The Daily Zeitgeist - MJGMB #152: Lakers Popping Out and Showing the League with Esfansiar Baraheni

Episode Date: February 12, 2025

Miles is BACK! Miles and Jabari were pleased to be joined by NBA analyst Esfandiar Baraheni on the latest episode of Boosties. The trio discussed the rest of the trade deadline and the fallout from a rare rescinded trade, All-Star weekend expectations and the state of the Toronto Raptors now that Brandon Ingram has agreed to a 3-year, $120-million extension!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Oh, my goodness. This is episode 152, just so you know. But look, sometimes you gotta pop out and show the league. And the Lakers are in the midst of doing just that. To my pleasure and delight. And we've got the rest of the trade deadline to recap NBA All-Star Weekend to get into and discuss the state of your Toronto Raptors. Okay, my good youths them. With NBA analyst S.Fandiar Berhaney on today's episode.

I'm Miles Gray. And I'm Jabari Davison for Jack and this is My miles and sometimes Jack got mad There you go. There you go. NB driving, spinning, fading, hitting! Batter number 18 has been secured. The Celtics are NBA champions. Over the double team. Oh!

Night, night! Giannis with the take. Uh-oh, look out. No show time. What you got, Giannis? Ed Barahaney, straight from the Great White North. Thank you for? Yannis. It's Barahaney straight from the great white north. Thank you for joining us. NBA Daily at the Athletic video host for Raptors Republic. Bleacher reports in the Reno work for Raptors 905. You live and breathe Toronto.

You're here to talk about it. You know what I mean? So it's great to have you. It's good to see you, man. Good to see you too, bro. I kind of like I want to lean into the Toronto bit since we were talking about it off air just now and just kind Of like every five seconds just throw something at you're a good time. I'm telling you

You're not one of these waste youths, you know Yeah, it's funny though too because like I'm familiar enough with like London like Roadman talk So it's just like it's wild hell. It's mostly the same just with a little bit of flavor You know what I mean? You know what it is both both London Road man talk and Toronto man talks are Influenced by Caribbean culture. Yeah, it's all West India's yeah, that's all we know we sees you know what you're doing Where do you think man Mondem came from? Okay anyway, this isn't a linguistics podcast It is however an NBA podcast. So first of all,

we got All-Star Weekend on the horizon. This is my favorite time. I love All-Star Weekend. I love looking at different jerseys. I like all the competition. I like to see the dunk contest. We'll get into that. But first, our schedule looks like this Friday. For those of you who rightly should be celebrating the holiday that is all star weekend, the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celeb Game and the Castrol Rising Stars Games. OK, that's Friday. Then Saturday. NBA HBCU Classic.

OK, yes, presented by AT&T. Between Morehouse and Tuskegee College, love to see that. State Farm Saturday night, which includes, okay, the Kia Skills Challenge, the Starry Three-Point Contest, and the AT&T Dunk Contest. Then Sunday, the G League Next Up game, we got the All-Star game, et cetera, et cetera.

But Saturday, the Dunk Contest. Who do we have in the Dunk Contest? And I'm not throwing shade, but I'm just saying who do we have? So for listeners who don't realize, I was gone for about a month due to some unforeseen circumstances that occurred in the city of Los Angeles having to do with a wildfire. I am back now and on my feet. And thank you to everybody who were wishing well and sending your thoughts and all of that because it was a very difficult month but I am on solid ground now and I am back podcasting but in that I missed I'm like okay so who do I got in the dunk contest uh

Jabari who do we have in the dunk contest just so we can go through this I got some great news it's jock no I'm sorry no it's uh no disrespect of course no disrespect it's Matas Bozilas okay we got we got Stefan Castle from the Spurs We got Andre Jackson jr. From the Bucks. Yeah, okay, mr. Jackson if you ask me and then Mac McClung is making his back He's back, baby. He's back from the G League. Yeah Cup, you know, they're just gonna like let like like suspend him from the rafters Right and just like and that's how that's gonna be his first dunk. No Yeah, you know, they're just gonna like let like like suspend them from the rafters Right and just like and that's how that's gonna be his first dunk. But no

As we were talking about this before the show What do we have to do to get like the big dogs in this eventually? Is it ever gonna happen or we just don't want to be the case just like stop doing the dunk contest Like don't do it for a year, you know make it like punishment, you know Because I remember uh, someone brought this up before, I can't remember who it was, but I saw that like in the late nineties, and this was right before the Vince Carter dunk contest, they didn't do the dunk contest for like a year or two,

right, it might've been a year. Like a reset. Yeah, like a reset, just reset, don't do it, do something else, try a one-on-one competition if you want, whatever you wanna do. I would love, I know we probably all agree that like a one-on-one competition is great want whatever you want to do. I would love I know we probably all agree that like a one-on-one Competition is great. We see what unrivaled does right now with the women's game and the one-on-one stuff that they have going on That would be dope in the NBA, but just don't do it

