The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 07/01/2019

Episode Date: July 1, 2019

Colin points our the Los Angeles Lakers have the best pitch to Kawhi Leonard but they are going to be in real trouble if they don't land him. He is still not buying the Brooklyn Nets even with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. He admits where he was right and wrong over the weekend. Plus, Charles Barkley tells Colin what he would do if he was Kawhi, why playing with friends never mattered to his generation and why teams building solely through free agency are making a mistake. 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. 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 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, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to her. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game 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 herd at Fox SportsRadio.com

Or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherg on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, this is the herd on an obviously busy Monday. Live in Los Angeles, wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we're on IHeart Radio, we're on Fox Sports Radio, we are on FS1, we have a chance today for stories to break left and right. yesterday it was like God created the earth.

It was just planets moving and dust storms and craziness. One hour from now where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, and Joy Taylor joining me. That was a lot of fun yesterday. It was, but I mean, it's what we expected. We expected chaos and the NBA delivered. Yeah, as we said, the NFL, we watch it and bet it. The NBA, we talk about it.

That was maybe the best NBA day in a year, and there was no game. And it was fantastic. Well, pretend your Kawhi Leonard this morning. Pretend your Kawhi Leonard this morning. Raptors want you. Clippers want you. Lakers want you. Everybody else has moved.

I mean, there's some other players out there, but you're the guy now. We said last week, patience is underrated. Now everybody's moved around. And Kawhi Leonard controls the league. and as dysfunctional as the Lakers have been, don't they have the best pitch? Don't they have the best pitch? Sun, history, titles, LeBron, Home, Help, America,

number one NBA brand. I mean, what's the knock on the Lakers pitch this morning? Well, they're not going to have a lot of depth. Not sure they'll need it. Well, their front office, I don't know, good enough to find cap space, get AD and potentially Kauai. This morning, as dysfunctional as they've been, if they sign Kauai, it feels like Nick Saban going to Bama.

A sleeping giant got the right coach. That's what it feels like to me. I mean, you go to the Lakers. Third title, third team. Finally play with two other stars. Best shoe brand for you. I don't think there's a lot of knocks against the Lakers this morning. The Clippers, if I was pitching against the Clippers, I could say, look at their history.

What have they ever done? I can look at the Raptors. They're in another country. Those are real, real, those land. Like players, a lot of players have left Toronto. Good players in their prime. Clippers, what have they done? The knock on the Lakers, well, they won't have a bench.

Well, I mean, their front office is good enough to get Cap Space AD and Kauai. Can't be that terrible. And ask yourself this. If Kauai chooses the Lakers, it is now the only team of the three where he can play with multiple stars. Doesn't he want that? Didn't he take 22 games off for load management? Wasn't the reason I got to get ready for the playoffs. That seating is not that important.

I got to get ready and be healthy for the playoffs. Well, you can certainly do that with LeBron and AD. You can take 15 games off. It's not like fans are going to complain. They only get LeBron Kuzma and AD. So the Lakers, to me, this morning, should be front runners. And for anybody denying Kauai's power in this league, with one move to the Lakers, he can wipe out league parity,

crush the Clippers' soul, and end the Raptor's title window. And here's another thing that patience did for him. He makes Kevin Durant in Brooklyn much less relevant. Think about all those moves yesterday. Jimmy Butler to Miami, Kemma to the Celtics, and DeAngelo Russell to the Warriors, and Al Horford goes to the Sixers. And I liked a lot of these moves.

I liked a lot of the moves. A lot of good front offices. But ask yourself this. Kauai goes to the Lakers. or we're not we're not talking about the Nets next year. Patience is underrated. Wait for the dust to settle. He can wreck or marginalize or shrink all the other moves.

Everybody in the league just got their car detailed and Kauai's the sprinkler about to go on right next to it. There's three options for him. I would contend this morning and I'm not saying. because I'm in LA, it's the best pitch. Multiple stars. Sun, home, help, shoes, brand. The knock on it is?

Well, the front office of the Lakers is apparently good enough to get AD and now Kauai. Now let me shift to another team and another coast, Brooklyn. Don't confuse interesting with great. I think Brooklyn will be interesting.

