The Daily Zeitgeist - MJGMB #76: Austin Reaves, Team USA and the Northwest Division Breakdown with Greg Foster

Episode Date: August 31, 2023

Jack and Producer Jabari were pleased to be joined by podcaster Greg Foster for the latest episode. The trio discussed Austin Reaves and his impact on Team USA, Ant Edwards as a star moving forward and the Northwest Division!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm Keri Champion, and this is Season 4 of Naked Sports. Up first, I explore the making of a rivalry. Kaitlyn Clark versus Angel Reese. Every great player needs a foil. I know I'll go down in history. People are talking about women's basketball just because of one single game. Clark and Reese have changed the way we consume women's sports. Listen to the making of a rivalry.

Kaitlyn Clark versus Angel Reese. On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. I'm Keri Champion, and this is Season 4 of Naked Sports. Up first, I explore the making of a rivalry. Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese. People are talking about women's basketball just because of one single game. Clark and Reese have changed the way we consume women's basketball.

And on this new season, we'll cover all things sports and culture. Listen to Naked Sports on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio apps, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Black Effect Podcast Network is sponsored by Diet Coke. Captain's Log, Stardate 2024. We're floating somewhere in the cosmos, but we've lost our map. Yeah, because you refuse to ask for directions. It's Space Gem.

There are no roads. Good point. So where are we headed? Into the unknown, of course. Join us on In Our Own World as we uncover hidden truths, navigate the depths of culture, identity, and the human spirit. With a hint of mischief. One episode at a time.

Buckle up and listen to In Our Own World on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Trust us, it's out of this world. Well, well, well. It's Austin Reeves and Ant's World. We're all just living in it. We have figured out who the next Laker is going to be,

according to Supervisor Jabari. We're back to continue to discuss Team USA and the FIBA tournament before breaking down the Northwest Division with podcaster Greg Foster. On today's episode, I'm Jack O'Brien. And I'm producer Jabari Ian from Miles. And this is Miles and Jack on Mad Boosties. And I'm producer Jabari in for miles. And this is miles. And Jack got mad boost. Sometimes Jabari got mad boost.

I think we nailed that. I think we got that. Yeah. That was all right. Beauty. There we go. Davis. Driving, spinning, fading.

Curry, a three-pointer. Steph Curry from downtown again. I've been spinning, fading, hitting. Curry, a three-pointer. Bang! Steph Curry from downtown again. Giannis with the take. Uh-oh, look out. Little showtime. What you got, Giannis? Greg, what's happening, man?

Hi. Thank you guys for having me. I just want to say, just right off the top, I'm enjoying the FIBA tournament a lot. And I think it's the one time, that and the Olympics is when I can actually be a nationalist. Yeah. Every other time it's like, meh, whatever, okay, sure. But as soon as I hear that national anthem during FIBA

or the Olympics, I'm all in. Back, get straight. You're saluting. Oh, yeah, absolutely. Saluting the flag that you got in you know back get straight you're saluting oh yeah absolutely flag that you got in the corner i got you yeah i'm not mad at that i'm i'm i'm all in it's fun and i uh would do just about anything to get ants on my team i feel like i know what it's like to be a lakers fan when watching when like watching fiba because it's like there's such a superiority complex i get when i'm like watching like somebody do something it's like, there's such a superiority complex. I get when I'm like watching, like somebody do something for another team.

And I'm like, Oh, okay. That was cute. This is what it's like to win and have a story franchise and like a legacy of winning. Yeah. Yes.

This is a, this is a nice change. I gotta be honest with you guys. It's pretty awesome. It's pretty awesome. I was more talking about from like a toxic, uh, condescension standpoint of just assuming everybody for every other team would like to be playing secretly wishes they were playing for my team. That's how I feel when I'm watching international ball.

I don't think it's necessarily true, but it doesn't help that Team USA was teasing us. but it doesn't help that team USA was teasing us, us Lakers fans, us toxic, you know, nation, uh, saying things like this duo and putting up a picture of aunt and Austin. I mean,

if you don't want, if you don't want me to come to the party, don't send me an invite. I mean, honestly, that's the, that's the white man can't jump sequel. We actually deserve.

Yes. Yeah. That's, uh, that's a lot of fun. They'd, they'd be a good time together. I love that that is just them tempting you.

Just putting them in a picture together and referring to two players as a duo is a statement about the future of the Lakers. Not to lean into the stereotype, but is there any other eventual outcome? future of the Lakers. I mean, really, not to lean into the stereotype, but I mean,

is there any other eventual outcome? I mean, it was written. So I'll see you guys in a few years. Yeah, they posted that photo to social and all of a sudden Photoshop stock rose like billions of dollars.

