The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 05/24/2019

Episode Date: May 24, 2019

Colin warns upcoming NBA teams to not invest in building a team around star big men in today's league.  Klay Thompson has some choice words to all the voters who didn't place him into the all-NBA team. The race to replace LeBron James as the best player in the world is now wide open, and after Michael Jordan's retirement the Eastern Conference still hasn’t recovered from the power void. And, don't miss out on the special edition of: "Free Agency Dating Game" with Chris Broussard, Rob Parker & Jason McIntyre!  Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist, and an Armenian businessman.

Multi-million dollar house, Ferrari's and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion-dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud

on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world.

Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman

help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs, banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the best of Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us

live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Friday. Absolutely packed. In L.A., this is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. We are live in Los Angeles.

We're on IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Remember the old game show, The Dating Game, one hour from now, the herd version of the dating game with NBA free agent. And Joy Taylor is joining me. Joy, how are you? I'm great. Good morning. Your rafters are rolling. Again, we are matching and we didn't mean to, but we got a little raptor love, little charcoal, little black here on the show today. Well, you know what? I think I do deserve credit for, I will claim the raptors. I do deserve credit for that. It's your team. You should claim the raptors. They're your team. Baby dinosaurs are all grown up. I thought they would be extinct by now. The LeBron Meteor for years took them out. I want to start with that. So this was a couple of months ago. There was a poll that came out from Sam Amick of the athletic, excellent NBA writer. and he polled a bunch of people in the NBA, who would you start your franchise with? And do you remember that day I came on the air and I said,

time out? The top three guys are centers. What? Do you guys watch on the NBA anymore? It was Yonis Anthony Davis and Joel M.B. And I said, okay, I'm going to build around guys that I don't trust at the free throw line late

that don't shoot threes and that don't have the ball in their hands. They're not ball handlers. They can't control the tempo. And I pointed out that Anthony Davis, one playoff series win. Joel Embed, not really a relevant playoff player. Injuries, drama, social fun, not relevant in the playoffs. Carl Anthony Towns, a big nothing burger.

And here's Janice shrinking. I mean, I didn't get it then. I don't get it now. Is everybody watching the same league I'm watching? You know what this series is about? You have two great players. One guy you can marginalize. and one guy you can't.

Go ahead. Try to trap Kauai Leonard. He'll just dribble out of it. The whole floor, to defend Kauai Leonard, he can use the whole floor. Janus has about an eight-foot box, and the Raptors have figured out,

let's throw a bunch of bigs at him, a bunch of length at him, box him in, and see how he does it. I mean, Janus, as Chris Weber pointed out, Did you notice late in the game, the guy you want to build around, wasn't even on the floor. I understand. After the Coupal is tired and this is a shot cut violation, but it's 34 seconds left in the game, man.

You're not that tired and his ankle didn't look to be tweaked that much. You wonder why he's on the sideline at the most important time. I do not recall a player being tired in the last minute of an Easter conference final game that was a superstar being pulled out because they were tired. Again, Janice is great. I'm not denying that. But when you're voting as an executive in an anonymous poll telling me who to build around and you can't figure out the basics in your sport, this is why I've said,

you can take a wide receiver out of the game. You can roll the coverage. Weather can take a wide receiver out of the game. If you have a deep threat and it's snowing, good luck. A running back, I can put eight in the box. Quarterback? If I have a good offensive line, he's going to control the sport. That's what Tom Brady does.

But you can't tell me these centers are going to control this league. They don't shoot threes. I don't trust them late at the free throw line. And these games are all decided, by the way, at the free throw line or late. And the other thing is, do they control the tempo? You know, Kobe in his prime, LeBron in his prime, Kauai in his prime. They have the whole court. There was a moment that we're just showing this play on FS1 where, you know,

there was a play in this game where basically the Raptors just invited Janus to come right at him. Look at it. They got four guys around him all sorts of length. He's not a great ball handler. He's not comfortable pulling up. And that's how you defend the big. We're not saying during the regular season that these guys can't be dominant players. But once I get to play you seven straight games, it is much easier to marginalize a center and a non-ball handler.

a non-great shooter than it is Kobe in his prime, LeBron in his prime, Kauai Leonard in his prime. And that's all this series is. I mean, even ask yourself this. LeBron's been the best player in the world for about 12 years, right? I mean, we knew that right now. Now, this year's a little different, but he was the best basketball player in the world for 12 years.

