals three months after he got traded.
00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:55.039
This is the same guy that Nick Nurse and Darrell Morey sent to the G League this season.
00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:57.360
And I feel like we all forgot that.
00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:00.000
They sent him to the G League.
00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:04.480
And now he's starting in Western Finals, conference finals games.
00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:07.279
Like it's so bizarre, I can't even finish my sentences.
00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:08.960
Like my mind was blown.
00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:10.879
And as you said, he played extremely well.
00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.320
He played so well.
00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:16.559
And you could say, okay, maybe his performance wasn't great in that game seven.
00:15:16.799 --> 00:15:17.600
Okay, fine.
00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:18.240
Right?
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.519
But he's so young and he has so much room to develop.
00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:25.679
And I trust Mark Dagnall to get him that playing time.
00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:28.080
I trust Mark Dagnall to get him that experience.
00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:34.000
That way, next season, when they're back in this situation, maybe he plays a little bit better in a game seven scenario.
00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:34.799
Right?
00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.559
So it's just so frustrating.
00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:41.600
And yes, Joel Embiid, he actually didn't miss a single shot in that game four.
00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.840
24 points, he shot eight of eight from the field.
00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.360
That's not good enough.
00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:46.080
Right?
00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:51.279
You need him to score 35 points, 40 points, because you can't rely on anybody else.
00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:54.399
Now you could say, Oh, well, why aren't you putting any blame on Tyrese Maxi?
00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:56.000
Was Maxie bad in that series?
00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:58.000
Yes, everyone's bad, right?
00:15:58.159 --> 00:16:13.679
I don't know a single player that played well for the Sixers in that series, but at the same time, it's so hard to get your shots off when you're getting doubled and triple teamed on every single possession, right?
00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:15.759
I don't know any possession in that series.
00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:18.720
And if anyone wants to find me one, okay, cool, right?
00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.080
Pull a clip, send it to me.
00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:20.559
Cool.
00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:23.120
I don't know any possession where he was left wide open.
00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:27.200
I don't know any possession where he he was even one-on-one with somebody else, right?
00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:30.080
Because everybody knows that Jalen Brunson is not a great defender, right?
00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:31.279
We all know that at this point.
00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:38.960
But when you have Jalen Brunson on him, then you have him being joined by Josh Hart or OG or Bridges, like Maxie doesn't have a chance.
00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.919
So all Maxie can do is get the ball to somebody else.
00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:45.200
But the problem is nobody else is able to score, right?
00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:47.279
VJ looked like a rookie in that series.
00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:50.799
Paul George looked like a hundred years old in that series, right?
00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:58.080
Joel Embiid obviously was injured in that series, and then the bench is absolutely useless because all you have to do is rely on Quentin Grimes.
00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:00.240
Because do you trust Justin Edwards?
00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:04.240
Do you trust uh Dominic Barlow?
00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:04.720
No.
00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:06.799
Do you trust Jabari Walker?
00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:12.240
No, like Justin Edwards, like any of these guys, you you could go through the list Adam Bona, Trend Ed Watford, Drummond.
00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:14.799
Like these are not guys you could rely on.
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:19.200
And that was the Thunders problem with Jalen Williams and AJ Mitchell out, right?
00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:22.960
Because all the weight had to be on Shea Gilgis Alexander, right?
00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:24.559
No Jalen Williams, right?
00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.759
No AJ Mitchell.
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.240
Obviously, Chet Homegren didn't show up.
00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:31.920
So all you had to do was rely on your death, and they just didn't show up.
00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:35.039
But I trust their death over what the Sixers have.
00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:37.039
I take that any day.
00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:41.039
So they have so many things to work on this offseason.
00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:47.359
Now, I was hoping when Daryl Morey got fired, which I I am very happy about that move, right?
00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:49.359
That made absolute sense.
00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:51.200
Mike Gansy, okay.
00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.960
I don't know what he's gonna be able to do.
00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:56.000
Now, clearly, Bob Myers, I wanted him to take over.
00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:58.559
Clearly, he wanted no part in the draft.
00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.920
Clearly, he wanted no part in fixing this team.
00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:06.160
He made sure that this was taken care of immediately.
00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:08.720
And maybe that's a good thing, right?
00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:13.920
Um that he was on it right away, but at the same time, if anyone could have fixed it, it was Bob Myers.
00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:20.799
Now it doesn't mean, Jordan, that Bob Myers is going to, you know, go to Cancun, take a vacation while Mike Gansy is suffering.
00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:24.480
Like he's still gonna be around, he's still gonna be part of this organization.
00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:29.839
I mean, he is the president of sports for Harris Blitzers, sports and entertainment.
00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.640
So, like, that's literally his job is overseeing everything.
00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:36.480
So Josh Harris doesn't have to, which is a good thing.
00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:43.519
But at the same time, we look at Mike Gansy, who, for those that don't know, was the GM of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:46.720
I don't know exactly what he's done, right?
00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:52.319
The problem is does he have experience as the lead decision maker?
00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:52.799
Right?
00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:54.799
Does he have experience in the front office?
00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:58.240
Yeah, he's been a part of the Cavs organization since 2011.
00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:01.519
He's been the GM of the Cavs since 2022.
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:05.359
But at the same time, what has he done?
00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.240
We don't know, right?
00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:11.599
It's the I I'll say the equivalent because some some people might be saying, Well, you don't know because you're not a Cavs fan.
00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:13.279
Well, let me flip it on the Sixers.
00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:18.160
It's the same thing of I don't know what Elton Brand's been doing the last couple of years, right?
00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:21.359
Since Daryl Morey got hired, what has Elton Brand done?
00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:23.519
Right, we know what he did before Daryl Morey.
00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:39.200
We know that he gave Tobias Harris that ridiculous contract, we know that he signed our Horford to that ridiculous contract, we know what Elton Brand did, but then Daryl Morey comes in and trades Horford and Richardson for Seth Curry and Danny Green, right?
00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.119
We know the moves that Daryl Morey has made.
00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.839
We don't know if Elton Brand was a part of any of it, right?
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:47.440
We don't know if Elton Brand was part of the James Harden trade.
00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:53.119
We don't know if he was a part of letting Isaiah Joe and Julian Champagne and the Jared McCain trade.
00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:53.920
Like, we don't know.
00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:58.000
We don't know if he was a part of the Paul George signing or the Joel and Beat extension.
00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:03.920
We don't know if he was a part of drafting Tyrese Maxie or Jared McCain or VJ Edgecombe.
00:20:04.079 --> 00:20:05.200
We we have no idea.
00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:07.920
It's the equivalent of Mike Ganzi.
00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.640
Was he responsible for drafting Evan Mobley?
00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:11.680
Don't know.
00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:15.839
Was he responsible for trading for Donovan Mitchell or Jared Allen?
00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.960
Don't know.
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:28.319
And especially, especially if he, we don't know if he was the one responsible for trading Darius Garland for James Harden.
00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:30.799
And I said this at the trade, right?
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:34.480
And you know, Jordan, you were a little bit more positive on it than me.
