BTB Episode 38: The Fraudulent Indiana Pacers

BTB Episode 38: The Fraudulent Indiana Pacers

[Music] you know the more and more I listen to our intro I feel like it sounds like Earl like am I am I wrong I don’t even know can you say y y y y y I got infinity money Play it Again Play it again one more time [Music] yeah yeah yeah Ma am I tripping am I tripping I mean I don’t know Earl equals Kai Jones or also Earl is Kai Jones uh his camera might have just lagged but that’s okay but as you could tell by the title everybody the Indiana Pacers have been swept 40 in their series I didn’t about halfway through they got what they deserved I’m gonna just make sure that ear is okay yeah but yeah they they proved that they were fraudulent very much so um I mean listen they had a good run they made it as far as they could they were definitely a solid team a worthy playoff team and they beat the teams out in front of him I know Earl he’s not here but if he was here right now he’d say basketball you can just beat the teams that are in front of you so for whatever reason the injury luck was on their side for the first two rounds and then it wasn’t although the Celtics were still missing porzingis and cornette don’t want that to go unforget un I felt like we all knew that the Celtics still had it in them to beat the Pacers without porzingis if they saw us without porzingis and possibly a little bit of healthier ogan noi you never know you never know but I mean I think it was it was it always felt like an in ility at least to me that Boston was going to be able to get to the finals as I don’t know why I still have to be the Bottom now even though no move Max up move Max up move max out no no you deserve it you deserve it Ma out I promise it’s good it’s okay I didn’t do the I didn’t do the thing below me is Earl next to me is Max welcome to be on the backboard podcast oh yeah two minutes also nice set up Omar he docks me after he said I sounded like the intro song Crazy work did I really but you know what we got guys to take care of that when we like releasing your address and stuff yeah and you booted me offline I didn’t boot that’s you dosed Omar dsed you yeah I I doxed you WiFi shut down for a sec that’s what happened yeah just for like half a second enough for you to talk no playing we were just talking about um the Indiana Pacers and how fraudulent of a run that truly was honestly both sides bro Earl is true this is why I said when you I said if R was here he would say basketball is a game of just beating whoever’s in front of you that’s what I no I would just say it’s about being healthy but I mean yeah for whatever we can both agree we can both agree although like the Celtics obviously they were going to go this far both of these teams to the finals run has been kind of subpar I’ll say compared to like what’s been going down in the wild wild west H just series by series bases in my opinion at least I I mean I get it I get it right but I don’t know if I feel the same way though but who did the Celtics play the Celtics were literally through heaven on Earth that’s the only way that I can describe the C I’m saying like what teams like let’s recap the teams all right so the Celtics in the first round they saw Miami that was probably Miami they didn’t see miam they seen the G League Miami team but continue they were also missing thought was I thought I was Bugg I was like what did you just say no no I was just being funny Jimmy Butler no Jimmy no Tay rer two of the really Bucky Getters besides Tyler hero and forcing him to be the number one option with no other solidified options around him doesn’t work that’s one in three options offensively yeah and then bam is Bam like bam works good next to guys like Jimmy and Terry roier when he’s forced to be the main guy things just don’t work out as well all but he’s a great player though they were G to I think they would have handled the heat even if the heat were healthy I don’t think they would have been too much of a problem but I think Butler and R year that just made it that much easier I think if they just where it would have been extended to seven and if we talk yeah if we talking about like their rivalry for the last couple years it’s been it’s been competitive although obviously they didn’t have Pingas and Drew holiday but the celings and the Heat have been the two teams battling the last what four plus years yeah um going back and forth so I I really was looking forward to seeing that like I said like I can’t really fall like they say hey I’m I want to play a hurt Heat team I mean that’s just the way things kind of worked out in my opinion but those think about the early rounds like y’all’s series versus the Sixers still my favorite series next to me my bias take about watching Lakers Nuggets because every game was close but that first series of Sixers versus um Nicks was one of the most entertaining series I watched all playoffs I think I think a hot take is that the Knicks were part of the two best Series in this playoffs so far I don’t think the series wound up being that good just because of the amount of blowouts that were yeah but like we can argue all freaking day on how if the Knicks were healthy oh man even like like I’m gonna say this and I don’t want to dwell because I said this a few seconds ago and Earl wasn’t here and I just wanted to make sure you heard no I just want to make sure you heard it as well but I’m here I’m listening yeah I got you but if the Nick if the Knicks saw the Pacers without porzingis would that yeah yeah I’m sorry I’m sorry yeah the Celtics they would that [ __ ] would have went to seven games I’m so convinced I mean I do think Boston is just a different breed I think it would have taken a fully fully healthy Nicks with everyone there whole Squad to to push Boston that far Prett injury run they I’m not saying we would win really good team I think I’m not saying we would win I’m saying we would win at home I think the Celtics would have been good enough to probably take one of those home games I mean they really this team is good if we had noi I’m saying if we had OG if we had OG and Mitch and boot let’s let’s put Randall to the side for a second because Randall was going to be out of the Season regardless we knew he was out of the picture yeah I think you give us everyone but Randall I think that goes six maybe seven I think that I think that defitely give if you guys give fully healthy team with Randall six we would have beat the Celtics y’all could have beat the Celtics in six if I’m being respect I think the thing about the Celtics is you have to have like allaround scoring for multiple positions Julius Randle gives you that obviously Jaylen Brunson and Dante jman chenzo he’s been playing great as well um if we talk about defense all you have to really do is forc Mitchell Robinson to kind of play out on the perimeter or Isaiah hartstein Because porzingis unless you try to put Julius on him obviously that’s not gonna work you still need somebody that’s why we need Macau that’s why Weimer the waying is poring us on the perimeter and he’s been Nick this entire year when he was when it was Nick’s first Celtics in the regular season he demolished Us in pick and Pops he was the first presin was the first unicorn people forget he the first spot like on the right wing three feet behind the three-point line and hit it every time like it’s a warm so like I’ll say this again like I was talking to someone about this people forget