First Things First - Warriors beat Clippers, Luka Doncic & Cade Cunningham award eligible, LaMelo Ball fined, DUD List

Episode Date: April 16, 2026

(0:00) Warriors beat Clippers, Cade & Luka eligible for awards (25:32) Cardinals scout Ty Simpson, Should the Chiefs trade up in the Draft?  (37:50) What happens if the Thunder win the lottery?  (45:49) DUD List (01:08:36) Can the Lakers upset the Rockets? (01:17:43) LaMelo Ball fined, What’s on the line for him in the play-in? (01:25:08) What’s next for Kawhi Leonard after Warriors eliminated Clippers?  (01:47:15) Frenemies  (01:58:01) Front Office (02:07:31) Should the Giants trade back? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a show that had two things to report. Thing number one, Chris Broussard out today, got the chills while he was upstairs, so the illustrious Danny Parkins is in. Illustrious, thank you. Thing number two, as you know, we're not huge fans of AI on the show, you know, letting technology take over human jobs. And so many people were Photoshop. shopping you in clown wigs and clown noses.

And we said, you know what? Save your time. And we'll just help you out and show you the real thing. I need a new picture with you calling. What's good for the goose is good for the gander. I say. Let's get the show started. Go ahead, KW.

We're supposed to win an Emmy this year. That cost us. Today, Newsman League office, Luke and Kate, win their appeals. Anthony Edwards does not. Should this be the last call for the 65? game rule. Meanwhile, why one of our favorite football minds? Bill Barnwell. Friend of the show. Says the chiefs should move up in the draft we discuss. And

finally, a special emergency edition of the Bud list where we took out the B in the Bud list because for the start's not here turned into the Douglist and questions abound about is it motivational. Oh yeah, we decided the the first time I did guys I did not believe it. You said it was too mean. Yes. So now I'm, it's just like bruised, except Danny's under duress. Danny's under duress. Guys, I believe it. Yeah, but just Bud list does sound, it's Broussard's under dress and it's

like friendly. Yeah. Yeah. Duddless, Danny under duress and. We could do, we could do the Pud. No, that doesn't. What's your middle name? Jacob. That doesn't work. Nope. Pud definitely doesn't work. But you know what? Danny's motivational list. The end, that doesn't roll off the tongue. We just got to roll with it. We got an hour to figure out.

The Budlis, we don't know that. What he's claiming, he was here. I saw him with barbecue. He literally delivered everyone on the staff lunch and then left because he's sick. It's not great. We start in LA. We saw a vintage Steph performance, a vintage Draymond performance, a vintage Horford performance, and a vintage Porzingis performance.

Here's a vintage Steve Kerr on Steph. This is what you work all year for, all summer, all season. You know, we're not guaranteed a series yet, but these nights make everything worth it because you feel the anxiety of having to perform when the lights are bright, do or die game. Considering how our season is gone and all the injuries and all that, for us to play the way we did tonight, it was special. I know we're not satisfied. This is why Steph came back. So everybody out there who thought Steph should have taken the rest of the year. off. This is what he does. This is who he is. If he can compete, he's going to compete. And it was

just incredible to watch. Okay. What was your biggest takeaway from the Warriors win? Too many to count. First is, that was awesome. And I was probably the loudest voice on, if a team's under 500, we don't need the play in. I said yesterday, I didn't know if the Warriors actually even wanted to be there. And I think going into the game that might have been true. And then the game starts, and those guys are professional champions and grown adults that care. And in my opinion, and this has been a consistent opinion of mine for more than a decade, and this is no disrespect to the great Clay Thompson and no disrespect to the legendary Kevin Duran.

But the two most important people of the Warriors dynasty are Stephen Curry, and Draymond Green. Steph Curry, the greatest shooter, and any of us have ever seen on one of the greatest offensive engines in league history, Draymond, in my opinion, the greatest under 6-8 defender ever.

The non-big-man defender ever. They both kicked it into championship gear for a 9-10 playoff game when they both know. They have no championship aspirations because they don't know how not to try. And as great as Steph is, this to me, Danny, was the Draymond Green Game. Draymond erased Kauai Leonard for the fourth quarter. Dram, who by the way, there was a three-year stretch a decade ago where defensive player of

the year, two went to Kauai, one went to Dremont during the height of the Warriors' beginnings. Some of us out there thought Draymond should have won all three. I know he thought he should have won all three, and I'm not saying that was kicking around in his mind at all, but it is noteworthy to me that Draymond, as an older player than Kauai, more miles on his body than Kauai, is able to still reach that level defensively at this point in his career and doing it against Kauai made it all the more special. I will, as far as 9-10 play-in games go. it felt like a game seven of a conference finals,

and I thought it was awesome, just all around awesome. It's not something we'll remember in 10 years because Draymond and Steph have given us like so many moments in way bigger games than that. But sometimes sports are just supposed to be about the two and a half hours of entertainment that you tune in to watch. And that was great. I echo a lot of what you're saying in terms of like,

it's a little bit corny, cliche, Disney movie, like heart of a champion. But it was. But that's what it was. That is like heart of a champion stuff because

Kauai Leonard is a better player than Dremon Green right now. Kauai was awesome this year. He had a great season. And Dremon Green, for the end of that game in particular, just took him out of the game. It was like he got five years younger.

And just in front of him, of our eyes for a moment's notice. And it was like, wow, I certainly didn't see that coming. Now I have a real rooting interest in you playing Oklahoma City. Not that I think they'll win, but it would just be more interesting to see more Steph Curry and Draymond Green in our life of basketball games that matter. Do you think that this game, Steve Kerr says like we're for one night, we were champions again? Yeah.

He was really over the moon about 9-10 playing game. Next game is in Phoenix on Friday. Are you worried about a warrior's letdown? I assume they'll lose. Okay, so do I. And so this is the one thing, Danny, you said that I disagree with. There's one very real scenario where we definitely do remember this game 10 years from now. It's absolutely on the board that this is Stefan Dremont's last playoff win together.

Oh, that's interesting. I don't know what Dremont's future with the Warriors. is if they go big game hunting, he has a player option this offseason, people that, you know, connect LeBron to the Warriors, assuming if he did that happen, LeBron want to play with Draymond because they're so tight, they connect Janus to the Warriors, then that probably, you know, doesn't necessarily fit. And as the Warriors showed you this year, they are at a point team-wise where they are far from a lock to be in the playoffs any given year. And so that's why I think this, game was so important, and that's why there was that emotion afterwards.

I don't think any of those guys were really doing the math, like, ah, you know, this is the end. But I think they all know, this could be. We didn't get one great, you know, we got last year's game seven against the Rockets, but then once you're at that point, you're like, oh, maybe we could go on a run. Like, you can't think of it. This year it was, I almost comp it to the bronze medal game in Olympic High. or you know what I mean where like the you literally can't win the championship

so winning that game feels like the next best thing the Warriors having this and that's how they reacted and they dug deep there were so many times but the game started I thought they were going to roll over they're down 12-2 or whatever it was immediately so that's why I think

it was so resonant to Kerr and Curry and Dremond and how important it was you have them beating the sons yeah I mean I'm not going to pick against them in that spot now. Like, why not? And on the LeBron front, and maybe this is a bigger thing that we should get into later, I had said I don't want to see LeBron in a new uniform, I guess I would sign up for that.

Yes. Like, just because, like, on a given night, get into the time machine, like, a little throwback. Like, they wouldn't be dominant every night, but they'd occasionally be dominant. That was a really fun basketball game last night. Eight for ten in the final ten minutes from three. That'll work. Other side of the ball, Clippers. are one and done.

Kauai had 21 locked up in the fourth, only had two points. Here was Ty Loo after the game. Is there a word that you can use to describe what happened? Pissed off. Yeah, we had a game in our hands and some silly plays, you know, not doing the right thing execution-wise. And, you know, to be up 13 with 10 minutes, you know,

to go in a game, we've got to finish that game. So I'm disappointed about that. What's next for Kauai and the Clippers? A breakup. Yeah. I think this is Kauai's last game with the Clippers. I'd be pretty shocked if he was back. And it's a weird ending because...

Really? I think it's a perfectly fitting ending. I think that's exactly how this disaster of a non-era was supposed to end. It wasn't. The only reason I say it was a weird ending is because Kauai was great this year. Like Kauai is going to... He was an all-NBA caliber player. He had his best statistical season with the Clippers, arguably of the whole tenure. It would be this year and his first year with the Clippers.

And he's just known as a great playoff player, a two-time champion. And it started, if you remember how it started with Kauai and the Clippers, 24 playoff wins, three playoff series wins. Like, we can show it. At the beginning, it was like, this is going to work. It was like, I absolutely believed that Kauai Leonard could be that guy. for the clippers and they would figure it out. And over the last five years to win zero playoff series,

but then this regular season to get kind of the vintage Kauai, you thought maybe they would have pieced something together. And so that's why I said it was just weird. Like he was better this year than the team ended up being. And so my guess is he ends up the next time we see him play, he's on the Miami Heat next year. So the heat are interesting. And that graphic people didn't weren't able to.

That wasn't even playoff wins. That was playoff games. Like that's 24 games. than 11 games for Kauai. Zero series wins. And it is, listen, I do think trading him has to be, you can't extend him and he's going to want an extension. He's got one year left on his deal.

They have to turn the page. And this year was a, and the end of it, was a perfect microcosm for this entire seven year tenure, which was after digging themselves that huge hole, they had dug themselves out of it. And we're playing, they played a game with Portland at the end of the year to avoid the play-in, to not be there to avoid the 9-10 part of the play in, to be in good position. And they blew it.

They had this game won and they blew it. And I, we do a lot of career legacy retrospective stuff to guys who have accomplished as much, or in Kevin Durant's case, more than Kauai Leonard. And this guy came to Los Angeles. I know you think I focus on this too much, but I think it matters. I hate Newbells. Leaned into a marketing campaign that said, I'm the best player in the league. I'm the, I'm, this is my city, we are taking it over.

And it was nothing. But what ifs really unlucky injuries and playoff meltdowns. The first, the seven years. seven years, Kauai in L.A. The first year, they blow a 3-1 lead in the bubble in round two in one of the most horrifying fashions imaginable. 15-point leads in games, 5, 6, and 7 all close-out games lose to him to a Nuggets team at the time.

It never accomplished anything yet. The next year, they actually make the conference finals, but they do it without him because he gets hurt midway through the playoffs. He has to miss the following season, and then it's two straight first round, or I'm sorry, three straight first round exits, of which he gets hurt in. And then this, they, it was, this, they were a trendy pick this season to at least make

the conference finals. Going into, like their Vegas. Really? Yes. They had the third highest, third or fourth highest preseason win total in the West. It was, they still had Hardin. They had added Brad Beal. It was, oh, it was like the old man team with Chris Paul.

Yeah. They had moved on from Norman Powell, and it just never got off the ground. And a lot of the, if the Clippers tenure ends for him, if you're right, they move on. It's a lot of, like, the stories with Kauai and the Clippers forget the aspiration piece of it. It was the, wait, he's not communicating with the team about his own injuries. It's that I remember when Skip Baylis knew he had a torn ACL before the Clippers seemed to, the helicoptering from wherever he was living to the games. Like it was, it never, it never got going and they gave up everything.

They gave up what became the Thunder Dynasty to make him happy, to make it all happen. And for them to, since he's been there, 12 teams have won more playoff series. 12 teams, 112 players have won more playoff games than Kauai. Like, it just, it never, it never actually clicked in, even though there were moments that looked like it would. So what's next for the Clippers? If he goes to Miami for Picks? Yeah, for, like, yeah, for Kelle Ware, maybe Tyler Hero and Picks. Like, he just, he is still good enough that a team that has, like, heat culture and believes in that, they will think that he has not been the biggest problem with the Clippers.

Because he hasn't been. Yeah. Because injuries has been a piece of it, even though there has been weirdness. Like, he is still a great player, and he is still a champion who has a ton of playoff pelts on the wall. So a team that misses out and the Yannis sweepstakes this offseason, if there is a Yonis sweepstakes, he will be the next best player available to move teams this off season. It may be the best player if Yonis stays. Would you, would you guys on that side of the table want to give up assets to then sign Kauai Leonard to a maximum contract?

No. I mean, I think... No, but someone will. Well, I think that's... Listen, I... Everything I said, I obviously stand by, I just said it. It's also true. He is one of the greatest players ever.