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:36.400
Right now, I'm looking right in this situation.
00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:37.279
I'm wrong a lot.
00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:38.079
I want to be very clear.
00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:39.279
I'm wrong a lot, right?
00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.720
I was having a conversation with my father about the Knicks Cavs series.
00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:44.960
I thought it was gonna go like seven games.
00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:46.079
I was horribly wrong.
00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.839
I will take the L right there.
00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.799
This I knew I was right about because James Harden just cannot win, right?
00:20:52.960 --> 00:21:02.160
They decided to trade Darius Garland for a player 10 years older who's never won anything, and they called it a win now move.
00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:14.400
And I didn't understand that understand that at the time because how is it a win now move if he's a player that's never won anything and has choked in the playoffs every single year?
00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:16.880
I didn't get that move.
00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:20.640
Now, I'm not saying that Darius Garland would have gotten this team any further.
00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:31.359
I'm not like I don't even know if they would have made it to the conference finals with Darius Garland, but to be fair, they didn't win a conference finals game with Darius Garland, and they didn't win a conference finals game with James Harden.
00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:33.359
So to be fair, it was really the same result.
00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:37.440
Like, unless you want to give them a participation trophy, like, okay, we can do that.
00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:40.400
I mean, I'm sure I can make one up, arts and crafts it up.
00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:41.759
Let's do it.
00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:46.319
But you couldn't have gotten a better player for Darius Garland.
00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.720
Nobody, nobody better.
00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:50.880
Like, it just seemed like a desperate move.
00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:54.640
Anyone at this point that trades for James Harden, it's a desperate move.
00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:57.680
It was desperate for the Clippers, it was desperate for the Caps.
00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:59.599
I understand the Sixers at the time because.
00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:02.240
James Harden played very well in Brooklyn.
00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:06.640
He wasn't too far removed from his Houston days, about a year or two after, right?
00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:09.519
Obviously, he had connections with Daryl Morey.
00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:10.960
I understood at the time.
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:12.480
I don't consider that a desperate move.
00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:15.920
And you also traded Ben Simmons, who's now you know winning fishing tournaments.
00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.079
So, you know, I that I don't I don't see as a bad trade even to this day.
00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:24.400
But for the Clippers, made no sense, especially seeing the picks that gave up to Philly.
00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:26.160
And the Cavs trade made no sense.
00:22:26.240 --> 00:22:27.839
Now they didn't have to give up any first-round picks.
00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:30.960
I think they only gave up a second, if I'm remembering correctly.
00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.799
And then obviously Darius Garland.
00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:37.440
But we my point is I don't know if Mike Ganzi was responsible for that.
00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:44.480
And if he was responsible for any of that stuff, then this is not a good move, right?
00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.240
Depending on who he he traded for, who he drafted.
00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:56.799
Now, if he wasn't responsible for it, I still don't know if it's a great move because he doesn't have experience as the lead decision maker.
00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.240
So maybe I'm wrong.
00:22:58.400 --> 00:23:01.599
Maybe working with Bob Myers, it all works out in the end of the day.
00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:07.519
Maybe he's able to find a way to build around Maxi, BJ, and Bede and Paul George, and it works out great.
00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.119
And they make the conference finals next year and then they go on a run.
00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:14.480
Or maybe he finds a way to trade one or two of those guys.
00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:18.640
Because, in my opinion, I think Paul George is a tradable contract now, especially.
00:23:18.720 --> 00:23:20.000
And maybe you disagree with this, Jordan.
00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:22.319
I'm gonna throw it back to you in a second here.
00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:25.359
I think Paul George is more tradable for this reason.
00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:30.880
Okay, he played extremely well after the suspension, he played extremely well in the Boston series.
00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.680
And looking at his contract, there's only two years left.
00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:37.519
One with a player option that he's most certainly going to take because he's not stupid.
00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.440
He knows he's not getting that money elsewhere.
00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:41.200
So you're stuck with him for two years.
00:23:41.359 --> 00:23:45.039
I think a desperate team, like let's just say Golden State, right?
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:48.079
Let's just say Golden State fumbles on the Giannis sweepstakes.
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:51.200
Let's just say they can't get LeBron, they can't get anyone else.
00:23:51.359 --> 00:23:54.240
Maybe they trade Jimmy Butler, who only has one year left, by the way.
00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:56.400
He's injured next season, at least most of next season.
00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:00.160
They trade one year Jimmy Butler for two years of Paul George, right?
00:24:00.240 --> 00:24:05.920
And you just have Jimmy's expiring contract, and you can use that money the following season, right?
00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:16.240
And then Golden State, they have one more run with Steph Curry and with Draymond Green along with Paul George, who they were even thinking of getting a couple of years ago.
00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.119
What are I mean, what are your thoughts on all that so far?
00:24:19.279 --> 00:24:22.000
Like, how what do you how do you think Mike Ganzi's gonna do?
00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:23.839
Do you agree with what I said, disagree?
00:24:23.920 --> 00:24:25.599
I mean, what are your overall thoughts?
00:24:25.920 --> 00:24:28.960
Going back to the Harden stuff, I want to kind of touch on that.
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:44.880
Um, there's probably a likelihood that the that Harden decision came from above Mike Gansy, like from ownership or um I agree that that's a possibility just because they might be desperate to try try and get something for some success in Cleveland.
00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:47.839
And when that happens, I mean that guy he doesn't really have much of a say.
00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:49.519
You have to agree with that.
00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:57.920
Um and he might be leaving Cleveland as a result of that decision to be like, hey, maybe in Philly I'll have more of a of a to say, a decision making, a choice.
00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:04.640
So that's probably I would say a big reason why he he moved and it it relatively moved quickly, too.
00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:09.519
Um that decision was uh from Maury to Gansy, probably within a week, I think.
00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:11.359
It was it was super fast.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:16.480
So obviously he had been looking for an out, and the Sixers were able to get something sorted.
00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:18.319
So I'm hopeful it works out.
00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:26.000
Um, but then going into your uh Paul George claim, I think I think the contract is possibly portable.
00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.519
I think we it could be moved.
00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:34.640
Um, but the issue with with Paul George is he only played like what 25 to 30 games this full season, and that includes the playoffs.
00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:42.400
I it wasn't many, and I I don't think he's suited enough for a full season um as a player currently at his age.
00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:44.640
I don't think he can play every game.
00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:53.519
It's probably gonna be the couple games on, couple games off, longer term load management, and maybe a team can pick up his contract.
00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:56.240
Like you said, it's it's more manageable compared to MB'd.
00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:01.119
Obviously, he's not at the level as he was five years ago, six years ago.
00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:04.079
So um no, but I'm saying it's a desperate move.
00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:08.000
Like for the Warriors, they know they have a year or two left of Steph Curry.
00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:09.200
So let's go all out.
00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:11.279
We can't get Jans, we can't get LeBron.
00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:13.839
Hey, Paul George is available, let's let's get it.
00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:16.640
We have Jimmy Butler's contract that's not going anywhere.
