The Mismatch - The Pacers, Jazz, and Wizards Make Trades for Their Future. Plus, Ja and Giannis Stay Put.

Episode Date: February 6, 2026

Verno and Jacoby recap a few trades made before the deadline and discuss how the Jazz, Pacers, and Wizards made trades that set up their future. They also discuss how Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo will remain with their respective teams and what their offseasons could look like. They also dive into how this trade deadline impacted the future of the NBA. (00:00) Welcome to The Mismatch! (03:33) Pacers get Ivica Zubac, a perfect fit for Tyrese Haliburton (11:04)The Wizards gave up nothing for Anthony Davis (17:18) Grizzlies in full rebuild by sending Jaren Jackson Jr. to Utah Jazz (39:19)Jacoby feels the Warriors are fumbling Steph Curry’s twilight years (40:58)The East is a four-team race, and it’s close, plus Philly (49:48)Knicks acquire Jose Alvarado from the Pelicans (1:00:35)The only team that could alter the playoffs is Cleveland (1:07:00)Jacoby and Verno’s Super Bowl pick, prop bets, and the under The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visithttp://www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Leave us a message on our Mismatch voicemail line! [phone] Hosts: Chris Vernon and David Jacoby Producers: Jessie Lopez, Brian H. Waters, and Jeff Shearin Social: Keith Fujimoto Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the mismatch. I'm Chris Vernon and joining me to see us every week from the ringer.com is Dave Jacoby. Jacoby. So it's Thursday night. The trade deadline has technically passed, but I'm really glad we're doing this now. Because we don't have to go through the details of the minutia of all of the trades. And also a 2032 second rounder, which is conditional if it's in 35 to 47, like we can take the big picture takeaways because the news is broken. The first wave of analysis has come out and you come to the mismatch to get that second wave of analysis. So as you are going to be listening to this, we are obviously not going to be talking about the Thursday night games, which are being played because the big story of the day

is how the league changed. And I think the first big takeaway from the trade deadline was that this was not a trade deadline that drastically changed the season which we are playing now, but rather a look towards what is 2027 going to look like after this trade deadline? It's oftentimes during the deadline. Sometimes everything happens, sometimes nothing happens. But more often than not, you're like, I can't wait to see what team X looks like. Or team X is really shoring up themselves for a.

run at the Larry O'Brien title this season. And we didn't really get that. A lot of title contending teams got better, but marginally better. You know, eighth, ninth guy and the rotation kind of better. But there are a lot of teams. We're like, wait, wait, wait, are the Wizards trying to win basketball games? Right. Like, like, there's a lot of it, because of Yonis not going, which was the big

dominoes we discussed, it sort of moved all of the moves with an eye towards 2027, not 2026. What was interesting, well, one thing that was interesting was on the show we did on Tuesday, one of the questions that we discussed was, who's that team that will make a move for the future? We broached this exact subject. And that's when I told you, I said, you know, it's usually like one of those like middle of the pack. So do they swing something that this year's not going to be their year, but they look at next year. and go, that's the one where we can take the big leap because of the age of our players,

because of the assets that we have and what we can flip it for now. And I told you Portland, right? They're kind of in that mix. They're in the play in mix right now. This isn't the year. But next year could be the year that they take the big leap. And maybe they don't just stand pat or maybe they could do something. So that was one of the teams that I kind of looked at.

You know, last year in that exact situation, it was Fox. right? Like San Antonio wasn't doing anything last year but they acquired Deerrin Fox and you went well next year that's something we've got to really evaluate and really think about. So Portland kind of fell on that and it was

teams well below Portland. It was Indiana. It was some of the it was the worst records in the league. Pacers, jazz, wizards those three all made moves with an eye towards next year, not the rest of this season,

but rather what their team is going to look like for the 26-27 season. And on the all teams, they're incentivized to have a losing record to get a higher draft pick this year, but now have rosters on paper that improved over the last 24 hours. So the Pacers, their swing was a huge one. Because they went for Ivaka Zubat,

and I thought, But when I saw that deal, my, I will be honest with you. And I've read, you know, there's some Pacers fans that are in favor of this. You know, they want the center. They, they, they, they know that they can, you know, compete again next year. This was a team that was right there on the customer, obviously in a game seven in the finals last year. So this is kind of a gap year. And they can get right back to it.

And Zubots is a perfect fit with Halliburton. Zubat is on an unbelievable contract. But if I'm being honest. my immediate reaction was what the hell because that's fair reaction it was ben matherin that's fine if you want to get something for matherin because you know and you and you're not going to pay him in the off season but the two first round picks and most importantly this particulars year's pick which is a loaded draft and that it is protected one through four and then 10 through 30 and so i immediately go to Tankathon and I'm like, so what's the chance they get a top four pick? And it says

52% and I'm like, man, I mean, this is one of those we're going to have to evaluate. We'll evaluate the result, but the process of it still, like, if that's the fifth pick in the draft and I just gave up Ben Matthew. That's a tough beat for them. That's a tough beat. This is a calculated risk by a smart organization, and I think they're saying, this could really break our way where we, because, listen, we can do our draft analysis,

but there are, depending on how you want to calculate it, there's at least three guys that can change a franchise, and someone would even argue there could be six guys that can change a franchise, right? So I think they're saying,

if this breaks a certain way, we've got like a Halliburton running the show, we've got the people that we had around him outside of Miles Turner that went to the finals and we've got a brand new sort of like Cooper flag level stud on our team to run with and we have a replacement for Turner that isn't exactly in line with our sort of pace. You know what I mean? I can't imagine Zubach kind of like running the break and catching alley-oops and transition. But he's a defensive stall where they can do a lot of things that Miles Turner couldn't

and can also help with offensive rebounding and rear protection and just being a big. And a pick and roll partner for Hallibur. Hallibur. Yeah. Right. Assume, you know, and, and a great screener as well, right? Yes. A great screener.

So that helps your guard. The other thing I will say, the devil's advocate is I could make the argument that somebody like Zubots is actually in this day and age in the NBA is actually infinitely more. valuable to have on the roster than most guys of his ilk or of his caliber. I don't want to interrupt. Let me just say one thing. Okay. There are two, there's multiple Evita Zuboxes because last season was this sort of like

revelation year for him where he was all of a sudden like top six big in the league and his numbers were crazy on both ends of the floor and very quietly, amidst all of the losing and the drama and Kauai and planting trees and Pablo Torre and Chris Paul, no one really noticed that like Zubach wasn't really injured, but he wasn't nearly as effective as he was last year. That's fair. I'll just say this, that I've thought about this a lot, that like it is very hard.

The reason that draft picks are so important now more than in the past is because they're almost the last, thing left that you actually get that, like, can wildly outperform their contracts. That's what has changed in the NBA. When you have non-all-stars routinely signing for 180 million and 120 million and 200 million and on and on, those guys that as soon as you get somebody good, even if they're like really good, but not like perennial all-star level. you're paying them a fortune, so it has to be good enough, right? Like, obviously, you know, I've been covering a team locally that they, they had the guys and it wasn't good enough.