And, you know, he won 17 playoff games as a Clipper. He won 16 his one year in Toronto. Pre-Clippers, Kauai Leonard, was on a all-time top-20 trajectory, and the biggest thing to blame for it is injury. Like that, the understanding. what I mean. So like that is true. And the injury part obviously is not his fault. You look at him, he keeps himself in amazing shape. It's not like soft tissue stuff. But at this point at his age when the one of, I think we were all surprised at how healthy he was this year, I'd be terrified of giving him even just a, he's one year left on his deal, a three year max extension

on the, I think that would be strange, Danny. If you're like, you know what, Janus didn't break our way, but we've got Kauai Leonard. I think that is, I don't think that would land great with a fan base. Understandably, but teams, there are teams that are tanking and there are teams that are going for it. And if you were a team that's going for it, there are only so many names you can add to it. Yeah, I mean, I could, I just, if it's not Miami, I, listen, my pal Darry is always in the superstar business. Like, I think it'd be hard for them to make it work. And be in Hawaii on a squad.

Right, no, but I'm just trying to think, I don't, you know, the best teams, I don't think, you know, the Thunder are interested. I don't think the Spurs are interested. I don't, the, would the Lakers maybe be interested if LeBron left, Kauai and Luca? They might be able to, you know, try to convince themselves of it. But I just, I think there is going to be a real apprehension about giving. him a max deal. And I think if you're the Clippers, amazingly, they still owe one more pick to the Thunder after this year. Oh, after this year? They owe, next year's a, no, next year

the Thunder can swap with them. I'm going to go ahead and say the Thunder are going to want to activate that swap. I assume Thunder are going to be quite good next year. So the Clippers, you know, don't get the benefit of if they, you know, sell them for 20 cents on the dollar. Who cares? will restart the rebuild until the year after next. So I don't know. It's a really tricky spot. Did you see the Chris Paul meme that he posted? Yeah, that was, that's sad.

I could do a long time on that. Do it. I think if people didn't see it. Chris Paul. Chris Paul tweeted like the, the guy. I'll describe it. Go ahead. It's a guy who shows up to someone else's funeral and he is essentially

celebrating the downfall of one of his biggest haters. So to have some real analysis behind that, besides the fact that it didn't seem like Chris Paul was treated like a franchise legend. Flip side of that, they did turn the corner and start winning, so I can't say it was totally the wrong move. That being said, when we're talking about what's Kauai's legacy, Lob City was a real thing. You can close your eyes.

I've got lots of memories about Lob City. And now we're talking about what's next. How are you defining this middle Kauai era? Just, I don't even know what I'm supposed to wrap my head. Like, what's the headline? I mean, the, the true headline is his utter insistence that he would not sign there if they did not trade for Paul George, rather than simply signing there and then, you know, playing half a season and seeing what it is. And that allowing, like, the reason in real time people thought that what Lawrence Frank and the Clippers did in giving up us,

the equivalent of seven first-round picks and Shea for Paul George was, well, you were trading for Paul George and Kauai. But if Kauai had just signed there, let the season start, and then you try to go do it, then maybe the whole world's different. But everyone was so excited about Kauai and Paul George, you know, getting it because they were mad that LeBron got Anthony Davis in L.A., and this was supposed to be a counterbalance to it, that it kickstarted what Danny believes is going to be the new Russell Celtics. Well, I must take it easy.

Modern day. You know what the legacy might be? We got a new stadium. Yeah? Like, we've got the, we've got that. Baller was probably going to always get them a new stadium. Yeah, we've got a new stadium. Isn't it cool?

Okay. The wall is pretty sick. I mean, that's what it is. It does look cool. Finally, news from the league office, Luca and Cade, now eligible for season awards. Luca missed two games because he went overseas when his baby was born. Cade had a collapse long in missed games. Anthony Edwards?

Nope. Sorry, bud. That's a no-go for you. Anthony was five short. Cade was two, Luka was one, is I think how the league's justifying it, for whatever it's worth. I'm just, I'm not saying it.

I would have made them all eligible. I'm just, but the- Your reaction. Go ahead. I mean, listen, I think this is sanity prevailing for one. I thought Cades was the easiest one, just because a guy played in 65 games, but his lung collapsed six or seven minutes into that game.

So he didn't qualify on like a minute's technicality in one of the games when the injury happened. And Cade just, if he wasn't on an all NBA team this year, he's not going to win MVP, obviously, neither will Luca. But it was just like the one seat in the east, the up-and-comer, like I was just happy to see him get that validation that now he will. Luca, you don't want to penalize someone

for attending the birth of a child overseas. He did have 16 technicals, so he had a suspension for a game, so I could have seen them drawing a line at a hard and fast rule and saying, well, hey, you would have actually hit the threshold if you would have been able to control yourself with the technicals. But again, I think the rule was well-intentioned and ultimately had unintended consequences, so I thought this was right. Listen, as far as a historical snapshot,

this year's all-MBA teams and MVP race and all of it should involve these guys, so it's good. It is going to be a bummer for Dennyabdia or Scotty Barnes or Carl Anthony Towns. A couple guys who were going to make third-team All-MBA now won't because of the trickle-down effect. But that's okay. That's exactly right. I think that's right. The most interesting question to me, though, is now the following. I assume we all agree that first-team all-MBA and the top four of the MVP balloting is going to be in some order, Shea, Joker, Wimby, and Luca.

So now that Kade's eligible, whether it's fifth-place MVP or first-team-all-M-B-A, Kate or Jalen Brown becomes the question of the day. And that, you know, that's the statistical profile of the two. And they both have very interesting led a team to a much better record than expected. You know what I mean? There is my, I don't have a vote. My vote would be Cade. Like I think Cade, the piss, as much respect as I have for what Jalen Brown did. And when I thought Cade wasn't going to be eligible,

I was going to have Jalen Brown, first team all NBA and MVP in my fake ballot. But that is what it's going to come down to. I believe. I think Luca is safe as can be, and it's going to come down to those two guys. I also would say Cade, he won more games and his usage was more in line with Luca, just in terms of points generated on scoring and assists. We know Boston is really good around him. Now, he was incredible, so I think it's a totally fair debate. I don't think you crush people if you have him on that ballot. But yeah, that is a fun one. And I think Jalen Brown ends up being second team all-N-B-A. Yeah. Pop Quiz. Do you know?

Do you have off the top of your head, remember what win totals were for Pistons in Celtics? Celtics was 41 and a half. Pistons was higher. I don't know how much. You know what I? Who wins the narrative? I think the Celtics overachieved more than the Pistons did. Yeah. That's why I would give it to jail. But I also think, and I don't know who you would say, you know, who has the better team around him, all those things. I'm not sure. I think though, I think he is so clearly the best. player and so clearly, Cade, so clearly the offense of a team that won 60 games and was the one C-basedly wire to wire. Can I add one other thing on the Luca front? If Luca makes first team all NBA, which we think he will, this century, 2000s to now, the only guys with more than

27-year-old Luca Donchich, first-team all-MBAs, Bron, Kobe, Duncan, Shaq, Janus, he will be one shy of Shack and Janus. That'll be the list. More than Durant? Yeah. Yeah, as far as first team all MBAs, it is a remarkable, remarkable run that he is on already. He already has more than Steph. He will be, he in, he, Joker and Hardin, will be tied with Durant with six.

Coming up next, Bill Barnwell says the chiefs should trade up. Who should they target? That's next on first things first in the Fox Sports Channel. on Serious X-M. Hey, podcast has been great, and Gianna's currently editing brand-new original content. You're sitting on your couch,

absolutely nothing to do, looking at your bird feeder or something. This is boring. I've seen these birds before. Turn on the old first thing. Do a lot of people watch their bird feeder when they're indoors? They're sitting on their couch,

or do they have an outdoor couch? I'll be honest with you. It's what I did this morning. From inside the house? the bird feeder and so I can check on my feather friends. Chiefs at nine. Yesterday, we kicked around wide receiver to Kansas City. Today, Bill Barnwell, posing that Kansas City should trade up from nine,

bank a second round pick, and target David Bailey. Get this, drafting a player out of tech didn't go too poorly the last time the chiefs tried it, right? I added an emoji like this. I'm glad you weren't on camera for that. Do you like this idea? So here's this scenario. where I think the Chiefs trading up not only would make sense but be very realistic. We know that, and I've explained this before also, they're picking nine.

Mendoza's going one. We assume Jeremiah Love is going somewhere, you know what I mean, in the top, in those first eight picks as well. There are six impact defensive players that are, to me, a cut above every other defensive player in the draft. The two linebackers, Averro Reese and Sunny Stiles, the two edge rushers, Rubin Bain and Bailey, who Barnwell is talking about. And then Caleb Downs is a defensive player. And then Carnell Tate, I should have said impact players,

the number one wide receiver. If you get to like pick six or seven and no offensive linemen have gone off the board and it becomes very possible, if not likely, meaning if the Giants and the Browns don't take, take an offensive line, it's like, man, the six guys that we would be happy with, those six guys I just mentioned, are all going to be gone by nine, then absolutely moving up to six, seven, or eight, and, you know, swapping out 29 for a second round or something like that.

I have an idea of what those trades would look like. I think that would make sense. I think they can bide their time and wait and see if offensive linemen go early, which I think is what they hope. and then one of those guys naturally falls to him. But it wouldn't be that hard to say to the Cleveland, be like, hey, you have six and 39. We have nine and 29. How about, you know, why don't we swap those?

Like you move up, you move back into the first round. I like that. Yeah, something like that. I think that is a realistic scenario if they feel like they need to. Yeah, so I agree with a lot of that. I just feel like if you feel like. feel strongly about one of these edge rushers, you got to make a move because if Dallas, who's sitting right behind you, then they move up, decides, you know what, we want an edge rusher.

We feel strongly about it. And you're trying to wait that long. Like, Dallas is right there doing the same thing. That's interesting, too. They're on the same path in terms of what the need is right away. Now, we all understand Dallas could go defensive back. So good Kansas City. So they're kind of walking the same path.

And so I don't know if they can wait that long because, like I said, Dallas is going to possibly be lurking and trying to usher the same type of a deal for one of these teams so that they can move up and get their guy. So it's either you're going to stay because everything just falls into your lap, which is likely to, or you feel strongly about it and you got to do it earlier than just waiting to see if one of those guys will be available pending how the draft order falls. Because I just believe that there's too many teams that could be doing the same thing that pick after Kansas City that would already be doing that very thing.

I think that you do it for conviction for premium impact player. If you think David Bailey is going to be Will Anderson, you do it. But otherwise the Chiefs, we always, we always. All we do is talk about how many, they do have a lot of needs. They do have a defensive backfield with multiple questions. They do have a pass rush spot with questions. Like they do have a wide receiver one issue. Like giving up a lot of your draft ammo, even if it's just one extra pick, is in a draft where you're supposed to be, you want to come out of this draft with hopefully three starters.

You want to be throwing a lot of darts at the board. So the move up, I think, is for a, I don't think it would be from nine to seven. I think it would actually be moving up more closer to like where the Giants are at five and saying we are going to go get a guy who we think is worthy of the second overall pick in the draft, but he happened to fall to five. And we can go up there and get like a true difference making star player that we foresee being the Patrick Mahomes of our defense. So just for whatever it's worth, maybe that is the smart thing or I would be stunned if they do that. I would be stunned if they move up far.

I think that they will only move up. If as the draft is unfolding, it looks like, I think the key moment for the chiefs in this draft is the fifth and sixth pick. And if no offensive linemen has gone by then, then they start hammering the commanders with phone calls. And they, you know, you probably do that ahead of time earlier. Yeah, you work out ahead. What would that, you know, what would, you know, you have the seventh pick.

could we give you the ninth and the hundred and ninth for the seventh? You know, could we give you, that's a late, that's an early fourth, late third, early fourth, something like that to move up just two spots because I don't, the interesting thing about this draft right now is there's two linebackers in it that are kind of jack of all trade linebackers. And depending on who you talk to, they people say one is, you know, One is the first, Sunny Stiles, R. of L. Reese, people have different opinions of him.