But Greg, you are a friend of the show. You co-host unsalvageable with one of our favorite guests in uh miles and jack i'm at boosty's history sarah todd she's wonderful she's the best she's like exploring the catacombs right now somewhere in paris or i don't know what the music for both of them. Yeah. Miles is in Europe. Kanye is in Europe. Appears to be having a good time. Sarah is

in Europe. How is everyone affording Europe right now? I don't know. I think we're all just going I need secrets here. My DMs are wide open. Please. I'm supposed to go next year and like I don't know. I hope my kid likes not going to college i went to uh the jersey shore this weekend or this summer and so why would i

need to go to europe when i went to the jersey shore i mean really get your delco accent going like um via pittsburgh or is that oh the pittsburgh accent yeah i get them confused they're pretty close they're pretty close i mean yeah like pittsburgh it's all kind of the same thing just say go birds and you're fine yeah yeah because that means eagles or ravens and you've got it covered so what have you guys been watching FIBA ball? What have your takeaways been? I think that Bo Cruz is the greatest player of all time and

I'm really looking forward to Hustle too. Yeah. I'm looking at you like Ant looked at him. I mean my biggest takeaway and I mentioned this before the show is that outside of Team USA and and we can get into that, I'm sure, Luka's basically Luka regardless of the court. He's so good, man.

If he's on the NBA, he's going to give you 36-ish, 10-ish, and 5-ish, or whatever the case may be. If he's in FIBA tournament, same deal. He's pretty much a lock for those numbers yeah uh i mean the guy obviously like unsalvageable i'm a utah jazz fan the guy who uh i'm obviously very high on and very excited about is lowry marketing and you know the big question going into the utah jazz this season this year is can he have a repeat performance you know he was an all-star last year started the all-star game put up you know what was it 25 7 and and i think two or three four assists uh and he looks great and uh i've had my eyes kind of focused on him and i'm i'm excited for what he can do for

my team next year and then awesome on the u.s team austin reeves looks really good i mean if this is the austin reeves the lakers get it's not fair regular season that's really that's really really scary and yeah exceptionally annoying yeah um yeah he he has at times looked like the best player on the team on a team where I thought he was just going to be in the mix for a solid contributor on the second team but he's been putting up numbers everywhere and just been doing basically

what he was doing at best for the Lakers in the playoffs and towards the end of last year. Like that's what he seems to be doing again, just picking up where he left off. I got to be upfront about this. And look, and I promise you, I'm placing aside the usual jokes that I'm going. Austin Reeves is a solid basketball player. He's really good. If you put him on a team that's laced with talent, he's going to really shine specifically because he does a lot of the little things well. He's not dunking from the

free throw line, but he's still in that. He's still athletic. He's not shooting 48% from three, but he's going to knock down the open ones. I get it. Folks get tired of Lakers players and Lakers fans in general but in particular lakers players always being in the conversation but this is one where it's actually warranted yeah i mean one of the the things that that sarah and i talk about a lot is you know if you want a winning team and and i'm simplifying this but you've got your you've got your guys and you've got your dudes you know someone like for the utah jazz larry markin is our dude uh and then we've got you know you role players who are your

guys on this team usa austin reeves surprisingly looks like he looks like a dude he looks like again we've talked about uh the the robin to ann edwards batman and that's uh that's super Robin to Ant Edwards Batman and that's super surprising but yeah if this is who he is moving forward then the contract he's going to get and moving forward this is a guy that a lot of people are going to

want on their teams and seems like he can be that kind of missing piece and that ancillary playmaker the Lakers need especially as lebron continues to age yeah and ant seems like he continues to improve are you are you guys seeing like based on what he's doing in the tournament are you are you expecting like kind of a step up for him or kind of same same general area he was in before i have a scorching hot take about ant and i think every year that i've seen him first of all i thought that he should have been rookie of the year um i'm not that i'm like besmirching lamella ball or anything because he's great um

but i thought that ant was just a better player and i still do uh and then him making the all-star team last year and him looking like he is you know he's the guy on this team and could be, you know, the guy moving forward in the Olympics. I think if he continues on this trajectory, we could in a couple of years be talking about at Edwards is the face of the league. I think he's like,

he's right up there. I think like, you know, almost figuratively, but also sorry for the stupid pun, but John Moran kind of shot himself in the foot with all of the stuff that he did. And I kind of thought that he was going to be that guy. I have a five-year-old who I coached, and all the kids his age and kind of in that age group were just obsessed with Ja Morant.

