The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Colin Cowherd Podcast Prime Cuts - 1st Round Reaction, Dame Lillard on Loyalty, McCollum, Nick Wright on KD/Kyrie Collapse

Episode Date: April 29, 2022

This is Prime Cuts! The best of The Colin Cowherd Podcast. First, (3:00) Colin reacts to the 1st round of the NFL Draft, including why Aaron Rodgers can’t be thrilled with Green Bay’s two picks, why he liked the Ravens selections, the Eagles trading for AJ Brown from the Titans, his take on the Jets moves, which other bad team he thought had a good night, and if he likes the Steelers taking Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. Then, 6-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard (19:00) discusses why he’s stayed loyal to Portland in an era of NBA player movement, his reaction to seeing his longtime teammate and friend CJ McCollum get traded, his first encounter with a trash talking Jordan Poole, why he’s so tight with Draymond Green. Finally, First Things First co-host - and host of the What's Wright? podcast - Nick Wright (30:00) breaks down the collapse of the KD/ Kyrie partnership, what’s specifically gone wrong against the Celtics (23:00), if the Nets should pay Kyrie or let him walk (27:00), if this playoff collapse permanently stains KD’s legacy. Make sure you follow Colin and The Volume on Twitter for the latest content and updates and check out FanDuel for the best wagering and daily fantasy action! #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Cliver Show. This is a place for raw, unfills of conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard,

but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The volume. Colin Coward Podcasts presented by Fandual Sportsbook.

No better place to bet the action than on Fandual Sportsbook during the football season. There's a lot of reasons. It's America's number one sports book, incredibly easy to use, super safe, totally secure, Super fast payouts in as quick as two hours. You're not going to get that anywhere. Also, same game parlay bets, live betting. It's the best. Hey, if you're new, just download the Fandul Sportsbook app. I did it in 15 seconds. Get started now. Sign up. Please use the promo code Colin so they know we sent you.

Please use the promo code Colin, C-O-L-I-N. Fandul-Sportsbook app, sign up. All right. So the first round of the NFL draft is officially over 9. trades set a record. A lot of wide receivers, six wide receivers taken in the first 20 picks. Let me first talk about the Packers. It's almost like they're taunting Aaron Rogers. So first 20 picks, six wide receivers.

That's a draft record. Two major trades for wide receivers. And the Packers take two defensive players with the 22nd and the 28th pick. Now, I'm not saying they're bad defensive players. and they did have to let Zadaria Smith go to the Vikings. But I just don't see the juice with the Green Bay Packers. I thought there were five or six really nice wide receivers. I would have taken those two picks, moved up, and gotten a wide receiver.

That's what I would have done. I think the game is changing. That's why there's so many wide receivers now moving around the league. You know, I thought one of the best picks of the night was Tennessee moving up to get Trey Burks, a big, kind of a Debo Samuel clone at wide receiver. Green Bay could have really used that. When Mark Murphy, president of the Packers, about a month ago said, Aaron Rogers doesn't have a three-year contract.

He's got three one-year contracts. I don't think Aaron Rogers' career ends in Green Bay. I think the Packers are frustrated, fit to be tied with his off-seasons, his public unhappiness, some of his passive-aggressive comments. And once again, they go on the defensive side. That's not winning Super Bowls. Tampa and the Rams, more firepower. So I just, I kind of looked at Green Bay and I thought this was the draft to be aggressive.

this was the draft to go get a playmaker. I mean, come on now. Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins, old and older. Alan Lazard. Amari Rogers last year, the slot receiver from Clemson is not a game breaker. He's a nice slot receiver. This is an organization that has a way of doing business, and I think it's driving Aaron Rogers crazy,

and then Aaron's driving the Packers crazy. There's no way he finishes this three-year contract. You know he's watching this draft rolling it. eyes. Generally speaking, it always feels like really well-run businesses are lucky, but, you know, what do they say?