David Bailey, you see Mached going everywhere from to being available for the Chiefs. Ruben Bain, there is the latest story about his car accident history, but it seems the teams knew about that for months, even if we're just finding out about that. And so I just, and Caleb Downs is a guy who, for three straight, or two straight,

years in college football was considered the best offensive player in college football, but because of the position he plays, how high will he go? So I just, I think that there is, it is going to be predicated on if the positions like running back, offensive line, that I do not believe the chiefs are targeting at nine go early, then they know one of those guys is falling. All right. Head out to Arizona. Ty Simpson visited the Cardinals yesterday. It was the last day of visits. Now, Arizona's got pick number three, which feels too high. Pick 34 might be too low. The odds for Ty Simpson, Cardinals, Jets, Rams, Browns, Steelers in that order.

Is Ty Simpson worth a late first round pick, Greg? For the Cardinals, I could see them doing it. I wouldn't be shocked. Like, would I do it? No, I'm not in that position, fortunately, or unfortunately, however you want to look at that. I think it would be good. you know. But for a team that desperately needs a quarterback, like those teams you just mentioned,

the Jets, they don't have their future. They got a right now bridge guy. The Steelers, I don't think the Steelers would do it because I don't believe that any of these teams think Ty Simpson is the future of our franchise. I just don't believe. Now, because of how I view the Arizona Cardinals, I think that they would pull that trigger. But you think it would be a mistake?

I think it would be a mistake. But at 34? At 34, if he's there and you don't have to jump up in the first round and grab him, okay, cool. Second round? Go ahead. So my TV conspiracy theory is he got invited to the draft because they want to have the storyline of watching him fall. Oh, brutal. Because it happens every year.

It sells good TV. And so I think that he's going to just be one of the main storylines of the draft. you know, we build these guys up to tear him down and then we just watch it. He's not even that built up, though. No, but he's just a quarterback and one quarterback's going to go immediately. Right, he's a quarterback out of Alabama. Fernando's not going. Oh, right.

You've got to have the camera on something. Exactly. So I do think, though, that he's an interesting prospect. Like, so that is my TV conspiracy theory. But it's only one year of film. One year of being a starter at Alabama. Why didn't he beat out Jalen Milrow two years ago? Like, legit questions.

But he puts some stuff where he runs to throw and doesn't look totally scattered and makes big-time plays in big games against good opponents that it's rare for only one quarterback to go. In the last 10 years, it's just the Kenny Pickett draft. And there wasn't a QB who went number one. So trading back in to the last seven, eight spots of the first round, especially if you're a team that doesn't really believe that there are 32 guys with first round grades. There's 32 first round picks, but there's not always 32 guys worthy of a first round pick.

Someone will do it, and Arizona is the team that makes sense to do it, because they will take a guy, a blue chipper at three, and then trade back in. How much do you think the specter of Arch Manning looms over everything? Listen, I don't think it's just Arch, by the way, but the specter of next year's quarterback class looms over this massively. I think it's one of the reasons that what Danny's saying about Ty potentially falling is very realistic. Listen, you'll love this. NFL.com, you know who they comped him to?

Mack Jones? Yes. And listen, I don't. And win the national championship. I don't, I don't think he is, and this is, I guess, a stinging indictment coming from me. I don't think he's as good as Mac Jones. And coming from you, that wouldn't really mean money. He's second all-time in completion.

Listen, I wouldn't, so I wouldn't spend a first or a second round pick. I wouldn't spend a first or a second round pick on him. However, this player is why I don't want the Chiefs to use their 29th pick as capital to move up. Because I think that if you are the Jets or the Cardinals, if you were, if you were willing, hold on. No, I'm not. If you're sitting at 33 or 34 and you are wanting to draft. a quarterback, you so badly want that fifth year option. Like a quarterback that, drafting him at 29 versus at 33 or at 30 or 30, anywhere in the

first round, for a quarterback in particular is so much more valuable. And I love the idea of Kansas City being able to sit there at 29 and being like, hey, we'll move back four spots to pick up, pick 103 or pick 104, one of those extra spots because the fifth-year option is so much less valuable for any position other than quarterback, particularly if you're a Jets team that's like, man, he's not even going to play in year one. So like this value of the rookie quarterback scale, we really need to have the full five-year contract on it. So that's where I think that whether it's the Seahawks or your Patriots or even the Dolphins who got the Broncos pick, right? The Dolphins, they have that pick. They have that pick,

there in Kansas City, any of those teams potentially could trade out of that. All right. Since the Clippers are out, their pick goes to OKC as a remnant of the Paul George Strait. 12th pick, Parkins, which means the Thunder have a 7% chance at a top four pick. One and a half percent chance at one, which you're thinking, ah, one and a half percent. That's a chance it hails, you know? Wrong. Last year, the Mads Scott Cooper flag at 1.8%.

And if the Warriors win the playing against the suns, the odds get, better across the board by a little bit because they move up a spot from 12 to 11. What happens if the Thunder win the lottery or even top four? I mean, in this draft, that is the rich getting richer. Anything in the top four, oh, no, you don't get DeBansta and maybe you get Peterson or maybe you get Aikoff or maybe you get Boozer or it's just. Caleb Wilson would be a perfect guy for the Thunder because they wouldn't have to play him with a ton and kind of let him develop as he gets a little bit more comfortable

with his skill set. Sam Presti is the best executive in the sport. He is the best drafter in the sport. And the Thunder are set up. They are the champions. They are the favorites. And they are set up to do a lot of winning into the future. Like if you, they're already one of the youngest teams in the league.

Like if you just put up the who they kind of keep company with in terms of youngest teams in the sport. This is wild. I didn't know this. It's the worst teams in the league in the Bulls, Wizards, Nest. the Hornets who are in the play-in and the Thunder. They were the fourth youngest team in the league last year, won a title. Fourth youngest team this year, they're the favorite. And they have extra first-race.

They own all of their own first-round picks through 2032, as far as you can. We haven't traded it any way. And they have at least one extra first-round pick for, I believe, the next four seasons. And for the next couple, they could have multiple extra first-round picks. So if they win this lottery in this low-level. to draft, it would be unfair. Okay. Can I throw that back up there?

What's your problem? That is just numerically accurate. Yeah, but so, problem with that. Okay. I just, are the Spurs a young team or not? Yeah, of course they are. Well, Harris and Barnes makes them all.

Correct. So that's, so I, it is the worst teams in basketball and also the second best team in the West who beat them four out of five this year is one player in their rotation. Like the Spurs core is young. than the Thunder score. But the Spurs can't get a top four pick. The, no, no, I understand. I'm going to get to the lottery piece a minute.

I'm just saying that the, it does, that does make it look like there are no other awesome teams that are crazy young. And I just think the Spurs are on the aging curve as far as like their core players, one of the only teams actually younger than the Thunder. They just have a couple guys who aren't really, is relatively important, but they have a couple way old guys in the Thunder have none. You know, Thunder's oldest guy is Hartenstein that right. Caruso's 32.

Oh, Caruso. Yeah, Caruso's 32. Yeah, because he took forever to get to the league. Yeah, Caruso is. He feels younger than he is. But that's right. So if they win the lottery, it's a catastrophe for the league. It's a catastrophe.

Now, if they- It's rewarding smart business. If they don't, well, kind of. I mean, it's kind of rewarding smart business. It's kind of just that there are a lot of teams that have traded for other team's picks, and those other teams didn't fall apart the way the Clippers did. And there is no, I don't know that it's smart business so much as the Clippers are sending you what is supposed to be the 12th pick, and then if by one a half percent chance,

that to me borders on the Nico Harrison. It was all part of the plan to get Cooper flagged. Like the Thunder, it was not, they didn't make any of those trades thinking, yeah, and in seven years it's going to be the number one pick. Now it can be, and they have the possibility for it. I think this happening actually would be bad for the league. I think that if they just stay where the odds are they will stay, which is there is a 92% chance they don't move up, then I am not as confident as Danny that all of these extra draft assets really. are going to matter that much for OKC. Because you can only have so many, pay so many guys,

you can only have so many guys on your roster, you only have so many minutes to play. And they have drafted so well that, and as we've seen from them in the past, they can't even make all these picks. They can then flip them for future things, so they continue to keep the cupboard rich. But unlike the NFL,

that, you know, once you get out of the lottery, it is really, what, a one in 15, shot that you're drafting even a real contributor, you know, and in the second round, it's like a one in 30 shot that you're drafting a real contributor, even with the best GM in basketball. Right, but it's just ammo for the best GM in basketball to do with as he sees fit. Like the Caruso, how they got Caruso was they had Josh Giddy. Correct. And they're like, man, we don't really have a role for Josh Giddy, but he's a nice player

with a lot of talent. And so, but Caruso's contract was amazing and his defensive ability. so they flip like you don't have to you don't have to draft a player with a draft pick you can trade it to another team oh the magic have a good player on a great contract but they've got no use for them because they can't win anything trade for and it's the the jared mccane who they just added from philadelphia there's no doubt about that i that my biggest reason i have i kind of have a three-pronged reason why i am not as terrified of the upcoming oklahoma city rain as the rest of the reason why i'm the rest of the reason why i'm not as the rest of the reason why i'm of NBA media. And the first one is, I think winning makes winning harder. Sure. I think that the, and I think we are approaching a post-dynastic era of the NBA intentionally by the collective bargaining agreement.

Yeah, I agree. And so that's the first point. Second point is, I do think that being in the West, having to deal with San Antonio, having to deal with what's going to be the entirety of Lucas Prime on the Lakers, having to deal with, I imagine, unless Minnesota gets flipped to the east, which they could with the expansion, all of Ants Prime, like there's going to be years, somebody clips them. And the third one and the one least interesting and exciting to talk about is,

I do not believe the Oklahoma City Thunder ownership will pay what it will take to keep all these guys together. And so I think like, and now you will, because you have the draft picks. They'll never be short on depth, but they are, their guys, they've prescies drafted so well, and those guys have proven so much. They are all in line for these massive raises,

and I just don't know that I think O'CC's going to keep the band together. It feels more like a football, building a football dynasty. What do you mean? That you have to, that you have a bevy of draft picks, and when your excellent players are in line for a big payday, you have to say goodbye, and next man up. But it feels like if that was the plan,

they're well suited for them. Yeah, I just thought the, they have, next year's Clippers pick is the only one of their extra picks that you can realistically foresee being a really good pick. So if the Clippers don't,

you know, win the lottery this year, then I don't, I don't imagine the Thunder are going to add anyone that helps them next year in this year's draft. I just don't imagine they would. Never know.

Coming up next, the Bud List, most motivational segment in all sports. Diamonds in the Rock. The show has learned something about Kevin Harlan. You care to share? I didn't know this. A little annex. I didn't know it either.

But so last night when Draymond got the steal on Hawaii, he did, Draymond stole the ball. Dramon stole the ball. And it was just like the famous Hablicek stole the ball call. And some, there's a lot of toxicity on Twitter. There are some good things. Somebody compiled over the last five years. It's been five different instances of key final moment steals and playoff games.

And he does the Havlicek stole the ball call as like a little hat tip. It's really cool. Kansas City legend. Is he from Kansas City? Oh, yeah. Still lives there. Yeah. Kansas City.

A lot of people say it's the broadcaster hotbed of America. Nope. Have you experienced any toxicity on Twitter lately? No, no. Second hour of first things first. Is it time to believe in LeBron and the Lakers, Danny? Danny has him getting swept. I think that's even that hot of a take.

Meanwhile, can Ant pull off the upset in Denver? But right now, of course, time for the most motivational segment in all the sports. Also time where we read some viewer mail. We continue to get letters from all across the globe. And we, of course, thank you the letter. So are oftentimes from one family, but not always, but we'll see now. This letter is quite petite, eco-friendly. Wow.

Dear Wilds, where's Brew? Cheers, Ryan and Brian. Well, thank you for asking. Turns out, Brew got dinosaur barbecue for the entire staff. And then, next thing you know, we're doing. Before he ate it, you need to clarify. What do you mean? I don't know the timeline of this.

He did, he was, yeah, he had not eaten the food because you're about saying, and then he got to stay. No, no, no. Yeah, I just wanted to make it clear. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, that's, you're sorry. He had named where he got the food. You did.

And it just, it was about to, those are good people. Oh, I'm gonna bail out on the whole thing. Yeah. No. I don't know. Yeah. Just brood was feeling a little under the weather. So he left.

