The Ringer NBA Show - Bradley Beal, We’re Begging You to Ask for a Trade | Real Ones

Episode Date: January 11, 2021

Logan and Raja talk about the increased player absences due to COVID-19 protocols, recent positive tests, and canceled games (1:00). Then they talk about Bradley Beal’s sad situation with the Wizards and where they’d like to see him end up (18:45), the leaked locker room conflict between John Collins and Trae Young (42:00), and Kyrie’s unexplained absence from the Nets (52:00). Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's popping real ones? Logan Murdoch here with Roger Bell. We got into, we got into some stuff this week, Roger, man. We got into some shit, man. We talked about COVID. We talked about Bradley Bill. We got into some little Utah Jazz Beef back in the day. Talked to the little Brooklyn Nets.

Man, it was a little pod. It was a little pod. Locker room relationships, like whether or not there's smoke, there's always fire. Just some interesting, like, yeah. Some little media tidbits. It was fun, dog. I think it's going to be a little illuminating.

Ah, I, ah, ah. Let's get to the pot. You're recording, Roger? Yeah, I got it on. We're rolling. Rolling. What's popping? Real ones.

Logan Murdoch here with Raja Bell on a special Monday edition. But we are recording on a Sunday night at 720 Pacific time, 1020 Eastern time. I got to put that disclaimer out there, huh, Roger? I see your face right now. Yes, it's halftime of the Steelers game, bro. Oh, what are you talking about? It was my son's birthday today. I'm the, yes, it was a good time.

That was a good time? Yeah. Okay, all right. We know you're true. I know you're a basketball player and a very accomplished basketball player, but your heart seems to be in football right now, man. Like, is that what it is right now? It's playoff as a wild car weekend.

Are you tapped into the football right now? I'm tapped into football. I'm always, I'm a football. I like football more than basketball. I just, like, really didn't have a chance to play when I grew up. The Virgin Islands didn't have football or I would have played football. So I always grew up. loving football more than basketball.

So, you know, especially this time of year because football is on fire with like the playoff games and stuff, I'm going to be tuned into the football game. So you were the, you were the dude that was like very over-aggressive in basketball? You were the football playing basketball player, were you one of those? I mean, Timmy told you last episode, right? Like, people still think I'm an asshole. So that's just, that never stopped. Like, that's always who I was on the core.

No, because every time, like, we've talked basketball, but I've never seen you get more hyped than when we talk about the hurricanes or when we talk about, we talk about football. Who's your football team? Keynes is another level, though. No, no, no. The Ravens and Seattle, I like both Russ and Lamar. Lamar's a local kid, like, he's from right around the block.

From Broward, so. From Broward County. No doubt. I live in Broward. My son played for a team this year that Lamar cut his teeth with up in Pompano. So, like, that's near a deer. So I'm always pulling for Lamar. For sure.

I'm definitely going for the Ravens this year. Shout out to Marcus Peters, town legend. Oh, word. Got a pick this year. Big pick. Big pick. Also, we played Pop Warner together. We played one year of Pop Warner together, me and Marcus.

And from the, he played receiver and everything, right? We knew early that he was going to the league. Like, it was no, it was no question whatsoever. Yeah. He just jumps off the page at you. You know, I think like your humbleness is impressive, bro. Like you sent me, you sent me a highlight clip like a week ago. You know, I'm in the car with my son coming back from a quarterback session.

So Logan hits me with the highlight YouTube mix. All jokes aside, dog, like you had a little, you had some talent, bro. You were slang in that thing. I had a lot of talent, did not have a lot of grades. But, you know, I was pretty good. I was pretty good. Also, I like basketball way more. My heart wasn't in it, man.

My heart just was not into football. But the one year that I played with Marcus, there's two big teams in Oakland, like for football. There's the East Bay Warriors, and there's the Oakland Dynamites. I always played for the Oakland Dynamites. He always played for the East Bay Warriors.

But there was one year that he played for the Oakland Dynamites with me, and he played tight in, and we won the title that year. And I threw him. him the ball every time. He was one of, he was, he was, he was really good. So, I'm going for the Ravens this year. There we go.

Anyway, let's get to, that's enough, that's a, we'll leave the NFL stuff at the regular NFL show, but let's, let's get to the shits. Let's get to the shits, man. So, I'm starting, you know, I'm getting to the end of last week and I'm, you know, watching basketball, as I tend to do, you know, it's my job. And, um, I, I'm watching the, you know, I'm watching the, you know, I'm watching Sports Center and all the stuff

that I see and I look and there's a COVID outbreak as just like we thought it was going to be right. And out of nowhere with the Sixers, we see a real weird injury report where Ben Simmons and Joelle and Bede are on the injury report and they start the morning on the injury report. And I go in and I'm looking and then I text the group chat, you know, the real ones group chat, the popping real one's group chat. And I'm like, yo, you guys see what's going on here? It was just really fishy how this goes on.

And it winds up seven players. Only seven players can suit up for the Sixers against the Nuggets because of a COVID out. Not a COVID outbreak. I don't want to be irresponsible, but COVID exposure. They played, I think the Sixers had played the Celtics. And there was a COVID, it was just a COVID exposure to the point where, you know, guys were. Only seven players were able to suit up to the point where Doc Rivers was like, yeah, I got, I got a guy that's coming off injury just to be on the active roster and he's not going to play. Right.

Roger, we talked about this before. There's also another COVID. Jason Tatum gets COVID. They had to have a, they had to cancel a game, the Heat Celtics game, because there just wasn't enough bodies. We talked about this before about the, the, the. The NBA rushing to start the season on Christmas when everybody just thought that, you know, the season was at least going to start MLK weekend at the very earliest. And then, you know, a story leaks that, hey, you're going to lose this amount of money

and you're going to do all these things. They're going to, if you start at this time, you're going to lose money. My question to you is, did the league do the right thing? What we're seeing with these COVID cases and how things are spiking right now, Did the league do the right thing and starting so early, Russia? You're just going to come out the gates with that? Did the league do the right thing? Didn't I?