Luck is the residue of hard work. The fact that the Baltimore Ravens got the best safety easily in the draft, Kyle Hamilton, in the 14th pick, and the best center easily in the draft,

Tyler Linderbaum from Iowa. That is an unbelievable. night for the Baltimore Ravens. Two starters, best players at their position. This was supposedly a weak draft with the 14th and 25th pick. Now, they traded a wide receiver to Arizona. Lamar Jackson on Twitter didn't love it. But, you know, my takeaway is in terms of who got the most value,

I think it's the Baltimore Ravens. It's not surprising. If you go back and look at their history, they just, I mean, they got Lamar Jackson end of the first round. Okay. So Lamar Jackson's an NFL MVP at quarterback, and they got him near the end. So I thought the Packers sort of shocked me by going with two defensive players, and the Ravens did the best job.

Now, something else you're seeing in the NFL, and I love this, is that there are younger general managers than ever, and they are hyper aggressive. Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles. So they got very aggressive. They went to Tennessee and got A.J. Brown. And I think this is an important move by the Eagles and I liked it. And I've said this many times, be aggressive.

The Dodgers are aggressive. Right now, the Dodgers and the Mets have two of the best records in baseball. They were super aggressive this offseason. You can buy talent. Do it if possible. So they have Jalen Hertz. The Eagles have whiffed on a couple of wide receivers. receiver picks, and their takeaway is, listen, we've got to find out this year if Jalen

hurts is the guy. So he got us to the playoffs and then was overwhelmed. They were one and done and got blown out. So next year's a stronger quarterback draft. So the Eagles go out. They went and got Hassan Redick. That upgrades their pass rush. And now they go and get A.J. Brown. And what they're saying is, Jalen, we're going to give you a shot here. We're going to at you an over-the-top, big-time playmaker at wide receiver. And I just think that's the way to do it. I think when you have these receivers, and I'm kind of on the fence with Jalen Hertz, he's not a guy that really can make big plays with his arm down the field at this point. I don't think he's a terribly accurate thrower, you know, over 25 yards. But he's productive. He's a playmaker. He can

wiggle around. He got him into the playoffs. I like what Philadelphia did. And I like what Howie Roseman did, the general manager. Now, again, maybe he has to compensate for some really weak wide receiver picks in recent years. But, you know, you can't sit around and pout. The NFC East to me is wide open. And Philadelphia is saying Jordan Davis, interior line star, Georgia, over the top wide receiver, if you're an Eagles fan, you've got to feel really good tonight. Because they had a couple of really good picks early, I'll give the New York Jets credit.

a sauce gardener I thought was the best player I saw in college football. So they went and got a lockdown corner for head coach Robert Solid, defensive coach. I thought Garrett Wilson was the best wide receiver. He got better all three years at Ohio State. I thought he was the best wide receiver in the draft. They got him. So now they have Michael Carter the running back, Elijah Moore last year, nice wide receiver. Now they have Garrett Wilson.

So, you know, what they're saying is with their young quarterback, like the Eagles and Jalen Hertz, what they're saying is with Zach Wilson, okay, we're going to figure out, you know, by Thanksgiving December, can our guy play? We're going to get a weapons. Later, they got Jermaine Johnson, the pass rusher. So, Sala got a lockdown corner and a excellent pass rusher. And they got Zach Wilson another weapon.

So I thought the Jets had a very good night. Now, not surprisingly, they had when it was all said and done three picks. I've got to be honest with you. I'm starting to like what the Detroit Lions are doing. So they get lucky Aiden Hutchison, the Michigan kid falls to them at number two. So that's just a great PR day. You can see the Detroit Free Press. You know, the Wolverine goes to the Lions.

That's great. Great PR. I think he's as good as any college player. But then they go get and make a trade and they get James the wide receiver from Alabama. He's the kid that had an ACL but the fastest receiver in the draft. So you start looking at Detroit now. Matt Stafford goes and we think, oh boy. But they were three and three in their last six game.

I saw him outplay the Ravens and the Rams. And now they have T.J. Hawkinson, tight end. Excellent. DeAndre Swift running back. Excellent. They drafted him on St. Brown. Excellent. Left tackle, Penaise, Sewell, excellent.

