LeBron Waits On Lakers Plan | Reaves Getting $200M? | Spurs vs Thunder, Game 6

追加: 2026-05-30

[00:00:01]All right. Good morning. Good morning.

[00:00:02]What's going on everybody? What is going on? Thank you very much for being here.

[00:00:07]Thursday, May 28th. Geez, we get one day off during the week and all of a sudden it feels like the week's already over.

[00:00:14]Uh cheers to you. Whatever you're drinking on this fine morning. Hopefully everybody's uh enjoying the the start of their day. We got a busy day today. Got a pack day today. Got kind of a little bit of a combination today. Combination of obviously some Lakers basketball.

[00:00:29]We'll talk about again breaking stories coming out left and right on the Lakers.

[00:00:33]No real surprise or shock there. We'll also spend a little bit of time uh on this game six coming up tonight. Uh Thunder and the Spurs. We got a guest coming up uh tonight, too, that covers the San Antonio Spurs. So, we'll get a little bit more of a Spurs angle on uh on tonight's game. What's going on with my Spurs, man? You know what I mean? You guys know, I mean, I jumped from the Cavs to San Antonio. Uh, all my teams, all my squads just losing right now.

[00:01:04]Let me give everyone a quick rundown what we got going on for the show and then uh we'll read a couple of the comments and go from there. Nice brew at home. You know, I'll stop spending money, bro. Just get a nice brew of coffee at home and call it a day. This one's a good one.

[00:01:21]Nothing special, you know? I don't have four pumps of something and whatever else they're throwing in there. It's a nice black copy. All right. Um, LeBron waiting on a Lakers plan. There's a good uh article and there's a good piece here from Brian Winhorse we're going to get into. Um, specifically talking about kind of where LeBron is, what he's waiting for. Here's what LeBron wants to see. Braun's waiting for a Lakers offer and to explain the offer. What are they going to do if he takes less money? So, I I think for a lot of people, and this uh clip I got here is going to come from the Hoops Collective podcast with Brian Windhorse. I think a lot of people, what do you guys call him? Leg GM or something like that. There's certain times the GM doesn't work out. I think in this specific case, I like Leg.

[00:02:12]I do want LeBron to kind of kick back and wait a second and be like, "Hey, if I'm taking less money, what's what's the plan here? Where's this money going?"

[00:02:20]And I I I don't know how much longer LeBron's going to have this this pool, but he still has it today. So, we'll get into that article, that story. Austin Reeves, $200 million. What do you guys think about that? Tim Bonteps on an article on ESPN talking about NBA free agency thinks the number is going to land around $200 million. I heard a podcast yesterday.

[00:02:48]Lonzo Ball, it's pretty funny.

[00:02:51]Lonzo was uh basically like negotiating for the Los Angeles Lakers. He's like, I'm offering him 150 and he's going to take it. Um we'll talk about, you know, some of the numbers that uh this could get to for Austin Reeves. I did a podcast yesterday with Trevor Lane on Lakers Nation, and we spent some time talking about um what at what point does it make it a you know, a bad contract?

[00:03:14]At what point does that contract become, hey, I don't know if we need to flip this contract if it's going to have positive value or negative value? Um, how much do the Brooklyn Nets come in play? We we've kind of I've read a couple different articles here. The Brooklyn Nets have so much cap space that that might be the guy that they say, "Hey, let's target Austin Reeves and let's get our fans hyped up to see if we could maybe grab Austin Reeves from the Lakers." So, uh, we'll talk about it, but that 200, listen, it's a lot of money for Austin Reeves.

[00:03:45]And I don't know what you want me to tell you. That's a lot of freaking money for Austin Reeves. Now, he could make 5 years, 241. So, this man could be trying to tell the Lakers like, "Look, I'm taking 40 less than I could be taking."

[00:03:56]Um, there was a round of layoffs for the Lakers, and this was predominantly on the business side. What does that mean?

[00:04:04]What's the significance of that? Um I I think there's some significance to it. I I I think there's you know I I think it does mean something and um you know anytime that you have new ownership come in in any business eventually there's going to be some um a reorganization of the business and that's what the Lakers are in the process of right now. Um we do have a guest today. I mentioned Dylan Emery who does uh pre-post for the sports radio station out in San Antonio covering the San Antonio Spurs. He's going to join the show. I got I got a lot of questions to ask him about the San Antonio Spurs down three games to two. Some of their role players. Um does he have confidence that this game is going back to OKC for a game seven? And uh it's kind of weird watching that Thunder game a couple days ago, Thunder or Thunder San Antonio. I almost feel like uh I don't know. I I I I feel like OKC kind of took control of the series.

[00:05:00]We'll see what happens. I still think it goes seven. We'll talk obviously talk about the upcoming game tonight. NBA news, there's a handful of uh stories around the NBA. And then I I think one of just I I don't even know how to describe this. Adam Silver was on with Pat McAfee and they're talking about a bunch of different things. But I think the thing that's getting the most run on social media on X and some of these other platforms is when they're talking about flopping and fouling and all that stuff is is this man is he just completely blind and deaf to what people are saying around the league in regards to some of the flopping and trying to draw fouls and how it's taken away from the integrity of the game. Um, yeah. I don't know what to tell you about Adam Silver. Adam Silver had a he had a a time early on in his tenure where it felt like he could do nothing wrong.

[00:05:52]Now, I'm trying to figure out what this man could do right because there's a lot of things that are associated with Adam Silver that I I I don't think has been um very good for the NBA. So, we'll get into that as well. I'll take a look at some of the comments here before we get the show started. Thank you again for being here. Appreciate you guys all being a part of the show. If you guys don't mind, uh just if you can at some point, please um um subscribe to the channel, help us keep growing the channel, share it with anybody that you think would like the content. That'd be very, very helpful. Last thing I'll mention as well, Luca, I got it in my subject line. Luca retiring a MAV. Um a former Dallas Maverick thinks that eventually that's going to happen down the road. So, something that we could hit on as well. All right, let's uh let's see what we got here. Let's see what people are saying here. Um, let's see what we have here. Don't think Pelanka has a plan, dude. Prepared for the year when there's no real optionality. Okay. Um, this round of layoffs is the new guard replacing the old guard. It happens unfortunately.

[00:06:54]Yeah. I I mean again there's I I will give new ownership this and I actually think that typically a well-run business allows 6 months to a year to go by before they start making decisions on what to kind of do you know internally and hey this guy I think would be actually great for the vision that we have this individual I don't think is going to be on the same page with us whatever the case is. So yeah, it does happen obviously in in many many businesses. Give LeBron 55 million in a farewell tour and let him and Bronny go after u. Yeah, that can happen. Nobody's I think given 55 million um to LeBron James at this stage. I mean obviously the guy is worth a hundred million just based on what he could sell tickets wise, but if you're trying to put together a competitive team, you can't give the man 55 million. Reeves agent probably pushing the narrative Reeves wants a max. What's funny is the Nets are the only team that can re realistically offer a Max. So, if they do want to offer him a Max, has no leverage. Um, they can now it's it's a little it's kind of it's a little complicated.