Didn't I? You did. Didn't I just say? Yes. Yes, you did. I think it depends on what lens you're looking through when asking me if they did the right thing, Logan. If protecting your bottom line and fulfilling financial obligations so that, you know,

the fiscal health of the league was intact, then, then you did the right thing. And according to you as a league, you've built in the possibility of this happen and there's room on the back end to make up these games. And, and you've, you've thought this out. If you're, if you're talking about from a health perspective, then I don't think you did the right thing. Um, you know, like I, I, we said from the jump, like you were, you were not being in the bubble. There were going to be a lot of things, um, out of your control as a league. And then the COVID, uh, situation. was going to be out of your control.

So, you know, basketball, look, football, you see what's happened to a football season, right? Like, they're playing a game, you know, right now where the two starting corners and a head coach from the Cleveland Browns all can't participate in a playoff game because of either positive COVID tests or contact tracing. And it's, it's, it's, it's affected a lot of teams in the national football league. I think basketball is an even harder sport to not contract COVID. Like I have sons and I've talked about them playing football, right? Logan? So you put them in a face mask, a windshield that is.

They wear their mask the entire game. My receiver's son wears gloves. They're pretty much contained, right? Like nothing's going to get in their eyes. Nothing's going to get in their mouth. They got their mask on. They're fine. You know, I took them in the basketball gym this weekend.

They both wear their mask the entire time they're playing, which is a whole other conversation because I saw that Boston University and Holy Cross played a game. Shout out BU. That was the first school. went to they played a full game masked i don't understand the NBA could come up with these like tracing rings and and and things that say what you're when you're within like six foot proximity of people for extended amount of time like why they can't come up with a mask that people can play

basketball and my sons play basketball in them but i left the gym the other day and i said also before you get to the story i just want to make sure i just want to just a quick technical thing um it doesn't because the sixers play ballstones because seth curry got a um a COVID test And which was kind of alarming, he took the test, right? And then it was on the bench when they were playing the, they were playing the Wizards. He was on the bench next to Joelle and Bede. And then he got the news that he got his COVID test came back positive. Maybe not be out there until you get your results back, right?

Like maybe. Maybe not, right? Maybe we need to do better with that. But, like, my thing with basketball, Logan, is you know this. You're in each other's face the entire game, dog. Like, you're, like, you're breathing on each other. you're face-to-face football, like they're very quick, you know, confrontations and then you're, you know, kind of on to something else. But basketball, the entire game, you're breathing on

someone. Like, I'm checking you. I'm nose-to-nose, face-to-face with you. And I left the gym the other day saying to my wife, like, I think it's going to be easier to contract this playing basketball than is playing football, real talk. So I think it's going to be tough this year. But also, it just seems like the NBA is, I mean, I think that they've, you know, it's getting tested right now, just the fact their limits on how they can have a league when there is COVID present. But I just think that basketball is probably the most ill-suited sport during this pandemic, right? Because unless you're in a bubble, you're chartering every two days. You're going to different cities, which is something that we all know isn't great to just go across state lines and go to these.

You're not quarantining when you're doing this. You're taking charter flights across a whole bunch of cities. And you're playing indoors, which is something that you don't do. you don't play indoors when for the most part in the NFL right like a lot of these a lot of these stadiums a majority of these stadiums are outdoors and then you're in close proximity you're guarding these people and you're not wearing the players are not wearing masks they're not not wearing masks no gloves no gloves and it's it's it's bound to happen my thing is this was clearly a money grab from all sides and one and you didn't want to lose money and

this is kind of what it's going to be. I'm not necessarily, this is kind of what it is right now. You know, like they're going to, there are going to be these cases. It does seem bit irresponsible when you talk about this,

because like, I don't know what's going to have to happen for, I don't know how to say this, for this virus is to get taken fully seriously, man. Like, I don't know what is going to happen. Is it going to be death?

Is it going to be someone getting really, really sick, a star player getting really, really sick? I just don't know the answer to that, and it's frustrating when you see makeshift games being played. Like, I don't think that that Denver Sixers game should have been played. As soon as you saw that, I don't, I don't, I just, it just didn't sit right with me, right? No, that's, that's my beef.

And it was my beef with football season two. And I guess you can make the argument that, like, basketball, like, if you're playing one out of, I don't know, 60-some games, like, it's not a big deal. especially when people aren't paying thousands of dollars to come to the games. You know, they're just watching them on TV. Who really cares if one of them is missing, you know, four stars in total? Football, it was a huge deal when you're dealing with like 16 games. Like, you don't, you know, you don't want to want to wait because people don't have, you know, their full cast of characters.

But, you know, Logan, look, the bottom line is the NBA made the move that they felt they needed to move for the money. And it is a business, right? and people were hurting owners, I have to imagine, hugely towards the end of last season, losing all that revenue in buildings, losing all that playoff money. You know, playoff home games were rumored to be, what, worth about a million dollars a game to an owner. Yeah.

You know, that's a lot of bread when you're losing that. And so I understood, like I said, like, if you were looking purely through a financial lens, but then you got to be all right and you better have a real solid plan and place for when these things start to spiral a little bit. And I do believe that what happened right now is just, it's just the tip of the iceberg, Logan, like, you know, you've navigated so far and haven't had an outbreak. I believe that to be coming. Like, it's a matter of time. There's going to be an outbreak on one of these teams. Right. And then you see the Sixers play the Wizards and then the Wizards play the Celtics, right? I mean, like the whole Eastern Conference is all this tracing that,

you know, you know this as well as anyone. The NBA isn't a big league. It's a very small league when you think about the players involved and, you know, once and how frequently the games are. You can have an outbreak pretty fast, it seems like, right? Oh, word. And so, you know, Jason Tatum just got tested positive for the virus. And, you know, he's close to Bradley Beal who had to go in a quick protocol real quick. Like, it's a very fluid situation.

It just doesn't seem. And I don't know. I'm just struggling with this because I don't necessarily blame the NBA because this is just a this is a business and it is what it is. But it's like there's no, I think we're seen right now, rather, there's no real right answer to this. There isn't a right answer. There hasn't been. I mean, this has been like from family to family person to person. Like I'll talk on the youth level again.