But then you get into the pickle, right? Because it's like, Sharon Jackson Jr. is going to get $50 million a year. And Desmond Payne is going to sign for, oh, he's getting it from somebody. So you're paying him that. And then you end up moving on to go a different direction. And so what you hope is not only do you get the high picks, but they're the right ones that and those are, because they're the only ones you can pay. And then there's very few guys throughout the NBA that then can truly outperform their contracts. You, you almost never see somebody take a discount, except for your guy, Brunson, which is going to help your team, you know, going forward.

And so. Don't look into that, Pablo. Do not look into that. When even when even the good players are getting down. kind of money. I say all that to say, you go look at Zubot's contract. It's 18, 19.5, and 20.9. That's what he was worth when he signed it. That is, last year like a $50 million player. I'm saying that is amazing. These guys just don't exist. You don't get guys like him making that kind of money, is what I'm saying. So his vow, my devil's advocate would be

His value is actually infinitely greater because of where he can fit in on your payroll versus what he gives you. He is the rare I can actually wildly outperform this contract because I'm going to bring more to the table than a lot of guys that are making literally double and triple my salary. And so, you know, I still hate giving up that pick with those protections. I do. I don't mind the protections because you hate giving up the pick if it becomes. a one through four pick,

but I think you can stomach the five through ten, but the five through nine I guess is what it's unprotected. Yeah, I mean, you also gave up Matherin, though. And Matherin's a guy that like... He went to the finals last year and you barely used him. I mean, he still had 30 in some of those games. Well, I mean...

They're going to get to 110 somehow. You know what I mean? I got you. So they... All right, so that's what they did. You had the Wizards, which were the absolute shocker. Just explain that. this to me. Just explain it to me. Okay, so we're on a group text with a bunch of guys.

And I think the beginning of the group text was kind of like a consoling of Joe House. And as I'm reading it, because I don't see it until later, I'm reading it. And I'm like, wait, what? They've got Trey Young and they've got Anthony Davis and they've given up nothing, literally nothing, none of their own picks, none of these, young players they've drafted. What have they given up? They haven't given up anything. And they've got Trey Young and Anthony Davis,

which at minimum is an amazing NBA jam team. Right? Trey Young and Anthony Davis is an amazing. Great NBA Jam team. And made, like that is what that game was made for. The small and the big. Yeah, he got Bruns and towns. You got Hardin-Mobly.

Yes. And, and that. They suck. Like, and they, it's not like they gave up Alex Sar. It's not like I love, I love Alexar. I got this. Like Alexar, we want to turn you into Anthony Davis, not have you like play alongside Anthony Davis. I don't know.

I just look at it and go, what am I screwing up? The long plan, they have not won 50 games since Wes unselled. So at least they have good players now. Like these guys are guys that have made a lot of. of all-star teams, and I would look at it and go, both of them want contracts. Well, like, if they're ever going to be healthy and on best behavior, I've actually got them the time that they would be. So you could, I just want to know what the plan is, because is the plan to like, you know,

in Halloween next season, it's like Anthony Davis and Trey Young in uniform, like, with extensions? Is that the plan? Sure. Why not? It's weird. Okay. Why not, though? It's better than whatever the other plan was.

What free agent are you? You could end up paying $58 million to a guy that's like, plays 19 games. You know what I mean? Like, could. That could very well be the case. And do you really want to offer an extension to Anthony Davis right now? Well, and also they may, I mean, they may ask out before it ever gets to it. That's another thing.

It's like, does Anthony Davis play for the Wizards? I mean, I hope so. I hope so, too. I'll tell you this. That would be the first time I've tuned into the wizard since young Wall and Beal. And they just did a damn ceremony for John Wall. So it's been a while. I just, I want to know.

I'm with it. I'm with it. I like it. They gave up nothing, nothing. C.J. McCull and McKisper. who cares who cares i well i just don't know if the plan is to is to extend these guys and build around them and like and be like our time is now or is it like oh we'll probably just like flip them into something else later we're just like a sort of a we're just sort of a holding

zone for anthony davis i'm telling you i hope they do look no young's gonna be there yes it does it does be like young because that's the you know the guy's in the front office is the guy that moved heaven and earth to get him in Atlanta and moved off of Luca at the time. So he obviously targeted him. You know, you only need one huge believer. And that guy's career is tied to, has been tied to him for the longest. So he's staying. It's only a matter of what happens with Davis.

And I'll just say this. I hope it does come to fruition because they become fun to watch. Absolutely. They become fun to watch. If they're on the court, available, playing hard, all that. stuff, right? But like, I would tune that in. I would tune it in. It's interesting. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Tray Young is, is always fun to watch. Yes. Just offensively, he's just fun to watch. The mismatch is brought to you by a

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Call 100 gambler or visit RG-G-Helph.com. Call 188-79-7777-7 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. And then the other bad team that made a next year we need to be good move was the Utah Jazz. And I'll be damned that this did not happen a couple hours after we recorded Tuesday's show, which had a clip of me, second. I can't lose both of them. I selfishly do not want to lose Jaron Jackson Jr. Because that's my daughter's favorite player.

And then by the time we get to the trade deadline, I did not lose both of them. I only lost her favorite player, which by the way, the first day I get in the car, I pick her up from carpool that day. People wanted to know what happened. Picked her up from the carpool.

And I swear to you, so she is upset. I could see it on her face as she's getting in the car. You know, yeah. No, no, she knows, though. No, I'm saying you know when your daughter is upset. Yeah, but somebody, she's never. She is the most joyous kid in the world, but she is frowning.

I'm like, she knows. It's Memphis. Everybody knows. The teacher told her. She's been in school, though, but the teacher told her. This is carpool. Yeah, yeah. But she had found out.

She gets in the car. And I was like, hey. And she looks at me, this is the saddest thing you're going to hear all week. She goes, he signed a contract. He signed a contract. And I said, I know, sweetie. I was like, and now I'm attempting to explain how professional sports works, right? Oh, my God.

And she's like, she's like, he signed a contract. And she goes, why? tell me why and i'm like i'm trying to explain it and needless to say does not want the explanation she's not going to accept anything i say well walter clayton junior no i be dude hey so she's so up to first round pick she's so upset about the whole thing this has been a bad bad week right so You'll love this. We're going to get back to the Jackson trade a second. Don't worry.

But I pick her up today from school and she gets in the car. I said, I was school. She's like, eh. I was like, the social studies test. She's like, it was hard. And I said, they didn't trade Jai. Bro, this is how down she is. She looks at me.

She goes, he never plays anyway. I was like, oh, no. I thought she was going to be. Oh, no. I thought you, I was like going to quell some of it, right? Because she likes him too. No. She's so mad about the Jared thing that now it's like, it doesn't matter.

I heard reports that that's also what other GMs were saying when they were asked about their interest in job. It's 100% what they did. They never plays anyway. Evidently, they're like, anything. Will you give us anything? They're like, no, dude. A first round pick in 2064? Dude, when they, when Tim McMahon put out a tweet saying that a team interested in Morant is asking the Grizzlies to attach a pick to him.

