The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for 06/25/2019

Episode Date: June 25, 2019

Colin says the issues people create with the NBA are myths and the NBA awards Monday night proved it. He thinks the Lakers need to go make some role players feel special because they are not going to get any big name free agents so don't waste time trying. Plus, Rockets GM Daryl Morey explains why he likes being the bad guy if it means he's winning. Plus, he explains why he feels good that they can attract a big name free agent this offseason. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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, Rhett, 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.

Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of, Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines

ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to the best of herd 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 Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching

herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. Last radio only day. This is the herd. Wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Fox Sports Radio, IHeart Radio. Great to have you in today on a Tuesday, Darry-Rockets GM next hour.

Doug Gottlieb-Fine-Lauer really enjoyed doing a show in the last week, week and a half from the same radio studio that Casey Kasem broadcast America's top 40, premier radio networks. It has been an absolute pleasure back on TV tomorrow as the Women's World Cup does not knock me off. It has for the last couple of weeks. Fox has the World Cup, men's and women, so it knocks me off. occasionally. It is great to have you in. And so I'm watching NBA awards last night.

And I'm just going to name the cities of the award winners. Most valuable player played in small market, Milwaukee. The defensive player of the year played in

Salt Lake City. The most improved player played up in Canada. The sixth man of the year played for the second most popular team in Los Angeles, the Clippers. The teammate of the year is a former Small Market Memphis Grizzly, who was recently traded to Small Market, Utah, and the coach and executive of the year in Small Market, Milwaukee. The stigma about the NBA is, stars don't want to play for smaller markets. It doesn't appear to hurt competitive balance. Unlike baseball were the Yankees, Boston Red Sox, L.A. Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros,

because of no salary cap, have completely separated financially from the sport. Let me give you the winning percentage last three years of these small market teams. Oklahoma City has won 59% of its game, Portland 58, Indy-56, San Antonio 63, Milwaukee, 60% of its games. And the winning percentage to last three years, Chicago's won 36%, New York, 31%, Los Angeles, 39%, Atlanta, 39%. Oh, D.C. one half. In baseball, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City, San Diego, Oakland, or a second team in Los Angeles, they get overwhelmed. They can't compete. Briefly relevant was one annual.

team, one royal team, then financially overwhelmed. But Conner the Stars don't want to play in small markets. Well, they don't have a choice for seven years. They often get drafted. And because of the way the NBA sets it up, financially they make so much more money that LeBron stays in Cleveland for seven. Anthony Davis stays in New Orleans for seven. And then when Anthony Davis decides, I want out,

listen to the hall of players. the Pelicans got for Anthony Davis. Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, draft picks Jackson Hayes, who by the way, my scouts say is the sleeper in the draft, Marco Silver, a kid named Nikhail Alexander Walker, no idea, a 2020 first round pick, a 2021 first round pick, a 2021 first round pick another, and a 2023 pick swap.

I'm not counting Zion. That's what they got after seven years of having to move. the star. Baseball gets a pass on things that are real issues. Maybe it's because it's national pastime, right? America's pastime. The NBA gets labeled with problems that aren't real problems. I'm watching last night the NBA Awards,

and it's all small market guys, Canadian team, the second best team in L.A., that won in all the awards. The sole big market last night, the Dallas Mavericks have the rookie of the year. how dominant have they been? Dave God is a big major market, one title ever. And it was a quirky weird title where they took a German star

and teamed him up with nine guys named J.J. Berea and won a title. Like, folks, if you don't like the NBA, don't like it. I don't care. But baseball, we have a massive gap of financial tsunami that overwhelms a third to a half of the sport. I watched the NBA award show last night. It's Utah. It's Milwaukee. A Canadian team.

The number two brand in Los Angeles. It dominating the awards. Dominating. Let me shift to this. So Janus won the MVP. And that's who I would have voted for. You know, I get it. I mean, he did get the bucks to the Eastern Conference finals.

The awards don't count the playoffs. They should. But I felt Janus had the greatest impact. And what I felt about Janice all year was he was the most valuable player for his city. Take away Janus and the Bucks don't make a show. They don't make SportsCenter. They don't make my show. They don't make skip show.

They don't make any show. He made them valuable. He made the owner money. He made the GM money. He makes them attractive to free agents. Janice is really the most valuable player in the league. He was the best defensive player with Rudy Gobert. He's offensively continues to be great.

