“I think they’re closer since they let Trevor Ariza go. Now you bring in Marquese Chriss a guy who needs a change of scenery. It moves them up slightly since July” – Haynes
“I don’t think anybody within this deal is going to make that much of a major impact as far as beating Golden State” – Friedell
“I’m not sure if this actually helps them close the gap toward the Warriors”
“First and foremost: Bringing in a guy like DeMarcus Cousins. Somebody who hasn’t had the best reputation as far as dealing with his teammates. You bring him in, he’s automatically going to change the dynamic of that locker room, whether it’s good or bad. Allowing some of the young guys to play a little bit more” – Haynes
“I think they’re going to change a little bit of their style of play, from training camp onwards” – Windhorst
Do players care too much about video game ratings?
Nick DePaula is back to discuss the latest news in the sneaker world of basketball!
Is Brian officially a sneakerhead now?
“We’ve got a ways to go” – DePaula
Latest on Gordon Hayward’s sneaker status?
Gordon Hayward is receiving strong interest from 4 sneaker brands. In addition to interest from Nike and New Balance, Chinese brand Anta is pitching the Celtics All-Star with a multi-year shoe deal offer this evening in San Diego. pic.twitter.com/yZOq9iEJhW
“He is going to be a great example of somebody who’s in a smaller market and the colors aren’t particularly brand favorite colors. Because of the new sneaker rules, he can really take advantage of the new rules and get some incentive and get some visibility for himself” – DePaula
Walt Frazier (Knicks Legend) on KD: “There will be an asterisk by his name”
Via SiriusXM NBA Radio:
“Durant, as great a player he is, I would still hold back [giving him credit] because he joined a team that really didnโt need him. He’s right there with LeBron, probably would’ve surpassed LeBron as the best player in the game soon, but for him doing that I still don’t give him the full credit that he probably would’ve deserved if he stayed in OKC and won a title with that team. Heโs going to be down the list for me because of that. There will be an asterisk by his name. It’s not something I would’ve done, I would’ve never joined [Jerry] West, [Bill] Russell or [Wilt] Chamberlain. I wanted to kick their butts.”
Rich Kleiman, Durant’s business partner on Walt Frazier’s comments:
“Some may call it ‘shade.’ Some may call it ‘criticism.’ I call it: this opening salvo in the recruitment of KD to the Knicks. This is him saying: You want to be elevated, come win a championship for a great franchise. You got to do this on your own” – Windhorst
“This is going to fuel him like every other slight, talking about the thin skin and he’s going to go in and say ‘You know what? I got one more hall of famer to prove wrong.'” – Friedell
“This is going to be a recurring theme this season, no matter how the Warriors play. It’s going to dog the Warriors and KD the entire season” – Windhorst
“He wasn’t always about the money. He took a lesser role to be part of a championship contender. I will always respect him for that” – Friedell
“I will always remember him as a Pacer. He took and lead that team to the top” – Windhorst
Where does David West rank among class of 2003?
Both Windy and Friedell agree that David West is in the top 5 in terms of great players from the 2003 draft class
“For what he’s been able to accomplish in all these acts and continue to carry himself the same way, it’s a lot of credit to the professionalism he’s had throughout his career” – Friedell
2014 – David West shoves KG after he blew into his face!
Happy Retirement, David!
From yesterday’s show:
“Cass, I’m gonna be honest with you: if I’ve got a bat problem, I’m looking for someone who is stronger than Terminix. A little more powerful”
“He better start shooting more. That was the flaw in his game” – Friedell
“His future is amazing. I proudly voted for him for ROY. His shot will improve” – Windhorst
“I’ve talked to people in the league and people are going to laugh at me when I say this: Some people think that Ben Simmons might actually be kind of a point-center because he has the ability to play and defend so well. He’s got such great length” – Windhorst
“He was thrilled at the time. Horrified when it almost didn’t go through. Was relieved when it did. He is very happy today” – Windhorst
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere. I’d be shocked if he left the situation he’s in, given the way everything has worked out” – Friedell
How does Cavaliers return on the trade look now?
