The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - Jimmy Butler is the right fit

Episode Date: March 4, 2025

Nick Wright joins The Herd to talk about LeBron James's latest milestone, the Lakers since the Luka trade, and more Thoughts on Jimmy Butler since becoming a Warrior and why he is a perfect fitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com. or stream us live every day in the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. It is a Tuesday. Welcome in. This time yesterday, the great Jimmy Johnson was retiring from Fox after a remarkable football,

pro in college and broadcasting career. This is the herd. We started our show talking about LeBron James as one point shy of scoring 50, 50,000 career points. Nobody's obviously ever done that. There is, I said this two weeks ago. I don't even know what I'm watching. And our staff has this.

If you take LeBron's four MVP season and compare with LeBron's since he turned 40, he's actually a better basketball player now. More rebounds, more assists, better shooter, three point and field goal. He averages two points less a game. that's insane. And I think today he's defending as well as he did five or six years ago.

So, you know, people will say, what is he on? Well, the NBA tests for HGH, they just banned a Milwaukee buck player for some banned substance. So, you know, I think your body will treat you, how you treat it, and LeBron spends a couple million dollars a year in his body. And LeBron is what happens when you're an all-time talent and you go all in. I've said this. Carmelo Anthony, go look it up, started to decline at 30 years old. He was never in great shape. I mean, hookah Luca will not play like this at 40 years old.

He's not that committed. And so, I mean, John Daly was a hoot, but at 58 years old, Gary Player is 88 or 89 years old, and Gary Player is in significantly better shape. Because Gary Player still works out. I met Gary Player twice. It's incredible. 89 years old. He works out 90 minutes a day. I talked to about his diet. It's incredible. It's the

healthiest eater I've ever seen. Your body's going to treat you like you treat your body. And LeBron is just an all-in guy. So, I mean, you look at James Hardin. He's falling off a cliff. If you look at Big Ben, he aged quickly. So all these guys, like I always say, when people complain about the Dodgers doing the deferred payments, everybody that owns a Major League Baseball team is a billionaire. Everybody could do that. The Dodgers have decided their billionaires. Dodgers do not have the richest owners. They don't. They don't drive the most revenue. Yankees still make more revenue than they do on an annual basis. So Yankees make more revenue. They do not now. Mark Walters is one of the richer owners, top six or seven, not the richest owner, but they are totally committed to winning championships with the Dodgers.

The Pittsburgh Pirates owner, he's a billionaire too. He's cheap. And so anybody could do it. All these, I mean, most of these athletes, most, not all, they could spend money. But, you know, James Harden, you know, his jersey hangs, I'm not joking, in the rafter of a strip club. I mean, he was legendary for being an all-night guy. That's fine with me. I'm not judging it. But that's why James Hardin's falling off a cliff. That's why Carmelo started declining at 30.

He was never in great shape. Cam Newton had some injuries, but Big Ben, you know, you look at Alex Ovechkin and hockey. Right now, top 10 in goals. Brady in his 40s. LeBron James, this is what happens when you totally commit. Lou Williams was talking about this on the Fandul TV about this. 60% of these guys can put a million dollars in their bodies if they want to. They still ain't go get this result. Yeah, it's just a credit to his genetics and how he's been able to maintain himself over the years.

So to go through 21 years of nothing major to sit you out is a blessing in itself. Now, LeBron did have last couple of years, he had about a year and a half where he was just dealing with ankle stuff and hip stuff. But the numbers he's putting out, and I will say this, I've said this about Steph Curry and I'll say it with LeBron. These guys run a treadmill to nowhere, and then you give one Luca and one Jimmy Butler, and it's as if they're showing off for their new friend. Like, you get a new friend in the neighborhood, hey, come on over here, my bicycle, let's do some jumps. Like they're showing off for their friends. and it's brought a joy and an energy to LeBron. And what I'm watching is absolutely once in a generation remarkable.

Steph Curry's averaging seven points more a game. With Jimmy Butler, he's taken one more shot. Efficiency, energy, vibe, juice, analytics can't measure all that stuff. Nick Wright co-hosts, First Things First is joining us now live from New York. You know what he is, I think LeBron has always known, and this was my rant to start the show. Nobody has had his intuition. He moved off D. Wade at the right time. He moved out of Cleveland twice at the right time.