I never think Kyrie, Durant, Spencer Dinwiddie, and DeAndre Jordan will be great. This is an organization that nobody's ever paid attention to. So they have a new outfit and a parrot on their shoulder and a cool hat and they'll walk into the party now because the Knicks whiffed and they're going to be fascinating. They're never going to be great. Kyrie Irving has missed 66 games in three years and has never proven to be easy to coach or a great leader without LeBron. KD has missed 48 games in three years.

He won't play and most believe he's 85% off the Achilles injury. And DeAndre Jordan don't really get it. I think they acquired him for fouls because they have a young big named Jared Allen. They got him to foul Joel Embed. I don't know. Interesting? Absolutely. Better than last year? Oh, yes. I mean, Michigan football with Jim Harbaugh. It has been absolutely interesting. But it hasn't won any championships. Brooklyn is built to get attention. They're two stars, Kyrie and Kevin Durant, both regularly spar with the media. They're going to get attention. And I think they're going to like it because nobody has ever paid attention to him. But now you're going to get a year of Kyrie Bayam's.

and then he's just as supposed to hand it over to Kevin Durant. Now, I think he's going to get used to getting talked about and getting to shoot when he wants and getting the points he wants. And no mature Al Horford next to him, no Brad Stevens, it's Kenny Atkinson. Okay. I mean, all right. I've seen Kyrie Irving lead teams without LeBron. I saw him do it in Cleveland pre-Lebron. I saw him do it in Boston. I saw him do it with a better coach.

I think we're confusing, interesting with great. 66 games missed in three years. Harder to coach. Kevin Durant, 48 missed games. Warriors won a lot of games without him. I can make an argument if just Clay Thompson would have been healthy. The Warriors would have gone to game seven of the finals without him. They swept Portland without him.

They beat Houston on the road without him. I like Kevin Durant. But it's not like the Warriors drive. up when he didn't play. They dried up because Clay Thompson got hurt and KD was out and Kvon Looney got hurt and Boogie was 70% and Iggy was 60%. I don't buy this Brooklyn thing. And I think when Kauai signs with the Lakers, if that happens, it really shrinks it even in terms of interesting. 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 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. 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, 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

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 or 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 Kear gains is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm CJ Toledano and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before.

knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid.

He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nass would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. he running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball.

Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American Soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramers sending on to earn a score at the chip. I'm Tad Ramos.

I'm Tom Boat. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real. storylines. I'm not worried about Policicic. I'm not worried about Balligan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us.

Listen, inside American soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. 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. Very interesting stuff. Generally, there's a rule that works in every business in America that 8 to 10% of the people make 90% of the money. And we see it right now in American sports,

where it's Alabama, Clemson in college football, the Patriots in the NFL, Yukon Women's Basketball, Apple, you know, Apple up in Silicon Valley, Facebook and Google on the Internet. Very few people, usually almost always really smart, run leagues. Just the way it works. Same college basketball teams generally year after year, number one.

And when I look at the Golden State Warriors, everybody's freaking out about Kevin Durant. But is Bob Meyer still the GM, is Steve Kerr still the coach? Is Steph Curry, Clay Thompson, and Draymond Green, the Corps 5 is still there? Yes. And by the way, Clay Thompson will be back by late February or early March. Plus, they have a new arena with new energy, and they just got an all-star guard.

Be very careful about selling the Golden State Warriors. This morning, I believe yesterday, there's two ways to look at getting DeAngelo Russell. This is the least realistic way, because I think they got him to move him. I think they got him to be viable to the All-Star break and then trade him for a big. And there's a lot of teams like Philadelphia who don't have enough shooters but have a surplus of bigs. Maybe they make a deal. But let's say DiAngelo Russell stays for a year. And then they move him, right?

So Clay Thompson comes back in late February, has seven to eight weeks to get ready for the playoffs. I have Steph, DeAngelo Russell, Clay Thompson, Draymond Green, Jordan Bell, Sean Livingston, Alfonso McKinney, they drafted three guys. If one of them hits off the bench, I've got a great system, a great head coach, and a team that was 35 and 8 without Kevin Durant. I'll take my chances. Yeah, I think Utah and Denver and San Antonio are interesting. I think Houston and the Clippers are fun.