like wmy all that porzingis was like the first gen model like he’s he’s like the base model of yeah he was the base model foringas he had a little dribble on him in New York a little bit not saying he was out there sham gone or anything like that he could do that play defense he can shoot the ball all these different things like he has that like he was like the base model Wim is just like a upgraded lighter um X gen iPhone 15 plus yeah version yeah like makes it look so much easier than wemi I mean than porzingis ever did in his life yeah yeah W just has he has the complete package that porzingis I feel like always try to build too 100% like like Max said he has the full package but the thing about it is he has the full package as a rookie pingis is just like kind of unlocking like those next levels of that package Tom he tries to get to where women is Wim is going to have his own tier which he’s already in right now I mean next year he’s going to be defensive player of the year there’s no question about that like Rudy go that’s it I do think por was set back from a few injuries that he did receive like I’m not I’m not gonna lie about that like that’s the biggest thing with bigs was Progressive like the way he progressed he could have been oh he could have been so much better but it’s just like oh was what huh what we’re gonna ignore that but he would he would so much better than he was today oh don’t know I feel you heard what you wanted to hear yeah he even said Omar even admitted to it he was drinking water it happens no anyways do you guys think Wendy is already a top 25 player in the league like right 100% no I feel like he’s close he’s close though I agree he’s close but I I have to give guys two years cuz first year you did it second year is about being healthy and doing it again he should have been Defensive Player of the Year this year over Rudy go because thaty first the first defensive player ever to go from a defensive player of the year to a defensive liability in the playoffs well I’m saying we know how this works bro it’s it’s mostly you have to be the best defender on the best defensive team that’s historically that’s usually how things go down no disrespect to it I’m just saying like yeah the thing with goar is he is I think he’s the best paint defender in the NBA by a good margin I don’t think there’s anyone who’s quite like him when it comes to like impacting shots forcing the forcing offensive players out the paint rebound block percentage like there is no free shots when goar’s in the paint he turns people away all the time so I feel like he’s a good paint Defender like he best paint Defender by a good margin yeah but he’s so clearly and obviously a liability as soon as he steps outside the paint he cannot defend the perimeter whatsoever and that’s nothing new yeah but it’s like the question is do you award the defensive Player of the Year award to the guy who’s the best in the paint and then terrible outside the paint or do you give it to someone like bam or ad or wemy who were probably top five or top 10 paint defenders in the league but also top 10 or borderline top 10 in switch ability and being able to guard the perimeter so it’s like Gober excels the most in like the you know like the stereotypical defensive category protecting the rim but there’s way more versatile and adaptable Defenders who kind of check all the boxes versus goar who just checks one very very emphatically and we’re that I mean the Mavericks have just put him in in pick and roll pick and roll screen action dribble hand off action and it’s not just putting aside the Luca gamewinner he they they went him so much in game five like every single time down the court in game five they were putting goar in some sort of action and the timberwol switched them a lot and he got eaten up alive on the perimeter a lot like it’s just so blatantly obvious yeah it it blatant it’s very blatant um so I’m not gonna act like he does deserve defensive player of the year but like seeing what we’re seeing I’m not gonna say that either it’s like because I know I came in a little hot but I don’t know I just felt like wemi as like what he was and what he came into and how he was able to affect his team being a rookie I mean you know what yeah I think you have a better chance of having a better case with Rudy Gober but um like Earl said that’s how it historically goes you got to have the F you gotta got you got to get the best offensive person on the best defensive team yeah I think that his hands when the timber go came into last year with the Minnesota Timberwolves people were calling it the worst trade that Minnesota and timber wolves could ever make in their life hated it I I did too Earl you did too everybody said it I literally wrot article on why the Timberwolves three Center lineup won’t work yeah you can find that it’s still up I’m sure it’s still up someone could find that you yours are I I definitely wrote something like that too but uh it lives on the internet no but just to speak to it it’s just we called it the worst trade ever and it probably ended up being the best thing for the Minnesota Timberwolves yeah yeah they don’t go this far without him I’ll tell you what who knows maybe one of those first round picks becomes the next MJ and it’s like oh dang you know Utah becomes stacked in five to 10 years because of all those first remember they gave up four first round picks that is a lot if one of those a goat and then it’s like oh look who you gave up for a couple years of gobear but like like I’ll say this Timberwolves don’t make their first Conference Finals this year without Rudy goar their first Conference Finals in a long time without him so certainly at least right now it’s giving them it’s yielding them the success that they were looking for so right now they’re four they’re three and one in their series with each other game five tonight yes sir yes do you guys think do you guys truly think that the Minnesota Timberwolves can prove the impossible and beat the Dallas Mavericks in seven games I mean I think they can but they won’t if that makes sense like I don’t think’s a possibility three I I think I don’t think they could I did not I could not see a world where they win four in a row Timberwolves I could see it I think it’s possible I’m just not I don’t think it’ll happen I think the Mavericks are good enough and they’ve got good enough leadership that they’re not going to crumble you think about they made two key trades earlier in this year that’s going to make it impossible for the timber world to win yeah they’re not injured yeah I mean you think about Jason kid you know battle tested Champion as a player you know been through a lot of adversity in his career won a championship with Dallas he knows what it takes to close it close a series out Luca obviously not going to go down without a fight Kyrie amazing as we’ve seen closeout game player he just lost his first elimination game or closeout game last time he was 14 and0 before that so it just feels like the only way that this was going to happen is if not only the Timberwolves are just those guys but like Dallas crumbles like there’s a certain amount of responsibility the Mavericks would have to take in order to lose this series and I just feel like they’ve got guys out there who as long as they can keep the game close the last five minutes it’s gonna be a Luca and Kyrie takeover they didn’t have neither of them had the greatest game last time