00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:17.920
Let's let's go for it.
00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:25.440
No, I don't think he's gonna play most games that season, but it it's once again a desperate move like the James Harden thing.
00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:26.960
That's possible, I guess.
00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:30.480
Um, I'd be curious what type of team would want to pick him up, though.
00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:34.559
That what when types of like what type of market, obviously, you're you're bringing up Golden State.
00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:36.319
It's pretty big market in terms of that.
00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:38.400
Yeah, that's honestly the only team I could see right now.
00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:43.279
Like I would have to think through it, but I'm thinking of desperate teams that have like a year or two left in their window.
00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:44.160
That might be it.
00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:48.640
And that would be more of not like a summer move, but more of a like a trade deadline thing.
00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:56.319
So I I don't think any I I personally don't think and I'd I'd be crazy if this would this would be crazy if it happened.
00:26:56.400 --> 00:27:01.519
If this guy comes in, Gansy comes in and starts making trades and players are in and out like the door.
00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:06.480
I don't expect uh too heavy of a like a in terms of this summer.
00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:12.720
I think he's gonna bring in probably a couple players, shuff shuffle a couple out, and we'll kind of see what happens.
00:27:12.960 --> 00:27:14.799
Yeah, I don't I don't even know who you bring in.
00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:16.240
I mean, you have a couple free agents.
00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:19.759
I mean, I obviously Kyle Howry's not coming back, at least as a player.
00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:24.000
Maybe he comes back as a coach because they did keep Nick Nurse, by the way, which I don't know if I agree with.
00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:30.400
Usually, when you bring in a new guy, they like to bring in their own coach, so they decided to keep Nick Nurse.
00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:32.640
I don't know if that was the best move or not.
00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:34.880
We'll we'll see definitely on a hot seat, though.
00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:36.559
I think this has to be the last year.
00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:38.640
Like, if he can't get this done, now give him credit.
00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:46.640
Okay, this is the first time that his team made it into the second round since he's been a part of the Sixers organization, but then then you didn't win a game, right?
00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:50.079
Then then you got your asses kicked, so like I don't know about that.
00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:54.160
Um but like I don't know who you're gonna be able to bring in.
00:27:54.240 --> 00:27:56.880
So, yeah, as I said, Kyle Lowry, maybe he's part of the coaching staff.
00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:59.279
Drummond, I know is a free agent, I wouldn't bring him back.
00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:01.279
Kelly Ubre, I know he's a free agent.
00:28:01.359 --> 00:28:05.680
I would think about bringing him back because I think he is uh a very productive player.
00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:18.000
And then the other big question, because part of the reason they traded Jared McCain was to give more playing time and possibly a contract this offseason to Quinton Grimes.
00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:24.640
Now, I don't know if I would bring him back, and if you do, it would have to be on a very cheap contract, right?
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:29.440
Like maybe even closer to like a minimum, which obviously Quentin Grimes would not want.
00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:35.920
I mean, you you saw the proof last offseason he wanted 25 to 30 mil per year, which no team wants to give him that.
00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:44.079
I mean, I think the only two teams that actually have cap space that could give him that is the Brooklyn Nets, and I believe the other one is the Chicago Bulls.
00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:53.519
So unless he wants to go to one of those two teams that are going nowhere, at least in the next several years, okay, like, but I don't think he's getting on the Sixers.
00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:55.440
Would you bring back Quentin Grimes?
00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:59.920
I had this chat with another friend uh after what was it?
00:29:00.319 --> 00:29:05.440
A couple of the I think the two of the New York Knicks games I watched with them, and yeah, we we said no.
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:13.680
I I wouldn't bring back Quentin Grimes, just because he's probably gonna want to demand that that same a longer a long-term contract and a high pay.
00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:16.400
I'm just I'm not seeing the production for him.
00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:17.920
He's not starting.
00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:19.039
Let him go.
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:22.880
And because of the amount of money you're paying to those three guys, right?
00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:28.400
Embiid, PG, Maxi, you're just not gonna have enough room to sign anybody of significance.
00:29:28.480 --> 00:29:32.000
You're gonna have to bring guys in on you know minimum contracts.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:33.680
Like, I I have no idea.
00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:37.200
I saw a report, I don't think this is real, but I wouldn't be shocked.
00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:42.319
I saw a report saying, like, oh, maybe the Sixers are keeping an eye on Harrison Barnes, which I wouldn't do that.
00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:47.359
Another old washed player, like, yeah, he's in the finals, but he's not getting many minutes now in the Spurs.
00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:49.680
He's a veteran, he's important over there.
00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:51.920
But no, like, that's not gonna help us.
00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:55.039
We need like this is the part that people don't understand.
00:29:55.440 --> 00:30:01.920
And when I say people, I mean front offices that are like the Sixers are one of these.
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:04.799
How to win a championship at this point?
00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:05.599
You need two things.
00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:06.400
You need two things.
00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:08.319
You need youth and death.
00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:08.880
That's it.
00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:10.079
Youth and death.
00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:12.640
And you look at all these teams, right?
00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:14.400
San Antonio, obviously, they have that.
00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:18.960
They have size, they have speed, athleticism, shooting, defense.
00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:23.920
They do have veteran leadership, they have great coaching, but they have youth and death.
00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:26.160
Those are the two most important things, right?
00:30:26.400 --> 00:30:29.119
Same thing with the New York Knicks.
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:32.000
Now, are they as young as the Spurs?
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:38.079
No, but I mean, there's no old player there in the starting lineup for the New York Knicks, right?
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:44.000
These guys are in their mid to late 20s when you're talking about Brunson, OG, Bridges, Hart, Kat.
00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:48.079
Like there's no old player on this team that's gonna hold them back.
00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:52.720
You know, you look at the uh Oklahoma City Thunder, youth in death.
00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:55.599
You look at the Pacers last year, youth in death, right?
00:30:55.759 --> 00:31:00.480
Cleveland was the only exception, obviously, because of you know, James Harden being up there in age.
00:31:01.680 --> 00:31:04.799
So that's how you win a championship at this point, right?
00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:10.319
What what contender has a 36-year-old on a max contract?
00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:12.880
It it just doesn't happen, right?
00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:14.319
Can it happen?
00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.440
Maybe I like it.
00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:22.480
It's just it's so tough to have up two players that are on max contracts in their you know mid to late 30s.
00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:24.000
It just doesn't work that way.
00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:38.480
So I just don't know if you're gonna be able to bring anyone in that's gonna make a significant impact, unless, unless, unless, unless, unless Joel Embiid is healthy and Paul George is healthy at the end of the season, which is always a big if, which never happens.
00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:42.079
I mean, now we're two years into the Paul George experiment, right?
00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:46.400
Now we're about to go into year one of the Joel and Bede contract extension.
00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:48.640
I I just I just don't see it getting any better.
00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:50.720
I'm just I'm so frustrated in this team.
00:31:50.880 --> 00:31:52.799
Again, I like that Darren Mori's gone.
00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:55.759
We'll give Nick Nurse one more chance, I guess.
