Kings’ win streak snapped in Miami, NBA trade deadline just a week away

Kings’ win streak snapped in Miami, NBA trade deadline just a week away

Welcome to the Kings beat podcast I James ham Kings Insider for ESPN 1320 and the Kings beat we are brought to you by prize pick and of course we are a bluewire podcast joining me today Fox 40 Sean Cunningham Sean how are you a little lonely in our little two

Box here uh I don’t see our friend Brendan this is getting a little odd but no just giving him grief uh Brendan is good uh he’s just not here today so we’re here we’re going to power through and feels like we it’s been a while since we’ve done one of these but you

Know what the consistent thing is it’s still freaking raining outside so there’s my gripe I won’t go on about the about the weather but it has affected my mood I took a nap today and I I typically get if I take a nap during the

Week uh it’s usually like a I don’t know maybe an hour sometimes 45 minutes sometimes an hour and a half I took a sizable nap to where I think I would just call it sleep and uh yes you can sleep a little bit too long to and I

Think I did because I’m pretty freaking groggy but other than that I’m pretty good buddy how are you good I wish I could take a nap I I could go for a nap right now yeah like you know like we’re late night people both you and I yeah

And having a a radio show even though it’s it’s only a 10 it still takes a lot out of you like I it’s because you know we have games and then I won’t get home from a game till like 12:30 or 1 sometimes I get home at 11:30 but then I

Can’t go to sleep and then I got to be up at s my but my clock and my body is not working properly so I keep waking up at five o’clock and then six o’clock and then 6:30 and like I can’t sleep until 7 it’s been a little little bit of

Adjustment I got to be honest like yeah like all these changes are different um let’s get to the business side number one if you’re watching on YouTube and you don’t mind you can give us a thumbs up uh also we would love it if you subscribe to the channel uh go to the

Kings beat.com become a premium subscriber so you get an email with all of this stuff sent to you right to your inbox you know when anything comes out and also you’re uh you get access to everything else we do here at the Kings beat uh no Brendan today he’s got uh

He’s got something going on and and couldn’t make it to the show uh he’ll be back next week or he’ll be back if we have another show later in the week um but we’re kind of ramping up here we Sean we’re at uh February 1st um later

On this evening um we would have loved to have had this content to share with you but uh they’re going to announce Allstar reserves and so whether the Kings get one Reserve or they get two reserves or they get zero reserves we’ll know that in just a little while um but

It does seem like uh you know the king should at least have some representation I would think um whether that totally happens I I’m not I’m not 100% um but where are you at do you think that that they deserve one or two and if you do

Think that they deserve one uh is there one that you would choose over the other like where are you at with this yeah I I I’ve debated it for probably the past two weeks or so um I think they definitely deserve one and if they get two great I mean that’s uh

Certainly I’m not going to scream from a mountain top say that that’s unfair um but if they get two somebody feel it feels like some team might not get the proper representation in the west um and I I I don’t know there there every time

I come up with a list I’ve had it with two with both Fox and sabonis in but I think I land on just one of them making it a and part of that isn’t necessarily totally my doing it’s also just kind of anticipating what the coaches will do

And I think all you have to do is kind of learn from your history so like like look at last year you know Devin Booker um it it doesn’t get in you know um Fox is an injury replacement um I mean to that point Booker having a much better season this

Year statistically and and I think he might be rewarded for it thought people thought he was snubbed Fox comes in as an injury replacement and then let’s be honest like the coaches in the west particularly rewarded defense you know uh jiren Jackson Jr was was an star and

I think that caught a lot of people by surprise so by virtue of looking what Minnesota’s doing you know does Rudy goar who doesn’t really have numbers of an Allstar but defensively what he’s doing could be defensive player of the year again look what he’s doing for

Minnesota uh as a number one team in the west he could get rewarded for that and I there’s some people that think it might be Carl Anthony towns that gets rewarded for it because obviously he has numbers that are more typical with what you’d see from All-Star player um yeah

But the end at the end of the day I mean Anthony Davis or excuse me Anthony Edwards and Anthony Davis too as well but Anthony Edwards is gonna I think definitely be an All-Star he will be the representa representative from Minnesota it’s do you give them two do you give

Denver two do you give I mean I just mentioned Anthony Davis a second ago LeBron is in as a starter do the Lakers deserve two allst stars we’ll no but Anthony Davis star player right Anthony Davis is a star player and if you ask most people I mean he’s putting up

Numbers are just incredible so um so is Deus sabonis and I think there’s going to be a little bit of a recency bias you know Deus sabonis when you look at from a king’s perspective has just been unbelievable since what I would maintain is that two game losing streak in

Houston um ever since that moment to where they turn the page and they rattle off you know six straight wins I think do domas has just been unbelievable with the 13 triple doubles the incredible amount of double doubles leading the league in in rebounds obviously he’s averaging at 20 points a

Game and then look at I mean he’s top 10 in assists um so he’s number I think he’s number six in assist and eight a game leading the league in rebounding yeah incredible numbers and and then you look at Fox when again scoring is up this year and and fox his three-points

Three-point shooting is better his defense is better his points are up um he had an outstanding start to the season and it’s tapered off a bit um so if the coaches waited to the last minute to get their their votes in or maybe they voted early as opposed to later

Um maybe some Minds have changed so I can I think if I was to predict it James I I I still think they’re going to get one representative I think the representative would be deis sabonis and we’ll see you know if there’s an injury replacement I think Fox is going to be

In that in that conversation for sure um but I can’t picture any a world that domas doesn’t get in over over Fox if you only have won yeah I mean that makes sense to me and to be honest um I think sabonis deserves the nod uh if you’re only

Giving one I I think in a perfect world you’d give them both an Allstar appearance and for me um you know I think the guy that I’m gonna come back to like I think Devin Booker deserves to be in the game and like we can look at

Dearn Fox and we can look at uh at um uh Steph Curry and you could say Hey you know Fox’s stats are are equal to or better than Curry and he’s on a team that’s actually successful where Curry’s on on a team that’s not good at all

Right now but Steph Curry’s getting in the game and I think if you’re GNA give one of those away which honestly I I have no problems with Steph Curry making it right but if I’m gonna give one of those away then I don’t think I can give

Two away and the second one I don’t think you can give Anthony Davis an All-Star nod and I don’t care like how big you I think his stats are his stats he averages more points per game but he’s not even in the same ballpark as

Far as rebounds and and assists as uh as sabonis is and so I have a really really tough time with with Davis getting in mainly because this team is not good and and the kings are a better team so I don’t know I don’t you know you

Mentioned teams I don’t think Rudy goar deserves to be in the All-Star game um he’s just you know sure great defensively but you can’t give away Allstar bids to a guy who plays one side of the court and I mean I I just don’t think you can and you know we’ve seen it

A time and time again where uh you know guys like this some somehow squeak in I’m a little I’m a little lery there I don’t think Denver has a solid number two OKC doesn’t have a solid number two that are equal to an All-Star level player uh it’s not to take away from

Like Jamal Murray but yeah averaging 21 points a game doesn’t make you an All-Star um and I I think some of these other players some of these other teams you know I don’t know what they do with a team like the Clippers like I I have

No idea like do you give Ka Leonard and Paul George a nod do you give one of them a nod um I don’t think like people are saying oh James Harden like James Harden’s averaging 17 points a game I just don’t see any way in which he’s

There um Fox is sixth in the Western Conference in scoring at at over 27 a game and he’s right there with curry U like literally like one of them’s at 27 .3 and one’s at 27.2 something something like that so I I think it’s going to be