I take it away from them and and also maybe try to incentivize it so that stars actually want to do it Like there's no reason that we had Vince Carter come out of the contest Kobe come out of the contest, right? You know Tracey McGrady Name there's Jordan Dominique Jordan obviously Dominique right and nowadays. It's like Like no offense to any of these names obviously, but let's be real Yeah, right. I feel like we should be able to get Edwards, John Morant, Zion Williamson, even to a lesser degree,

like Shade Onsharp from the Portland Trailblazers, or the Thompson twins, the Rockets guys, to just compete, because they would be sick, and their names now, so I don't know. Yeah, I think it's, Jabbar, you were saying this earlier, it definitely is a combination of social media commentary that makes it a little bit less appealing.

And I think also a lot of these guys grew up watching like the Vince Carter, like the bar is sort of like at this level of like, okay, I have to bring, like I have to basically change the paradigm with the dunks that I do in the contest. And I get that pressure, but I think, yeah, it is something to just sort of like,

give it a break for a second. Let's create a new culture around it, a new excitement around it. Because yeah, at the end of the day, like these are the best dunkers in the league and we want nothing more than to see them, which I think is possible. But just, we just gotta give it some time.

Give it some time. I've thrown this crazy idea out there before. Usually people roll their eyes. I'm going to throw it at you. Yes. I want to, I want to dunk on contest. Whoever the reigning defensive player, you're the year. I love that. Put them in the middle of the key. You get the ball to three point at the, you know what? In just inside the half court line. Let's go. I love that. You get three attempts. And you know what? People love to dunk and go at Rudy Gobert. So they would sign up. If you like put me on the list.

Yes, no problem. I'm down. So yeah, I'd love that. And like, can you imagine? Cause I think Wemby's gonna win defensive player of the year. Can you imagine next year, everybody just stepping up to try to dunk on Wemby? That would be incredible.

That one. Yeah. I would love it. That's awesome. Unbelievable. Also, I used to do that as a kid. We used to do like, one guy would run from behind. Yes. Yes.

Drop the rim to eight feet. I'd be like, yo, okay, start up at the driveway. Let's see. You guys. Exactly. And it was usually called light injury city is what always happened. Because someone went way too hard

and then you would get your hand jammed up on the rim. Anyway, look, I'm 40 and I don't do that anymore or do I? Three-point contest. Who do you have in the three-point contest Jabari? This is a more noteworthy field. You got Jalen Brunson, you got Kade Cunningham, you got Darius Garland, Tyler Hero, Buddy Heald, Splash Buddy, okay, Cam Johnson, Damien Lillard at Norman Powell I think that's gonna be a great like actually great. It's fun. Yeah. Yeah, that's a great field That's which one of those guys jumps least on their jumper Hmm

Like cuz I feel like that that is the type that ends up winning with the most energy at the end Yeah, cuz you don't get tired if you know like Ding like when he's in the contest, it's kind of just like a flick. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I could see Dame. Yeah. That makes sense. Jalen Brunson, maybe Brunson doesn't get too much lift on his jumper. One of those guys. I think that makes sense. Yeah. We'll put it, but that's a bet laid down and we'll come back to it and see. Yeah. So this is, this is all going to be very very exciting

Like s for you. What's what events event? Are you looking the most forward to and do you like to sort of like for team competition format? I was actually just gonna bring that up. I think this will be a cool way to do it I think the rising stars getting a chance to play in the all-star game will be added attention for the rising stars game So now there's more stakes to that There's more stakes to the all-star game because nobody wants attention for the Rising Stars game. So now there's more stakes to that. There's more stakes to the All-Star game because nobody wants to lose to the Rising Stars team. And so that it adds a little bit more to what you would expect from,

from this whole like All-Star competition wise. Also, I like the fact that it's four separate teams and like eight man rotation. So you get to see most of the guys more often. Right. Um, that part of it is cool to me. I think actually that this this will be a good all-star game. They just they got to try man at the end of the day. That's the main thing they got to try. Yeah and this definitely well I mean that's what you want to see is like the younger guys with someone to prove and then people who've been in there like bro we're not gonna we can't let the kids. We're not losing to Tumani Kamara man. Exactly. Like let's see.

