The Ringer NBA Show - Debunking the Russell Westbrook Narrative, Ben Simmons’s Trajectory, and Why You’re Not as Good at Basketball as You Think | Off Guard with Austin Rivers

Episode Date: February 24, 2023

Austin and Pausha are back after the All-Star break to discuss how the weekend shook out and what could help improve ratings (3:28). Then, they discuss the turn of the season with 21 games left (18:50), touch on Mike Conley’s addition to the Timberwolves (21:22), and review Russell Westbrook's involuntary role as the best buyout player in the league (27:47). Later, they talk Ben Simmons’s career (43:55) and wrap things up with another round of rapid fire, focusing on Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance. Hosts: Austin Rivers and Pausha Haghighi Producers: Erika Cervantes and Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did your favorite NFL team win the Super Bowl? No? Then the NFL draft is your Super Bowl. I'm Danny Haifitz, and for now until the draft, we are turning our fantasy football show feed into the Ringer NFL draft show. Every Tuesday, we talk about the top players and most important storylines for the NFL draft. So join us on the Ringer NFL draft show. What's up, everybody?

Welcome to another episode of Off Guard. I'm Pasha, and as always, I'm with my co-host, my guy, Austin, how you doing? What's up, man? Good to be back. I felt like we haven't done this in a while after the, what is it, two-week hiatus with All-Star break and everything. Yeah, and we went to Miami together during All-Star, and I really appreciate you kind of let me tag along. That was fun. We had a good time.

We had a good time. I really appreciate it. Yeah, that was fun. We had automatic stopping the way out at Steve's pizza. Shout out to Steve. That was our, that was like our saving grace. What was that? Sunday.

We went back? Yeah, Sunday. Yeah, I think it was Sunday. Do you feel rejuvenated now? You feel good? You're ready to go for the last. part of the season? I am. I feel really good. I spent those first two days, obviously, with you and our friends all down in Miami. We pretty much just had dinner, ate, late out

out at the beach, partied. And then you kind of have fun doing that for two days. And then after that, you just go back to, I got to go back home with my family, my kids for four or five days straight, really just work out, be with the family, get some workouts in, stay in shape. Those couple of days in Miami usually are just kind of like get your mental. just away for a little bit. Just go be a grown-up, go have some fun. And I thought we did it right. We were only there for like, what, a day and a half, Friday, Saturday, in and out, and then back to reality.

Yeah. About 36 hours, yeah. You're obviously a Florida boy, and you've been in Minnesota this season. What was it like coming back and getting some of that fresh air, that sunshine? Man, it was so good just to be outside. That was the best part of my trip, honestly, was just being in Florida, just, you know, driving around, feeling the wind, seeing the sun, getting that vitamin D, being able to play with my kids at the park, you know, took them to the ice cream store, walking up and down, Park Avenue,

down there in Winter Park. When we were in Miami, obviously we just kind of laid out with a beach. We're still able to get workouts in all-star breaks. So just staying in shape while doing all this was really, really nice. And doing it in Florida where I love to be at was even better. Did you always go to Florida for your all-star breaks? Or did you kind of have a place you went? all 11 years.

I usually don't do vacations. I mean, Miami's like the most I'd ever do. You know, we went out one of those nights, two of those nights and had dinner and just hung out with friends. That's the most I'll do on a vacation. I don't ever like to get too out of touch because I don't feel like I'll never want to, I don't want to say get out of shape because I don't even know if there's enough time for that, but just even get out of routine or get out of like, you know, whatever.

You know, I don't want to over drink or overeat or eat or do anything out of character, you know, I'll start break. You know, you've got to have a good time a couple of days, but I stay with it. stay working out. That way, All-Star Break, I'm fresh mentally, but also physically, and I'm actually ready to go out there and perform tomorrow night and not be, like, slacking and stuff. So I feel really good mentally and physically. All-Star Break was just what I needed. Family time was was just what I needed. So it was great. I feel like everyone in the world is kind of shitting on the All-Star game this year saying it was, you know, the lowest ratings. That was disgusting.