He moved off all the Lonzo ball guys at the right time. And I think deep down, I really believe this, Nick, that he knew that he and AD worked together. But Yokic or Luca, the great outlet passers, would give LeBron in his twilight years easier baskets, and they wouldn't be as dependent on him initiating it, and Denver wasn't moving off Luca, or Denver wasn't moving off Yolkich. He tried to get Steph a couple of years ago, and Steph said, no, thanks.

I think LeBron, the minute Cuban sold his primary share of the Mavericks, LeBron saw an opening. And through a lot, I know you think it's crazy. LeBron has always been a step ahead of teams, owners, executives, and teammates. And he's been right seven straight times. Was one of those steps drugging Nico Harrison?

I mean, because that's the piece of that you're not including. So I don't quite get it. By the way, I'm hearing myself in my ear, so I don't know if they can fix it, but I'll power through in the meantime. Yeah, but it doesn't take a basketball genius, which LeBron is, to be like, yeah, my life probably gets easier on offense

if we had Luca to others. Yeah, I do think that he probably wanted Luca. I don't think he thought that Nico Harrison would make that possible. But you were talking about LeBron scoring 50,000 points. Yeah. Can we stay there for a minute? Sure. So I know that compiling is not really considered that impressive.

Right. And I understand that. but what LeBron's doing isn't compiling. What LeBron's doing is continued sustained excellence. Right. And that's what I think matters. So there have only been five guys in NBA history to reach 36,000. 36,000, he's at 50, career points.

And I do think it's noteworthy to discuss what they looked like when they reached those final milestones. So Kareem scored 44,000. It's fixed. Thank you guys. Forty-four thousand in change. When he got his 44,000th point, Colin, it was the worst year of his career is averaging 10 points per game. Caram alone got to 41,000. When he scored his 41,000th point, he was averaging 13 points a game for the Lakers, the worst year of his career. Kobe and Michael both got to 38,000. When he was averaging, he was averaging. Michael did it, he was averaging 20 a game on 19% from 3 and 41% from the field for the Wizards. And when Kobe did it, he was averaging 17 a game on 35% from the field.

LeBron James tonight is going to get to 50,000 in a season. He might be top 5 on MVP balloting and should be first team all NBA. So it's not so much about, you know, oh, he just was healthy and was able to put in 15 a night for 25 years. It's that in year 22, he is still on any given night, maybe the best player in the league. And over the course of the season, clearly one of the five best players in the league, Brady is the only athlete that we have any comp for it to. and Brady didn't have to play both sides of the ball. It's really a remarkable thing we're seeing right now. You know, I was thinking about this.

Jay Mack was on this like the first couple days. He said, Lakers are a championship team. And I think there's only two teams in the league right now that are complete. Boston and Cleveland, and one won't get to the finals. I think Boston plays interior defense, wing defense. They have wing scoring that can score down low. Boston's a totally complete team. If Derek White's your fourth or fifth best team player, you're a great.

team. I think Cleveland is very, very close. Again, they can defend. They've got size. They've got wing defenders. They've got a great guard. Those are complete teams. I don't think anybody in the West is complete. Teams are either too young. They don't have the depth. I don't think Denver has the depth. They're bad defensively. I don't trust Houston can't shoot. Golden State could use another shooter. So when I look at the Lakers, I think, you know, I wish they had a rim defender. Until you get to the finals, everybody's got a hole in the West, and I get LeBron and Luca, so my two stars are better than you two, and I do think right now I would take the Lakers to win the West. Well, they are certainly on the very short list. Knowing myself, I'll probably end up picking them.

It's going to be hard for me to pick it. All of us, you have my favorite player of all time, and my. second favorite player in the league playing together, and they're both playing great basketball, so I'll probably end up picking them. I do think you're short-changing OKC a bit. The OKC question is, really, to me, I have two OKC questions. One is, will the non-SGA players play better this postseason than they did last postseason?

That's right. Because last postseason, Shay played well, but the other guys didn't kind of play up to their billing. And the other OKC question is, is, is Shea going to suffer from something James Hardin has suffered for in the past? Joelle Mbitt has suffered from in the past, which is a playoff whistle. Anyone who gets such a huge benefit from getting to the foul line, you worry about them a bit in the playoffs.