But here's the funny thing about Janice. He's now been in the NBA, what? Five years. He's just now relevant. Conversely, Zion Williamson is a star this morning. At 19 years old.

Why? Because of college basketball. We have so marginalized college basketball because the basketball culture in America is find the talent and pay him. Can we wait for him to mature? Pay him. It's outrageous.

You have got to pay the 19-year-old or it's ethically compromise. That's not the culture of baseball, hockey, soccer, football. There's development. There's maturity. There's physical growth. Zion Williamson's exploding shoe is nothing more than an internet meme. But he plays at Duke. So it was the topic,

the topic of conversation in America on every show, on every radio network for three weeks. We bang on college basketball because they don't pay the players. But college basketball is what makes the players money. Yes, sometimes you have LeBron,

simply too gifted to waste time collegiately. I get it. But look around the NBA right now. When you tell me college basketball has no value. Steph Curry, three years of college. Draymon Green 4. Kauai 2. Clay 3.

Paul George 2. Westbrook 2. James Hardin 2. Al Horford 3. Jimmy Butler 4. Damian Lillard 3. Donovan Mitchell 2. Victor Oladipo 3.

Kimball 3. Chris Paul 2. Most of the guys running the league. Most of the guys. I noticed it a couple of years ago with the Lakers. The idea that there's no value in college basketball. Kuzma and Josh Hart went to college for multiple years. So ask yourself, do you think there's a difference when you were 19 and 22?

Do you go back to your life? Think you're a little more mature at 22 than 19? I once, I'm not joking at 19 in college, waited for a domino's pizza delivery guy to leave his truck and then me and a friend stole a pepperoni pizza. I would not have done that at 22. I was 19 and hungry. That's what you do.

But Kuzma and Josh Hart, according to Laker sources, told me both were excellent leaders. Both were physically strong. Weren't overwhelmed by their initial NBA season. Conversely, Lonzo and Brandon Ingram were one-and-done guys. Their bodies fell apart. They simply at 19 were not ready for the rigors of the NBA. And neither ever showed great leadership skills.

How could they? They were 19, not 22. The one-and-done culture is glamorized. Kentucky! What about Kentucky? Show me all the Kentucky guys in the NBA finals. We have so stigmatized college basketball, I would argue it makes players more money once they get drafted,

because they're already names. I don't know who Zion Williamson is other than an internet sensation, if not for Duke. The shoe explosion is simply an internet story, where my son at 13 would have more relevance with it, more connection to it than I would. There is this rush in our American basketball culture. spot the talent and pay the talent. There is no concern for maturity. There is no concern for physical growth.

That's why so many of these one and done guys come to the NBA and fall apart physically. They're just not ready for it. They need two more years in a college wait room. Ask yourself this. Did college, did you grow in college? As a freshman, I was stealing a pizza from Domino's. As a junior, I was. majoring in my current career.

Maturity, body development. Janus won the MVP. Outside of Milwaukee and diehard slam magazine NBA fans, nobody knew who Janice was three years into the league. Zion is inches from an American superstar at 19 because of his college March Madness, rivalry games with Carolina. connection to Coach K experience.

College basketball and March Madness is tremendous brand building. The G League never will be. So it is a pleasure to have you in today. My final radio only day, I am wearing readers, a grandma's readers, because I forgot my contact lenses this morning. So I am doing some sort of Willenda High Wire of visual act today. John, you might as well be a Yeti. I just see a big face of hair.

I can't make out eyes. I can't make out skin tones. I am virtually blind. Just think about the poor grandma whose glasses you stole. God, just pathetic. Nice to have you in today. Rick Buecker stops by, Daryl Mory, Doug Gottlieb stopping by. I did hear, or Jeannie Bus of the Lakers finally talked.

So we'll talk about what she talked about coming up. 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. 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 beaders 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 Slic 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, Kier 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'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 is 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 hard way and listen now.

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, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

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

The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the

work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. So a genie, a bus, the Lakers owner, has not really talked during this messy last Magic Johnson quits, Rob Polinka elevated, Linda Rambus now in the room. I would say to be diplomatic, it's been a little messy. So Jeannie Bus last night talked a little basically saying, yeah, we were shocked when Magic resigned, but we don't need the media to validate us.