My guy Desmond Powell, shout out to him. He actually said it best you can't manufacture Competition, but what you can do is stack the deck and I love this idea. I'm right there with you as I'm And I agree with you miles Nobody wants to get no one is going to want to lose them The best the best possible outcome is them winning their first game, whomever they're matched up against, and then we get the championship game between them and the other team.

Please let that happen. Yeah, that would be dope. And then the team they beat will get clowned on all the time. You don't want that. You lost to the rising star. You don't want that. Yeah. But again, like you said,

you can't manufacture competition, but you can activate the human ego Yes, what a powerful force that could be especially in a pride. Yes. Yes. Yes So I wasn't here when y'all picked the game of the week, but Jabari What was the what was a game of week that you and Jack said? Hey, keep your eye out for this coming week I mean, you know if I was in the mix mix, I was, it was going to be patients and Lakers. So we went, we went, did you think Luca was going to play? And I did. I was hopeful. I had a friend who got a ticket and was like, Hey,

you lost some Reeves, drop 45. That was, that was great. That was bad. Yeah. 45, seven and seven. Look, okay. So this is going to sound weird, but even though they are, you know, on paper have been undersized as I feel like in miles now that you're back, what do you guys think? This is starting to feel more and more like the 2020 team in terms of they've got all types of scrappy guys. They've got a third guy in Austin Reeves now that is he going to put up 45, seven to seven with those guys in the mix no but he's a guy that has that type of game and that type of potential i'm not in all i'm not at all you know guaranteeing the finals run but i feel look going into three weeks ago there's i didn't feel any of this all of a sudden i'm like no we are back into entitled contention moving forward

yeah anytime you get it like in a playoff series you don't want to face LeBron James and Luca Luca Don't judge Like that's just the simple nature of the fact and like they go out they start mismatch hunting those are two guys that can get an advantage basically against anybody and Yeah, sure in the West they're gonna have to deal with like yokich and heartenstein and Chet and maybe zoo bots and if Anthony Davis stays healthy for the Mavericks then Anthony Davis and But ultimately like when you have those two you just have a chance and then you add Austin Reeves I like what you say about them being able to play a little bit smaller like with Vando and Dodo like Dorian Finney-Smith They just can play smaller but more

versatile defensively so they can lock up a little bit and switch one through five and do the whole thing that they want to do to win on the defensive end. So I kind of agree. Although I feel like this is sort of the preamble to what will be a great season next year where you can load up during the summer and just figure out what you want to do around Luca and move from there. But it should be a good team.

I would love nothing more for this to be 2020. Just for me, I've had a rough year. So I would love to see the Lakers win. Yeah, that'd be great. And I might put all my eggs in that basket and some might say, including my therapist, that might be dangerous. But you know what? It's all about hope.

But yeah, I mean, I think just even seeing... It was funny because the beginning of the year, I was watching. Then there's like a three-week break where I was just like dribs and drabs looking and then when I really sat back down I said what did we do what is going on everybody is starting to play at their potential we have people coming back I remember first I was like ah Jabari Dorian Finney Smith and I'm like oh no no no no no I need to apologize my good man. But it feels definitely like there is certainly an evolution happening.

Can we go, you know, where do we think this tops out at? I feel like I don't think, I mean, the best I think we could hope for is to get to the conference finals. That's the absolute best. I don't think, I think we're gonna probably be a second round exit at best-ish. I don't know, but that're gonna probably be a second round exit at best dish I don't know, but that's me trying to be trying to hold my horses, but the run we're on I mean like by the time we come to play the Nuggets soon

We could be in third place and that's a and that's gonna be a huge test too that I'm yeah Very much looking forward to but yeah, I don't know. I mean what what's your feeling Jabari? Like, what's your ceiling right now? I'm not going to, I'm not going to, you know, go overboard with it. I do not anticipate a title. I would not be shocked by a deep run. But from your guys, you know, from your guys' response, I think, I think I'm in agreement. It feels more like 2008 when they got pal on February 1st, 2008, much like Luca on February 1st 2008 much like that Luca on February 1st 2025 Yeah, where they made a deep run, but ultimately, you know fell short But like to s's point came back ready to go

And you know, we obviously saw you know second and third trip to the finals with you know, which they were successful Yeah, it's exciting it and at the very least as a Lakers fan if we can say it's it's actually exciting the future you guys Yeah, this is something I'd love to ask you guys. You guys think like LeBron is looking at himself like, man I'm gonna have to play four more years now because he probably was like next year I'm done, that was going to be my farewell tour. Do you think this has changed the equation for him? Like he's gonna play longer now? Yeah, I hope so, I I I hope so. I mean, I don't know man This is so it's a tough one, right? Yeah, like part of me is like, yes Maybe but also part of me is like we really need to be thinking about the future

