[FULL] NBA TODAY | Perk on Jokic leads Nuggets beat Cavaliers, Joel Embiid set to return this week

[FULL] NBA TODAY | Perk on Jokic leads Nuggets beat Cavaliers, Joel Embiid set to return this week

Getting an answer to one of the biggest questions in the Eastern Conference as we say hello and happy Monday to our senior NBA Insider Adrien w naski w Joel embiid he last played in late January and since then the Hope has been he would come back for the 76ers but we

Didn’t have a date or timeline until now what more can you tell us yeah Mika Joel embiid’s return to the Sixers lineup is imminent it could come as soon as Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder back in Philadelphia but the expect ation is he will play this

Week the Sixers have games later in the week against Miami then a back toback on the weekend with Memphis and San Antonio I think it’s unlikely you’d see him in a backto back this soon coming back but he’s just been ramping up his conditioning and feeling like he was in

Shape that knee has been cleared and you know the expectation is uh that Joel embiid could be back as soon as tomorrow we’ll know more about his status for the Thunder later today but this is a player Malika who when he left this team in late January was on course to be the

First player since wi Chamberlain to average 35 points 10 rebounds five assists in an NBA season anytime you’re in the same company as Will Chamberlain it is a good thing wo thank you please do not go too far and be’s return it’s coming at a crucial time for the 76ers

Because Philadelphia they have four games this week two games right now they’re two games out of that sixth spot in the East so let’s welcome in the rest of our panel look who is here in Los Angeles our senior writer Zach low NBA champ Danny Green is here with us as

Well and beaming in from htown our resident big man NBA champ in his own right Kendrick Perkins and perk you have been adamant about the Sixers not bringing Joel andb back we have all listened to you say that this season what’s your reaction now that they have announced that he could return rather

That W has reported that he could return as soon as this week well my feelings are the same but kudos to Joel and B cuz I know this decision pretty much fell in in his hands and was on him but let me say this when it comes down to looking at this

Situation with the Philadelphia 76ers they’re in the playin tournament right now now if Joel embiid is willing to jump off the you know jump into that fire he’s either going to come out looking like a hero or we know the other part of it my thing is is this right if

He looks anywhere close to the Joel andb that we saw before the injury how are we going to judge him in the postseason to be fair I feel like if he looks close to the 35 uh points per game Joe Ellen beat then all excuses there are none of them

When it comes down from him leading this team in a postseason and making a serious run at least getting to the Conference Finals I’m not interested in all that quite yet I want to see him play and I want to see how he looks because look I’m going to defer to Joel

Embiid from what I’ve heard about his people in the Sixers this is a very careful thought out decision there there’s no rushing here he’s only coming back because they are confident he can stay healthy and the knee will hold up as far as the postseason all that look

They might be locked into eth it’s going to be hard for them to get out of eth they do have an easy schedule but so do the heat so do the Pacers they don’t have the tie Breakers and if they’re eighth it’s just a tough road you’re

Looking at a potential either you win the play in first game and you get Milwaukee in the first round that’s a war you lose the first play and then you win the second one you get bosted in the first round are we ready for Bost Philly

In the first round of the playoffs with Joel andb but I’ll tell you this this is the wildest of wild cards in the NBA if this dude is 90% of the guy that was running rough shot over the league right they have a sh a shot to get beat

Anybody in a playoff series so they are eighth right now but look at this schedule here it’s very easy the Heat schedule is also very easy the Pacer schedule is also very easy they don’t have the tie break against either team and like two games with six or seven to go

Is a lot and like I don’t know if you can just assume that he comes in and plays 35 minutes a game they’re all of a sudden the elite team that they were before yeah I don’t see him playing 35 minutes either and quite honestly I

Think it is a little too late um I think they were expecting to come back sooner two weeks left in the season it’s not enough to make up uh maybe he might come back to himself but the team around him the group around him is not used to