Totally unrelated to the food. I saw. The truth is, he really. I also devoured the food I knew. Yeah. He really shouldn't have come in today because he wasn't feeling well, but because he promised to bring everyone in lunch,

he came in, thought he was gonna do the show. Basically, Bruce flu game. It was, well, except he didn't. Yeah. Who's flu game? Parkins is in the most motivational segment in all sports. The Bud List with Parkinson's. Yeah.

The Budlis with Parkins that we are or are not calling the Dudlis. Doesn't work. It doesn't work. Danny's under duressless. All right. Danny's under duressless. You always love the motivational teammate over here saying that it doesn't work. The marketing doesn't work.

Just get to number three. All right, number three on whatever we're calling it. Danny's under duress. Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant has not won a playoff series since the 2023. first round of the NBA playoffs. Feels fairly shocking for one of the, we'll say, conservatively 20 greatest players in the history of the sport. And while the rockets have been dysfunctional to the eye test and they have underperformed and a lot of people

picked them to come out of the West before the year, they are healthy. Like they should be better than a Lakers team without Luca Donchich, we assume, and without Austin Reeves, we know. And there has been a rivalry for. friendly or otherwise between him and LeBron James. It would be a absolute disaster for Kevin Durant, for Eme O'Doka, for this whole experiment that is the Houston Rockets. The librarian. Big time.

We don't talk about him as much anymore. He's not reached a conference final since 2019 with the Warriors. While I do not expect Houston to make it to a conference final, he absolutely needs to get out of the first round. He is a seven or eight to one favorite to do so. And I gotta be honest, KD, I believe in you. Oh, they're gonna sweep. Like you said, not a hot take, but I don't even think

as a gentleman's sweep. Sweep is a bit of a hot take. It's a bit of a hot take. Luke warm? That, I mean, debate amongst yourselves. Okay. Next on Danny's under duress list. We'll get to the belief part of this in a second, but

Lemello ball. Interesting. 14 missed threes in a game and a game winner. a dirty play that I thought was indefensible, but then he kind of tried to defend it by saying he did not even know where he was on the court. If you didn't know where you were on the court, should you even be playing in this upcoming game?

Or should you be in some sort of concussion protocol? It was just one of the weirder defenses that I've ever seen. But even among all of that, and even though I respected Lonzo looking out for his little brother and the whole thing that happened there, Nick's like a brother to me. So I'm obviously going to defend Nick on that one, but he's just good content.

Like, I want him to win this game because the magic are not fun to watch. And the magic are going to trade Paolo Bancaro, if anyone will take on that contract. You're trading everybody. You think the magic are trading Powell? It doesn't work. Guy got $220, I believe, million dollars. And that team is just, in terms of watchability and entertainment value, the Hornets are wildly entertaining. And the magic are not.

So even though in terms of your seriousness as a basketball player or certainly your explanation after the game, you do provide great content, both on the court, in the hallways here, and on the internet, So Lamello. I believe in you, at least against the magic, on Friday. Also, Bam said he's still waiting to hear from it. He said he's still waiting to hear from him. Bam's still waiting to hear from him.

It might be an Aaron Rogers' FaceTime situation. I don't know. I'm just saying BAM was asked about today. He said he still hasn't heard from him. So I don't know. It's something to add to it. And then really the only person that I thought was appropriate to put on the list here at number one is James Hardin. Now James Hardin, we'll get to, I'm not sure what that is. That's Greg's guy.

We'll get to Aaron Glenn in the Jets. Spoiler alert. In just a second. Greg's going to come in here. But to hear people talk about James Hardin in the postseason, you would think that he has no good playoff moments. No, no one, no one's ever said. That's what I said.

No one's ever said he has never had a good playoff moment. That he's going to tell us about a bunch of game threes. Then he can't play well in the playoffs. That it's crazy to think that he would be an upgrade over Darius Scarlett. That it would be that he could actually help the Cleveland Cavaliers. I love that you're doubling down. This is not a double down. It's a quadruple down.

By the way, Garland played pretty well last night. He did get in a losing effort. How many games, a little trivia question for the class, how many times would you think in the playoffs, James Hardin has. head more than 30 points in a game. Um, I'm going to say 41 times. All right.

That's a fine guess guy. It's an NBA historian. It's just go faster. 49. Okay. 49 times. That's actually more than I thought. What you thought?

How about five or more three pointers made in a playoff game? A lot. 23 different times. Fourth most playoff three pointers since he's entered the league behind LeBron, Steph, and Clay. 22, five, and six in the playoffs. Guy has plenty of good playoff games. There is no reason when the big four get together of Jared Allen, Evan Mobley, and Donovan Mitchell, that they can't make it at least to the Eastern Conference Finals, if not come out of these people.

This is a crazy hot take. They're the second favorite in the East. Danny, I think he has 43 playoff games with three or fewer made baskets. Goodness, gracious Perkins. I think is the number. James Hardin. I believe in you. I can't believe it.

This is unbelievable. And for the record, before you go, Greg. Can we please level set for everyone? No one's James Harden take is. I've never seen him have a good playoff game. Exactly. We've all seen him have monster playoff games. He's tricking us.

Everyone's James Harden take is the same, which is no matter how well he has played in the regular season or in spots in any given playoff series, there will be a moment where the season is on the line and he goes two for 11. It's very specifically two for 11. It often, it's always two for 11. And sometimes it involves eight or nine turnovers.

And very often it involves him looking like he doesn't want to be there. That's everyone's hard and take. All right. Well, my hard and take is if Chris Paul doesn't pull his hamstring, James Hardin has a title. The, the, okay. I like that. I like that you're not moving off this take. Again, can't move off.

Predictions are tomorrow. We, we open the door for you to move off of the Cleveland's big four. It's a big four. Are they even saying that in the Cleveland media room? No, I'm definitely more optimistic than the people. And also, I'm sorry, I need to add one other thing. This is, don't go. Take your time. The reason all of us are appalled by your James Harden take

is because the moment they traded for him, you said they were going to the finals. Yes. Which means if and when they beat the Raptors in round one, there is no told you guys. No, you can do that. No. What? You can do that.

We all think they're going to beat the Raptors in round one. Doesn't matter if you're on a marathon pace. Yeah, absolutely. First few miles. It's the first accomplished. Okay, you might be right if that happens, but the collective us are not wrong. And so we'll see.

We'll just see. I like it. Thanks, man. That was great. That was a good bud list. Greg, let me guess. I think Ann Aaron Glenn. Well, with the NFL draft being so close to us

and right around the corner, yeah, why not? We're in New York. Yeah. Yeah. Aaron Glenn, Darren Moji, you're on the clock. Look, I believe in them. I'm going to start right there.

Really? I do believe in them. I do think that there is a plan. We just need to see that you're going to execute it because over the free agency, you made some moves that you are really excited about, probably more bullish about than anyone else, him more recently saying

that Gino Smith is he's the guy who's going to take us to the Promise Land. With that being said, these four picks that you have before 50, like top 50 picks, like you have four picks before 50 picks.

Or I'm going to read that wrong. Four picks in the top 50. Yeah, we got you. Like, your first pick needs to hit immediately. We talked about this before. Like, you got to get an edge rusher. We know that. But if you're saying that the Promise Land is going to be in the grasp of Gino Smith

and he's going to be the one to lead you there, you better put some pieces around that man so that it looks good. And it gives us something to say, oh, maybe he's on to something. So that means we're going to see some type of a receiver or ball catcher that's going to support Gino Smith because right now on that roster, it's not all the way there. Look, you have two more picks in the second round. You can, there are so many teams that are going to be knocking at your door, calling your line.

You can make different moves. You better make the right moves, Mr. Glenn. Because this is not all on Moji because every time we hear you speak, you say something that has us like kind of questioning, what? Because last year I recall you saying something of this, like this. well, I never said that it was going to be right away, meaning the turnaround, which we all understood that. But the way you come out and present everything, you present it as if you are going to turn this thing around right away. We understand there's a process. We better see what that process looks like in this draft. There's some really good picks that you can make.

Will you make those current really good picks? And will you add to what we are believing because you're, well, I don't want to say we're believing. We're being told. We're being told. Is our way to the promised land. You don't believe it. I don't believe it. Okay, I was going to say.

I will say this. I am higher than, well, I think you're higher than most on Gino Smith. Listen, last year, you know, was a tough one. It was a tough. But in general, I believe in Gino. Can I ask you a question? If they go edge rusher at two, if Kenyon Sadiek, the tight end, is there at 16. Are you okay with that for the Jets?

I am okay with that with the Jets because you got to get a... You got Garrett Wilson already as a receiver. I just feel like the tight ends are just... I thought it was a very tight end heavy draft. Not in the first round. First round is only one. Well, that's what I mean. Here's my only issue with that.

When I look at their lack of tight end productivity and usage, let Kenyon Sadiq go somewhere else. Oh, okay. Also, everybody says the chiefs and secondary guys, the Jets haven't had an interception. Two seasons ago. I mean, this is probably maybe a secondary help. Well, it's 413 on a Thursday. Time now for the sports media ombudsman. It's been pretty good recently.

Thank you, KW. I appreciate that. You're kind of, you know, your enthusiasm's leaking, but that's okay. I'll bring it back to this one maybe. It swings up and down. All right. So I have no problem with the NBA playoffs being on streamers.

I understand Amazon had a, you know, a rough moment during that game, but you know, such is life. It happens. The audio being a touch ahead of the video, that's been going on all year. I would hope they get it cleaned up, but in general, I think they've, the NBA's new partners have done a really good job

in presentation, making the events feel big, it's all fine. So this isn't an issue with them. This is an issue with your local bartender. Oh. Go to a watering hole this week, as I'm known to do. Sure, famously. Playoff time.

A few cold beverages. Yeah. Watch the games. Look around. I'm like, well, that's a baseball game. That's fine. That's like an old Super Bowl on. What's going on?

That's a podcast on. Like, hey, pardon me. That is a podcast like on the TV, like on some channel. I'm like, hey, excuse me. Are we getting the playoff games? I was like, yeah, I don't know how to do that. It's not on, it's not on, I can't turn it to that channel. Oh, I hate to.

So these. So these playoffs, well, that's what I'm talking about. Sports bars need to be up to the task. If you haven't signed up for Peacock, go ahead. Prime, go ahead. Teach your employees, you got to be quick on the trigger. We got a lot of games and folks are trying to watch them. Now, I would appreciate you watching FS1 and Fox all the time.

However, during the NBA playoffs, you want to switch over for a moment and switch right back, that's fine. But what we can't have, you go to your local wing place. This is real. There's 30 TVs. There's one playoff game. And they're like, I don't know what to do. Not only that. I don't know where the remote is.

I don't know where the remote is. I don't know what to do. And additional bonus take before you do yours. If you happen to see me, Nick Wright, at your local establishment, I am ready, willing, and able to take on the responsibility of all be in charge of the remotes. I don't need to be paid. I don't need anything. I will set the TVs for everyone.

Because here's another plague of this. All of a sudden, we got the same game on two different TVs, somehow one's ahead of the other. The guy behind me is cheering. I'm waiting. Guys, this is. That's in my own home. This is, it's the playoffs.

That is a fact. Time for everyone to tighten their games up. Nobody can do that. I'm just helping it right now. I don't want you that focus. on the TV synchronization. Oh, work on the hamburgers. No, I can't know.

The leadership of the bar, like turns out this is wrong. A second ahead. Disagree. No. It takes, you're in the wires. Work on the hamburger. And I'm telling you right now, one less line cook, one television captain. That's, that's, that's the soul.

This game's about to go off bang. What's next? Here we go. It should be someone's job. Someone's job. What? Yeah. You know what the margins are in these places? It honestly should maybe be a ball.

Maybe be a major in college. You should be able to go to school. You can minor in remote control usage. I'm adding the sports medium budsman, a bit of naval gazing perhaps, to the Budlis. Me? Yes. And here's why you're on the Buds.

You stepped in it yesterday with a take about Lamello. To be totally honest, Danny. Brew corrected him because you said. I said he'll always be. He'll always be a clown. And then I immediately walked that back. I also had a correction because Brewery did the correction, and I couldn't do the correction.

What was yours? I don't ever like to, I only like to critique. Actions, not beautiful. So my critique is always, he's behaving. As if, as a clown look. And my mistake was. I know, but you came out. Well, here's my mistake and I'll let you go.