As Rachel Nichols says about the Cavs: “THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO TRADE HIM!!!”
“It depends on what Collin Sexton is. They are super-duper high on him. I feel like the Cavs misplayed the opportunity after they saw how bad Isaiah’s (Thomas) hip was” – Windhorst
“You got to be sick to your stomach. You gave him (Kyrie) away for basically nothing” – Friedell
Surprised Draymond encouraged LeBron to be the best player?
Via HBO Sports (“The Shop”):
“I think Bron over the last four years becameย LeBron James. And it wasn’t nothing to do with winning and it wasn’t nothing to do with stats. He found himself. People didn’t start to view him as they view him now, until he became that force, that man to say, ‘I’m here.’ I feel like for years, he shied away from saying ‘I’m here’. And when he started to say, ‘F–k y’all, I’m here.’ That’s when he became who he is, and no one would have ever said that until he did it himself. Motherf*ckers f*cked with Mike because Mike was like, ‘Iโm Mike with my hoop earring, f*ck all y’all, Iโm here,’ and until he did that, thatโs when he became the figurehead that he is. So many people shy away from that and thatโs why they never reach their full potential.”
“I was fascinated by the Draymond stuff because the Draymond/LeBron relationship is so prickly and bizzare and unusual” – Windhorst
“What Draymond was saying was that he’s now owning it that he’s the best player in a way” – Hubbarth
Agree LeBron has found himself in last 4 years?
“LeBron became LeBron in Miami. That was where he sort of got his graduate degree. Went from being a player of potential to a player of delivery” – Windhorst
“The end is near for LeBron as the #1 guy. Durant is a guy who is going to come into his own soon, probably this season” – Friedell
Buy Lakers have less than 2% chance to win title? (Per ESPN’s BPI rankings)
“I don’t think they have any chance. It is zero. The Lakers are not very good. I’m not sure if they’re going to get into the postseason. The roster that they put around him, right now, is not good” – Friedell
“This is the farthest LeBron has been from a title since 2nd year in the league” – Windhorst
“The one thing about the BPI: That is what the dipsticks says today. The concept is, where are we at today” – Windhorst
August 29, 2014 –ย Brittney Griner blocks a shot with authority!
Confidence; Would you want to run pickup with Lance?
Winning Time; Suns making the playoffs?
Devin Booker says: “It’s winning time. We’re in the best shape we’ve been in since I’ve been a part of the franchise” (Via CBS Sports)
Fear; How would you react to this Taurasi death stare?
Fear; Is Taurasi playing the best ball of her career?
Moving on…
What are 76ers doing with GM search?
Managing partner, Josh Harris told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that they won’t rule out leaving Sixers head coach, Brett Brown in place (as GM) the coming season
Also, according to The Athletic’s Derek Bodner, he says that the Sixers search “may be too narrowly focused”
“If you’re not going to hire a GM and you’re going to stick with Brett Brown, then just say that. Instead, they’re saying that they’re still not solidified in what we’re doing. The Sixers did not have a great summer. They didn’t handle their GM search the correct way” – Windhorst
“They punted on the summer. That’s what it boils down to. You have to have that person you feel comfortable in recruiting other players. The key will be the summer” – Friedell
“It’s going to be tons of fun. It doesn’t even have to be a matching pair” – DePaula
“Two big things here: The NBA is really allowing the guys to be the most expressive out of any league we’ve seen and giving their guys the freedom to wear whatever they want. Main piece: Nike has an 8-year deal with the NBA and they’re paying them $1 billion. So it’s definitely in the league’s interest to allow all the brands more freedom and more fun to have with all the players” – DePaula
“I think PJ (Tucker) is going to be the guy that starts to take stuff from like 10-15 years ago that we haven’t seen that’s just in all crazy colors” – DePaula
“It’s the one sport where the exact shoe that somebody is wearing, somebody else can buy and they want to let guys be expressive and tell a lot of stories” – DePaula on why the NBA is so proactive with shoes
“All honesty, we can’t see the future but I think this will be a challenge for him. I don’t think this signals the end of Gregg Popovich. He’s going to keep on going and his new players and new challenge will energize him” – Windhorst
Worried about Spurs making the playoffs? (Via Kevin Pelton)
“I can’t shake this notion that somehow that Pop finds this magic and is energized with this new toy to work with. Everytime someone leaves that program, we say ‘Oh. They’re fall back to earth a little bit’ and it never happens. I just can’t rule out Gregg Popovich” – Forsberg
“The Spurs will be better this year than they were last year” – Windhorst
“We are going to see a motivated DeMar DeRozan, Gregg Popovich” – Windhorst
Haywatch Update!