00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:58.319
But we'll see, we'll have to see what Mike Ganzi does.
00:31:58.559 --> 00:32:04.079
Um, I don't I don't know if you're gonna be able to make any move unless it's trading one of those guys to win the fan base back.
00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:06.400
Because what what are you gonna say at this point?
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:16.319
Like, if I'm if I'm Mike Ganzi coming into his first press conference, if I'm you know Josh Harris, if I'm Bob Myers, like what do I say to get fans back?
00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:18.319
It's all right, well, we're gonna hope to be healthy.
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:23.680
Like Mike Gansy is your one guy to say, okay, we made a change, come back, fans.
00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:24.960
Is that gonna be enough?
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:27.359
Like, they didn't show up in that Knicks series, right?
00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:30.880
Though those home games, it was once again taken over by Knicks fans.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:33.519
And was that you know the Knicks fans' fault?
00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:34.319
Not really.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:39.599
Philly fans didn't want to go, they didn't want to see that crap, and I don't blame them.
00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:46.880
Anyone that wanted to go to those games, like I I feel so bad, you know, that they wasted their money, they wasted their time going and supporting that.
00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:49.200
Because I I don't I don't blame them.
00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:50.880
So I don't I don't know.
00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:52.640
It it's so frustrating.
00:32:53.200 --> 00:33:00.559
It's completely frustrating, but I'm hopeful that you know new faces in the organization can kind of you know kickstart something.
00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.680
Um you never know.
00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:20.880
I think like I you may be pessimistic-ish about Gansy, but I think just having a new face in there and um he'll be he may be able to influence some make other decisions that could possibly, you know, end up, you know, falling in line with how how we want to look in the future.
00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:24.319
I just new faces, that's good.
00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:25.920
Um, and and I guess we'll push on.
00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:30.160
Last thing I want to say about this, it's just one of those things of I need to see it to believe it.
00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:30.799
That that's it.
00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:32.960
I mean, again, new face, positive.
00:33:33.200 --> 00:33:34.319
That that's a positive thing.
00:33:34.480 --> 00:33:40.160
But now I have to see the change for for me to believe that anything could happen with the organization.
00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:41.920
So we'll see what happens.
00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:44.319
Yes, I do want to cover a little bit of the other series here.
00:33:44.480 --> 00:33:49.920
I specifically want to talk about because we saw game seven last night, Oklahoma City versus San Antonio.
00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:53.839
I I I you know am so impressed by the Spurs.
00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:56.480
I mean, Wemben Yama, look out, NBA.
00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.440
Look out.
00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:04.559
I mean, I I don't think anyone's ever gonna be able to get to the finals ever again or win a championship with Wemben Yama there.
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:08.000
I I just don't see it unless an injury happens or something like that.
00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:09.519
Like, there's just no way.
00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:10.639
How do you beat this guy?
00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:15.360
I mean, he's 7-4, he could shoot anywhere on the floor, he wants to win.
00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:18.719
I mean, you saw his emotions after that win last night.
00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:21.920
I mean, he was crying, he was ready to go.
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:27.360
Now, now he's ready to get those New York Knicks, which is actually kind of funny because it's like a rematch of the NBA Cup.
00:34:27.519 --> 00:34:39.119
Um, I mean, I'm not gonna compare it to that at all because you know, that's like one game back in January compared to a seven-game series, but it it's kind of ironic that you know it's it's the matchup is happening once again.
00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:49.039
Um, and and uh an important scenario, even though this is obviously not even like it's night and day between the NBA Cup and the actual you know NBA finals, but like I just don't know how you stop them.
00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:53.199
And then you have the speed of De'Aaron Fox, Stefan Castle, right?
00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:55.119
Dylan Harper, your guy there.
00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:56.639
I mean, he's been so good.
00:34:56.719 --> 00:34:58.880
He came into the season not really being able to shoot.
00:34:59.039 --> 00:35:00.960
Now he's like one of the better shooters on this team.
00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:12.239
It's kind of funny that they won last night because now I think it's eight and oh with NBA teams winning a game seven with a player on it that has a birthday, like Paul George won game seven against the Boston Celtics on his birthday.
00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:16.719
Yesterday was Harrison Barnes, so it's kind of funny that uh this keeps happening.
00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:24.159
It's not like a real statistic, but when I saw that, I'm like, that's kind of funny and ironic because once people found that out, they're like, Oh, the Spurs are winning this.
00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:28.880
Um, again, uh it's it's a dumb statistic, but I think it's funny and ironic.
00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:34.239
But with the Oklahoma City Thunder, I cannot believe they lost the series, right?
00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:38.159
You're coming in as the reigning defending NBA champs, right?
00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:39.840
Shake El Jazz Alexander.
00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:41.119
I will give him a lot of credit.
00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:42.079
He played very well.
00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:43.519
I believe he had 35 points.
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:50.880
He shot 12 of 21 from the field, three of five from three, nine of eleven for the free throw line, so he didn't go too crazy with free throws.
00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:54.639
I mean, one of these games he had like 17 attempts, which is crazy.
00:35:55.199 --> 00:35:58.639
But the problem is he didn't have any help.
00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:03.039
Okay, Jalen Williams was out, and and clearly he is so important to this team.
00:36:03.119 --> 00:36:07.599
And we knew we know this, we already know how important he is, but it can't be an excuse.
00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:12.239
And now you can say, oh well, usually when Jalen Williams is out, you rely on AJ Mitchell.
00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:14.719
Okay, he's out, but it doesn't matter.
00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:22.559
Like, look at the players you have on that team, especially, especially the number two overall pick, Chet Holmgren.
00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:24.639
Where were you, dude?
00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:26.639
Like, it's so ridiculous.
00:36:26.800 --> 00:36:27.599
You're 7'1.
00:36:27.760 --> 00:36:30.159
Now I get Wemby's like 7'4, 7'5.
00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:31.760
You're 7'1.
00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:35.440
It's not like you know, you're 6'5 or anything like that.
00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:42.000
Like in the beginning of that series, the Thunder, they were having Alex Caruso guarding Wembin Yama in the paint.
00:36:42.079 --> 00:36:44.480
Like, that made no sense to me whatsoever.
00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:47.280
You have a guy who's 7-1, right?
00:36:47.360 --> 00:36:48.960
You you're a one-time all-star.
00:36:49.119 --> 00:36:51.599
You got your first all-star selection this season, right?
00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:53.840
You're on the all NBA third team this year.
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:56.880
You were runner-up for defensive player of the year.
00:36:57.039 --> 00:36:58.400
You were on an all-defensive team.
00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:01.039
I think he was on the first team, if I'm correct, right?
00:37:01.599 --> 00:37:03.760
You're a defending champ.
00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:06.000
You and Wemby clearly don't like each other, right?
00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:10.000
This has been well established in the media that you two have some sort of beef with each other.
00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:11.360
You don't like each other.
00:37:11.599 --> 00:37:13.199
Well, what's the point of having beef?