I was like, what are we talking about? At that point, when you keep him. They did. There has been so many times where players are on just at the precipice of being traded, don't get traded and end up having very successful runs in that town. And it could happen here. So here is the Jaron Jackson Jr. deal is Jaron Jackson Jr. John Conchar, Vince William. and Joc Landau for George Nying, who's already been waived, Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, Walter Clayton Jr., and three first-round picks.

Also very important, a $28 million trade exception, which is the biggest in NBA history, which then that is obviously used as give us your crap attached to a pick. And so then at the end, you can say, here was the final hall for the Jaron Jackson Jr. trade. And it will include inevitably more picks included because you've used that to trade into, right? You've used that money to trade into. And the first round picks are like, you know, there's a Phoenix, 231. There's a, there's a Lakers pick and another one.

And all I'll just say is I'm on the picks thing. I'm, there are some that you can always be certain are probably going to be pretty good because they're from rat organizations. So you figure, but you really never know. Like if I would have told you this year's Indiana pick is going to be amazing,

you'd have been like, what? They're in the finals, right? I'm saying if this time last year or, look what we're dealing with this year's Clippers pick going to the thunder. Or this year, how about this one? This, the Desmond Bain trade that Memphis made. to Orlando, the best asset in most everybody's mind that was returned in that deal was this season's

Phoenix first rounder. And at the time, that's, that, you're thinking, are we going to get Boozer to Banza or Peterson? All right. How about this? What kind of odds could you have gotten on this? So that pick is the best of Orlando or Phoenix. And that is by a six-game margin Orlando's pick now. It's the... No, no, no. I'm saying Orlando has like 25 wins

and Phoenix has like 31. Yeah. Right. And so what kind of odds could you have gotten that the Grizzlies would be getting Orlando's pick in that deal because they would have a worse record than Phoenix. We had Orlando coming out of the east at that point.

They were playing the Thunder in the finals. Especially after they acquired... The Bain trade, yes, exactly what they used. So you never know what these trades are going to be. Especially when they get more than two years away, you just don't know. Right. You just don't know. So it's Jaron Jackson Jr., John Conchard, Vince Williams, Jock Landell.

By the way, already got texts tonight as we're recording this. Jack Landau was then traded for nothing cash considerations to the Atlanta Hawks. They played Jack Landell in Atlanta tonight. In the first half, he had seven. points on six of eight shooting and four of six from three. Oh my God. Unbelievable. Four six from three is wild for Jock Landell.

Jack Landau. He's going crazy. He had a game like that earlier this season, though, didn't he? He's had a bunch of them. Like a 35 or something. He's been great. He's been out great for Memphis this year. But hilariously, he was part of that Utah deal.

They moved him for nothing to Atlanta. And now he's like, he had a 17 point first half for the Hawks tonight. My phone started exploding. They're like, Landau is going crazy. Let's just squeeze all the juice out of the Memphis orange. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Already there. All right.

As someone who's more locked into Memphis Grizzies basketball than anybody I know and more than anybody in the planet, a handful of people, how do you feel about how this played out with Jock? It is, it's one of those moments where I told you from the very beginning, and in fact when we recorded our show in New York I had said to you at that point before that I know you're going to say where I was like I told you

that they're not going to take a bad deal all the reported return was terrible yes you told me that they're not going to make a bad deal so just get it out of your head really he's traded they're not going to make a bad deal and that never changed it never changed like that is I will say this that takes an immense amount of discipline because at some point there was probably somebody being like,

yo, we just got to do this, just make it happen. And I have absolutely no idea which way this goes now. I really don't. I don't know if he's like, you know, he's hurt right now. But does he play at the end of the year? Is he sitting the rest of the year? Like, how does it work? Like, he looks around and if his, he, he,

Your's got to. Verna, Verna, Verna, I think the plan stays the same for him. What are the two things they're best for him? You say in every pot. Awesome and be available. Yes, those are still the best two things for him. But you-

In Memphis or outside of Memphis. But you also come to realize, like, there has to, if there was ever a moment to have some self-awareness, it's when nobody literally wants to trade for you. Nobody is willing to give up anything that the Grizzlies will take, bat. And there is a report that people are saying, we'll take him if you'll attach a pick.

Like if there was ever a time to get humbled about like your plight, I would think that would be the time. Like, because he doesn't strike me as the type. And you know way better than I do. So I'm asking this question. He does not strike me as the type to have a real moment of self-reflection and humility and that he has really his self-value. you has gone down and he's questioning his basketball abilities. I don't think that is what John Moran is going through right. I don't think he questioning his basketball abilities. I think he,

you have to be honest with yourself and say they were going to trade me, but there's nothing out there for him. And, and you know he got scared about Sacramento because there was a report that came out from Yahoo and it was like, Morant has made it clear he doesn't want to. It's the same thing you remember when Jimmy Butler did it last year. And like out of,

know where Jimmy Butler was running to every writer and microphone available telling them they didn't want to go to Memphis. And it's like, why would that even cut? Like what? Unless that was brought to the table. And so I think once Sacramento became a very real possibility, then they tried to put out like, hey, hey, hey, hey, don't trade for him because he ain't resigning there. And you know what I mean, you're just doing this. You're making a mistake because that's not where he wants to be or whatever. Like it's the same way you would always do it. But so I'm saying 4 o'clock Eastern today.

Sabonis, Levine and DeRosen, we're all like, wait, wait, wait, we didn't get traded. I know. Like, you know, they were all calling their agent being like, maybe it's just not processed through yet. I know, sorry. Well, and the other thing is, and the other thing we got to think about is

if you're Morant and you were sore about not getting extensions, right? Like, you looked up at Desmond got taken care of full boat. Jared Jackson got took a full boat and then I didn't get but I didn't get my money

even though and you and you have brainwashed yourself into forgetting that you aren't available regularly right but even if that was like as I told you a long time ago like your best chance at getting that contract would be to be awesome

in the place that actually has some stock in you and you're and as a as a fan base for you right that still loves you and it's like Like this whole charade has been goofy as hell. And now he's still on the team, but he's still going to want the contract. But they're going to take it into the off season. And what does the off season hold?

Does that change? Does his value go up dramatically over the next three months of basketball? I don't know. Maybe. Well, also in a rebuild when you're trying to lose, is he playing for you? That's not a good sign. I don't know. you know what I mean he's not playing for you the market that didn't exist right in February

doesn't magically go up when here's what in here's what's crazy Jacoby this is when you know how low his value is is there was a report saying they have lowered their threshold for what they will take back right and it still wasn't met also we got that Janus news early in the morning So anybody that wasn't, it was out of the Janus race and just said, all right, well, that's getting taken into the offseason. Those teams, I mean, I don't know. It's Miami. If Miami is basically being like, we want to be in the Janus race this off season.

So why would we trade for Morant now? Right, right. That's the problem. It's like, because Janus didn't move, it didn't make it more likely for Morant to move. It oddly made it less likely for Morant to move. Yeah. Because if Janus goes to, we'll call it the Timberwolves, the Warriors or whatever, Then the heat are evaluating their future in a Janusless world and saying maybe bringing Moran

here is the right thing to do. Well, and the other thing is you never know. Sometimes the offseason is much easier to make a move anyway, just because teams then have a, their team has flamed out in the first round of the playoffs. Of course. Or they've gotten mowed down in the second round. And so then they're like, yeah, like, look, that is exactly why.