Celtics now biggest threat to Warriors?
“I absolutely feel that way. I get the sense that the Celtics feel like its not as big as everyone else thinks it is” – Forsberg
“They fit the mold of a championship contender” – Windhorst
Windhorst: 3 of the 5 best teams are in the east: Philly, Toronto and Boston | With Golden State and Houston
August 28, 2010 – Becky Hammon (San Antonio Silver Stars) drives to the basket and finishes with the tough one handed circus layup!
Talking with the always candid Enes Kanter about a lot of stuff, including his family situation, Turkish politics, why he trolls and what kind shape he thinks the league is in: https://t.co/mR1gK3Qtcb
Fandom;ย Knicks fan sells fandom, is now a Lakers fan? The auction has ended; The winner paid $3,500 to the fan to root for LeBron James and the Lakers!
“I’d like to tip my cap to the Knicks for going tongue and cheek with this answer” – Windhorst
“What they should have done though is have Enes Kanter tweet and bring it full circle. Let him even troll his own fan” – Forsberg
Moving on…
How would you grade Rockets offseason?
Per Kevin Pelton: D+ for the Rockets Click here to read more about grades for West teams’ offseason by Kevin Pelton
“The Rockets are not done with their offseason until March 1st. Daryl Morey is always tinkering, always messing around. This isn’t necessarily the roster they’re going to walk into the playoffs with” – Windhorst
“When we think about what they have to do well to be competitive with the Warriors is defense. They clearly weaken on that side” – Forsberg
WNBA MVP, Breanna Stewart sat down with Holly Rowe to discuss the MVP and her remarkable career both professionally and personally:
"All of this other stuff is great. And yes, I want to win and I want to be MVP. … When people thank me and say that I helped save their life, that's huge."
Thibodeau on Jimmy leaving: “Winning will take care of that” (Via Minneapolis Star Tribune)
“No. Jimmy is gonna be out of there in a year. The mix of Jimmy as the alpha in that locker room with Towns and Wiggins, who have not lived up to their potential up to this point, just does not click for what they want to be in the future” – Friedell
Jimmy Butler eyeing Lakers? (Via Bleacher Report) |ย What Should Wolves do with Jimmy Butler?
“In my mind, it’s not even just about the contract.ย If this season doesn’t get off to a good start, I think he will start to pop up in trade rumors ” – Windhorst
“Jimmy to Los Angeles has been something we’ve heard about for several years. Dating back to when he was still with the Bulls. It makes a lot of sense on a lot of levels” – Friedell
“With this squad, I think he’d be fineย in the framework” – Friedell referring to the Lakers
Latest on KAT negotiations with Wolves?