Playing with him 30 games without him those guys have to adjust the coaching has to adjust their all style of play their best bet was for him to come back earlyer try to match up with Cleveland in the first round and then hopefully build Rhythm but if they have to match

Up with Milwaukee or Boston it’s an early Kendrick looks befuddled why I I am befuddled because Zach said the postseason he’s not worried about none of that stuff why not what’s the point of bringing them back with they only have seven games left the point of bringing them back is that in the

Organization they must have the mindset that they actually could do something in the postseason and I can understand that with how vulnerable the Eastern Conference is right now Zack not you Danny I’m talking to Zack because he said he wasn’t worried about all yeah the Easter the Easter Su I’m

Trying to I’m trying to understand why it’s seven games left in the regular season we should be concerned about that and worried about that I meant I’m not worried about the noise I’m not worried about how are we going to judge him what’s his legacy going to be the

Excuses I’m not worried about any of that I am interested and I guess worried whatever term you want to use about how good this team can be because they were dominant starting five when they had him when they had the Anthony Melton we don’t know what his status is but if

They have this dude averaging 35 a game a point a minute or 80% or 90% of that they’re a dangerous team FR I’m just not interested I’m not going into the dialogue of it yet because let me see in play Let’s finger cross he’s healthy and

All of that but let’s say somehow go ahead Kendrick no go I mean that we all want to see what he looks like when he tomorrow night to see how we’re going to judge him that’s why I said in all fairness we have to see it because if he

Looks like the Joel andb we saw before injury then he has no excuses going into the postseason cuz he came back well this part of jumping in the fire to that point let’s bring Adrien wowski back into the conversation who’s been standing by W how confident are the

76ers they’re getting that full strength Joel em be back listen they have really liked what they have seen anybody who’s watched L embiid work out lately uh he looks ready to play to them but he’s been out a long time he is coming off of another knee

Procedure uh it is not easy to just walk back into an NBA season right before the playoffs and be back in an MVP form which he was and remember the other thing he left a team that didn’t include buddy heeld didn’t include Kyle Lowry he’ll get to play for those with those

Guards for the first time in this window before as Zach said probably the play in tournament uh but there is confidence that Joel embiid um can get back and play at a high level but as we have seen with this Philly group they need Joel MV

Joel embiid at an MVP level to really be able to make a run at Boston make a run at Philadelphia that’s going to be really difficult in this short window but the clock is ticking in Philadelphia it’s ticking for this organization it’s ticking in Joel embiid’s career there

Was an opportunity to be healthy and come back and play and they’ve got to make a run at it so let’s take a look at the standings to see who they could be matching up with because if it is the Celtics who have clinched that top spot

In the East it’s going to be very very difficult for them to topple a team that’s been at the top of the NBA all year long then the Bucks they sit at the two seed just a a two and a half games ahead of the Cavaliers you see the

Sixers they’re currently in eighth they have seven games to go here I think Danny if somehow they were to match up with the Cavaliers you would probably pick the 76ers in that series but it’s going to be an uphill battle for them to get to that matchup yeah only because

Cleveland lacks The Experience that’s the only reason why and you have Joel embiid I don’t think they have anybody to guard him um in that and also Cleveland has their own injury issues with Donovan Mitchell in and out of the lineup Evan mby in Atlanta but Philly’s definitely tough enough can score enough

If we have everybody healthy but like w said it’s going to be interesting to see how Kyle Lowry uh the guys that weren’t there before buddy healed to both play with Joel um so yeah this is going to be a matchup that they would like to get so if they can catch in

If not it’s going to be a tough said early playoffs withth them but the only way they can build Rhythm and get Joel back in good shape and Buble get to the Eastern Conference Finals if they get an easier match up in the first round usually we ask for a percentage chance

But a Zach centage chance that they could give the Celtics a run for their money in the first round Zach sent it I was trying to come up with something better than that I need another couple well first the other difference between seven and six is not just Milwaukee