And it could very much be Ant, because he is, he's so exciting and he's so good. And like, he's really kind of proven that he's like the dude in Minnesota now. Yeah. And I think that can move forward. I mean, I don't know if, if Minnesota is the market and who knows if he stays there, but like, I I'm, I'm, what I'm saying is I'm buying all this stock on at right now. Yeah. Yeah. There were like, there are a couple of times in every game where he does something and I'm like,

Oh, he has like multiple levels still to go up. Like he's already really like really, really good. And he has like, he, he does things on defense and offense every once in a while where I'm just like,

man, he, he does things on defense and offense every once in a while where I'm just like, man, he, he could be just incredible. Like we've like nothing we've ever seen before. So, um, yeah, I'm excited about that.

The other big story I feel like was Rondé Hollis Jefferson just showing up and like he, everybody was saying he reminded them of kobe like from his game perspective but he also like just like kind of looked like kobe like it was built like him like just all all the different things he was doing it was wearing number 24 um it was it was interesting. He, he like was really doing a pretty good Kobe impression, like in a, in a lot of ways. I don't know. Did you guys catch that coming to a comic con near you? Yeah, exactly.

Cosplay FIBA edition. Yeah. I look more than anything. I looked at it and said like, wait, is he still in the league? Because, you know, look, I recognize the NBA is different than FIBA. International tournaments, the play there is going to be different. If you're in a situation where you can put up 30-plus in back-to-back games, and you're 6'6", and you're still young enough,

I would at least expect you to get a look. So I'm actually intrigued to see if he gets a look in camp from a team. Yeah. So I'm actually intrigued to see if he gets a look in camp, like from a team. Yeah. So this is, you know, a Lakers fan looks at whoever the best player is in the whole tournament and says, they're going to want to play for us. It's a matter of time until he's on the Lakers. A Sixers fan is like, oh, that guy's not in the league.

Oh, maybe we could like get him in for for a tryout or something. Maybe we could sign him to a... This is the guy that got my eyes lighting up. 6'6 and can do damage from the mid post. Yeah, man. I'll take it. And then there's us Jazz fans who were just like,

that's a nice player. I hope he does well. He seems nice. You guys are so nice. He seems great. He seems like a nice player i hope he does well he seems so nice he seems great he seems like a nice guy um all right speaking of your jazz fandom we are gonna take a quick break and when we come back we are going to do our preview of the northwest division i love that we're doing these previews divisionally and i know i and this is the only time in my life, I think, that I've thought of teams based on their divisions. Like, oh, the

Northwest division, of course. Get abolished divisions. Yeah, for real. Just get rid of it. Useful for podcasts. Yes. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. So we're going to take a quick break.

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And we're back. And all right. So the Northwest division is the nuggets. You might remember won the NBA championship last year. The jazz, the wolves who might have the future face of the league on their team. The Thunder who might also have the future face of the

league on their team. Speaking of great FIBA performances. Yeah. I was talking about Chet. Who are you talking about? No, I'm just playing. And the Blazers, of course. We have been looking at what their record was last year

and what they're over under is this year. The Nuggets, it seems like the pattern has been that Vegas inexplicably is going, is thinking every team is going to lose, is going to decrease the number of wins. The Nuggets, they are giving a game and a half over last year so last year they went 53-29 this year they have them going 54 and a half

as the over under that seems about right to me it's hard for me to like count out any team with Nikoli Jokic I think he pretty firmly cemented himself this last year as the best player in basketball and you know I think until somebody

can prove that they can stop him and Murray, then I'm not going to bet against them. I'm right there with you. 54.5 seems about right. Honestly, if they stay healthy, I wouldn't even be shocked if it's in the high 50s. They did lose Bruce E.B.

Bruce E.B. ain't going nowhere. Oh, okay. Oh, I'm sorry is he not Is he not sir He went to Indiana because everybody Looked at him and had the same Idea he was That fantasy sleeper that everybody

Has and everybody's like oh I was gonna take him But anyways Brucey B gone They Re-signed Reggie Jackson and signed Justin Holiday. I might, just to be

a contrarian, take the under on this. And by the under, I mean like, expect them to be as good as they were last year and win the title again. But like that would still be the slight under. I don't know why they're much better than they were last year um i don't know i guess i guess like this is assuming they're at

peak health for the whole season yeah for sure i mean this is always with the caveat of injuries right right yeah yeah like i you know i posed the question you know will there be a chance championship hangover? And while it's certainly a possibility, for whatever reason, this seems like a team that's not going to have one. And that can be conjecture, but I'm not sure. For whatever reason, it seems like they're just going to roll back into the season like they did before. Alright, up next, your Utah Jazz! Last year, they, pew, pew.

Last year, they went 37-45. This year, they have them going 35.5 wins. What say you, Greg? I think that's insanity. You think they can be better than that? Maybe I'm being a homer, but I think if you look up and down this roster and the moves they've made, as well as the progress that this team made. I mean, like, let's rewind the tape back a year ago from now. I had the Jazz slated as winning somewhere between like 18 and 22 games.