This team, if Clay Thompson doesn't get hurt, probably gets to a game seven of the NBA finals without Kevin Durant. Swept Portland without Kevin Durant. The sky is not falling. Now, the downside is they're going to lose Kvon Looney. A really good young player. Not great. Not a star.

Fits sort of their idea of a big. He's a mobile kind of big guy. Yes, that hurts. But they did get an all-star and now have the most dangerous backcourt again in the NBA. Stefan DiAngelo Russell, they'll add Clay Thompson. Listen, the West is full of a bunch of good. Unless Kauai signs with the Lakers, there's no great here. I'm going to have the most experienced team, arguably the best coach team, the best shooting team,

the most experienced team, the most energized team with a new arena, with something to prove minus KD, they're fine. You start looking around sports. Have you ever noticed the same teams are dominating? whether it's the United States Women's National Team, the New England Patriots, Bama and Clemson, the same people dominate sports. Why? Because smart wins. Golden State's core five guys. They still got them all. Draman, Clay, Steph, Bob, and Steve. I'm not counting the owner. Not as hot on him, but he's certainly capable. So the DeAngelo Russell thing, I don't think it's a long-term fit, but even if they did it for a year,

you'll be able to trade DeAngelo Russell. He is a scoring guard. I know the Warriors said to themselves, okay, we lost KD. Let's just get another asset. Does that mean we're going to keep every asset? Not every stock you buy, you hold forever. Not all of them are IBM or Microsoft.

A lot of times you flip stuff. You buy a house, you flip it. You buy a stock, you flip it. You get an asset, you flip it. DeAngelo Russell is a real asset in this league. The Lakers were interested. The Warriors signed him. The Nets liked him.

The T-wolves wanted him. They just didn't want to be empty-handed. So if you're all burying the Warriors this morning, I trust smart. I still think they're in a great spot, even in the improved and loaded west. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. So here we go on Monday. Colin is right. Colin is wrong.

Where Colin was right. Been saying this forever. All you guys out there that won't recruit like John Wall and Derek Rose, the NBA is about brain power and Steph Curry's as smart as they get. Did you hear this? Steph Curry was on a plane in Shanghai doing business in China, got in a plane to fly to New York. Just to thank Kevin Durant for coming to the Warriors. That's the only reason he did it. Didn't turn the jet around when he found out Kevin Durant wasn't signing with the Warriors and nobody thought he really

was he flew from Shanghai direct to New York to say thank you for coming to the Warriors. Half this league, they're just too cool to recruit. This is why the Warriors are going to be fine. Steph Curry was smart enough to embrace Kevin Durant and smart enough to thank him. And you know what that does? That story gets out like guys like me talking about it. And it makes other stars feel very comfortable if they have a decision to make. Dude, that's a good dude.

That is a good dude. I love Steph Curry. I love what he symbolizes class all the way around. Where Colin was wrong. I've never seen an NBA franchise in one month completely change their identity. Tip of the cap to the Pelicans. I always felt they were owned by an NFL owner. It's a football city.

Nobody wants to play there. Their fan base is ambivalent about them. Zion. J. J. Reddick, Derek Favors, Lonzo, Brandon Ingram, 300 draft picks, Josh Hart. I mean, you wake up this morning and you're like, they may not make the playoffs in the West. They would in the East. What a fascinating organization. How was David Griffin unemployed for two years?

I mean, you talk about frenetic. I mean, again, in the West, I don't think they're going to make the playoffs. I think they're going to be really, really interesting for a year. But you've got to give this team credit. I've never seen, this is like a politician. who gets elected to office and passes nine bills in two weeks. Sometimes you just got to give people credit for activity. And in a football city, they are drawing a ton of attention.

This has to be massively driving season tickets. Where Colin was right. All you Philadelphia 76 are fans, we're going to keep all our guys. And I'm like, it's called a salary cap. You can't keep all your guys. Jimmy Butler, your most talented player. arguably gone. J.J. Reddick, best shooter gone. By the way, Marco Villanelli is gone. Dario Sarich is gone. You gave Sarich up to get Jimmy Butler,

plus Robert Covington, a long guy who can shoot. You don't have any shooters, not many left, but you got great size. And again, you gave $180 million to Tobias Harris. That's a lot of money for Tobias Harris. I think you're a good team. You may be a, Western Conference Finals team. I'm not sure if you can shoot your way there. But this idea in Philadelphia that you were just going to keep everything and everything was going to work out, it's not the way NBA free agency works. Jimmy Butler doesn't want to be the third most talked about guy. JJ Redick's career, he's got a couple years left. He's going to make every penny he can make. I got to give JJ Reddick and his agent credit. You know, he's made more money

every year of his career. That guy has managed his business incredibly well. where Colin was wrong. The Celtics saved their franchise. You know, I said last week, Al Horford left, Kyrie Irving left. I'm like, listen, man, there's an anti-Boss.