I don’t think you’re getting three more mid to subpar games of Luke and Kyrie and I think as soon as one of them figures it out and hit some clutch shots down the stretch I don’t see Minnesota being able to hang with them I think it can be close I would not be shocked if game five and game six if it happens are both close games basically every game this Series has been close but the difference has been Luca and Kai down the stretch have been able to outduel cat and ant Edwards ant looks a little tired cat’s not able to get the shot he wants Maverick’s get whatever shot they want every time and that’s a winning formula so I would say it’s possible theoretically like the terminal are good enough team to do it but it takes two to tango and I think the Mavericks are gonna close out in five or at least six I don’t think this goes seven I think the key to this series like you said it best I I think it’s Cary towns Cary towns is a guy if they want to win he has to score at least 25 plus every night for the rest of this playoffs if they want to win these games I I feel like he settles a lot for jump shots when I watch Carl Town’s play there’s not a lot of guys who can kind of contest that drive even if it’s like a high arcing layup but finish even gaap has trouble kind of blocking him at times I noticed that so when he settles and takes like eight threes and makes like one of them I mean you’re just selling your team short um I think he has to be more intentional about the way he goes about scoring I think that’s the key for the series and Anthony Edwards just has to continue to be be him like he has to get to his spots if the three is not hidden like I said move into the mid-range go go to the slash I mean we’ve seen what he did the Gaff um disgusting dunks even though he lost that what game three I believe it was game three where he absolutely baptized Gafford um but Gaff had the last laugh he had like three blocks in the fourth quarter which was absolutely spectacular but yeah it’s all gonna come up to Carly DS I feel like we know what an’s going to bring nasri he’s a spark Off the Bench um yeah it’s bro it’s all cap I think Shaq said the best bro like get in the paint like I’m sorry I get it he can shoot threes like if he notice the way he played last game he started inside yeah and he made I’m pretty sure he didn’t miss a three because he took smart threes four quarter yeah four yeah good four for five now four two back to back clutch threes they needed because it was just in Rhythm he wasn’t forcing it so I think this is all up to cat man they win lose or die with cat for the rest of the series yeah I think it is it’s it’s cat and it’s an you know we can’t obviously an has had two phenomenal series to get them this far I do think it’s fair to say he’s been a little underwhelming this SE this series for one reason or another you know he’s tired Dallas defense just has it out you know just is able to contain him better he’s just been missing shots all be it we haven’t really seen that ant Edwards explosion and I do maybe tonight is the night where he just goes off for 40 plus and Carries him to a win and he really has that statement game but it do I it feels like the timber wolves like you said ear not only do they need towns to have a solid good game they need ant to put the team on his back and have 30 plus on decent efficiency because they’re just not you know Jaden McDaniels might hit a three-pointer here nikil Alexander muker might get a layup here or there you know they don’t have you know Mike Conley is 37 you can’t count on him to score double digits every single night they can’t they don’t have those guys who can consistently put up the numbers outside of cat cat and an so y I think whoever wins that Superstar duel between those two and Luca and Kyrie on the other end probably whoever wins those Batts who are GNA be winning these games because you saw Luca and Kai win them through the first three games and then probably ant and cat stepped up and won him that game four so the teams around the margins are very similar it just comes down to those top two guys and if they can get their own shot and get Buckets down the stretch I think that’ll be the difference yeah I think can’t argue with that at all yeah I agree can’t argue with that it’s a big game for an if he can step up and really have a legacy game tonight that would do that would do a lot for him I think what they call on social media it would feed families but yeah like you said this the series lives and dies with cat like if he’s not doing well you guys are not gonna play the you guys are not gonna win Max I think Max had a best it’s about the Duos and Kyrie and Luca have been winning the duo battle um and On Any Given night it’s usually just ant or both both basically both of them don’t show up at the same time which you can’t win like that they still almost won a couple games like that to be fair they almost pulled it out Nas Game if they would won that game this is a different series like seven or eight threes that game that lost seven for nine I think I think nazre is so much better than everybody thinks he is oh no I think we know he’s good I think do you guys remember like he was we won it bro going into he was on our mle list like everybody was talk we talked about in Lakers shows we’re like hey we need n Reed he’s going to be the perfect um mil exception um or ml sorry um mid-level deception uh we talked about it his spacing next to Anthony DAV before like bro bro created like that whole jelly movement with like the twist oh yeah he’s big jelly Twisted layup he’s big jelly and I was like back in the day because a few years ago admittedly when when I was in high school and I was seeing this [ __ ] I didn’t know the guy’s name I just knew the motion and I just knew the guy was good at basketball and then later on today and I was like godamn that was Nas Reed holy [ __ ] yep big a lot better than everybody thinks he is I think he’s just he could be a starting powerful or starting center in the NBA for sure but right now he’s on a really good team with a lot of really good play playing huh not that I’m trolling I mean he’s a Sixth Man of the Year I think if you win Sixth Man of the Year that means you could probably start on half the teams in the NBA 100% 100% yeah put him on the um put him on Pistons he’s a superstar he’s averaging 50 points a game next to the Cade he reminds me of a slightly more athletic Miles Turner like similar kind of games obviously he’s a little smaller but like stretch big good rebounder could put the ball on the floor a little bit which Miles Turner can’t really do but like you know Inside Out scoring presence can hit the mid-range I like that you know block shots as well very good protector I think Miles Turner good comper and th like that I I would probably give Miles Turner the slight Edge right now but just in terms of like play style and like what he could be coming I think if you give Nas Reed 30 minutes as a starting center or starting power forward he probably puts up similar numbers to Miles Turner has Nas is a better finesse finisher if that Mak yeah definitely going downhill you want NZ re he can finish downhill Turner’s not really like that Turner he’ll get a little he’ll get a little body on you ever so not but it’s it’s like one of those like catch and Rhythm like not a driple and cre yeah yeah AG he play the post turn got some post game to him not I’ve ever really seen too much post