Like, you know, some people played right away football or basketball. They didn't, it didn't bother them. Like I've had people out. We didn't play right away. Our thing to our kids was if you're going to play, you better learn how to play in a mask because you can't go out there and not playing a mask. Like they're under no circumstances. Does that happen? And so, you know, it's been different for, for everybody. Um, you know, we're, my, my high school team's on a COVID quarantine right now. We're 11, 12 days in. Like,

New Year's Eve, I had a kid call me like at 9 o'clock before the ball dropped a few hours. Say, hey, coach, I test a poverty for COVID. I'm like, damn it. Like, I was working with the kid on his, with a jump shot. You know what I mean? Now, I'm wearing a mask. And but like for the next four days, I'm like, gosh, I quarantined in another part of my house from the family, found out I was negative. But, like, it's a fact, like, it is what it is, right? We're on a COVID quarantine right now. Yeah. And all, oh, word.

And also, like, it's crazy because, like, we don't know the full effects of this virus. You know what I mean? We don't. Like, there's still people, we have a vaccine coming, but those people are heart problems. There's different effects. There's stories of people having long-term COVID symptoms and still test. negative, having heart problems and things like that. It's a tough virus, bro. It's tough. And we don't really know the extent of it. You could be

asymptomatic, but or you could just be having all the symptoms in the world. And so it's just it's hard to navigate and there's really no right answer. It's just disheartening that an outbreak can go like this and it just seems like, hey, man, and we can just keep going. You know what I mean? It is kind of rough. How do you, as a father that has a few young kids, one that plays football, one that's really dope in football, you know what I mean? Shout out to the homie. Thank you, bro. How do you navigate this as a parent when COVID is just out there, you know, and they're playing sports, and they're trying to live out their dreams.

And you're trying to facilitate that, too, but you also want to be safe. Look, it's tough, man. We stayed home for, I mean, I don't. don't know, five months with like no one leaving the house, Logan. Like I was the person that would go to the store, come back, you know, bring the groceries in. Like my wife and kids didn't leave the house. We were, but, you know, it takes a toll on kids being in the house. Like, it was great for a while. Everyone loved the family time together. We were reconnecting, like, you know, playing board games. And just getting, you know, getting out of the hustle and bustle was cool. But then them not having that

interaction and those those those those those kind of healthy outlets that they normally have started to kind of take a toll not only on them but but on us because those are built in things for the family to do together do you know what i'm saying so yeah you know we we made the call to creep out like in the limited fashion with masks on and try to try the try to football uh the fb u football thing and it was a good experience so we're kind of tip torn around it i we have not started playing basketball yeah we have one practice um my parents on wanting us to get a our AAU team back in the gym and travel on the national scene. And, you know, we made the call the other day as coaches, like, we had to let our 2025 team go because we're not ready to go

play and made hoops in California and Texas and get on planes with these kids and chaperone them and hotels. Like, we're not ready to do that. So, you know, we had to let it ride. Like, this is tough decisions, you know, not NBA decisions, but still those are, you know, those are tough calls to make. Yeah, man. And also these people got families, man. And also those urge that you say to get out the house, these players have that. You know what I mean? And like, you know, when you first get into the quarantine, you start like, you know, it's human nature to judge people like, oh, you're out here wilding, bro.

Like, why are you out here without, why are you just outside or whatever? Why are you doing all this stuff? But man, it's human nature to want to go outside. It's human nature to want to go, like, be with your family and then, like, you know, hang and stuff and do these things. It's tough being in the house for nine straight months. So I don't, like, really just get mad. them for doing that.

But it is tough, man. Like, COVID is everywhere. But to bring it back, man, like, I don't know. I don't have a right answer to this. And it is just disheartening. One of those players that did get exposed to COVID, but it's straight right now.

But it's going through some things with his team is Bradley Bill. My guy Bradley Bill is balling out of control. However, the Wizards are not. Bradley Bill hit 60 They took an L He dropped 40 The next night Took another L

We I don't know what was gonna I didn't have much I didn't have much You know Faith in the Russell Westbrook Bradley Bill duo

However I didn't think it was gonna be This bad Russia Right So my question to you is Like how do you You know There's you know Wifie is getting involved

like Bradley Bill's Booboo is getting involved she's like fed up to about the situation and I get it It's never good That's never good That's never good

We can get to that in a second But that's never good Brad Bill is obviously fed up But he will not ask for a trade At what point Do you Just figure out like Yo it's good

This situation is bad And like I won't even be mad at you If you ask for a trade right now Like I don't even know What's... I'm like begging Bradley you bill, bro, get up out of there, man.

You deserve better. You deserve a better situation than you have. Right. Am I wrong for feeling this way? And do other players feel this way when someone is like balling out of control and the situation is just trash? Yeah, I think most dudes that play in the league would look at it. It kind of feel like you do about that.

Like, damn, though, you got to get homey out of there. He's just, he's too nice and it's being wasted on a bad team. I don't see, I'm not there in Washington. I don't know anyone there. I don't know how it's all played out. Like has Washington kind of, you know, bent over backwards in some regards for Bradley Beal? Like, have they made concessions?

Have they tried to do things right by Bradley? And it just hasn't worked as a team. Like, you know, I don't know what's going on there. I would ask you, Logan, though, you know, is it, and I think it's a fair question. And I think Bradley Beal's fantastic. But like, you're just, we kind of assume because he's getting all of these numbers and all these buckets that he's not the problem.

And I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that. I'm not saying that. But I think sometimes, like, you know, and we're going to probably get to Tray Young at some point, right? You can score an assload of points and be this phenomenal score and it's not leading to wins. That doesn't always mean that everyone else around you can't get it done. Do you understand what I'm saying? Like, that's not always the case.

And I'm not saying that that's what's cool. going on in Washington, but I don't always just point the finger at everybody else. Like, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, but I, I just, and also Thomas Bryant just tore his ACL2, man. That sucks, man. That's tough. That's tough for him. But I think at a point in time, though, like, it's disheartening to see.