LeBron sometimes even struggled playing with Biggs. I mean, he loved Chris Bosch, but it was a weird thing. So Bosch was a center, but, and Kevin Love was a big, and then they became shooters. LeBron struggled playing with Tristan Thompson at times and Kevin Love at times and Chris Bosch at times. So they can be hard to play with. Ben Simmons doesn't play well with Joel Ambide. The Houston Rockets, the Golden State Warriors late in games, they're trying to get smaller, not bigger. Boogie Cousins, we don't need you.

Clint Capella, we don't need you. So it's not a knock on Janus. But when you're having a poll on who you'd build around and GMs are voting for center, we're not watching the same game. Because this series is just down to two great players and Milwaukee can't figure out how to stop Toronto's. And Toronto's figured out to a higher degree how to manipulate, marginalize, and slow down Milwaukee's.

All right, I want to shift to this. This is interesting. It's got people worked up yesterday. You know, I like Clay Thompson. I like his dad, Michael Thompson. That's a good family. And their guy playing for the Dodgers at Thompson, not just Thompson twins,

the old British band. We got all sorts of Thompson's playing sports. And yesterday, a moment yesterday at practice, Clay Thompson lost about $30 million because he wasn't voted to the first, second, or third, all-NBA team. And here's the moment he found out. Here we made the all-N-Ba team

that's elevated your potential. Oh, did it? They already came out? Yeah, it came out today. You were, like, right behind your camera. Kimba. Camma got it. You were a couple.

I mean, that's cool now, but like, when you go to five straight final, I respect those guys, but when you go to five straight, I mean, it takes more than just a couple of NBA guys. It's like an all-time team, but whatever. That's not a – I'd rather win a championship than be third-team all-N-BA, so it's all good. So I think there's that many guards better than the league? No, but that's the reason why we're still playing, so I don't even want to get into it, honestly. So he lost about $30 million, not making the first, second, or third all.

NBA guard list. So first of all, let me just say this. I'm bummed out for him, but players agree to this. Okay, players, you know, in the collective bargaining and stuff, players agree to all this stuff. So, you know, sometimes the union speaks for you and players agree to it. Secondly is, this is how the world works. Folks, we let anybody vote for the president of the United States.

That's like a really important position. Ever gone to a mall and look around? You think everybody in that mall? understands the implications of free trade, I'm going to go with no. And they're voting on the president of the world's most powerful democracy. You trust everybody in Congress, vote them in, vote them out. I feel bad for Clay, but it's not an egregious vote.

Because this league now has more great guards. It's like the NFL. I've never seen a time with the NFL's got more great quarterbacks. There are so many good guards. And so if you're asking me, and I like Clay more than most, I've said before, I think he's the top 10, 12 player in the NBA. So if you ask me, my all-N-Ba guard team, my first team's James Hardin and Steph Curry, my second team's Kyrie, who can drive me nuts, but he and Damian Lillard. My third team, believe it or not, I still think Westbrook has skills. I just think MVP was silly.

I do Westbrook and Clay Thompson. And my fourth is Campbell Walker and a guy I've always loved Bradley Beal more than everybody else. But it's not an egregious vote. And the NBA guys, they, I mean, listen, Oscars, President of the United States. We put stuff to votes all the time. And I will say this. I feel bad for Clay. And I thought his answer was perfect.