But OKC is awesome. Yeah, now, let me say this about OKC, and I've seen this before. SGA will not get the regular season whistle, which Carl Malone and James Hardin and SGA live on. He won't. The other thing, and you know this, young players and rotational players in the playoffs are often great at home. But in big spots in road games, they can disappear. I think Oklahoma City is still, Chet Holmgren is still a year away from being able to go to Los Angeles in a crucial game and beat LeBron and Luca. So that, listen, that might be true.

They also might not have to win any road games. And so I am I'm not trying to build them up to more than they are But I do think their record and Shea playing at the level They deserve respect I also oddly when I was in Los Angeles over when was it Over Thanksgiving I went to Lakers OKC I sat right next to the guy that holds up all the Lakers

It doesn't matter nobody cares about that point is I had good seats Lakers OKC unlike Colin Coward they're not given to me I paid for them out of my own pocket man of the people And OKC just throws waves and waves of defenders at you. So I will give them respect. What the Lakers have going for them that no other team in the league has is this. They have two offensive supercomputers at the wing slash point guard position. And almost every contender has one guy you can throw on someone like that.

The Thunder have Lou Dort, the Nuggets have Aaron Gordon. Like you have some, you have a guy to throw on those, to throw on LeBron or throw on Luca. Only Boston has two guys who you can, it has multiple guys to throw at these, to throw at LeBron and Luca. Like when you are playing Denver in a series, if Aaron Gordon is guarding LeBron, then who the hell is guarding Luca? Like that is the real question. And so, yeah, I thought people totally overrated how bad of a fit it was going to be. It's two of the smartest players ever. I also think those of us hand up who the last few years was like,

Darwin is doing a poor job. And then a lot of people in the media was like, LeBron, knifing Darwin for his podcast buddy. So if JJ Reddick, who we all know was only hired, because LeBron made him do it, LeBron's podcast, buddy. If J.J. Reddick wins coach of the year, does LeBron get to at least take a picture with the trophy?

Like, how does the LeBron runs the Lakers stuff work? He made them trade for Russell Westbrook, but he also made them trade for Anthony Davis. What trading for Anthony Davis got you a championship and Luke at Outschitz for the next decade. So I don't know. I just don't know where LeBron's influence starts or ends. I do know the Lakers right now, I agree with you,

look like a team that can win the championship. I've been saying two things about the face of the league. I only believe, I think there's been three in my life. Magic, I don't count Bird. Bird didn't want it. French lick, feisty. He didn't have the magnetism of Magic Johnson. Magic and Bird may have been together.

It's like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark. Caitlin's the face of the league. Magic was the face of the league. They just happened to be rivals. Then I think it's Michael Jordan, the best looking, the best player, the most relentless. And then I think it's LeBron James. Steph Curry's close, but in his prime, LeBron's in his. Sorry, LeBron wins.

So my take is there's only been three. Kareem wasn't, Wilt wasn't, Duncan wasn't. They weren't. And the other thing is, it's not just about going to Duke or playing for a big brand. There are two things that matter. An aura, Jason Tatum doesn't have it. And we can't ever question that you shrink in big spots. in the gold medal game, Jason Tatum had two points.

Game before he was a coach's decision, do not play when he played with the best players in the world. Secondly, Jalen Brown wins MVP of a conference finals and the finals. They traded Marcus Smart because he was taking the ball out of his hands. I love Jason Tatum. I think the league thought Zion could be... Everybody knows that about you. Okay. I thought Zion had a chance.

But he just wasn't because, and I don't really blame him, because they come into the league at 19 years old, he wasn't mature enough. Jaw had a chance. He just wasn't ready for it. That the league mostly doesn't need it, hasn't had it, and Tatum's not yet. All right, so you threw a lot there. One is, can I sell you on one other face of the league in that time frame? All right.

And that's the Shaq Kobe duo. Okay. I think that they, but after Michael before LeBron, I thought, the Shack Kobe collective with the Lakers was the face of the league if that exists. But it's a very, very short list. And we actually, I actually talked Tatum, because you know it's a huge Jason Tatum fan, is my son Demonsé, who co-hosts the podcast I do. And we were talking about that actually this morning.