And now they go get the wide receiver from Alabama, James, Burner. That's a lot to play with. That's pretty good. So now, I would imagine the rest of the draft they concentrate on defense. but I look at the Detroit Lions and I think to myself this can get close to a 500 team they got the tight end, the running back,

a Super Bowl quarterback, very nice wide receiver group. Listen, Amar on St. Brown, tight end T.J. Hawkinson, Jameson, William's tip of the cap to the Lions front office. That's a pretty good set. Plus, their left tackle, running back.

That's not a great division. I'll say this again. Green Bay is now becoming incredibly reliant on Aaron Rogers. They do not have a one. I'd argue Green Bay does not have a two at wide receiver. I think one thing that sticks out to me with this draft is that when it's not a star-studded draft, where these players land matters. Let's take Kenny Pickett. You know, I think he has a very a pretty low ceiling. But boy, Pittsburgh is the best possible place for Kenny Pickett. They've got their tight end, their receivers, running back.

The O line will be better this year. They drafted it last year. Great front seven. Nice back end with Mika Fitzpatrick. Really strong coach. Excellent culture. I don't know how good Kenny Pickett's going to be. But in a strange way, Aaron Rogers dropping in the draft got him.

behind Brett Farr for years, right? Benefit, stable organization, Kenny Pickett dropping, gets him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. So I think when you don't have star players, I mean, Chase Young goes to Washington. You know, he was going to succeed anywhere, right? Rishon Slater goes to the Chargers. That guy is going to succeed anywhere.

But a guy like Kenny Pickett is not talented enough, in my opinion, to overcome chaos. So, you know, Kenny Pickett is going to sit behind Trubisky or perhaps beat him out. He's got weapons. He's a pretty athletic kid. I just don't think he has a huge arm. The ball security issues are what they are. But when you don't have stars, where you land matters more.

And I look at a lot of these players, and they landed in really good spots. I also thought Seattle, Atlanta, and Carolina. You know, a lot of people thought all could draft Malik Willis, the quarterback from Liberty. But instead, Carolina went and got an offensive lineman, basically saying, we'll go with Sam Darnold. Let's set up the offensive line for next year's draft where we probably get a quarterback. Atlanta goes out and gets Drake London wide receiver. Calvin Ridley comes back in two years. Let's set it up for the quarterback we draft.

next year. Seattle similarly, Charles Cross, they go get a tackle. So Carolina, Atlanta, Seattle, you know, you'll think, do they get the quarterback? Instead, they're saying, listen, why reach? Let's upgrade wide receiver. Let's upgrade offensive line. We'll probably go get a quarterback in next year's draft. Now, all three could go get a Baker Mayfield or Jimmy Garoppolo, certainly possible. But I thought they were kind of telling you, listen, Malik Willis dropping, you know, surprised? a little. I thought Pittsburgh would go after him. They got Kenny Pickett.

But man, he only played against two division one teams and did not throw a touchdown in either game. So, you know, the league is summarily telling you probably a late first, second round pick. NFL draft is here. If you've never been on the NFL before, never been a better time to give Fandall Sportsbook a shot. Right now, place your first bet.

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1-877 H-O-P-E-N-Y, or text H-O-P-E-N-Y-4-6-7-369 in New York, Tennessee. Redline, 1-800-8-9-9-Tennessee. Visit 1-800-Gambler.net in West Virginia. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Clever Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast,

The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jett. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah.

For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app.

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. All right, one of my favorite players, I've said this before, if there's two guys in the NBA to hit a shot in the last 10 years, it's Dame Lillard and Steph Curry. I love everything about him, his loyalty, his intent,

his smarts, his art. You know, in a weird way, Dame, you're perfect for Portland. You know, Weber State, you were allowed to carry it. They put their arms around you. You've been incredibly loyal. You go back annually. You play every minute in those games. And I love Portland when I was there.

Now, for my career, I kind of needed to get to the next level. But, like, I get it. Like, they love the team. And do you ever feel like from high school college to that maybe because of your size, you were overlooked initially, and that maybe you're just one of those NBA guys, that you're more loyal. Just your DNA is you're just a loyal dude. I mean, I don't know you well enough to say that.