00:37:13.280 --> 00:37:15.360
Like, Wemby just walked all over you.
00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:18.800
He just comes in, he can score whatever he wants, he gets every block.
00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:20.960
Like, yeah, you get a block or two here and there.
00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:25.679
But last night, Jordan, this guy had two shots the entire game, right?
00:37:25.760 --> 00:37:30.239
And both of those shots came in, I believe, the first three minutes of the first quarter, and that was it.
00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:35.519
He didn't take a single shot in the second half, not a single one.
00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:40.639
Like, it's so crazy how you're the number two overall pick, right?
00:37:40.719 --> 00:37:44.159
You were uh after Paula Binkara, I believe, right?
00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:49.760
You were in the race of rookie of the year, uh, the the next year, because you didn't play that year.
00:37:49.840 --> 00:37:56.559
Uh you you were you were out with injury, but you were in a rookie of the year competition with Wemby, actually.
00:37:56.880 --> 00:37:58.559
Obviously, he wins that.
00:37:58.800 --> 00:38:03.119
Like he's just better at you than everything, and you didn't even try to show your worth.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:06.239
You could say, well, Chet won a championship last year, okay.
00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:10.079
That's great, but win another one, right?
00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:12.000
And now that Wemby is here, right?
00:38:12.079 --> 00:38:17.519
Because the Spurs running in the playoffs last year, now they're here, and they're going nowhere anytime soon.
00:38:17.920 --> 00:38:20.719
Is this what we're gonna see every single year from Chet Homegren?
00:38:21.119 --> 00:38:23.360
He's just gonna be living in Wemby's shadow.
00:38:23.519 --> 00:38:30.800
Like, dude, show what you're worth, show that you're an all-star, show that you're a champion because this guy, Wemby, hasn't proven anything yet.
00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:34.320
Now, when he becomes a champion, it's all Wemby now.
00:38:34.960 --> 00:38:41.599
But it was you, you were that guy, and you didn't show up, like you don't even deserve to go to Cancun.
00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:44.000
Like, I'll I'll steal a Charles Barclay quote.
00:38:44.079 --> 00:38:46.800
Like, he needs to get all over to Gavlston, right?
00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:49.599
And uh and go into that the dirty ass water.
00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:51.840
He I just I don't understand.
00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:55.360
I'm so lost for words, Jordan, seeing that performance.
00:38:55.440 --> 00:39:00.159
Like it really reminded me, and I'm seeing comparisons of this on the internet now, and I kind of agree.
00:39:00.400 --> 00:39:05.199
Now, I will say before I say this comparison that he did win a championship, right?
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:13.280
He did show up a lot of this season, and he won a championship for his team last year, but I'm seeing a lot of Ben Simmons comparisons, okay?
00:39:13.599 --> 00:39:14.719
Especially in this series.
00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:20.719
I'm not gonna say overall, like Chet Holmgren is a better player than Ben Simmons because he he helped his team win a championship.
00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:24.480
But seeing how he was this series, and we saw a bunch of players kind of act the same way.
00:39:24.639 --> 00:39:26.559
We saw that from Jalen Duran, right?
00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:28.159
We saw that from Evan Mobley.
00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:34.639
I mean, I guess you could say we saw that a little bit from James Hardy, but man, where where was Chet Holmgren?
00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:37.599
And and he was just paid this massive contract last offseason.
00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:51.679
Jalen Williams just got paid last offseason, and he's been dealing with these injuries all season, and now this upcoming offseason, you have to figure out if you're gonna be able to keep some of these other players like Lou Dort, like Hartenstein, like Caruso, right?
00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:54.800
I believe Aaron Wiggins is a restricted free agent.
00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:56.639
Like, can you keep any of these guys?
00:39:56.719 --> 00:40:00.159
Or do you say, okay, well, now we could trust our young guys?
00:40:00.400 --> 00:40:11.840
Because instead of trusting Chet and Jalen Williams, you had to rely on Caseon Wallace, you had to rely on Jared McCain, you had to rely on Alex Caruso, you had to rely on Jay Will.
00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:14.400
And I I just I don't know if that's good enough.
00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:17.360
Now, again, Topage, maybe he gets more minutes next season.
00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:18.719
You still got Isaiah Joe.
00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:28.320
You didn't really play Aaron Wiggins much if you bring him back, and then you have Thomas Sorber, who didn't play all this season due to injury, he'll he'll be here, and then they even got a lottery pick this for this upcoming draft.
00:40:28.800 --> 00:40:33.519
Maybe they'll have enough where they'll be back and they can push their way back to the NBA finals.
00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:34.079
I don't know.
00:40:34.159 --> 00:40:40.079
But what are your overall thoughts on what we saw from the Spurs versus the Thunder, and especially with Chet Homegram?
00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:43.679
I thought this series was one of the best series of the playoffs.
00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:48.800
Um, right behind the Sixer Celtics series, I thought that was top of the line, obviously.
00:40:48.960 --> 00:41:03.119
There's bias there, but this was a classic game seven, one side throwing punches, the other side throwing it back, and I thought yesterday's game was just cinema, great stuff to watch.
00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:05.760
Um yeah, Chet was a ghost.
00:41:05.840 --> 00:41:06.239
I don't know.
00:41:06.320 --> 00:41:09.119
Like there was where was he?
00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:10.000
Where was he?
00:41:10.079 --> 00:41:17.119
Especially in this game seven where like you're expecting the stars to show out, Shea Gillis Alexander like leading his team, doing everything.
00:41:17.280 --> 00:41:22.159
He needs that second piece, and that second piece was not there.
00:41:22.400 --> 00:41:31.679
Uh Chad Holmgren was consistently the second piece throughout the whole season for the Thunder, being there pretty much with Shea, running that pick and roll, like all that stuff.
00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:32.480
Phenomenal.
00:41:32.559 --> 00:41:39.280
Like the the great thing of basketball, like both those players were feeding off each other with confidence and shots and everything.
00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:43.440
And then you go to game seven and he just is choking under the lights.
00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:46.960
I it's just it was disappointing to watch, especially.
00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:50.159
I mean, Webby's dominance is just incredible.
00:41:50.239 --> 00:41:51.920
That this guy cares so much.
00:41:52.079 --> 00:42:10.000
He had probably one of the best days of his life yesterday with his hometown team, Paris Saint-Germain, winning the UAF Champions League, as well as um him winning the Western Conference Finals to go to the NBA Finals and possibly become an NBA champion, hopefully, because I hate the Knicks for the first time in his career.
00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:11.280
I would be awesome.
00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:15.199
Um I think a lot of the country is gonna be rooting for the Spurs, too.
00:42:15.360 --> 00:42:17.679
So um except Happy, obviously.
00:42:17.760 --> 00:42:22.400
Yeah, well, a lot of the country besides New York City and the suburbs, and that's it.
00:42:22.559 --> 00:42:24.639
But yes, everyone will be rooting for Wemby.
00:42:24.800 --> 00:42:26.079
Obviously, he's a huge name.