Let's talk about the Knicks. Let's talk about the Knicks. They win eight in a row. Right. And it's like, well, guess what? Let's just see how this plays out. If we losing game seven of the finals in overtime, maybe we don't have to make any big changes, but we get beat by, you know, whoever in the first round, let's start putting a package

together for Yannis. You know where else that happened? Charlotte. There was, I saw a Chris Haynes report this evening saying that Minnesota called Jeff Peterson and Charlotte to inquire about Lamella. And they were told, yo, we want to see this through. Our guys have got something going. They're really gelled together.

Don't you take all of the post deadline. Here's the things that didn't happen reports with a little bit of a grain of salt. I actually buy that one. No, I'll buy it. But like how close did they get? How earnest was it? Did they just throw in some low ball offer that like maybe that? No, no, no.

I think it was a check-in. You know what I mean? And I think it because, look, everybody's got access to all the same reports. And guess who was all? Look, three guys were in all of those posts every day on Instagram and all of those articles. Trey Young, John Morant, Lamello Ball. Three disappointing point guards that teams need to move. Three completely different stories right now.

Just could not be more different of what happened to the fates of those three players. Couldn't be different, right? not be more different. One of them got on a team, one of his team is the hottest team in the league. One of them got moved for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert, and one of them couldn't even get traded.

Just on the block. It's wild. There is, you cannot get lamello. You cannot put enough first rounders together to get lamello. And you can't get one first rounder for John Moran. Right. In fact,

they want you to give them a first rounder to take him. just to take on Jama Ray. Right. This is wild. Let's briefly, since you brought them up. Yeah. Let's just to have the quick Hornets conversation, our favorite team, obviously. First of all, shout to the Hornets for featuring the one and only Verno in their hype video about how he lives the Hornets now.

That was amazing. That was amazing. I did make their hype video in the talking about how much I enjoyed watching them and how they are. Those are the most fun teams to root for. are the young team that seemingly all likes each other. And also shares the ball and is awesome on offense and flies up and down the court. Like, that's, it's what you want. It seems like they're having a lot of fun playing basketball.

And it's the first time through also, right? Like the expectations are none. Yeah. And so, like, when you're winning every night and scoring 140, that's the coolest thing ever. I think con can nipple's so good. I don't even think con canipple expected to be this good. Honestly, like, he's like, he's unstoppable sometimes.

That lineup is fun. I mean, they got a good thing going. But anyway. What do you think about? So because they, because I watch a lot of Hornets games, they do this thing with Mamelum in the fourth quarter where like most sort of like a, you know, most point guards go-to point cards, like a Brunson type. It's like, all right, you sit out until like eight minutes left in the fourth,

and then you play the rest of the fourth quarter. but the Hornets, sometimes they don't play ball the fourth. But on this windstreet, they kind of stagger him in Sexton. And like, like, Sexton will play, like, minutes, like, eight through four. And then they'll throw in Lamello to, like, finish it. It's really weird the way they use Sexton. Like, they're very different teams with Sexton and Lamello. And I love that they had that option, like a curveball and a fastball on a pitcher.

And I think Kobe White will provide a scoring punch that Sexton doesn't. but I just find it I find it interesting that they've made this move because I kind of liked Sexton on that team. I did too. He's unrestricted, so it was a name that we did brought up, but just so was Kobe White,

right? He's going into free agency as well. So the first thing is I'm on year seven of wishing Colin Sexton could end up on a good team. Like I want to see him in a playoff basketball game because I've always been a fan of his, but he moves to another team that's not a playoff team Like it's been his whole career.

It's just been he went from Cleveland when they sucked to Utah when they sucked to Charlotte. Then Charlotte gets good. And now it's just the balls. But also then you bring in Tyos Jones. And this is your guy. But it's kind of like. No, he's already gone. Oh, he's gone again.

They moved him to Madalas. That makes sense. Because I was like, what is what is happening here? Yeah, yeah, yeah. You got a great point guard. And then you had a thing working with Sexton. So you're bringing Kobe White. You're bringing Jones.

I was like, this doesn't make any. sense. I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you a weird one. There's a guy, a weird angle to this. There's a guy that I'm friends. And they got Malachi Branham. All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There's a guy that I'm friends with that I follow on Instagram that, no, not him. But a guy that that I follow on Instagram who used to live in Memphis and he now lives in Charlotte where he moved back home. He was, he was from Charlotte originally. Anyways, the point of this is I didn't even think about this at the time, but I was like scrolling through Instagram. And he did this whole like, welcome home, Kobe, all this stuff. And I was like, huh? And then I was like, oh yeah, he played in

North Carolina, right? But what I did not realize, Kobe White is the all-time leading scorer in North Carolina state history. Seriously? He is. He, 3,573 points. In, Four years? He broke James on Curry's record. What a name from the past, James on Curry. His senior year, he averaged 31, 10, and 8. So he was the greatest high school scoring player in North Carolina history. And then, of course, played, you know, in Chapel Hill for North Carolina, his one year before he ended up going to the NBA.

But I didn't even realize that. Like it was this whole like I was clicking through and this guy did like this whole welcome home thing. It's unbelievable. Love it when hometown players returned to their. It was kind of. They love it. I did not know that I knew that he went to North Carolina. I did not know his high school exploits in a state that is basketball.

A basketball obsessed state to become the highest. He is the highest point total in high school in history. Dude, 3,500. It's crazy. A thousand is a lot. That's like a milestone to hit. Also, not a bad state to have that record in. That's what I'm saying.

Yeah, loaded. Yeah, he didn't do it in Alaska. Right. Loaded. So yeah, Kobe White. So he'll have already a built-in massive fandom in Charlotte, which is I did not realize, right? I mean, I knew that there'd be Carolina fans that like him. But, I mean, the guys got like real.

North Carolina history, Kobe White. But yeah, like, I don't think, I don't think that changes them. Not much. Very, very much. No, no, no, no. And, and maybe they'll resign him in the offseason. If that was obviously not in their plans to resign, call in sex. I don't know. I could see Kobe White. Maybe a rental. Yeah, I could see it happen. Maybe. He doesn't seem to fit the profile of what they're trying to do in their quote-unquote timelines. Yeah, but they might get him on a bargain and they ain't got a lot of guys that make crazy money. You know what I mean?

No. They got guys on rookie contracts, though. And Bridges. Yeah. Bridges is kind of like they're only. Right. The Warriors. So we finally get done talking about Cominga at least though, right?

Like that happens. Comminga ended up going to Atlanta and obviously along with Buddy Heald and Chris to have poor Zingis. You like it? I'm hesitant to say this, but I'm going to say it anyway. This feels like they're fumbling the, like, twilight years of Steph Curry's career. Because you remember they're putting together a deal.

They put together this big deal for Butler, and they went on a great regular season finish. Steph gets hurt in the place. But then it was like, Lowry marketing's going to come. Oh, he'd be such a good fit. And then it's not Lowry marketing. Oh, it's the honest. Ticompo.