It was a graphic the other night that I tweeted out where Bradley Bill was scored 38. It was midway through the third quarter. He scored 30. It was up to 38 at that point, I think, and it scored 18 in the third quarter. Right. But they were down like 18, 19 points. That's just heartening to see, man.

I get what you're saying. Like, we talked about, even alluded to it about Devin Booker earlier, about how, you know, a guy can just put up numbers and just be that empty Scats guy. And I don't think, and I think that Devin Booker's proven that he's otherwise at this point.

But I think with Bradley, I think he needs to get in a good situation because at this point, Washington hasn't shown to be a great situation for a lot of guys, you know? Yeah. Scott, you know, with Scott Brooks and things like that, it just hasn't really been a great organization from that standpoint. So I'm more in line to take Bradside on this and saying he might need to get up out of there. No, I'm cool with that because I think I don't think Bradley Bill is the problem. But I do think it's fair sometimes to look at it from both sides, right? Because if you're someone else on that team, like, let's say you're sitting around and you're like, well, damn, dog, like, you know, he had 60. None of us could get a shot.

And so how the fuck were we supposed to win? Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's cool that he had 60. I got three jacks up and the rest of the starting five got five jacks up and we lost. Like, I think that's a fair conversation to have. I think Bradley Bill is dope and on any other team, you know, he could still do that and it might translate into wins. He's like Deshawn Watson for me right now.

Like, dope. Like, you know they're dope. You can see what they're doing. Like, they're really, really good. The organization is somewhat dysfunctional. You know what I mean? Like, they're not going to get that right. Would you like to see, let's see, like, where would you like to see him play?

What team would you like to see him on? Or would you think that it might be salvageable in DC? see right now. Well, I think Washington is going to try to salvage it. Like, Bradley's going to get to a point where he just is like, I can't do, I can't do this anymore. I think, and that's what I was kind of saying. When, when your wife starts tweeting, I didn't mean that it's not good for your wife to tweet. Like, she could do whatever she wants. I mean, it's never a good thing for the relationship between you and the team at the end of the day, right? Like, that's, that's what it's going to start going. Like, yeah, we're, and so, you know, Bradley's going to have to dip. What team I like to see him? And I don't even think,

I don't even think it's just also like the wifey doing that. It's when other, like, when other family members do that, right? It's in general. Before we get to the teams that he wants to get to, I think we've got a good conversation point. How do you keep, like, all the homies in check, like, yo, please, you're not helping me by doing this. And I'm not saying this because, like, his wife, he got all the inside information. She knows what's going on. She's probably speaking with real authority on this situation.

How do you have to balance that or do you like sometimes a wife you just got boo boo you just got to empty clip like I'm tired of this right now how do you manage that part I think that probably speaks to where he is um in terms of the way he views the relationship with Washington right because you've never really heard bradley beale's camp wife mom that anyone come out and say anything really like on his behalf like usually you hear bradley beel speak for himself right like they're definitely not taking shots at anything. So like that's that's not really their style. So once he does, and I would imagine say, hey man, y'all do what y'all got to do, I think it probably speaks to where he is or where he thinks that relationship is. Like this is a rap dog. So whatever y'all got to say, like whether it's to like make sure that they understand where I stand or, you know, to completely sever the relationship because they don't like what's happening, do what you do. What about like, okay, so I do know this, right? Like a lot of people when you're an NBA players speak for you, like around you.

Like, Raj's partner, you know what I'm saying? I might drop some stuff to us, the media or especially around your time because there wasn't really Twitter around that time. But definitely dropping some nuggets like, hey, man, you know, Raj's pissed right now. Like, you see, they're not even giving him to ball. You know what I'm saying? they told him to play one game and gold estate. You know what I mean?

Like, they're not even treating them. So how do you do, how do you curtail that with the homies, right? Like, how much do you tell them what to tell to us? Like, how does that work? Yeah, I think, I think guys understand how they can use the media and remain like anonymous in it, right? Like a source set. Like, guys understand that.

That's a cat and mouse game, right? And you guys know who you could go to from, from, from, from, from Rajas camp or LeBron's camp or Kyrie's camp. You guys know how that works. And you know where it comes from, but I get a little plausible deniability because I didn't say it. Like what the hell you just talk about?

Hey, let's keep it a buck though. That's what happens. I just want to just throw out the curtain. Like I just want to lift the curtain for the fans out there. That's what happens when like sourcing and stuff. And we're like, we're telling the truth most of the time. We're telling the truth. But you guys do have plausible deniability to be like,

no, we didn't say that. Like, I never said that. I didn't do anything. So what happens is we'll go to like, we know that Roger Bell is pissed. We know you're pissed, right? But it's always somebody around you that tells us that you're pissed, right? That tells you like, yo, this is what's going on. And then we report it.

We're right. We're definitely right. We got it. We know the whole whoop, you feel me? Like, we know what's going on. But then we ask you. And then you got to do the thing where you be like, why are you saying that?

Why are you believing them rumors? I'm just rumors, bro. Or you like get in my face and be like, why are you saying all that?

You know what I'm saying? And then I text you afterwards and you're telling the exact same stuff. Can you please shed some light on what's going on here, Roger? Can you say like,

can you back me up on this? That may or may not happen, Logan. I didn't tell you that. Yeah. Yeah. It's just funny how that goes, man. Yeah. That dance was always a fun dance, right?

Like with the media, that was always a fun dance. Because technically you didn't tell us anything. Technically, you didn't. You're right. Told you nothing. I said absolutely nothing. So I could get up there with a straight face and not lie when I say I did not say that. I didn't request to trade.

Yeah, what are you talking about? But first of all, I was never a dude who really had a homie that was going to go, like, leak any information because there was never any information to be leaked in regards to me. You were boring in that way? Like you were just hell of boring. Well, yeah. Like, it was never like a major piece of the trade or anything like that or unhappy enough to get traded.

So, I mean, it was, yes, I was boring in that regard. But, I mean, still a fun dance with the media. Basketball is back and you know what that means? It's time to fire up the Fandul's sportsbook app. In the opening tip to the final buzzer, there's so many ways to bet on Fandul. It's so easy to use. So easy to register. So easy to deposit and easy to find your bet.