But like, you're not really interested in chasing things other guys are. And maybe that just comes from your parents. Where does it come from? I think that's right. You know, it comes from my upbringing. And the kind of environments that I was raised in, you know, that. the kind of people that I was raised by. It's not so much that I got such a huge issue with other people doing what they choose,

you know, with their career. That's what feels good to them and that's what makes them happy. Like I don't have an issue with that. But for me personally, you know, I come from a clock in an environment and neighborhood and family of people that, you know, embrace finding a way. You know, I think you hear a lot of people say, you know, the most fun is in the journey, you know, in the process. And, you know, once you reach whatever it is that you reach, it's like, you know, you have that moment of triumph or joy or happiness or celebration or whatever. But most of, you know, what you enjoyed and what was fun was the process of you getting to that point.

Right. And that's what I come from. You know, I don't, I know who I am as a person. And I know how it would feel for me to accomplish what I want to accomplish in the way that it's satisfactory to me. And when I think about, you know, ways outside of that, I just know that, you know, I would be happy and whatever that moment was, but it wouldn't feel how I wanted to feel, you know, and I'm content with that.

I'm comfortable with that. And I understand that, you know, I play in the era where it's like, oh, he has never won to ring. This guy didn't do that, you know, and they try to downgrade everything that you've done and what you're capable of and how good you are and things like that. And, you know, I can live with that too.

You know, and I think that's just where I am. You know, I can live with that because I know that I put my best foot forward. You know, I know my character is true. I know I am who I say I am. And, you know, I'm just, I'm fine with going about it the way that I want to go about it. So C.J. McCollum,

I have a couple friends that are season ticket holders. Great guy. Smart guy. You guys, you know, there were years I had said a couple times on the air. There's a little duplication here. I'd move C.J. McCollum. I'd get a wing defender. But you guys work so well together.

It's hard. It was almost like the Splash Brothers. You liked each other. You respected each other. You got two 20-point-of-game guys in the back court. I mean, the league's moving away from centers to wings and smalls. You're probably not surprised by his. success. Like, when I look at the Pelicans, they kind of needed, not a grown-up, but they kind of

needed a little bit of a, like an adult to come into the room and go, okay, all you young chest pieces, I'm going to move you around. Yeah. And see, so you're not, I imagine you're not surprised at all by CJ's success and the Pelicans given the son's trouble. I'm not surprised at all. I mean, to go back to what you were saying, like me and CJ had a real friendship. You know, we didn't have one of these like, oh, that's my brother. brother and not you know like we spent time together we went on vacation together I was at his house he was at my house we talked on the phone late at night about you know our struggles you know what I mean like and so this day we still we still talk you know and that's one of the in my career

that's one this is one of the things I'm most disturbed by you know um because it's crazy me and him would always talk about we knew this moment would come you know eventually if we couldn't win a championship we would tell each other if we don't win a championship we would tell each other if we don't winning championship in the next couple years, like, it's going to be over, you know. It's like, it's going to be over. So it wasn't like we didn't know, like even the night before he was traded, we was on a phone at midnight. Like, I think something about to happen, you know, like something is about to happen.

And he was like, yeah, man, you know, we, you know, we knew. So, you know, it's been, it's been tough. But I'm not surprised by it. And I said it. I think that he was exactly what New Orleans needed. They got a lot of talent. You know, they got Herb Jones and Diane Williamson and Brandon Ingram. And now you add, you know, Alvarado, they got a lot of Murphy or, you know, is that his name?

Trey Murphy, is that his name? Yep. I mean, they got a lot of, they got a good team. And you had a dynamic, you know, scoring guard that has experience, that's tough, you know, unselfish. You get a, you get a player like that. and you put that with them, it makes them dangerous like they are. And I also think that, you know, with me and CJ, it was two guards, you know, and it's hard for two guards to coexist and do well and win big.

And we just figured out how to do it because we actually liked each other and we was good. I cared about his success and he cared about mine and we both just wanted to win enough, you know. But I think naturally a guard goes better with a wing, you know. I just think it's a better fit. So I think him and B.I is just a better. It just flows easier to have a guard in a wing instead of two guards. You know, it's funny. Jordan Poole's ascension's pretty amazing.