And I understand him being bummed out. If I lost $30 million and somebody gave me a heads up at a press conference, I don't think I'd be as classy as Clay Thompson. But I will also say this. This was predicted. Oh, no, it was. There was an article a couple of months ago. April 11th.

from a San Francisco Bay Area writer and the headline, how Clay Thompson's early season slump could cost him $30 million. Clay had a bad October and a really, really bad December, and that was probably the difference between fourth and third. A writer in the Bay Area predicted this over a month ago. That bad start in a league jam full of unbelievably good guards could save the Warriors $30 million. box and it did.

One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world,

he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets. the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin, this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds,

just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them?

On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WMBA standout, Kate Martin and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. A boy can do it. I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel long. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ledecki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsLice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keer Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free, our Heart Radio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Great to have you back in the last 12 years. It was really written in stone. No reasonable person was going to argue that LeBron James was the best player in the world. It wasn't really an argument. It was silly. I mean, again, and it didn't even matter who won the MVP award. Nobody ever thought Westbrook was better or Hardin was better than LeBron.

LeBron was the most valuable player. I mean, it was dumb to argue for 10 years. I don't care. D. Rose was ever more valuable. Well, he had a better year. It's not called who had the best statistical year. It's called Most Valuable Player. I mean, good God, the ratings are down 50% in the Eastern Conference.

He's even valuable to television executives. forget the league, forget the players, forget his teammates. LeBron's been the best player in the NBA and in my opinion until he got hurt this year for the last 12 years. He was also the most valuable and it shows the MVP award. As you're watching these MVP award winners get dusted out in the first round of the playoffs. You know, it's just, it's a, it's comedy to me. But I think now for the first time it marks a new era. And generally speaking, there's only one or two guys we even talk about as best player in the game.

It was magic or bird, I chose magic. It was Michael and nobody argued. Then Michael left and it was, was it Barkley? Was it a Keem? Was it, you know? And most of my life, you know, it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar before like magic and bird arrived. There was always like a guy.

And maybe there was a second guy that was kind of close. But I think we're now, I'm watching these playoffs and it's wide open, who the best player in the world is. Let's start with my vote, Kevin Durant. but I got to be honest, it doesn't help my case when the Warriors are 31 and 1 in the last 32 games without him. It doesn't help my case any. He's certainly not valuable. He's not as valuable as LeBron.

He's not as valuable as Kauai. I don't think anybody would argue that if you took Kauai off the Raptors, I'm not even sure it's a playoff team. So my vote is Kevin Durant, but he is not as valuable as many players in this league. Then there's Kauai Leonard. Well, I mean, he's having, this is like Jordan. He's having an unbelievable all-time playoff run. And I don't think there's any disputing. He's brought a little mid-range jumper back, which I like.

And he's the best two-way player in the game. And that's not arguable. And he is valuable. Best, I don't know. But in terms of valuable, he's valuable. Okay, then there's Steph Curry, who I think is more valuable than Kevin Durant. But Durant's a better player. Steph's averaging 35 and a half points since KD got hurt.

And by the way, they've trailed by 17, 18, 17. It doesn't even matter. He's the fourth quarter assassin. There's nobody in the game like him right now. There's LeBron James, 28, 8, and 8. Now, he decided last year to take defense off. He just didn't play any defense. And so I don't think you can make him all NBA.

But would anybody be shocked if LeBron came back finally rested and just tore it up next year? I'm going to go with I wouldn't be shocked. And there's Janice. Now, this morning, everybody's like, whoa, listen, seven days ago, if you even argued Janice wasn't in the top two, you were a hater. And then there's James Hardin, who is analytically the best offensive player ever, analytically. Now, here's what I know.