“There’s nothing happening right now. The fact that this isn’t getting done yet is sort of eyebrow raising. I believe he is going to sign it but what type of deal is it?” – Windhorst October 31 is the deadline to extend his contract
“It’s a matter of when, not if on the money. But being around that team a lot last year: I think Jimmy’s (Butler) probably going to be gone a year from right now” – Friedell
“I would take Jimmy in a heartbeat over Towns” – Friedell
Posters; Jayson Tatum says he doesn’t remember jumping when he dunked on LeBron? (Via the Bill Simmons Podcast)
Vinsanity; Vince Carter open to playing beyond next season? (Via The Athletic)
Allergies; Zach LaVine gets burned by seafood eatery
Moving on…
Manu Ginobili retires after 16 NBA seasons
Today, with a wide range of feelings, I'm announcing my retirement from basketball. IMMENSE GRATITUDE to everyone (family, friends, teammates, coaches, staff, fans) involved in my life in the last 23 years. It's been a fabulous journey. Way beyond my wildest dreams. pic.twitter.com/3MLCUtmd6K
“This guy changed the way the game was played a little bit. I know he didn’t invent the eurostep, but the way he used it and brought into the game made it much more popular. The way he was willing to be an unselfish player where he rotated over the years coming off the bench, into the starting lineup, changed his role, changed his game, developed a longe outside shot, played at both ends of the court, played multiple positions. The quintessential type of modern day NBA player. He will be a first ballot Hall of Famer” – Windhorst
“He defined his career both internationally and in the NBA with that passion and that is why he is going into the Hall of Famer” – Friedell
ESPN Celtics writer, Chris Forsberg joined the show!
Who needs to sacrifice most for Celtics?
Forsberg: Kyrie Irving
“He’s going to have to be eased back in a little bit here, him and Gordon (Hayward). He’s going to have to be okay with maybe like 28 minutes per game instead of 30”
Windhorst: Jayson Tatum
“When the injuries happened to Hayward last year, Tatum got a huge boost in shots. He became a major offensive factor for them. I don’t think that’s neessarily going to be the case this year. What they really need from him is to do his dirty work on the defensive end and rebound and be the gritty guy” – Windhorst
Haywatch Update!
“If training camp were to start today, he (Danny Ainge) believes both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward would be full go, 5 on 5” – Forsberg
Chances LeBron appears on Dancing with the Stars one day?
Panel:
First Half
Buying Kobe’s “Endorsement” of LeBron in LA?
Here was his take as told to the Audience Network (Via Rich Eisen Show)
“I hear that but, If you’re a fan of mine, you’re a fan of winning. You’re a fan of the Lakers. I bleed purple and gold, so that’s above anything else.ย I’ve been a Lakers fan since I was yay-high. That’s never going to change”
“What he talked about is true though. The idea of winning. That’s ultimately what LeBron is going to be judged on as a Laker” – Isola
“It was an implicit endorsement of him” – Herring
“He (Kobe) loves the fact that the fans still have this much love for him” – Isola
“This might be the only town and only personality where this happens” – Elhassan
Tatum not worried about role on Celtics?
“A little bit. He needs to gel with someone like Gordon Hayward because if (Jaylen) Brown gets hurt or something like that, you’re going to have to share minutes with some of these guys. He’s going to need time to gel with them. But he’s going to be doing it off the bench” – Herring
“Let him prove that he’s all the way back before he loses his job to Gordon Hayward” – Isola
Buckets; Expect another big jump from Aaron Gordon this season?
Complacency; Think (Ben) Simmons will actually attempt some jumpers next season?
Credit: bensimmons/IG
Last Summer:
Moving on…
Why don’t theย Sixers have a GM yet?
“Yes. They want to name a general manager. But they are also looking for someone who doesn’t have the final say, so to speak. They want to do it all like a group decision. There’s a guy in the ownership group, his name is David Heller. He’s one of these guys from New York. When (Sam) Hinkie was the GM, from what you hear, Heller was a guy that who was basically running the meetings and he had a heavy hand in the decision-making and at this particular time, he again has a hand in the decision-making” – Keith Pompey (Philadelphia Inquirer) to Chris Mannix on the Yahoo! Sports podcast
“I don’t think they need a GM this second because they’ve gotten through the most important stuff” – Herring
“The Sixers need to go out and hire a GM” – Isola
Are Pacers a contender in the East?