game but I think they could have a similar impact we saw mil turn would just be a very impactful starting center on a Conference Finals team yeah yeah all right let’s talk about some offseason planning clearly there’s some shaking in the NBA Donovan Mitchell the New York Micks are trying to make moves re resigning OG is apparently be hard huh I heard Mitch is more stable in Cleveland than LeBron was that’s what the that’s the that’s so crazy to me because I don’t believe that bro Cleveland media is kind of crazy I’m I’m not going to I’m taking everything with a Grandin of salt Cleveland and nck media having a war Battle of the media it’s not even about me wanting D the Mitchell it’s about the fact how he’s acted this season and like people are trying to say that he cares more about the money I don’t think he cares more about the money than he does winning a championship that’s not Omar give us context give the fans context how is he acting this season he won’t bu there bro he want to be there Bas what Bas I need to hear it remember remember uh it was a little bit earlier I think it was like uh towards the end of the season or going into the playoffs Donan Mitchell was like in a tunnel or something and he was talking to a reporter he was responding to the GM’s comments about him like being 100% safe yeah and like they’re gonna sign him no matter what MH and then it was like he was like oh I don’t know if everything is like set in stone I’m gonna weigh my options out that’s not what he said something he said right now focus on winning and that’s the truth he said right now I’m focused on us winning right now he said something along the lines of I don’t know I’m not sure but why would he answer that I mean why yeah I think that’s just him Hing his deaths you know probably and I’m probably over reading into it but bro it’s also been an overwhelming consensus that he wasn’t happy in Cleveland for the past or before they started winning it was he wasn’t happy for a little while but that doesn’t come if you don’t get Darius Garland off your team either so it’s like Cleveland’s either got to go with loyalty to Donovan Mitchell or loyalty to Darius Garland it seems like yeah Cleveland’s just weird to me because it’s like they have so I feel like they’re they genuinely one of if if you look at pure talent one of the more talented rosters in the NBA like just in general but I think they’re a good example of it’s not just talent that you need to win need fit and to be fair they did just win a playoff series so like can’t take that away from they have made back toback playoffs and want a playoff Mitchell so fair play to them but it’s like d mitell and Darius Garland together both very good players are you gonna get the best version of either of them if they’re on the court together probably not then you got on the other end of the spectrum Jaren Allen and Evan Moy both very very good players borderl line Allstars the both of them probably are you going to get the best version of either of them when one’s at the power forward no probably not so I think like you said Omar it’s either Cleveland commits to Donovan Mitchell and probably winds up trading two out of the three of Garland Evan Garland Mo and Allen probably would wind up being Garland and Allen and you just rebuild with Mitchell move mbly to the five and get pieces around them that fit or you’re just completely blowing it up and you’re trading Mitchell and if great if not I don’t really know where you go from there so it’s like I do think they’ve got the talent and if they can manage to trade Garland and Allen for some solid pieces and kind of put guys around Donovan Mitchell that fit a little better really Embrace Evan Moi as like their dominant shop blocking starting center I think that team could go places but it all depends on what kind of trade value they can get from Garland and Jared need Sol players and [Music] they person be like Porter Jun I’m sorry who you giving up Max I mean let’s say they’re able to give up let’s say like a Garland and a Carris lever and maybe a pick for Mel Bridges I don’t even know Mel Bridges would take that much like let’s say they’re able to get Mel and then they trade Jared Allen for like some solid solid bench piece or like solid rotation because they do got Carris lever they got Max streu those are both legitimate players that I would feel I think you could start those guys next to Davin Mitchell yeah so it’s like they have the pieces they have the assets and I think they probably have some picks too I mean they probably traded won picks in the Donan Mitchell trade to get him but like yeah they have the pieces to go make moves so but I they are at a Crossroads like Omar said they got to either make sure Mitchell is bought in and committed and build around him or they got to figure out a way to get him out of there because if year or two that’s a problem considering how much you gave up to get him and Mitch has only shown nothing but like how do I word this without sounding like a hater yeah might as well it’s going to come off that way anyways it’s like he’s been inconsistent that’s fair to say in the playoffs he’s had some very good playf even like even like his attitude like I don’t know he’s always shown that he’s like on the fence about a lot of things and it’s like I don’t I don’t think even if Donovan Mitchell goes to the table today they offer him 250 million for the next five years and they say listen I’m willing to give you all of this money today fully guaranteed no injury no nothing Clause I still think Donovan Mitchell would still be 50 50% interested in signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers cap you know why because we live in a league where you can sign a contract like that and request a trade you will never leave that much money on the table I think that is probably the most likely scenario as Mitchell signs an extension with Cleveland plays a year and then just just do the Dame Lola rout get your money 12 months later I back in the day it probably would have been like like if he did this like what six seven years ago even though that type of money wouldn’t be going around like that contract guys will guys will take their chance if they feel like they can go to think about like what Braun and them did like braon could have got a super Max from Cleveland but he went to Miami um Chris Bosch he was um killing it on Toronto like he was that guy comes to Miami all those guys make sacrifices D Wade he stay well obviously was on the heat but he never really even got that big big contract like some of these guys so back then guys were willing to all right we’re gonna it’s not really about the money it’s about winning Legacy because they know they’re going to get on the back end sponsorships all that stuff extra stuff so I’m saying this like they’re not getting paid like tens of millions of dollars all right can I can I be honest ear because I fully agree with you and I do think but I do think that’s I’m not gonna get into that Nick we don’t touch Caro Anthony anymore he’s he’s okay loyal Superstar hey Melo just turned 40 yesterday happy one day belated birthday Meo you got me Melo you the player that got me into basketball same here G stay mow he could still put 10 he could still average 10 points a game off the bench for any NBA team oh yeah oh but I was gonna say this I was wait I want to say like I lost my train of thought God damn it Go Earl oh my bad I was just gonna say this