I thought they were going to be garbage. And I was like fully buckled in, strapped in for just like a complete rebuild and with lowry's ascension with walker kessler coming in and being an all-rookie guy uh and then just like a cavalcade of role players and and you know the rise of another rookie and ochaya bhaji like they completely exceeded expectations This is probably a team who, if they weren't actively tanking last year, at least makes the play game. And,

you know, and then you add, you add, you know, I thought that they had a really solid draft with Keontae, George Taylor, Hendricks, and Bryce sense of ball,

and then making the move for John Collins. Like, I think, especially when you when you when you analyze that like you you got john collins for the corpse of rudy gay and a couple of uh second round picks and like that alone makes your team better and i know that there are question marks about john collins and if he still got it, he still got the fit. But the fact of the matter is he's a better player than Rudy Gay. And he's probably, you know, I would, I would say a better player than Kelly Olenek, who they were starting for the majority of their season.

So if they, if they end up having a worse record than last season, I will be, I will be pretty shocked. I don't think that this is a team that's like a contender right now you know i would say that their ceiling is 500 i would say or sorry their floor is 500 and their ceiling is like an eight seed seventh or eighth seed you know okay i mean a 500 might be eight seed, right? Yeah, I think that their ceiling is the play-in. I really do. Sorry, I keep saying their ceiling. Their floor is the play-in, and their ceiling is like...

If everything goes perfectly, Lowry has another repeat performance, and everybody on the team continues to elevate and become better and develop like yeah this is a six seed wow i love it man i love it must be so nice to be a fan of a team that's not the 76ers and just like have like you know hope and just positive energy for your team and just that like and i'm and I'm convinced too. I'm not saying like, it must be nice to like be delusional.

Like I, you just convinced me I'm, I'm in, I'm on board. This is like a lock that it's a over because why would they be worse than last year? Yeah. Like it's,

there's nothing that makes sense about that. And I would, I would also say that like, I also don't think the jazz are done. The jazz have, what is it, 12 first-round draft picks between now and 2029. This is a team that knows they still need to develop. This is a team that knows it still has holes in the roster. And if there is a big name at the trade deadline who is disgruntled,

one of the first teams that general manager calls is the Utah jazz, knowing that they're like the ones who could actually facilitate a big trade. Yeah. And you know, if they, if they land someone, let's just say like Austin's like hypothetically, someone like Luca is,

you know, fed up with Dallas at the trade deadline. It demands a trade. Like that's, that's a deal. The jazz can do the jazz have enough assets and cap space to be able to do the Kevin Durant of Phoenix suns deal three times over. Oh, right.

Okay. So we talked about this actually before the summer, it might've been during the season on, on your show. What about, what about the idea of bringing your man? You'll bring it, you'll bring it, bring in Dame over to this Miami thing. Who knows what, you know, what's going to come of it. He's just sitting there. It, you know, we're going to get to Portland.

They can't really do anything until they pull the switch on that. Why not go after him? I say this with, with the caveat that like I'm full Dame. I've been a fan of him since, you know, he was at Weber state. I got the, you know, I was at Weber state. I got the, uh, you know, I'll,

I'll brag and say, I was able to even play pickup ball with him a few times when he was back here in Utah, you know, X number of years ago, you smoked him. You said he would actually, like you were way better than him.

Yeah. Uh, white guy. Uh, you know, just, he wasn't able to handle the three-foot vertical Al Jefferson baby hook.

That is my go-to. But I love Dame, and I think absolutely you add Dame to this team, and he elevates the ceiling right now. But we're talking about a guy who's on the wrong side of 30

who's also owed $65 million when he's 36. Yeah. And like, I still don't believe in my heart of hearts. You put Damian Lillard on this team, you know, and you facilitate that trade with all the, you know,

the assets you're probably saying goodbye to either one, if not both of Walker Kessler and Ochia Baji for that trade. And then you still have holes you put dame on that team it still doesn't beat denver in a seven game series that like adding damian lillard to the utah jazz does not get them over the hump it does not it does not help them reach the mountaintop and then you've blown your load for a guy who you have about a two-year window to win and i don't think that's possible i think this is a team that is still in development and is still in a rebuild while

rebuilding and developing quicker than we thought they were after the gobert and mitchell trades it's it's not enough and i think that it would be misguided whereas like if you put them on a team ostensibly like like uh or hypothetically like miami with a bam and with a jimmy butler like that's a title contending team within the next two years yeah so i like dame i think he's great future hall of does not fit the utah jazz's timeline i had no idea that weaver state was in utah prior to like you know yeah it's like 45 minutes from my place yeah that's crazy dame mentioning it a couple years back was when i found out yeah i was like i was like utah ties what are you talking about oh yeah what why did he end up there is he from he's just like no he's from Oakland. He wasn't highly regarded or highly recruited coming out of high school.