That was terrible. And everyone's done it to death, what they could do to kind of make it better and everything like that. What do you think? I know growing up, the All-Star game was probably our favorite weekend of the year. We were obsessed with it. What could we, what about it back then did you love that maybe they could bring back and make it enjoyable again? You know, the reality is a lot of this is due to just how big the game is and how much money guys are making now and the All-Star game just being, I don't want to say insignificant, but the badge is more so what it's about now than actual look at, you know, than an actual game. You go back in the 80s and 90s, you know, you didn't have social media.

You didn't have all these things. So when the All-Star game happened and you were naming All-Stars, your time to go against a Kobe or a Michael or a Magic or, you know, whatever era. And those guys really, like, competed, man. Like, it was a thing. You know, the first, second quarter, they'd kind of mess around, fuck around. And then about a third, fourth quarter, they were, like, really playing defense, going at it.

And, like, the fans really got to enjoy that game where you got 15, you know, What's it? How many per team? 14? 12. 12, right? 12. 24. You got 24 players out there on the basketball floor. That are the best basketball players in the NBA right now in the world. To where now it's some guys, you know, obviously guys go down and then you have reserves and there's all these events.

And a lot of guys, you know, a lot of guys, you know, didn't want to do it. And I think location's important. I love Utah. this is ridiculous. And next year it's in Indianapolis. And I don't have a problem with Indianapolis, but what are we doing here? You know what I mean?

Like, when it was a Super Bowl, the Super Bowl has a group of cities that they rotate. Bro, they rotate. Because that's exactly where people want to be at. Hint, hint, hint, warm. Nobody wants to, we're all winter. It's a winter sport all year. And the All-Star break is supposed to be fun and festivities,

man. Like you guys want to get out there, not only have a good time, but they want to be able to have some type of relaxation. People went to Utah and couldn't wait to, you know, the players per se. Couldn't wait to get out there.

You saw Lucas the interview. They said, what's your favorite part about All-Star? He said the plane ride to Cabo after. You know what I mean? Like that right there in a nutshell kind of tells you the mindset of these players going into an All-Star game. Next year's in Indianapolis, man. It should be in Miami, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York. You could be in Texas.

You could do a Dallas or an Atlanta or a Houston and just rotate them. Just rotate them. that those cities would not only would, I think also players play hard. You go there and you're in LA and everyone who's who's at that game and these guys are competing. You saw what happened a couple years ago when those guys were really good after towards the end of the game.

That's what I was going to say. That was the most competitive All-Star game I ever saw when they introduced the Elam ending three years ago. Players at the end of that game were afraid to shoot. The nerves were high. I thought that was one of the best ones. And to go from the best to the least competitive in that short amount of time,

I just don't understand it. I think Adam Silver has done an amazing job, obviously, in his time as commissioner. But the All-Star game is a pivotal weekend for our sport and for our brand. And I just think they've done a really poor job with it. I even think all these extra, I think if you're going to add all these nuances to the game, we're going to get to it later. They were talking about, you know, mid-season tournament and all this other garbage. if you want to change stuff

at a one-on-one contest winner gets a million dollars to his choice of charity do you know how hard guys be playing you know what I mean

for a million dollars for his charity you know what I mean that's a big deal something like that would really change the dynamic the three-point contest is great the done contest

has gone to shit I was very entertained by Mack McClung he did an amazing job he held it down but at the end of the day And that's nothing against Mac. Again, Mac did an amazing job.

He made the contest entertaining for everybody to watch because everybody was not looking forward to it until he did his thing. And I'm happy for him. But I want to see LeBron James in a dunk contest. I know he's past that now, so that's done. I want to see John Morant do it. I want to see Anthony Edwards get in there.

I want to see who else. I mean, whatever. Zion, some of the best athletic stars, the best players in the league. Those are the guys I want to see in the dunk contest. Shit, Jalen Brown, he's super athletic. You know, one of those guys is who I want to see in the dunk contest. It would make the dunk contest so much more entertaining.