I clearly underestimated how offensive a lot of people found the term clown. Yeah. Me as a guy, I can't remember the last day of my life. Someone didn't call me a clown. Right? Every time I open. Oh, no, but tell this clown, you're a cloud. I just thought I was like, I was like, since when I was like, I guess I, my feelings should be hurt way more often than they are.

You're too call. I was like, clown, doofus. That's such a great point. I was like, I've become numb to house for like, you know, the typical American. how scarring clown is. I had no idea. Go ahead. So the ball family stepped up to the plate

and wanted to, you know, speak on behalf of Lamello. Yeah. So first Lanzo weighed in, then Lovar ball weighed in. And to be honest with you, guys, none of them, none of the punches really landed. So I have some do's and don'ts, if you want, to criticize Nick Wright. Oh, wait, I didn't tell me we were playing this game.

Yeah. I've been preparing for this my whole life. Two don'ts, two do's. And you guys, even within the office, if you want to write these down. I mean, I. Number first one, a don't. Physical appearance.

Yeah. It doesn't land. You can't hurt. Okay. LaHonzo wrote, Folks saying clown with a perm. Nope. It didn't land.

No. Okay. We're here with makeup of We were at the Indy 500. They put chemicals in our eyes that made our whites of our eyes brighter. The whole thing is very malleable to begin with. And the guy has proven that he's Teflon when it comes to that. It doesn't work.

It won't land. Okay. So just throw that out the window. Wire at it. Nick wrong. Again, overused. Doesn't land. Doesn't work.

I know it's right there. You think no one's thought of it. It's been said several times. A do. Simple arguments. Okay? You can't go get into a stats fight with a statistician. If he's going to hit you with a bunch of stats,

you got to come in under it with just a raw fact. That's what old KW does. Also, put words in his mouth. He hates that. So your response should have been, this guy's mad because Lamello won the game. That's not wise, mad. But he's like, this guy, this guy,

doesn't like game winning shot. He's mad because he almost lost the game and then switch it to the absurd. You know what? Almost. Ben Franklin almost had the turkey be the national bird instead of the bald eagle. Nick Wright wants us eating bald eagles

at Thanksgiving and worshipping turkeys. He'd be like, what? Now he's all spun around. He can't fight out of that corner. Don't. You never played. Most everyone never played. Okay?

The jury on the jury, on who's going to decide this argument also has never played. So you have to, you can't do that. This is so good. It's true. You never played.

It doesn't work. No, you're right. There's always a simple retort. Like, I've always said if someone hits you with it never played. Like, you know what? I've never been a pilot, but at the engine's on fire,

I'm allowed to raise my hand, okay? And the final one. And this is the most important, and it's not just about arguing with Nick Wright. It's really about conflict in general. Take a breath, let everything settle down, do some research, and then strike. Okay? If you had just waited a little bit, done some research.

Yeah, yeah. It said, oh, this guy has made a, his words, grievous error by leaving Steph off of his top 10 guards list. The day before. The day before. And you know it's eating him up. All you have to do is respond, I'm listening to criticism from a guy who doesn't think step is top 10 player. Fold. You see him on poker?

I'm out. That would have worked. Final one. It's a team sport. Everybody's got their price. You know what I'm saying? OKW's DMs are open. I'm just saying.

You want to like, hey, what's up with this guy? I'll tell you. Ask about how he broke his arm that one. I don't know. I'm just saying that's a free one. You never give that up. Yeah, that's. I don't even know.

And that's the sports media on budget being on the above us. That's the most provisial segment of all sports. Coming up next. Does Danny think of the lake have a chance. I guess the Rockets. No.

Well done. So full weekend of football coming up. Tomorrow eight Eastern Dallas Renegates, my squad, taking on the aviators of Columbus. Then Saturday at 4, the Orlando Storm against the Birmingham Stallions. Nick Squad.

It's tomorrow and Saturday on Fox. Welcome back to the show. We're headed back to the Hardwood. Rockets Lakers tip off Saturday night as well. AR, Luke is still out indefinitely, according to JJ. but AR was shooting with sneakers on. Lakers looking for any advantage

and maybe a little extra rest for LeBron between games. It's where they find it. Here's JJ Reddick. Yeah, I mean, I think it's just 41, so yeah, any extra time off is good. What's up, Kato? I'm just going to check a hat on that. We got to bring suits back. We got to bring suits.

I know it's cowards territory, but this gives you any more faith LeBron can pull off the upset. I think the schedule is very, very, very important for the Lakers' chances here. And we can throw it up, but the takeaway is LeBron will have had six, five days off before game one, and then two days off between games one and two, two days off between games two and three, only one day off between game three and four, and then two days off between games four and five. I believe LeBron is the best player in this series. I think Kevin

Duran is a great player. I think LeBron James happens to have been better than Kevin Duran at basketball every single day of each of their lives. And so what is so vexing to me about the Vegas odds of this and the just dismissiveness of the Lakers even being able to put up a fight is, we see teams that aren't as talented as another team get hot from three and win games all the time

in this league. If you add to that the fact that the team that's not as talented has one of the greatest players in the history of the league who is still playing at a level that I believe to be the best player in the series and they're at home. Of course they can.

Now, we're going to do our official picks tomorrow. I will be picking the rockets. I think the rockets are the likely winner of this, but I do not think it's going to be a sweep, and I would not be stunned if the Lakers find a way to win, and that's leaving aside the Luca and Austin Specter of them coming back. What JJ Redick said is objectively true, right?

More time off is better for anyone who, any team that is one of their strengths, is not depth, right? More rest. And then you add in, your best player is 41. And even if I'd quibble with Durant v. LeBron this year in terms of my belief in his ability to do it over the course of a whole series, fine. We'll say LeBron's the best player in the series. The second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth best player in the series all wear Rockets' jerseys.

And so, LeBron's ability to win a game is obvious. in play. To win four of seven when the other team has the second through sixth best player in the series when you are 41 years old seems like way too tall of a task for him. I know he's been doubted before. We'll see if Luca comes back and I get the argument that a lot of people are making that Luca's game is not predicated on athleticism. So if he comes back at 80%, it would impact him less than it would impact other guys. I just think if we, you would say Luke is the best player on the Lakers, obviously. So they've lost their first and third best player.

Yep. Go to any team and take their first and third best player out and tell me which team you'd pick to win any of these first round matchups other than maybe the Thunder and Spurs. No, I wouldn't, oh, given who they're playing. I thought you were saying playing the Rockets. Given who they're playing, sure. If you took Brunson and Bridges off the Knicks, yes.

You would pick the, everybody in the world would pick the Hawks to beat the Knicks. No, I agree with that. I also, though, happen to think LeBron might be better than almost anybody else's second best player. So, like, that is not, I'd have to go through the full. Like, LeBron is better, in my opinion, than Kat. I understand those guys had better seasons,

but they had different roles in, you know, different responsibilities, and the playoffs are a different animal. I just, I, it is, if the part of this also to me, KW, is we are, and I understand the Rockets played great down the stretch, but we are not far removed from everyone feeling like the rocket to the team, everyone wants to play, they don't like each other. Udoka never figured out the Reed Shepard thing this year. You know, they, they don't have a point.

guard it. They turn the ball over at the end of games. And so I do think the Lakers' late game execution should be better than the Rockets' late game execution, even without Luca and AR, because LeBron will be at the controls. And then the real, and this has been a story of different spots in LeBron's career, the real question, the biggest question I have is this. Are the Lakers just going to get absolutely smoked like nine of? every time LeBron sits for three minutes. Are they just not going to be able to generate any offense at all in the time he is on

the bench? And will that then create a circumstance where JJ feels like I can't really sit him, and then at the end of games. He's gassed. Right. He's gassed. And that's the scenario, by the way, is kind of why I'm picking the Rockets to win the series. Like I think that is, I don't know how they're going to.

generate offense when he's off the court. But I also, I don't think, I don't look at this, the Lakers beating the Rockets as a bigger upset than the Timberwolves beating the Nuggets, but in Vegas it is. Yeah. Like I, it is a- You don't? No. A Wolves team that's been in the Western Conference finals, back-to-back years with one of the

10 best players. I think the Nuggets are a great team. And I don't, and I think the Rockets are a flawed team. So I'm like never shocked if a flawed team that's been bad situationally all year loses a playoff series it should win. Like that's almost never shocking to me unless the like and so that's. I guess with Luca and Austin Reeves healthy, we talked about some of the flaws with the Lakers and that they weren't very deep

and that we didn't really believe in them defensively and they had to just outscore everybody. Now you've taken away their ability to outscore it. everybody. But those conversations we were having about the Lakers and their flaws win healthy was about their ability to win a championship. Not about their ability to get out of round one. And not about their ability to get out around one if they're playing Houston. Again,

it might be a moot point and I also I have like a small mental hedge in that I guess I'm one of the last people that believes if this thing goes six, Luke is going to play in a game six. And so and that's not really the discussion we're having here. But I just I, the Rockets this year were five and 12 against the other top six in the West.

They beat every one of those teams one time and lost to every one of those teams two or three times. Now again, the Lakers as presently constituted are not one of the top six teams in the West. I just don't, I am not afraid of this Rockets team. And so I think there are scenarios where, you know, LeBron, LeBron is unbelievable one game. They hit a bunch of threes another game, and it's two-two going into game five. And then in that scenario with the Lakers having home court,

you don't know what's going to happen. If they started, they've made the eighth, they take, no, made the eighth-fewest threes of anybody. The Rockets have made the six-fewest. It feels like we are headed for a classic LeBron James full-screen on Monday. LeBron plus whatever minutes on the court, Lakers minus something more when he's off the court, and that will be the story. LeBron did his job. The depth is.

Well, LeBron's going to do his job. That's the most likely outcome. That is the most likely. It's kind of like a win-win. LeBron was great. It was great. Lakers lost by 18. The league handed down additional punishment to Lamello ball for tripping bam and swearing.

in post-game interview, 35K for the trip, 25K for the curse, and a retroactive flagrant two, Danny. Other storyline here is that after yesterday's show the ball family, Lamar and Alonzo, challenged Nick's take on Lamello. As of this writing, we've yet to hear from Leangelo.

Hornets in Orlando on Friday, what's on the line for Lamello? I mean, so I think that the BAM kindly he today said, listen, I don't think he's a, didn't say he thought he was a dirty player. And Spolster came out today and flatly said, I don't think he's a dirty player.

But Bam, when pressed on it, did say he hasn't heard from him. So there's obviously going to be extra scrutiny on him there. I, and I, you know, this is a little awkward to say, but I think because there was such a strong reaction to the verbiage I used yesterday from his family and from everything, I think there is more of a spotlight on how he plays in his behavior in this game than maybe there typically would be. I think that's a reality of it. And I think that Lamello ball in this play in and moving forward, I think has to prove to the basketball world that he has the requisite material. to take advantage of the immense talent. And, you know, Brew does not throw this stuff around lightly.

He said he's a Hall of Fame talent. Everyone knows he's one of the best passers and most creative players in the league. Yet because of that, he's been in the league, or despite that, he's been in the league six years, and the single biggest game he ever played in was a 9-10 play-in game, which, with 15 seconds left in overtime, he had a cartoonish turnover. and then fouled a 92% three-point shooter from three with a two-point lead. And then made up for it with the layup

and then punched the mascot and dropped an F-bomb in the interview. And then said he didn't know what a concussion was. And so I do think that he is one of the more intriguing people in these playoffs. I don't think he's going to be long for these playoffs, but he can prove me and folks that agree with me wrong by playing an adult version of basketball. which he very rarely does.

I think it's hard to disagree with anything you said there or frankly yesterday. He is crazy talented and he's fun to watch, which is part of why he is so popular with young basketball fans. He was kind of made for the TikTok, Instagram, highlight, real world. Like when NBA Top Shot came out, he had some of the most valuable NBA top shots. Those were NFTs, Katie. That was familiar.

Yeah. You had a little investment? No, I couldn't get them. They were like sold out. Oh, yeah. Now I believe there was a lawsuit. Yeah, but I'm just saying, like, there was a moment in time where like, you have a Lamello top shot. Like, you know, he's like, people care about him good and bad, and he is an interesting player to watch.

And I know you kind of jumped on the Hornets Bandwagon. Part of it is because it is a reckless style of play at which the team, like, they play fast. They shoot a lot of threes. Defense is optional. And so how much will it ever translate into winning? They are building a nice team around him. Like, this should be the beginning of a stretch of time where Lamello Ball is playing the biggest basketball games of his life.