Anthony Davis was not interested. But Kemmel Walker's a nice save. I don't think they're a championship team because they lost Terry Rozier. But I do think it's a nice save. And I do think they're kind of small. They don't have as much depth. But they've got good wings,

Gordon Hayward, Jason Tatum. They have very good guards. Marcus Mark. Kemble Walker. They'll make the playoffs. I don't think they're a championship team. But I would say this. It was a nice save because they lost a lot of talent,

walked right out the door. I was wrong. Where Colin was right? I was right about the Knicks. I never, I've sat here for 20 years in this chair, not always at this place, but in this chair, and heard how the Knicks are going to sign everybody. And they never do because of James Dolan.

I think agents struggle sending their prize possessions, their prize clients to James Dolan. I think he's got a bad rep among players. People said, oh, Katie's buddies are in the front office. No, Katie's buddies are on the floor. Kyrie Irving and DeAndre Jordan. Katie's executive buddies are not as cool as Katie's player buddies, and he chose players over executives. They'll have a good summer league team, but I thought,

Kevin Durant would have really hurt his career going to the Knicks. I'm actually, I would have stayed in Golden State, but the Nets, listen, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Jared Allen, DeAndre Jordan. That's a playoff team in a year. I don't know if it is this year, frankly, probably is. But the Knicks, once again, you keep selling me this NBA media, and I keep not buying any of it on the Knicks. Where Colin was wrong. I think the Houston Rockets window, which I thought was going to last.

I think Chris Paul and James Harden for five years were going to be fantastic. It feels like it's closing fast. Portland's better. Utah's better. Pelicans better. Lakers could add Kauai and be better. Mike Dantonee, I like. Don't trust them in the playoffs.

Darry, I like, but there's too much drama, too much noise and too many leaks. I didn't buy into the Jimmy Butler stuff. There's still no finals appearances. Tillman Fertita is a great owner, but he's impatient. I watched him in Vegas for years. He likes to move. He likes to get things done. he sold the UFC the minute he thought it peaked.

Everybody in the West feels a little better. Houston doesn't. And that Chris Paul tension with Hardin, with his knee, with Fratita, and Mike Dan Tony, I don't feel like they're in the upper half of the West this morning. I really don't. Where Colin was right. World Cup going on. Red Sox Yankees in London.

And what stole all the attention? The NBA free agency. Been on this, my entire. career. Mobility is a great thing for sports. I mean, baseball signs their stars, the 10-year contracts that locks them up too long. The NBA, you got guys going here for two years and here for three years. It was unbelievable how if you go look at the metrics this weekend for the NBA, they owned the global sports sphere. The dirty little secret of the NBA, which they would tell you behind private doors, is we know people watch the NFL and not us, but they talk. They

talk about us. And that's a real business. That's the Kardashian business. Nobody watches the Kardashian show. I see the ratings. Everybody talks about the Kardashians. With social media, that's quantifiable. That's a real business. And yeah, outside of the finals and conference finals, the ratings aren't that great. Sometimes March Madness beats it with a far inferior product. But if you don't think social media being talked about young millennials matters, then you're in the weeds. NBA continues to be the second most popular sport if you consider being discussed, and I do. Where Colin was wrong. If you're hammer on the Lakers front office for a year, I probably should give them a little

credit not only for landing AD, but they cleared cap space. And according to Chris Broussard, they lead on Kyle Leonard. So now that we'll have the worst bench in NBA league history, but I can't just sit up here with an anvil and hammer people. And when they keep delivering, Maybe it's Rich Paul, maybe it's LeBron, maybe it's magic. I don't know who to give the credit to. But if they lead on Kauai Leonard and they land Kauai Leonard, they're going to be the overwhelming NBA favorite. Now, part of it is it's just the power of brand.