Cleveland it’s a week off before you get to play in the playoffs versus the play in tournament uh what does give to give Boston a run in in the first round what does that mean are they the biggest threat to the Celtics no thewa biggest threat to the Celtics my percentage

Chance if you’re talking like tough six game series or seven game series and they lose or win 27.8% chance 27.8 I appreciate the zision there the Precision and all of that uh perk last word on this they’re losing five if they matched up with the Boston Celtics it’ll be

Celtics and five way that lines up with yeah that’s about a 27.8% chance if you’re doing the conver put Joel and be in the pick and roll and they go test out his conditioning and his lateral movement and rightfully so well the the 76ers are not the only ones that could

Have a bit of an uphill battle in the postseason the Los Angeles Lakers do as well and coming up on NBA today yesterday LeBron James he hit the record books again while Stephen company passed a huge test but just barely so how do our experts feel about both the Lakers

In the dubs with two weeks left in the Season answers coming ahead meanwhile in case somehow someway you missed another Victor wanyama eye popping night what he did WHY games like it might be a regular occurrence soon for the Spurs and the Knicks they lost a heartbreaker act to

The Thunder last night but that wasn’t the worst news so here why a title run it may have gotten a lot harder in the Big Apple you’re watching NBA today one seed out west let’s catch you up on the race for the top spot with a little

Coast to Coast ready set let’s get it the Wolves they’re in third place after Friday’s big win in Denver but they also had a home loss to the bull so Minnesota was outscored 13 to2 over the final five minutes they ranked 27th in clutch time we’ve been talking about this Danny do

You trust this team late in games nope this was an issue they had before All-Star break they should have fixed it then um they need Carl Anthony towns to be healthy for them to make a Deep Run and they don’t have it right now that was the sync he said nope all right

After a brief stint in third the Nuggets they climbed back into second place that’s thanks to a cool 26 18 and 16 from Nicola yic against the Cavaliers Zach How likely is it that joker becomes just the second unanimous MVP in NBA history after Steph unanimous unanimous unlikely to be unanimous those other

Guys down there are going to get votes Luc is making a push SGA is’s not going to be unanimous I would be shocked if you were unanimous shocked I say shocked but will he be the MVP probably probably all right last stop the garden Jaylen Brunson and the New York Knicks hosting

The Oklahoma City Thunder we’re picking this up with under four minutes left here the Knicks Trail by three Brunson the ball stays alive and he’s able to nail the three tie game at 104 Zack L Dylan Brunson what an incredible story clutch shot after clutch on and this guy

Get to know in the love of America Jay dub Jaylen Williams he’s a stud he absolutely is the thunder up by three 12 seconds left the Knicks down by one Jaylen Brunson blows past Chet hrin he wanted to be called for the an one there

Zach I think I’m kind of okay with that being a no call it looks like a foul when he falls over he falls over a lot I think I might be okay with that as an no call sorry Nicks fans the Nick’s up by one you think that that might be it

However you don’t think that might be it this dude is an absolute killer a killer nimous MVP you said no way I have him as my MVP honestly you have shade gild Alexander is your MVP all right well last chance for the New York Knicks 1.8

On the clock this is the guy want to have the ball Brunson couldn’t quite get it to go that noise he finished with 30 points the Knicks lose a heartbreaker OKC though clinched a playoff spot last night and according to ESPN analytics the Thunder currently have a 48% chance

To get that one seed something they haven’t done since big perk was an OKC while the Timberwolves and Nuggets they each have a 26% chance to finish with the top spot as for the Knicks could help be on the way well here’s Josh Hart this is a team that we’re going to have

You know uh you know I think that’s how you know we have to approach it you know that that those guys um you know aren’t coming back and then obviously we’ll be pleasantly surprised if they come back Adrien wood narowski back with us here and Josh Hart he seems resigned to

The fact that OG an anobi Julius Randall they are not walking through the door anytime soon is he right though what are their timelines to return M let’s set us side Julius Randall for a moment nothing has changed on him he’s not been cleared for contact