Interesting and if and again if I’m choosing one the one guy I’m choosing is sabonis um and it’s because of the double doubles it’s because of the consistency it’s because of the triple doubles it’s because of the eight assist a game everything that he’s doing I I think uh he’s gotten better defensively

Uh I I just think overall like he does everything you could possibly ask for he doesn’t miss games he hasn’t missed a game all season and he’s just just you know become like this incredible hard hat guy and the other thing I would add is that uh like sabonis is a player that

Like you’re building a resume for Hall of Fame you know status and I don’t know if you’ll get there but if you you get up to four All-Star games that kind of puts you in in the realm you you probably need two more before you’re you’re considered more of like a

Guaranteed uh you know Hall of Famer but you know of course he needs some postseason success as well um but that’s kind of where I’m at like I just think sabonis is is building his resume and you can’t ask a player to do any more than what he’s done um like certainly

There and there aren’t players in the league that are doing what he’s doing he’s just been an absolute Beast yeah I mean he is um I think I didn’t think it’d become an ad domos uh kind of discussion but I mean you’re talking about a guy who averages Five Points

More a game in ad and his rebounds blocker yeah I mean that that’s just it I think def again coaches reward defense and AD has been Sensational on the defensive end they’re look the team sucks I’m not a fan they did win the inseason tournament but uh you know I’m

Not I have not been a fan of what the Lakers are doing or have done necessarily but numbers wise I mean he’s only 0.9 away from where domas is on the rebounding end he’s fourth in rebounds um okay it’s it’s like again his numbers are fantastic he’s 17th in scoring again

Scoring is up so um there are a lot of scorers that are not going to you know be in consideration necessarily but I think what I look at like I’ve and I don’t know if you’ve made a list James I have so I’ll just kind of play along

Here here are my locks and again this is where I think coaches are going to go Anthony Edwards for sure okay so you get seven reserves and these are all named by the coaches and we’re just talking about the West we don’t have to do the East Anthony Edwards is a lock Steph

Curry is a lock and here’s why yep coaches love the guy he’s a generational Talent people want to see him in the All-Star game I mean and he’s putting up incredible numbers when you can shoot like that in this type of League it doesn’t matter you’re Steph Curry you’re

You’re you’re going to be there I agree with you with Devin Booker uh to me he’s a lock to make it um I I I don’t think that it’s going to be even close I think Devon Booker is a shoe in this year um based off the numbers alone and based

Off really what happened last year you know I don’t think he was rewarded last year he comes back out plays better you know Phoenix is on the upswing a little bit they seem to have their ship kind of figured out so to me Devon Booker is definitely in there I think Kawhi

Leonard is absolutely going to get rewarded for the games he’s played um he’s been fantastic um his availability has been fantastic kawh Leonard is in I do think ad and domas are locks so to me it’s that’s six players right there and you only need one more and here’s what’s

Here’s what’s crazy about that list you have no Pelicans representation do you give do you give Kyrie Irving who I don’t think people realize is having an incredible season yeah but he’s he’s missed more games than Joel embiid yeah I mean he’s yeah I mean he’s

Barely eligible that to me takes him out I’m with you there but you have no Pelicans representation which and if you had to choose one in my opinion it’s Brandon Ingram over Zion Williamson and it’s about availability Brandon Ingram has been fantastic do the coaches reward defense

And go Rudy goar do you give another Timber Wolf I kind of outlaid that that situation a minute ago um and then and then and then oh yeah you have a guy named Daren Fox who’s been very steady and and fantastic but you know the kings are identical to what they were last

Year essentially um some would still think that that’s a disappointment Jamaal Murray I think would get some consideration and there’s plenty of other guys you can talk about but to me if I think they’re giving one I think I mean and then I didn’t even mention Paul

George yeah so do you give another do you give another Clipper so I don’t know I think if you’re picking one there I just want to see representation so I think it’s going to be Brandon Ingram that would be the pick that I would make yeah I mean I don’t think the

Pelicans have been like just so incredible that you have to have a representation you know we’re not talking about like OKC right right we’re not talking about Minnesota that has to because they’re at the top of the West I mean the Pelicans are the seven seed

Right now and like again Kyrie has been great but you know they’re 48 games in and I think he’s only played 3 three games something like that uh maybe I’m off by a smidge there but I’ll look yeah he’s played oh no he’s played 27 like I’m not even considering him he’s he’s

Not even eligible already season award I’m with you the numbers are fantastic but the the availability is not there I I just wanted to throw that out there in terms of just overall consideration um but you know we don’t even mention the Thunder I think there’s no there’s no team there’s no player

Else outside of Shay gilis Alexander who’s a starter in the game that that is worthy of an All-Star appearance in my opinion no no yeah um Jaylen Williams is has been really good but it’s not even close like he’s like 17 18 points a game right yeah and chat’s been intriguing

But you know CAD will be there as part of the the rookie sophomore game and and so will so will William Williams so they’re gonna have their representation uh you know as far as like at All-Star Weekend whether or not you’re getting the ultimate representation in the All-Star Game I I

Just don’t buy it and I also I don’t buy the Minnesota thing I don’t you know um for as good a season as cat has had I’m not giving him an All-Star bid just because um I think that they’re a better players who who are more impactful for their team and he might

Even split the vote a little bit with him and gobear so right like will the coaches reward defense and let me just play devil’s advocate for you say the kings are sitting at top the West with a 34 and 14 overall record which is what second best best record in the

NBA yeah first best record in the west are you are you making the same argument um no at that point do you say oh Fox and sabonis have to be in well I would because I mean they were both all NBA last year I’m and I’m with you I’m

With you great that’s and realistically their stats are better both of them so than they were last year and the gings are the same team and so like while it’s an end to season award I would still say that you have to consider that they at

The end of last season they were top 15 players in the league per right that’s what all NBA is and actually they were number 11 and number 12 in the in voting so you can even put put that a little bit further right so for me like I don’t

Know I don’t know how it’s going to work out but um I know Fox came out and told uh our friend Chris Beerman he doesn’t want to be there well he’s also told told us that for two years now that does bring up that does bring up an

Interesting question to ponder okay yeah does a players want to or give a damn about the whole event change the calculus of putting them there and and to me I would say no because I at the end of the day the NBA All-Star game is going to become a and and has become

With a of the Stars something that they’d rather not do you know and that shouldn’t be rewarded because if if you have the ability to opt out of it and have a longer break for the season or for the for the All-Star break and and

Not have to go and and and have your All-Star break tinkered with to where you have to make appearances and play in a game that you’d rather not play in then you’re going to start to see a lot of people opt not to do it it’ll become

The be rewarded right it’ll become the Pro Bowl so you so you should not reward that and boy because if that were the case you’d have Steph Curry would be I mean Steph Curry at least understands his place in the game and understands what it means

For him to be there he’s already going to play the event with Sabrina ionescu from the WNBA and have that shooting competition and that’ll be fun but uh and oh by the way yeah you’ve got the Warriors getting an All-Star game here in the next couple years so I don’t know

I I I don’t think it would be the best precedent to set uh if if people say oh you don’t want to be there well we’re not going to send you there no I totally agree and I I think you know even like fox has said it but he

Hasn’t said it like that and I I honestly think that he’s gotten comfortable saying it like to people like you and I and in that situation I I just think it came across maybe the wrong way I’m sure that the first thing that happened as soon as like the be

Posted that story like Under Armour was on the phone like hey bro like you’re if you’re going to allar weekend again you’re going there representing us we’re going to have like rooms filled with Under Armour shoes that are your shoes We’re going to have uh events we’re GNA

Have all this stuff and we need you to like figure it out you need to be part of this and not and not fight us on this and you know he creates his own PR nightmare in a certain sense uh just because you know if you if you want to