I'm happy. We're on the right path. There's a lot of work to do. But I like where we're at. Here was Jeannie Bus last night. I've always had confidence in Rob it. It's whatever the speculation is out there, we don't need the outside. media to validate the things that we do.

I'm very happy. I think we're on the right path. There's still more work to be done. I don't have a problem. I think that's fairly healthy. I don't think teams do need the media to validate them. So I agree with that. And I do think the Lakers, between the weather and the brand, have an ability to write the ship very quickly. The Yankees were a mess in the 80s.

Michigan football was a mess with Brady Hoke. Alabama had forgettable years. If you get the right coach, the right stars, these traditional powers, these legendary historical iconic brands, they bounce back very quickly. Here's what I would be concerned about if I was a Laker fan. The big eight on the market, Kyrie, Kevin Durant, Kauai, Clay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Campbell Walker, DeAngelo Russell, I'll throw Al Horford in there. He's a nice piece.

B player, but a nice piece. That's kind of the big eight. If I'm a Laker fan, I'm concerned. that the Lakers are so obsessed landing the big fish that they get beat on what they really need, which is veteran shooters. And I'm going to give you a theory on this. So years ago, I'm a passive owner, a part owner of a couple wine stores in Connecticut, a maximum beverage, still own them.

And you just got into that retail business, and it's been fine. I'm not an expert on wine, but I thought it was a good business model. And so I would work in the stores about once a week. I'd put in two or three hours, especially the big holidays. And I always had a theory when I worked the floor. And I'd never been really in retail before. But what I would do when I was in these stores, 10,000 square foot stores, beautiful stores, I'd watch people walk in.

And I'd try to size them up, a little bit of a psychological profile. And if the people were good looking and attractive, I ignored them. because my theory was people have paid attention to them their entire lives. I would try to find people that would walk in the stores that were overweight, disheveled, lumpy, not put well together, put together well. And I would go right up to them, and I would give them attention. And my theory was people don't pay attention to those kind of people in society. And so when you do give those type of people attention, they really appreciate it.

and that I could find that consumer and elevate him. And instead of two bottles would buy four. Because he felt the customer service often ignored as a consumer, somebody finally paid attention to him. And so I would size people up when they came in the store and say, who gets attention all the time? Ignore them. Who's a consumer that nobody pays attention to?

The short guy, the heavyset guy, disheveled guy, disheveled woman. And so I would, I know this sounds very, manipulative, and it was. But my takeaway is nobody ever pays attention to those people in society. Go up, talk to them, listen, spend 15 minutes talking about wine. They'll really appreciate it more than the hot 28-year-old, the studly stockbroker in Connecticut. People pay attention to him all the time. And this leads me into my fear about the Lakers. They have always attracted the star. Everybody pays attention to the star. But the Lakers are a huge brand.

And I think if the Lakers made J.J. Reddick and Darren Collison and Patrick Beverly and Malcolm Brogden and Danny Green and Bojohn Bogdanovich and Kyle Corver and Seth Curry feel like, no, you're really important. I think you could get those guys at a discount. Everybody tells AD he's great. Everybody tells Jimmy Butler he's great. Everybody tells Kyrie's great. Everybody tells Durant,

Kauai Leonard now, you're great. The Lakers as a big brand, I don't think they need another star. LeBron and Anthony Davis are two of the top five guys in the league. They've got their stars. Kyle Kuzma is their talented young emerging star. What they need now are smart veterans that can shoot. And for a legendary franchise psychologically

to go to a Seth Curry, a Darren Collison, a Malcolm Brogden, and make them feel like, hey, you really matter to us. Because as a Laker fan, I would wake up this morning and think, you know, we've been dysfunctional for a long time. We may not have quite enough money because of the situation with the date and the free agency. You got your stars. You have your emerging young, talented player. go get smart veterans who often get ignored in this league who are really valuable.

Sergei Botka. You know, we just watch Danny Green. You know, Andre Iguidala. You guys have watched all these NBA finals the last 10 years. There's a lot of Shane Badiye's, Mike Miller's, you know, guys that kind of forgotten guy that play pivotal roles in the conference in NBA finals. And, you know, I just look around this league right now. If you got two stars, Anthony Davis-Lebron, an emerging super-talented young guy, Kuzma, I don't need another star.