And about why Jason Tatum online in particular seems to get so much criticism from America's honesty broker, gets so much criticism and I think there is a feeling and it might be unfair it is just a feeling of a little inauthenticity that people don't wrap their arms around it's the exact opposite feeling people get when they watch or listen to Anthony Edwards so for good or for bad people watch Anthony Edwards and say you know who he's being Anthony Edwards you know what he's saying whatever's on his mind. You know what he's doing, whatever he wants. Now, there are some maybe issues with that, but it's why people are drawn to him.

Tatum, I think, for a lot of people, feels a little too pre-produced. And then there is also the factor of, and this is, and people, Celtics fans might not want to hear it. And he is the best player on the defending champion and a team that might win again. But to be the face of the league, you have to be eligible to be the best player in the league. Right. And Jason Tatum is not. Yeah. And people can say I'm putting a ceiling on him.

Jason Tatum will never be the best player in the NBA. There is no shame to that. Kevin Durant, who has reached Heights Tatum, has not, and I think Will not, never was the single best player in the NBA. Yeah. So only like 16 guys across history who have ever been the hands-down best player at any given moment in the NBA. So I don't, Tatum's right. I check off all the boxes, except for the one that matters, which is what we feel like, what we know. And so, again, the Celtics probably should win another championship.

And if he's a multiple-time champion, probably get a finals MVP at some point, he's going to be first. all of the accolades, all of it, but that doesn't mean that you're going to be on a list alongside of LeBron, Kobe, Shaq, Michael Magic. Again, it's a very, very short list, so I agree with you on that. Okay, so finally, Shadur Sanders. So, you know, I said most of the time in my life, the corporation or the organization has the leverage over the employee. But when you're the Giants or Cleveland or Tennessee, and Shadur-Sanders-Sand-Sand-Sand-Sand-E. interviews. He grew up rich. He's even richer now with NIL. You're awful. He's talented. And he would probably rather drop to a good team. I don't want to hear in the combine that he came

off as, you know, a little standoffish. Well, maybe because he'd rather you pass on him and go to a better team. And my take is the world changes. The culture changes. I mean, Mike Shoshavsky is like, I'm not doing one and done. And then he realized he was getting beat by guys that went to Carolina that were one and done's. And Mike Schiazschevsky said, okay, I'm doing one and done's. The culture has changed. Players come in now as millionaires. Owners in the NFL are billionaires.

They're more impulsive. They fire coaching staffs. I don't want to hear that Chatur, Shadur Sanders, didn't bow to you. These kids come in with sometimes more leverage than the team. So I have maybe the most odd Shador Sanders opinion of anyone, which is I have zero off the field concerns and a ton of on the field concerns. So like all of the Shador Sanders conversation seems to be about Shador Sanders, like the negative conversation is about Shador Sanders the guy. and I, from everything I have seen, from everything I've heard from people who actually know him, from watching him in the spotlight, I'm like, I think this kid has handled obscene fame,

a ton of wealth, and a huge spotlight about almost perfectly, not perfectly. There were last year when kids were transferring out a few tweets I think he would want back. Yeah. But given, you know, given where he's at, the scrutiny, his dad, his brothers, all of it. I think Shador Sanders, the leader, the intangibles, all that stuff, is super high marks. I just worry about Shador Sanders, the quarterback, and whether or not he had, like, what I saw from him at Colorado, which Coach Manjini mentioned this, I thought it was a good point. It felt like a lot of the potential red flags you saw occasionally from Caleb in college, you saw a lot of.

lot of those same ones with Chador without nearly as many of the, oh my God, what did I just see type of wow throws. And so I would not be worried about drafting Chador at all because I think he's arrogant or character or any of this nonsense, which really just means confident in this case rich, young black kid. Like that part I think is ridiculous. I do have legitimate concerns about whether or not if the quarterbacks in last year's class were in this year's class, would Shador be the sixth quarterback off the board? Yeah. Would Caleb, Jaden, Drake, Cam Ward this year and J.J. McCarthy all go ahead of him?

Maybe. That, to me, is far more legitimate than any of this arrogant stuff. Nick Wright. All right. That was good stuff. My friend is... How are you... Celebrating tonight, Colin.