Then we put Janice and LeBron comes in the offseason. Look at that. And then it's, we're going to get Jared Jackson Jr. And then you end up with Chris Stas Porzingis. Like Chris Staps, Drayman, Steph.

Like, No, it's obvious, look, this is a take it into the off season. What's going to happen in the off season? Well, his money's going to fall off the books and they have,

you know. But there's not crazy, like, free agents. this offseason. I mean, you try to make a trade, right?

You try to trade into. And so... I hope so. For Warriors fans, for Steph Curry, just for the whole thing. Like, I don't want to see Steph Curry,

like, in the plan for the next couple of years. Scoring 30. I mean, and that's the play. It didn't, it didn't change anything this year. That's for sure.

We don't think. Because there was a world, but I was looking at, like, four first round picks, pods, Cominga, then you're bringing Janus, and you work a little math.

Magic in the off season. The next thing you know, you've got like Hall of Famer after Hall of Famer after Hall of Famer. That's fun. Yeah. The East is a four-team race and it's close. That's what you have on here. Why, you got to say it like that, though.

That's not selling, that's not selling your co-host. Because that's not true. That's not, well, then, don't say it like that. I just said it like that because I said the East is a four-team rate. Because I wish I would have... No, you said it like you just took a sip of milk and the expiration date was two months ago. That's how you said it.

Because that sounds goofy to me. Let me do it. The East is a four-team race that's not even close. No, it says it is close. It's closer than you think. To me, after this trade deadline... Who are the four? Who do you think?

The Raptors aren't in there. The Magic aren't in there. It's the Knicks. the Celtics, the calves, and the pistons. All of those teams got marginally better. Philly would like a word. Philly. Philly would like a word.

Okay. Philly would like a word. Okay. Are you picking? Philly would like a word. All right. This Philly run is fun, and I'm rooting for them. Okay? I'm rooting for them.

This is fun. But like, let me see Joel Embeded, be healthy from now until the playoffs. scoring the way he is now before they start entering this conversation. The only other ones are Toronto. No. Miami. So how is this not a 14 race?

Orlando, because I'm putting Philly in it. No, you're not. You're not really putting Philly in it. Yes, I am. Really? Is Tatum coming back? I think so. I mean, I like,

I like Vucevich for the Celtics. I love that. I mean, I don't think, I don't, I don't, don't view Boston and Philly massively different. I don't in terms of their opportunity of the playoffs. Again, we have to

assume health on this stuff. But why? If we were assuming health, then like, why trade Anthony Davis? Because he's been playing a lot and he's been awesome. Right now. Yeah, I got it. I got it. But I mean, he's also been laboring for like the last couple of years and he's looked

way better than he has. You have to admit that. He doesn't look prime Joel Embed. I mean, come on. He's never let's stop acting like he was ever Usain Bolt. No, but he looks very vulnerable in a playoff scenario when it's like everyone gets a microscope on the defensive defense event. The only team that made a big win now move? Caves.

What was the Cavs? I said the Celtics. You put the Celtics in that. They moved out with the Vucevich thing? Well, they had a dramatic glaring hole in their roster that, you know, Cato was doing everything he could to fill. But like they needed to shore up that five spot and they did. But Simons is a loss.

Yes. He was a huge scoring punch off the bench. And he started to play so well in the last couple of months, that he started wondering if they would even move it. Yeah. Simons is a loss. So that's, I'm not sure that that is a net positive.

Yeah, whereas with Cleveland, I thought this was fascinating when I was reading about it. It said that Darius Garland, DeAndre Hunter, and Lonzo Ball were the three worst net rating players on the Cavs that had played 500 minutes. They had actually not won the minute on average. that those guys were on the court, and they replaced those three. Not together, but individually.

Individually. Yeah, yeah. They replaced Garland, Hunter, and Ball with Hardin, Ellis, and Dennis Schrooter. I mean, I love a few people. It's for sure an upgrade right now. The question is the next 10 years, does the Garland thing come back to haunt you?

It's a bet against Garland is what it is, because when Garland's right, right, right? Like he hasn't been right this entire season. When he is right, right, like you have to wonder if he is better than Donovan Mitchell. You know what I mean? Well, and it's also, those are the conversations you're having. And it's also one of those where you're sitting there going, we got to win this that we got to, we got to make a run now. Otherwise Garland's going to be the one that, you know, Pat Riley's after next. Right. Like, I mean, you get to these points where you start making deals, the win now deals because

of the age of your best player. And so you're like, all right. Like, if this, if we don't think this is good enough, but, you know, the Garland thing could come back. It could come back to Hawley. It could. But like, I understand. I mean, if you look up in, if you look up in three years and Darius Garland's one of the best point guards in the NBA and Donovan Pitchell's playing for the heat, like. Maybe that wasn't a great decision. And you lost in the second round because James Hardin was two for nine in game seven.

You're paying James Harden $40 million in these 400 pounds. Right. Like, again, that's all. It could break bad, but that's the risk that they assess the risk. Yes. And they said, we need to win now. They have famously flamed out in the playoffs the last three years. And a lot of the times because there's guys in street clothes,

and they're like, are we really going to do this again? And say what you want about James Hardin's checkered playoff success or lack thereof. But he's available. James Hardin plays. That guy plays. The one of those. So, all right, so let's just go through those. Detroit, I didn't like, you know I love Detroit.

But you, and do you also love Jaden Ivy? But I, I didn't like this. What? The red belt? Yeah, I didn't like this. I already have a white guy that shoots that gets attacked on defense. Okay? We got Duncan Robinson.

I don't. Herger has a little more offensive versatility. He can be a little slashing. No, this is. Second side, swing, swing, close out, attack. kind of a guy. This is a, and we'll talk about

some of these other guys. Like we already talked about Ben Matherin, right, who's now going to have to go somewhere to get whatever contract he's going to get.

We'll see what L.A. gives him. Okay? We talked about, or we have not talked about, but Cam Thomas, who we were on the show and I told you,

bro, take the money, take the money. And he bet, did this one year, $6 million deal. Now he's just been waived. And now he's going,

Now he's going to go have to try to track down a team and then a contract in the off season. But anyway, I'm wrapping this back to Detroit. Yeah. The best bet on yourself one was the guy that said, no, I don't want the contract. I'll play it out. You mean when Malik Beasley bet himself allegedly? No. He's the greatest.

I had to. I'm sorry. He's the greatest bet on yourself player. I'm sorry. I had to. I apologize to Malik. Allegedly. It's a legend.

So. I had to. It was just right there. He is amongst the bet on yourself players. Yes, yes. Him and Porter Jr's brother are at the top. Then maybe Terry. Allegedly.

Alleged. All right. Duren is the greatest. Because Duren's going to get a freaking max now, right? He just made the old. Yes, I'm saying. So there were some that went like, no, I don't want your money. I'll play this year.

And then I'll take it to restricted free agency. and then there's some like a dirt. So now you look up and you go, well, shit, we got to pay dur and a fortune this offseason. We ain't going to have money for Jaden Ivy. So let's just go ahead and move off that now. Bro, no. You have a chance at doing something this year with this Detroit team.