Be one of the faces of the league you got to go to allar weekend that’s what it’s about and you know like and I have talked about this I I would also like if we were sitting around hanging out with Deen I would say hey man like you

Understand that you have an opportunity to be a Hall of Famer right and things like All-Star appearances they matter and you should want to be there you should want to be represented like a representative of the franchise and of the league and I I know it’s a bearer

And you’d rather spend the time hanging out with your wife and your and your little guy your little guy but it that that doesn’t mean you can’t take them it doesn’t mean that you can’t carve out a little bit of time and you know it’s

Basically a PR event and you you got to understand that being in the in the league and being a star in the league that’s what kind of comes with that yeah and and he would turn around and say yeah but I really care yeah I

Don’t care and I don’t care if I make the Hall I just know I’m going to make a whole lot of money and generational wealth for me and like my family forever and that’s what I’m here for and if I if and again it’s a if I do the things and

The plot of the plotting out the course that I you know hope to take those things take care of themselves the accolades come so it’s it’s a it’s a real he’s he’s an interesting study in in the way an athlete is because he’s such an in the- moment type of guy it’s

A live within the moment you know when it’s done he doesn’t dwell when it it’s it’s it’s such a the cliche of the dayto day like you just take one day at a time and it’s a live within the moment type of thing and you know I it’s probably

The one of the best ways and mindsets to have but um there are people who are much more aware of their brand and and socially conscious of their of of what they mean to their organizations and Legacies and things like that and sometimes they put that ahead of where

They are in the moment um it’s kind of a real cool Zen way to talk in terms of you know thought process mentalities and stuff but psyches I’m with you it’s crazy yeah no I I’m with you I think there are people who um who just like

They put too much of too much stock in what people think and and how they’re uh how they’re viewed from the outside and fox has never been that guy like I think like we’ve had the like it’s been a pleasure being around him the last seven

Years and he’s a good kid you know and like but he’s also very opinionated and doesn’t mind saying things that may ruffle feather feathers he he just doesn’t care so um let’s get to a little bit of the G so the Kings just R off four straight wins go ahead one one just

One last thought sorry I do want to point out as someone who was there at the game last year um it wasn’t like it was the best showing for Sacramento Kings players outside of NE outside of maybe Keegan Marie in the in the up next

Or next up challenge for the G for the uh no I’m sorry for the rising stars challeng Rising Stars yeah up next is the uh next up challenge is their thing is for the G League um which scal sierre will be representing stock and Kings but

Um no I think Keegan was fantastic and I think he’ll have another nice moment uh with this game but yeah I mean Fox and sabonis like and even Kevin herder in the Three-Point Shootout were just kind of non-factors for the most part yeah um they didn’t play a whole lot they didn’t

Really you know have to do too much so I think that could have gone just about as well as it could for someone like Fox who was uh looking to you know kind of take it easy with a brand new newborn son and maybe this year is a little bit

Different maybe he goes out there and if he makes it he he he shows a little bit more of a of a of an aggression and trying to have some fun and and make an impact on the game but uh we didn’t see that with either one of them necessarily

Last year yeah I would I would hope that if Fox does make it that he enjoys the moment a little bit more yeah because it did not feel like I think he was he was slighted he wasn’t too happy that he um that he wasn’t voted in that he was an

Injury replacement I think that that was or or that not even voting but that he wasn’t one of the initial you know players that was invited and even you know he’s he’s always told us yeah it’ll come if if I’m an All-Star I’ll be an All-Star like I’ll be an Allstar because

Our team is better and because I’m the face of the franchise that’s when I’ll be an All-Star and sure enough that’s kind of basically what happened he he makes the All-Star team as that as like sort of the face of the franchise guy um

Yeah I I just think that uh like I would I would hope that he would he would figure out that it is just fun in games and you go out there and show people like some of the crazy things that you can do and you know but maybe he’ll

Never be that way maybe he’ll never really like Buy in uh like he does with his own team and I know we talked about him being a replacement last year I just want to point out he replaced Steph Curry oh in that that’s right that’s right okay um Sean the Kings just

Rattled off four straight wins uh and somehow Harrison Barnes just looks like Harrison Barnes and and then all of a sudden they lose to the Heat and I know everyone wants to get so high and so low off of every win and every loss but I

Kind of feel like in a weird way losing to the heat is a good thing oh and yeah I kind of feel like that this team and the fan base they really do like kind of ride so they’re they’re like ride or die with every single moment right and

They’re on this roller coaster ride and I I think what the Kings started to show that maybe this four game winning streak on the heels of a four game losing streak that they had figured things out that Harrison Barnes was back and that Kevin herder’s back and all of a sudden

They’re going to be the team from last year but maybe even better and they’re going to roll and then boom they they lay in against Miami and it wasn’t horrible they they couldn’t hit shots you know but at the same time I think it’s sort of like that wakeup call that like look

It doesn’t like a four game win streak doesn’t matter because we’re we’re a week away from a four-game losing streak again this team as is currently constructed is not right it’s not a perfect formula and it needs help and they need to go out and be aggressive and try to fill some

Of the voids in this team now they can wait till summer and they can say we’re just going to let and see what happens this season but I think everybody kind of knows what’s going to happen this season you know whether it’s like a first round exit or a second round exit

You can kind of feel like who this team is right they’re good great you’re saying if they stay as currently constit if they stay as currently yeah yeah constituted I don’t like this whole early season talk about fighting for a championship and all that stuff I I just

Like they haven’t been good enough they haven’t been consistent enough and so when I look at this team I think I hope they weren’t buying in too much about this four-game win streak and I I think a like losing that four- game win streak if if all a sudden this thing goes to

Seven and you’re you’re facing this fact that you could either keep the team together on February 8th for the trade deadline or you can maybe go get a piece that could help you improve down the road I would hope that they would not factor in the four game or the seven

Game win streak that they would more factor in the fact that that four game win streak came on the heels of a four- game losing streak which was on the heels like a two game win streak and a two- game losing streak and like they are so inconsistent that they need help

To find consistency yeah that’s interesting I mean they I think to me what we’ll speak Lou and I could be wrong here this is just me speculating but I think if I’m in that front office I think that and and collectively with the the with head

Coach Mike Brown and maybe even some of the captains of the team like I think more so than the win streaks you just look at the overall record and as it’s currently situated you’re what six games out of first place at last check um 27 and 19 is what they

Fell to after the loss in Miami and pretty pretty fantastic record I mean you’re you’re there is starting you are seeing separation though in the western conference right like you’re seeing you know I’ll bring up the standings here real quick is like you know t-wolves Thunder Clippers Nuggets all within a

Game and a half of each other the next two teams are both tied six games out of uh six games back are the Kings and the Suns and that that rounds out your top six so you’re only a game outside of the uh playing tournament which is the

Seventh seed held by the Pelicans and you got the Mavericks the Lakers and the Jazz so um you’re starting to see some separation here it’s not so cluttered clut huddled up anymore and I wonder how that’ll how that’ll look in another week or two uh as we inch even closer to this

This uh this trade deadline but make no mistake like I think this still is a very good team and the whole good to Great like I know it’s been uh you know banged into everybody’s head and that’s the Mantra and and they’re right it’s hard to go from good to great but this

Isn’t a great team at least in my my estimation I don’t I can’t I can’t say that in good conscience and believe that that could though they they they might be able to say well we haven’t been able to prove that that they’re not a great

Team yet and in which case I’m you know I can understand that given what trajectory that they’re looking at and keeping this team together and buying into the continuity and you know this team doesn’t have to necessarily represent the team that plays in April so I I do get that and even without