The 50,000 points. I mean, you'll never see it again. No one will see it again. You know, it's rare than Haley's Comet, literally. You know what? Let that percolate. Let that bake. I'll try to do something special.

Maybe I'll have a celebrate. Listen, I know you like going out these days. Go to one of your fancy members-only L.A. Restaurants. Order yourself. You know what I mean? One of your, you know, double cocktails. and just be like, man, a billion years of world history,

I was alive covering sports at the same time as LeBron James. What are the odds? I mean, it's unbelievable. Just talk me into it, my friend. Good seeing you. There you go. See ya. If you feel like owning a home is out of reach, it is not.

Go to Rocket. 804 Rocket. Rocket wants you to have the potential to own the American dream. Everybody deserves a shot at that. Visit rocket.com or call 800 for Rocket. Want 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. Hey, it's us to Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news.

What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas, we invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a... We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember.

I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas.

And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, Jonas, and offered it up as a potential. title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

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. 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. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis. And I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs. And on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jenchian went. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

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 IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. We have a dentist appointment this month, actually, so I got to brush up on floss. How many times a day do you floss, by the way? I brush my teeth three to four times a day. Isn't everybody? What do you do?

I just do two morning and night. Do I need to do long? So you go like 12 hours and just have nothing but decay and plaque and 12 hours. I guess I'd need to work at it. on lunch one. All right, let's get started, Colin, with the Niners and Brock Purdy, your favorite quarterback in the league. They're working towards a long-term extension. However, really interesting point brought about by Steve Young on the Rich Eisen Show. He thinks a couple other deals could impact Purdy negotiations. What happened with Nick Bosa and then with

Brandon Ayyuk changed the nature this year of how they are going to go about it. I don't think they were really appreciative of how that went down and how they got pushed. And I think that they're, you know, you almost feel like a lot more declarative statements coming out. Quarterbacks are so hard to find that Brock has done enough for sure to go out and get, you know, and get paid and get it done. Now, back to my original point, there's, I don't know that it's going to be smooth. How could it be smooth?

Yeah. The Niners generally, I'll say this, the Rams are tougher negotiators than the Niners. The Niners have caved on a few guys. The Rams don't. I mean, the Rams were willing to move off Stafford if they got a first round pick. With Stafford, Brock Purdy's going to get what he wants. I believe I would rather as an athlete negotiate with the Niners than I would with McVeigh and the Rams and less need and Stan Cronkey. I mean, the Rams moved off a guard today.

This isn't going to be some kind of Josh Allen five, six-year deal. some Patrick Mahomes long-term deal, right? There's going to be more three, four years, maybe two years guaranteed, something like that? Well, that's what I would, yeah. It just doesn't make sense to lock down. And I like, you know, I'm like Mr. Brock Purdy. I'm a huge fan. I think he's been excellent.

But the Brandon and I, you feel certainly there's buyers or more. Well, here's the advantage they have. They have drafted pretty well. They've had misses. But they've drafted pretty well, and I think they have 12 picks. So, you know, again, If you hit on 50 to 60% of your picks, the Niners are going to fill some holes and some of that, like at corner, if they got Will Johnson from Michigan first round, they could move off maybe ward the corner. So they have a couple of situations where if they hit on drafting, they just moved off Debo's money.

Ricky Pearsall. If they could get a corner, then you move off, you move off some corner money. Then the Brock Purdy contract, you get to 50 million and it's not that punitive. So, again, it all comes back that the Eagles and the Rams have hit on draft picks that allows you to have a star quarterback in Pay them and a few others. So if the Niners have a really good late April weekend, they're going to be much more comforted in knowing they hit on six new players. They have to upgrade the O-line, and I think they have to attack Corner. So they think they had two Super Bowl trips in like a four-year window, something like that. Do you think the windows still, do they go in an XI?

season in your Super Bowl bubble? I want to watch the San Francisco 49ers draft. I really do. Because obviously they've got the coach. Christian McCaffrey comes back. Wow. And they don't know those tires. And Trent Williams is like 47 years old.

Kittle was a pro bowler. Joanne Jennings, Pearsall, McCaffrey, Trent Williams comes back. Kyle Shanahan, they'll be fine. I think they have to go O-line and heavy defense in the draft. And if they have a good weekend and get three to four starters, then I feel like they're still in the bubble. I would consider left tackle with their first pick.