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Restrictions apply. See sportsbook. Fandul.com for detail. You have a gambling problem? Call 1-800 gambler. Let's get to the, uh, to where would you like to see Bray play? Like, what's a good place that that would be fun? Nix, maybe.

Would you like to see them on the Knicks? Yeah, maybe. But I feel like, the Knicks are yes but no I'd like to see him go somewhere a little bit more maybe the heat

would you like to see him on the heat yeah the heat would be a nice look for him for sure established culture seed when you're leaving a situation like Washington what I'd like to see for him like instead of talking about what pieces around him and what teams got

the like you like to see him go to somewhere with some real stability as an organization where if it's right right now, it's going to be right real soon. You know it'll be fun. You don't be really fun. I would love to see him on the Spurs. Yeah.

Just that infrastructure. I would love to see him with that. If they got, if they got, and I'm not, I'm not even saying this anything that's plausible. I'm just saying just random teams that I like to see him on. Love to see him on the Spurs. There's some, there's some chatter out here, like every time. The Warriors always, like the Warriors fan base thinks they're this, they think they're like, the Lakers fan base

to where they can get any guy now. So they're like, Bill was, what do you think? How do you think Bradley Bill would look in the Warriors uniform?

Right? There's that going on? Which I don't think is good. I think the Warriors need front court help more than anything, but I would love to see him on the Spurs. I like, yeah,

the Spurs would be, Dallas would be a good spot, like keeping it in Texas. Like, Dallas would be interesting for me. Yeah. Yeah, just good organizations, man, where people do things the right way. And even if they have a few down years, you can trust that they're going to be

right back, you know, in the playoffs and vying for the championship. You were a front office guy. Do you, there's this one thing where you just feel like, you know, we've seen this with like KG in Minnesota. Is there a time where like a front office is just like, we just don't, it's not the right time anymore. Where do you want to go? We'll try to figure it out. You know, like with KG, put all them years in, in Minnesota. And they were like, where, Bale was just like, you know, he ended up sending him to Boston in a great situation, right? Do you think, is there a time in a front office where guys are just like, all right, it is what it is, we're going to put you somewhere else?

Yeah, you mean like in an amicable way, like in a restore. In an amicable way, yeah. Yeah. It's love. I don't have a lot of experience with that. Like, most of mine were like, hey man, you got to go. Like, for one reason or another, like, this isn't working. Like, I've told the story about the, you know, Darren was probably, Darren Williams was probably the biggest player that I've,

played with who got traded, like had the highest profile. And that was, you know, that wasn't working anymore. Him and Jerry had their things at the time. And that was one of those where I think both sides wanted it to to kind of end, you know, that wasn't super amicable. When I was in the front office, we had to move on from, from Dion Waiters. Like, we really wanted that to work. We were trying to make it work. But Dion, it just wasn't working for one reason or another. It wasn't all Dion's fault. It just the pieces weren't really making sense. And so, So we had to move on from Dion, but I don't know that that was amicable. So I don't have a lot of experience with that.

But good organizations, again, I think, you know, figure that out, man, and good general managers. Once a guy has done all that he can for you and you realize that your window doesn't exactly mesh with his window anymore, they're not overlapping anymore. Yeah. You do right by a dude, you know? Yeah. I mean, you know, they did send DeWill to New Jersey and later Brooklyn.

So, I mean, at the time, it seemed like a win-win for both sides. But, um, nah, listen. That meant, hey, hey, what's up? What's up? What's up? All right. I'm sitting in the hot tub. Keep it real, real, son.

Keep it real, real, son. How'd it'd go? Like, yeah, a birthday party earlier. Um, I told you, I, like, Darren Williams got to call the night, like, the day of our game in Dallas. So I was sitting next to him in, and, uh... He's at the crib. That's at the crib. He's at the crib.

He's about to play that night. And I'm sitting next to play that night. And I'm sitting next to play that night. to him in the training room, Brian Zettler and Gary Briggs were sitting in a makeshift training room in the hotel. And it comes across Sports Center. And we both look at each other like, huh? What? You just got to trade it. So Darren's like, I got to make a phone call. So he went to make a phone call. Like comes back. He said, I just got traded. And then, you know, Darren, you know, Jets out and does what you got to do. So I'm in the hot tub. Like, we used to have

these little bullet like hot tubs in Utah because they hadn't really like at the arena. It hadn't been upgraded yet. So I was sitting there trying to get warm before a game, the next home game. And Kevin O'Connor walks by, not our Kevin O'Connor, but Kevin O'Connor, who was the general manager at the jazz at the time. And he said something to me, we, like, you know, a little small talk. And, you know, I said something about the trade and he said, sometimes you get what you deserve. Yeah. Yeah. And that was, that was sending Darren to Brooklyn, who at the time was not very good. Who was New Jersey? What New Jersey?

Right, New Jersey, sorry, which at the time was not very good. And so I would challenge what you said earlier about it was a win-win. At least Kevin O'Connor didn't think he was sending Darren to a win. Wait, so, like, so there do be vendetta's like, how bad was it with Darren? Like, how, like, I only know from like kind of known, but how, was it really, really bad? And you were talking with him and with him and Jerry Sloan? I wasn't there from the beginning of their relationship. So when I got back, I just, you know, I didn't, I knew there was some friction.

Like, we were, we had, you know, Al Jefferson came in that year. I came in that year. And like, you know, I just remember the first time I really saw it was we decided we were going to stay after practice one day to work out some kinks in the offense, right? And Darren was going to, you know, kind of help walk us through all the stuff we were going to do and kind of indoctrinated me and Al into what we were doing again, even though I had been there, but all of this was new to Al, and we were gonna work through it as a unit.

Even, you know, we thought we were kind of being, you know, I don't know, taking the bull by the horns. We were gonna work on this on our own. I see Jerry outside, like peeking through like the glass in the window, like, you know, in the hall. And I go out and I'm like, I'm like, what's up? And Jerry was just hot. He's just hot.