That may stunt Kuzma's growth. You're going to ask Campbell Walker, who's been ignored in Charlotte to be a third? No. You're going to ask DeAngelo Russell, who still, I think, is a little immature, to be a third off an all-star year? Why don't you make Darren Collison a good player that played in L.A., why don't you make him feel like he matters and say, no, you're our third. You're going to get his best career year. Pay attention to people that society ignores.

They will pay you back tenfold. They'll appreciate it. You don't need to slobber over another All-Star. Everybody's telling Jimmy Butler he's great. You think Jimmy Butler is going to come to L.A. and be satisfied being a third option. You've got to be kidding me. He struggled being a two everywhere else. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Very excited, by the way. This next 10, 12 days is crazy. It's just crazy. It's so much fun. Last night they had the NBA Awards. I would like to say I do not deem myself as controversial. Never have. Never been a label I wanted.

I think controversial people. flame out. I'm not a shtick guy. I try to do a radio show and make it interesting and captivating. And it sits where it sits. I don't want to be a pro wrestler. Okay? It sits where it sits. And so when I come out three years ago and say, giving Russell Westbrook the MVP is the silliest thing I've ever heard, you're giving it to him because you feel sorry that Katie left him and because it's a stat. It's not most statistically superior player. It's most valuable player. and he doesn't do two things that valuable players do. Shoot threes and play well with others.

He's not valuable. He's just talented. There's a lot of things in my life that are really valuable. My phone is valuable. My health care, my transportation. Those are really, really valuable things. My jacuzzi in Utah is not valuable. It's a luxury item.

It's nice when it's cold to jump in the jacuzzi. I could take a hot shower. I'd be fine. Last night, MVP voting and Russell Westbrook was 10th, despite averaging a triple double, proving R. Point three years ago, the triple double is meaningless. And now everybody in the NBA is acknowledging it doesn't mean anything. It's never meant anything. First round out, first round out, first round out, first round out.

doesn't mean anything. And by the way, the Oklahoma City owner and the GM have put Steve Adams on the trading block. What does that tell you? That tells you the owner and the GM are over Westbrook. They're not going to pay a luxury tax. They realize he's an Uber talent, but he doesn't play winning basketball. When you put a top 28 player, 30 player in the league, on the league. trading block because you may have to pay some luxury tax.

Anybody that thinks they can win a championship does not put that guy in the trading block. You do it when you realize Westbrook is fun and he's flashy and he's talked about and that's it. He's not a winning player. And again, he's HBO in your hotel room. You know, it's a luxury. It's not a necessity.

The bed and the shower are the necessities. And we have a new Russell Westbrook entering the league, Jha Morant, who is a much better shooting, much better passing version, and now much cheaper. So you'll continue to see Westbrook's stock erode and his value decrease. He has gone from Mr. MVP to tough to coach, hyper-athletic, rigid, unravels during the playoffs and doesn't play winning playoff basketball. The shiny new toy, the kids were fascinated with, the fidget spinner, people are quickly over. it. And Westbrook now, despite a triple double, 10th an MVP voting. 10th. Valuable in today's NBA

is A, playing well with others, and B, hitting threes. He doesn't do either. He's bad and below average at both. By the way, everybody that's played with Westbrook, this is not for clicks. This is not to be controversial. I was right three years ago. I've been proven right last night. everybody that plays with him and leaves gets better. Durant's more efficient. Hardens better. Victorola Depot went from That's a bad contract to All-Star.

Sir Jabaka just won a title. Demontas Sabonis got better. And as Cantors, numbers went up. Finally, I don't do stuff for clicks. I don't like my quarterback grabbing their junk and being in police videos. I don't rip Baker for clicks. I don't get paid for clicks. Okay, I have a guaranteed contract.

I don't make money on clicks. And Westbrook was never haid. It was never to get attention. If I was trying to get attention, why wouldn't I go after athlete to New York and Philadelphia, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, L.A.? Why would I go after an athlete in Oklahoma?

That's not a major market. I'm not going to get major clicks, right? Like it pays me? Finally, being proven right. It is tiresome to carry America on your shoulders. Here's another story that's interesting to me. Darry this hour, Arash Marcosi, L.A. Times, too. So I was on a vacay when this story came out.

Kyrie Irving simply, quote, didn't like living in Boston. And let's look at this big picture. Anthony Davis told his agent Rich Paul, I will not sign long-term in Boston. Al Horford just bailed on Boston. Kevin Garnett initially didn't want to go to Boston. Kyrie Irving, no thanks, Boston. Not sure if you're noticing, we have a trend here.