Because again, if anything happens to Trent Williams, we know historically that offensive line falls apart. Yeah, what you do is you draft the left tackle, and for a year he plays right tackle. And then eventually you move him over when Trent leaves. Yeah. I think that should be their first pick, by the way. I think offensive tackle for the Niners or Corner should be their first pick.

Protect your investment. If you're paying Brock Purdy, protect them. All right, next up, good news for the Dallas Cowboys. Finally, they have reportedly agreed to a four-year-80. million deal with defensive tackle, and I hope I don't butcher this. Osua Odigizua. I think I got that right, Nate. 58 million guaranteed, $20 million signing bonus. He played at UCLA. He had a very good year. It's actually a good two-year stretch for Dallas.

I wonder if Micah Parsons is like, great, great, my turn now, can I get paid? But finally, positive news for the Cowboys, who have had an avalanche. Well, we spend a lot of time talking about edge rushers. But if you talk to a lot of NFL people, they'll tell you there is a pushback to dominant interior defenders. Chris Jones, off of Aaron Donald, Jalen Carter. Because edge rushers tend to be a bit more available. You know, the great defensive tackle, you don't give them up. You just do not give them up.

Edge rushers, I mean, Max Crosby, a later draft, you can find edge rushers. There are not a lot of guys that are 6-2, 3-30 and move well, and when you get one like Dallas, you do not let him go. Remember Miami had Wilkins, and they were like, oh, we'll move off him. They could not stop the run this season. Defense is terrible. defensive tackles definitely matter. Jets have a great one. Quentin Williams, come on.

He's a top four or five in the league. Yeah. Final story is in the NBA. Free throw merchant SGA went off last night, Colin, 51 points in seven assists. And Zach, the producer here who loves SGA, noted. Hey, it's not like he lived at the free throw line last night, Jason. Only 10 of his 51 were on free throws. But listen, let's be real.

SGA, 28 at halftime last night, 45 heading into the 40. Is he the second best player in the league? Yo Kish is the best. No, he's not. No, Yokic is the best player. That's in arguable. Luca is the second best? No, no, no.

Yonis? Stop it. I think you can go Yonis. You can't be as bad defensively as Luca and be the second best player in the league. He took the match to the finals last year. Yeah, the SGA, has he got to the conference finals? He had Kyrie Irving in a stacked center rotation. Nobody had them going to finals.

That was all Luca. They took down OKC. I need to see SGA do it in the play. You can't be the worst defensive player. He's not the worst. It's passable. He's not very good. Listen, SGA had a nice block last night.

He has the most 20-point games in the NBA this season. And this is like a Joe L.M. Bede all over again. Everybody wants to give him the MVP. Fine. I don't care. Give him the MVP. are they going to get to the finals? That's what matters.

Well, they're a really good basketball team. And by the way, not only do they draft and develop well, they took a valuable player, a big from the New York Knicks, and the Knicks haven't been as good defensively. That's a good point. But Colin, let me just quickly ask you this. Final five minutes, close game, OKC Lakers. Who are your five on the floor for OKC?

That's a big question. They've got a lot of good players. Chad, SGA, Hartenstein. Williams. J. Dobb? Are you doing Hartenstein? The guy you got from...

Are you doing Caruso? So are you doing Lou Dort? They just have a lot of good guys. Whereas the Lakers have three really awesome ones. Then Rui, I just... I'm not buying this OKC team over the Leroy. Listen, here's what's going to happen. If they don't end up in the finals,

first of all, the NBA, it would be a great final to get the young emerging dynasty potentially OKC. I mean, they got so much... Well, they have so many draft picks. I just see. Oh, I think they have a chance. They have a billion draft picks.

Okay. And they already have two stars. Three actually. Williams, Chet Holmgren, SGA is the best of it. So they could become what Denver didn't. They could go on a run. We thought Denver was going to win multiple. So what happens if OKC faces the Lakers in the final and the Lakers win, I can write the story.