[00:08:07]They could only offer four years. Lakers can offer five. If the Nets, let's say hypothetically, had a different target on their list and it was a restricted free agent, their money could get tied up for about a week. So, it's not as maybe as clean as you think it would be. I think there are some kind of moving pieces here that can have an effect. So, something to keep in mind in regards to that. All right, let me read one more here and then we'll go.

[00:08:33]Tired of LeBron passive aggressive nonsense. It's time nonsense. It's time to move on. We traded for Luca Donuch.

[00:08:40]He's the future. Okay, fair point to be made there. All right, let's uh let's get the show started. And again, appreciate you guys all being here. I already see some Adam Silver comments.

[00:08:50]I'm already annoyed with Adam Silver and I haven't even talked about him yet. Um, all right, let's get the show started.

[00:08:55]All right, so let let's do this. Um, there is, by the way, our guest Dylan Emery will come on at 8:30. So, we'll start talking uh about game six at about 8:30. Um, so Brian Winhorse, we played a lot of Brian Winhorse clips here lately. Um, because Winhorse is one of the best in the business, one of my favorite guys to listen to, to to watch everything else.

[00:09:18]He also knows his and has plenty of connections around the league. He's doing his Hoop Collective podcast. I want to play a clip of the Hoop Collective podcast and he's talking about kind of where LeBron is. And I go back to that comment, too. The one of I'm sick of LeBron, the passive aggressive, all that stuff. Well, I I'll tell you this before we play the clip.

[00:09:40]Um, you might be sick of it, and I I understand where you're coming from in this, but this one I I kind of I don't disagree with in in LeBron's camp and and from a LeBron perspective. I don't necessarily uh disagree with this one when it comes to that. Um, take a listen here. Here's Brian Winhorse who's talking about LeBron, talking about the Lakers and how things um are currently playing out. Take a listen.

[00:10:12]>> The LeBron has to work out his future with the Lakers first before any other future happens. Okay? And from what I am told, the LeBron side is waiting for the Lakers to come to LeBron.

[00:10:26]Okay? They're not going to go to the Lakers and say, "We would like," just like last year, they did not go to the Lakers and say, "We would like a contract extension, please."

[00:10:38]The the the LeBron side, from what I am told, would like the Lakers to come and say, you know, here's our plan for you. Uh or here's what we're offering. And and and if if if they're offering less than the max, here's why. because we're going to use this cap space to sign these players and this is where you slot in and maybe >> Okay, that's Brian Winhorse right there and uh Bont Temps we'll get to in a second because Bontex was talking about the OS. Anybody got an issue with that?

[00:11:12]Anybody have an issue with that plan?

[00:11:14]Anybody have an issue with LeBron saying all right well I'm an unrestricted free agent. Um, obviously I didn't get a onepus one last year, so this is the position that we're in. Clearly the Lakers thought, hey, we we can't keep throwing you 50 plus million dollars a year here, especially at this age. Even though he had a pretty damn productive season again, all right, people want to say, oh, no, it's empty stats. All right, he was the best player in that Rocket Series. He was still really good against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but that's okay. I'm I'm okay. I think people, you know, obviously understand at this stage if the Lakers are going to have success, well, the the the roster is going to have to look a certain way.

[00:11:53]Anybody have a problem with LeBron's camp waiting for the Lakers to come to them and say, "Here's what we'd like to offer you."

[00:12:03]And the reason why we're offering you 20 million less than what than than what you can earn with us or as a max is because here's how we're going to use that $20 million. Here's how we're going to try to put together a more effective roster. Here's how we're going to give you an opportunity to try to compete for an NBA championship. And by the way, maybe there is no real path for them to get there. But does anybody have an issue with LeBron waiting on the Los Angeles Lakers in that front office to come back with a plan that LeBron can look at and say, "Okay, hey, that makes sense. You know what? I'm in at 30 million and I love what you guys are going to do with this extra 20 25 million. I think it's really smart. I think it's exactly what we need. And if you can go make that happen, then I'm good with 30."

[00:12:53]Does that again I I go back to something I said a little bit earlier and I think this you know it's a good kind of conversation for us to have. Um I know there are a lot of people that have not been crazy about LeBron kind of the control and he runs franchises and GM and Clutch Sports is running this running that. You have every right to feel how you do in in you know past negotiations.

[00:13:18]I would tell you for me I had no issue when he was in Cleveland where he was basically holding the franchise hostage like put together a competitive team always signing these oneplus on's you know in LA um clearly LeBron helped get Anthony Davis here clearly LeBron helped get some other players here he also probably pushed for Russell Westbrook and that clearly didn't work out um it doesn't sound like he had any idea that the Luca Donic trade was going down they trade Anthony Davis so I I think there's times and and if people have it a certain way that are like, "Yeah, I don't like when LeBron has done this passive aggressive, too much control.

[00:13:54]He's trying to run the franchise, trying to run the organization. He's being too much like a general manager." You can make cases, I think, in the past. I don't got an issue with any of this that Brian Winhorse just said, if LeBron's going to take less money, which he needs to, and no, the Lakers should not be giving him 50 million. No, the Lakers should not be giving him 40 million. Can you get him around that 25 to30 million range? Maybe I'm crazy to think that maybe the Lakers can figure that out.

[00:14:20]Maybe there's no shot that the Lakers can get him at around that money. But if LeBron is saying to himself, "Okay, if I'm coming back to the Lakers, I'm going to take less money. What's your plan?"

[00:14:33]I don't have any issue with that. I just don't. I think it's actually smart. And I think if you're a Laker fan and you think that LeBron's still got something left in the tank and if you think LeBron is most likely going to come back this year, if you feel like the Lakers can't replace LeBron for one more season, or whatever the case is, don't you want LeBron saying, "Tell me the plan. I'll take less money, but let's let's have a let's have a wellthoughtout plan that the 20 I'm leaving on the table is going to a player that is a 3 and D player that we desperately need on this team or is going to a big that we desperately need on this team. I got no issue with that.

[00:15:16]So, I'm curious to look at some of the comments because I I'm not sure if some of the comments will be frustrated with LeBron or they'll say, "Hey, that actually kind of makes sense." That's a whole different conversation if you want to say, "Hey, I just want to see the Lakers move on from LeBron." That's a different one and you can make that case. And frankly, you know, I've said this before and I'll say it again. If LeBron decided tomorrow, you know what?

[00:15:35]No, I I want to go end my career in Cleveland and the only way he can go there is a signing trade unless he takes what is it 5 million, six million or something along those lines. All right, then if LeBron wants out and the Lakers, you know, can work out a signing trade and go get a big, go get a Jared Allen or an Evan Mobley, it's like, all right, well then the Lakers address one of their big needs and they fully start that rebuild with Luca Donuch. So, let's take a look at some of the comments.

[00:16:00]Let's see what people got to say and we will roll uh we'll roll from there.

[00:16:04]Let's see what we have here. Um, John Wayne, a high five.