Making a trade the same statement can be true um but overall especially if you’re you know overall I think there could be some people that think okay we’ve got some struggles out of the way maybe relying on catching a a wave here or a run here that that makes you kind of

Forget about some of those you know shortcomings along the way I guess I don’t know that I’m totally all bought in on that but I could understand that thought process anyway but to where they are now you know I just don’t think that there’s a move out there that that that

Makes them that takes them from good to great and if all you are is going to be good or pretty good or very good however you know whichever one you want to call them um maybe you just see it through and and and that’s why I feel like if

There’s not a move out there that make that takes you from good to great and you’re that you’re convinced takes you from good to great then you then you you wait you just you just wait until you until the moment presents itself okay my counter to that would

Be like you know who you are and what you’re supposed to be right and you kind of you kind of have an idea right there’s a move out there I would agree that but I would agree I would definitely agree with what you’re about

To say but I do see the the logic of somebody saying they’re not convinced of that yet right like oh no to like if they if let’s let’s just pretend I’m Monty McNair for a second wearing a vest and uh and I’m telling you James and Sean that that I’m not convinced that

This team isn’t great based on coming into another season where we look identical because at this time last year we wanted to see what this team looked like in the playoffs and I would tell both of you James and Sean that I want to see this team in the playoffs and I’m not

Concerned about how we’ve won or lost it’s very possible that we can catch fire look more like what we’re looking like Tinker with a few things here and we’ve been doing that for the benefit of the playoffs I we’ve had Mike Brown put us in situations that will

Benefit us in the playoffs in April and I want to see what this team looks like in April against in another playoff series before I fully Tinker with this roster it takes me from good to great right away okay I can buy that I made you yawn

Is Monty mcir I bored you no it’s the the sunshine is coming through the window next to me and like lighting me up and like giving me the chills um so so Sean I get what you’re saying my I was not Sean I was not Shawn there I was Monty

MC character here this is how I would respond to a poofy vest wearing mon McNair yes let’s I would say if the season ended today you would play the Denver Nuggets in the first round mhm if you slid back a game if you move up a game you’re

Still playing the different nuggets as a four five if you slide back a game as of today you would be playing the Los Angeles Clippers wait are you playing the Nuggets no you’d be playing the Thunder wouldn’t you no oh you’re right sorry sorry four five you’re right my

Bad yeah and then and then the 36 is is the Clippers right so my point is that you don’t really got a shot like I I don’t think you can beat the Clippers in a seven game series and I think that while the matchup is decent against Denver and you’ve played well against

Denver in the past you’re playing the defending champs The Experience level everything else like they they’ve got a a huge like huge margin on you where they walk through the playoffs last year steamrolling everyone they played like they didn’t they were Relentless so I get what

You’re saying my point of view would be that you know you’re not realistically you know you’re not good enough to compete for Championship I’m going to keep an eye open for a deal that may take a step back today may put me in danger of being

A 78 seed if it gives me a better opportunity to potentially be a second third uh round playoff team next year and I don’t know if that deal is out there but I I’m open to whatever I’m not I’m not buying what my team is selling over a four- game win streak

Because I got 41 games before that that showed me that they’re totally inconsistent and then they showed you again they they lost to a Heat team that had lost seven in a row and he wasn’t very good so that’s where I’m at I’m kind of like of the opinion that like I

Don’t have to make a move to make a move but I do believe that you have to make a move because your team’s not good enough it’s not good enough to be who you want it to be it’s good enough to be a playoff team it’s good enough to maybe

Some find a way out of the first round but I don’t know about that and especially with the teams around you like there’s a lot of good teams around you that you know maybe it’s the Suns that move up and sure you’ve played the Suns okay but again you get to the

Playoffs that’s a different team so I don’t know Sean I think that it’s definitely it’s a difficult decision right like what do you do if you’re the Kings yeah I mean and again you mentioned nuggets being in four I think they’ll finish higher um the season

Doesn’t end in in on on February 1 obviously but I will say this what if they might push Clippers down to you right let’s let’s so let’s just play that out let’s let’s assume that the the standings stay the way they are and just let’s just we can take the numbers away

What I’m going to do with this little game is say okay the Pelicans and the Mavericks since they’re seven and eight right now they emerge from the playing tournament okay so they represent the the seven and eight seed so that means the Lakers the Jazz the Warriors and the

Rockets aren’t making the playoffs okay if we at this group of teams here the seven that the Kings would be grouped with let’s just play a game can the Kings beat Minnesota in a playoff series yes oh okay hold on now well so I’m gonna write mine down here they’re

One and one on the season right I’m gonna say no Okay can the Kings beat the Thunder in a playoff series yes absolutely okay I agree with you so hold on you say that’s two that you say I say one okay can the Kings beat the Clippers

In a playoff series no or when I say this I should say will if would you pick them to win I won’t say could they because of course they could you say no right no I’d have them losing in five or six okay I’m gonna say yes so we’re

Still two and one yeah because Paul George and Kawhi Leonard will be hurt by then that uh that part I think they’re peing and I think you have a perfect recipe to punish this team you’ve got a dominating a guy who dominates the boards uh and and you can run them off

The floor you know that it they’ve shown the ability over the years even with qu Leonard playing that sometimes they don’t have the whole interest in playing that type of game with Sacramento so that’s the only reason I would say that um okay Denver obviously I think we’re

Both gonna say no there right that’s a championship caliber team bad match up it is well no I think that match Up’s okay do you yeah I mean the Kings have played well against them over the last couple of years but I still think no no

No no I think King’s losing six yeah I’m with you um the Phoenix Suns yeah you can be Phoenix so you says that’s such a tough one I’m going to come back to them because I don’t think they have enough depth uh Pelicans no you can’t beat them you

Can’t beat them I’m with you uh and anybody who thinks you can you’re fooling yourself you haven’t won a game yet the Dallas Mavericks yes you can beat Dallas I’m with you on that okay uh the Lakers yes you can beat the Lakers that’s such a tough one

Too or they three in one last year and aren’t they they already won the season series this year yep or wait why did I say the Lakers we weren’t doing Lakers didn’t make it take that away I went to nine okay so of that uh you’re actually more optimistic than I

Am I let’s we’re actually let’s just say for a sake of argument here we’ll be the same uh because I take the sun series and I say yeah I think they can beat him we’re both there’s there’s four teams in in the in the seven that we believe that they can

Beat okay so judging by that does that change your Calculus well yeah it tells me that that I can you just told you just told Monty McNair that you’re not beating this team you’re not beating this te but then you look at it and you’re beating more than half of the

Teams that are available but Sean this is a problem I’m Monty McNair again if you’re if I can add one player that could change the trajectory of this team whether it’s this year or for next year and it could help me beat a Clippers it could help me beat a

Denver Nuggets or it could help me beat a Pelicans team I gotta do it well yeah because it is open Sean it’s open but they’re they’re yeah I think that’s a different discussion however I I think again is there a trade out there that takes them

From good to great that was the initial discussion it wasn’t the can you add a tertiary player or even a rotational player that can help put you over the top to help your playoff run we’re talking about a altering piece that maybe not a franchise altering piece like don’t a significant piece that

You’re willing to sacrifice first round picks and some of the makeup of your team that obviously plays into the continuity aspect that Monty McNair and this organization is betting on coming into the season so in playing the role that I think I’ve done very well as a as

A uh you know I like to call myself a thespian or even a you know character actor or maybe even more I’ll give myself a different I’m I’m a method actor a method actor yeah in in my outstanding role playing here of Monty McNair who told you shame on you James

Ham and Sean Cunningham that you don’t believe in us you just said that they can beat four out of the seven teams in a playoff series in the Western Conference so that’s why I’m asking that question okay but here here is how I would answer that question Monty