And as much as I want him to do what he needs to do to be happy I'm also thinking about like well, no, this is like we're looking squarely at the future right now Yeah, and how does that play? But I totally understand this excitement like that one like, you know Luca just had his first game that one full-court pass he hit LeBron with I was like This is usually LeBron throwing those to somebody else and now he gets to be the recipient of that So for that from that perspective, I'm like, of course, he'd want to keep playing for sure I think LeBron plays as long as his body out physically allows him to straight and to your point. Yes, the answer is yes

I think he looks at that says oh Yeah, he has another chance right to win that fifth one I feel like that's so so important to him and the like legacy and all that stuff finish off with a bang, right? I don't know for sure for sure Well, I guess we should just look at a couple of trades that took place at the deadline. I mean, look, just to keep talking about the Lakers. But look, I am back. So I this is part of my recovery. We traded Dalton Connect. I was like, Oh, and Mark Williams, I was like, Oh, okay, maybe

only for that trade to be rescinded. After Williams failed, their physical was like, where are we at now with this? Because I know there's some pushback on this. Yeah, apparently the Hornets are launching an investigation to like fight back to see if they could get the trade re rescinded, re re unrescinded. Yeah, whatever. Yeah. Reinstated. That's the word. Thank you. Sure. Sure. No one said unscinded, whatever. Yeah, reinstated, that's the word. Thank you, Miles. Nobody say unscinded.

But no, look, I don't think that's gonna happen. I would be very surprised if that's the case. Also, like if the Lakers desperately need a center, I mean, they just signed Alex Len. So the fact that they balked at this and they're like, nah, man, like you gotta go back to Charlotte. That shows you just how bad the situation was. And I feel for Mark,

cause that's now out in the public and he's gonna have to deal with that when it comes to contract extensions and all that type of stuff. But it is what it is, man. Lakers dodged a bullet though, in that sense, right? Yeah, no, for sure, for sure. That's exactly how it felt.

And obviously, like you, I feel for Mark as well. I don't wish anything negative upon him. I hope he winds up getting paid beyond paid and plays the credit pretty well. But if you're the Lakers, you have to be like, yeah, no, buddy. Yeah. No time for that.

If there's any question whatsoever, while I was completely fine with the overpay, especially given the Saturday night special that we got the week before, if there's any question whatsoever, that overpay is, you just can't afford it. So. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well, S, let's go to your backyard. And a bit of a crossover because this is a player we love too, is Laker fans and basketball fans, Brandon Ingram. He has landed in Toronto, three year, $120 million extension. Okay, Brandon, yes, yes, Lord, please, please. I guess overall, I'm not joking,

I think yesterday I was like, wait, Brandon Ingram's one, he's a director? It truly, I came out of a literal cave of darkness, okay? So please apologize for me, for me being like fully being in the dark. But, S, tell me, walk me through your experience now. What, how are you feeling? And does this animate you?

Is this animating the city? So first of all, I'll just say, do you guys know the nickname Raptors fans have come up with for BI? He's wearing number three, okay, with Raptors fans have come up with for BI. He's wearing number three, okay, with Raptors. So they're calling him the notorious BI three. Ooh. How do you guys feel?

I like it too. It's not bad, right? Canadians are, they're clever. They're clever. Some of America's best comedians are Canadian. You know, it doesn't have the Toronto essence to it yet. They haven't, there's no, you know, but whatever. I like the nickname.

Either way, look, I was kind of skeptical initially when they traded for BI because this team is not very good. They're 16 and 37, like they're bottom of the barrel in the Eastern Conference. And trading for a guy who is trying to get a contract extension, just got that contract extension, is trying to be in a competitive environment. You also are like super expensive now for a team that isn't necessarily that competitive

right now. So there's questions of like, what is the direction this team is trying to go through? But I walked myself back from that ledge, just by reminding myself how good Brandon Ingram can be at his full potential. He's dealt with some injuries here and there, ankle injuries and whatnot that have kind of limited his potential in new orleans I think the fit with him in zion was kind of wonky too and there's there's you know potential for that to be the case in toronto as well with scotty barnes, we'll see but Ultimately, I like the fit. I like it a lot because the raptors really need a shock creator, a guy who can just go