That's why I don't like it. I would have kept all my athletes. If I lose Ivy in the off season, I lose them in the off season. but I'm talking about the best version of my team this year. And I think they did not make their team better. That's my opinion, right? I think it's strictly saying our offense is Kate Cunningham making decisions.

And we have another player outside the three point line in the corner that he can, that he can reliably make a decision and throw to when he gets doubled or when he gets past somebody. I got it. And they'll say, and they'll feel great about it. And we're flanked with so many. awesome defenders that even if he gets targeted, it's okay. I got it. I think that's a front office having a long, difficult conversation in saying Ivy is probably a better basketball player. But for this team and this year in this situation,

no way. Our team is better with Kevin Herder. I'm saying that's the conversation they had. I'm not saying it's right, but they had that long, difficult conversation. It came to that conclusion. And I understand the thinking. And that's what I don't agree with. I just don't. I didn't like that. New York, I loved the acquisition of Alvarado. You didn't give up anything. And Alvarado fits in anywhere. Don't forget this, Verno. Furno, you don't forget this.

Oh, I know. And no, Bad Bunny this Sunday, too. And Alvarado's Puerto Rican and Bad Bunny. And he's already Nick's fan's favorite, Nick. Last Friday night, last Friday night. Memphis played at New Orleans in front of probably 600 people. And at the end of the third quarter,

Alvarado goes on this like absolute heater to the point where he hits a three at the end of the third quarter and he turns and he's looking at the crowd and he's pumping his fist. And I'm like, this dude is about to pull out his cock. Like that's about to happen. Right. Like he's, he is literally a breath away. from swing like helicopter in this at the Grizzlies.

Like he was lit, absolutely lit. Oh my God, Madison Square. And that was in front of 600 people in New Orleans. Wait till he does this cramp at the garden. Oh, my God. The guy might as well. He's just a human manifestation of a Timberland boot. That's what he is.

Oh, I know. That is what he is. He's a human manifestation of a Timberlin boot. Like, all of my NIC's accounts and NIC's chats are just full of all these Alvarado in high school footage. Oh, yeah. At the Puerto Rican Day parade. Like, you would think that Albarado was like the mayor, the chief of police. You would think that he was the Statue of Liberty right now.

Like, he is just so celebrated in New York, like no one else. Like, no one else right now. I like it. Can I say this, though? Yeah, yeah. All right. Duce is out right now, so it's good timing. like Brunson, Colic, Deuce, Alvarado.

Dude. That seems like. Just figure it out. You got 15 spots. I got it. Four guys. I'm saying, I'm saying 10 minutes of Alvarado heat is all you need.

Just let him come in and muck stuff up for 10 minutes and he'll win the crowd. Boston, we'll see. That's a wait and see. Right? like the Vucci thing. I like it. But I'm saying the loss of Simons does it outweigh the loss of Simon's. I think we're not taking into account defense too.

I mean, Simons is exactly a defensive stopper. I mean, Boussavich. He is not. No. No, he's not either, but he's a body in the middle. He is, he's at least got size and it's not like they've got, you know,

you've put a lot on. It's not like Luca Garza is, Bill Russell either. No, no, no. Right. Then you have Philadelphia, which kind of just stayed pat,

right? They didn't really, they didn't really make a move. And so those are the teams, uh, in contention. And then none of those other ones really made, you know,

Toronto, Miami, Orlando, nothing of huge significance that would have changed their play. Toronto got trace Jackson Davis or whatever. Like, you know, a lot of those teams,

like everybody that East like did something, but a lot of it's like, ninth, 10th guy and the rotation type of stuff. I listed a couple of days ago when I, when I was talking to you, when we were going through our second tier guys, and I said,

so he's got the notebook. This is why he has the spiral notebook. That's why I have it. He's going back to previous show notes. It was guys that could swing things, and if I'm not mistaken, none of them got moved. And we talked about Sabonis, Morant,

Porter Jr., and was there a, fourth outside of Janus. The spiral notebook. I can't recall. If there was a fourth, if there was sort of the big ticket guy, Anthony Davis, I think was part of. Oh, Anthony Davis, maybe. It was before Davis got traded. Yeah. Okay.

So that was another one that we mentioned because like we had comminga and some of those other ones that were mentioned. But yeah, none of those ended up getting moved, which is interesting because we talked for a long time about Porter Jr. And subonis and like, these are like, and honestly, I remember early in an

episode this season, I said the king. I listed them as one of my things. It was like, man, the king's got all these guys. Like, you could see a scenario where Levine swing something or DeRoson goes to a winning team or if, if Sabonis goes to, you know, I fan, I liked that Toronto idea with Sabonis. Oh, yeah. With that group. And yeah, and then just none of them, none of them got moved. I don't know what's going on to Kings. I mean, it's, it's fascinating. I mean, yeah. Usually franchises behave this way for like four or five years. And someone comes in and they're like, all right, we have adults in the room now.

Yeah. Let me just say one that I did love that took place on the trade deadline. Oh, I like this. This is new. I love Iyo. Oh, I love that too. Oh, yeah. They needed.

Oh, yeah. I just saw them in person and watched them and thought, boy, they need an organizer too, right? especially, you know, they just moved off of Connick. I wasn't exactly that, but yeah. No, no, no, but he can bring the ball up the court and then throw it to somebody that gets the offense going. Yes. And this is exactly like, I could not believe Houston went through this. And then I watched Raphael Stone's thing.

And he's like, we like our team and whatever. And I'm like, bro, are you just going to tell me you're going to go to the, the trash heap and pick up like Lonzo. Lanzo or a wave bounce. Lanzo or a Chris Paul or somebody. Somebody, yeah. Like your, your turnover percentage is so high now because you can't reliably get into offense

and you've lost the massive possession advantage you had because Adams is out now. And he kind of, I will say, at the end, he did kind of, he did kind of say like, he was asked about Van Bleet and a possible return. And he was like, look, if Fred can play, Fred will play.

That's a big thing, because I also work on the Max and Rich's show game over. Yeah. And this whole season, Max, Rich calls Van Bleet on the show. Van Bleet picks up. This is months ago, too. This wasn't like yesterday. Yeah. Months ago.

And he's like, oh, what's going on, Fred? Like, Max says, you're not playing this year. And what are you up to it? Obviously, he's not going to be, not going to sit there on the phone on the podcast. Like, yeah, I'm coming back. But he's been working out hard. Like, it's not, it's not off the table. So maybe so.

Maybe he does end up coming back. But to your point, you're going to have a Van Fleet coming off of a big injury, working himself back at the end of a regular season for a playoff run. You're probably better off bringing someone in-healthy that's available. And I just like the, so I like the D'SUNU one because you got those big wings in Ant and McDaniels. And now D'SUMU is a real dog now.

Defender. Yeah, he's like, so you got some feisty stuff going on on that perimeter, and then you've got obviously Gobert in the back. Like that is, I like that. It evens that out and it gets me to, now I'm bringing Dante off the bench in the best role to me. Well, I also look at it like, it's just sort of in a playoff game, right? We always say it's going to be the X factors. It's the role players at home and blah, blah, blah.