McNair if Monty McNair you switch out some sort of combination of players that include whether it’s Harrison Barnes or what however you do it and you switch him out for Jeremy Grant I think you can beat the Clippers I think you can I think you can beat the

Pelicans I and now I’m up to six I don’t agree with that and I’m not M at this point but you understand what I’m saying I do I do I do understand is a path sure yeah there’s a pathway ahead where one player can make a difference I

If I’m going into a series against a Denver Nuggets and I’ve got and I’ve got a guy like Jeremy Grant to go up against a guy like Aaron Gordon okay switchable for Muran Jeremy Grant is not Defender sir no he’s he’s a much better Defender than what they have right

Now long athletic 7 foot3 wingspan been a Defender never never won doesn’t rebound hasn’t won I get you any Chuck’s shots he takes a ton of shots loves a corner three did you watch the game last night no but like let’s be honest him on that team won yeah they did which they

Won which Portland did win wasn’t a great sample size of what you get with Jeremy Grant but Jeremy Grant’s on a team that you would hope that he would fit into like a a like a role okay well we’ll play that out though so so use him

As an example though how much better does Jeremy Grant make the Sacramento Kings that’s a good question but like if you can beat six out of the other does he take you from good to Great of the seven he might he won’t he might I I

Don’t know I I don’t know for sure but like he’s a a type of player that you need for this team no they they do need a type of player I’m with you there I’m with you there I I don’t push back on that one I do push back on on Jeremy

Grant they do need a type of player but again I don’t think they that he takes you to that next level and and again giving up some of the things that you’d have to give up to get a player like that who starts it what $29 million and

Works his way up to yeah I think it’s 36 in the final year yeah I think he’s at 2526 that’s horrible also no I get you I get you like and that’s why I bring up Kyle kma all the time who I think Kyle kma can have that disc defensively but

Kyle kma goes 25 and a half 23 and a half 21 and a half and and 19 and a half over the next four years I’m giving up a first round pick and and I’m in in a Kyle kusma deal I’m trying to work a deal where I don’t have to give up

Herder or Barnes and and I think you can because I think in all honesty the the Wizard shouldn’t really be looking at Players the wizard should be looking at at the whatever draft capital and I’m willing to give up a first round pick and maybe one or two second round picks

To help them uh and what where they’re starting in their rebuild but there is a way to do it it’s a four for one but there is a way to do it where you you would like again I don’t like just throwing players names out there but like MoneyWise Chris Forte Davon

Mitchell um Trey Lyles and and a uh a minimum scale guy whether it’s Alex Lynn or it’s Kesler Edwards or it’s Colby Jones you can actually do a four for one and get Kyle kusma and then I think you’re really talking about some sort of improvement that’s great right because

Now you go from you’re your number two bench guy being Trey Lyles to your number two bench guy being uh like Harrison Barnes and that means that you have a better player than Harrison Barnes and you’re starting five in Kyle kma and not just I I don’t like

On paper he might be better statistically but realistically Kyle kumma brings things that just that Harrison Barnes camping he’s a he’s a longer more athletic player and a much much much better rebounder he’s not as good a shooter but I think Harrison Barnes Off the Bench now all of a sudden

Your top seven become really really really good and that’s where I think you can take a leaps a leap and and a bound I think if you’re talking about Jeremy Grant it’s really difficult to make a move like that with Jeremy Grant uh to to assemble a trade where you’re doing a

Three or four for one without diving into you know whether Kevin hder or or Harrison Barnes are going in the trade um but I don’t know that’s that’s kind of where I’m at I from a number standpoint not only is the contract better I just think Kyle kumma is a much

Better player than Jeremy Grant I he just impacts the game in so many different ways he rebounds better he can be a little bit of a playmaker you know he’s he’s 69 as as opposed to two inches shorter Jeremy Grant you know I just yeah but need

Length age length but I’ll say this Sean if if I were to tell you uh like you you’ve looked him up but if I were to tell you that Harrison Barnes is 6’8 you watch both of them play in a game and Harrison Barnes is 6’8 and Jeremy Grant

Is 6′ s you would not believe that you would believe that Jeremy Grant is 69 or 610 and that Harrison Barnes is 6667 I think it just has to do with more the the person who has the more activity to them tends to sometimes win out in that regard or you you look

Alarmed you look like there’s a spider right next to you no he just flew up under the eve of my house and he’s tapping right above my bar window can we hear can we hear it let’s see if let’s see if he starts going again no he’s quiet no all right if he

Starts tapping I’ll turn the mic and we’ll be able to capture your do your hand up yeah I want to hear that I caught him out of this the corner of my eye fly down and up and and thenk like come on bro stop eating my house he’s saying here here that’s right

That’s right so I don’t think we really accomplished much there I think we’re both like yeah if there’s a trade that you can make and you can go out and do it I think they you know absolutely will I just don’t know that they’re going to overvalue and overspend because I think

The wholehearted belief still is very much believing in the continuity of the team and seeing this team uh do something in the playoffs you know to to be able to you know like this season it’s it’s interesting I think everyone gets so caught up in the season

That they’re in it’s like at the end of the day all you have to do is make the playoffs again and you’re you’re pretty successful season um now that probably hurts because everyone’s goal is to ultimately win the championship but you know I would I would agree with you I

Think and and actually I think they’re I think if you ask members of that front office they might even have it more of a 52 um that they can beat those teams in playoffs as opposed to the 4-3 that we had okay so I guess here’s another like

Abstract idea that I’ll pitch at you here would you would you rather make a move where you took some of your role players that you currently have and you tried to swing for the fence with a guy like kosma where you push down some of your rotational players down a spot or

Would you rather take the back end of your rotation at your very back maybe even like like Beyond back into the rotation and try to improve the 789 on your team so in one situation you’re not committing something longterm but you’re you’re going out and and trying to

Improve like again who your backup point guard is who you know that other guy is who’s coming off the bench the 789 portion of this team or would you rather take a larger push where you are giving up some of your current seven 67 and 89 and but you’re adding a player that

Would force a player like Harrison Barnes into that second half of your rotation I I would be koi and I would answer that question in it with a question yeah no I would here’s here’s why because I think if you’re upgrading what your current rotation is that is

The more likely to take you from good to Great the the the players that you rely on your core your your one through six or if you want to throw in seven I think Mike Brown would argue he only really has a true six and after that it it

There’s there’s a pretty not a steep drop off but there’s a drop off in terms of the trust Factor so if you’ve identified the players in your core and for the sake of argument let’s just say that you’ve identified Harrison Barnes Kevin herder um and you’re comfortable with pretty

Much everybody else around that right so like obviously domas and fox you’re comfortable with Keegan marray you’re not wanting to press separate with Malik monk you know he’s part of this year like him to be part of next year although he is on quite a slide and you

Hear a lot of people talking about Malik monk lately uh and am I forgetting one no I mean the only other guy well so he’d be seven right yeah he’s seven he’s seven and after seven I I don’t think Mike feels all that comfortable with anybody else I think he

Okay yeah and I would say I would say I would eliminate Trey lyes from that even though with respect to him he has been that guy you can rely on my my greater point though is he’s still grouped in in my mind to the seven and down um the top

Six I I feel like if you feel you can like you know you can upgrade one of those positions that’s going to best that’s going to best set the table from going from good to great if you’re trying if you’re trying to upgrade 78 n 10 or whatever to help bolster what

You’re one through six is maybe but I think it’s a it’s a tougher path and and and not as not as realistic to go from good to great I agree I we’re on the same page the way to improve improve this team is to improve the top six yeah