Now, Boston is the number two NBA brand behind the Lakers. They have an excellent owner, an excellent GM, a very smart coach, and a remarkable history. Current players don't want to play there. I don't want to play there. Horford, see ya, AD won't resign. Kyrie didn't want to go there. Couldn't stand being there. LeBron's never considered it.

Kauai's not considering it. Kevin Durant now could go anywhere. He's not considering it. Clay Thompson's not. not considering it. Jimmy Butler has no interest. You see, you see in a trend here? And what is really interesting is this should be the decade when they should mop up. Because if you look at their rivals, their northeast rivals, Brooklyn, Nets, Nicks, excuse me, Nets, Nicks, Wizards, and until recently the Sixers were all tire fires for the last decade.

I mean, part of Nick Saban's success in the SEC was until the last year, the big rivals all had lousy coaches. Florida finally got their act together. Texas A&M finally got their act together. Looks like Tennessee may have their act together. So Saban took advantage. Pete Carroll did this. UCLA and Washington, Stanford were a mess when Pete Carroll was in the PAC 12.

He took advantage of it. Boston should be just owning free agents, because the rest of the East is a mess. Sixers now have turned it around. So they should be just soaking it up right now. Their rivals, their geographical footprint, a mess. And I don't know what it is. Danny Aange made a Trump comment.

That could be it. Brad Stevens didn't work well with Kyrie a start. Maybe that's it. Isaiah Thomas, players think he was treated poorly because they didn't give them a max deal, although frankly, if you think Isaiah Thomas is a max player, never go into a front office. Maybe it's the cold weather.

But whatever it is, we got a trend. NBA guy, when you have everything going, their owner's good. Their history's amazing. Their GM smart. Their coach is excellent. Nobody wants to play there. I mean, what is it?

That just doesn't work that way in sports. It's like, and again, it's not a, it's, you know, it's funny. Here, you know, I was thinking about this this morning. So I lived, uh, equidistant between New York and Boston for 11 years. Went to New York constantly. Went to Boston twice. Uh, my wife is Irish. She didn't like Boston.

And we always kind of had this theory that Boston is parochial and very political and cranky and very tranky. tribal and you always feel like unless you were born there, you feel like a visitor. New York, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty is very welcoming. I went to New York first time. I'll give you an example. So I had a friend, casual friend, who owned a gym. So he opened a gym.

The state of Connecticut is split right down the middle. upper half the northern part connected to New England, Boston, Vermont. And the southern half, New Canaan, Dary Ann, Westport, Greenwich is kind of a suburb of New York. So it's Red Sox fans north, Yankee fans south. So my friend opens up a gym in the southern part of Connecticut, closer to New York. He said it was a very competitive market. And we were concerned the gym wouldn't work. He goes, but the New York attitude is

if anything's good. Restaurant, gym, pizza place, business, New Yorkers are very welcoming. They just want the best stuff. They don't care. They're not, they just, are you good at this? We'll try this. So their gym had immediate success, even in the crowded market.

So they decided to open up a second gym in the northern part of Connecticut. And I live there, and there were no good gyms. It was just a, you know, I'd come from Vegas and Tampa and Portland. People were recreational. They were athletic. There were good gyms. They were no good gyms. They opened it up there and he said, we almost went under. We knew we had clearly the highest quality gym in the area. They did. My ex-wife worked there. It was really good. Spin classes, yoga classes, space, equipment, it was great. He goes, but the northern part of Connecticut is very standoffish. It's very parochial. Fences make good neighbors. People. are not willing to accept new. And I remember him telling me that story, and I think about this Boston thing, does Boston feel welcoming open-armed to new, to new people? And I can make the argument, New York does.

And I can only tell you my personal experience. As a West Coast guy, I always felt welcome in New York. Now, people in New York, because the city is so frenetic, they're in a hurry. but you can ask anybody in New York for directions. Anybody, and they'll give them to you. Now, they'll talk a mile a minute, and they don't have time to tell you a second time. But I never felt New Yorkers were rude. I just felt they were in a hurry because of the pace of the city.