That was the team that gave him a scholarship, gave him a chance. Where's his underrated documentary? Can't wait to see that. It's coming. I'm sure. He got the Modelo commercial. Doesn't that work?

I know. That's a preview. It's the trailer. Yeah. There you right the wolves they have 43 and a half wins over under last year they were at 42 lost to the nuggets in the first round the big thing that i think would determine like how good they are is ant gets way better like or continues to get better. Cat is obviously a question mark. Gobert real question mark. I don't know.

They were getting in fist fights at the end of last season with each other. What do we do? What do we do here? Can I quickly piggyback on Greg's hot take from earlier? Because for one, I don't think it's necessarily as hot of a take. Ant is currently on the trajectory of Dwayne Wade and Kobe and that type.

To be clear for anybody out there that doesn't understand what I'm saying, I'm not saying he's as good as those guys. But the trajectory that he's currently on is that type of pace. If he has another level, we're already going to be having that type of conversation in terms of his impact on this team. Not only am I going over on this, much like Greg was very positive that they were going over, that the Jazz were going to go over their know their expectations i think the wolves are a solid playoff team this year and i think it's going to be on the back of and and whoever else is still left there after the deadline yeah yeah i i'm with you i think they are a solid playoff team i think they're a four or five seed um

i don't however think that the uh cat gobert pairing works no um and i don't, however, think that the Cat-Gobert pairing works. No. And I don't know how you get rid of the... You can't get rid of Gobert. That's the most untradeable contract in the league right now. Yeah. Props to Justin Zanuck and Danny Ainge for the absolute fleece of the century. Blech.

And like, you know, I have my hang-ups and my beasts with Rudy Gobert, but he did do some great things for my team. But rim-running centers do not all of a sudden get better

after they turn 30. So is that going to be a stretch for you? You know what I think? Because my hot take to you guys' hot take was that he is the future of the league and the face of the NBA is Rudy Gobert. What do you think? I think we're going to get a lot more baguette

beyond bows and haunt on haunt makers than DPOYs. Anyone with the instincts to touch all those microphones you know it's just like he has social media instincts and clout you know he knows

how to seize a moment like both globally and and in the league anyway thanks for Walker Kessler there was a play though in in particularly that really kind of raised my eyebrows like even outside of the kind of lackluster season he had for minnesota last year and that was uh in that france versus canada game he got banged on by dylan bro Brooks on what was like a pretty routine drive and dunk.

Whereas like Rudy Gobert a couple of years ago, sends that back into the 18th row. And he's just seems like he's just a step slower and doesn't cover the same kind of ground. It doesn't have that. That's quite that same verticality as he did when he was a three-time defensive player of the year. And I don't think, you know, that doesn't get better. What made Rudy Gobert such a dynamic and versatile player was his ability to cover so much ground.

And absolutely, just completely, like, you know, watching Gobert in his prime with the jab, like, watching Gandalf with the staff, just, like, putting it down and being like, you shall not pass. And I think those days are behind them. Uh, and then of course, just the two big pairing, I was kind of really intrigued by it.

I thought that they would compliment each other because you know what cat does. Well, Rudy doesn't. And then vice versa. But I, I just don't see that working. And I think if the, I think if Minnesota really wants to make a push,

A, answer their guy moving forward. Yes. And B, you've got to somehow trade Cat and get some sort of big-time haul for him, whether that's another star or a whole lot of depth. Yeah. I hope that's what they do. If not, I kind of see the wolves it's kind of in basketball purgatory where you're somewhere between the four and six seed and yes you make

the playoffs every year but you're a first second round exit at the very very best yeah the best like somebody described their problem last year being that like cat you have to hide like on like you can't you can't have him guarding your four because they're just going to slice you up yeah it's gonna be pick and roll all day but you also can't have gobert guarding your four because they're going to slice you up all day they're going to draw him out and then you know you don't have a rim protector, right? So, yeah. So they're just out of luck on defense when they're playing cat and go bear next to one another. And like the stats really bear it out. Like they were, they were really bad with those two next to each other, um, last year. So it's, I don't know.

It's, it's tough, but I, yeah, I think they need to get rid of one of those two and go bear seems untradeable. So probably cat probably. Yeah. And Gobert seems untradeable. So probably Kat. Probably somebody who fits a little bit better. And maybe, I don't know, a new front office. Let's move on to the Thunder. Julius Randall, you are a Timberwolf. Oh, God. That is what they would do, though, isn't it?