If you don't control the tempo by dribbling, if you, if I, if I, if I, if I, if I, I don't trust you late at the free throw line. And if you're not a great three-point shooter, or at least really good, you're never going to be my best player in the game. Janus, I don't care how many 60 minutes pieces they do. He's never going to be my best player in the game. I think he's a great kid and a great player and a force to be wrecking with. But if you got some length on your roster, you can marginalize him much easier

than Kevin Durant, Kauai, Steph, LeBron, James Harden. So I think the who's best, who's the best? who's the best basketball player in the world, you could vote a lot of different ways. I'm a KD guy here, but it's not helping my case that he doesn't appear to be that valuable. They're 31 and 1 in Golden State with Steph leading. LeBron was the best player and easily the most valuable for 12 years. He was valuable to executives, TV companies, teammates, the Eastern Conference, the league ticket sales. I mean, LeBron, you couldn't argue.

You were silly. You just sounded like you were trying to get an argument on radio. But now, I think it's wide open. And even the guy I think is the best, I don't think he's that valuable in terms of, he's not Kauai valuable. He's not Kauai valuable. And I'm not sure he's Steph valuable. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth.

He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this plant to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know.

Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness.

athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going from the WMBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeke. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile. that means the world to me, and that's what motivates me to win more gold medals.

At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to history.

historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsClyce on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing.

over a decade of my own experience in the middle health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough.

Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keer Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search, learn the hard way, and listen now. Now, my job is to watch sports, observe it, and then have answers and theories and beliefs.

And one of the ones in sports I've never had an answer for and I can't figure it out and I still don't know, why does the Western Conference, for the last 20 years, 30 years, it seems like, just kind of dominate the Eastern Conference. Now, I get why the SEC is the best in football because there's more great high school football players in the South, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana,

than Denver and West and the Midwest. Like some things I can answer, why is the West better? I always had a theory. It's a winter league, and it's a bunch of warm-weather cities. And, you know, baseball's, played in the summer. NBA is a winter league. And if you're asking these guys where they want to

come home at night, where they want to hang out with, they want to go to warm cities. I don't necessarily think that's right. It's the only thing I can figure out. But the West has 14 of the 20 last NBA champs, seven out of the last 10. It's got the current dynasty. It's had more dynasties. 80% of the NBA's top players are Western players. The last 17 MVPs, only two guys are from the East. Derek Rose once, LeBron, four times. The rest are West, including the last five straight. The West has more good players. And it just does. That doesn't mean the East can't have one great team, the Miami Heat to win, but the West has been best. And I'm looking at Kawhi Leonard. And when MJ retired, mostly so to the East. Okay, LeBron basically built his legacy on beating

guys who were over-hyped stars, Mello, John Wall, Derek Rose, you know, good players, all stars, but the real stars were out west. And I look at Janus and I think, well, LeBron built his entire legacy, dominating marginal superstars. Well, look at Kawhi Leonard right now. Who are the superstars he's battling in the east? Janus, not a ball handler, doesn't shoot threes. Embed, hurt often.

Kyrie, small, hurt, little flaky. Ben Simmons, can't shoot. John Wall, talented, but just had another surgery, misses the ear. Go ask LeBron about moving west. It's a different vibe. I could make the argument for Kauai Leonard. And I still contend this. Nobody's talking about this, but we have all these free agents.

You go look at the last 20 years in this league. They do not choose outside of Miami they don't choose the eastern seaboard. And you keep telling me about the Knicks and you keep telling me about Brooklyn. But I think Jimmy Butler could move west. Kyrie a story this week, still considering the Lakers. I think Kevin Durant could possibly stay west.

Zion's already drafted into the west. Anthony Davis, Pelicans trying to keep him, could stay in the west. What of Corai just stays east? I mean, this is how LeBron built his legacy. He just stayed in the east. A lot of guys moved west. free agents got out and he sat there and went, all right, I'm good. I'm just going to keep

getting to the finals. Let me tell you something. No shoe deals. They like their players in the finals. They like them. Kauai ends up in the Eastern Conference finals. NBA finals, that's where Kauai, not a real verbal guy, can make some money up. He's just playing in June every year.

Okay, I got to tell you, I have a weird thing about my personality. This is odd. It's weird. It's not that I'm embarrassed about it, but is a weird part of my personality. I struggle watching awkward. I struggle watching the unathletic kid in Little League struggle. I struggle watching the Jeopardy contestant who's the third best get crushed. I struggle, and I always have.