I agree and hopefully hold on to the top six while improving the top six and maybe you know hold on to the top seven I I’m not to I’m with you but I again I think it gets into that thing and I almost sound like a broken record

At this point but I always I keep saying the things of I don’t think it’s at least feasible right now to get the type of player you want to get with what you’re willing to part with and I think that is where I think that is where

Ultimately why I feel things will kind of remain in this like the core will ultimately remain the same uh and I think the argument would be we want to see this what this team looks like in the postseason again okay and and if you’re okay with

That not not you as James ham and me as Sean Cunningham but like if you as a as a organization are okay with that I think that’s it’s a it’s a good problem to have because again you’re you’re again you’re doing the Double Down of last year you’re

Trying to see how this team can respond but you also go into the offseason with a little bit more clarity now one could argue you should already have that Clarity but the landscape changes so much differently with every passing day and I guess I I mean did you expect did

You expect the Timberwolves and the Thunder to be leading one and two in the west no but I also don’t know that they’ll be one and two in the west by the end of the season like get sure that’s where they are right now but you

Know just like last year did we expect the Kings to finish thir third no actually at the All-Star break I still didn’t think the kings were going to finish in the top four and I thought that it would you know they would probably fall down to you know five or

Six and they didn’t they responded and they played well in the second half I also think that like the way that Harrison Barnes has played lately the way that Kevin herder has played wa lately the fact that Keegan Murray has been developed throughout the first half

Of the season and is up to 16 plus a game and is showing more and more of of the flashes of Brilliance that you as a franchise wanted to see like all of those things play into this but I also know that you still have like glaring

Holes and that like trying to do Band-Aid fixes that you’re 78 n in the rotation isn’t really going to help you yeah like I like I think it can maybe help you here it might be able to get you deeper into a series or through a

Series like I you know I will keep saying what I kept like beating a drum last year go out and get Mason plumbley go out and get matis styel right if you don’t think that matis styel and and and Mason plumbley would have helped you in a first round Series where you got

Dominated because sabonis needed help on the rebounding glass and you lost a series because you didn’t have another Elite Defender to throw at Steph Curry I kind of like will disagree with you like those two while they’re not earth shattering change everything type guys they would have helped you get through

The first round and into the second um like we could argue that point but but I would much prefer to have matis styel trying to defend Steph Curry than not have matis sty and and go into a series and lose because the guy kills you in game seven

And the reality is he’s not defending stuff Cur well yeah but the guys that you had defending you would have had some at least someone else right yeah yeah you get me so um okay let’s get to uh let’s get to the cynic would say would Mike

Brown have left him on the bench in game seven like he did with Davon Mitchell no no because he would have put him in instead of Terrence Davis because at least D has a size right I don’t know I don’t know it’s a mess hindsight hindsight Sean even

Though it was something I was telling everyone before beforehand okay uh let’s get to the business of basketball uh Sean James are the Kings no are they done no are they gonna make a trade yeah no um I I think we keep talking about like we’ brought up Trey lyes we’ve

Brought up like the potential of trading Harrison Barnes or ke or Kevin Uh Kevin hurder in the past we we’ve talked about so many different players that you know would they trade them would they not trade them how would that work and I think we kind of skip around one player

Who might have a salary that helps you acquire a different player and that is Sasha venkov and and you know it’s at six million bucks when you start piecing together deals and you got like a $5 million uh uh Davon Mitchell and you got a $4 million Chris dwarte you start

Playing you know Trey Lyles at $8 million you got $6 million at at Sasha like what do the kings do in that situation because they did this crazy full court press and they they did all kinds of work to get this this guy to come over but he really does struggle to

Stick in the rotation and sometimes you put him out there and you know he looks like JN churo from Mr Deeds and he’s super sneaky and he scores a bunch of baskets uh you know Mr de’s reference well he just like shows up he’s he’s I’m very very sneaky sir you’re just like

Hey look at that he’s underneath the basket all by himself for a layup how did that happen um I don’t I like what Sasha brings but I I have this like clear picture of my mind that there’s no for the Kings to have keeg Murray Harrison Barnes Trey lyes and Sasha

Venkov as their four forward rotation because none of them are long and super athletic and Shop block and do all those other things right right and so he might be one of the pieces that you you would have to use and I’m just wondering do you think that they Allin mentality with

Him in the beginning is made him sort of an off- the table type player I mean I’m not saying he’s off the table off the table but like what do they do with with Sasha who is it’s a threeyear I think $19 million deals like six six and a

Half and seven or something like that uh but the last year’s a partial guarantee or it’s non- guaranteed but I’m kind of confused with how to put him in the category of assets because I don’t know how the Kings would view him I don’t think the shine is off

That off of him um after him after now seeing him through however many games in a king’s uniform and I think a lot of that has to do with the way for context the way Mike Brown has talked about bringing him along getting his feet wet

In the NBA seeing how he adjusts and comparing him to somebody like what they did in San Antonio with monu jobi and I’d even argue P St yakovich for the time he for when he first came over to Sacramento although again with his shooting ability which is much different

Than what even Sasha who is a fantastic shooter I mean Paia was absolute one of the best you’d ever seen so yeah yeah yeah when you can shoot like that you you will fit in and you will be able to make up for a lot of

Ground and I think look I think Sasha is in a in a situation where he comes to a good team the Kings weren’t necessarily good when Paia came over you know uh jobi came into a good team so I do like that that um that that kind of comparison there because he’s getting

His feet wet he has room to grow and I don’t think the shine is off of that that being said no he’s certainly not Untouchable but he’s got such a very like a appealing contract um whether you keep him or you don’t so I

Think if I was to guess I mean by no means are the Kings necessarily dangling him uh to teams but I I I’m curious to see what the what the market value is for him is there a market to where are people salivating over him I don’t think

That’s necessarily the case I think they want to see more of a sample size from him and see that he can get a lot of the things that obviously he’s shown on the floor where he can show flashes he can show a grittiness an ability to get into

The paint obviously ability to shoot but there’s some rotational issues and defensive problems that that he gets caught up in maybe he gets in a more simplified system and and and it looks a little bit different but I’m curious is to find out what the market would be

Like for him I don’t know that that people are lining up to inquire about him on the daily but if I’m the Kings I you know I’m certainly not against moving him especially if it makes you better um you would kind of feel bad for for him for obviously coming over to

Sacramento and adjusting his lifestyle uh to ultimately get it done with Sacramento but at the end of the day he knows it’s a business he knows that he runs the risk of being traded at any moment so um very very manageable I think he’s had the an absolute uh great

Mindset and he’s a hard worker um there’s I’m sure some some things that have crept into his mind at time or two and wondering if he’s made the right decision um but at the end of the day I think this is a trial by fire kind of a

Situation for him and he’s had to experience dnps that that he wouldn’t have experienced overseas and he’s playing a lot more I mean when you look at the games they just play a lot more games in in in in the United States and in the NBA so yeah um that that too can

Be an adjust that’s why it doesn’t always translate um so I I think this is almost like that okay this is your get your feet wet year and I think there’d be a very healthy appetite to see what he looks like with a year under his belt

Yeah I I think so too and like look I’m not advocating that they trade any of these guys I’m just saying like if somebody comes to you and they they want to create a deal that somehow allows you to avoid trading Harrison Barnes or Kevin herter and to keep like your other

Your true core together while adding a a piece and he’s part of a larger trade package I don’t think the Kings can say no right like if that’s part of like a deal that gets you somewhere and like there are all kinds of Trades that are we’re not even thinking of and seeing

But like you have no idea where it where it all ends and so if if I’m if I’m the Kings I have to at least keep a an eye out for potential deals just because again he’s like it’s like 6.4 million bucks and that’s actually when you start