out and get a bucket. And maybe this means they end up trying to move guys later on, whether it be RJ Barrett or Emmanuel quickly. And we'll see how that goes. But if they are locked into this core over the next couple of years, I think it makes a lot of sense to to like ease the pressure off of Scotty to give him that space to figure out stuff himself while B.I. can go out and kind of Scotty to give him that space to figure out stuff himself while BI can go out and kind of help the team get to that next stage of their developmental cycle,

whatever you want to call it. Right, right, right. Yeah. I'm, you know, I think this can be. You like it? Yeah, I mean, I'm just looking. Also, how's the, I mean, Ryan Hollins was in the news talking about Grady Dick recently. How has year two Grady Dick been? He's been good. He started out the season really well. He showed off a crazy creation off the bounce. He was making highlight plays.

He was finally knocking down his threes more consistently. Kind of slowed down. I think he hit that sophomore wall. I don't even know if you call it a sophomore wall to be honest with you, but like he, he hit a wall because he had played more minutes than he played in his rookie season, I believe like 40 games into this year. So, uh, it was an adjustment and he had bulked up throughout the summer. And so like all of that weight was gone just cause he had played so much.

Right. Uh, and so I think he's dealing with some of the physical limitations again, but he's still a really good player. And I think he's going to end up being like a very, very important part of this piece for the Raptors. Strong neck, strong neck on that guy. Strong. Very long neck.

I'm impressed. You know, it's funny, the Pelicans broadcast refuses to call him Grady Dick. They call him Grady Richard. That's his proper name. That's his proper name. That's his proper name. So, you know, kind of wrapping it up with your Raptors before we get before we just break beyond your obvious, you know, continued growth individually and as a young unit, what do these Raptors need most in this offseason?

To pray to the lottery gods to just and I say that because I think like it could really change the trajectory of this team Like if they end up with the number one overall pick you're now looking at this team is really interesting because they get Cooper flag They got Scotty they got these guys who can kind of help facilitate around them that becomes interesting overall Even if they get the second or third overall pick and you're looking at like Dylan Harper or ace Bailey or someone else that you Might be interested in like that Changes the tone of what people believe this team could be moving forward So praying for lottery odds to be honest with you I think that's that's the goal for this Raptors team is whatever happens in the lottery will probably dictate what they do for the rest

of the like two three years of this group So it sounds like the Raptors are in the gas station parking lot and they are praying to the lottery gods. Okay, let's take a quick break and we'll be right back. Don't miss real-life amigos Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez in their new podcast dos amigos. Each episode is a party where the good friends get real with each other about life, careers, and everything about everything. And you're right there with them. When I discovered acting, I've just found my calling.

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And we're back. And so one side of the trade of this Luca deal is obviously Luca comes to the Lakers. The other side, which really hurts my heart, I must say, and I'm sure, you know, Jabari, I know you feel the exact same way as our Anthony Davis, local AD apologist, goes to Dallas. And that first game I caught it seemed it. Gosh, it was so tragic to watch the, the like highs that like you were like, he was riding Dallas was riding and he's like, it felt like he's like,

I'm here. You know this, you know, nothing changed about me just a Jersey. And I was like, my baby. So that so cool. That's my 18. Yeah, and then he injured his abductor muscle yet again and went down and as you wrote in the doc, Jabari, they got the full Anthony Davis experience in Dallas. That was really, really, really, really difficult to watch. But I mean, look, we're watching being like,

oh, our baby from over here. But for Mavs fans, I am very, I feel very, very bad. I don't even know why I'm apologizing. I feel like already just because I can't believe the nature of the trade, I will continue to apologize. I don't know how, but thank you for us. You know? Thank you. do apologize. I don't know how, but thank you for us. Thank you. You know that meme of Drake when he has that gif and he's like, oh man, you know,

he's like, I don't know what it exactly was. He was reacting to it. I think he was getting hurt. Kevin Durant getting hurt right in the finals. And he's like, he's, he's face mad. You know what I mean? It's like, oh no, man. That's probably how Lakers fans feel right now?