McDaniels, Devenzo, Desumu, they're all sort of like live bets to get you 25 points. Could be. Go four for six from three and have their day where, you know, in the summer, you're like,

do you remember that game four in Minnesota with Dante had 30? Like, you've got more guys now that have a high ceiling offensively than you had before. I just find, maybe I'm just too high on him, but I find, I've always liked it. It's like the same way I like Sexton,

where it's like these mega competitive, feisty guys that I do think have a profound impact. And like now I get to see him on a winning situation. The same way I was talking about Sexton earlier. Do you know who I put in that category? What? Go ahead. Who?

Same thing. Right? Just like, these guys don't take seconds off. No. On defensive possessions. They make it, they turn the ball handler three times before they get to half court. And you can feel the frustration from the point guard being like,

leave me alone, dude. You're not going to get the ball. You're just making this annoying. And I think that that does have a profound effect on your teammates as well. When you play like that. And now you're in a winning situation. You know what I'm saying? To tie it back to something you said about the Rockets,

I'm watching the Pacer's Rockets. They had a tight game a couple nights ago. And Thompson just can't, he can't do anything with Kneesmith. You know what I mean? So he can't even like, coordinate the offense because he's just trying to keep the ball A, and then he gets a shoulder pass, and all of a sudden it turns into Amend Thompson driving and creating,

whereas if there was a true point guard, it would be let's work together and get some movements and some screens and make something happen. Yeah, you know, I always say that. I can't stand the teams that try to do it without a point guard. Yeah, but back to I always like, I love those guys too. I love the guys that put real effort in on defense. Just make things hard on you.

I like that move. I like that move a lot. I actually think, like, that is one of the small ones that does change my opinion about a team. I like the Timberwolves. It's just a weird Nas read year. You know? It is a weird year. It is a weird nose read year.

Like, they're still like, this is one of those teams. They've been to these Western Conference finals. They're going to be a tough one when it comes. And so, and you didn't have the other ones, you know, those ones at the top that we've talked about all year, the thunder, the spurs, the nuggets. nothing of count really that nothing that would alter opinions on what they are capable of. They're sticking with what they got. And they're going to see this through.

For good reason. And for good reason. They're fantastic teams, right? The Thunder got, what they got, they waved plumly. They did something else that was like tiny. But they didn't really do anything of real significance. But I do love that.

And I'm not going to act like the Dissoon-Moot thing changes my opinion massively of what Minnesota is capable of. fraud them to like second in the West, yeah. Well, you would say the only one that made, is this fair as we wrap this up, the only one that made moves during this trade deadline that could alter the playoffs significantly is Cleveland, if it takes. Yes, but I say that the word significantly is doing a lot of work there because, as I mentioned before, there's the IOTUSU game where he scores 25 and swings the series. you know what I mean?

Fair. And in the east, there's the Vucevich, hits three threes and changes the way you play defense against the Celtics, and now there's lanes for Jalen Brown to drive. Like, I would say alter significant. Yeah, but in fairness, if I would have said, if you would have said,

who do you like in the Western Conference Finals? And I would have said Minnesota, even before today, I could have made a legitimate case that would make sense. And I don't know if that would have been true. I'll take this one step further, Verno, if last week this day, Thursday, I said, take out your spiral notebook and write down in order one through five in the east and one through five in the West, not where they are in the standings,

how you perceive them as title contenders, I do not think those lists changed. Maybe the calves like jumped a spot. The calves jumped a spot with Harden, I would say. but I don't think that those that list of sort of your perception of where the team stack up at the top of both conferences dramatically changed I honestly think this broke well for your team the Knickerbockers I do oh it's fantastic for the next I think this I think the way that the way this broke perfect was great because the honest thing is taken into the off season and so so you don't have you don't have to make the decision now it's such a strange decision you're winning a ton of games the vibes are good. Why would you bring someone who's not going to play for four to six weeks? Nobody else changed their trajectory greatly. Exactly. And then

all of a sudden, if things don't work out, you lose to whoever, Pistons in the second round, all right, let's call John Horst on the phone. And one thing that we didn't mention, which I think is worth mentioning, which could affect the power rankings, I might just go against the statement I just made.

Quietly, reigning MVP, MVP favorite SGA now has like an abdominal strain. Same thing the AJ Mitchell has. And there's the Thunder have been so good this year. And they've dealt with so many injuries. And at some point it's going to catch up. It just has to.

Well, I mean, and now, you know, they played, they never had final scoring 40 point Jalen Williams this year. Oh, no. That version of Jalen Williams has not. existed for them this year. And it's one of those things that, like, obviously they fancy themselves as a team that could compete for a second consecutive championship. And if that's one of those, you know, they did it last year or Chet missed damn near the

whole year. And it's like, he missed a big chunk in the beginning, played two months of regular season and got ready for the playoffs. But don't you think they'll just kind of ease into this and be like, you know, what, what matters is that we are fully healthy. Of course. By, by May and Chish. I'm not saying the, you know, the thunder or the fourth in the power rankings,

but it's like, that's a significant amount of time for their offensive engine, and they've missed so many guys for so long. And I was watching the Knicks and double overtime beat the Nuggets. Shout to the Knicks. And I'm like, oh, look, it's Christian Brown. You know, they're kind of like Aaron Gordon away from being right now. You know what I mean? So it's, you know, that whole, like, we don't have Yokage, we don't have Brown,

we don't have Gordon, but we're still kind of winning. This is a good story. The Nuggets are kind of getting healthy now, and if they can get that momentum going for the regular season, you know, it'd be good to have that kind of continuity because the thunder, every single Thunder game I've watched. And obviously, like, Topich and Sorber, I'm not going to count. But every game I've watched, they've been missing rotation players, not even just one, like every game I watch. And, like, there's only, at some point, that's going to catch up to them. And who knows? of these teams, you know, as we talked about, as we, as we wrap this, of the very beginning

of this, we talked about how it's more about 2027. Clearly, the honest thing's getting taken into 2027, but we've got the clippers who have like recalibrated now and now will look different. I guess it'll be Garland and Matherin, whatever iteration of it. You don't mean, along with Kauai. They're the oldest team that's Brooke Lopez and Batum and Kauai and Hardin. They were all in their 40s and Chris Ballet, a bunch of guys. in their 40s, now they've kind of got this like new timeline.

Oh, yeah. And then, and then obviously the Jazz and the Wizards, other teams that now, like, now we'll be looking at them much differently for 2027, but it didn't alter anything dramatically for 2028. Oh, one last thing before we get out of here, we did not mention the massive Lakers move to its choir, Luke Kennard. Oh, yeah. Because from what I was told is LeBron, his last wish playing his last year with the Lakers was, is there any way it can be me and 10 white guys? And they're close. They're close. And so.

I don't think they have connected anymore, though. Yes, they do. He demanded a trade. And, and La Ravia. He demanded a trade. And La Ravia. By the way, and La Ravia and Conard and Luca. and Maxi Kleba and Drew Timmy, right?