00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:35.039
And um I like I said, I thought this this specific series was one of the best series that I've watched in person um at on TV.
00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:38.159
I thought that the production and TV and all that stuff was great.
00:42:38.239 --> 00:42:46.079
There was tons of lead up for it, and um I guess if you're from the Thunder perspective, you have to be disappointed with how your team played, especially on your home court.
00:42:46.159 --> 00:42:51.360
You would have expected them to show up more and Chet's comfortable there in it in the home court.
00:42:51.519 --> 00:43:04.480
I I just thought that maybe they would be able to will their way through, but obviously the Dylan Harper and and the surrounding cast around Wendy was able to show up in many circumstances, circumstances.
00:43:04.559 --> 00:43:11.440
I remember that um what was that Dylan Harper shot with around four minutes left, just kind of a little shimmy shake and then put up the three.
00:43:11.599 --> 00:43:13.840
Um, that pretty much was the dagger.
00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:15.119
That was the silencer.
00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:18.719
Uh, I like you've said, Dylan Harper had a phenomenal series.
00:43:18.800 --> 00:43:20.320
He had a great playoffs in general.
00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:32.000
He's becoming probably one of the right-hand men um in terms of people who are uh players on that team who are relied upon besides Wenban Yama.
00:43:32.320 --> 00:43:33.679
So I'm just excited.
00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:36.880
I'm happy to see um the Spurs and Knicks in the playoffs.
00:43:36.960 --> 00:43:47.360
I think this is a win-win for pretty much everyone in the league to be able to have two of these pretty decently sized uh teams, a high market in terms of New York and then San Antonio with the history of that team.
00:43:47.440 --> 00:43:50.320
And it should be exciting, it should be a fun one to watch.
00:43:50.559 --> 00:43:52.400
Yeah, I mean, their depth just came through.
00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:59.679
I mean, you this again, I already talked about Chet and then like Lou Dort couldn't make a single three this this whole entire series, Julian.
00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:02.719
Champney, just another fumble from the Sixers.
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:03.840
I mean, he had 20 points.
00:44:03.920 --> 00:44:05.920
He shot like six of 10 from three last night.
00:44:06.000 --> 00:44:10.719
Like, oh my goodness! Like this whole cast is crazy.
00:44:10.880 --> 00:44:14.559
You look at Keldon Johnson, sixth man of the year, playing very well as well.
00:44:14.719 --> 00:44:17.679
And I also want to give credit to Luke Cornette, right?
00:44:17.760 --> 00:44:21.039
There, there was a moment in that fourth quarter where Wemby was in foul trouble.
00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:27.119
Luke Cornette comes in, and I believe what he blocked Hartenstein, and and I think he just shifted the entire game.
00:44:27.360 --> 00:44:28.639
He's so good, right?
00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:29.840
And obviously he's a champion.
00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.119
He won with the Celtics.
00:44:31.199 --> 00:44:32.159
And that's what I'm saying.
00:44:32.239 --> 00:44:34.639
Like, they have so much veteran leadership as well.
00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:46.159
Either those that are in the rotation, like Harrison Barnes, he won with the Warriors, and also with uh Luke Cornette, but also you have Kelly Olinick, you have Bismack Biombo, you have Mason Plumley on the bench, right?
00:44:46.320 --> 00:44:51.360
You also have Greg Popovich who's still involved in the organization, even though he's not the coach anymore.
00:44:51.519 --> 00:44:55.119
Like Mitch Johnson, oh my goodness, he should have won coach of the year.
00:44:55.199 --> 00:44:57.280
Like he's been so good this season.
00:44:57.519 --> 00:45:05.119
And this the Spurs, like I just I don't know how anyone's ever gonna be able to beat them, especially if they're able to keep this team over the next several years.
00:45:05.199 --> 00:45:07.840
Now, again, I'm not counting the thunder out, I'm not saying it's over.
00:45:07.920 --> 00:45:10.480
I'm not saying trade Chet, trade Jalen Williams.
00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:11.280
I'm not saying that.
00:45:11.360 --> 00:45:16.400
Now, we'll see if next year if we get the same thing from Chet Holmgren, maybe they have to start looking at it.
00:45:16.719 --> 00:45:18.719
But I'm I'm a little concerned.
00:45:18.800 --> 00:45:23.280
There's still gonna be uh a championship contender over the next several years, right?
00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:24.559
They're not going anywhere.
00:45:24.880 --> 00:45:30.480
We might see the Thunder and the Spurs in the conference finals every single year for the next like five years.
00:45:30.559 --> 00:45:31.360
It might happen.
00:45:31.519 --> 00:45:33.119
I I wouldn't be surprised now.
00:45:33.199 --> 00:45:36.559
Like Ant-Man's not going away, Jokic is still there, you know.
00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:41.519
There's still other teams that that are that are up and coming, but nobody's the Spurs.
00:45:41.679 --> 00:45:42.559
I I just don't see it.
00:45:42.719 --> 00:45:43.760
Maybe I'm overreacting.
00:45:43.840 --> 00:45:47.360
Maybe next year I'll do a whole thing of how they were a one-hit wonder.
00:45:47.440 --> 00:45:48.000
I don't see it.
00:45:48.079 --> 00:45:51.519
Like, I I see Wemby be one of the best players this game has ever seen.
00:45:52.000 --> 00:45:53.440
And he's not afraid of the moment.
00:45:53.599 --> 00:45:58.719
I mean, they might make history where they didn't make the playoffs last year and they come in and win a championship.
00:45:58.880 --> 00:46:00.320
That's never happened.
00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:01.760
It's never happened.
00:46:02.079 --> 00:46:09.039
So, and and if anyone could do it, it's Wemby because everyone was saying, Oh, the only thing the the Spurs lack is experience.
00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:10.559
Well, does it matter?
00:46:11.119 --> 00:46:18.960
They're in the finals, and you can say, Okay, well, the Knicks have more experience, not in the finals, they have experience in the conference finals, right?
00:46:19.039 --> 00:46:21.199
I mean, again, I like the roster, right?
00:46:21.360 --> 00:46:24.000
Would I be shocked if the Knicks beat the Spurs?
00:46:24.239 --> 00:46:24.559
No.
00:46:25.199 --> 00:46:26.400
Do I think they will?
00:46:26.719 --> 00:46:27.440
Absolutely not.
00:46:27.599 --> 00:46:31.119
Like, I just don't see, especially with Mitchell Robinson being injured, right?
00:46:31.280 --> 00:46:37.280
And I think right now the expectation is he is going to play game one, even with the broken pinky.
00:46:37.360 --> 00:46:39.280
I'm sure he'll have some sort of race or whatnot.
00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:44.239
I mean, I know Brian Winhorst was on uh first take saying it was a little bit worse than what it seems.
00:46:44.400 --> 00:46:49.760
Again, I don't know what on earth he did, but I don't know how you guard Wemby.
00:46:49.840 --> 00:46:51.280
Like, I don't think Kat's gonna be able to do it.
00:46:51.360 --> 00:46:54.239
Now, Kat has played some decent defense in the playoffs.