That game yesterday was probably the biggest basketball game he's ever played in. And this will be his biggest. And this will now be the biggest basketball game that he's ever played. And if he will now be the biggest basketball game that he's ever played. at which he is a favorite, he will be the most interesting player on a team that's an underdog in a 1-8 series against the Pistons team that some people have questions. And those will then be the biggest games. Like, this is when, now he's six years into his career, but like, this is when you actually get to shape the narrative at large, because this is when the casual fan tunes in and makes first impressions of you.

So, listen, I didn't like the dirty play, but I also didn't like that he forgot how to, forgot to play defense for some of over time. You know, he just needs to play consistent basketball at both ends, which he hasn't done. Do you want to go, KW? Well, I think they're going to beat the magic. And if I'm a Pistons team watching how they play, where they do hit a lot of threes, they were a great offensive team, and they were a sneaky great defensive team. The end of the game, that was a block shot to win the game. We know we say Lamello won it.

No, those Bridges won the game. They were, since the All-Star break, they were one of the best defense. teams in the league. If I'm the Pistons, I'm not just like, ah, I'm rooting for the magic. If you're the Pistons, yes. If I'm the Pistons, in a major way. Duss, give me 60 seconds here. Because I, I be out of respect to my teammates and what KW said before, which is KW's right, which is in general, we do try to criticize actions and not people. I am, I guess, far more tempered today in my tone and in my words. I want to make something very clear. One of the reasons I reacted the way I,

I did yesterday was because that was the single biggest game this guy who's a six-year veteran has ever played. He is a borderline all-MBA talent. He is on a max contract. And what we saw for 53 minutes was some of the most erratic, ridiculous, while at times brilliant basketball you will ever see. It was the most missed threes by any player in playoff issue. It was falling asleep on defense with a five-point lead with two minutes left in overtime of an elimination game.

It is the types of things that get high, high-level AAU players benched by a coach who's like, I'm going to put in a less talented guy because he at least is going to pay attention. And far too often, Lamello plays in the NBA the exact same way he played for Chino Hills. if he wants to win and if he wants to actually deliver on his talent and if he wants to actually deliver on that contract, he has to grow up on the court in every way, shape, and form. That is less matter of an opinion and more a matter of subscribing to league pass. I do wish him luck.

I mean that. I have no reason to dislike the young man. I didn't like the play on Bam, but Bam seems over it, so why wouldn't I be? But that is the responsibility of an NBA superstar, which is what he is paid like and I believe thinks he is. He now needs to act like one. Tomorrow night is a great opportunity. It's very fair. I just don't want to end the segment.

I think the olive branch of your Hornets wardrobe, I think. Good planning. Live from New York, first things first overtime today. What was the most impressive part of the Warriors win? And why one person here thinks, hey, hey, don't talk like that. Believe in yourself. That's you. Maybe.

Hey, Steve Kerr. Believe in yourself. Well, come on, dude. Meanwhile, how can Cleveland nail the draft? First thing, first overdime front office. That'll be an interesting segment. And finally, a fresh edition of Frenemones. That's right.

Can the Lakers win round one? This one is, we're doing a slightly different version of this one. We're doing a slightly different version of front of him. What is it? We both basically try to convince the other person. Like, I asked Danny to convince me of something, see how he does. Then he asked me to convince him or something. There he does.

What's it called? It's called front of me. We didn't come up with a name for it. It's just a little bit. Like, he just has to convince you 10%. Yeah, just like, yeah, just move you a little bit. Oh, and you got to be honest about it if they did it or not. That's all going to be the hardest part.

Yeah. I actually like it. Yeah, it's a good idea. I think that'll be great. Yeah, we have the most productive calls once you hang up on the pre-should. Yeah. Everyone's a little happier, a little less stressed. Dusty's not sobbing.

I just didn't want that. I just didn't want that tweet in the show. She just kept on moving throughout the document. It's okay, Dust. I was like, is this thing a virus? Why come I can't get rid of it? Warriors send the clip. Super's home, Steph at 35, 7 for 12 from 3.

Dremont was excellent. Here's Steve Kerr. Just all I'm thinking about is how proud I am of the guys to really show what they're made of and the fact that we're still alive. You know, we've got to go to Phoenix now and try to get another one and, you know, get ourselves in the in the playoffs. For one night, you know, we're, we're us, we're champions again, you know. I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It's a play-in game. I don't care.

It's just absolutely beautiful to watch. Do you think that sounded crazy? No, I totally agree. I get it, and I agree with him on that. You seem off-put by it. I think that is the confidence of a minted legend and champion that understands and is fine, doesn't need to lie to himself or to his team. There is no scenario that exists where the Warriors are winning 17 more playoff games.

And that's what it would take to be champions again. To win Friday, and then 16 more, starting with four of seven against the Oklahoma City Thunder. That and when you have, to me is a first cousin of LeBron, you know, last year, I think. But two years ago at some point, they played Oklahoma City or they played somebody. and it was like, what's the biggest difference between your team and theirs? He said that this year. No, this year. They're champions and we're not?

We're talking about slightly different quotes. One was like the literal they are champions. But he said, I think it was last season pre-Luca trade, he said about somebody. He's like, that's a championship level squad. Oh. And we're not. And I think the LeBron, the reason I'm comparing it is, if you've been to that many finals, If you won that many championships in your Steve Curry, you're like, we won 37 games this year.

Steph Curry's on a minute's restriction for the next few weeks probably. But we were able to dig down and grab something. You didn't like it. Because I just want to believe. I want to believe like, you know what, every game when that ball goes up, we can beat the suns. Steph can get hot. I think what's the stat they're record when they hit 40% from three is excellent. I know hitting 40% of three is top.

Everyone's record is actually. They had 46% yesterday. I don't know. I just want to believe Porzinger gets healthy. Horford hit four threes, which is, you know, not normal. But I just want to believe more than like an old boxer's last round. But that's what it is. Hey, my rings outside.

But I mean, that's to me, that's what it was. It is an old boxer's last round. But go ahead. Yeah, no, I think when you've accomplished everything, you can talk in ways that other people. can't. You know, I think that that's what Steve Kerr is doing there. But last night was just a, it was a fun sporting event of which, and maybe shame on me, but like I was like, the Clippers are going to win. I thought the Clippers were going to win. They were a heavy favorite. It seems

like they had more to play for. They've obviously accomplished way less. It would have been very easy for the Warriors to pack it up and go home and say just cursed year, not our year. what's the point of traveling to Oklahoma City? You know, like, I just, that's kind of what I was expecting going into the game. And Steph is still that dude, which none of us should doubt at any point. Like, the game winning shot, I know I said earlier, like, we won't remember this game from the Warriors because they've given us so many highlights. But it wouldn't be ridiculous for that game winning shot, the two-man game with Dremont,

to be in like the three-minute montage first. him going into the Hall of Fame. Wow. That's a great conversation topic. Three minute. Three minute montage. Because it's just, look at that. The behind the back pass, the step back.

If you watch the extended version, there were great cameras from like fans. He falls into the crowd off of it. And asks the crowd, did it go in? Yeah, it was such a cool moment from Steph. And then Draymond doing like his version of that. So that's, locking up Kauai. That's, that's my answer. answer. And listen, I have had fun, you know, with Draymond in the past, with the triple single,

and this was another one. But this was an awesome one. And this is the, and this was, this was a reminder that peak Draymond and he, much like LeBron on offense, you know, and LeBron's much older, obviously, and it's different levels of player, but can still, for stretches, be as good as peak. You know, like, Dremont for the final four minutes of last night was as good as he's ever been on defense. He can tap back into that. Just a reminder, he's arguably the greatest defender in league history of his size

are smaller. That, you know, Akeem, Duncan, Russell, who see where Wembe ends up. There's just more they can do because of the last. length and the size and the rim protection. But Draymond just erasing Kauai Leonard, who up until we heard about the Luca and Cade Cunningham rulings was a favorite to be first team all NBA, was gonna show up on, I think a lot of people's

like fifth place MVP ballots in a game that I think he and Stapp all, and felt the same way as Kerr. It's not like they were like, man, if we win this, it could be ring number five. They wanted to win it because, They are, and they are champion adults that really care about winning. And that is, it is a good lesson for all the, like, young guys in the league. Like, these guys are old.

And this is not one of the 150 biggest games. Either one of these guys have played in. Like, and while that moment might show up on a Hall of Fame reel, it is not like, It's just a game that for them is almost a little embarrassing to be a part of. We're the 10 seed and a 9-10 play in. And they still said, yeah, but you know what? We're going to perform. And those two guys doing it, who are the duo of this generation is remarkable.

You know what I think my issue is? I think that's in business, it's called like the, I mean, beginner's luck, but there's like a cooler business term for it. Like you don't know what you don't know. the Hornets and the Warriors are in the same spot now have to go on the road to go on the one seat. I think in the Hornets locker room

they're like, you know what? We win this game. We can beat Detroit. And to their disadvantage, the Warriors are just too wise. Maybe for their own good. But I also think a tiny piece is Oklahoma City related.

You know what I mean? Like do I, would I give the Warriors a puncher's chance if they were in Charlotte's spot? Oh, that's more interesting. You know what I mean? Like, maybe, but it just feels like it with, whenever we're talking punchers chance, very often what we mean, but we don't want to say it is, ah, people get hurt. You know what I mean?

Like, but Oklahoma City seems impervious to that. You know what I mean? At least in the early rounds of the playoffs. Like, if we found out Shea was ruled out of round one, they would still be massive favorites over whoever comes out. So, like, I think that's probably a piece of it. Meanwhile, Kauai had 21, but only two in the fourth. Draymond did a great job.

Clipper season ends quickly yet again. Here's Kauai after the game. Let me cry about this loss a little bit more. And, you know, we're going to have our discussions when that time comes. Okay. What's next for Kauai? We also have this, like, looming scandal, the Ascension Pablo's story. Yeah, listen, I'm not going to pretend to know what's going to happen.

happen with that contract story. There's certainly a lot of smoke there. He said after the game, you know, that he's not concerned about it. He thinks they're in the clear. Right, he said in the clear. I don't know how. I don't know how either based on what I've read and listened to. Kauai only follows Mark Cuban on Twitter. He's like, I don't know what they're talking about. This guy's making great point. It seems fine. Yeah, go ahead. No, but like I think the next time we see him play basketball, he's on the Miami Heat. It seems impossible. Like the heat have been linked to Kauai for so long. They've been linked to Kauai for before he went to the Clippers. Like it's just like it just feels like he's the next guy that they're going to go there.

It'd be like he's a champion and you bring him into heat culture and we can get into the playoffs no matter what seed and then turn it on and overachieve. So I just think that they've kind of been circling each other for a long time. So I think that's like the literal answer as to what's next for Kauai. and it's just we were joking off air like do you call it an era? We talked a lot about Kauai Leonard and the Clippers. They were perennially one of the, if not the preseason favorite. Right. And they were interesting.

Like, I mean, I remember when Kauai and Paul George, I was like, oh man, like two of the best two-way wings in basketball. You're like put those guys on the floor. together and imagine the impact that can make and then Hardin and then all and then Balmer with all the money that he was willing to spend and he would pay the luxury tax and pay I lose a good coach. Tyloos a good coach. It was like we talked about them so much in the buildup to so many NBA seasons for them to not really give us any playoff moments that we care about. It's just remarkable. And I do think it is everyone is going to say somewhat correctly that this will. was an era, if you will, defined by injury.

Because Kauai, in two of the playoffs, in three of his seven seasons, got hurt during the playoffs and missed time, one of the seven seasons missed entirely, you know, with the knee. But his first year and his last two years, he was fully healthy for their playoff runs, and they weren't close to good enough. His first year, and this is where, you know, folks can do whatever revisionist history they want on the bubble. But what definitely mattered in the bubble was how much your team wanted to be there. And that was a top-down thing. And the Clippers, to a man, enough of them have podcasts since then that we know.

They didn't want to be there. And they let go of the rope when we were, they were up 3-1 in a second round staring at Lakers Clippers. idea. That was year one, Kauai there, year one, A.D. LeBron. And it was going to be Lakers, Clippers, and Kauai was going to be able to deliver on the promise of new balance. And they let go of the rope.