But if you'd ask everybody in the NBA, who's the star you want that was on the market? Once Kevin Durant got hurt, it's Kauai Leonard, and it looks like they lead for him. So credit where credit is due. Where Colin was right? Oh, Bryce Harper, Manny Machado, didn't make the all. star game in baseball. By the way, the Dodgers and Astros have passed on all these contracts,

have a combined 10 all-stars and may have more. Bryce Harper's never struck out more. The Phillies are scrapping. They're around 500, so they're massively underachieving for their payroll. I don't think Bryce Harper is hitting about 250s, having a great year. I think when you sign, not all players, but when you sign power hitters to massive 10-year contracts, psychologically it is don't. daunting for a Mani Machado or a Bryce Harper who feels like I got to crank out 40 jacks or I'm massively underachieving. I don't think a long contract for a good pitcher hurts them or a good closer or a guy like Trout who's about legs and fielding as much as hitting.

But the Machado Bryce Harper deals not all-stars. To this point, both underachieving. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and no. 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 answers. 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, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds.

Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series

because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get to fly.

He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramers sending on the Army. He's going. I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic.

I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals

or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen to Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. 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. Okay, we have a breaking deal. Ennis Canter, who's a very reliable. You can get 17 points a night out of Ennis. As a Canter, Portland did, has joined the Celtics. So Joy and I had talked about, where's their size? They just delivered. It's a great move for them.

It's a great move for Boston. So Boston lost Kyrie, highly skilled point guard, little disruptive in the locker room, they say. Al Horford, super mature. I've always loved Al. And they get Ennis Canter and they get Campbell Walker. Now, collectively, now I've got Campbell Walker starts. I got Jalen Brown, Marcus Smart off the bench. I got Jason Tatum, Gordon Hayward, N.S. Canter.

It's a playoff team. I don't know if they're... I mean, it's a good team. It's a good team. I'm surprised you don't love this team more than you love them last year. I do. You picked them in the championship last year. I just got burned on them last year.

No, I like them. I just think the leagues now, it's got so many good players. It's just so many good teams now. Great bounce back for Boston. Oh, good bounce back for Boston. So Ennis Canter replaces is Al Horford. Yeah.

And by the way, what do you do with Dallas? I love what Dallas has done, but can they get into the playoffs? I'll tell you, we got about 16, 17 teams today. I love what Utah did. I think the pelicans are fascinating. I don't think they're good enough to make the playoffs, but I think it's fascinating. What do I know? I guess it's got to watch this stuff work out.

I don't know. If you're in your 20s, you know Charles Barkley is the wildly entertaining television guy for TNT. If you're as old as me, you know him as one of the greatest basketball players of all time who could score down low. He could shoot a three. He could score in transition. Who just happened to transition into a great TV analyst. And Charles Barkley is joining us.

So Celtic Scott Ennis Canter, good Lord. You know, let me just ask you front and center about Kauai Leonard. If you were Kauai Leonard, Charles, what team would you sign with? I stayed with the Toronto Raptors. Right. Right. Right. Because they'll miss the playoffs.

Right. You know, you can see that one thing that people are to incorporate it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Yeah. She's an opinion.

They'll be a good solid team. Yeah. No. You know, would you think less of Kauai going to the Lakers, though? How do you reconcile it? You respect him, but what would you think of him? I want it, number one, twice. Yeah.

Before Kevin winning. to Rantos this year. That would be my preference. Well, you know, you make a good point because the Celtics did their job. They drafted Paul Pearson, Rondo, and Perk. And the Bulls drafted Pippin and MJ, and the Heat drafted D-Waid and Udonas Haslam.

And Golden State drafted Stefan Clay. So to your point, they had homegrown guys. The Lakers only kept Kuzma. I want to ask you this, though. I saw a story today by Marcus Thompson, who I absolutely love at the athletic. He said, Kevin Durant wanted to play with friends. did that matter to you?

Did you give a rip about if they were buddies on your team? Because Kevin Durant, it clearly matters. Obviously, I don't want to be the old guy, get off my lawn. Yeah, Portland's got Hassan White's side for a year, yes. I actually like that trend. Listen, could I tell you, my name is. More heartless, yeah. More heartless, yeah.