That is what they would do though isn't it that is what they would do can they go get Macau instead of Julius and actually give Ant some running mate no they would do they would do Julius they would do Julius Randall oh my god would they ever the wrath of the ghost of David

Conn James Harden in like two years they'll burn him in the Thunder Ghost of David Kahn. James Harden in like two years. The Thunder are a team I'm excited about because I have a ticket with them winning the title on it from Vegas.

When we went to Vegas. I'm just saying. I saw one game highlight reel of Chet and I was like, this man is the truth. He is the future. No, I don't know. That was an extreme long shot.

Last year they went 40-42. This year, 43.5 wins. That feels pretty optimistic to me. I don't know. They were really good last year. They didn't add that much, but I guess they added Chet, right? So they were really good last year they didn't add that much but i guess they added chet right so they're really big on chet yeah it's not just chet it's also

another year of chemistry and continuity that you're building with that core yeah and i don't know i again like you know sandra hot take alarm i don't think that you know okc is necessarily a contender but they might be the most intriguing team in the league yeah they remind me kind of of like what the grizzlies were a couple years ago where they like they're right on the cusp of being really really good and you know like you know i think shy's bona fide star, if not superstar, I think Chet is going to be really good. I like Jaden Williams. And they seem like they're building just that prototypical modern NBA roster

where you have a bunch of guys between 6'6 and 6'10 who can do everything. Handle the ball, switch defensively rebound block shots you know i think it's going to take a few years for them to really gel but they're absolutely my league past yeah credit credit to presti because like i was one of those folks three years ago when everybody was you know giving them all the credit for stockpiling all those picks i was like yeah well what are you going to do with them well he's he has, and he has absolutely put together a roster. It's the Utah Jazz blueprint right there, baby. Fair enough.

Let's go. Yeah, all right. So maybe my pick is right on, and they do win the title, and I become a very rich man, and nobody ever hears from me again because I just become a weird person who lives in a Vegas casino, grow my nails long. You move to Atlantic City? To Atlantic City.

That would be the move, actually. Just lives in one of the abandoned Taj Mahal suites. There it is. Atlantic City is a weird post-apocalyptic city. One of the strangest places I've ever been. Very strange.

The Blazers over under is off the board currently due to the uncertainty with dame um i could see them you know last year 33 and 49 um i could see scoot and you know jeremy grant and you know that i could see them putting together more wins than people are expecting, personally. But we'll see. Personally, I think it's going to be at least similar to the beginning of the season for Utah where, to your point, they are

winning a few games, but I think they have to look at the future in this one and kind of pull it back. I think they ultimately win like 25 games, but Scoop is in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. Yeah, I'm right there with you. I think Scoot's going to be awesome. I'm super high on the guy.

I think Jeremy Grant's a nice player. I think Anthony Simon is a nice player. But A, I think they are going to fully embrace this rebuild. I don't expect Dame to stay in Portland. I think it's a matter of time until some sort of deal gets done. And then it's full rebuild, and I think they have it in their mind

that this is a multi-year rebuild, and it's going to take a few years for Scoot to really reach his potential. And then, who knows from there? But yeah, I think 25-30 wins sounds right. Okay. Yeah, yeah. I feel like it'll probably be right.

That's probably where they're going to come on the board once the trade happens, if the trade happens. It certainly wouldn't surprise me, though, like Jabari said, if Scoot ends up winning Rookie of the Year, though. Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if he wins, if Chet wins. But I also think there's a chance victor wimbing yama is right away the generationally defensive like stopper and people i'm so excited i got my i got tickets to go see him when he comes to utah yeah yeah yeah i mean

it's like you have to you should yeah he was supposed to be at Summer League and canceled. This was the first year in God knows how many that the Salt Lake Summer League has not featured the San Antonio Spurs. And I bought my three day pass before everything was announced.

Getting all excited after the draft. He was too busy getting in fights with britney spears you know yeah um all right let's take another quick break and when we come back oh great great great great great time it is time for the fastest segment in podcasting we'll be right back. I'm Carrie Champion, and this is season four of Naked Sports, where we live at the intersection of sports and culture.

Up first, I explore the making of a rivalry, Kaitlyn Clark versus Angel Reese. I know I'll go down in history. People are talking about women's basketball just because of one single game. Every great player needs a foil. I ain't really near them. Why is that? I just come here to play basketball every single day, and that's what I focus on.