And it wouldn't even be about the dunk per se. It'd be just about seeing that player do the dunk. You go back and you watch LeBron James in that McDonald's All-American dunk contest where none of his dunks were out of this world or crazy. A lot of it was just him throwing off the glass and catching. But it was LeBron James doing it and his heads above the remedy. He's throwing it down. It's kind of like what Dominique Wilkins used to do with such power.

and because who that person was doing it, it meant a lot. You know what I mean? Like it just, it was cooler to see. These guys are heroes. Like when Vince Carter was out there doing it and obviously Michael Jordan back in the day and everything like that, Kobe, these guys are heroes. People look up to and they want to see them dunk.

It's just a different, exactly. There's a different energy to it. There's a different energy. I mean, listen, you want to talk about a dunk contest. Go look at YouTube, the Flight Brothers and all these guys. There's guys out there that can't play a lick of basketball, but they can jump over the basket. If you go hire a couple professional volleyball players that compete in the Olympics to do dunks,

you should see how those guys dunk. No one gives a fuck. No excuse. I mean, no disrespect, but it's just the truth. What I would get out of seeing a star player do it just means a lot. And you go back and look at that Vince Carter dunk contest. Tracy McGrady was in that. Steve Francis was in that.

You know what I mean? Like good players were in that dunk contest. You know what? And that's what guys want to see, man. Like I missed that, you know, Dwight Howard did his thing. and Blake Griffin did his thing. And like those guys even did. Even that one year, Paul George went, John Wall went,

DeMardo Rosen went, and those weren't even our best dunk contest, but at least you had guys try until, like, get in the contest. And I already alluded to LeBron not being in. It really set the tone for like the dunk contest, not even being cool. Like, let's just leave that for the guys who could only dunk. So now some guys don't even want to do it because they don't want to be labeled just a dunker.

They think it like takes away from how they're viewed as a skilled player in the NBA from a scouting perspective, which is crazy. So there's been quite the trickle effect with that. I think the All-Star game needs to be a better location. And I think they need to change them events. That's what they need to do. You mentioned the one-on-one contest. How many times on Instagram have you seen, like, Team USA, Devin Booker, KD, these guys do the King of the Court one-on-one?

And people love it. Obviously, they repost it on Instagram all the time. And people love seeing them kind of go one-on-one. I feel like that would be an amazing event. I feel like Ant would be in it. A lot of good guys. Kyrie, if you ever did it, would be unbelievable. And that would get the most ratings, I think, over at Dunk Contest.

Yeah. The 101 would be incredible. If you got four guys, king of the court, and winner gets a million for his or who, you know, whatever, charity, half a million, whatever, that would be really fun to watch guys really get competitive. And you can only be competitive in 101. There's no choice because it's either you're scoring on someone

or it's either you're missing on someone or you're getting scored on, which you don't want. So, I mean, 101 is the most competitive game in NBA player can play. And seeing Kevin Durant go against, you know, Carmelo in their prime would have been incredible, right? I think if you're going to add all these different things that they're adding to the All-Star game, that is one thing they really do have to look at. And I think the location is just vital.

I really do. And I hope in the future somehow it's going to take a young star to change that dunk contest narrative. I can't do anything about it. Neither can you. There's only a certain like 10 guys in the league that can really do that. And one of them is going to have to do that. So we'll see with time. Yeah, and even the best part of the All-Star game this year, the only good part was when Tatum and Brown went one-on-one a few times down the court.

That's another thing. People look back and watch the Dion Waiters Tim Hardaway when they went at it in the – that was a rookie sophomore game, which is the worst-the-risk basketball, which is the rookie sophomore game. We want to talk about a game that serves no purpose. That game should not even exist. It's ridiculous. No one plays. Now it's like the world versus the – I don't even know what it is anymore. And they're trying to make that for the All-Star game, which is ridiculous, which would be unfair. fair because then they would, certain foreign players would get to play in this game, even if they're not deserving, just because they might need roster spots for it, if they need 10 or 12. So it should be 12 all-stars each side.