Piecing that together with some of these other contracts it’s actually it makes things a little more well it gives you more options right like and and the King still no matter what they have to find a way to get the long athletic shot blocking whatever guy to play on that

Front line and um that probably means you need to trade one or more of the guys that aren’t that in order to you know improve this this roster so I don’t know that to that point James I mean he’s right in that middle he’s surrounded when you look in salary he’s

He’s surrounded by Trey L and daveon Mitchell Trey at $8 million a year and Trey who goes from a right around five million all the way up to 6.5 million in the next year so um those those guys are certainly in that same category and I think you ask

Yourself the same question when it comes to them as well obviously you know Davon is someone who doesn’t become a restricted free agent until uh 2526 and Trey ly’s unrestricted free agent the same year 2526 is actually when Sacramento has a club option for Sasha so um yeah certainly a part of it

But that but you’re that that that hold that you’re talking about that salary cap area of of how much money he makes is comparative to both Trey lyes and Davon Mitchell yeah yeah I just think it’s interesting because it’s possible you need three or four of them in order

To make a deal that avoids sending out the big one right so that’s where it’s going to be uh it’s going to be a little complicated so okay Sean uh I think that you know we’re all like waiting anxiously to figure out what’s going to happen um it’s been quiet like on people

Ask me all the time what have you been hearing anything I gotta be honest I haven’t heard anything in a little while I like I’ve I’ve heard in maybe two weeks ago that the gings were interested in Jeremy Grant um the KY kusma stuff pops up now in then and we saw the

Report from Josh Robbins uh yesterday that that the Wizards are really they’re more realistic and know that they’re not going to get two first round picks for Kyle kosma um but that they would still move off of Kyle kosma and that’s a deal that again if I’m the Kings I’m looking

At just because it it really does set your financial it it it helps you financially moving forward uh to if you were to cash in some of your smaller contracts for a young a younger player or some of your smaller contracts for a bigger player sort of like that fantasy

Football thing where you got like two or three like really nice young wide receivers but you want to trade for a really really high-end wide receiver uh and take those three and convert them into a a higher end wide receiver uh I think that’s one of those options that I

Could see the Kings looking at where they’re just like kind of manipulating the roster that way um but like all kinds of things could happen between now and next week um we do have Allstar announcement tonight um I like you your reserves I put mine reserves I showed

Mine no no I think I think I was with you um the like I’m not putting ad in so you so you put it uh who do you put in over ad Edwards Curry Booker Edwards Curry Booker Edwards Curry Booker because you said Curry right you know I mean are you

Picking it for you or you thinking the way the coaches will pick it uh um if I were picking I would have yeah Edwards Curry Booker I’m putting Kawai Ka I’m putting what do I get I get seven right yeah seven I’m putting domas I’m putting Fox

I am putting fox in the All-Star game and then I’ve got one more who’s my last one said Edwards Curry Booker Kawai domas Fox and you got one more yeah oh well no we already said Booker Ingram Rudy Paul George Zion Williamson um Kat Carl Anthony towns Lorie marinan James Harden I don’t

Put James Harden I don’t consider James Harden no man um boy a coin flip between AD and uh and Paul George okay so you probably go George no I would I to be honest I would probably go ad over Paul George okay but but they’re they’re so much better and I

Can’t imagine giving that team two All-Star representes so oh I mean they’re just bad man they’re just bad okay no I’m I’m going Paul George uh yeah I I think they are I think they’re you know they’re a team that like it’s Island of Misfit Toys and

We talked about it before the season they took all of these players that had never found success anywhere else and thought that they could just put them around ad and and LeBron and find success so you know D’Angelo Russell is not you know a guy who who leads a team

To championships and like the same Lauren Wood and uh ruy hachimura and like they just kept bring in these guys that that have a track record of not winning games and it is what it is you know this is what happens when you try to like it really does feel like a 2K

Situation where you’re just like like you’re making trades on 2K or signing guys on 2K without really looking at how they impact winning or anything else and like I would prefer to the way that the Kings built a roster where you brought in guys that you think you can put in

Winning situations and that they can respond so just my own personal view so uh interesting okay uh Sean do you have any final thoughts final thoughts um do I have any final thoughts I saw Godzilla minus one did you have you heard of this no dude I

I so I had so many people telling me about this this Godzilla movie and I’m I’m like come on how good could it be it’s really good man really it’s like black and white it no it’s it’s a complete Japanese movie and oh there’s no there’s no actor it’s not like a ma

The Matthew brri God aful one that they had in New York and the Brian they had Gary Olden one yeah probably Gary Oldman but uh no it wasn’t wasn’t like that it wasn’t like the Raymond Burr he was in 198 the 1985 one I mean it’s it’s really

Quite good I I was shocked and I saw it on the biggest screen possible which was which was great um and yeah really really enjoyed it usually those type of movies don’t get me but I was I was all in man I really enjoyed it okay there’s

The 49er stuff is is it was cool to to to be there at the at the NFC championship and see them punch through and um you know there’s there’s going to be some uh some fun 49ers stuff over the next few couple weeks really and yeah get Niners and Chiefs again your

Boy momes against uh against your your your beloved Niners and uh we’ve talked about it we don’t we don’t bet against Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl in in the postseason are you going to do it here I’m not making to bet I’m you know someone’s I’m going to have to say what

I think um you know but I don’t know I I I don’t think you bet against Mahomes I don’t know it’s not a win-win for me but if like my favorite team has always been the Niner since I was a kid um but my my next team is the Chiefs

Just because I watch all of Mahomes games because um yeah uh oh good good good pointing out there Sean um well and again to that to that point though like the Niners have had their backs against the wall twice now in the postseason had to have these these

Moments to save their season so there there’s kind of special about that okay okay so it brings this like if I were doing prize picks here Sean yes if I if I were doing prize picks which I did oh my gosh we didn’t talk about price picks

From last week no I did I did fine right you were oneoff that was that was the way you were the guy that almost won the like like everything it was worse than that like for okay so I’ve been having a good time doing price picks uh we were

Uh we had a game uh what game was that Sean um that was the uh the the the Warriors game no maybe that was a Warriors game okay so either way I I had yeah yeah maybe it was maybe it was right so um again we love doing this because it’s

First of all it’s a fun sponsorship right so uh but this thing happened the other day which like it it ends up being absolutely horrible it was the Kings versus no versus the Charlotte horns no that’s not the right one that was too far ago no hang on let me look I’ve got

It here this is important so this is like this is why we play priz well why I play PR it was the Warriors game so I I chose the six uh like six selections which I always do and almost every single time I choose all more which is

My own bad way of of playing pricee picks right um don’t follow that advice yeah don’t ever follow my to the T because most of the time I’m way off but I had Steph Curry with more than 5.5 rebounds he finishes with six I have Kevin herder at more than 2.5

Three-point shots he finishes with three I have Keegan Murray with more than 0. five dunks he finishes with one I’ve got Harrison Barnes at more than 3.5 rebounds he finishes with four now now I’m at four out of six we get to number I got Deus sabonis this is a wild one I

Took demonus sabonis with more than three point that more than 0 five three-pointers right nailed it he is two so because I do a six pick and I’ll be honest transparen here I did a a $20 bet but a lot of these picks were part of a

Promo they have where it’s like Goblin in something so a lot of these picks were these were more difficult they’re almost like teaser picks like where they’re you’re choosing things that are like Harrison Barnes probably uh was more like two rebounds and you know uh Kevin herder was probably more like two