There's a lot of videos I cannot go online if I know it's somebody getting humiliated. I struggle watching awkward. It's about my whole life's been like this. If I have watched a movie already and I know there's an awkward scene coming up, I will fast forward through the awkward scene. I can't sit through. In my life, I can't. I can't do it either.

I can't watch awkward. I get embarrassed for the first. Maybe I was a kid and maybe it's deep psychologically that I was embarrassed. It just gives me anxiety. I can't do it. There's stuff all the time in the internet. Oh, watch this fool. Rex Chapman does that blocker charge thing.

I can't watch it. I can't watch it. It's all over the internet. I can't watch it. I don't want to see it. So I can't get this out of my brain. Kevin Durant never returns. The Warriors win the title without him.

And he's at that parade waving. And everybody's like, yeah, bye. I can't get it out of my brain. It's going to be the most awkward parade of all time. And I keep thinking to myself, if I'm Kevin Durant and I'm on that float, and I didn't play the last two and a half series, and they won every game without me, I would turn to the guy running the float and say,

take the exit, go straight to the airport. I cannot stop thinking about this. This is going to be, if he, now there's a story out. He's not practicing. He's not coming back minimum for the first two games. And the bottom line is they don't have the size of Toronto or Milwaukee. You can argue the best. big advantage for the Warriors over both Toronto and Milwaukee, because it's not experience over

Toronto. That's an old team. But it's, they can play small. They can play small, fast and fluid, and they're not as fast and fluid with Kevin Durant. They don't play as fast. We know that. I'm not saying better or worse. They don't play with the same tempo and speed with KD as they do without KD. And I, this is going to be, can you imagine? Because they swept Portland. And let's say Toronto, Milwaukee go seven games. They're exhausted. And they open up and they sweep.

They sweep whoever they play from the east. Kevin Durant's going to be on that float going, hi, hi, they're now 36 and one without me. I don't want to watch that parade. I can't do it. And here's the other thing is that if I'm Kevin Durant, I've said this now, and you think I'm nuts on this. But you would not deny that branding's a big deal in the NBA. I mean, you know, like Willis Reed comes back on the court. Paul Pierce comes back on the court.

There's a little soap opera to the NBA. It's one of the reasons I like it. It's fun, right? Is that if I'm Kevin Durant, I'm actually, I want the Warriors to win. But if I'm Kevin Durant's agent, his shoe company, I'm like, if even if I was Kevin Durant, I'd root for my team to lose a game so I could come back in, lose the open. or to Milwaukee or Toronto. Okay, now we need Kevin,

although you can win without him. Kevin comes back, you trail in the series, 1-0 or 2-1, then Kevin saves the day. Then that parade, it's all good. Then Kevin's waving and everybody's, oh, we really needed you. It was great. But if he doesn't come back and they win,

I can't watch that parade. I don't do awkward well. I don't do comedians bombing on stage. I can't watch it. I can't watch Jeopardy. And this is one of the reasons I can't watch it. Not because I don't love Russian literature questions. I can't watch Jeopardy because there's always

two really smart people and then somebody snuck on. They're getting crushed. I'm always, I feel uncomfortable for that person. So that's where I stand this morning. I just can't take awkward. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

FS1 and the IHeart Radio app. And so what we're going to do today, for anybody that's in their 20s, you can YouTube this, while you're watching it, we're going to put a new spin on a classic game. Go ahead. Get ready, all you eligible NBA superstars. It's time to play the free agent dating game. Here's our host, Joy Taylor. Welcome to the free agent dating game. I am your host, Joy Taylor. I'm going to tell you how this works. Colin is going to play the role of a player about to hit

free agency, hit the free agent market. Our three eligible bachelors are going to represent the three NBA teams. They will each make their pitch to land the free agents and Colin, or whatever free agent he is currently playing, we'll decide which team he wants to go with. So let's get started with the very first round.