It should be East versus West and not these captains, which is ridiculous. I'm not even going to get into that and why certain guys picked certain players, because there's reasons behind those as well. Well, do you think they should just get away with the draft period with the All-Star drafting? It's dumb. It's dumb. I do think they should do East versus West simply because every year everyone talks about

before the season starts, who's better, the East or the West? This year, everyone's saying the East is better than the West. Now, after the trades you're saying, the West is better than the East. I do feel like if you brought that element back, East versus West, there might be something there where they're playing for something a little bit,

just like, who's better? I remember when Marbury and Iverson beat the West that one year when they were like undersized and everything. That was a big deal kind of putting on for the East. So I feel like if they brought that back, that would be cool. That's a good point. I think the East-West rivalry definitely sparks a little bit of competitiveness amongst the players.

You know, and what you want is competitiveness. I mean, it was, I mean, think about it. Shea Alexander after the game was like, said something like, man, LeBron block my shot. It was so weird. Like, you know, nobody did nothing all game. Then I drove and he tries to block my shot. Like, that was abnormal for someone to try to make a defensive play in last game. That's how crazy it was.

You know what I mean? So seeing the best players play at a hard place. And I'm not saying you've got to dive on the floor and hurt yourself. Obviously, the postseason is most important. But there are levels to competitive play. And that was just too low for me. Stephen A. Smith made a really good point the other day where he said, if you guys could play, you know, maybe 70, 80 percent in the offseason in your pickup games, like the Rico Heinz or when you play in Orlando, you play pickup, you know, you play smart. You play not to get hurt, but you still, it's competitive. And you'll play like maybe 70 to 80 percent hard. Why couldn't you guys do that in the All-Star game when, you know, millions of people are watching us for the fans.

It makes zero sense. And that's a great point that Stephen A. said, and that's so true because when we play at Rico Hines, you play hard because you don't want to lose and have to wait a game. And you want to play and get wins on the winners court, which is the middle court there. Or if you're just playing runs anywhere, Remy runs or Chris Johnson workouts, whatever the hell, the sky workout.

Or even in any city's pro-am. Yeah, any pro-am. Because you take it personally that you're going against some guys that aren't in the NBA, and you want to show people while you're in the NBA and guys are working on stuff, guys are getting better, you know, guys have their boys there watching them, like, everyone's competitive, you know, about that. And you're playing basketball at the end of the day. So to think in an All-Star game being seen by millions of people across the world, let alone in the United States, it's the ultimate pick up game with the best players,

you know what I mean, that you guys got to pick the teams with, which, again, I'm on a fan of, but whatever. So be it, that is a game where I would like to see, like you said, you know, 80% you know energy there you know 80% they're trying hard 80% they give a damn you know I mean that that would make the game a lot better and more enjoyable do you remember in the lockout in 2011 where you know lebron went against kd and james hardin was going against john wall and all those guys had all those pickup runs in different cities and stuff and obviously you're playing not to get hurt but those games are super competitive and some of the most entertaining basketball we've seen especially the kd versus lebron one the lock

The checkout series was incredible. You got to see guys be, I think that was like the most humanizing any sport has ever come to their common man. And I say that just because there's no other sport where they had pickup games, especially for public view. You're not going to go to a public, you're not going to go to a pickup baseball game. I've never heard of such a thing. No one plays pickup football because it had to be two-hand touch. Basketball is that sport. and, you know, some of the, you know, the Mecca, whether it's the New York Rucker Park games or, you know, Barry, what's it, the Barry Farms, which is the one in D.C. or Baltimore, you got to be careful because there's like two different ones there. You don't want to say the wrong one.