[00:16:13]All right.

[00:16:15]Not sure if that high five means you like the idea. You don't like the idea.

[00:16:19]I have no idea. Uh let's get another one in here. Uh t-shirt. LeBron and the Spurs if the Spurs lose. Perfect fit.

[00:16:28]Yeah. I mean, listen, I think there's a lot of places LeBron can jump into, right? Like LeBron can go he can go to the Cleveland Cavaliers and try to help them win an NBA championship and get over the hump and get to the NBA finals.

[00:16:42]He can do it for $6 million I think is I think what I was reading. Something along those lines. Like he could find a way to just come in and they keep all their players. Maybe they make a couple of changes. He can go to the San Antonio Spurs and you know obviously find a way to fit right into the San Antonio Spurs and take a lot less money. The problem for I think LeBron James is is the man really going to take a contract worth5 $6 million or go to the Golden State Warriors for$ 15 million which obviously doesn't guarantee him anything. Um let's get some more in here. Thank you for the super t-shirt, King.

[00:17:22]Let's see. LeBron definitely not taking less than Reeves.

[00:17:28]No problem with the plan unless Braun gets mad when the Lakers offer him the vet minimum because all the funds were used. Are we supposed to just sit on 2030 mil for a month?

[00:17:38]No. I think they would obviously if there's a plan in place then they'd get this all done before as free agency starts they'll they'll you know obviously have some type of a solution by then. So tired of LeBron it's more LA fatigue by now. All right let's get some more in here. LeBron, just take the 15 million.

[00:18:00]Uh, LeBron wants a plan for the Lakers.

[00:18:02]Cool. How about this plan? Okay, let's get more here. LeBron's team could have perfectly well communicated with the Lakers front office privately, yet they chose to make this make this make the matter public instead.

[00:18:18]M maybe that's where, you know, most people get annoyed is that everything is public.

[00:18:24]That part. Okay, I get that that that that part. I understand. Um I mean, listen, I I told you guys I thought it was very annoying. One of the first stories that came out after the Lakers season ended, it was not about, you know, hey, you know what, the Lakers had a better season than people thought. It wasn't, hey, you know what? If Luca could just be healthy and they could add a piece or two, maybe they can go up against the Thunder. I'm obviously talking out of my you know what, but I'm just I'm making some stuff up here. It wasn't, hey, you know what, the Lakers played, even though they got swept by the Thunder through all four games, they just they laid it out on the all on the line. No, the story that came out when the season ended was LeBron felt like the Lakers disrespected him. There was a game ball that was given out and it didn't go to LeBron. It went to JJ Reic.

[00:19:07]Like, I get it. The story lines so far around LeBron are very much like the storylines that have been around his career. There's definitely some drama.

[00:19:19]There's definitely some let's make things go public. Let's put the organization at a little bit of uh you know, let's let's um make them kind of negotiate against each other. Um I get that part. And I know people aren't crazy about you know that aspect of things. It does come in the LeBron in the LeBron business. No question about it. See, if the Lakers bring LeBron and Austin Reeves, how are they building around Luca? The pieces do not fit.

[00:19:44]Yeah, you're not wrong there. You're not wrong there. I think they got to bring Austin Reeves back because they need the asset. It doesn't mean he's a fit. And I think the LeBron pieces, if you can get LeBron at the right p right price, then I I do think that I don't know if you have another really option there of what to do. But I I get it. I mean, listen, I I'll say what I said a little bit earlier. If tomorrow the Lakers decided, or it's not even the Lakers decision, it's LeBron's decision. If LeBron decided, guys, I got to go get paid. All right, he goes and gets paid somewhere else and the Lakers do some type of signing trade, then there you go. You you kind of start your that that true build around Luca, which I I'll continue to say you can't really truly build around Luca until LeBron is gone. And I and and I would even say on the Austin Reeves piece, you give this thing a year and if a year from now you're saying to yourself, I don't know if this is the best move, then you obviously make decisions from there. This is happening because no one else can pay him. If the Lakers do this, they are stupid because they are bidding against themselves. Um, there there could be a uh there could be a you'll find out a little bit more about ownership as well. There could be a hey, this is just good for business, not necessarily basketball. They could pay him 50 million or 45 million. they can certainly give him the type of money that he's looking for and they're also going to be out in the first or second round if they're not obviously able to add to the team that they have. So, um there could also be a business side of this where the Lakers decide, all right, it's one more year with LeBron. Maybe it's his final year. We'll get all the attention. We'll get all the nationally televised games. We'll get a lot of tickets sold. That that could happen, too. They wouldn't be the first business or company to do things that maybe don't make sense. Um, it's not the long-term plan, but it's the short-term plan that could happen as well. All right, let me uh let's keep rolling here and at least we get a little bit of gauge. I mean, I will tell you, John, thank you again for the super. I will tell you right out the gate, I mean, at least for me with um um I I think for me I think right out the gate most of the comments that I'm reading there's a little bit of a maybe an exhaustion with the LeBron process.

[00:22:04]Um so I get that. you know, it would be his ninth year with the Lakers. And again, I think what it's going to come down to for me is what the Lakers are going to be able to do as far as a price point with LeBron. That's all. You know, can you get him around that 25 $30 million range or is this man trying to get, you know, 45 or 50 million and now all of a sudden you really don't have much, you don't have much maneuvering to do in regards to the rest of the roster.

[00:22:30]There's another topic I want to get into here and you know, let's keep rolling on this. We do have a guest coming up at 8:30. So, I I want to be able to at least get to this. Um, Tim Bonteps had an article, and I'm going to read you a piece of this. We don't have sound, right, Eric? This is just uh Okay, so Tim Bombs had an article on ESPN, NBA free agency 2026, league insiders on intriguing free agents.

[00:22:58]And of course, one of those free agents is Austin Reeves. And you know, listen, some of the numbers being thrown around here, which this is just going to happen. This comes with the territory.

[00:23:10]We know that that he can make I want to say as much as 249 or 241, but I'm seeing here 239. So 5year max, let's just call it 240.

[00:23:21]Here's an excerpt that I'm going to read from the article on Austin Reeves. And yesterday I was having a long conversation with Trevor Lane about this in regards to um Austin Reeves and what some of the dollars can be. But let me read this to you. Several scouts and executives predict something in the range of 5 years 200 million but below his 5year max of 230 million $239 million per ESPN's Bobby Marx.

[00:23:50]So right now uh let's see what else he said. ESPN Tim Bontemps reports an Eastern Conference scout told him that they would be pretty surprised if the first year value for Austin's contract starts with a three instead of a four and that the Lakers need to keep him. Um I'd be pretty surprised if the first year starts with threes and scout said but the Lakers need to keep him by all accounts he wants to be there so I think they make it work. Um, the last thing is here. One potential bidder to watch this summer, sources said, is the Brooklyn Nets, who will enter the offseason with more than enough salary cap space to accommodate a max type of player.