people this why I talking about like Cleveland is like the shadow round once you get there what you have is what you have if you can’t make it work like if Donovan Mitchell can’t put up broad level efficiency what he did you’re not going to win in Cleveland because you’re not going to convince people to go there in free agency the only way anybody goes to Cleveland is via trade nobody is willingly signing a contract or draft notice how anybody on that Cleveland team has been traded there or drafted when’s the last time they sign a legit free agent Max truce real question yeah Max that was a signning train that’s what I’m saying but Max and you know why but you know why because that’s the type of guy who can’t turn down that type of bag One Max is not a star let’s add a new category bag Chasers bag Chasers but okay I finally I finally got it so basically what I’m saying is is that we’re going to see a lot of people start to take pay cuts I think I think we’re starting to shift in a direction a little bit and I don’t want to I don’t want to name names I don’t want to name names here we go but I think uh a certain player on a certain team is going to take a a lot less by just saving a year and signing now would you be mad H I said if he didn’t would you be mad no he deserves that money I’d pay him anyway yeah I feel the same way I feel like if he did it that’d be really cool but if he didn’t he already got like a not an underpaid contract but like a I think sense of like good value for the Knicks but he’s obviously worth more than that contract yeah yeah I I would I would personally sign him for two yeah yeah I mean somebody somebody pointed this out on the internet we have the ultimate loophole just increase his dad’s paycheck just pay Rick Brunson $100 million there’s no rule against that doesn’t count against the salary D can I get some lunch money we’ll just make Rick Brunson the highest paid assistant coach in NBA history by by 10 hilarious bro that would be hilarious I think I think we’re actually because since we’re talking about contracts I wanted to get into this and it I feel like it shifts really well into the next situation with ogn and Obi and the 76ers coming up as an merger to sign him even though I think that’s like some kind of tactic to raise the price for the Knicks and just get it done and over with he he’s well no he wouldn’t be he’s he’s an unrestrictive free agent he could do whatever he wants he can sign wherever he wants but we can but we can still offer him the most money which is why I think we have bird rights on him I think is this a player option situation or is yeah he he he’s gonna decline his current deal and then go into free agency I personally think the Knicks are going to get this over with before he hits free agency I think they’re going to just straight up offer him 5 years 200 mil because nobody can offer more than that the most teams can offer is a fouryear you guys comfortable 5 are you comfortable with 200 million million if it’s five years okay so he can decline his player option and hit unrestricted free agency or he could sign an extension okay so here’s the ways it could work out from because this is basically the same thing as what happened with Josh Hart last year OG could either agree to his player option take the 19 mil this year and then most likely if he did that it would be the Knicks add an extension on so he gets his 19 this year and then four more years of whatever we extend him to okay so he get 19 this year and then probably like 30 mil for the next it wouldn’t kick until the so the new one it wouldn’t kick in until not this upcoming season but season after that right it wouldn’t kick in until 2020 5 2026 do you think are gonna do you think the Knicks are gonna be like listen we’re going to pay you more next year we’re going to pay you 200 million for the next five years but take this qualifying offer well and he it’s not a qualify it would be a player option accept the player option this year and then take and then you get four more years so basically he gets five years guaranteed money if you do it’s basically like if you do this for us right now we’re gonna do this for you for the next five years so basically they’ll have like a year to figure their books out basically yeah we we got a cheaper books this year which would be helpful or he could decline player option and then either just resign with the Knicks on a non-extension just an unrestricted free agent deal or go somewhere else and then obviously get an unrestricted free agent deal yeah which which everybody is saying that he’s going to decline and then go into it I think the most likely option is what Josh do what Josh did last year except the I really hope he does end up do get a four year or five year extension built on that so he especially if he’s only playing at least like 60 games not even I think depends on OG like for the most part what I’ve seen he looks happy new York so I don’t see any reason why he would leave I think the only thing will probably lure him away is if another like bigger team obviously um I feel like from a competitive standpoint y’all are up there right now I mean yeah you guys were just in this playoff so it would take just like a I honestly I think it would just take like a top Western Conference team to to make him be like oh okay maybe I go here or something like that I don’t think he would trade another that’s why they that’s why they were saying Philadelphia can like throw the bank on him but I that fits Philly Philly needs a scoring small forward I feel like yeah and it’s like and it’s also adding like another constantly injured player to your roster along with MB I mean if you’re Philly I think you take it I think if you’re Philly you take what you can get but like true I hopefully they trade for Jimmy Butler because I mean apparently Pat riy is like not I me that’s another thing is that like Jimmy Butler is very much it sounds like could be switching this year like it’s not a guarantee that Miami resigns him come home Jimmy no I’m just playing I thinking I think Jimmy’s respectfully the last thing the Lakers need right now I think to over literally be no spacing on that team will be on the Miami Heat next year injured no offense we just don’t need that Tobias Harris is gonna be on the Miami Heat next year no doubt about it I don’t lose sleep about Tobias no play they’re gonna pass they’re going to pass each other on the TR the plane ride bye have fun I’m interested to see what Tobias Harris makes in terms of money what kind of contract he gets oh my God that overs him like he’s still Prime Harris is a team like the Pistons they would have to overpay a guy like him just to bring something there not saying Tobias is like that because he’s not no disrespect but the have to p double the contract of a guy just to make them come and play for you I could very much see the Pistons selling out like way too much money for Tobias Harris or Kyle kma honestly if they if they go ahead and start trading Quinton Grimes some players that they just got that’d be crazy yeah imagine go get Quinton Grimes from them and like iy maybe since we’re talking about free agency and stuff like that what do y’all feel about Paul George y’all seen the thing where they didn’t want to offer him the Kawai money um even though I feel like they’ve been modernly both the same amount of healthy in my opinion obviously kawhai is a champion and stuff like that but I don’t know man