Credit: Boston Globe
“I actually like them. I like their pickups too. “I don’t think last year was a fluke. I thought they could have beaten Cleveland” – Herring
“I think they absolutely are. They almost knocked off LeBron in the first round” – Isola
Second Half
Jemele Hill of The Undefeated joined the show!
Redick on Clippers era: “There was so much pettiness” (Via Pardon My Take)
INTERVIEWER: “Was the most annoying team pretty much all time to watch because every year it’s like ‘The Clippers. The Clippers. This is the year.’ What was the moments like it kind of fell apart when you felt like it was going to build something?”
REDICK: “It was weird because separately everybody was really cool with each other, off the court everybody sort of got along. And then, there was just so much pettiness, it was just pettiness. Itโs weird to think what we had the potential to accomplish and what ultimately derailed that was pettiness. I think the biggest problem was passive-aggressiveness. Like, I would rather have a guy blow-up at a teammate, whether it ends in a fight or just a verbal shouting match I think getting stuff out in the open is healthier than sort of holding it in and just whispering things in corners and never really addressing the root issues”
“It’s totally believable given all the storylines that came from that particular Clippers teams. The longer you’re together, especially the longer you’re together and you don’t win, that’s when those issues tend to spring up” – Hill
“They were never the same organization after that. They should have been in the Western Conference Finals that year” – Isola Lookback: May 2015, 19 point lead in Game 6; 13 point lead heading into the 4th quarter vs the Rockets; blew a 3-1 series lead
“They had the talent to break through, but they couldn’t put it back together” – Herring
Let’s…
Think Kobe Stans will ever embrace LeBron?
“They just don’t want to because right now, their feelings are hurt. LeBron is the player of this generation. They feel like Kobe should be in this conversation whenever they talk about greatest ever. This is the NBA version of Biggie, Pac” – Hill
“You’re judged on one thing: Winning championships” – Isola
“What other situation could LeBron go to a team that was not in the playoffs, had not been in the playoffs for five years and not want him?” – Herring
10 years ago today: The Redeem team won gold!
Dream Team or Redeem Team?
Isola: Dream Team
“Only because Isiah Thomas should have been on the team”
Herring: Redeem Team
“Athletically, the redeem team would blow them off the court”
Hill: Dream Team
“They meshed together perfectly. That team was better”
Reaction to Kyrie officially joining standing Rock Sioux tribe?
“It was really beautiful and genuine. It’s an awesome tribute to his mom” – Hill
“You could tell that he was speaking from the heart” – Isola
Like seeing Diana Taurasi clap back at Sun?
Here’s her postgame interview with Holly Rowe after the Phoenix Mercury beat the Connecticut Sun in a playoff game:
“She is a savage and I mean that with respect” – Hill
“She’s a killer. It is so much fun watching her play” – Herring
“She’s had some moments in these playoffs where she looks like Steph Curry” – Isola
ESPN.com: The future of Mental Health in NBA
S/o to espn and Jackie MacMullan for giving me a platform to share my story. OCD is a disorder that many people may not fully understand and Iโm glad I could bring light to the situation.โฆ https://t.co/W9w4h5kBPv
“This is especially a tough battle for all professional athletes” – Hill
“You go through different phases of your career. It totally changes the scope of what these players are facing” – Herring
Pressure on Trae Young in Atlanta?
“He’s going to be as scrutinized as any rookie” – Isola
“Social media for them is a street corner. It’s the place where they gather. I applaud that he already is exhibiting this of discipline and maturity” – Hill
What do the kids need to know about Penny Hardaway?
“A lot of kids are wearing my shoes and don’t even know who I am. But the kids that do know, they do understand that the Foamposite (Nike) is my shoe and they love the Foamposite. The last 5 or 6 years of my career didn’t end the way I wanted it to and they weren’t (his players) even born. Most of these kids, when I was in my prime(s), they go on YouTube just to see ‘Let me see if this guy is as good as they say he was’ or whatever and they come back to me and go ‘Coach? You were good.’ And I’m like ‘Thanks man. I appreciate it.'” – Hardaway
“He was the player that you watched” – Herring
“Tell them to show the Lil Penny commercials” – Isola
A Korean Tae Kwon Do competition; Does this need to be in the dunk contest?