[00:24:29]I mean, I I think it shouldn't shock me, but it still does. And I think, you know, I think it kind of at least puts me in a position. It's like, well, what do the Lakers what exactly do they, you know, what kind of offer are they going to end up with Austin Ree? I don't think there's a question of whether Austin Ree is going to be a Laker. I think the question is just going to come down to what's the money look like?

[00:24:53]Well, somebody would say, well, if he can make 5 years 240 million, but he got 5 years 200 or 5 years 239, he got 5 years 200. Then, hey, you know what?

[00:25:05]Austin Reeves is taking a little bit less. He's making a sacrifice for the Lakers. He's trying to make things work.

[00:25:12]They'll probably load up that first year since they got a cap hold on it and then the rest should be a little bit more reasonable the rest of the way. Um, man, I got a difficult time mentally trying to tell you that I'm comfortable with Austin Reeves getting a $200 million contract with the Lakers, especially with Luca Donuch already on this team. Like, think about again, they got to give him they got the Lakers are in a little bit of a hole here. They don't really have a choice. They're going to have to pay Austin Reeves and they're going to hope they're going to have to hope that um his value in the NBA continues to go up, that he grows off of what he did last year, that his performances are better against some of these other elite teams, they're just going to have to hope that this whole thing freaking works. But, um to think about giving Austin Reeves $200 million.

[00:26:08]If I told you you had 40 million a year that you can offer anywhere, and I think it's 40. Yeah, that's 40 a year over the course of five years. If I told you that you you had $40 million a year to work with right now and you're putting together a roster around Luca Donuch, who would say, "Well, I want all that 40 going to a player that also needs the ball in his hands and is also focused on the offensive side and also can't play defense." Like, the conversation would be a little bit idiotic.

[00:26:39]However, the Lakers are in a spot right now and they're in a position where they got to hold on to that Austin Reeves asset. And that asset is very critical for them to have rather than not have.

[00:26:51]Here's what can't happen. Obviously, you can't let Austin Reeves just walk away.

[00:26:54]And he goes and signs with the Brooklyn Nets and you got nothing for it. You obviously can't allow that to happen.

[00:27:00]But there's a piece here.

[00:27:04]Again, I'll go back to it. Let's just say you're putting together a roster and you said, "Hey, I got Luca Donuch right here and you're putting together a roster and one of the first things that you're saying when you're like, "Okay, let me try to find the pieces that fit perfect, the pieces that match. What kind of players do I want?" Is anybody going to say, "Hey, you have Luca Donuch on your team. The first player you got to go get is another guard that can't play defense and needs the ball in his hands." And they're about to give that guy $200 million.

[00:27:33]I don't think they have a choice. They do have to do this. I hope Austin Reeves, he's been a really cool story, undrafted. Look what he's been able to do. Um, I really, really hope that as we get a little bit further down the line, Austin Reeves's value continues to rise.

[00:27:49]But damn, when I see that those numbers, the $200 million number, the $40 million a year, and kind of everything else that comes with that, that's a tough pill to swallow. They're going to sign him. He's going to come back as a Laker. He's probably going to get around $200 million. My hope is is that he still has tremendous value after that contract.

[00:28:10]So, if things aren't going the way they thought, then they could obviously try to shop him and go get somebody else.

[00:28:15]So, um I don't know. I just see that $200 million range. I see, you know, obviously what he was um you know, obviously verse some of these other teams in the playoffs. Um man, that's that's a tough one. Here's one. I'd rather pay $40 million on two solid role players. Um, let's see what we got here.

[00:28:35]Austin loves being the Lakers darling now, but that's because he's great value. Not sure AR is ready for the vitro. His production stays the same because with money comes expectations less golf. I'll go a step further, brother. Before he even got paid his contract, that vitro already started. I mean, Austin Reeves this past year and I could tell you I'm I'm covering every Lakers game. I'm obviously talking Lakers basketball on a on a night in night out night out basis. Um, this man was getting crucified um in the postseason and that and you know some of those games against the Thunder and everything else. And I would heard hear people say, "Yeah, but you know, it's because OKC's got a lot of good defenders. It's because the Rockets got a lot of good size. It's because, you know, the San Antonio Spurs are super young." And I'm like, okay, so who do you want him to play against where he can have these types of games? I don't think Austin Ray is a bad player. I think he's a really good player. Obviously, he's done a phenomenal job for the Lakers, but I think when the dust settles, the question you got to ask yourself, that's the pairing that you want to have 80 plus million dollars going to on your contract. Um, they're probably not going to have uh any choice, and that's probably going to be what ends up happening. Um, all right, let's get one more in here, and I'm going to get our guest in. I love AR, but 40 million should be a two-way star, not a below average defender. I think a lot of people feel the same way, and I think a lot of people also understand they're probably going to end up with him in in that regard. All right, let me uh I want to welcome in our guest, um Dylan Emery, who covers the San Antonio Spurs, does some pre-work, some postwork for them, and they are in the heart of a really, really good, entertaining series so far.

[00:30:18]Uh Dylan, what's going on, brother?

[00:30:20]Thank you for coming on. How are you?

[00:30:21]>> We are lighting candles here in San Antonio today. We've got the nuns that are going to be showing up again for game six, we are hoping for a I guess no chance of thunderstorms here in San Antonio because ironically enough, every time that we have lost to the OKC Thunder here in San Antonio, we have been pelted by actual thunderstorms.

[00:30:42]>> Is that right? Is that a real That's a real Okay. All right. Now, now >> fun fact.

[00:30:46]>> What kind of uh what kind of signals is the man upstairs sending us? Um yeah.

[00:30:50]>> Well, listen, I I appreciate you coming on and let let me start with this. I want to start with game five. Um >> how surprised were you um just of how game five went? And you know, I I I maybe I'm fooling myself on this, but um I just keep saying to myself, well, if Jaylen Williams isn't there and AJ Mitchell isn't there, then there should be an advantage for the San Antonio Spurs. I was surprised San Antonio that game wasn't closer. Maybe didn't come down till the end. I mean, listen, if OKC wins a game, that's fine. But how surprised were you of game five?

[00:31:25]>> I was surprised in the effort. A a lot of, you know, social medias that I'm seeing, a lot of experts are saying, you not experts, they want to blame the officiating. I'm not blaming the officiating in game five. I'm blaming the gas pedal in game five. Victor Wimyama. Um, as much as we love Victor here in San Antonio, a lot of fans and a lot of us thought he could have performed better. He looked tired. The Spurs come out in the first quarter, they get a 9-point lead, and then lo and behold, you know, here comes SGA and the Thunder. They close it. They actually get a two-point lead going into the second quarter. And then after that, it just to allow 40 points in the second quarter. It felt like there was no energy on that bench or for the Spurs in general. Um, so to be shocked with that performance, absolutely. We could always say, well, they're new to this. There's no excuses here in San Antonio. And really what we're trying to ask the questions for is what's going on in Mitch Johnson's head. What type of rotation is he trying to stick with? he sticks with the nine-man rotation all season long and it got us 62 wins. But in this particular conference finals, you're going to have to play deeper and we're just trying to see what Mitch Johnson is doing because he's sticking to his key players which is Dylan Harper and Kell Johnson to come off that bench.