He's having a goddamn practice without me. Like, this pressure, I can't. And so I'm like, Jerry, hey, just it's not whatever you think it is. It's no one's undermining you. This is just us trying to get on the same page. But at the time, at that time, I was like, okay, these two have a, like there was, there was something going on there. I don't know.

Yeah, they had it. There was something going on. So, you know, they made it work and we made it work as long as we could. How do y'all play? Like, you had beef with coaches before. We've talked about it on the show. How do you play when you got beef with coaches? Like, how do you do that?

Listen, the night, the night that it went down in the Utah locker room. And I've told that story before. So I'm not going to tell it again. But the night it went down, I've said this, it can be difficult because, like, Jerry wouldn't talk to Darren in the second half of that Chicago Bulls game. So he would literally call me over and say, you tell Darren that we're running a thumb up. And I'd be like, all right, Darren, Jerry says we're running. He'd be like, what, you tell Jerry that we're going to do this.

And I had to rub my ass back over there. It would be like, okay, Jerry, Darren says, We were going to run thumb up. We want to run thumb down. Like, it was, it puts you in a tough spot. It was real petty. It was real petty at that point. Was it really like?

Well, they had to blow up at halftime. So this got like extra, this was the second half of that game before Jerry, for Jerry resigned the next morning. Yeah. And so that night it was really petty. It was tough. Wait. So, I mean, whatever, bro. And like, in fairness to Darren, let me just say this.

Because the only thing that happened, and this is, I guess, speaks to their, like, relationship. There are plays in Utah, like the nomenclature, like, if you said to play one way, it would be on the left side of the floor for Logan to get a basket on the block. And if you said it another way, it would be on the right side of the floor for Logan to get a bucket on the block. So the very same play, just flipping sides of the court.

So Jerry called it for the right side of the court, and Darren knew that Al or Paul, whoever it was, like the ball on the left side of the court. So all he did coming out first play of the game was flip it Right so it was the exact same play Just getting him the ball on the side that Darren thought he liked it And Jerry just did not like that So when we got that was that was that was that the source of the blow up Because of that or because it had been brewing I'm assuming before it

We got into the locker room The first thing Jerry said was You you know I call a play and you go and call your own fucking play And we were all like what? Like, we forgot it, but it was the first play of the game. We played a whole half of basketball. But apparently that's- He was stewing.

He was stooing on that, the whole first half. Wait, wait. So you guys had gone through timeouts and shit, and like he was, you know what I mean? Like, in the first half, and it didn't even get brought up. Like, I felt like that could have been nipped in the bud. Multiple timeouts, a quarter, a change of, like, a quarter timeout, all of that. This was, this was going to be talked about at halftime. I don't even know why it had to be talked about a half-time.

It's like, yo, Darren, you know, I don't know. I think it spoke to the big, like, they had bigger. Like, they had bigger problems, though. Ones that I wasn't privy to, you know? Like, ones that were before I got there. So he says, you're calling a play is the wrong way. And then Darren goes, well, I don't, I'm whatever. And it was on a pop.

Yeah, it was on a pop. How was it the next morning when he resigned? That had to have been wild. So after the whole stuff went down, like, we played a second half, and I do all the relaying of like the play calls. Which I'm sure you're like, which I'm sure you're like, bro, really. Real talk. Like, I have kids at home.

Like, I don't want. But we do all of that. And like, we play a tight game. We almost win the game. And after the game, and it didn't even dawn on me. Like, I didn't even know what was going on. We all kind of looked around. Jerry brought it in when you say, one, two, three, jazz.

Jerry said, bring it in. He said, one, two, three, good luck. And we were, we were like, you know, like, oh, shit. Okay, that's a weird thing to say. Well, let me get my shit. Like, I got to go get a shower. I'm going out of here. I'm ready to go home.

Like, we lost this, tonight sucked. So I go in the next morning for treatment Everybody's sitting around I'm like Anybody seen Jerry or like yeah he just retired I was like what? He didn't even text show nothing like y'all? Nothing like y'all didn't even know

Nothing nothing Jerry had shut it down on him bro he has shut it down man That's wild bro Wow that that's a good that's a real fun little detour here Okay Speaking of locker room

Yeah, it's a good segue to Trey. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, good little segue to Trey. So, Trey Young and John Collins got it. I also love John Collins' name. I don't know why. It just seems like a dude that just dunks on folks, which he does. I just love that name. John Collins is a cool

name. Anyway, so John Collins and Trey Young, according to sources, and according to the Athletic, we did a really good piece, Sam Amick, and Kersner, Chris Kershner. Really, All I know is I've been following a homie for a minute,

does a great job on the Atlanta Hanksby. Killing it, young black dude. Shout out of the homie. And so we're talking about a film session in which these two guys just went out of. Chris got a text from John saying they did get into it, but are still, quote, still brothers, right? Should we have concern about all of this, Roger?

Or is this something that happens on a day-to-day? Is this just constructive? Yeah. I think there's a little cause for concern, but it does happen all the time. Like, you know, you have to, you know, especially on a team like that that's young or relatively, and they're trying to figure out what the best avenue for them and the best way for them to play is going to be to get where they want to go. You're going to have these disagreements, right?

What you just hope is they don't ever reach the media. Like, you know, and so that would be the concern when I say there's a little concern is the fact that you came to the media, you know, with the frustration. How does something like that out, how does something like that even get out to us? Yeah, I don't know. That's the concerning part, right? Like, because if that's not something that happened on the sideline or something that in your experience, though, like, how does like locker room stuff get out to the media?

Is it a player that leaks? And is there somebody that was around that leaks? How does it get leaked out? Yeah, I mean, it could be a player. I don't know what a player would have the game for that. Like, it could have been, like, one of those people you talk about, like, John Collins went home and told his boy or anyone in that locker room

that was privy to it went home and told their people hey man y'all should have seen this shit bro like John went in on and then he's telling somebody and now the media's got it you know what I mean but you know so it doesn't necessarily have to be one of the two people involved but if that's a little concern you want to keep that in-house but

the fact that two guys would consider each other brothers would be quarreling or or arguing over over you know strategy or play design or play call. That happens all the time, dog.