28th pick. At some point, he's down in the G League. And then I watched him. And I talked to a buddy of mine who's a warrior fan. I'm like, dude, what's that guy doing in the G League? He's explosive. And he's not a catch and shoot. guy. He's not Steph the shooter, but there's a little Steph to him. There's a little,

he's got a little flash to his game. Did you see him coming? I mean, did you, did you look at him and think, oh, that guy is going to be 22 a game? Or like, were you caught a little off guard too? I wouldn't say I was caught off guard because I didn't really pay attention to him until like, you know, maybe like two years ago we played against Golden State. And Steph was hurt, Traymond was heard and we was playing against him. And he wasn't playing a lot of minutes, but he, like, did a move and he scored on me. He hit a shot.

He had a three. And he started talking shit. And I was like, you know, I don't, I don't talk shit. Like, I don't say that. Not just play. If somebody say something to me, I'll say something back, but whatever. He said something. So I kind of look back like, what, you know?

So we keep playing or whatever. And they had, like, a bunch of young dudes out there. And they was high energy. that had it going that night. You know, when you run up against one of those young teams that just got it going that night. So I think I had like 40, but we lost that to go to state. And towards, like, I think it was toward the end of the first half, maybe, or whatever.

I'm at the free throw line, and he's just back there just talking. So I turned to him and I'm like, man, like, shut the fuck. No what I'm saying? Like, shut up. That's how I said. So he was like, make me. He was like, make me. So my natural instinct was like, bro, like,

Like, I train in combat. Like, I'm from Oakland. That was my natural. So we start going back and forth. And then, like, shortly after that, we played him on, I think, MLK Day in Portland. And he was on a bench. And I started the game real slow. And he on the bench, he says, oh, he ain't on shit tonight.

That's what he's saying from the bench. So I turned and look at him. So then Draymond is sitting next to him. And me and Draymond are real cool. So in that game, I end up scoring 60 points and we beat them in Portland. I remember that. So I end up scoring 60 points and we beat them. And I just remember telling Dr. Ma, I'm like, man, I don't mess with that dude like that.

Like, I don't like them. But then from that, from those interactions, I paid more attention to him. And as I paid more attention to him, you know, I started to notice this game where like, oh, he actually got something to him. and he got like, you know, confidence about him. So like I paid more attention to him and I noticed him getting a lot better. So I can't say he caught me by surprise, but it is impressive to see like the growth. But I think coming under, you know, Draymond and Steph and Clay, you can definitely see the impact that they've had on them. So, I mean, it's definitely been impressive, though.

By the way, I love Draymond. He's part of my podcast network. I freaking love the guy. I've never had a relationship with a pro athlete who works harder. He works like a broadcaster. I'm not kidding. The game's over. He like rushes home and does a podcast.

I'm like, bro, you don't have to do that. Like he is, why do you think you guys connect? Well, what is it? I think we connect because like he just is who he is. Like even when people get mad at him and they're like, oh, you're not even that good. You just do this. You just do that. He like, he keeps the same energy.

you know, and he is who he is. And I can appreciate that because, you know, when people talk, I listen. And when people behave a certain way when they have success, I pay attention. When they behave a certain way when they struggle, I pay attention to that. So, Draymond is one of the few people that I can say I respect in all of those situations. Right. You know, his response and his reaction in all those situations. And then even in person, when me and him have did like this, he'll still.

step to me, I'll step to him. You know, we didn't got double text before. And then after the game, we're talking, you know, like nothing happened. Just like. Yeah. But he's being who he really is and I'm being who I really am. So I think because of that, you know, we've always gotten along really well. And from like the pre-draft, the Combine of Chicago, or what was it, the rookie

transition program, like me and Draymond, you know. You know, we connected over that. And, you know, I remember him talking about, like, man, I'm going to drop to the second round. I'm better than these dudes. And I was telling him, like, bro, you're going, like, you're going to be all right, you know. So, like, we've always connected like that. All right, Nick Wright's my buddy. Co-host, First Things First, has a new podcast, What's Right with Nick Wright.