Hi, Bachelors! Hi! Hey now, hey now. That is Kauai Leonard. Colin is Kauai Leonard for our radio listeners. Let's start with Bachelor number one. Chris, which team are you representing? I am representing the Toronto Raptors.

Kawhi, life is about three things. Money, legacy, and experiences slash relationships. So money, you can get $190 million from the Toronto Raptors, $140 million anywhere else. You already gave up $30 million when you left San Antonio. Plus, we have people all over the city ready to give you a multimillion dollar condo to live in. You got Kawhin and dine where you can eat for free all over the city. you will not have to spend a penny if you resign with us. Secondly, legacy.

You can go to L.A. and own the Lakers or the city for a little while. New York on the city for a while. You stay here win championships. You own a nation. This is a whole country that we are given to you. You will be the greatest basketball player in Canadian history. That's legacy. Experiences and relationships.

Look at this past year. You guys have had a wonderful year. bond you felt, the emotion you showed when you hit the only game seven buzzer beater in NBA history, Kauai. You and your teammates have built a bond. They follow you. You are their fearless leader. They're playing better basketball than ever.

We can win not one title, multiple ones with you, Kauai. Stay. Well, Bachelor number one, you're hot. But it's so cold. It's Toronto. You're like a bus ticket to Nova Scotia. It's too cold. Kauai.

You can live in the offseason in Los Angeles, Miami, Bermuda, wherever you want to go. It's just for half of the year. Otherwise, you can lay on the beach their other six months. So don't even worry about that. That's not even an issue. All right. All right. That's very compelling.

Bachelor number two, Jason, which team are you representing? I am representing the L.A. Lakers. First is the worst. We know that. second is the best. Kauai Leonard, we are going to make you the global superstar that you deserve to be, okay? You're not going to be that in Toronto, okay?

You're not, definitely Popovich wouldn't let you be that in San Antonio. Guess who had the number one jersey sales in the NBA this year? LeBron, who came to the Los Angeles Lakers? Guess which team sold the most merchandise in the NBA this year? You guessed it, the Lakers, and we didn't even make the playoffs. I'm telling you, Kauai Leonard, you come to the Lakers. you come to the Lakers and you will restore the brand with 16 titles that we've got. You take us to 17.

LeBron could not do that last year. He couldn't even get us to the playoffs. We need you. And a couple other notes. Kauai, I know you want to be that global superstar. And here's how we get you there. You got a new sneaker deal with new balance, okay? You come to the Lakers.

Do you know how many shoes you're going to sell at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo? You need to be global. We put you on the map. The Lakers brand. Finally, you know, we got a new coach, Frank Vogel. I'm sure these guys will try to poke fun at him. But guess what? We control the staff.

And just as Toronto added your best buddy, Jeremy Castleberry, your buddy who played high school with him, college, we will add him to our coaching staff in L.A. Just the way we added Jason kid. Your front office is a mess. I don't even know who I'm going to meet if I'm there. Well, here's a thing. You don't have to worry about that because you're going to be in control. We took the power away from LeBron James.

We didn't let him get Ty Lou. This is your show, Kawhi Leonard. Come to L.A., become a global superstar. All right, very good, bitch. That was weak. All right, all right, all right. Bachelor number three, Rob, which team are you representing? I represent the Los Angeles Clippers,

the team that made the playoffs in Los Angeles. Kawhi, come home, baby. You're from this area. You're from L.A. Come home, and here you have a chance and an opportunity not to play second fiddle to LeBron James and that mess across the hall at staple centers, but you have a chance

to do what nobody else has ever been able to do. Make the Clippers a championship caliber team. It will always be about you. You were the chosen one. You were the son that came back to Los Angeles. Look at what the Clippers have. Doc Rivers, a coach who already won a championship. Jerry West, one of the greatest all-time.