Like, we're all in this together. We're all competitors, you know, and we're around each other all the time. You're going to fight. That's fine. It's whether you can get past that. This is what I know about, like, NBA players and athletes in general. Yeah.

Y'all can love each other and bub heads and then also, like, high five. It's so weird how athletes do this, right? Like, y'all can get into a full argument, right? Like, mofo each other, all, the whole nine. somebody gives an assist or a basket, high five, I love you, man. Why are y'all weird like that?

Why does this happen? Like, we're brothers, man. It's not weird. It's not weird, but, like, you fight with your brother, man. Like, you, at the end of the day, you pour so much into, like, a common goal with this guy.

And the positives and the stuff that you've experienced together far outweigh, like whatever it was that y'all just argued over it. In most cases, right? In most cases, because there are times where things are so egregious and stuff happens, usually off the court where boys can't forgive each other.

But usually, you know, in that locker room environment, when you guys are all like real talk, trying to figure out, like, yo, what's the best way for us to get from point A to point B, which is making the playoffs, you're trying to win a championship? There are going to be some disagreements and there are going to be some differences of opinions, you know, when it comes to that. And you're going to organically have some arguments and disagreements. But we all understand at the end of the day. We're in this for the same, you know, with the same goal in mind.

And so you get through it, Logan, we pour, you know, it's a lot of stuff that goes into a season. People don't see, man, the training, the time spent, like, you know, working out together and summer's trying to get that pick and roll down. And, you know, you understand what I'm saying. There's a lot that goes into it. So you ain't going to just let one little beef, you know, break up the chemistry. So what's the balance, like, of what we see? Because sometimes we'll see, like, I remember when.

When I was growing up and I would see Kobe or like LeBron or even Jordans, like, somebody missing an assignment and they're like, or I see it now, even when I watch like the Warriors and Draymond and someone misses an assignment and they're just yelling at a guy, do we? And we're like, oh my God, it's beef. It's something. Right. Do we look too much into that or what's the balance of that? Do we look too much into these types of things or sometimes is it appropriate to be like, okay, the chemistry issues are there? Yeah, I think at times there could be chemistry issues. Like I watched, you know, I watched games before and said,

ooh, that looked like it rose to a level that wasn't like normal yelling at somebody. Like, you know what I mean? Like that felt personal. And in some cases, it might be personal and there might be something there. In a lot of cases, though, you know, leaders of a team in the heat of the battle are going to say, what they gotta say to you. You know what I mean? Especially in a league where it's a star-driven league.

And if you don't like it as one of the extras, like you could keep it moving, like they're gonna talk to you. But I was always one of those dudes like, don't look, don't talk to me crazy. And I mean, like I don't give a shit who you are. Don't talk to me crazy, bro. Like you got something, you got a problem and it could have been my fault.

Like we could talk about that. But if you don't wanna be spoken too crazy, don't talk to me crazy. Because you'll match energy, Rogers? Is that what you were saying? Like, if somebody want to go crazy, like, you with the shits is what you're saying? Yeah, but like I don't want to fight nobody necessarily, but like we all are grown men and you're going to respect me, right?

Like, because I respect you and like, I'm not going to talk to you crazy. So if the relationship isn't that and you don't respect me, then we can act accordingly. But I think that's important too in the locker room, even for for players who aren't great players. Like, look, dog, we're in, we're in this together, homie. Like, you know what I mean? Like, don't discount me. So based on what you know and stuff, do you think it's a big deal or not? We should just...

I don't think their beef is a big deal. I think the style that they play is a big deal at the end of the day. Because I'm with John Collins. Like, I think Trey Young is phenomenal. You know, I think what he does at his size in the NBA is really, really fun to watch. I don't ultimately think that just letting him run around and screen the rolls and pull from all over the court is going to win them. championships. Like, I don't think that that's getting them where they need to go. But he sees that. So, like, he sees, he sees his idol, Steph doing that. Yeah.

And thinks that it's good. Like, I think that it is a winning strategy, right? And I can dig it. And, you know, Steph is a, step is a phenomenal player, a phenomenal player. And he's still doing phenomenal things. But it took them getting the right pieces around Steph to ultimately win a championship with that, right? Yeah. Right? Like you're seeing right now, without those pieces, it's a different ball game. And also, I think we need to give more, more credit to, like, there's, they play similar, but there's definitely different personality styles between Steph and Trey. Like, that's just what it is. No, all of that is fair. And I don't, like, maybe this is coming off like Steph Slander. It's not meant to be.

I'm saying, he's phenomenal. But like, you know, you've got to, you've got to get that absolutely right. And Steve Kerr, like credit to Steve Kerr for coming in there and finding the style. and the offense and Bob Myers and them for finding the pieces that we're all going to work together to really highlight Steph and play the way that, like, you know, they needed to play to win a championship. And I just, to your point, like, he's not Steph. Can you dig what I'm saying? Like, he's Steph-ish, but he ain't Steph. Yeah, no, but for sure.

Like, I do, I would agree with that, and I do feel that, but I'm just saying from the mindset of, like, Trays, like, well, I've seen this style work. So this is what is going to do. You know what I mean? And John is like, no, this is not, we're going to figure it out. But at this point, it's just not what's going to work. I'm not mad at Trey. Like, Trey's having hell of success, too.

Like, what's he average? He's averaging 25 a game. You know, like, you know, and also, Logan, I think it's important, like where you are in your career, man. What's, what's Trey in his third year? Yeah. Like, a lot of guys in a lot of guys. A lot of guys in their third year aren't always ready to settle down and talk about these championships. Like they're trying to still ascend the ladder of like hierarchy in the NBA.

There's no comfort yet. There's no comfort yet. It's all gas, no breaks when you're in your first five, six years in the league. And you're still trying to figure out stuff. But I get that. I think it'll be fine. One last thing before we got it. You think the relationship's going to be fine, for sure.