From college to the pros, Clark and Reese have changed the way we consume women's sports. Angel Reese is a joy to watch. She is unapologetically black. I love her. What exactly ignited this fire? Why has it been so good for the game? And can the fanfare surrounding these two supernovas be sustained? This game is only going to get better because the talent is getting better. This new season will cover all things sports and culture. Listen to Naked Sports on the

Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Black Effect Podcast Network is sponsored by Diet Coke. With NFL news happening around the clock, you'll never be left on the outside looking in on the Insiders Podcast. Featuring me, Tom Pellicero, along with Ian Rappaport, Mike Garofalo, Judy Batista, and NFL Network's team of experts. The Insiders has you covered with up-to-the-minute news from around the league. Our team of insiders and reporters bring you daily detailed team reports and analysis that only the insiders can deliver. It's the Insiders. You're a loyal viewer of the show. Now you're on it. I am a loyal viewer. One of my very favorite shows. We appreciate that greatly.

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We'll talk every single game every single week, but I can't do it alone. So I'm bringing in the big guns from NFL media. That's Patrick Claiborne, Steve Weiss, Nick Shook, Jordan Rodrigue from The Athletic, and of course, Colleen Wolfe. This is their window right now. This is their Super Bowl window. Why would they trade him away? Because he would be a pivotal part of them winning that Super Bowl. I don't know why, Colleen. Catch the podcast, the NFL Daily with Greg Rosenthal every day. Subscribe today and you'll immediately be smarter and funnier than your friends.

And who doesn't want that? Listen now on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we're back. And it's time. Oh, yes, it's time. Rapid fire to close it out. We're going to be asking you to answer some questions.

We need you to just give us first thought. Go strong and wrong, you know, whatever it is. And we are leaning on you to keep things moving. Don't let us dilly dally. Don't let us say. I have been known to both dally and dilly. I'm going with my gut. He's more of a dillier, but he has, he has both. All right.

First up, give us a team. No one is considering for title contention this year, but should be in the conversation. Go. The Los Angeles Lakers. What?

Hey, I like this. Who's not considering them? Who's not considering them? Yeah, that's a good question, actually, Jack. That's where that's the problem because who wouldn't be

I mean, I don't think that they're like the top tier team. They're not a Bucs, Celtics, or Nuggets. Sixers. I mean, I'm a philly guy too like i mean i lived in roxborough but like oh man yeah ah remember last year remember they were like up three two um they look great look good somebody on this panel foolishly said no we are good and it wasn't the fan of the team yeah no no I would never

I'm not an idiot Jabari we are dillying and dallying come on which teams will have the biggest increase in wins over last year Thunder alright

we're at Pascal Siakam, James Harden and Dan Plain on opening night Pascal Siakam in my heart And Sorry, what was the last one? I apologize James Harden I mean, he's gonna go to LA, right? Yeah, for the Clippers

Yeah, yeah, yeah No, no, I would never Listen, man It's Braun Hive all the, no. I would never. Don't you put evil on me. Listen, man, it's Braun Hive all the way. I know I'm a Jazz fan, but like, I wouldn't wish that evil on anyone.

Yeah, me too. All right. You can take two players from all of history to create your Mad Boosties edition NBA Jam team. They have to have played

on the same team at some point. Which two players are you taking? Like, they don't have to have played together the same team at some point, which two players are you taking? Like they don't have to have played together, but like you, you could take Patrick Ewing and Walt. Oh,

Ron and Shaq. Oh, okay. Ron and Shaq. MVP Shaq. Right. Yeah. Lakers Shaq.

Yeah. No Lakers Shaq. And, like, uh, 2016 finals, LeBron. Ooh. Ooh.

Yeah, it's Oaks. All right. Best NBA city in terms of food choices and what is your go-to dish? I mean, God, that is tough. I mean, if we're just going straight food, it's New York City, man.

Yeah. It's pizza. The thing that I miss the absolute most about the east coast is the halal cart chicken lamb right vegetables a little bit of harissa and some white sauce yeah and then what's what's your go-to dish in salt lake city what's the one that like when people come to town you say i got you and take them oh i go to we go to elmore alense and we're getting al pastor tacos okay okay yeah do you do any of the uh soda shots any of the dirty soda i'm not a soda guy okay this is my in fact i'll just i'll get it i know i'm dillying and dallying but i'm also gonna i'm also gonna brag right now i am am going to hit 100 pounds lost this week

from my heaviest. One of the first things I did when I started losing weight was cutting out soda. I got my sparkling water. I know I'm doing a visual bit on a podcast, but just know that I got the Kirkland Signature

lime and it's carrying me. Nice. If you could have any player's skill set I got the Kirkland Signature Lime and it's carrying me. Alright. If you could have any player's skill set for a day, whose and what skill set would it be? It's LeBron's. Okay. I guess. Is it just like, wait, is it a single skill?

It could be like Iverson's crossover. Oh, it's that very shooting. That's the right answer. Yeah. Yes. We asked this of everyone and every, almost everyone lands on Steph Curry shooting. And I always say that's the right answer.