League is rigged. They wanted LeBron in, but I will say, caution yourself on this. Oklahoma City is young. Young players shrink in road playoff games. that's number one outside of the COVID bubble year in Orlando younger players shrink in the playoffs especially away from home secondly SGA like James Hardin and Carl Malone lives on the whistle you do not get it in the conference finals and finals you will not get the whistle

James Harden I mean Carl Malone covered multiple series he still went to the line but you never quite got the regular season whistle So if OKC loses, you can write the two headlines now. Well, I'll go a step further, okay? OKC loses to the Lakers in the playoffs. Let's say second round or conference finals. Everybody's distraught. How are we going to get by the Lakers?

Do you know what OK's move in the offseason should be? We'll package three or four of these guys. Hey, Kevin Durant, why don't you come home to OKC? Right. We need you. Right. We need that playoff score. Kevin Durant returns to OKC.

Heroes welcome. Phoenix get some draft picks, which they desperately need. and maybe one good player. And Kevin Durant returns to OKC, and they go to the finals next year. But you know, SG, Chet and Kevin Durant on the back one. Okay, it makes a ton of basketball sense.

You like that. But that's not how Kevin Durant thinks. We'll see. Nobody knows how Kevin Durant thinks. But listen, I just floated that now based on us talking. I'm very curious if that gains any traction. Like, Kevin Durant's going to have options. Like, where's he going to go?

Well, if you're Phoenix and you're moving off Kevin Durant, which they are, what are you looking for? I want draft picks. Draft picks, and you've got to have one decent player because of contracts. So you're basically looking for a good player. I'll take J. Dub off your hands if I'm Phoenix. Jay Dub and give me four picks. Well, you're not getting four from Sam Presti.

Yeah. Give me three. All right. J. Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Lie News. Peter Schrager stops by last hour.

Yeah, I'm telling you, LeBron's going to score. he'll be the only player over 50,000 points. And go look at the splits. LeBron, his stats, 40 years old and on, compared to his four MVP years. Outside of points per game, he is better at everything. That is, that is insane. It really is. I've never seen anything like it.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I Heart Radio app. Hey, it's Steve Kavino. And I'm Rich Davis. And together we're Kavino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You can catch us weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the IHart Radio app. Why should you listen to Kvino and Rich? We talk about everything, life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world?

We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture. Stories that, well, other shows don't seem. to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last 20 years and still work together, I mean, that says something, right? So check us out.

We like to get you involved too. Take your phone calls, chop it up as they say. I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio. Maybe the most interactive show on Planet Earth. Be sure to check out Kavino and Rich

live on Fox Sports Radio on the IHeart Radio app from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern, 2 to 4 Pacific. And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covino and Rich, wherever you get your podcast, and of course, on social media.

That's Kavino and Rich. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, new? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to a podcast. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Oh, we were thinking, I'm an original.

calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say,

Hey Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen.

We don't care where you hear it. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay.

Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French, me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennar Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court-side seat to the French Open.

Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, 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. Peter Schroger stops by with some NFL draft buzz. I've said this before, that sports are all cyclical, boxing used to be bigger. UFC squashed it.

Baseball had a real down 15 years, in my opinion. I think they're sort of rebooted it with changes to the pitch clock and speeding the game up and the defensive shift and all the star players are in the right markets now. In the NBA, about every other draft is what they say is a bad draft. There's not a lot of talent, which is remarkable because it's a global game you're choosing from. And in the NFL, I don't remember a draft that had less pizzazz. Now, we have had very weak quarterback draft, the Kenny Pickett draft that had, you know,

Kenny Pickett was the only, like, first round quarterback, and he was kind of a second to a third rounder that the Steelers reached on him. You kind of understood it. He had a good last year. He was a Pittsburgh kid, played in the same facility, blah, blah, blah. But this is the weakest draft I remember in the NFL, and part of me thinks why. I don't ever remember having a draft where, like, everybody I've talked to, In fact, today the Bears and the Rams made a trade.

Why? It tells you don't like the free agents. It's not a good free agent class. It's not a good draft class. And my take is about 10 years ago when the NFL had that big CTE controversy, there was a lot of negativity around the league. And you saw multiple stories about moms not wanting their sons to play high school football. And turnout for football was much lower, maybe not in the south or Texas, but in a lot of parts of the country. high school football turnout was less and lower.