I want to take a stop out of it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Regardless. And the games in L.A., you know, they're all over, pickups all over the place. And, you know, everyone takes those very serious. And we got great moments out of that during the lockout. And people, got to be so close to pros and stars. Like you had players pulling up to high school gyms playing pick up games. It was a really cool moment that I thought the NBA did a good job, even though we were in a lockout players stayed in the spotlight and played at gyms where everybody could get in. I remember one game or one gym they're charging like a can of soup, like canned goods because it was going towards a cause.

So anybody can get in. You don't got to pay hundreds and hundreds of dollars, which not everybody can afford for an NBA game. They could go. So, yeah, the All-Star Games got improved. we gotta get better. I hope that's like a learning lesson for all the shit

that's been talked about it that next year whoever's in there. Maybe one of the guys, one of the vets, will take it upon themselves to like, you know, get it competitive.

And what do you think about maybe playing for a cash prize where the winning team makes a lot of money? Yeah, see, I don't know if that works because the guys usually in the All-Star game are just making so much money

that like them getting an extra $100 grand. I just, as crazy as that sounds, it would have to be more than 100. It has not moving the needle at all. Yeah, that's not moving. That's what I'm saying. So it had to be an extreme amount

So it's like, I don't know if the NBA is doing that. I mean, they already get paid enough. Why not just compete? You know what I mean? Like, we've got to come up with incentives for these guys to go out there and play hard. I'm not saying guys got to go dive on the floor. But let's get to what it was three, four years ago, man. Like, that game was so much fun.

Watching Steph and LeBron and James Harden, like, you had all these guys out there really playing their best basketball. I thought it was very enjoyable for us to watch. Your teammate, Anthony Edwards, friend of the pod, he was announced as an All-Star Reserve, What was that like for the team? What was that moment, like, for you guys? It was really refreshing, I think, because we wanted him to make it so bad, and there was a little bit of an energy lull

when he didn't make it because we all thought he was and was deserving. Obviously, the West has a lot of good players, so it is what it is. But, you know, by the powers that be and just sometimes by, you know, yeah, you need a little bit of luck on your side. Someone goes down and gets hurt,

you know, his name gets called, and he gets to now wear that All-Star badge. I think it was really refreshing for him, you know, to get that off his shoulders, to get that off his back. You know, he's in his third season. He makes an all-star game in the West. It's an accomplishment. We're in the race to go to the playoffs.

Now that that's behind him, I think you'll even get even better basketball for him and more cleared-headed basketball for him in the whole team. You know what's all-stars, you know, just away? It's just so much better basketball that usually gets played by teams. So I was really happy for him. And I think it'll be a good thing for him. just mentally being able to move on now and just focus on basketball. Yeah, I feel like since the West this year is so tight, everyone from, you know, I think three to 11,

separated by a couple of games. This stretch could be some of the best basketball. This could essentially be almost like a preview for the playoffs. These games are going to be like playoff games when you guys are fighting for positions. Some good teams are not going to make the play in. Yep. And, you know, so you guys are a couple games out of third. You're a couple games out of not making the playing at all.

Yeah, we have to play well, man. I mean, these last 21 games, we got to go, you know, obviously way above 500 for us to lock in a spot, not even in the play-in. So, you know, and then you have to account for someone to lose and, you know, there's a really good team. So it's going to be competitive. It's going to be fun. I mean, that's what you want. I'm so glad that there's only 21 games left. Like, let's get to it.

You know what I mean? And let's see who's going to be in the playoffs and who's not. This is going to be the best basketball, by the way, all season. I mean, if you're not like the biggest fan of the NBA, but if you're not the biggest, fan of basketball, okay, so be it. But if you are an athlete whatsoever and like competition, and obviously, we just talked about the lack of competition in the All-Star game and this and that, if you want to see competitive basketball play, watch these last 21 games, specifically in the Western Conference, you're going to get as bad as competitive basketball as you could possibly

get. They are going to be many playoff games. For sure, you know that on the head posture, every single team right now is trying to get separation, the little that they can. And, getting these playoffs or, you know, at the worst case, playing. And you're going to see a lot of, a lot of competitive basketball because we're all pretty much in the mix right here in the West. So I look forward to seeing it, playing in it, and being a part of it. And we've mentioned this almost every pod, but I think people still forget, you guys are missing maybe arguably your best player.