Today’s Panel:
Starting from the left: Front Office Insider Amin Elhassan (Host), Chris Herring (FiveThirtyEight) and Frank Isola
Think PG-13 will regret not giving Lakers a chance?
Here’s what he said on the ‘Short Story Long’ podcast:
“L.A. was pissed at me. I didn’t give Magic [Johnson] a meeting, which I understand. But at that point, I knew I wanted to give it another shot [in Oklahoma City]. I didn’t want to prolong it and waste people’s time.”
“I wonder if he looks at LeBron and thinks: He’s going to be 34 in December, I’m with Russell Westbrook, a much younger player. I talked my way out of Indiana. Do I really want to now leave another team?” – Isola
“It was just weird to me that he wouldn’t give them a meeting” – Herring
“Let’s be honest here: LeBron, father time is coming at some point” – Herring
Agree with PG-13’s take on superteams? (Via Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post)
“The superteam era, were kind of at a different spot. Once Kevin Durant went to Golden State, you basically have to have a superteam to be able to compete with them” – Herring
“I feel like superteams are as American as apple pie. These teams have been loaded since the beginning of time. The difference is that free agency has finally matured in our league” – Elhassan
Kyrie Irving honored by Standing Rock Sioux tribe
Wearing an eagle feather in his hair and wrapped in a traditional blanket Kyrie Irving was given the Lakota name "Little Mountain" in an emotional naming ceremony today in North Dakota: https://t.co/VBUov4tGRc
ESPN.com: Inside the life of an NBA ref |ย Are we too hard on refs? (Why is it important for fans to understand what the refs go through each and every night?)
“You need to get some status in the league before you think you can start complaining to me about calls” – Isola
“The main thing about our refs today: None of them have any personality” – Elhassan
“I get mad when they don’t talk to me because they feel like it’s a respect issue” – Herring
NBA considering 14 sec. shot clock after offensive rebounds (Via Woj)
“I like it personally because it speeds stuff up a little bit. It changes the momentum of the game so much” – Herring
“I like the rule from this standpoint: Let’s say I’m down by 1 [point], the other team gets the offensive rebound with 20.0 seconds left, now I don’t have to automatically foul. To me, that eliminates free throws and it makes more strategy defending. It’s a smart rule by the league and moves things along” – Isola
Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News talking about Kawhi Leonard and whether the Raptors have a chance of keeping him for the long-term (Via TSN Radio 1050):
“I think they do.ย Based off of me talking to people within his circle, theyโre going to go into this thing with an open mind and give this thing every last opportunity to work. And let’s say Toronto Raptors is in the Eastern Conference Finals and they win, or they get to the NBA Finals and maybe they win, if your Kawhi Leonard, you just can’t off and run. You got to give this thing every opportunity to go back and win more championships. So I think the Raptors success will dictate a lot of it”
Raptors have enough to keep Kawhi?
“We said the same thing about Paul George and I think they do. He’s going to be the best player in the Eastern Conference. They should have a chance to make it to at least an Eastern Conference Finals” – Isola
“When you play there (Toronto), you’re not just a star in Toronto, you’re a star in all of Canada and there’s a lot of money to be made up there” – Isola
“It’s strange to me that the level of success is going to dictate that, especially when Kawhi’s health is probably going to be the biggest factor in determining whether or not they can get there” – Herring
“He controls their future because if he doesn’t re-sign, they’re probably going to trade Kyle Lowry and begin the rebuilding process in Toronto” – Isola
Manu contemplating retirement?
“I want him to play forever. It’s just going to be super odd when he’s the last guy left” – Herring
“One of the most unique players that we’ve seen in a long time. One of the best international players in the league” – Isola
From the 2004 Olympics:
Bonus: Larry Brown, the USA head coach at the time, had Carmelo Anthony as a DNP