[00:32:48]But the questions that have to be asked is where's Harrison Barnes? Um you know what is he doing in this? because you remember Harrison Barnes started as a starter for the San Antonio Spurs, moved his way to the bench and then also we wasted a Julian Champi night. Um each round we've had Julian Champeni go off in a certain game. He actually did well in game five but it was a wasted night and so again our backs are against the wall tonight and we'll see what happens.

[00:33:17]>> It's interesting the the depth piece of this and you know that that's the one thing and again I I shouldn't be surprised. I just watched Oklahoma City Thunder versus the Lakers and they can go to AJ Mitchell literally was their their best role player um outside of you know obviously their star in Shane. I don't even think Shay had that good of a series but you were just watching like Jesus Lord they can go to how many different guys and the San Antonio piece let's just say there's some inexperience let's just say this that whatever the case is but the Harrison Barnes name I like you bringing up that name because if there's one thing you probably need for a young squad is get a couple vets in the mix here. You don't got to play him 30 minutes, but can you give somebody 15 minutes like Harrison Barnes and is he able to just kind of identify some things on the floor? Is he able to um maybe outsmart a couple of these Thunder players? I I think that's good observation and and the the biggest thing for me and I I want to get your opinion on uh before we get into Wemby just kind of thought coming into this playoffs like oh this is going to be a De'arren Fox I you know we used to watch him obviously in the Western Conference as everybody he had really nice run with the Sacramento Kings the dude is just he's a stud he's a baller when San Antonio traded for him I'm like oh my god this guy's going to be perfect with them what has been the take of De'Arren Fox and if if some of that leaks into the regular season, postseason, what's been the view from your guys standpoint?

[00:34:50]>> From our from us, Dear Fox is you love him or hate him at this point uh in the season from the fan base. Uh >> which one more? Which which one leaks more?

[00:35:00]>> A lot of leakage of we won't need him next year because Dylan Harper's available. This is why we draft guards.

[00:35:06]But I say, you know, that's not the case. Dear Fox um has been hurt. I'm not making excuses, so I don't need anybody to go off and say, "Oh, here come the excuses."

[00:35:16]>> No, but he wasn't he was hurt.

[00:35:17]>> Yeah, he rolled that ankle pretty good and he he sucked it up to eliminate Minnesota in six games. Uh and then of course game one, game two, you know, I was shocked in game two that he wasn't available. Um but then again, you know, his performance has kind of been shy.

[00:35:34]But the problem is, and this is where I give Oklahoma City credit, Minnesota couldn't do it. Portland couldn't do it.

[00:35:41]De'Arren Fox could slice them up like butter, you know, and Oklahoma City is able to get Hartinstein down there. They are able to get Homegrren down there.

[00:35:50]They're able to get bodies on our guard.

[00:35:53]And what plays into the infected of Dear Fox is, yes, he's a veteran leader, but this is this is clutch, you know, and we were expecting a clutch De'arren Fox because he is a former Mr. Clutch of the Year. Um, but again, I think the ankle has affected him, but OKC's Thunder, let's give credit where credit's due. I know that the fan bases are going back and forth and we're talking about flopping and everything else like that, but OKC is a good team. Not only do we have their number, they have our number as well. And De'aran Fox has been shut down uh from doing anything uh to create havoc and to create that open space for Wimyama.

[00:36:33]>> Here's the problem. The problem is if De'Arren Fox does not have two really good games in game six and game seven, I don't think they get past the the Thunder. And I I I know that's kind of simplifying it there, but um nobody's saying he's got to drop 30, >> but you need 18 and seven, right? Like you need you need something like that.

[00:36:55]What you can't have is a player of that caliber, a player that you know obviously the San Antonio Spurs traded for and everything else to just be he can't be you got to be we got to be looking at the box score tonight and he's got to be one of the names it's like hey that was a nice performance because the problem on the other side >> Oklahoma City whether it's McCain or it's Alex Caruso or it's Kase Wallace or CH it's going to be they're going to have two or three guys step up that maybe >> it's a kind of like a rotation of different guys if San Antonio doesn't have that and I just got to imagine Fox has got to be such a key you know obviously contributor from that perspective.

[00:37:38]>> Yeah. And when I'm reading the box score tonight all five starters got to be in double digits. I mean, when the Spurs are in double digits with the five starters that are getting more than 30 minutes in each of these games against the Thunder, then you're looking at those 21 point blowouts against OKC, you know, but if they're not producing that way, we we call it the three-headed snake here in San Antonio. We call it Harper, Castle, and Fox, right? They're the three-headed snake of the guards here. And you're right, OKC can go to their bench and they're going to find a guy that's going to have a hot night. I mean, Alex Caruso, by all means, if OKC wins this Western Conference Finals, are we not considering him a Western Conference Final MVP? He's had one off night in in six games now, cuz once we play tonight, but when you have that type of bench, >> I know, >> you know, and the frustrating part for the Spurs fans and going into this is our bench this season has been so strong. They have been so strong where they outscored teams. I can't count in my head the number of times that we actually outscored a bench of the other team, but man, I'll tell you, the Thunder have controlled the bench play.

[00:38:48]And when you control the bench play, you're going to control the series.

[00:38:52]>> Yeah, the Caruso piece, man. Um, you know, there was a team one time >> that had him >> and then um let him just completely walk away for nothing. I don't know if you know that, but uh >> Yeah. Oh, yeah. That's kind of an interesting That was an interesting decision that you'd be uh I don't think you'd be too surprised that people still remind uh the Lakers of that. Um no, he's been incredible. It's kind of it's interesting a buddy of mine.

[00:39:16]>> Uh I do a a radio show. You came on it last week, the show down in San Diego, >> and he's a he's a big Thunder fan for whatever reason. He's a Thunder fan. and and he's telling me he's like I don't know they're like 3 minutes into a game cuz their games usually start around 5:30 5:45 out here we do our show at 6 >> so we got the game on in the background like three minutes into a game he's like go to Caruso >> I mean >> Caruso has such an incredible freaking impact in these games and some of it it's not always box score but this series it has also been box score which is you know interesting to see. Um, okay. I got a question. Tell some help me understand this one.

[00:39:58]>> Okay.

[00:39:59]>> End of game five. We whispers to a couple of the enforcers. Bismbo, Mason Plumbley, the smallest guy on the floor, Jared McCain. Uh, takes a uh a forearm to the back, shoulder, whatever you want to describe it there. Uh, what was going on there? What happened? What's been the conversation in San Antonio? What what I I just I still don't understand what was happening.

[00:40:25]>> So McCain's in there late in the game and of course you've got Wimby, you know, whispering, but let's be real. All players do this. They'll cover their mouth and and say something. So leave it to your imagination of what was said.

[00:40:37]>> We could do the pod. We could do half the pod.

[00:40:39]>> I mean, we could we could talk like this and people would say, "What are they saying?" You know, >> they're like, "We hear every word."