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:58.079
Like, I'm not gonna say he's a terrible defender, but there's just no way.
00:46:58.239 --> 00:47:03.760
There's no way, and without Mitchell Robinson, you're gonna have to rely on OG and an obi more.
00:47:03.840 --> 00:47:09.920
You're gonna have to rely on maybe an Aerial Huckporty, but they've been using OG a lot at center when Kat has been in foul trouble.
00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:12.800
And OG's not gonna be able to guard Wemby.
00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:16.400
Maybe he'll do a better job than Caruso did, but like that's only saying so much.
00:47:16.559 --> 00:47:18.079
Well, Caruso's 6'5.
00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:21.119
So I'm very excited.
00:47:21.360 --> 00:47:22.159
I do agree with you.
00:47:22.239 --> 00:47:25.519
This was one of the best series, honestly, I've I've seen in a long time.
00:47:25.679 --> 00:47:29.119
And yes, I'll say the Boston Sixers series is up there as well.
00:47:29.679 --> 00:47:35.199
But this is the start of like a new rivalry in the NBA, right?
00:47:35.280 --> 00:47:40.719
This is this is the start of a real back and forth dynasty between the Spurs and the Thunder.
00:47:40.960 --> 00:47:43.920
Like we could see every other year, like one of these teams make it to the finals.
00:47:44.000 --> 00:47:48.239
Like, I just don't see any other team out there that's gonna even have a shot, right?
00:47:48.320 --> 00:47:49.199
I I just don't see it.
00:47:49.280 --> 00:47:56.400
Like, I don't I don't see unless maybe Giannis goes to Minnesota, I don't see it.
00:47:56.480 --> 00:48:01.519
Like, in or if Jokic gets some help, I mean Luca will still be around, but it's it's all Spurs.
00:48:01.760 --> 00:48:03.360
It's it's just all the Spurs at this point.
00:48:03.519 --> 00:48:08.719
So right now, if I had to choose, I'm gonna say Spurs in six games.
00:48:09.199 --> 00:48:10.400
What what do you think is gonna happen?
00:48:10.800 --> 00:48:11.679
Spurs in seven.
00:48:11.760 --> 00:48:12.320
It's going the distance.
00:48:13.440 --> 00:48:22.880
I want it to go the distance just for viewership purposes, people to watch like another long round game, um, long round series.
00:48:22.960 --> 00:48:25.760
I just think it's what the NBA needs.
00:48:25.840 --> 00:48:28.239
Um, and especially with these two teams, I think it'd be great.
00:48:28.559 --> 00:48:30.000
Well, I I think it'd be cool, especially.
00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:34.079
Uh I believe if I'm correct, the Spurs are gonna be the home team uh for game one.
00:48:34.159 --> 00:48:40.880
So I guess it would be cool seeing the Spurs winning, you know, what would it be, their sixth championship in franchise history, I believe, at this point.
00:48:40.960 --> 00:48:42.559
Uh, and they do it at home.
00:48:42.719 --> 00:48:48.079
I mean, and it is it crazy to say that like the Spurs have kind of found their new big three.
00:48:48.159 --> 00:48:52.000
Like, I feel like Wemby, Castle, and and Harper.
00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:54.159
I mean, maybe you could throw Fox in there, we'll see.
00:48:54.239 --> 00:48:59.920
But at least I'll say those three are kind of the new version of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli.
00:49:00.159 --> 00:49:00.400
Right?
00:49:00.480 --> 00:49:07.039
I Fox, maybe you could squeeze in there because he is an all-star, but over the next couple years, I I could see them kind of becoming that.
00:49:07.199 --> 00:49:08.239
They need to maybe better.
00:49:08.480 --> 00:49:18.400
They need to win a championship first, and then they can finally be the proclaimed as the the big three again, but it's gotta it's gotta have a title there first.
00:49:18.719 --> 00:49:20.159
Yeah, I'm just saying what I predict.
00:49:20.239 --> 00:49:31.519
What I've seen happen over these next couple of years, like I I could see these three because it's crazy, and and they were lucky they were able to get these three players before these new like tanking rules came in because now it's impossible.
00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:36.880
Uh, like one of the new rules is you can't get a top five pick three years in a row, which is you know insane.
00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:43.039
So, you know, obviously the Spurs would have failed at this since they got you know, Wemby at one, Castle at four, Harper at two.
00:49:43.199 --> 00:49:44.880
Like it would have affected them.
00:49:45.039 --> 00:49:52.000
Now, before we go, I do want to get your quick opinion on the upcoming NBA draft because you are the college basketball expert here.
00:49:52.239 --> 00:49:56.719
Uh, we do have the Washington Wizards getting the number one pick.
00:49:56.880 --> 00:49:59.039
We had Utah getting number two, right?
00:49:59.199 --> 00:50:06.559
Memphis got number three, and Chicago got number four, and even which is crazy, the Clippers ended up winning that Zubotch trade.
00:50:06.639 --> 00:50:07.840
They ended up getting that fifth pick.
00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:10.559
I mean, the Pacers ended up walking away with nothing.
00:50:10.719 --> 00:50:15.199
At least looking at the top four picks, like what are your predictions on who goes where?
00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:21.280
I know right now AJ DeBonsta, his facial expressions might have shown he didn't he doesn't want to go to Washington.
00:50:21.679 --> 00:50:23.039
I know, you know, Boozer.
00:50:23.119 --> 00:50:25.679
I uh I I believe Carlos Boozer works for Utah.
00:50:25.840 --> 00:50:27.039
Maybe he wants to get his son.
00:50:27.360 --> 00:50:29.920
Um, I don't know if that's gonna happen.
00:50:30.239 --> 00:50:32.559
What what do you see happening in this upcoming MBA draft?
00:50:32.719 --> 00:50:34.559
Like if you had to select who's going where.
00:50:34.880 --> 00:50:43.760
Well, I think the in general, the top four picks, um, so the top four like in the mock drafts are pretty much they're gonna be in the those the first four order.
00:50:43.920 --> 00:50:47.920
That's debansa, boozer, peterson, and wilson.
00:50:48.079 --> 00:50:59.519
Um, so those four guys are gonna kind of be spread out throughout throughout those top four picks, but I really don't think because in previous years we've kind of been saying, oh, the the number one pick is always kind of locked in before the draft starts.
00:50:59.679 --> 00:51:05.920
I think this year it's pretty much a toss up at um the Banza hasn't expressed he wants to go to Washington.
00:51:06.159 --> 00:51:09.599
So do you know, just Washington wanna, you know, continue with that?
00:51:09.679 --> 00:51:16.159
Just because you're gonna get I think the Banza is probably one of the the better, one of the best players in this draft.
00:51:16.239 --> 00:51:18.559
Now, obviously, Darren Peterson right behind him.
00:51:18.719 --> 00:51:22.079
I think him and Devansa are kind of the top two in this draft.
00:51:22.239 --> 00:51:24.719
Now, what does the what do the Wizards want to do?