Boston walked down the streets of Boston. Eyes down, you don't connect with people. I never felt when I went there. I never felt connected to the city. So I don't know what it is. But when you're the second biggest brand in the NBA, your owner's great, your coach is great, your GM's great, your history's great,

your facilities are great. You know, it's considered a great American city. And players don't want to play there. What is it? But it's something. Like, it's something. I said this for years and years about the Dallas Mavericks. How come they don't get more good players?

Middle of the country, no state tax. Mark Cuban pamper's his players with facilities. It's a nice city. Beautiful women every. for young 20-year-old guys and they don't land players. And I had a player once, or it was an executive once, tell me he said, the problem is Cuban is so big and famous that he casts a shadow over the organization. Cuban needs to step back and let the basketball.

The identity of the Mavericks isn't players. It's Cuban. And Dirk Novitsky was okay with that. But a lot of people feel the Mavericks are Cuban. They can't star as much because the owner is too well known. He's so public, shark tank and, you know, his businesses. Anyway, I find incredibly odd that none of these free agents appear interested in Boston. Now, you could say, well, Boston's not interested in them.

Yes, they are. You don't think they like Co-I Leonard? Really? Okay. All right. Yeah. Al Horford walked out on him. They'd take Co-I Leonard.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week. within the iHeart radio app search her to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like 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. SportsClyce 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 Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, learn the hard way 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'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, 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, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Clifford 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? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts.

show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor.

I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Psyke, I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man.

If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrat, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know.

Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Good to have you in. Darrell Mori, Rockets, GM. Got his master's from MIT. It's very impressive. I feel a little intellectually overwhelmed here. I'll try to just bail water and keep up.

Darrell, how are you? I just watched your daughter, who is a young documentarian, Karen. I just watched from six-man to MVP about James Harden. very impressive. You must be proud. I am, yeah. Obviously a little biased. Yeah, she did a great job. She worked at school at NYU and came out pretty good. Yeah, it premiered. It's on YouTube, so it's called From Sixth Man to MVP. Good for you. I've got a college daughter who's 19, so that warm my heart.

Same age. Yeah, yeah. All right. Did you feel this year you went, everybody loved Daryl Morey? And then at the end of the year, it's kind of you became a villain. And everybody's saying, hey, you're the heel turn. Yeah, you became Roman Raines or something. LeBron said he was never comfortable being a villain. Are you comfortable being a little bit of a villain? I'm comfortable just winning.

I mean, I think whatever it takes to win, we'll do. That's my job. And if it means we're going to be not popular at times, that's fine. No problem. You do get talked about a lot. latest is the Chris Paul James Hardin's story, which I've said multiple times in the last two days. I think it's overplayed. I think all families argue, especially two guards. You know, they both want the ball. Could I at least make this, because I don't have any insight here beyond what I read,

but could I say this, Chris is demanding, Hardin's Uber talented, and that it wasn't always ideal. There are occasional arguments. Yeah, they're both hyper competitive and shocker in game six, one of the most important games of their lives. You know, it's going to be intense on the bench. I don't see it as much different from a lot of times during the season. I mean, if you got two very smart, very competitive people, there's going to be disagreements. And for us, it was just weird that it became a story, honestly. and I'm glad it seems to people have sort of figured out that it was nonsense.

So there is no fissure. You did not have to step in at any point? Well, you didn't see me on the bench, jump in between them and have to hold them apart. No, I did not have to step in between them, no. The NBA can be very cruel. Windows closed quickly. The Sacramento Kings 15 years ago looked like a championship team, and you wake up the next morning and the window closed.

closes. The Seattle Seahawks, we thought we were going to be a dynasty. One and the window closes. Are you at all, how fearful are you that with Chris Paul's body, the aging, your window is closing very quickly? Yeah, I have to focus on that. That's the real thing that, you know, we've got to make sure that we can stay competitive. That's why we're chasing some of the top free agents again. Hopefully, I think we got a real shot at one of them. potentially. And we feel very good about our winter. Obviously, Golden State is probably not going to be as good next year. So that's going to help us. I do think the West is wide open. But most teams are trying to keep their starting five from last year together right now.

We've got our starting five. We're going to add a mid-level. If we can get a top level, we'll get them. And I think we're the favorites in the West next season. And I think Vegas will show that when we go, when they start doing the over-unders and all that. Yeah, no, I don't disagree. We said that earlier today. Listen, it was, I like Mike Dantony. I think he's a really good guy and a good coach. There's a butt coming, it sounds like.