it seems like this if they don’t retain Paul George this whole trading away Shay thing yeah it’s over might be coming to an end you’re saying I think it would be a shame if they gave up I know it’s like there’s only so many years left and they’re getting older and older and all it’s like you can only have the same song and dance so many times but like it would really be a shame yeah for them to break up this core without a single healthy playoff run not one I just as an NBA fan I don’t even like I like the Clippers they’re cool I would like to see Kawai and PG and Harden win a ring with the Clippers I think that’d be cool but Max you know the last time they were healthy never 2020 in the bubble when they lost to Luca were they really both healthy that year okay well because I remember Clippers fans after that they they started talking about how um they didn’t take it serious after they lost okay well fair enough but like I still think this team I’m the biggest like the loser Clippers fan I think if they run the same team back they could contend in the west I’m a firm believer in that even with old Paul and old kawhai they could just be healthy I think it would be a shame for them to break this up over not wanting to pay Paul George the money like you’re in this far like you made it this far you got them here you’ve resigned Kawai at least just run it back because at this point if you if you lose Paul George then you’re really done then you got no shot and it’s like why did you even why did you extend Kawai in the first place why did you not just blow this up last year it’s like you’re committed this far just pay Paul George’s money even if you don’t resign Paul George you’re not doing anything in the next few years anyways like your team is too good to tank I don’t even know if they own their first round pick so there’s no reason to tank just commit to the bit and resign Paul George at this point yeah like if they do fumble Paul George that would be an L for the Clippers I’m still standing on the Paul George to the Sixers Paul George Goes to the Sixers I would be very very scared of of the Sixers because they could throw an absolute bag at him so they have to keep Paul George bro araed by the Clippers he’s like I bro they’re moving to the new Arenas bro they gotta sell tickets bro I’ve seen the price of those tickets I’m not paying that price of the tickets to watch kawh lonard only respectfully and a 70y old James Harden no 8y old Westbrook yeah and I forgot about Russell Westbrook I mean he may be Russ prime one day and then 17 games in a row he’s what wish hey they’ve got Prime Daniel Ty orl do you feel the same as Max does um about what Paul George yeah I feel like my biggest thing like going into this I talked about the pacing a lot but that was before they got seago I felt like Paul George back to Pacers would have made sense I still think in a world um there’s a world I just don’t know how the money works I don’t know what their books look like Paul George could fit well on that Pacers team they need a vet like him who can score play defense be that type of leader I think he fits that bill um or I think that’s just cooking Sixers I believe Sixers too that’s a great spot for him him tyres Maxi Roland be I think that I mean that we talk about Eastern teams I think that can pretty much compete what do you what do you think the Clippers should what do you think the Clippers should do I’m praying for their downfall so whatever makes them worse as a team no no no what do you think what do you think actually actually I mean what I think they should do is move on start over so so I’m not going into this I’m not going into this it sucks it sucks now that they it sucks this is happening now when they’re opening their new Arena like if they did this like two years ago in the prime of whatever you call this Russ Wester kawhai thing I mean I say Russ West kawhai Paul George thing it would have made sense but at this point Everything James Harden touches goes to [ __ ] and it’s not even his fault trade everybody for picks if you get whatever picks you can get start over pick some young players just you can’t go back and fix what you did with Chay that’s a fumble of a lifetime um but I still wouldn’t say that it anything bro I think you don’t win it’s a fumble man I guess blame them I get it I think I think you should trade all four of your play all four of them blow it up you’re not winning anything in that Western conference you’re not going far in that okay Max let me let me say this if you don’t resign Paul George and you’re not able to replace that star you might have to think about it no I want you to think about this I also want you to think about this with the emergence of Oklahoma City Thunder the Minnesota timber wolves the Houston Rockets in another year when they got tar e back they’re gonna be nice and aler and senon oh the Grizzlies now Grizzlies [ __ ] Denver I didn’t even bring up anybody else yet that was in the playoffs this year like the SPs the championship next year that’s why I love the W the Clippers are not going to win anything in the west I think with a healthy pz and healthy kawhai they could I think they just might do it but if you fumble Ka Leonard got lucky with the squad that he had when he was in Toronto and he got I don’t know I guess he got mad he got traded or something because he went off and then never did it the [ __ ] again thing is Kawai knew he knew that window was a one-year window and he moved on and got a bag he knew he was like you know what I know this happen anything great situation I can never he can never anything he did after that would never compare to what he did bring a country a championship their first you cannot ever go past that Peak so he left on a high Road nobody in Toronto will ever hate him he can go there live L rentree he can eat wherever he wants to for a life he is a Toronto hero and that’s cool that boom gone he goes to um the Clipper situation he tells the Clippers like kawhai is like he’s a mastermind he tells Clippers hey if you commit to trading for Paul George I will sign right now and he used the the Lakers rumors and stuff like that they both did as like negotiation pieces like like hey I want to be in LA but if you can get Paul George do it if not I’m going to the Lakers that’s literally what I promise you this is the conversation and that happens we see the big thing boom that happens oh Paul George traded boom Kawhi lyard um signs with the Clippers right then and there so I feel like once that happened they had their window what was that that’s like five years right five years maybe six oh you’re right it’s like six years they have not won anything right that was I just got a notification from NBA it was the year before because he oh no no you’re right because he won the championship the year before yeah you’re right you’re right because that’s when Brown went to Lakers he got hurt so yeah 2020 okay so they’re going on their sixth year they’ve had five years together and one healthy playoff R I just got I just got a report from uh NBA Central the real NBA Central this is not the fake fake account NBA sentel the real account it says Warriors Insider Anthony uh valtier expects the war Warriors to show interest in Jimmy Butler we discussed some of the Warriors options Jimmy Butler was included the thing with these teams like the Lakers and the and the Warriors they don’t need to go get top end talent because they already have