But it's look it sucks Because like this is probably the worst week to ever be a mad fan you yeah You have you have the trade that goes down. That's probably one of the biggest trades in sports history Yeah, definitely the biggest trades in sports history yeah, definitely the biggest trade in NBA history most shocking for sure and You're on the bad end of that like everybody in every way in the world in the barbershops in the whatever everybody Agrees right y'all lost this trade. Okay on top of that Your GM comes up and says hey man, like I'm not gonna be here a couple of years

It's all good and then there's Protests there's caskets at the arena. Yeah, there's booing there's fans getting kicked out Mark Cuban is telling people to shut up. It's just, it's a lot. Okay. And then on top of that, AD gets hurt. Daniel Gaffer gets hurt. Eric Lively's hurt. You can't even see this team. Kyrie has a bulging disc, you know? There's just so much going on and there's not a lot of hope. There's not a lot of light at the end of the tunnel. And you feel for them because this, a lot of it wasn't self-inflicted. Like they didn't, the Mavs didn't cause this other than the

front office doing this. Mavs fans didn't do this themselves. It wasn't Luca getting hurt. It wasn't, you know, Luca requesting a trade or whatnot. It was the Mavs engaging in this to just get themselves in this situation. It's such a bizarre, bizarre way to take an L. And did Daniel Gafford go down injured too? Yes, he got hurt. That's what I'm just, I'm like, yo, my heart goes out to you. It really does. On a fan level, like, you know what it's like to kind of be like I... It makes you become a conspiracy theorist because it doesn't make sense. Yeah right right right. You know what I mean? Yeah well that's then

conspiracy theories that when we are in a state of powerlessness and confused over like we have we you gotta cock some X when they can't just be this and I do feel bad because I've treated every Mavs fan like they were Nico Harrison when I when I talked to them. I'm like, what are y'all doing? What y'all thinking? And they're just like, hey man, please. And they gotta explain themselves like, nah. But they have to explain. The way you see the recondition. And they're even like, please don't ask me. I have, I don't know. I don't know. I had to lay my jersey at Dirk Nowitzki's statue.

Terrible. I had to lay my Jersey at Dirk Nowitzki's statue. But yeah, I mean, but hey, it looks, things do look bright in Hollywood land. I will say that. And then also, what's going on? I like, we're calling Sacramento, Chicago West now. I don't know what they're doing, but I'm happy to see it, I guess. It'll be fun.

They got the power of friendship working on, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Well, hey, I mean, there was so much evidence that this is clearly the way to go. Good mix. This is an interesting time for front office decisions, but look, Zach Levine and Demar DeRozan together again,

together again. And then also, this is another huge one that I just remember seeing popping up on my phone. It said Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors. Wow, wow, wow, wow. Because what? Because they first came to KD and he was like, no, I'm good, I'm good.

The Miragurand was activated. But I mean, what are the expectations around this? I'm like, this is, I know Steph has been up and down up and down. Is this is this? Stabilizing do we feel good about this or do we have conspiracy how do you explain to me? How should I feel about this as somebody who just saw it on a phone update and went? Oh, yeah I like the car. I like the combination of those names. Yeah. No, the combination is good You know, they've been good over the first couple games that Jimmy has played there It's kind of wait and see because they've played easy competition

And so you want to see it develop over the next month or so how how legitimate they are To start the year. They were really good like the Warriors were first in the Western Conference They had a great defense and then it kind of all just fell apart once the Anthony Melton got hurt They traded for Schroeder and then Kaminga and Draymond got hurt too. And so they just kind of, it all spiraled. But adding Jimmy makes a lot of sense to what Steph needs. Just a release valve, another guy who can go out and get a bucket and take the pressure off, even steps at it.

He was like, man, I just needed someone else to do something else except, you know what I mean? Like he just needed that that help when he was off the floor to keep the game at a distance to try to be competitive when Steph was off the floor. I think they're like minus seven when he's off the floor. So adding Jimmy clearly helps in that category. They're able to be more competitive and who knows who knows if they'll make a run. I'm not sure. I, that's exactly where I was in the follow up. Like what is a, you know, like if a recent expectations, what's a realistic,

good run for them this year? I would say getting into the playoffs is, uh, is a good scenario for them right now. They're like right out of the plan. If they end up getting into the playoffs and then Facing up against Memphis or Houston and you're looking at a team that doesn't have as much experience as they do So they might have the advantage in that category and maybe they steal a first round You know playoff series and then you're looking at the second round and they're competitive and they kind of fight things off and they're like Okay, we got a we got an idea of what we can be next season that kind of makes sense for me for Golden State um but that's also like the ceiling I would imagine right this team could be I don't think they can make a deep playoff or finals run you know I

can't wait to see that game where someone pokes both of these bears um because the combination made my eyes bleed I feel like is what that would look like with an activated Jimmy Butler and stuff Yeah Yeah, yeah, exactly. Also Dennis my guy. This is what his 11th team now. Yeah, wait on Shaq Rainbow Yes, it's official done. He's done it. I was like who who's played for the most teams. It's ish 1313. Yeah. I'm like, because part of it was like, is he getting going? Well, he's to beat Luke Ridenour's record.