00:51:25.199 --> 00:51:28.239
Does he he doesn't want to go to Washington, does he?
00:51:28.719 --> 00:51:33.519
So that's gonna throw a little bit of a curveball there for the Wizards front office.
00:51:33.599 --> 00:51:37.599
Do you want a player who's unhappy with your team to then you have to draft him?
00:51:37.760 --> 00:51:38.400
That's the flexion.
00:51:38.800 --> 00:51:39.280
But do you care?
00:51:39.360 --> 00:51:42.320
That that because at the end of the day, like Ace Bailey didn't want to go to Utah.
00:51:42.480 --> 00:51:45.280
Danny Ainge said, We don't care, we're getting you anyways.
00:51:45.519 --> 00:51:47.920
Do can Washington do that with with AJ?
00:51:48.239 --> 00:51:51.840
Now they have Trey Young, they have A D, maybe you could present that to him.
00:51:52.159 --> 00:51:52.639
I don't know.
00:51:52.960 --> 00:51:54.159
Can they just do it either way?
00:51:54.480 --> 00:51:59.440
You have a first, you have the first pick in the draft, and I don't know the next time the Wizards are gonna get the first pick in the draft.
00:51:59.519 --> 00:52:05.679
You know, you have to you have to play play these cards here how however however you think they're gonna work out.
00:52:05.840 --> 00:52:14.079
Um personally, I'm under the impression that you don't ever want like an unhappy player because then things I think can like be really bad from there.
00:52:14.159 --> 00:52:19.599
I'd prefer you get a player who and you're the first first pick, so you have pretty much everything out there.
00:52:19.760 --> 00:52:23.440
Do you want a Darren Peterson player or do you want uh AJ Debanza?
00:52:23.760 --> 00:52:25.920
Which one do you think can fit your system better?
00:52:26.159 --> 00:52:35.519
Um, they may not even go with those top two players, but I think they're two of the most skilled in the draft, and I think that they will be one and two or um whichever in order.
00:52:35.679 --> 00:52:42.639
Um but yeah, I think it's from the Washington Wizards perspective, they they may just go get, hey, we're gonna get Debanza.
00:52:42.880 --> 00:52:53.119
We don't care what your opinion is, and you're gonna play for the Wizards, or they're gonna go and get Peterson because they're worried about um the effect of an unhappy player in the organization.
00:52:53.280 --> 00:52:59.519
So obviously we'll see, but I think between Debanza, Boozer, Peterson, and Wilson, those are the top four.
00:52:59.679 --> 00:53:01.840
In whatever order happens, it happens.
00:53:02.000 --> 00:53:04.559
But then the rest of the draft is it's pretty solid.
00:53:04.639 --> 00:53:09.920
Like I said, like we said in in previous episodes, I believe we've talked about college basketball.
00:53:10.079 --> 00:53:12.159
Um, this draft is really deep.
00:53:12.239 --> 00:53:25.280
There are a lot of good talented players, especially young players who have made an impact in the college game and are coming through and will provide an impact in the NBA, specifically Keaton Waggler, whose stock has gone seriously sky high.
00:53:25.440 --> 00:53:27.360
He is probably going to be a top five pick.
00:53:27.440 --> 00:53:34.000
Uh he might be on that fifth line or even may drop into the bottom, the bottom six, seven, or eight.
00:53:34.159 --> 00:53:37.840
Um, but he's been a super talented player to watch in college basketball.
00:53:38.000 --> 00:53:39.039
Additionally, Darius A.
00:53:39.119 --> 00:53:39.760
Cuff Jr.
00:53:39.920 --> 00:53:40.719
with Arkansas.
00:53:40.800 --> 00:53:42.000
He's been great to watch.
00:53:42.159 --> 00:53:44.159
Um, a prolific scorer.
00:53:44.400 --> 00:53:47.440
He's someone that probably will be a future all-star.
00:53:47.599 --> 00:53:48.559
That's my prediction.
00:53:48.719 --> 00:53:51.280
Um, he's just an incredibly good scorer.
00:53:51.519 --> 00:53:52.559
So we'll see.
00:53:52.719 --> 00:54:02.639
Like I said, we've had a this draft is extremely deep, and there will be a lot of teams, especially in the lower the lower top 15, that are gonna be getting great players that'll contribute right now.
00:54:02.719 --> 00:54:04.159
So it's exciting.
00:54:04.400 --> 00:54:05.840
Yeah, well, we'll see what happens.
00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:07.840
I mean, again, I understand your point.
00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:09.760
I I think you should take the best talent.
00:54:09.840 --> 00:54:12.320
And at the end of the day, like, who's gonna want to go to Washington?
00:54:12.400 --> 00:54:16.320
Like, I just don't know if you're gonna find anyone that is willing to go there.
00:54:16.559 --> 00:54:19.760
Maybe you talked to him, maybe that was just his reaction on draft night.
00:54:19.840 --> 00:54:28.480
I mean, we saw, like, uh, I know this wasn't the number one pick, but we saw Colin Murray Boyles not happy with getting selected by uh by Toronto that year.
00:54:28.960 --> 00:54:29.840
He was fine, right?
00:54:30.000 --> 00:54:32.960
Ace Bailey, he didn't want to go to the Utah first.
00:54:33.119 --> 00:54:34.079
He was fine.
00:54:34.400 --> 00:54:40.159
You don't want to screw up a number one overall pick, I understand, but maybe it will work out, or maybe they go with Darren Peterson.
00:54:40.239 --> 00:54:45.920
And I know he was a little controversial as well with all the injuries and and uh the leaving games early.
00:54:46.000 --> 00:54:47.199
So we'll see what happens.
00:54:47.280 --> 00:54:51.119
I'm I'm very excited because I love seeing the young talent in the NBA.
00:54:51.280 --> 00:54:52.079
It's fun to watch.
00:54:52.159 --> 00:54:55.599
Obviously, I was excited watching VJ Edgecombe grow this year.
00:54:55.679 --> 00:54:59.760
It was cool watching Cooper Flag and Conknipple, and obviously your guy Dylan Harper.
00:54:59.920 --> 00:55:06.719
Now we get to see him in his first NBA finals in his rookie season, which is gonna be so fun to watch.
00:55:06.880 --> 00:55:08.159
I'm looking forward to it.
00:55:08.320 --> 00:55:12.559
Uh, we're definitely gonna be talking about the finals, especially after the series is over.
00:55:12.719 --> 00:55:19.840
We're gonna reacting, we're gonna be reacting to who is the NBA champion for the 2025-2026 NBA season.
00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:22.800
We'll talk a lot more about the draft as we get a lot closer.
00:55:23.039 --> 00:55:27.440
But if you enjoyed watching or listening to our podcast, make sure to give it a like.
00:55:27.599 --> 00:55:32.880
You can find us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, iHeart, Amazon on Tuesday's sports show.
00:55:32.960 --> 00:55:34.000
We got George Staples here.
00:55:34.239 --> 00:55:36.000
As always, we will see you next time.
00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:46.559
Go first, it's

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