Yet but OG anobi listen I’m told that the Knicks they want that elbow which had a loose body taken out of it uh at at the trade deadline early February he came back played a couple games and then went out again they don’t want him in

And out of the lineup they want uh that injury the inflamation the irritation to to go away and that when they bring OG anoi back he can stay back and they’ve got certainly a look at the big picture of having him healthy ready uh hopefully for uh the postseason that doesn’t mean

He won’t come back during the regular season uh but they don’t want him in and out of the lineup uh and this is an organization right now that wants to play it safe with anobi they’re 15-2 in New York in games he’s played this season since that trade from the Raptors

W thank you so very much certainly OG an anobi has missed his fair share of games over the last SE years so this is something that the Knicks knew when they traded for him still as W said 15 and two they want this guy back but as much

As I know you’ve been high on the Knicks and as much as I know Danny you enjoy the Knicks there is no bigger body supporter of Jaylen Brunson out of the East East Madison Square Garden then you Kendrick Perkins so if injury questions continue to hang over New York as we

Head into the playoffs do you think that Jaylen Brunson he can still lead this Knicks team to an Eastern Conference Finals which is where you set uh their bar not too long ago yes why is he Whispering it that mean yeah that that means I’m not saying

It with confidence and with my chest poked out but I’m going to go down with this ship if it happen to sink on me believing in Jaylen Brunson and him leading this New York Knicks team even without OG and anobi and Julius rounda to the Conference Finals listen the New

York right now the East is wide open if they could stay away from the Boston cel I believe that Jaylen Bronson has the capability of dominating any series we saw look individually we saw a small sample size of this this past weekend we saw what what uh Victor wimba yamba had

To do in order to knock off Jak big body Bronson historical 61 performance we saw last night him go against a tough Oklahoma City Thunder team in stda had to hit a game winner well I’m looking in the East and I’m looking at how Jaylen Bronson has been delivering if those

Others Josh Hart uh hardenstein you know uh Alex Burke if they could just Elevate that game just a little bit they still got a fighting chance to make it make noise and competing the East to make it to the Conference Finals yes I’m with you on this one big perk um Jaylen

Burnson is special some guys just know how to win and he gets it done regardless who’s on the floor or not he’s going to figure out a way only if they can avoid Boston they can beat Milwaukee they can beat Philly Cleveland teams like that but if they end up

Facing Boston before the Conference Finals then they’ll probably be going home without those guys but those other teams I think Jaylen Bruns is special enough to beat them not by himself but he can lead his team to beat those guys a lot of ifs from these people lot of

Ifs ifis if ifs were fifths we’d all be drunk is that what perk says I got no ifs they’re not get to the Conference Finals that ogan and Obi and Julius Randle if that you’re saying they’re going to beat either the bucks or the Celtics in the second round as presid

Constituted I love this team I love their fight I love jayen Brunson who’s making a case not just for all NBA but for that fifth spot on the first team all NBA I don’t think he’s going to get there but he’s making a case I love everything about him I love Tims love

The toughness they played eight guys yesterday essentially for how many minutes six of them played more than 12 minutes I don’t know what kind of fumes these dudes are going to be running on when the playoffs start but poor Duce McBride and Josh Hart need a night off I

Just don’t think they have enough Firepower without both anobi and Randle to beat Milwaukee or definitely not Boston in the series now if they got anobi back that might the equation cuz I think he fits perfectly I think he actually might be more important to their team than Randall is but I just

Wish we could see him all healthy because they were rolling and rampaging over everybody and they were that team with everybody was a threat not just to make the Conference Finals but to be a pain against Boston in the Conference Finals Jaylen Brunson has been breathtaking all season long it has been

So much fun to watch him I he’s inching towards the category of well you don’t really want to bet against Jaylen Brenson because just when you do he’s going to surprise you who however watching down the stretch of that game when you’re asking a six-foot guard to