I think Luke, I think so. I think you're right. Yeah. Yeah, he was he was number one and then ish Smith took his spot. Yeah, took his spot. And then also another former Laker, Kyle Kuzma to the Bucks. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, look, how's he looked, Jabari? I mean, he's getting going. The unfortunate thing is that, you know,

Yannis has missed the last four games, so it's kind of difficult to really gauge. But you know, he basically scored 12, 13, and 21, respectively, over his first three games with the team. I think, look, people will clown him. I get it, the pink fuzzy sweater, the hair, all of that, you know, all the social media commentaries. At times, which-

Things have nothing to do with his ability to play basketball, yes. It is right there. Boom. We have, the two of us personally, nobody else saw this, but two of us personally witnessed him as a strong contributor to a title team. I'm not saying he makes them a title team,

but I'm saying there is evidence, just recent evidence that he can do it. So I like the move in terms of what he could be, but I mean, none of it matters if Giannis is not gonna be there, so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What do you think, As, what do you think the Bucs can expect? They got 29 games left.

Yeah, I mean, they're kind of on the outside looking in. I still think it's Cleveland and Boston in the East, and then if Giannis just has like an incredible playoff run, they can try to make some noise, but they're just really flawed and they're old you know like Brooklyn that's why the Kuzma trade kind of makes sense because it made them younger Middleton was a little bit older it kind of makes them a little bit younger than what they are right now but it's it's a lot of relying on old guys to do things and outside of they're like five or six they

don't have that many pieces so it's a Question of how that looks in a playoff series against a team That's probably more versatile like if they play the Knicks or they play the Celtics or they play the Cavs It probably is not gonna be a good series for them again, unless Giannis plays Yeah and plays at an MVP level because when he does he's the second or third best player in the world Could they get the Pacers? Yeah, I think they could get it Yeah, cuz Yanis always cooks the Pacers like if you go and look at his numbers against Indiana

I think he dropped 50 last year on them one time. I think so. Yeah What's going on? Yeah, he he just he has his way against Indiana. Did someone make a joke to you? What happened? What happened? I think it was the, was it the basketball game? The one where they took his ball? Was that the? Was that that?

Was that against? Was that the Pacers? Yeah, it was the Pacers. It was the Pacers where they took the basketball. It was because Ricky had scored his first points. Yeah, Oscar Sheebway scored his first points. Yes, exactly. Yeah, that man was high.

Yes, woo. And he's like, and I took that personally. You sure did. And that's usually the fuel of dreams. But anyway, we will wait and see. All right, let's take another break. And then when we come back, it's time to grill a miskeen you, you know,

in the form of Esper Haney in the fourth quarter rapid-fire Round of questions bomb. We'll be right back Don't miss real-life amigos Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez in their new podcast dos amigos each episode is a party where the good friends get real with each other about life careers and Everything about everything. And you're right there with them. When I discovered acting, I've just found my calling.

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founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. And we're back two twos down, you know. We're back as two's down, you know We're back as My goodness, man. Look we love having you on pretty love keeping it friendly We love keeping it, you know light and stuff But it is the fourth quarter rapid fire out of questioning and I have been out of action for about a month So guess what? It's about to get hostile, you know, it's a fourth quarter rapid fire right a question We'll ask you a question you just fired the answer right back like a

chest pass in a three-man weave exercise. You get me? Okay. Don't put the ball down. Keep it moving. Keep it moving. Okay? If not, we run in lines after. Now, you answer. We're gonna hit you with a few questions and I think you know how this goes. If you take too long, we will be so rude to you We will be Americans to you don't get me this team you get me Like a girl bird Brian has started the clock Here are you ready? Yeah, don't start the clock. Here. Oh wait, are you ready?

Yeah. Are you ready? Right now? Yeah, let's do it. Time to play this or that. Time to play this or that. Which player or duo would you choose for the next three years? It's this or that.

In the this column, we have Luca with prime LeBron's athleticism. And in the back column or Joker with prime Hakeem's defensive presence. Wow that's a good one but I'm definitely going Luca Lebron for sure 100%. That is the right answer. That is the right answer. That is the right answer. Well that's that's I don't want to see it. I don't want to see it. I don't want to see that. Either one would be crazy but yeah. I don't want to see that. Yeah. First as a Laker fan I don't want to see that ever. The prime Joker with fan I don't want to see that ever as a prime joker with high prime no no all right keep it going prime Vince with Steph's jumper or prime Kobe in Giannis' body

prime Kobe in Giannis' body that would be crazy that would be nuts yeah can you imagine if if yana or if Kobe could do the step through euro and like what? And then also hit you with the he fade away. Like, what are we talking about? That'd be crazy. Yeah, this is these are like creative players. Now I got to get 2k. Yeah. You know, put these sort of things together.