Three-pointers these are more difficult selections right because I chose five out of six wor more difficult selections I actually got uh I think it’s a the odds were were crazy the payout was crazy so I had a potential $2,000 payout for a $20 bet right everyone’s with me still my last one all

I needed was left was dearon Fox at 29.5 points he gets fouled in the key with like 40 seconds left and for some reason they don’t put him at the line I I I still don’t know the final play Harrison barns rips down a rebound he throws it to Kevin herder Kevin

Herder throws it to dearen Fox before dearon Fox can get the ball they foul Kevin herder so he doesn’t go to the free throw line the last very last play of the game Steph Curry dribbles the ball off his foot dearon fox picks it up races to the other end and doesn’t

Actually shoot a bucket finishes with 29 so I did win 200 bucks but I missed a $2,000 payout by by a whopping 0 five of well one point tough better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick yeah tough World tough world it’s first world first world problems um

So anyway I’m having a good time you need to call that’s a bad there’s probably a hotline you need to call that was a bad beat right there wasn’t it yeah yeah I actually um I had called the wife up I’m like hey I got to show you

This and she’s like oh no and I’m like yeah and I knew like early on I started checking them off like one by one like oh Steph had four rebounds in the first quarter like oh yeah I’m getting that one and then Kevin herder hits two

Threes I’m like that one’s easy and then Keegan Murray got an early dunk I’m like well I’m already there I already got three yeah it’s just systematically and then the the Harrison Barnes one it just sat there he had three rebounds forever he needed four and it was the late

Rebound where he um where kaminga the ball slipped out of his hands and it looked like it might be a block like right at the end of the game and then Harrison jumped up and grabbed the rebound um so I got to that one and then

It I just couldn’t get that last point so anyway I’m enjoying price picks don’t be like James don’t be like James James is not good at priz picks don’t be like James um okay Sean uh yeah final thoughts what we’re pretty much done right we’re done we’re done uh James’s

Final thoughts uh we’ll be back soon we’ll have Brendan um he’s not going anywhere he just has a has a busy day uh tune in to Shan’s content at Fox 40 uh especially like Shawn was all over the place at uh the NFC Championship Game U

You’re not going are you going to the Super Bowl uh I we’re going to have our we’re going to have coverage from the Super Bowl but I don’t know if I’m a part of it I think I find out the next day or two um but even if I’m not we’re

Going to have some good stuff and just had a uh I did just finally this morning I was able to run it yesterday um just because all the Niner stuff it kind of got pushed back a little bit but uh finally released that Stanley Johnson interview curious as to what people

Might have thought of that I really enjoyed the interview because he has such a refreshingly honest assessment of not only his Outlook of where he is in his career as a guy who you know 2015 he was the eighth pick and now here he is

Toiling in the G League to try and find his kind of career again but his optimism is just he has such a really feel-good optimism around him you know he he’s it’s a it was an interview that the way he would he participated in the interview differently than I thought and

And full transparency I do a lot of these interviews over the course of the past two decades where you know Sacramento has a minor leag baseball team we have a Stockton G league is a minor league uh kind of organization you know is that that is just in Stockton

You’ve got single a and double A sprinkled throughout the a so you do these interviews a lot where you know oh there’s a guy who’s kind of toiling in the whatever and he’s trying to and some people can look at it as like well here

I am I’m just trying to cling on to hope that I can make it back or you know things didn’t go quite my way or there might be an injury here or an injury there or his is like unlike a lot of people that I’ve talked to and um I

Think he’ll pick up on that the vibe is just a lot different like he feels blessed to be with the Stockton Kings and uh the way he talks about it I think is is uh wholeheartedly honest and and authentic to him so um appreciate him sharing the story and be interesting to

See how that all plays out but I would like to hear what people might think because that was just me coming away from that interview kind of I wish I had more time to talk to him sweet yeah and make sure you’re following all that

Shawn does Shawn does a ton of good work work whether it’s again football or it’s local sports or it’s High School uh like I don’t know what you got coming up on high school but boy how about Brandon how about Brandon Gibson if you haven’t heard that name uh Monterey Trail he’s a

Senior with Monteray Trail and elgrove the Mustangs he just dropped 51 points I think the other day oh that was the most uh in a long time bill cartrite has the most in the Sacramento like area was like 66 back in the day with the elro Thundering Herd which was my alma moer

Um I didn’t go to school with him I’m not that old but uh he he he scored 66 I remember you know uh here’s a name like Darius and Demar Demarcus Nelson back in the day you know dropped a 50 piece but he went to Duke Duke Sheldon yeah he had

A little little run in the NBA but uh yeah this kid Brandon Brandon Gibson is nice man he he’s he’s fun to watch okay no that’s good to see um outside of that uh final thoughts for me um tune in to the Insiders me and Kyle

Are having a great time he’s back uh lots of football coverage lots of Kings coverage um and it’s just another Avenue for you to get more Kings information especially as we load up and get ready for the uh the NBA tra trade deadline next week it’s GNA be a little wild it’s

Gonna be a little wild I think so um so tune in and it gives you a place where you can go and camp out and as news breaks or as we break news uh you should be able to have a pipeline to things there um and Sean and I will be back

Next week uh we’ll have Sean well we’ll have Brendan um we might even do one this weekend especially if something happens and something breaks uh we’ll jump on especially with the the NFL on Hiatus for the weekend so thanks for tuning need to hear from need to hear

From Brendan because he was at the NFC Championship I want to know how that experience went for him Brenan went yes yeah Brenan was he he was so looking forward to Journey uh uh the halftime performance which now wasn’t Steve Perry but it was everybody else was there they have a new lead

Singer uh a Filipino guy Arnell Arnell paneta I think his name is yeah um he’s had they’ve been he’s been there for several years but yeah Steve Perry it’s been a lot longer than that though uh yeah because it was Steve oerry and then it went to him he’s been

There probably for like Clos was his real name Steve oerry yeah that know that that’s funny and he had a he had a great voice too and like he sounds a lot like Steve Perry it I’m surprised well I’m not surprised like Steve Perry just doesn’t want to do it

And he doesn’t want to be out in public and it’s kind of sad he he just doesn’t he lost his love of being out in uh in public and and everything else so he did come out with an album recently though I mean it’s like within the past two years

Like a solo album yeah I mean just still incredible voice incredible incredible voice so yeah I forgot about that that he was going to be I mean that Journey was going to be there I have sey concert Journey fixed the 49ers they’re down 17 and half they perform Don’t Stop Believing and guess

What they’re back boom science superow that’s right amazing um sweet okay that’s going to do it for this edition of the Kings beat podcast uh number one jump on board with prize picks there is a link in the description down below use the promo code Kings beat for your first

It matches up to a certain dollar amount for your first purchase uh I’m having a good time Sean’s having a good time watching me have uh a bad time uh on certain nights and uh like overall I think it’s just a good way to add to

Your uh to your viewing um as long as you’re being responsible and not doing crazy things so um again that’s going to do it for this edition of the Kings beat podcast for Fox 40 Sean Cunningham I am James ham Kings Insider for ESPN 1320 and the Kings beat we’ll see you soon

Fox 40’s Sean Cunningham and The Kings Beat’s James Ham join forces for coverage of the exciting Sacramento Kings.

Topics include the Kings fall in Miami, All-Star reserve set to be announced, roster needs a boost at the deadline, does Monte McNair need a big trade or something on the fringe, where do the Kings stand amongst other Western Conference playoff hopefuls, as well as another edition of The Business of Basketball centered around the future of Sasha Vezenkov in Sacramento.

Thanks for joining us on this adventure! Big shoutout to Paul Jinkerson (@paulitition) for creating a new intro and outro for the podcast and to Brenden for creating our new overlay for the podcast.

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