And last year, with Hardin and with everything, they were supposed to be a real threat, and they lost in round one. And we gave them all the applause because they gave Denver a series. And Denver then lost in round two. And this year, after that awful

start, 6 and 21, they pulled it together, gave up their seed, the final week of the year, and now they don't, you know, they're won, one and done in the play-in in a game. They were the favorite. They were at home. They had a lead late, and they, and Kauai couldn't get a shot up late. Like, that is part of the story. As far as his future, when we were kicking around, like, potential teams earlier,

and I hadn't really thought about that, even though I don't think he'll be on the Clippers. next year I didn't think about destination. And then right when you said Miami, I was like, I know where I want Kauai Leonard to go next year. The only place where I think he is truly beloved, Toronto. Toronto. He's already a champion there. They have good pieces around them,

but clearly they're not good enough. Like, no disrespect to Scotty Barnes. Like, they're not good enough. They have the types of pieces that I would. would imagine that is what the Clippers would want back and they are the type of team that might say we'll roll the dice on an extension. I don't know how much Kauai would like that. I don't know if he would do it.

Their fans would love it. I mean, he was there one year. Is he beloved in Toronto? I don't think what I would say it's where he's most beloved. San Antonio would ended so poorly. Yeah. Here's the championship. I'm out of.

Yeah, but I mean, I would imagine, I mean, I think for most Raptors, fans. The single best moment of their fandom is the buzzer-beater against over and Bede in game seven of round two. Right. And the single best kind of long-form moment

is the entirety of that playoff run. Vince Carter Dunk Contest, I would say. Oh, Vince Carter Dunk Contest is... Can you call Drake and see what his vibe is with Kauai? Is that like beloved or just like like? Well, Kauai stayed out of the Drake Kindrick thing, unlike some of other NBA.

guys, so maybe he's good with him. Yeah, that's good. I mean, I don't know. Maybe Beloved's the wrong word, but that would be, if you're trying to think of teams that because a team that's great, I don't think wants to attach itself to the last stage of Kauai's career. A team that's

bad. Player away. Right. And so that Toronto, you know, they're the five seed. Scotty Barnes is going to be all NBA adjacent, but never going to be the best player on a champion. Like they, that's interesting.

Yeah. Like I said, very interesting. Thank you. Upgraded a bit. Maybe I'll be on. Because I feel like Miami. He moved you. I got convinced a little bit. Yeah.

Yeah. Miami just is going to, with what they'd have to give up for him, like I just don't see. I agree with you. Pat Riley wants one final flourish. I just don't know if that makes them that interesting. Okay. We're slated for yet another classic rivalry. Sixers versus Celtics, 76ers.

took down the magic. And Bid is still coming back from that appendectomy. Maxi had 31. Paolo only had 18 and a bunch of turnovers. Take a listen to the crowd during the game. Okay. Sixers want Boston. Is that a good idea, Parkins? No. I mean, like, wanting Boston is one thing. And like, Philly fans being out over their skis and being having a lot of bravado, not exactly a new thing. So, like, I, Respect the chant and Philly sports fans are crazy. So, you know, you want to be in the playoffs and you want to have belief. That's nice.

But Boston is much better. I mean, they're just, they're much, much, much better than Philly. And more trustworthy and healthier and Tatum is playing at this level. I don't, I mean, gentlemen sweep, five games max. So listen, I think all that's fair. And they're 12 and a half point favorites, which implies Vegas certainly doesn't think Embed is going to be playing on Sunday. And I think Boston's going to win the championship.

So I obviously, and the we want Team X chant when there's only one team you can possibly play and the bracket is set is always like, it's not like we want Boston when, you know, it's still undetermined on Boston's playing somebody is one thing. Like they, we just want to advance and play whoever's next. That's fine. But we want to advance. Right, exactly. It doesn't work as well.

With that said, the Sixers with Embed are scary. Yes. Like, Maxie's awesome. He is awesome. I agree. Paul George post suspension, small rejuvenation. Yes. VJ Edgecombe has been very clearly the third best rookie in an awesome season of rookie performances.

You know, like, V.J. Edgecombe this year put up a performance that would win most rookie of the years and said this year it's going to come in third because Cooper had an all-time year and Khan had the year he had. He had 30. Remember he had 34 against the Celtics in that debut. I think it was opening night of the season. We're like, hold on, Vijay Edgecombe. And so I just, listen, I have no idea what Embedged is going to look like post appendectomy, which is, you know, we know what that is, but another way to put it is,

it's stomach surgery or, you know, abdomen surgery. So it's, maybe he's going to be very ginger and not at 100%. But if I'm Boston, I am more than a little bummed that this is who I drew from a pure star power ceiling perspective. Well, that's scarier than Orlando, but I guess...

I think they're scarier than Atlanta or Toronto. So, like, I agree with that. Do you think they're a true, I think the funny part about these playoffs is specifically the Sixers, they're not a real seven. Like the team that is going to take the court in game three is not if Embedd is back. If Embed's back, that's not a seven seed. Paul George is here. M. Bid is here.

Maxi is a superstar. V.J. Edgecombe is great. All of a sudden, like, holy cow, this is a good squad. Listen, if you guys were sitting here and telling me that Joel Embed is going to be 100% for the series, Joel Embed's awesome. But you don't think he's going to be. No, well, hold on.

I don't know. No, no. I have no idea what guys look like. I know what guys look like their first game back from a hamstring, first game back from two months off. I have no idea what guys look like after two and a half weeks off with an appendectomy. I just have, I don't remember seeing it. So I don't know.

But what I, what I'm saying is, if we found out that Embed is playing in game two. Oh. And the Celtics are up one-nothing after beating them soundly in game one, I feel like, okay, I think this is probably Boston and six. Like that's, and I just, if I am a team as good as Boston and as fundamentally sound as Boston, the only thing I don't want in round one is a team an underachieving team with superstars. I would love, you know, that's why I said

Atlanta or Toronto are two teams that have, like, they're solid foundational pieces that are all, it's a bunch of good players that are doing the right thing. And if I'm Boston, I'm like, yeah, we're all that too, but we also have star power.

A little bit like the Warriors. Are you worried about the Celtics? Look, to advance, you have to win four games. But against the Celtics, I have been scarred by the Celtics cold from three. Like, you know what? We'll give you that one. So now you've got to win three. The next year is really messed up.

Because we're going to give you one. So can you win three when the Celtics decide to shoot 22% from the, and playoff three points shooting is, I mean, it's a tighter defense, nerves are a little tighter. You can see an ice cold game. It's just, it's another one where I just think it's too big of a favorite. Boston's minus 900. That's too big. Frenemones. Next. Welcome back to the overtime and happy Frenemones Thursday to all who celebrate. The NBA playoffs are thankfully here. We got Katie in the Rockets against LeBron and the Lakers on Saturday. Nick Durant was asked at practice how they prepare

for a Lakers team, well, without Luca and Austin Reeves. Take a listen. They got guys they can step up and feel some of those goals that they were missing. Obviously, missing two of their best players, two of the best players in the league. It's tough to make up for it. But they got guys that come in and make a huge impact. So we've got to work cut out for. All right.

So as you mentioned earlier, we're trying a slightly different conceit here. I am giving the Lakers no shot in this series picking a rocket sweep. You disagree? try to convince me that the Lakers have a chance. Yeah, so I disagree that the Lakers are at zero percent. And I also at the moment in picking the Rockets win the series, but I think it's closer to a 75-25 proposition than a 99-to-one proposition. And the thing is, I don't even think I have to convince you

because I think you already agree with me. Oh, well, that's a cheating. Do you agree that it's possible that 27 days after Lucas hamstring injury, that he plays. I'm not a doctor, sure. Okay, so that would be game five. Okay. Do you agree that it is absolutely on the board

that LeBron can just win one of these first two games at home? Anything can happen in a basketball game, sure. Okay. So if they, so if I don't even need it to be two, two after four, if it's three one after four and Luca is back, the Lakers definitively can beat a Rockets team three times in a week that a few weeks ago, they beat twice in three days, a Rockets team that the story up until mid-March was that the team doesn't like each other and that Udoca still hasn't figured out what to do without Fred Van Blyte,

who they haven't had all year and was having trouble bringing the ball up the court, and who in this series, at least arguably, doesn't have the best player. So it is, I am stunned you don't think the Lakers can win. If the Lakers were playing the Nuggets in this spot or certainly the Thunder or the Spurs in this spot, I would agree with you. But the Rockets are, to me, objectively, a flawed enough team that the Lakers can hang around long enough to see if Luca comes back by game five or six, and if Luca comes back, the Lakers instantly become the favorites.

Remember when the game against the Mavericks, when LeBron had the amazing game after Luca and Reeves were hurt? The Mavericks are awful. LeBron had an amazing game, and the Lakers still lost. Yeah, and go ahead, sorry. I mean, no, it's just like, if you lose your first and third best player, and are we talking 0%? If you want me to move from 0% to 10% or to 20%, okay.

Fair enough, fine. But I guess any team in the league without their best and third best player, when you already lacked depth, that is not the Lakers' strength. I totally agree. So a team that lacks depth lost their best pieces and the piece that is left, arguably the greatest player ever, still amazing, even if he is the best player in the series, though that is debatable. But the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, the next best players are on the Rockets.

And the Rockets have been playing better. I agree completely. They looked like they didn't like each other. They didn't replace a point guard when a friend Van Fleet got hurt. Emeo D. Dokos had some weird coaching situations there. There's the KD. Burner stuff. All of the vibes were bad.

They've been pretty good recently. Yes. They've been pretty good recently. The Lakers have not. Well, the Lakers won their last three to end the year. And post that Mavs blowout, they played a team. that was trying, that was playing for something Phoenix, and held him to 73 points.

Yeah. So you're right that LeBron can be awesome and the Lakers can lose, but we also saw just enough down the stretch of LeBron being awesome and the other guy's doing enough, plus the return of Mark is smart, that again, I'm just not, I am not crossing them off. Like there are, I would be more surprised with the Timberwolves upsetting the Nuggets than I would be with the Lakers upsetting the Rockets. And that's because I think, I guess you are, in my opinion, underestimating the value of the favored team in one of these scenarios not being a great team.

I think that the barrier to entry of shocking upshoot. of shocking upset is so much lower. Like, good team trying to upset a great team versus flawed or injured team trying to upset a good team. I think the latter is so much easier than the former because sometimes those flawed but good teams

have self-inflicted. Like, you don't always have to play great to beat them. Sometimes they beat themselves. Your pick, though, is Rockets in... Six. Okay, so we are two games apart. So you think Luca comes back and then they lose the game that Luca comes back?

No, I don't think. No, no, no. If Luca comes back, I think they're going to win. And I think it is... So you think it is still more likely than not that Luca doesn't come back. Correct. I think it is more likely than not that Luca doesn't come back. And I think the way this thing goes is the Lakers win game one or two

and win game five and the Rockets win all the rest of them. The Lakers lose all the games in Houston and win two of the three in Los Angeles. But, I mean, you went from 0% to 10-20. So I did come back to that. All right, so listen. Danny had, Danny, people don't know, wrote a book about the NBA. Thank you. Sam Presti was very important to that book.

Pipeline of the Post. In a totally unrelated story, Danny believes Sam Presti's team is about to become the Russell Self. It's not what I said. Danny, convince me that even though we are nearly a decade removed from a team last winning back to back, that the Thunder are not only going to win back to back, but they are about to be a dynasty. It is absolutely harder to string together multiple titles because the league is with collective bargaining, and I don't think we want to get into second apron stuff here. They want more parity.

They want stars to stay in the teams that draft them. So all of those contractual points, sure. They are the favorites to win their second. If you have to win three to be a dynasty, and I think they're going to win this one, they'll be two-thirds of the way to a three-peak. Because you agree that any team that at least has a three-peat is. Oh, if you're saying three in a row, definitely. That's definitely a dynasty, three in a row.

Okay. So I think they are going to win this one. You don't. That's fine. I'm not going to convince you on that. We'll see how the next 10 weeks play. I think they could win this one, sure. Sure.

But how they are set up, when I show you, and I know I showed you this earlier, but just for the audience that wasn't there, how young they are compared to everyone else who is as young as them, they should be better set up to go back to back because some of the parts if it is, they get worn down or they'll all of the guys from last year are back this year. And I would argue that this year's team, even if the numbers don't say it, I actually think this Thunder team is better than last year's Thunder team because of all of the rampant injuries this year. Last year it was basically just Chet.