I say more heartless is a good player. Yeah, you know, it is interesting. I love the NBA. I've loved it forever because I think it's a personality-driven league. And I think there are a handful of guys, Magic, Bird, yourself, Jordan, who really elevated it for about a 20-year period where it was big personalities and a lot of fun. Now, I still love the league. But it's different.

I mean, I don't want to, you know, I'm in my 50s, Charles, so I don't want to sound like a cranky old guy either. I do wonder, Kevin Durant's a fascinating guy to me. And I was just saying this to Joy. So he comes into the league. He's the number two pick behind Greg Oden. And then he goes to Oklahoma City. and the organization likes Westbrook more than him, and then he's always number two to LeBron,

and then he goes to Golden State, and he's number two to Steph, and now he's on a Brooklyn team that'll be number two to the Lakers for the super team. Do you kind of put your arms around KD and get that he's lived this life where he's always kind of been the number two guy, and maybe it's just like he wants to be the guy.

One of those guys, six. Yeah. One thing you can't rule, because like they have, but you have to be so. I want to be six. People, ugly people hate him. You can't worry about what these other fools think about you.

They sit around their pajamas and they just live. That's what I think about. You have to ask yourself, why are you coming on everything? Why do you have to be being? You'll actually out. You'll let me get on the computer. He's one of the great. No, he does.

He does. You know, there's always a great player in the NBA who drives me crazy. And I've been watching this league forever. Steph Marbury used to drive me nuts. He finished with eight assists, but he really didn't have eight assists. He just got his own shot. The current player who drives me nuts is Kyrie Irving. So he's going to have to run this Brooklyn show for a year, and then Kevin Durant comes in.

How do I put my arms around Kyrie? He bailed on LeBron. He bailed on Brad Stevens. When you were in the NBA, Charles, there were a lot of talented guys, but they didn't play winning basketball. What do you make of Kyrie, the player and the guy, the flasky? earth and that I can't I can't I just I just don't get him what do you make of him? It's sound you know because I'm telling you something when you play when you have to night yeah you know do you finally I don't want to take your day out you probably got a golf

game here I want to get I already hit balls this morning I'm good I'm just I'm oh so we both like New York good bars good fun good media they can't sign anybody you think it's James Dolan, Charles? Everybody loves New York. They can't sign any of these guys ever. What is it? It's like the third or fourth time. Wait, if your team should be like,

that's why nobody wants to go there. Same thing with the Lakers. Think about the Lakers. The Lakers wasn't working because, you know, they don't know what the... Who's the best young? You know, he's in Dallas. Well, who's the next best guy? They just signed him yesterday.

Yeah, you're right. I think he is. So if you got good, I think it's fair to... Yes. Great job. And they did nice pickup. Real nice pickup. Did that trade, Greg, did it go through? It did not go through, but they picked up Seth Curry today.

So it's Darko, Porzingis, Seth Curry, and they just added somebody else in the last two hours. They're actually a very good basketball team. I just don't know if they can make the playoffs. Oh, I got to ask you this, too. I forgot this. I wrote this down. Everybody compares you and Zion. Now, he's not the ball handler you were, and he's not the shooter you were.

I've said I don't think it's fair to compare him to you. I do think he's got a little Blake Griffin in him. I think he's a little better ball handler than Carl Malone. When you hear Zion's the next Barclay, what do you think of him as a player? Player. Yeah. Because he wants to state, Clemson. He's going to be like, because you know, he's going to be playing the NBA.

So he got to be eight. Everybody dies. So he's going to have to get better as a basketball. Boy, that's sure nice of you to take. 16, 17 minutes today. You're busy day. You hit golf balls this morning. By the way, I've watched your golf swing. It's a little better today than years ago. You got rid of that hitch in it.

Teacher named Stan. I'm getting better. I'm playing bad than I ever play. And let's be careful with the tables, Charles. There's a reason they build those casinos. You don't win. You've got to stay away. Have a cocktail. Say hi to people. How about just 15 minutes max at a table? That's enough.

Come on, Colin. You don't be just time of stage. Now you're talking crazy. Connie, can you imagine? All right, my man, you have a good day. Okay, man, hey, thank you guys. Y'all keep up to great work. Y'all take care yourself. 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 Podcasts, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes,

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Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season.

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