Okay, last one. Luca LeBron combo or Stefan Jimmy? For the next three years. For the next three years. Three. Next three years. Give me, give me LeBron Luca. Give me LeBron Luca. That's the right answer. That is the right answer. You guys are Lakers, guys. I'm going to sit here and defend Stefan Jimmy. That's actually wrong. Actually, no. No. It's Stefan Jimmy. You're going to do a false sense of security and you messed it up. You thought. All right.

You could make any finals matchup utilizing finals teams from throughout history. What is the matchup that you would like to see more than any other? Ooh. You know what? I only say this because I've, again, covered the Toronto Raptors.

So I would like to see it. I would like to see the the Toronto Raptors. So I would like to see it. I would like to see the 2020 Toronto Raptors versus the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers. Whoa. Let I thought that was gonna be the bubble finals I really thought that was gonna end up being the NBA finals obviously ended up being heat Lakers Celtics beat the Raptors in the set in the semis of the East right if the bubble didn't happen My bet is that the Raptors would have made it back to the NBA finals and it would have been Raptors Lakers And I would have enjoyed watching that series because it would have been LeBron Facing up against the Lakers or sorry facing up against the Raptors the whole LeBron toe of it all and yeah

That would have been very cool to see I never would have thought about that matchup But I absolutely love it and we would have dog walk y'all like We didn't even see y'all Raptors beat y'all three out of four times in that season. You're saying you're right. You're right Pascal You're right. He he over Anthony Davis anytime, you know, sorry Sorry, did the light get messed up in my studio because the banners kind of just came down got in the way No, no, no, what happened was the lights just got really bright in Toronto just went to sleep Yeah, it's Barry Haney always a pleasure having you man. Thank you so much for joining us on miles and Jabari got mad boosties

Always a pleasure having you man. Thank you so much for joining us on miles and Jabari got mad boosties Where do the people find you follow you support you and see all of your fantastic work? Yeah, man, listen to the athletic NBA daily. We're a daily NBA podcast with Dave before and Zina Kata and myself Yeah, basically covering the NBA every single day Which is a lot of fun to do and yeah elsewhere just on X or Twitter I'm still calling it Twitter at just a mama call yeah exactly yeah that's it man appreciate you guys as always oh it's always good having you make sure you follow us on Twitter at miles of gray I'm also at miles of gray on blue sky as well I'm at Jibari a Davis on Twitter and at Jibari Davis NBA on blue sky as well. I'm at Jabari A. Davis on Twitter and at Jabari Davis NBA on blue sky and Jack of course is at Jack underscore O'Brien on Twitter and

at Jack OB1. The number one. You know what I mean? Exactly and follow the hashtag MadBoosties that's where you find the show links updates and be sure to join the conversations on our discord which you can also find the link for when you search the hashtag at Booster. Well that's going to do it for us. That's 152 episodes. Yes, 152 episodes in the bag. We will come back with guess what?

Episode 153. That's right you math genius. We'll see you then. Bye. Perfect. We'll see you then! Bye! Perfect! Don't miss real-life amigos Wilmer Valderrama and Freddy Rodriguez in their new podcast Dos Amigos, where they have candid conversations with special guests about anything and everything. Join them in Wilmer's speakeasy for genuine know, Saturday morning shows. Listen to those amigos on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty and my latest episode is with Bill Gates. This is a world

where somebody can have over a hundred billion dollars. What is that? Social networking. We're still arguing about what the policies should be. Algorithms reward outrageous things. These fortunes are almost illegitimate unless in a very smart way given back. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Calling all Yellowstone fans. Let's go to work. us. I'm not a protector of my life. Listen to the official Yellowstone podcast now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This past season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I spoke with more actors, musicians, policymakers, and so many other fascinating people, like writer and actor Dan Aykroyd. I love writing more than anything. You're left alone. You know, you do three hours in the morning, you write three hours in the afternoon, go pick up a kid from school, and write at night.

And after nine hours, you come out with seven pages, and then you're moving on. And actor and comedian Jack McBrayer. The most important aspect is the collaboration with people that I like, I trust, are talented. That has been the most amazing gift to me about this crazy business that we've chosen. Meeting these people who have such diverse talents and you're able to create something together.

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