You're missing them almost the entire year. Yeah. That stretch, I think we're hoping that we get them back here, maybe in the next couple weeks. Yeah. From what I hear, it's supposed to be hopeful. For him, he's starting to be very hopeful that he could be back in the next couple of weeks. That's what I hear. And he's close.

He's in the wait room now. He's running around. So it looks like he's going to be on the court soon. I would have to imagine within the next couple of weeks we get him back. You add a 20 and 10, 24, 25.10 guy on your team is never a bad thing. So we're excited. We're prepared to do it with or without just because we don't really know what certainty that is with Carl. And, you know, obviously, we want him to get his body right 100%.

But as of right now, you know, it looks like a couple weeks still. And since I last spoke to you, you have added Mike Conley and you've been around him now for a couple of weeks. What's that been like? I know we talked about how great of a guy he is. Yeah, you know, Mike is the epitome of a professional, you know. And I've always tried to learn not only from my peers, but guys who were older than me. So it's been really nice to have Mike around just because prior to him coming out, was pretty much the oldest guy in the team, which is crazy to say. I'm only 30, but that's how young

the NBA is. That's how young this team is. I'll speak for this team. And to have a guy, you know, obviously, Mike's, I think, what, 36, 37? You know, he's on. I think 35. Okay, 35, 36, whatever the case may be. You know, he's, he's obviously five, six years older than me. And he's done things that I want to continue to do in terms of just having a longevity in the NBA. He gets paid a lot, you know, good money to be a, uh, a, you know, a good money to be a serviceable player, a guy who plays the right way, teaches guys how to be professional, teaches guys how to, you know, like I said, yeah, play winning basketball. And Mike's been that pretty much his whole career and has been able to, while maintain

the badge of professionalism on and off the court. So it's someone I've tried to talk to a lot and reach out to and just kind of just view, you know, you kind of watch guys, you watch players. and I learned from even younger players just because there's always something you can learn, but especially a guy like Michael. So I think he's going to have a big impact on our team. I think he simplifies our offense. I've said that before.

And, you know, you have a veteran guard and they're making decisions with obviously our young scoring power that we have with the good veteran players that we have around them. We'll have a good team. At one point, he had the largest contract in NBA history. Does he feel like the kind of guy that has a lot? Like the way he had, his vibe is not.

No, Mike, you would think Mike works at the local deli. Mike has no, nothing about him screams I've made over 200 million in the NBA. Nothing about him screams that, which is a beautiful thing, by the way, that he's able to move around like that, move under the radar. It's probably the best way to be. That goes to what I was talking about with his whole aura. I try to pick up on things because what's crazy is I'm not even in, I'm not even in. even a flashy guy. It's just some of the things that I'm into or I like tend to, you know, they're flashy. You know what I mean? I love cars, but I loved cars well before I could drive them. I don't

drive cars to be cool. I don't drive cars to pick up girls. I drive cars because I have a legitimate obsession with the, you know, the automotive industry in cars itself. I'm a petrol hit. Mike is one of those guys that his, I don't know if he has one of those things. You know, we might have to get him on a pod here soon, but he just doesn't have anything that screams, you know, this is my niche. What I'm not. I spend money on her. This is my thing. He just shows up to work and then he's out of work.