But you think the style, you think the style? it's going to be fine ultimately. Listen, at the end of the day, man, like, Trey Young is the one in Atlanta, and they're going to, no matter if it's good or not, they're going to take Trey Young's side,

no matter what. There you go. You know what I mean? Like, it's Trey's show at this point. Yeah. Trey is the Atlanta Aux at this point. So whether it's fair or the right way, I think Trey is going to get his way.

John Collins, you better set them screens, way. I'm just saying, Like, that's just politics right now. Like, this is Tray's team. Facts. Is what it is.

Where we get out of here, though, I do want to, there's one more thing I only want to talk about. I think it's a bit nuanced. So, early last week, Kyrie Irving, I think it was Thursday, Wednesday, Thursday. Kyrie Irving sat out. At the time, it was very mysterious. He sat out for personal reasons, one of the Brooklyn Nets games. And, you know, when it came out, because, you know, Kyrie is a very polarizing figure. When it came out, it's like, what's going on with Kyrie? What's going on? What's going on? What's going on? What's going on? What are these personal reasons? What's going on with Kyrie? And it came out that he has been sitting out. The personal reasons he's sitting out because of the events that happened at the Capitol, the terrorist events that happened at the Capitol. And that was he needed, you know, we don't know the full story of what happened, but that's what's been going, what's been floating out there. And I have my own feelings about this, but do.

you think that it is fine for a guy to sit out, especially during these times, if they just need a day to process a lot of things that are going on in this country, Roger? Yeah, I do. If you need some time to process, these are crazy times, man, for a lot of reasons. You know, we talked about the COVID, the political mess that's going on right now. Like, there are a lot of things that could cause one to say, hey, I need a day. How you go about? that though, Logan. I was just about to ask you. Really important, bro. Right? And, you know, not calling your boss. And I know NBA and NFL

do as like an athlete, like, we don't like to say we got a boss. Like, we are bosses. You got a damn boss, bro. Like, you got a boss, though. But that's what it is. And so I think he was really irresponsible in the way he executed it.

And the fact that it's been, what, three games now? I have to, one, bro. Like, I mean, I got a wonder. I mean, if you're telling me you need a day, I got you. Like, you're telling me you need two days, three days. I'm like, nah, man, it's not a good look. Honestly, I think it stems back to, like, more than three games, I think it just stems back to, like, hitting up your coach. Don't have your coach out there like, yo, man, I haven't talked to him. I don't know what's going on, but then hit the players on the group chat. You know what I mean?

No, utter disrespect. It's utter disrespect. I think that, yeah, I mean, like, it is a job at the end of the day, right? Like, Karras Levert, you know, you can hit him and, you know, it could be good, but all these players got an answer for you, bro. Like, and we don't know the whole story hasn't come all the way out yet, but I do know that he did, like, it did come out that he was dealing with his stuff with the Capitol, but like, yo, you might want to hit your coach because you're putting him in a weird position because we, the media, are going to ask these questions, bro.

we're going to ask these questions about what's going on. We're going to ask where he's going, what's happening. And I'm sure Steve Nash wants to have Kyrie's back in this, right? Like I don't, you know what I mean? Like I think that he would want to have this back and saying like, yo, Kyrie's just having a, he's having personal issues, but I got his back. And Nash did to a certain extent, but like, it's only so much you can do when he don't,

Nash don't even have any information to go off of. Yeah, that it's, it's, Look, man, that's, I was hoping again that, and I said this before, that Kyrie on his travel since he left LeBron would have kind of figured some things out in terms of leadership, right? And this has nothing to do with whether you need personal time or not. Like if you say, yo, man, all of this stuff, it weighs on me this heavily and I need, you know, a minute. I got it. I hear you, bro. Like, I can dig it. But it's the way you handle things, man, that all. ultimately, like, you know, that ultimately speak to the people in the organization around you in terms of whether they can trust you or not and whether you're the guy or not. And he just doesn't, like, from what I hear in the media in regards to this, it doesn't sound like he's really learned anything, right? And that's disappointing to me, man, because. Because when he's on the court, he's bawling, man. He's killing it. Like, he's killing it. I don't know, man. I just feel like,

if you, I just feel like if you led with, because if you lead with, um, yo man, if you tell your coach, well, man, I'm just all this, all this stuff at the capital, which is very valid. Like, yo, this got me shook, man. Like, I don't even know if I can deal with this type of stuff right now. Like, I can't. Like, all the images that happened in D.C. were real, bro. And it affected me.

It affected me for the last, me personally, affected me for the last few days, honestly. Um, seeing that and, you know, seeing all those images. but I still got to like I got to tell I mean I can't tell my editor like I can't tell my editor I can't tell my editor I ain't right no more Logan like I can't tell y'all that I ain't gonna be here again you I'm a big believer in hey man like I don't want to hear the excuse bro I don't like you got a job to do you do the job you know and and I've I've you know because of the magnitude and the gravity of what it is I'll I'll I'll grant you. Like, you originally asked me, is it all right? So even though that's not my first inclination to be like, yeah, man, that's cool, bro. Take whatever time you need. Because I like,

dog, you get your ass to work, do your job. But I'll say in this case scenario, cool. But, bro, you got to be a grown up about that, my man. You know what I'm saying? Logan? Like, I don't think that's too much to ask, dog. You got to be a grownup about your shit. The very least, bro, you got to tell your coach, man. You can't have your coach out here saying I reached out to him, but he hasn't hit me back. Be a grown-up about your shit, man. I think that might be, I think that's a good way to end. But, yeah, like, I agree with you on that.

Like, and he still isn't playing right now at this point. But, yeah, man, that's this edition of the real ones. Be a grown-up about your shit. But yeah, man, this is a good episode, man. This has been the Monday edition of the real ones. We will be back on Thursday. I mean, you saw the Thursday pods. You saw what you're doing a Thursday,

You know what I'm saying? You know what my man? You're what we do on the Thursday pods. And we'll see you there, man. Tap it to the real ones. Tap into Ringer NFL show. NFL was popping. We got to get Roger back to the game.

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Tap into the answer with Chris Ryan. We will see you. you guys Thursday we might have a little give me a little surprise for you man you know what I'm saying something like holler