Oh, yeah. You know what? And LeBron said, I need a white coach, too. Yes. That's what happened. That's how we wanted to go out. Just me and a bunch of white guys. Yeah, that's it.

That's it. We throwing it out to Luke Gador. Some of the LeBron reports are absolutely insane to me. Like, I don't put any stock in them. It's like sources say LeBron James is going to finish the year with the Lakers. That was an actual headline at like a reputable place. You know what's? He's got a no trade clause.

You know what's crazy? Is it was saying I was reading something earlier that said like a third of the teams in the league had cap space, but now, because you know, some of these teams engage in what's called pre-agency, right? That's what they say at the trade deadline. Pre-agency, which means I'm trading for the guy that I'm going to pay in the off season, right? Yeah.

It said like a third of the teams had cap space, but now it's, it's, It'll be Brooklyn, the Bulls, the Lakers, and the Grizzlies will have space. The Mavs, too. The Mavs got a bunch of space because of their moves. Yeah, those will be the teams of cap space, though. Huh. Interesting. Oh, interesting.

Maybe we'll talk about basketball next episode. Maybe. I think so. Oh, quick, quick. I think we will. Quick Super Bowl. What do you got? What's your vibes?

Can I just say something? is objectively for in Super Bowl. Oh. That's not a high, that's not a, that is the most lukewarm take in the world. So here's, here's something I've been, I've been asking myself and others. I'm asking you, who's the biggest star playing in the game on Sunday?

You know, we had this discussion on my show the other day. I always talk about it through the prism of our moms, our wives, and kids. Is there anybody in this game that they would know? Oh, no, absolutely not. Oh, no. Not even the coaches, nobody. Absolutely not. And no, no, my wife knows Stefan Diggs because he's dating Cardi B.

You think so? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Cardi, yeah. We're a big Cardi B house, big Cardi B house. Okay, you think she knows Stefan Diggs only because of that relationship? more because he's had babies with other women while he's been with Cardi B. That's fair. But the name does ring in my wife's head, yes.

Yeah, I don't think there's anybody on either of those teams that would. It's the first time in a long time. That crosses over at all. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. You got to be a real football fan. Like, I mean, look, here's the deal. With this Super Bowl, I will watch for the event of it.

And as I always do. First of all, you're going to watch the Super Bowl, the hot take, but what about the gambling? No, no. And my bets. My bets. Yes. That's, I mean, that's how I will make this entertaining.

I'll be in a squares thing. I'll bet a ton of props. I'll bet a ton of props. And then that'll be, that'll be what I root for. Do you know what I do? Because I love immediate return on my bets. I do a lot of drive bets.

result of this drive. Oh, that's like crack. Oh, it's great. It makes it so much fun. It makes it so much fun. Yeah. I do that with the golf holes. Oh, I do that with the golf holes.

The only way to watch golf. The golf is the only way to watch golf. That's a phone. I'm going, I'm going, you know what I'm going to do is I'm going to bet the under for sure. Oh, really? Yeah, I think this is a defensive matchup. I think it's going to kind of be like that Rams Patriots one,

which is. McVeigh, Belich. like 13 to 10. You know what I'm going to be like that. I think it's just going to be like, unless there's interceptions that flip the field where the offense gets the ball on like the 25th,

the 25 yard line or whatever. But I think it's going to be a big defensive game. I have a weird one because I don't really have some kind of strong rooting interest. And I also, I don't know. This is, it is a weird year.

It's a weird. It's a strange one. I haven't even like heard about the commercials. There's also like the only juice has been Tom Brady setting you didn't have a rooting interest. which makes it's insane to me that's insane to me that isn't said he wouldn't root for the patrons but like normally by now isn't there like oh guess what they're going to do like an in a i george washington's going to do a bud wiser commercial or something like usually you hear

buzz about the commercials by now you're like not even that yeah the tom brady i don't have a dog in the fight that would that would if i were a patriots fan that would drive me crazy oh oh i mean that would be like if if the grizzlies ever made the NBA finals and Zeebo was like, I don't care. His number is in the raft. They're like, what do you mean? Forget that that's Zipo, dude. I know.

And this guy was 20 years of six titles. It's crazy. It's crazy. There's a statue outside. Dude, Michael Irvin played for Miami 50 years ago and was on all fours barking like a dog during the national championship game. He literally was the dog in the fight. And Tom Brady's like, I don't really have a dog in the fight.

Like, what? What? This dude played college football there and war number 47 in 1988, you know? And he's losing his mind, like frothing at the mouth on the sideline. And you're like, yeah, whoever wins wins. Yeah. What? No.

And when you go to watch the mismatch on Netflix, you can see his podcast right next to ours in the sports podcast, to call him. Oh, the White House. Yeah. Yeah. And with Michael Beasley. It's unbelievable. Michael Beasley's on there.

Every show? You didn't see that? No. Michael Beasley went viral last week for saying it. He was like, John Moran's got an immature dad. Did a whole, John Moran's got an immature dad rant.

And that's the reason. Anyone who, just, how do I say this? Hmm. I'm trying to choose my words. I don't know if Michael Beasley is the appropriate person to evaluate maturity levels in other human beings. That's all I'm going to say. Me and you, we agree.

Well, I'm going to go back to covering my team with a disgruntled guy that didn't get traded. If he plays great, it's like bad for the team somehow. I don't. And my daughter's favorite player got traded. Unbelievable. Just a, I mean, Just throw feces at my head. Seriously.

Are we rebuilding or no or what? Are we losing? Are we winning? Do you want John to play well? Do we don't want him to play at all? What is the plan? Do I want Cam Bozer? The team.

If they score three, do I clap or not? If John Ducks, am I cool with that? Oh, no. I hate these seasons because I'm walking out of the arena. People be like, I mean, Look, it was a fun game, but it hurt our draft plank. It's worse in football, to be honest. It's way worse.

It's way worse. Like at the end of the season, it's just like, you get an overtime win. It's like, well, there goes our chances for the next five years. Oh, man. Oh, man. Unbelievable. All right, big shout out to Brian and Jeff for helping us navigate this week.

You are out in L.A. Los Angeles, baby. Is it nice out there? Yeah, it's always nice out here. I had sugarfish for lunch, really health light sushi. And I was riding one of those weird rental bikes back. And right after I had a nice, healthy lunch, I saw Pink's hot dog stand. I went straight for a chili dog.

I love it out here. I had an orange dreamsicle latte yesterday. I had a Yemeni latte this morning. I had a smoothie. You know what? I'm going to Erawan. You know what? I'm going to learn how to surf.

I'm going to get some tattoos. I'm changing. I'm not even going to. I'm going to wear flip flops. I'm going to wear flip flops. That's what I'm going to do. Next show, I'm wearing flip flops. I'm not even going to recognize you anymore.

I'm wearing flip flops and board shorts. One week in L.A., and he's just going to change. Yeah, but thanks to Brian and Jeff for helping us navigate this entire thing. Jacoby, I will talk to you next week. Remember, you must be 21 and over and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 and over and present in D.C., Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling. A problem? Call 100 gambler or visit R.G.

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