top end Talent nobody thinks that the problem with the Lakers this year is because they didn’t have enough Superstars like Braun and AD showed out the problem with B is not that they don’t have a number one option Steph Curry is still basically at the top of this game if not like very close these team should be looking for solid starters and role players they should be looking to trade whatever young pieces they have and get solid veterans role players or draft really well get a couple like late firsts and early seconds and draft well build a team around Curry build a team around Braun and AD you don’t need to go chase Jimmy Butler that doesn’t solve you anything you don’t need another top end star you need guys who can come in Off the Bench and give you minutes when those Stars aren’t in the game you need guys who can provide some support for the stars and play defense when the stars are out there make their lives easier Braun is old Curry is old get some young guys or like Prime level role players around him that’s what’s going to make you better you’re not going to get better trying to chase a big name considering you already have one if you’re like Houston or like Orlando sure go chase Jimmy Butler because you don’t have that big name yet but like Lakers in Golden State they got two of the greatest players that ever play the game build around them that that I don’t know so like I don’t doubt oh I’m not saying I doubt the report like I’m sure the report is true I just think that’s a bad move no I agree with you because I was going to bring it up like that doesn’t make a lot of sense but I agree with you like I said because assuming like if that is true then you’re giving up youth to add a old man to the roster who is what he’s gonna play some good def no no off off Jimmy Butler he’s a great player but I don’t think he fits that Warriors timeline to do with marus cousins oh yeah I think DeMarcus Cousins that was like a lower high reward situation yeah I mean sign him for 2 mil that was never going to go we did too but he got hurt which sucks he get a ring for that though yeah he didn’t accept it either I don’t think he got a ring for that he got it R he talked about that on podcast I’m pretty sure really I think he said he didn’t want to accept it but they told him to or something like that is Demarcus C is really an NBA champion and I never knew this yeah pretty sure yeah he also said that he was done with the NBA yeah okay I I mean this most respectfully I don’t think he’s good enough to be in the NBA anymore I think that’s that ship has sailed I really think he has the talent to be in the NBA I really think with his past a lot like I I I’ve seen it even with like referees they just sometimes they literally just threw text at texts at him for speaking in like a normal tone I’ll be honest guys some ridiculous stuff I’m on his basketball reference page don’t see NBA champion on here yeah because he was injured for that year and he was traded well I’m just saying like he’s still got they still gave him they still gave him a ring by technicality he’s not a champion he’s just got a ring no he doesn’t he doesn’t have a ring I I don’t well unless 19 okay so he was on the Lakers in 1920 or thinging right hold on cuz I mean I’m on his basketball reference page he’s a four-time All-Star a two-time all NBA and a 2010 2011 all rookie no Championship listed and like I I do say he was on Golden State the year they lost to the round okay I got not play all but I guess if he was on the Lakers then technically he would but does he get one if he didn’t play okay I was wrong it wasn’t with the Warriors it was with the Lakers it was with us it was with the Lakers but this is what he said he tore his ACO have a ring ceremony so people aren’t sure if you a ring I believe Genie bu say one was mailed did you get a ring for that Championship what’s the Denzel saying it was a little viral clip going around I’m leaving hit with something I did receive my ring from grateful for it you know I didn’t play that year because of injury but you know I was a part of the team so uh you know I did get my ring that year hey man we hey we take care of our players even though I forgot it was on our team but it’s c sorry I hate to use the Mickey Mouse I hate to say Mickey Mouse but that’s about as big of a Mickey Mouse but people don’t bro I agree Mickey Mouse ring the thing that makes me so upset is that summer it was a pickup game I remember it’s all coming back to me now it was a pickup game he tore his freaking ACL playing a pickup game of basketball and I promise you that year that was when ad was playing his best DeMarcus Cousins ad it would have fed families man like oh my gosh I I would give anything to see that was just one part time bro I ah yeah wow he a 16 points a game in Golden State I didn’t realize that wow yeah bro he was balling that’s how he got that contract I forgot that he averaged 16 I thought he kind of really fell off with golden state he avered 16 how many rebounds eight boards three half Dam had a really good year I forgot how good he was that year cooking bro he was he was the Forgotten Splash brother he got hurt he got hurt that year too in the playoffs I think he like sporadically played but he was hurt it wasn’t at the year where it just all fell apart everybody just start dropping yeah for Golden State yeah I just saw a really I just saw a really funny report Earl you’re going to love this is it about the Warriors have spoken with Darvin ham oh have them y’all can have them the Warriors had had some conversations with former Los Angeles head coach Darvin ham in recent weeks this isn’t expected to materialize but it is a signal that the Warriors desire to add a big name assistant I mean you want make an assistant sure I guess hey let him go back to his Mickey Mouse roll go back to assisting maybe they’re trying to get hand because they know Braun and Hammer I guess that’s another thing we can talk about who are the Lakers going to sign as their head coach I mean all the rumors I guess are indj re that’s insane to me I’m sorry that’s just insane I I know those are the rumors but like I can’t believe that like surely this is not LeBron’s not involved with the coaching GM bro I just younger than bro isn’t he or like maybe a few months older I’ll just say this I’m not the biggest fan because I just don’t believe giving the keys to the kingdom of one of the best historic franchises of all time to somebody who’s never been a head coach in their entire career barely even been been assistant I think he’s been assistant once am I not I think I think somebody was about that we were talking about it but regardless he just retired not regardless he has no experience basically no coaching experience no experience he has podcast experience he will be the first ever player to get hired because of a podcast and like I love JJ reic like I listen to his podcast I think he’s great and I also think he’s too smart to take this deal I feel like this is the kind of thing that JJ reick would talk about if this was happening to another candidate he would go on his podcast and say this person X is not ready for this he’s going into a high press situation in LA the hottest coaching seat in all of the NBA trying to coach GNA be another Jason kid no no but I’m saying if we’re talking about I don’t agree with this signing but if they were taking this risk and we’re talking about guys in Precious situations hated guy most