And my question is, is this a result of that that we are going to start to see a little more regularly weaker drafts and that there's going to be a dilution of talent? Now, I don't know this to be true, but I do not remember a draft where I thought there were like six elite players. And I watch a ton of college football, and I'm not, you know, the Arizona receiver T-Mack, Mason Graham, Will Johnson, Abdul Carter. I don't think these quarterbacks are A prospects. Cam Ward's dynamic.

Shadour is capable. I don't think they're great prospects. I think last year they would have been like fifth or sixth best quarterback prospects. I just don't think it's a very good draft. I don't think there's a great tackle, offensive tackle. I don't think there's a great defensive tackle. I think there's one receiver I like. I don't think there's any.

I think actually what does it tell you that the running back class is the best by far? And that's a position that for years has been soft or weak, and now it's like they all kind of fit into this draft. So I don't know. This is JMAX mock draft. I agree with some of it, not the other. The thing that I roll my eyes at is everybody saying Sodor Sanders is going to drop to the end of the first round. Guys, the New York Giants have a GM and a coach that could be fired by Thanksgiving.

They are going to have to make a move for quarterback if one's available. Now, if one's not available, they can go, you know, figure it out. But I think Cam Ward, Chador Sanders, J-Mach's got him going one and two. I mean, if you're Cleveland or Tennessee or New York, if one of these guys is available, how do you not draft them? Abdul-Carter, Travis Hunter has questions because he wants to play both ways, and Abdul-Carter has an injury. So even the two dynamic athletes in the class, there's a little bit of a question mark. You have to take Cam Ward. You have to take Shadour.

And that doesn't mean they're great. But I watch Tennessee, Cleveland, New York. Those are four or five-win teams if they don't roll the dice on quarterback. And here's the thing. It's not that Cam Ward and Shadour Sanders, here's the advantage. So last year, all the top quarterbacks, almost all the top quarterbacks, went to defensive coaches. It was a disaster for Caleb Williams, right? This year, Tennessee, Cleveland, and the Giants all have offensive coaches.

So the quarterback class is not as good, but the environment could be a little more seamless because you get an offensive guy. Now, Washington hired the perfect O.C. for Jaden Daniels. But in Chicago, it was a mess. In fact, Bo Nicks for most of the season looked like maybe the best rookie until the end. Why? Because he got Sean Payton. So it's a year with kind of B-level prospects. But Callahan, you like.

I think Kevin Stefansky's great. and we both think Brian Daibald's talented. So let's say Shadour goes to the Giants. Listen, they got a left tackle, they got a great weapon, they have an offensive coach. Well, hold on. Let's back up. What do the Giants do in free agency, which is coming up here in a week or two? Right? You got Justin Fields, Sam Darno, Russell Wilson.

Nobody in New York's buying any of that. So then you're banking on we have to trade up because what if quarterback go one, too? You cannot go in the next season with DeVito or whoever they got a court. You can't do that or it's a rap. So I'm going to ask you this. Let's say the Jets and Giants do nothing in free agency. They've got to trade up for a quarterback. So would you rather have Justin Fields on like a three-year deal?

Or would you trade up for Cam or Shadour? Because that's what it looks like is head of tour for the Jets. Well, those are not choices. I would, you know, let's just take. So I think Cam and Shadur are going one and two. I would agree with you. I agree with you. If you can't get a quarterback in free agency for the Jets, you must trade up.

Or settle for a second round flyer. You don't know if your guy from Syracuse was a McCord? Yeah. I don't know if he's going to work. No. Yeah, I just, when I see people dropping to the bottom of the draft. He's your boy. You can call him out, Lambs or a line.

He watches. Well, I mean, that's his opinion. I agree with you that in a quarterback-centric league, Cam Ward and Shadour with offensive coaches, with offensive. By the way, I don't think the Titans or the Browns have terrible offensive lines. So these guys aren't going. They're going to offensive coaches. both have weapons, decent offensive line play.

They may be prospects, but that's a pretty good situation. Caleb Williams goes to the Bears. The O-line stinks. The coach is defensive. They run through the staff by the end of the year. That's a disaster. I don't think, yeah, I think they're going one and two. I think you nailed it.

Shregg's joining us our three in a Tuesday. It's the hurt. Hey, guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what?

We created our own podcast called. Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. 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. 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 SportsSlice 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 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless, and at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast for no nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lennar Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis Podcast on the IHart Radio app.

or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart women's sports. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.