Nobody else's. Yeah. Um, that would be cool to just be like, ah, this, this feels new. Let me just pull up from 40 feet in a pickup game.

Yeah. Just because, all right. I mean, I do that either way. We got to do the next question. Ultimate peak, prime Stockton or prime Zeke? Prime Zeke.

I love it. I love it. I'm sorry. I put that in there specifically because I knew he was going to say that and his Jazz fans followers would be upset. Okay. I mean, Stockton did great things during his career, like, you know, personal life

notwithstanding, but Zeke in a single playoff run went through Jordan, Bird, and Magic. As the best player on a team, Stockton never came anywhere close to that. Fair enough. You can go back and attend any single playoff game in NBA history.

Which game are you choosing? It would be really hard for me to turn down the Game 7 of that 2016 Finals. Yes. The block, the shot, completing that comeback, Terminator, Braun. Yeah. That would be

really hard for me to say no to. Alright. And finally, the question we ask all our guests, when Jabari is co-hosting, Jack or Jabari? Jabari was the one who sent the invite. No, I knew this was going to happen.

No favorites. You can say no favorites, Jabari. This is no offense to anyone, but Jabari has been my guy for, for God years now. So it's team Jabari over here. But, uh, I say that with and no peace. But Switzerland, it's not like Switzerland actually fires a shot in the war and then says that they're pacifists like you just did when you took me out behind the hay

and shot me in the back of the head. He did like siblings when you'll smack your little sibling and act like... And that's why I'm a pacifist. I just like to play both sides. If that's not American diplomacy, I don't know what is.

Alright, well Greg Foster, such a pleasure having you on. Miles and Jack and sometimes Jabari got my boosties. Where can people find you, follow you, hear you, all that good stuff? You can follow me online on Twitter as well as Blue Sky if you got one of the invite codes. I am at DadShamDad.

My podcast is unsalvageable. Are you DadShamDad on Twitter? I am DadShamDad on Twitter. Okay. I think I've read one of your tweets before on on tdz yeah let's go great great name great handle thank you very much uh and then if you're into you know like politics and pop culture i have another podcast with a couple of my good friends called brigham young money and that is your money bym podcast on the twitters uh, I'm easy to get ahold of.

Thank you so much for having me. Yeah. Thanks for doing it, man. And thank you guys. Shout out to our listener of the week, Gritsy Roth, who gave us a five-star review and titled their review.

We love to see it. Don't we folks? The review, see it don't we folks and the review the best and only nba podcast that i listened to uh shout out to you that's the wins you ross that's the that is the correct answer we are the only nba podcast you should listen to i'm told there are others but uh people are saying we're the best one, we're the only one worth listening to folks. People are saying like a dog like a dog they follow us along

follow us around like a little dog that's funny to talk about how your followers follow you around like a dog I could shoot one of them on mainstream they wouldn't do anything follow you around like a dog. I could shoot one of them on Main Street. I could. They wouldn't do anything.

Alright, make sure you give us a follow on Twitter. I'm at Jack underscore O'Brien. Jabari, where are you at? I'm at Jabari Davis NBA, and also make sure you follow our guy at Miles of Grey. Yeah, see all his pretty pictures from Europe.

And hashtag Matt Boosty for show links and updates. That's going to do it. We are back next week. Miles will be back. And we'll be back talking NBA basketball. Who we got next week? What's the division? Do we know yet, Jabari?

We're just winging it. We're winging it. We're winging it, aren't we, folks? All right. That's going to do it. See you next week. Bye. I'm Kerry Champion, and this is Season 4 of Naked Sports. Up first, I explore the making of a rivalry. Kaitlyn Clark versus Angel Reese. People are talking about women's basketball just because of one single game. Clark and Reese have changed the way we consume women's basketball. And on this new season, we'll cover all things sports and culture. Listen to Naked Sports on the Black Effect Podcast Network,

iHeartRadio apps, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Black Effect Podcast Network is sponsored by Diet Coke. I'm Keri Champion, and this is season four of Naked Sports. Up first, I explore the making of a rivalry. Kaitlyn Clark versus Angel Reese. Every great player needs a foil. I know I'll go down in history. People are talking about women's basketball just because of one

single game. Clark and Reese have changed the way we consume women's sports. Listen to the making of a rivalry. Caitlin Clark versus Angel Reese on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.

Do you ever wonder where your favorite foods come from? Like what's the history behind bacon-wrapped hot dogs? Hi, I'm Eva Longoria. Hi, I'm Maite Gomez-Rejon. Our podcast, Hungry for History, is back. And this season, we're taking an even bigger bite out of the most delicious food and its history. Seeing that the most popular cocktail is the margarita,

followed by the mojito from Cuba, and the piña colada from Puerto Rico. Listen to Hungry for History on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.