hated guy at times JJ reick is that dude coaching wise I don’t know I have no clue at all but J J reick he was bro he used to get torched at dude like fans from different they hated him hated him what does that have to do with him being a coach like I’m talking about we’re talking about like I was just bringing an example of like what you brought up as far as like being in the number one hot seed in the world and stuff like that okay okay that’s the only side but coaching side I agree with you no experience I don’t know man I don’t I don’t know why he’s a top K I know James um what’s his name Bargo jgo bgo my fault thank you for the ction James bgo he got a second interview so I know he has really good history with Anthony Davis um a young part of his career so that’s kind of like a direction as far as like building towards ad and what he likes so I’m cool with that as well I just hope that they take their time let’s just see everything through I mean assistant head coach JJ reck I think is fine I think burgo is an assistant would be fine yeah go get Kenny ainson is the head coach respectfully Kenny ainson would be a good head interview too he got interiew M JJ so you get JJ on the bench clearly ad likes bgo get bgo on the bench that’s fine but like it’s just it seems just hope he doesn’t leave you in the middle of night yeah like it’s just so weird that like if you took any other 39y old like former player who just stopped playing two years ago and said you’re going to be the head coach of the Lakers like I said the number one most high pressure situation where if you don’t win a championship with Braun you’re going to be hated by the fans you’re going to be under a microscope every single game and you’ve never had coach you never even assistant coach before if that’s was anyone else people would say it’s crazy but because JJ reck has a podcast and again a very good one I think he’s a very smart basketball mind I don’t think he’s ready for this and this I feel like he’s smart enough to be self-aware and be like I’m gonna turn this shot like I appreciate the offer but like I’m gonna go work my way up through the assistant head coach ranks and earn my spot and like really make sure I’m ready and prepared before I take this and certainly League that I get I don’t want it to be having the coach a team that is expected to contend and win a champion I don’t think he should take the job I don’t think he’s gonna do that either if he gets offered the job he’s taking the job yeah he gets offered he’s gonna take it I it would be smart for him to just go prepare somewhere else like at the very I just don’t think that’s JJ’s personality personality I’m sorry I just don’t think that’s his personality like if he if he’s interviewing for these jobs he’s got he’s had second their interviews whatever I’ve been hearing that’s why I’m surprised I’m surprised he’s G this fight clearly he wants the job I’m surprised he he can go and Coach the charlot Hornets and nobody would care the fact that it’s the Los Angeles Lakers is a different story I think he if this is what he wants I think the the thing is hey can I conquer this challenge one of the greatest like we said he has one of the best basketball Minds we’ve seen can I take that applyed to one of the best franchises of all time and you use that knowledge learn how to build interpersonal relationship with players and win a championship me personally I don’t know I’m not going to sit here and count out be like hey there’s no way in the world he can do it I just don’t believe it’s the right choice just because we went through the whole daring ham situation um I think we just needed somebody a little bit more experience but if this is what y’all choose y’all doubling down for this y’all gotta stick it out for for five six plus years minimum like I’m tired coach turn around this has to be your guy when lose draw it’s G to be some hard times obviously Bron going to leave you’re going have to replace that production like a year or two um when he retires and you’re going to have to figure stuff out and can JJ re do that I don’t know am I hopeful that he can I have to be if he gets hired like I don’t know what to say like it’s just I agree with you guys though it’s just it’s really uh I don’t want to be drastic but it’s like kind of feels like an unserious decision literally like he’s going he’s being hired because of his podcast let’s be real if he was not a podcast host he would not be getting for this SP yeah and again I love his podcast yeah he clearly one of the best basketball Minds after he clearly is very me which one of you brought up Jason kid a minute ago I heard one of you like talking about Jason kid Omar is that you Omar this remind that’s a good comparison this reminds me very much like Jason kid when he went to go coach the Nets right after as soon as he retired as soon as it happened went straight to Nets I know Rex had a couple years in the middle but like basically went straight from playing to head coaching no assistant coach experience Jason kid flopped tremendously with the Nets was one of the worst coaches in the league until he got fired but what did he do he worked his way back up he took some assistant roles he spent Years Learning he learned out in some good Minds he got you know he put the Reps in he learned then he took over in Dallas and now he’s considered one of the better head coaches I think JJ RIT could easily do that same path I agree easily just take a few assistant roles and work his way up and eventually get a good job with a good team and contend for a championship but I feel like right now he’s just going to shoot himself in the foot because if they don’t win a championship he’s going to get fired and then all of a sudden he’s on the back foot like why would you start your head coaching career with such a boom or bust move like he can coach for 30 years what’s the rush I don’t know yeah I agree man I do wanna I do want to do one thing before we end I know we gotta leave a little earlier than typically but I do want to bring up one possible trade that I would like to see happen um the Knicks are being pressured from their owner again James Dolan lovely guy [ __ ] hate him sell the team to me but um here’s a trade that I feel like could alleviate and also serve us okay we receive Lori marinan okay we get Rand and four pick no boan boan yeah 24th pick in this year’s draft 25th pick the 2029 top three first round pick that we own okay and then the top four the picks own the Bucks own or they traded it to us not too long ago but yeah and bogy that’s a very hypothetical trade so I don’t have much to say about it but like I me I don’t hate it four first round picks for Markin and is a lot but that would enable us to move off of Randall pretty soon so I would if if I could give him Randall in one first I’d rather do that than boy on in four firsts but that’s just we should be getting more if we’re giving up Randall for Lor fair enough let’s do that let’s just train him Rand for Lori straight up we’re get a pick back I’m cool with that yeah all right we’re gonna end for today uh be sure to be looking out on all our socials and everything like that thank you so much for tuning in on this episode of the fraudulent Indiana Pacers even though we barely brought them up no we we brought them up we brought them up but uh thank you guys appreciate everybody being here and peace infinity money

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