[00:40:45]Okay.

[00:40:45]>> Right. Right. But the thing is is that Plumbley and Bismac Biombo, they went in for what we would call garbage time. We all say this, right? Oh, there's the coach waving the white flag. Let's put in these guys, you know, cuz when you're looking at their logging their minutes, I mean, you've got, you know, Biombo that had two minutes. Plumbley had two minutes, right? Um, I don't think anything was said besides, hey, you know, get after it. Don't like show the effort. I don't think Wim is going to be a guy that says, hey, go after them.

[00:41:14]Wendy's frustrated for sure, but he's honestly got to get over it. I mean, he's 7 foot five. He's going to get pushed and pulled. But let's be honest, too, Jared McCain kind of sold a couple uh of those fouls.

[00:41:27]>> Not the plum not the Plumbley one.

[00:41:30]>> Well, it looked like to us that was an illegal screen. Plumbley's just going to run through it. I mean, he played YMCA ball.

[00:41:37]>> The Plumbley one. I'm coming in to work with a neck brace the next day. Okay.

[00:41:42]That's why I'm coming in.

[00:41:44]>> I'll give that one. But the Biabo one was just a straight block, >> you know, and Plumbley's knee just happened to be there.

[00:41:50]>> But I I think that you paint that storyline as a fan and and and in sports and it gives us something to talk about for the next 48 hours.

[00:41:59]That was their job. We want them to do that. Look, >> we have to be physical, right? There there's no doubt in our mind that we have to be physical and we can't put the refs into this. and Plumbley and Biombo.

[00:42:12]Look, we can say that, you know, OKC has Hartinstein doing the same thing. You know, he's pushing, he's pulling, he's grabbing. Um, at the end of the day, I don't think anything was said. Um, they did end up, you know, giving Plumbley a flagrant one after the fact. Um, but to all the OKC fans that are on social media, please stop with the suspension talk of Wimi and this and that. That foot soldiers is what I heard. And I'm like, this is where this series is going. But again, yeah, you're you're doing your job. Those guys know exactly what they do. It'll be funny though tonight. Tonight, I feel like maybe Plumbley or Biombo might be seeing some action in that first half because Cornet's supposed to be that guy, right?

[00:42:55]He's he's the guy we get from Boston.

[00:42:57]He's had the championship experience back in 2018, but Cornett has kind of been shut down in this series as well.

[00:43:05]Now, Cornett has delivered some good fouls. He's a smart man when it comes to those fouls, delivering the hard fouls, no follow-throughs, they just hit the head or they do something like that.

[00:43:16]>> But Cornet hasn't been that guy uh to be like the backup bully uh for Wimi. And you know, I that was just playing basketball. Let's just be honest. It's the last two minutes and you want to be smart about it. It did did it kind of affect McCain? Yes, it did. And we'll see what it does tonight to him in game six.

[00:43:35]>> Yeah. Listen, I don't mind the physical play. I think actually San Antonio probably needs >> a little bit of OKC is way too comfortable. So, however you can be a little bit more physical, probably a good idea. Um, WBY in the wins versus Webby in the L's. Um how how would you kind of describe because in the in the two wins um some monster numbers obviously we know game one what he did 41 and 24 um in the game four win 33 and8 um not that he's had you know awful numbers the entire time that that that's not the case but what what's what's game six got to look like tonight from WBY if San Antonio ties up the series >> WMBB's got to have 35 to 40 tonight He cannot worry about everybody else. He's got to get down low. He's got to own the paint. In game one, it was obvious. He had 41 points. The three-point attempts from Wimby, you would think that were what, he went three for six or this and that. He went one of two, you know, he had two three-point attempts. Wimby needs to get down low. We all understand that he has this hatred towards Shad Homegrren, but that's not even the case.

[00:44:43]He's if he's frustrated with Hartinstein, then he needs to get him in foul trouble. He needs to get down low.

[00:44:48]He needs to own the paint tonight. and the other guys will feed off of that energy. He tries to force, I think, in the three losses that we've seen. You try to force everybody to play, right?

[00:44:59]Team effort all the way. That's what San Antonio Spurs are all about. But tonight is about Wimi and it's about his response. It's about how he's going to, you know, tell the media this is why I skipped out on on, you know, being at the podium. He's frustrated. Um, but tonight Wimby has to have that game four night and that game one night if we're going to see this thing go to Saturday evening up in Oklahoma City.

[00:45:22]>> What's the hate with him in chat? I keep hearing everybody say that and I don't know if I fully maybe I've seen the article. I What's the hate there?

[00:45:28]>> It so it goes back to the FIA U19 days, right? When team USA was playing team France in a championship game. Okay. Uh, Wimby fouled out and he fouled out of that game. Of course, USA won that game and Chad won the MVP. Now, if you were to sit here and talk to Chad Homegrren about it, he'd say, "I don't know what's going on with it." Wimby has vocalized how much that game has meant to him and how much better he wants to be than Shed Homegrren. But can we please be honest?

[00:45:58]Wimby is much greater than Chad uh when we look at the numbers, right? Because even the off night for Wimi on uh Wednesday night, he still outperformed Chad by like five or six points. So, he can still do his job. But that's the hatred. Every time Chad misses a free throw, you hear Wimby flexing and he's like, "Yeah, let's, you know, that's great." And he stares down, but you're starting to see that come together. I don't know if you saw it in game five or not. Chad started doing a little shoulderto-shoulder to Wimi. Uh to say, "Hey, we're the defending champions and you got to beat us first."

[00:46:30]>> Yeah. I mean, listen, I I love the If you're an NBA fan, I love the numbers that this series is doing and it's it's, you know, obviously >> they're not dependent on the markets.

[00:46:39]they're dependent on these are two really good teams and uh they're clearly the the two listen I I'll give New York all the credit in the world because the Knicks have been killing it as well but let's just say top two top three teams in the league and we might be you know just on the verge of a rivalry that can be going on for five seven years these teams are not going to be going anywhere um quick question where was I going to go with this I had a question for you and I'm thinking off the top of my head here uh I'll try to go back to I gota gotta remember what it was um the the actual for tonight's game. Um oh, this what I was going to ask you. The what has been the perspective from the San Antonio Spurs on how Oklahoma City plays, flopping, all that stuff? Obviously, this has been a conversation. It's been specifically around the Thunder. What do you notice when you watch a 48minute game? when you're watching the Thunder, >> you don't really you kind of know what the flopping's going to consist of, you know, and the Spurs know that as well.

[00:47:40]Mitch Johnson knows that as well. Um, and Mitch Johnson has got on to his guys. Uh, we saw it evident in game four when he got on to Carter Bryant. Um, I think every woman in San Antonio got so mad at Mitch Johnson for the way that he was treating Carter Bryant, but he was telling him, "Hey, you've got to not jump. You have got to be, you know, solid on your ground." Dylan, I'm going to jump in here for a quick second. I think we're losing your connection here.

[00:48:05]We're losing your con. Okay. No, it's back. It's back here.

[00:48:07]>> Oh, there we are.