He's the logo. He's running this operation. You are very attractive, Bachelor 3, but Jerry West is 81, and I'm young. Don't worry about the gray hair. It's about youth, experience. Do you want to be on the logo one day? You could have that chance if you were able to take the clippers to the mountaintop. The clippers are ready to win now.

The clippers made the playoffs this year without a superstar. All we need to do is add you, add water, and stir. It's called a championship. Make it happen. Well, you're all, you all had awesome pitches. But the shortest pitch, and I'm not much for talking, I'm going to choose Bachelor number three, the Clippers. Oh, congratulations.

You can have them. You can have them. Great pick, Kauai. Bob, tell us what the lucky couple has won. Kawai and the Clippers. You've just won a guaranteed trip to the place. playoffs next year, which is more than any other NBA team in Los Angeles can say, congrats.

That seems like a very lasting, solid relationship. Good, good pick by Kauai. Congratulations, Bachelor 3. All right, time to our second round. Colin is Kyrie Irving. Hello, Kyrie. Hello, Bachelor. Hello.

Hey, Kyrie. All right, let's start with Bachelor 1. Chris, which team are you representing? I am representing the Boston Celtics. Kyrie, let's face it, there are really two franchises in the NBA, the Lakers and the Celtics. You want to go to the Lakers and have people say, oh, he crawled back with his tail between his legs so he can play with his big brother. No, you are capable, Kyrie, of leading your own team. We don't believe the narrative, the hype out there about you this year.

We know you are a born leader. We know you are a number one guy on the championship team. We just have to get rid of some of our young players who want to make money. who didn't understand we're going for a championship this year. And we will do that because we're going to trade them for Anthony Davis. And the narrative won't be Kyrie went to join somebody else. It'll be Anthony Davis came to join Kyrie, one and one A. So stay here, Kyrie.

You win championships in Boston. You're a legend. And on top of that, you can get $50 more million if you stay with us. All we did, though, was fight. Yeah, but those guys are going to be gone. Trust me. Terry Rozier, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown, they're in the deal.

They're going to be playing in New Orleans, UNAD of the future. Interesting pitch. All right. Bachelor number two, Jason, which team are you representing? I'm representing the Los Angeles Lakers. Kyrie, this is a no-brainer. The best success you've had in your career,

better than at Duke, better than at Cleveland the first time around was when you and LeBron joined forces to take down the Warriors in one of the most historic finals ever. It truly was incredible. what you and LeBron can do together. Nobody plays better together

than LeBron and Kyrie Irving. That match was perfect. You hit the game winner in Game 7. That is you. That's your legacy. You will do that in L.A., Kyrie. You want Uncle Drew the sequel? Come to L.A.

They're not making movies in Boston. They're making gangster movies in Boston. We make basketball movies. Kairie Irving fits perfectly. He joins the legacy of great point guards. Magic Johnson. Kyrie Irving. L.A. is for you, Kyrie.

That's a pretty good pitch. I'm not sure. You know, LeBron, though, he's got some physical issues. I mean, how do I know he's any good anymore? Well, you don't really have to concern yourself with that because obviously, you are the star. Look what happened in Boston when you were on the court this year.

Total domination. You don't have those young punks to deal with in Boston. We've got great young players who know their role. Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram. Kyrie, L.A. is for you. Might be heading to Hollywood. All right. Bachelor number three. Which team are you representing?

I represent the New York Knickerbockers, the Knicks for all you laymen out here. And Kyrie, you know you're from Metropolitan New York. You know what it's all about. Here's a chance for you to cement your legacy. Can you imagine? You remember all those parades for the Yankees had down the canyon of heroes, all the ticker tape confetti? The Knicks haven't won since 1973.

I think Moby Dick was a guppy back then. Here's your chance to cement your legacy. win in the biggest place on the biggest stage and the brightest light. Yes, you could talk about the Celtics and the Lakers, but the Knicks and Nick fans are yearning. You will be a legend in New York and a legend in sports. The Knicks are the place to be. Well, I am from there, and Boston's really functional, and sometimes I'm dysfunctional. I've got to be honest.