You know what I mean? He's just a straight assassin professional who's hired to do his job and leaves and does everything the right way. So definitely going to pick up on some things from him. But yeah, 150 million is insane, bro. Yeah, he, that was when he was with the Grizzlies. I remember. I remember when he signed that, everybody was like, whoa, this is what contracts are

looking like now? Like, this is where we're headed. You know, that was like that first mega contract where guys are like, yo 150 now you're seeing what yokech it's 240 you know 250 i mean pretty soon we're going to be doing baseball numbers and again we're not signing 14 year deals you've got guys signing 240 mil in five years you know baseball players are signing that and playing it playing it out for 14 years just a whole different level of money that we're getting into and i love it's we we should be only going upwards considering what what owners make so would you sign a 14 year deal if that was available in

the NBA it was that something that you would do if you were a baseball player and that was offered to you and you were the star baseball player, would you sign a 14-year deal or whatever they're doing 11-year deal? Are you saying if I'm playing baseball or basketball? What do you ask? Let's say if you were the best baseball player, one of the top guys,

and you were offered, these guys are getting offered like 11-year deals or whatever, would you feel comfortable assigning that to a city or would you do a shorter deal? Well, yeah, I mean, I would, it just depends how much the deal is and where I'm at, like living-wise, you know, when I signed a 14-year deal to live in, you know,

I don't even know. Yeah, what city are you about to name here? Because you were to throw city under the bus. Let's hear it. Listen, man, all I know is if the money's right and the situation is right, I always tell people those are those are two things you look for. For me, personally, when I go into a free agency, the number one thing that's important to me is my workplace

and how happy my mental will be in a certain workplace, what I can give, what I can get from going to work every day for that work. What our chances are to win, what direction we're headed in, the people I work with, the situation that I can be placed in in terms of, is there a chance to grow into a player? That's number one. Two is the money. Three is the location. And those are the three things you look for as a free agent. A 14-year deal, you know, a year deal, you know, depending on the right situation and the right location and all those things.

Yeah, for sure. I don't see why not? If they offer Jimmy Butler a 14 year, if they offer me, and I'm playing for the Miami Heat, and they offer me a 14 year, a $250 million. When I signed that for the Miami Heat, yeah, I'd sign that. Why not? Now, if I could get that same deal in three, four years, and I obviously would take that. I mean, we don't have to do that in the NBA.

14 years is ridiculous. In 14 years, I'm not even going to be, the basketball player, I'll be in 14 years from now, something you don't want on your NBA team. I kind of, I tend to agree with that. I can say that confidently. I got like another eight, what I would, 30? I think I could play like another eight years, like good basketball, like really good basketball, be a top 400, top 300 player in the world, be a rotational piece for the NBA, you know,

be a mid-level guy. You know, that's the goal for me personally, if we're going to be completely honest. You know, that's, you know, have a veteran impact, help out the young players, you know, help them learn how to play, teach them from my mistakes that I made as a young lottery pick that came in the NBA. Like, I've had to change my whole. I think that's that's the that's the what I'm trying to bring teams now that's the goal but eight years 14's and crazy fasha we mentioned the trade deadline and some of the moves that

were made and now you know guys are getting bought out switching teams you're you know one of your favorite teammates you've ever had uh russell westbrook he signed with clippers is he the best buyout guy that you can ever remember because I think he's leading the league he's the leading candidate for six man of the year have you ever seen the leading candidate or any Canada for six man of the year be bought out and switched teams like that? Rarely. Actually, never. I'd have to go back in the archives and look that up, but I don't think so.

First off, yes, to answer your question, he is the best player that I've ever seen to just get bought out and be able to sign with the team. Russell is, what people have found out about Russell is what people have found out about any other player in the NBA over the past, you know, six, seven years. You've seen it. Even when Duay Wade went to Cleveland or Chicago, when the greatest fit, or when Mello went to... O'KC.

It wasn't the greatest fit. You know what I mean? And then he goes to Portland and it was a great fit. It doesn't really matter who you are. There's maybe like five players in the NBA, Kevin Durant, LeBron, LeBron. And again, Mello was that in his prime and so was Duane Wade. But the guys have smaller windows and it's all situational. It's all situational.

And for whatever reason, there's been a stigma with Russell that, like, you know, can't get right and whatever, whatever. Statistically, obviously, his numbers have been there. People have their own theories about that as well with him. But he's literally like you just alluded to. Russell's leading the NBA probably in six men of the year votes, or he would be if they stopped it today. And this guy got bought out and was traded and bought out.