Well, I have, I always worry about coaches that have systems. I am a believer in the Andy Reid-Belichick style, which is your players become the system. You just work around them. I'm always reticent to embrace systems. Right. Mike has had some playoff bumps. Are you concerned about that? I'm definitely not concerned about that.

So I'm concerned about our window, but not this. And I would respectfully disagree that he's about a system. I think Mike's actually one of the all-time great gets the most of your players. I mean, if you look at how his Phoenix teams played versus how we play, it's sort of night and day. And he's taken the strength of Chris Ball, the strength of James Harden, and really optimize that. I mean, we do play a lot of isolation, and the reason we do that is because that's the skill level. One of the all-time great skills of James Hardin, so he's using that.

That's not something he really did back in Phoenix. So I think he's one of the all-time great guys actually using his players to their maximum. How come Hardin wasn't at that MVP shindig last night? He had something in China with Adidas, so yeah, he couldn't make it. What do you have been there if he was going to win it? maybe that's quite a commitment yes it's not quite the uh not quite the oscars fair fair enough i thought we had a shot if they got that brian cullen dwc guy in the back i thought that might have given us a shot last night but that was about it let me this my next question doesn't bother me

but i hear this narrative and i do think it's it doesn't bother me so i may overlook it But I do think a league is as strong as it relates. I think it's one of the NFL's great strengths. We watch it, we bet it, and it's very big in the Midwest. Players play hurt. Players can get cut. There's a relatability to it. Do you worry at all with 20-something-year-old employees, NBA stars, having too much power?

And it's always been a player league, so it's never bothered me. It was in the 70s. But it does feel like players have more political power. They have more mobility. Do you ever think that's a problem for the league, the optics that small teams, small markets can't compete? Yeah, I don't think it's a problem. I think, look, the players are the top players, especially by far the most important thing in the league. So I think they should have power.

I think people are uncomfortable having power in places they're not used to it. But why should, you know, why should 50-year-old, you know, 60-year-old aging executives have all the power? I mean, what's the difference between that and a 20-year-old? So I actually like it. It's been a big edge for us. You know, we're all about the players and it's worked for us. You know, I've talked about this a little bit offline in the past. I think if I had a player with a lot of power, it wasn't smart, it could be a problem.

But, you know, James Hardin and Chris Paul are two of the smarter guys in the league. Obviously, Chris running the players union. And James, people don't know as well. because he's pretty quiet, but he's just super, super smart, especially on the basketball court. Yeah, what is your relationship with Hardin? How often do you have to talk, need to talk, or do talk? We keep it pretty professional. I mean, at the end of the day, we're about winning.

And so we talk a lot, but it's mostly about free agency who we're going to go after, guys are going to add to the team. And, you know, I see my job is to be in partnership with Chris and James and put together a great team around them. And the best way to do that is to do that in collaboration with them. Okay, a direct question. I know you can't mention names. Are you going to get a meeting this weekend with wink, wink, a potential free agent? Well, definitely some free agent, but I think you mean a top one. Yeah. I would say, yeah, I'd say yes, yes. So you're confirming to me. I'm breaking, this is a big breaking. I think so. I can't say for sure because we can't schedule them yet,

but I feel good that we'll be with Tops creation in the early days. By the way, you are at some level, just a highly compensated working stuff like me. You have a new owner, the Fertita family. I grew up to some degree. Some of my great years were in Las Vegas. Fertitas are very known, very smart. And by the way, they can be demanding. That's not a negative term to me.

When you lose in the playoffs, is it uncomfortable with a new owner? Is it tough for you for the next two weeks? Yeah, I think it should be. My job is to win, and to your point, you know, I do get paid well, so to you. I mean, your job is obviously to get rating, so if you didn't, I think you'd find it appropriate if they were on top of you. I think my job is to win, and, you know, the Fratita family is demanding what they should be. I mean, that's what the Houston fans would want. Someone is pushing hard.

Someone will pay anything like filming for Tita. And I'm excited for his ownership. Darry. Good talking to you. Hey, thanks for having out. Appreciate it. You bet. 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 headlines. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody's. gets to hear. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel 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 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. What's up guys? This is Clever 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, this linebacker

walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time of it. quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Brett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker.

Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner,

we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.