I think the earth is flat and I think James Dolan is crazy. I'm going to go Bachelor number three. It's a perfect friend. Bachelor number three. It's a white wall. I'm so roval. Oh, okay, that's fine.

Headed to the big city. Bob, tell us what the lucky couple has won. Kyrie and the Knicks. You've just won a first-class trip to the 2020 playoffs where you can enjoy a first-round exit. Congrats That's not one Enjoy it

Well at least they're making the playoffs You know We'll see We'll see how it happens long term All right Finally Finally our final rounds Colin is Kevin Durant

Hello Kevin Man Hold on I got to sign off my burner account All right Let's get started Bachelor number one, Chris, which team are you representing to, Kevin? I am representing the Los Angeles Clippers.

Look, KD, you're the best player in the world, period. But nobody knows it. That's why you got to get out of Golden State and get away from Steph Curry and Clay. They won a championship before you. If you come here and you win a championship with us, you can go down is forget top 10 player, top five player. You may even be able to challenge for the goat. New York, we hear all the rumors about New York. New York hasn't been relevant in your entire lifetime.

Yeah, we know your agent is from New York. He's going to tell you how big the Knicks are, but let's face it. Outside of New York City, nobody cares about the Knicks. You come here, you want people to know you are better than LeBron James. What better way to do it than to win championships in LeBron City, in LeBron's arena, right across the hall from him. KD, we have the supporting cast. We have Patrick Beverly, Bontres Harrow,

we have room for another major free agent. You got to come here, Kevin. You in Kauai or you and Kyrie. Name your other free agent, and we're teaming him up with you. Man, that was a good sales bitch. By the way, I forgot to say, Hi, Bachelors. Hey, KD.

That was really strong. Go ahead, Bachelor 2. All right, Bachelor number 2. Jason, who is your team? Listen, this, I don't even really need to make much of a pitch. Golden State Warriors. Do you like history? Is history your thing? Do you love me? Do you love me?

I love you, Kevin Durant. Do you not want to be one of the greatest players in NBA history, okay? You are going to top Michael Jordan and wipe his stuff off the map. His three straight titles, irrelevant when the Warriors win four straight. Listen, don't buy this. You get Patrick Beverly. You want Patrick Beverly or you want Steph Curry, okay? This New York Knicks thing. Listen, when the play breaks down, you're going to be tossing the ball to Lance Thomas and Alonzo Trier?

Are you kidding me? Kevin Durant, this is a no-brainer. China one plus one, we make history. Four straight titles hasn't been done since the Boston Celtics 75 years ago. I'm telling you, this is easy, KD. Stay in Golden State, open the new arena, become a legend. Man, made me feel good. Go ahead.

All right, finally. Matchel number three, Rob, which team are you representing? I represent the New York Knicks. New York, New York. and named it twice. KD, you belong there. We have 8 million people. We got room for you.

You know why? You belong in a city like this. You belong in a mecca. You belong in a space where people will look at you and finally say, that mistake you made when you went to Golden State,

it's erased. You come to New York, win a championship. No one will ever doubt your greatness again. People will look at you and say, here goes one of the greatest players who ever played in the NBA.

He even got the New York Knicks to win a championship. That's how good he is. You belong with the Knicks and we belong having you. This is all making me cry. I'm very sensitive. I've got to be honest. Bachelor number one made an incredible pitch, but I can't leave the people who love me. I'll choose Bachelor Number Two. Bachelor number two. Both state warriors. Congratulations. Bob, tell us what the lucky couple is won. Katie and the Warriors, you've just won our grand prize. Another trip to the NBA finals and another totally predictable season for all of us.

Congrats, I guess. All right, that wraps up our show. Take it away, Bob. Bye-bye. Back after this. We'll see you next time on the Free Agent Dating Game. This was rigged. I made every pitch.

It was terrible. Great pictures. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. is somebody coming after me.

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles, so how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward.

At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source. the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk

to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and head writer or street or sidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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