[00:48:08]>> Yep. Go ahead. Go ahead. Finish wrapping up.

[00:48:10]>> No. So, you know, the expectation is that they're going to sell it. They are going to flop. You've had Steph Castle come out, Julian Champini come out saying, and I think it was Steph Castle in game five. He said simply, "Hey, we're we know that they're going to get the calls because they're the defending champions." That was laid out there. Uh, and so that was headline material. I'm sure. And so we'll see how it goes for game six.

[00:48:34]>> Brother, uh it's going to be fun tonight. Looking forward to watching a little uh Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. I I'm I'm with you tonight.

[00:48:41]Listen, I want to see a game seven. I think everybody does. So hopefully San Antonio is going to get I I think they will. I think we'll we'll have a game seven coming up. I think it's scheduled for Saturday. Thank you for the time. I appreciate it. Good luck tonight and thank you for coming on the show.

[00:48:54]>> Anytime, guys. Y'all have a good one.

[00:48:56]>> All right. That is uh Dylan Emery. Good stuff from him. Great stuff. I love that conversation. It's the first time I I actually got a perspective from the San Antonio Spurs, which is what I was uh which I was kind of waiting for, right?

[00:49:09]Like just let me let somebody explain to me how the Spurs are looking at things.

[00:49:13]By the way, Monday I'm going to have a Knicks guest on um the franchise who is somebody that's got uh just a monster channel out in the East Coast around Nick's fans and a YouTube channel. He's come on before. I've gone on his show, so I'll have him come on and, you know, I'll admit to him that, you know, I wasn't cheering for the Knicks and here they are. They can't lose a freaking game. Um, all right. We'll uh we'll get into some of that stuff. And shout out again to Dylan for uh joining the show.

[00:49:41]Um I I'm looking Let me just say this real quick for tonight's game.

[00:49:47]Can't wait for the game tonight. It's going to be phenomenal. It's going to be awesome. All that stuff. De'arren Fox, maybe he's not healthy, but I think a couple of things that he just said here, Dylan mentioned, De'ar Fox has to be a freaking real player. They didn't go trade for De'arren Fox uh for this guy to be just a regular role player. That's supposed to be your one-two punch.

[00:50:09]You're De'Arren Fox got to have moments.

[00:50:12]He's got to have clutch moments. He's got to obviously big for them. I like what he said about um using Harrison Barnes in some capacity. I think that obviously is something that they're going to have to do. I mean, Harrison Barnes is a vet, been in the league for a long time. Give him some minutes. I mean, what's what's the the negative of having Harrison Barnes in the game?

[00:50:29]Nobody's saying you got to go play in 30 minutes, but I think it'll be helpful to have him in. Change it up a little bit.

[00:50:34]Have another vet in there that understands the game, somebody that has won a championship before. Um, and then the last thing I'll just mention on the series, which I think is a good point as well in regards to what Dylan and I were talking about, I like the idea of being physical with the Oklahoma City Thunder, trying to push him around a little bit, but the Thunder got, listen, for everything you try to throw at them.

[00:50:54]Alex Caruso doesn't have a problem being physical. Um, Lou Dort doesn't have a problem being physical. I They got guys that have no problem being physical.

[00:51:01]Jaylen Williams, I think, would have been a guy, I know he's questionable for tonight's game, that would have been fine with being physical. So, you know, obviously a lot on that front, but uh game six tonight and hopefully we're all sitting here. I I'm assuming here because I think they just go every other day. Would game seven I'm going to tell you guys right now. Would game seven just be on Saturday? Let's double check here. It would be on Saturday five o'clock. Come on. Come on. We cannot have Saturday night without game seven.

[00:51:32]You get Saturday, game seven, and then uh the NBA finals, I think, would start on a Wednesday. Yeah, Wednesday. So, uh the Knicks probably already went on vacation. The Knicks are the first team to actually go to Cancun during the season. Enjoy 10 days there, and then come back and get ready for the NBA Finals. Um all right. Uh I know I got a lot of comments I got to get to, so I'm going to uh I'll work on that in just a second. Before I do, let's give a shout out to one of our partners here. Shout out to Brad Wallace and the Walls firm wallwinds.com.

[00:52:03]If you are a family member, a friend are in some position where um a serious injury, a wrongful death case, and uh you need an injury attorney, then you know you got the best in the business.

[00:52:15]Brad Wallace and the Wallace firm, wallwinds.com/sa.

[00:52:18]I've said this plenty of times that they're the best in the business and they can help anybody in the state of California. We had a listener and this isn't the first time we've had this and I really appreciate people who are uh loyal to the channel and have always been, you know, a part of the channel that have taken our partners and our advertisers and have kind of trusted me and trusted in them to um to help if they possibly can. I had a listener on Monday, a week ago, Monday, so about a week and a half ago, send me an email.

[00:52:48]Here's the situation. Here's what's going on. Can you please put me in touch with Brad Wallace? So, you can either go on the website and fill out the consultation. I'd prefer you just email me directly, allens.com, and if I can help you, I'm happy to do so. I connected them and they're working on whatever they need to work on together.

[00:53:05]Obviously, I won't share the details, but I I appreciate that trust. These are listeners that are loyal to the channel that also understand if I'm bringing an advertiser on here, my hope is that you guys trust who I'm bringing on. And obviously, I don't need to tell you guys about Brad Walls and the Walls firm because you guys know. Um, all right.

[00:53:21]Shout out to uh the Wallace firm, Wallacewins.com.

[00:53:25]Okay, a couple other things here we'll get into. I got some NBA news and then we're gonna we're gonna call it a day.

[00:53:31]Um Laker layoffs. So over a dozen business um business side, there's kind of a reorganization. I'm going to read a little piece here. Dave McMen put this out there yesterday um about the layoffs on the business side of the Lakers franchise. Here's one uh excerpt here and great stuff from Eric here kind of making this easy for me. The Lakers informed more than a dozen employees Wednesday that they were being laid off as part of a reorganization under new franchise leadership. A source familiar with the situation told ESPN the layoffs Wednesday affected various departments including marketing, team communications, team content, and corporate partnerships. Sources told ESPN, "As the business as the business side undergoes restructuring, the Lakers have continued to expand on the basketball side." So, um, again, I I mentioned this to start off the show.