Operate and score in the paint the way that that you’re asking him to without a Julius Randall and some of these other guys it’s getting a little bit tricky when you start to look at some of those matchups and as wo just said right now

It looks like ogan aobi could be on a better track track to be back sooner than Julius Randall and they need their full compliment of guys that they’re going to make a serious run in a crowded Eastern Conference but my friends we got a lot let’s see how they did over the

Weekend we’re going to start with Steph Curry down in San Antonio facing Victor when Bama in the Spurs Victor going to work here he remembers when Trace Jackson Davis put him on a poster earlier this season Zach that was that’s also the center on the other team and it

Looks like for a second like it might be the point guard like that’s just ridiculous well so is this you knew Danny Green when Steph Curry hit this here come the Warriors yeah they’re on the they’re waking up at the right time so I’m I’m excited to see them in this

Playing tournament but anything you can do I can also do it 7 feet tall 75 actually Zach are we singing now is that sing it’s ridiculous every highlight is ridiculous well that’s why you sometimes you just have to sing because what else can you say but when Klay Thompson

Pulled up for this huge three to give the Warriors a crucial lead golden state gets the win 117 113 a little close for comfort down the stretch there speaking of Threes LeBron James his chalk toss this time in Brooklyn LeBron why not pull up for three yeah that one’s good

Let’s just start keeping track at this point Zach because it was getting a little bit ridiculous yeah Pet’s just on the wrong side of a lot of highlights I think he’s going to shoot this you think I think he’s going to shoot It’s usually the left side but

Right side why not he’s shooting 40 plus percent this year on threes it’s kind of crazy it’s something that he has worked on added to his game once again on the other side in the corner sure Danny that’s good too this yeah this is cles he’s no dribbles at this point and just

Catching and shooting not a nor from LeBron James I mean look if he can keep shooting jump shots at this level it’s going to I I don’t know if you can say extend his career but sure keep shooting Le there six I can count five six there’s more extending his career and

Extending his range seven I like these little squares we have they look good it reminds me of the Milwaukee Bucks Court where they actually painted those types of squares on the the off the dribble Corner three did you ever make an off the dribble Corner three not the step

Back not like that did you ever see someone in the crowd wearing a goat costume no wait I thought it was a bunny cuz it was Easter Oh I thought it was a goat because it’s at what point either way LeBron James just absurd from three 116 104 the

Lakers get the win and he continues to make history this time joining Michael Jordan is the only players to ever have multiple 40-point games after turning 39 in fact all other players ever have two 40o games combined at that should we call it an advanced age in their career

Super mature so take a listen to LeBron on how much more gas he thinks he has left in the tank not very long not very long um I’m on the other side obviously at the hill so uh I’m not going to play another 21 years that’s for damn sure but uh not

Very long um I don’t know what uh when that door was closed as far as I when I retire but I don’t have much time left so we all know LeBron is going to have to hang it up at some point but in year 21 it feels like his window why are you

Laughing perk cuz bro is a trip man bro is a trip he know he’s not going anywhere no time soon damn it and he knows when the Lakers and Genie bus put that contract on the table this off seon damn it he’s going to be resigning as a Lakers I

Don’t know why he playing these damn well then let me ask you this let me ask you this since we’re talking about Golden State since we’re talking about the Lakers since your hean and kikan over there Kendrick four straight wins for the dubs it’s hard to say their

Window feels the same for their at least their core three as it does for the longevity that you’re putting on LeBron James so perk what do you think who lasts longer what lasts longer the Warriors big three together in the Bay Area or Lebron James career not laughing

Now I I’m going I’m going with LeBron James and you know what’s crazy is that LeBron James is actually probably going to have an opportunity to end in the big three because they’re going to have to play in the playin tournament most likely if they continue at this pace

Because both of these teams been in the ninth and 10th spot over the last month so when I think about LeBron he’s going to retire on his terms um I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon the one thing that a lot of critics would love

To criticize him on is his his ability of shooting a Trey ball look like he’s been in the lab working on that but the Golden State Warriors that big three we’ve already seen too much you know what I’m saying turmoil throughout the course of this season that makes me