So I'll go back. I mean, obviously, I predicted total whiff. I said, give me Brooklyn and seven. It'll be a long series. And by the way, I couldn't. meant to reach out to you, Colin, because with a month left in the regular season, you were with me. You were like, they don't play defense. They're not well coached. And then in the last second, you folded your beloved clippers and now your beloved nets, they've all betrayed you over

the last few years of the NBA. These teams that don't play together have no history, no continuity, have no leadership. They flame out. Well, I like Tyloo and I loved how versatile. They have like six wing defenders with the clippers. I like their roster. lot. But then Paul George went belly up on COVID and I'm like, okay, I give up. I'm out. Give up. To me, and I was really hard on him the first day it happened, and I'll go back to this. Who you decide to ride with in life, marriage, friends, you know, you go to Vegas with the wrong guy. You can end up in the gray bar motel, okay? You go with the right guy that says, hey, Nick, slow down, get off the table, let's go to bed. So, KD. traded in Steph for

for a kairi. That's the foundation of all this. And I said it at the time. Oh, no, no, no, no. This was not like buying a car and somebody screwed around with the odometer. You knew the issues when you went into the relationship. Like at some point, Katie made a horrible decision. Say what you want about LeBron. He's made a career of really solid decisions. I'm going to take Caleb over the kid. I'm going to take Bosch and Wade. I'm going to. He's a, he's made a lot of the decision. By the way, for LeBron finally, you know, made, made a disastrous one this year and advocating for Westbrook and suffering the whole year.

So here's the thing. I think it's, you, you focused rightly on trading in Kyrie or Steph for Kyrie, but then also as a part of it, he was trading in Steve Nash. I'm sorry, Steve Kerr for Steve Nash. They had Kenny Atkinson, Katie and Kyrie didn't play, or Katie doesn't play that first year. Kyrie barely plays. And if you listen to any of the reporting, Kenny Atkinson, who was well respected, well liked, he gets pushed out because they want Steve Nash.

And you remember then Kyrie was like, well, we don't really have a coach. I can be the coach. Katie can be coach. And Steve Nash has been in so far over his head. So he went from culture, depth, organization, amazing teammate to Kyrie in a first time head coach who has no idea what he's doing, who the only thing, Steve knows how to do is play KD 45 minutes. That's the only buttony presence.

It's just don't take Katie out because it almost won on the Buck series last year. And Kady, Colin, have you seen a superstar? Look this. We've seen superstars play poorly, but look this unrecognizable to what he normally looks like since LeBron in 2011. Well, here's a thing. In the history of dynasties, college and pro, there's never been one without a Hall of Fame coach. Wooden, Saban, Pete Carroll at USC, Chuck Knoll, Walt, Jimmy Johnson, Popovich. There are no exceptions.

So two things working here. Boston is tremendous defensively. Like next level intensity. Secondly, Tatum over the last couple years has become a much better defender. has, like all guys that come into the league at 18, like even LeBron's first couple years, they're overwhelmed, right? But the other thing is, he gets no easy baskets. The only thing that worries me about Tyreek Hill leaving the chiefs, he gave them easy touchdowns, like easy ones, right? Easy 50-yard games. You don't have to have 12 play drives. Kevin Duran

has not had an easy basket in the series. Can you draw up one fucking out of balance plus? and just get him an easy layup. Can you do it? Game two, where he's 0 for 10 in the second half, we looked at his shot chart. He and Kyrie's shot chart for the second half when they were one for 17, Colin. There's one shot inside the restricted area.

One. Meanwhile, every time the Celtics come out of a timeout, they get an open look. They don't always hit it, but they get an open look. These guys are taking the hardest shots in basketball, the contested mid-range shots. And so they're not getting any easy looks. But Katie also, I don't know if you watched it. I stayed up to watch his post-game press coverage yesterday.

And I give him a lot of credit. You know, I mean, he answered all the questions. He was very honest. But he seems puzzled. He's like, and he seems vulnerable. He's like, I don't know. Man, I'm thinking too much. Maybe I seem to go faster.

Like, I was trying not to be too aggressive. And then like he stopped. And he's like, yeah, man, I'm just thinking too. damn much. And he, I mean, he is flummoxed by what is happening.