[00:54:18]Unfortunately, this is kind of part of the biz when you have new ownership and with Mark Walter coming in, we've talked about some of the different people that they've brought on. Uh, early on it was Lon Rosen who was running business side on the Dodgers side. He's coming over now to the Lakers. I don't know if he's he's if he's doing that exclusively with the Lakers, but um changes are going to be made and clearly the Lakers are starting to make changes. So, uh for what that's worth, that was one of the conversations yesterday around the Lakers and again this is common on on the business side and and we'll see what eventually happens with the Lakers organization, but um that was a story that was uh you know, obviously kind of making its rounds yesterday um as far as uh uh around the league. Um, one other thing that I want to mention here real quick and this is one thing on the Lakers side and then I'm going to get to some of the stuff uh like I mentioned from an NBA news perspective and then we'll we'll start looking at some of those comments again. Um, I thought this was interesting that um um I thought this was interesting in regards to Derrick Harper. If you guys remember Derek Harper, if you guys were around the NBA for a long time, been watching the NBA for a long time. He was on Running Back TV, which is the show with Michelle Beetle, Chandler Parsons, Lou Williams is on there. That's I think their main three. Um here's what he said. Now, this guy was speaking in regards to the Dallas Mavericks. I thought it was interesting. He says, "People love Luca here." He's talking about him um with the Mavs. I think he'll eventually retire a Maverick is the way I feel about Luca and the Mavericks. They were connected completely and basically saying that he feels like at some point he thinks Derrick Harper that Luca Donuch will eventually retire a lake or retire a Dallas Maverick. You know, to be honest with you, that's not that kind of shocking. Maybe there is a time down the road. We'll see what um we'll see what Luca is able to accomplish as a Los Angeles Laker. I'm sure the Lakers will do everything possible to make sure he never leaves.

[00:56:26]But would you be shocked down the road that Luca Donuch decided, hey, 5 years, 7 years, 10 years from now? You know what? I'm going to go back to the Dallas Mavericks where it all started, where I was absolutely shocked that I had to go blah blah blah kind of go through that whole step. they already started making some significant changes since Luca Donuch was traded. But I I thought that was interesting. I I thought the, you know, a former Mav, somebody that's obviously speaking from a Maverick's perspective, thinks that Luca will retire a Dallas Maverick down the road. Um, okay. So, one of the things that I said was really annoying about Adam Silver. I'll get into that a second. Let me see if there's any comments here. Um, let me see. Any comments that I want to just kind of run into? There was one that I saw here.

[00:57:19]I'll come back to it. Um, I'll come back to it. I don't know why this one caught my eye. Lee, what do you think about the Utah Jazz for next season? I think Utah's going to be good. I think there's going to be a lot of teams in the Western Conference. I mean, Utah's set up to to, you know, obviously try to win now. They traded for Jiren Jackson Jr., Lauren Markin. We'll see what happens with Walker Kesler. Deonte George is a stud. Um, they got some pieces. They also got the what do they got? The number two pick, I think, in the draft.

[00:57:46]So, they got some pieces to build off of. Um, let me talk Adam Silver here for a quick second and then we'll end the show with me looking at some of the comments. So, Adam Silver is on with the Pat McAfee Show and I I would tell you this. I would say that, you know, right now there's a lot of conversation in the NBA about especially around the Oklahoma City Thunder about flopping about um you know, a lot of these players.

[00:58:16]See what we got here.

[00:58:20]Do we have here is Eric is this is uh is any of this stuff on the flopping stuff that we have on the Adam Silver stuff that you have here? All right, you take a look there. I wanted to look at specifically I think you had it on the other rundown. Um so there are some things that I I think are so frustrating in regards to um Oh yeah, that's right.

[00:58:42]It's right there. Um there's some stuff that is so frustrating in my opinion in regards to the NBA right now. I I mean I I don't know if flopping is the biggest problem. Maybe it's been blown out of proportion. Maybe are look people are looking at the Oklahoma City Thunder and you know maybe they're saying to themselves and we don't have to play it.

[00:59:00]I'm going to I'm going to read it here.

[00:59:01]You're good. We don't have to play it.

[00:59:03]But it's a conversation. Here's what Adam Silver said. He said the difference between selling a call exaggeration and a true flop. He admits that players are taught to sell calls these days and say that officials can be fooled sometimes, but the officiating is incredible. He brings up the league moving towards AI being able to make calls during games for out- of-bounds type of decisions.

[00:59:22]We'll leave that all alone. But Adam Silver has got a platform on the Pat McAfee show. Everybody is freaking talking about how um they're not crazy with the officiating, that the Thunder sell too many calls, that there's too much fluffing, that it's losing some of the integrity of the game. And you say that the officiating is incredible.

[00:59:42]I mean, h how I hate to say this because I don't think Adam Silver is a dumb guy.

[00:59:48]That's a dumb comment. It's just a dumb comment.

[00:59:52]Everyone is talking about your league and a specific team. And I I don't, you know, I I'm not a big I don't kind of I try not to jump into the whole, well, they're losing because, you know, the Thunder are they're only winning because of of they're flopping and they get to the free throw line. No, they're winning because they're the best team in the NBA. They whoop the Lakers ass. They're up 3-2 on the the San Antonio Spurs and that's because they're the best team in the league. But your response to all of that is I think the officiating is incredible and we don't feel like, you know, this is a problem. I don't know.

[01:00:25]Just sounds dumb to me. Uh there's some things that Adam Silver has said, you know, more recently that makes no sense to me and is definitely a little bit frustrating. Okay, that's all we got. Um NBA news. Tomorrow I'm going to do some stuff on maybe a little bit more of this kind of draft stuff cuz there is some pre-draft stuff that are starting to come out. But um I want to read some of the comments here and let's see what we got here. All right, let's see. Adam is a cloud. Every single thing he has done should be undone. I mean I I I don't have an issue with them with the tanking and trying to find a solution there. I think there's some stuff that he's done I've been completely fine with. But again, just pretending like ah no, everything's fine. That that just sounds so idiotic to me. I say let Ree walk.

[01:01:09]Braun can take the mid and build roster or rinse and repeat next off season.

[01:01:16]Can't let LeBron or you can't let uh Reeves walk. LeBron has no future with the Lakers. Would love to have Fox next to Luca. Guy's getting paid.

[01:01:27]He's making a lot of money. Fox would be awesome in LA. I would love to see it.

[01:01:30]We were talking a little bit earlier about the Aaron Fox.

[01:01:34]Pray for the Spurs. Okay. I didn't know we're getting we're getting deep here.

[01:01:41]Uh it's not a dumb comments. Lee, he's the commissioner. He's got to go back to the Zebras. I don't care if they're WWE refs.

[01:01:49]Yeah, the refs are going to do what the league asked them to do. If the league asks them tomorrow, here's how we want you. Here's how we want you to handle if there's flopping or if there's guys trying to sell calls and it's too obvious. The league will dictate. The refs are not dictating what the league does. The league tells the refs how they want the games to be refed. So, all the referees are doing is basically what the NBA has told them to do. So, u that's what we got there. All right. Great stuff everybody. Uh good show today.

[01:02:20]Great stuff from Dylan. And um yeah, that was uh that was a fun show. We got a big game tonight. Game six, Spurs and the Thunder. Hope you guys enjoy it. I'm back on tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. Um, Monday, I mentioned we'll have somebody come on that covers the New York Knicks.

[01:02:36]So, we got a busy couple of days coming up. And as always, honestly, there's always Laker stories. So, thank you for being here. If you're watching this show live, thank you for being here. I know a lot of people watch it after the show is done. So, whether you watch it live or you watch it uh on playback, I appreciate you guys being a part of the show. Please subscribe to the channel. I will see everybody tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Thanks, guys.