Think we already come to an end when it come watching Draymond step uh clay I think they expire at the same time and I think at most another year um lot of antics like you said turmoil uh a lot of up and down with Clay they’re not sure

What they’re going to get if they can bring him back uh so I think LeBron plays maybe one more year if that if not sooner but I see both of these both of these groups ending around the same time and it could be this summer well one of

Their seasons is going to expire in about three weeks cuz they’re ninth and 10th they were ninth and 10th a month ago they were ninth and 10th two weeks ago they’re ninth and 10th now they are in the junior varsity back bracket of the play in t

But for this question I will go with the Warriors core outlasting LeBron why I have no earthly idea except that the Antics and the turmoil that you guys have mentioned make it seem almost like Draymond and Clay are more likely to stay with the Warriors because I don’t

Know what team is going to like Pony up a whole bunch of draft picks to trade for Draymond Green with three years left on his contract he belongs with Steph he belongs with the Warriors clay belongs with the Warriors give it a couple more years at maybe Fair contracts and where

I don’t Sor I’m just I’m just I’m just reversing back to Danny saying one more season if that if that this summer could happen this summer the next two weeks you know you know how draymond’s fuse is and if you losing a playin well Draymond was he was very very good this weekend

Against San Antonio let let’s let’s bring it back because per I know I know you’re you’re befuddled in all this you good I’m just ask I’m just trying Danny one more year for LeBron James no like LeBron James is playing at least two and a half three two three more years

Easily he might make an all NBA team this year yes but they can offer from contract he still retire before that contract ends I give him one more year he’ll try to play with bronnie extend 22 years on that body those miles it it’s it’s it’s coming to an end quickly well

God bless him the dubs they put an end to San Antonio last night but it is safe to say that Victor Yama got Draymond Green’s attention in all this take a listen he is U he is a very very very very special talent um I’m I was just

Telling Trac and those guys like I’m happy had an opportunity to play against him now cuz they’ll have to deal with him a lot later and I won’t be in the league no more so that’s good for me there was so much college basketball this weekend you might have missed

Victor wanyama doing something that no rookie has done since Shaquille O’Neal and since Danny is already saying LeBron’s only got one more year at least the league is in really really good hands Zach uh yeah the ball is in his hands and when you shoot the ball’s

Already in his hands he’s going to block it before you even release it and then he’s going to just keep dribbling and do this you’re like okay sure why not yeah Coast to Coast over Isaiah hartenstein that’s fine and then later in the second quarter here Wy just Zips a dime to

Malachi brandom and then you know what I’m going to do it too drives for the it’s like a slow motion slam Danny it’s like a video game out there watching him play I Feel for these bigs these five men having to guard out on the floor that things that they’ve never done

Before guard them from three Innings passing it’s unbelievable what he’s doing have you would how would you have handled this there there’s not much I could do call time out foul him foul out there’s not much you could do with this for pre Jaylen Brunson on his way to a

60-point night still no match for Victor went I mean that was an off to dribble step back three I just don’t even and and then just throw it to him throw the lob to him too and another Corner three sure call a set play for your 7 foot4 Center to take a corner

Three sure why not and that’s Mitchell Robinson contestant he’s making Mitchell Robinson look like a small guard doesn’t even f it doesn’t phase him at all shooting his jump shot he was there’s more there’s more in overtime the sces are up two Victor wanyama little tip in there sure yeah

Yeah because why not and then 115 left to play Let’s go ahead here the Spurs up by one once again he is hitting this shot inverted pick and roll with their Twan game is becoming a really big weapon his point of release is so high I

Don’t know what you do to guard that case in point gives the ball a hug says you know what that was that was throw that was the Tim Duncan grip on the ball right there like before1 Point basketball goes to the Spurs fans yeah