Nobody, when he was nine for 24 in game one. And we all, like I picked the Celtics to win the series. And I said after we all on our show, and I'm sure you said something similar as well, Katie won't be that bad again. He was nine.

That might be his best game of the series. We said he won't be that bad again. I think one of the reasons if you pick the Nets after game one, you felt good was that was the bad. bad KD game and they almost won it through three games. That's the best KD game. It's bizarre. And Kairi, for all of his, you know, I like to remind people because Kairi is, as Chris

Broussard says, your favorite player's favorite player and, you know, he's the most skilled this and the most gifted that and all of it. Kyrie Irving has played 11 years in this league. He has never received a single first, second, third, fourth, or fifth place MVP. P-vote, never shown up on a ballot. He has been first team NBA, zero times. He has been second team NBA one time. Why is that?

Because despite all of his individual brilliance at times, there's no consistency to it. And it's just a fact that Kyrie Irving has not had a single relevant postseason moment after round one since 2017. This is last year with LeBron James. That's a half decade, man. That since before Jason Datum came into the league, like that ain't great. I worked with somebody, my first job in college,

I got a job in Vegas, and I worked with an anchor person, and she was a huge talent. As good as any anchor I ever work with, she showed up about three days a week. And one of the things I learned about that was that I ended up liking. And I was better with her.

She was so funny. She eventually left the industry and did well for herself. But it was something a lesson I learned. I'd take a B plus that's there every day, that an A that's there twice a week. And not only is Kyrie not there physically. He's not always there emotionally. Like a lot of those stories in Boston that came out after he left, he was blown up practice. He was blown up locker rooms.

And so, you know, I go back to Steph Curry is willing to come off the bench, off the bench. I mean, Russell Westbrook was deeply offended when that was suggested. Iverson was offended by that. So there's a self-awareness thing. Like, we fall in love with talent in life. But LeBron and AD right now are a mess. Katie, Kyrie are officially a mess. And Paul George and Kauai, I'm sorry.

Sorry, one's nonverbal, one's not available. I mean, Paul George, COVID, hide yourself for a month. Be an Olympic athlete. So, you know, it's such, I think sometimes in the NBA, we just fall in love with talent. When Tyreek Hill got traded from the chiefs, I had a GM say, five draft picks. Yeah, I would trade him too. He goes, you know, Brett Veed knows what he's doing. They'll spend money and get production out of that.

So as much as you and I love talent, we all realize the 10 best quarterbacks of all time, maybe two, Marino and Elway, qualifies the best talent. There's a lot of EQ and IQ and consistency. I am out on Kyrie. I don't want to learn in our roster. Listen, and so let me ask you this.

If you're the GM of the Nets, now keep in mind, you don't really have a lot of picks. Now, you have some of Phillies' picks, but most of your picks are gone because of the hardened debacle. You don't know. The Ben Simmons thing is now officially one of the most puzzling events in my sports life.

He missed the season. He never got hurt. I'm not saying he didn't have a back injury, but my point is the last basketball game he played, he was healthy. He never had a full practice, and he missed the season with an injury. It's one of the wildest things ever. Kyrie Irving has a player option, Colin.

If Kyrie Irving opts out, Okay, yeah, of course. I want the five-year full max. Five-year, $230 million. Can you, I don't know what you do if you're the nets. I don't think you can just let him walk. You let him walk and it's just Kevin Durant and this, Blake Griffin, who's a thousand, I don't know what the hell you do there. But am I interested in giving Kyrie Irving five-year max money? I don't know what I do. So what do you do? Honestly, what? do you do if you're the next? Well, here's the thing. Steve, let me just say this real quick. Stephen A said on that half time, he was like, oh, I'd give him the 50 million, but one year at a time.

And I love Stephen A of master's respect for him. Yeah, that's great. But he's not going to take a one year deal. You can offer you, you're going to offer to pay him in, in, in subway coupons, too. He ain't going to take that either. Like, he's not taking a one year deal. So like, that's not a tenable option. If he says full max or I'm leaving, what do you do? let him go. I'll give you an example. Okay, I'll give you an example. I don't think he and Katie are a great fit.