This year it's been Jalen Williams and a bunch of other guys. So yes, the spurs are as young there, but look at how long their guys are under contract. If J-Dub, Chet, and SGA is the core of a team that was good enough. to win last year's title. Yeah. And they are good enough as a core to win this year's title. And the three of those guys are under contract through 2031. And Sam Presti, yes, one of the stars of Pipeline of the pros,

is the guy who has to figure out, do I want to pay Dort or Kason Wallace? What am I going to do with Mitchell and McCain? And he has all of his first round picks and extra draft capital, which might not be the most valuable draft capital in the world, but they are lottery tickets for a reason. Sure. It could be that 7% chance of the Clippers pick this year becomes a top four pick. He's going to be able to wheel and deal to continue to build a team out around SGA,

Chet, and Jalen Williams, which has been good enough to be one of the winningest teams in basketball over a two-year span in the last 50 years. So I agree with you that those three guys are going to be around for the long haul. I don't know that Dort or was it Case and Wallace? I don't know that either one of those guys is getting another. contract after this one. I think, I mean, they, not because they're not good enough, just I don't know if they're going to pay for it. I would be a little more nervous than you seem to be about what Jalen Williams you're going to get this postseason. Because Jalen Williams last postseason

after being injured, you know, during the, though Chet was injured in the regular season. The jailing was during last postseason was excellent for them. It was unbelievable. And this year, he hasn't been the same guy yet this year. We'll see if he is in the playoffs. But my biggest, I agree with you, Danny, if they win this title, they are maybe a coin flip to be considered a dynasty. That if they get, because even if you don't win three in a row, if you win three and four years, you're at least in the mix. Three and five maybe, but you're in the, you're in the mix. People will debate it. Like the Miami Heat, though, definitively, we're not a dynasty.

They got two. They went to four straight finals, got two. championships, no one considers them a dynasty. That's right. But the flip side to it is, and while they are the favorites, Vegas would say it is slightly less than 50% that they win this title. If they don't win this year, they are such massive underdogs to become a dynasty. If they don't win this year.

I mean, they will be the preseason favorites next year. Maybe. The Spurs very well might be. I mean, you're saying they're going to be the preseason favorites, but if the Spurs, who beat them four out of five this year. And then if they win the title, beat them in the playoffs, they could be. You didn't convince me. I'm sorry to tell you.

He was never going to admit it. He was never going to admit it. I was drawn dead there. O.T. War Room on the other side. Welcome back as we are now seven days away from the 2026 NFL draft. We want to bring you inside our OT War Room, where every day we talk the biggest storylines ahead of the draft, which is now next week. Greg Jennings, Willie Colon, myself, taking calls.

And gentlemen, we're talking teams. because it is said the teams with two first round picks are the teams that can kind of control the draft because they've got that ammunition to move up or down. We already did a Chiefs War Room. We're doing a Cowboys War Room next week. So Jets, Browns, and Dolphins we're going to tackle here today. And Willie, I want to start with you.

You cover the Jets. You played for the Jets. You know this team very well. Two and 16. What does an ideal draft look like for the Jets, assuming they stay with those two picks? Yeah, stay in that number two, there's been a lot of talk about David Belly out of Texas Tech and Arbor Reese at Ohio State.

Now, there are two different players. And what's interesting about this pick right now, whoever the Jets pick is going to tell you how they view these two guys, meaning so if you have, if you're going for David Bailey, you know, he's pure edge, right? Not like okay against the run game, but he's a guy who knows how to hunt the quarterback, tough, had 14 sacks with Texas Tech, transferred out of Stanford. Overall, he's a guy who you just let off the leash and go get the quarterback. The reason I think the judge should go get Arbor Reese at number two out of Ohio State, 6-4, 250 pounds.

He can play on the edge and he can play it off. What I love about this kid right now, he can be a Swiss Army knife for Aaron Glenn in his defense. He shows up, pops off the tape because of his size and his physical ability. And on top of that, he's only 20 years old. The only issue with him right now, he's not a polished pass rusher. But his upside and his potential growth is through the roof. And they do have a really good coaching.

and I had a really good coach out of name. His name is Carl Dunbar, whose coach guys like Jared Allen, who's coach Cam Hayward and T.J. Watts. So if he lands with the Jets, man, he's going to be taught the right way to how to go hunt the quarterback, so I love him.

The Jets obviously have to address Eds because they let go to Jermaine Johnson. So that's going to be a need. At 16, man, I was on the fence because I was like, man, do you want to go safety or do you want to go receiver? Then I was like, I had great Jennings here. I was just like, do I not?

So I'm going receiver solely because Garrett Wilson, demand so much attention. So if you got a chance of get a Malachi Lemon, right, who could take some of that attention, all of Garrett Wilson, who I feel, one thing about Malachi Lemon, he's tough, dependable. And he's one of his favorite routes is that slant route. He's a slant and go guy. And on top of that, man, I don't know if you watched him during his, during the combine where he had kind of that, that diminishing look, right? That kind of that he looked like Jack Nicholson and the shining, if you will. I fell in love like that. So I think he has a toughness to moxie to play in this market and I think he'll be a great compliment to Garrett Wilson.

So Mackay Lemon, I mean, I know you, you liked him. You had a couple guys in front of him, but that would be a, it'd be a pretty high upside hall there for the guys. Yeah, look, I like Mackay Lemon a lot. I think definitely your edge pick going number, or 16. Mackay Lemon is an interesting pick at 16. When I look at what they need, he fits because you have a guy like Garrett Wilson on the outside who can get, be everything else.

Mackay Lemon is that slot guy who can play outside. I don't want to just pigeonhole him to the slot. But he is different than Garrett Wilson. He is very different. So that's a good fit piece. And that's why I say I like it. All right. So now let's stay in the AFC East.

They have ex-Packer coach, ex-packer general manager. We know that Greg, you love that and you love Malik Willis with the dolphins. A lot of change, right? They got a lot of dead cap space. It's going to be tough to win. But they do have two premium first round picks with 11 and 30. overall. If you were going to say this is the ideal outcome for the Jets, again, assuming they

stay at 11 and 30, how would you have the board fall? All right. Ideal outcome for the Dolphins with Sully, this is your first draft. So the objective is to get it right. You got to take best available player. And if this player is here, which I do believe that there's a chance that he can be here at 11, you got to go and take Francis Mawanoa. Like, there is no. no question about it. If he is available, you go get him. Now, there's a chance that he might not be available. We know that. Right. Some mocks have him in the top five. Others I was looking do have him 11, 13. So it is at least possible. The reason why I say this pick is because you got to,

you got to hit a home run on your first pick. With all the issues that we know that they had and the concerns in the past of who to draft, who not to draft them drafting need last year and years prior, You got to just get it right. Establish who you want to be. You talk about wanting to support Malik Willis. Well, this is a darn good way to start off supporting him. He plays right in your stadium. So you see him.

You know what he's all about. You know what he brings to the table. A guy that can play right or left tackle. You can move him if you want to. He's just one of those players that is a can't miss. After that, you pick him 30th. And I went through the game. gambit. And then I went to another solid foundational piece, Caden McDonnell. Like just

I love him. A flat out dog, a player that you know you can build around. I understand you don't have a starting defensive back. You need D.Bs. You need edge rushes. Yeah, they need everything. You need everything. But if you start from the trenches, as a receiver, I love to see a guy that can stand up and throw me the ball because he's protected. As a DB, I love to know that if I were a DB, I don't have to run and cover for six, seven, eight seconds. So if you get the right pieces, you can build this thing out the right way. You got to start with the trenches if you're the Miami Dolphics.

I feel like me and Greg should have switched notes. Everything he said is something I would have said. You like McDonald, right? Yeah, I love him. I think he's a dog, man. And you talk about one of the reasons why, you know, that Ohio State defense was able to be effective because what he was able to do in the middle of that line. Absolutely. Not on top of the pressure, man, he demands double teams.

You turn on that tape. He's eating up double teams and still being productive. So that's a great pick for him. All right. By the dolphins. Yeah, by the dolphins. Greg made it for the dolphins. Yeah.

All right. So now let's go to the AFC North. I'm going to put the GM hat on for a Brown's team that finished five and 12 last year. We know Miles Garrett set the sack record. We know their defense is solid. And yet there they were. yet again, bad. And they had the sixth and the 24th pick in the draft.

And everyone I read is like, left tackle, left tackle, left tackle. And I agree. They've got Zion Johnson. They got Elton Jenkins. Like, they made a lot of moves on the interior of their offensive line, and there is a huge hole at left tackle. But I'm going to wait a minute to address that pick. I told you's going to save my guy.

I'm going to wait just a minute. Because if you look at what they got from Greg's position, wide receiver last year. Arguably the worst wide receiver won production in the NFL. Jerry Judy was their number one receiver in terms of production last year, barely cracked 600 yards. Yes, wide receiver is deeper, left tackle, a very premium position. I understand that. But if you can go out and get Carnell Tate and you just put him in there and you say, similar to keeping a Miami guy home, we're keeping a guy who was at Ohio State, we're keeping him in Cleveland, we're taking the next guy out of wide receiver you, it is.

a safe pick. There's almost no way you see a guy like this being a bust. The Browns actually need to start hitting on guys who are going to, you know, live up to their draft potential. No one's going to say you're overdrafting Carnell Tate if you take him at six. And then I'm going to pivot and go to your position and take Caden Proctor at 24. Now, if he ends up being a guard, it's not ideal because of some of the moves you made in free agency. But Elton Jenkins, he's had serious injury problems. He might not have the longest career ahead of him. But if you can get this guy who's 350, maybe more, pounds. Take it to do, Danny.

Take it on two guys. You gave him the upside ceiling comp of Jonathan Ogden. Yes, sir. If you have an elite athlete front with that pedigree at Bama at left tackle, and then you pair him with the best wide receiver in the draft, whether it's the Sean Watson, Shador Sanders, or more likely a quarterback next year, you at least have some young pillars on the offensive side of the ball for a change in Cleveland.

Yeah. I'm good. I like the wide receiver pick, Carnel Tate for the Cleveland Browns. Like a lot of people always want to talk about supporting the quarterback and going offensive line versus what I did with the Miami Dolphins, clearly. But when you look at the Cleveland Browns,

like you got to see what your quarterbacks can do. We understand that you might have some protection issues. But you got to have guys that can win. He's one of those guys that can just flat out win and be where he needs to be day one. He's a no miss. Yeah, I give your selections of A. You did a hell of a job.

Thank you. Listen, whoever your quarterback is going to be, you're going to have to keep him upright. And it's hard to evaluate what you're saying if he's constantly picking himself off the turf. So I love Kenan Brockton. I talked enough about him. I think he's going to be big time at the next level. All right. Well, so there we go.

We just solved three of the worst teams in the NFL, the dolphins, the Browns, and the New York Jets. Tune in tomorrow as Greg Jennings reveals his top five wide receivers in this year's class. That's tomorrow on the OT Warrior. Welcome back. Guys, let's talk Giants here. The draft is seven days away. Giants hold the fifth pick in the draft. A ton of change, obviously, for their organization with the John Harbaugh hire.

Of course, they traded up to get Jackson Dart last year. General manager Joe Shane said at his press conference ahead of the draft that some teams are already following suit and making calls to the Giants about number five. Take a listen. You know, we've gotten a couple calls of teams sniffing around about potentially coming up and, you know, again, we'll just have to wait and see, you know, who's there when we pick. I don't really foresee us moving back before next Thursday night. Anyone here like the idea of the Giants

trading out of the five spot? I personally don't think they can afford it. I think they should stay at five. If you have an opportunity to get a Caleb Downs who I think is a chess piece who you can move them around. You know, they have Javon, Holland, they have pin up. You add Caleb Downs who

can do pretty much anything on the football field from the defensive side. I think he just, you know, he meets a need the Giants can use, especially as far as building that program up. So I think you consider it. If you look at if love is gone, if Carnell Tate is gone, and those are two guys offensively that you really want to add to your team, then I think you consider it.

But if they're available, no, you keep your pick. Might be able to trade back and get Caleb Downs. Right, if you do that, then you add an extra piece there. I think teams are always interested in adding extra ammunition. We're back tomorrow. More first things first.