Well he got a f for that but I would say he probably thought it was worth it Victor is having a season we’ve never seen before from any rookie he’s the first rookie in league history with averages of 20 points tenis rebounds three assists and three blocks the last

Player with those averages in a trick shot in pregame off the Jumbotron and then of course the underhand finger roll from Deep somehow I’m sorry Houston Rockets that inspired some top of the top from our producers we’re going to do some top finger rolls here and first up

We’re going to start Danny Tracy McGrady this is Christmas Day 2003 you know you remember this one this was I mean TM ooh this butter better the midair switch perk right perk was so taken back his mic wouldn’t even be on for the first couple of words that came out of his

Mouth and then you have Clyde Drexler this is the 1994 playoffs Clyde Glide Glide and just gives Glide a long the long distance that’s nice yeah five is like that c had an underrated layup package too when it came to the finger roll well and then there is Eddie Jones this was

In 1997 jumping from the three-point line right just inside like just inside the pre-point line just what it’s unnecessary yeah interesting bit of timing from Eddie J that was sick oh and then in 82 you don’t even need HD to be able to see this this is the icean George gerin

Was fouled not given a continuation but we’re showing it to you anyway it was that nice of the finger roll mhm alltime greatest finger roll got to be and then one more look at perk what would happen if you attempted this of one I wouldn’t have never had

The ball in my hands right there to be able to attempt that but two that’s just Luca doing Luca things Luca magic LCA magic and that distance between the Spurs and warriors widened just a bit our next a Wednesday double header features Jason Tatum the Celtics hosting Shay gilis Alexander and the Thunder

Yeah it’s a good one 7:30 Eastern then Donovan Mitchell the Cavaliers take on KD Devin Booker and the Suns who are looking to get out of the play in tournament it is that time of year folks you can’t miss a single game the standings all change in an instant

Coverage tips with NBA Countdown at 7:00 hey before we bounce you might not know Utah general manager Justin zanic by name but you know his work he engineered Blockbuster trades with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy goar and now he’s in the fight for his life here he has polycystic kidney disease where he

Only has a 14% use of his kidney and when his staff found out at the beginning of the Season that he needed a kidney transplant many within the Utah Jazz they lined up to see if they were match and could be a donor as we say hello to our senior Insider Adrien W

Narowski this winter he found a match but any relief that came with that woe it was counterbalance by the fact that all three of his young children they have also been diagnosed with the same disease so wo you spent some time with the xanic family here what are they

Hoping is learned from their story well number one Malika that Justin zanic he’ll undergo that kidney transplant tomorrow in Salt Lake City but he’ll recover he will return to the job you know he will remain uh leading that front office in Utah you know certainly by you know as we get closer

To the combine the draft free agency uh his father had a kidney TR plant 21 years ago on Friday uh and he’s lived a very healthy life but certainly uh the urgency now with his own three children uh who were diagnosed with the same uh kidney disease it’s cysts that grow on

Your kidneys you know they’re in for a long haul they may need multiple kidney uh transplants in their lifetime he wants to bring awarness to the National Kidney donor registry to explain to people how they can help in that regard and you know Justin zanic listen Malika

When you were a cub reporter you came to us at ESPN one of the first people I introduced you to was Justin because I told you that his network of people the trust those around the league had in him uh was virtually unmatched and that if people uh thought you were okay with

Justin zanic it was going to help you build relationships all over this league and and I think today as the rest of the league largely is finding out about what Justin his family are up against you know they’re really rallying behind him and and that was seen woe in the fact

That so many from the Utah Jazz they went to see if they were a match so that they could be a donor for Justin zanak he is getting that surgery on Tuesday and certainly our thoughts are with the entire xanic family here you can read more about Justin xanic story right now

On espn.com Adrien wowski has penned an in-depth profile of the zanic family of the fight that they are in you fore spe for e for is for for my fore fore okay for for for for for spee speech foreign fore spee

[FULL] NBA TODAY | Perk on Jokic leads Nuggets beat Cavaliers, Joel Embiid set to return this week