So here's an example. People think about three years ago, before the nagging injuries, AD was the brittle one and LeBron was the bull, the 75 games. Yeah, of course. AD now is a terrible fit for LeBron. So is Kauai Leonard.

The two worst fits in the league with him. What LeBron needs now. Yeah, sure. He needs Yokic. He needs 73 games. And seriously, and a guy that can shoot, he needs guys off the ball for 70 games. Now, three years ago, A.D. LeBron worked.

So Simmons and KD is actually perfect. You'd have to add other elements because he doesn't shoot. He creates shots. He'll defend the best defensive non-center. He's a perfect fit. Kairi's not. So as Kevin now is increasing, Brittle. Let's say you get 68 games a year. Well, Kyrie is unpredictable and brittle and emotionally brittle. And he takes shots. And he's never been a, he's never been a catalyst. He's a finisher. So I think we look at him and go, oh, it's just perfect. No, it's two movie stars. It's, you know, it's really two guys that need the ball and don't really elevate others. So to me, I would let him walk. You know and I know. A lot of dudes want to play with Kevin Duran. He's a good dude.

Oh, sure. So I think you have to find, by the way, you have your big drummond. You'll find bench guys. Simmons will be a good fit. You get what you get out of them. You have draft picks. Go find a couple of guys. Bradley Beal.

Find somebody. Do something. But I don't think Katie and Kyrie really work. I really don't. Well, they clearly, I mean, from basketball perspective, it clearly hasn't been what everyone said it was going to be. And I also think the K. The 80 thing is there's just so many interesting levels to it as far as set the Kyrie part aside. Like, why did he take one shot in the fourth quarter yes on Saturday?

And it was a dunk with 20 seconds in. Like, why is he? What is happening here? And I, you know, I posted a stat on Twitter. That's true. It's, I guess, somewhat unfair, but it's accurate. I'm just going to say it to you get your reaction to it. Kevin Durant's career playoff record.

38 and 10. 38 and 10 with Golden State. 57 and 49 everywhere else. So with Golden State, he wins four out of five games. Everywhere else, he wins three out of five. Like, we wins, you know, a little more than one out of two. So it is a fat, because KD, here's what I do know. I think that the folks, because there are folks, a lot of folks that will argue,

not only is Kevin Durant the best part in the league, but he has been the best part in the league for like five years. And people just don't want to give him the respect. Well, this series hurts that, man. It really, really hurts that. The nets were the co-favorants to win the conference and third favorites to win the title, not before the season, 10 days ago.

10 days ago, Vegas was like, yeah, they're right neck and neck with Milwaukee and they're behind Phoenix to win the title. they are this close to getting swept by a Boston team that is, listen, I think this Boston's very, very good. But the reason people liked Brooklyn in this series was, well, they'll have the best player on the court. They have not. Jason Tamm's in the best player on the court. And I must, you must give me the chance to say something here because you and your social media team really screwed me a couple podcasts ago.

What did we did? And you know what you guys did. because I said, because everyone was like Jason Tatum, top five guy, top 10 guy. And I'm like, listen, he's the 17th best player in the league. And you were like, all right, name the 16 guys better than it. So I named the guys, the 12 guys that were up to that point clearly better than him. And then the guys that he was close with, like Booker and Donovan and I don't even know exactly my name. And then you guys made a whole goddamn production out of it.

You did a list. You did a graphic. You did everything. And now it gets sent to me every time he has a big game. So let me say this. I am very choosy and very conservative with who I will call an NBA superstar. Because I think at any given time, you cannot have more than 10 of them. Jason Tatum is beating that door down right now.

Jason Tatum is like about 96 hours away. I don't know who he's kicking out a club superstar. Maybe it's Dame Lillard because he's been injured. Maybe Anthony Davis already got kicked out to let Joe. John Morantin. I'm not sure who he's kicking out. But Tatum's, what Tatum is doing on both ends, this is how you become a superstar. So I am giving him his due respect. What he's doing to Durant defensively and what he's doing offensively, it's spectacular. Make sure to check out the Dramon Green Show. I brought Dramon Green into the volume because one of the more entertaining

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