And there's such a negative aura around his name, which is just so ridiculous because for people who know him personally, he's just a great guy and he was a great teammate of mine he's one of the better teammates I've actually had throughout my career in terms of a positive energy in the locker room so that's why it was hard for me to believe a lot of things that were happening in los angeles or or dc or you know the places he's been um yeah you know it's it's interesting i i can't tell if it's a it's an easy topic the russell westbrook the the negative just wave of of attention he recently was called a locker room vampire i'm okay yeah it's too far he was

already the scapegoat and the lakers yeah that comment was made by someone who knows knows nothing you know i mean he and apparently he got that from a guy in the lakers locker room like get the fuck out of here man like this stuff is ridiculous i played with him personally i know everyone that's played with him or that in the NBA we all had the same consensus about russell if you actually know russell you know he's like a sweetheart up to court like a really good good dude, great guy, takes care of his family, likes to put on for others, like to take care of people. As a teammate, he's the same exact way. He plays with a fire and energy about him on the court, which is what people have embraced and loved over the years. But he doesn't bring that

into the locker room in terms of personal as a character. That's just not who he is. In his game, he's been effective. He was a great player off the bench for the Lakers. People try to act like that was what was wrong. There's so much wrong with what was going on there other than what Russell had going on and he played through it all the negative attention. I'm very impressed with Russ the way he was able to handle that situation because that was not right and it was not pretty at all. And Russell was able to really just kind of put his hard hat on and just keep his head down and just keep trucking away and just be in a professional play well, well enough to where a team like the clippers who's fighting for a championship felt the need that they would

take him on. And I saw even other comments by other former players, like, if this place doesn't work, if this doesn't work out for Russ, this might be his last stop. How? How is he right here? He's literally the best player that we, he's leading the league right now and votes for six men of the year with the Lakers. How is this like a break or bust for him with the clippers? And people can't say, it doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make zero sense. Well, he needs to learn his role. He did. You, he, you guys wanted him off the bench. It lost. Angeles, this is a Hall of Famer first battle player we're talking about. He didn't say no. What he did? He went to the bench and not only played well, he played better than anybody

else in the NBA off the bench. That's an amazing point. Everyone was saying he would not be able to accept the role off the bench. He just did it. Carmelo, yeah, when Carmelo would come off the bench in the press conference, he was like, oh, they want me to come off the bench, like no chance. That comment, that comment has haunted him since this day because he had to go away from basketball for however much time. They almost blackballed him out the NBA. They're blackballed him now because he played fantastic with the Portland and the Lakers, by the way. The fact that he doesn't have a job is insane. But that the media will do this.

They'll do this. They'll pick guys. And Russell is one of those guys that his name has gravitated views and clicks. And people like Pocinet Bear. And they like, there's such a negative, unfair, untrue attention. I look at it and I see some of the similarities with stuff with me and my father. Like, I got so much negative attention. That's exactly what I was going to say.

He's just like, labeled and you were unfairly labeled. I've been labeled. Oh, he's an NBA because of a coach's a son that's why in the NBA. And I've had to fight this my whole career. It's so stupid because I talk about this with people all the time, people say comments like that or anything. I'm just like, if that were any truth to it,

why isn't anybody other, why is any other coach's son in the NBA? They all played. Why isn't any assistance coaches son in the NBA? Why isn't any president's son? Why isn't any general manager? You haven't played for your father in years. You think that's why you're still signing you because I played the NBA.

Exactly, bro. I played well before him. I played with him and I played after him. The consensus is I'm an NBA player. It's also a top 10 pick and then I don't want a player out of high school. If I didn't go to college, I probably would have been number one or two in the draft. So even anything with me in that realm was stupid and labeled, it's the same thing they're doing to Russ. It's the same thing they're doing to him.

They're putting so much on his negatives. He can't shoot. He can't space the floor. Who gives him? fuck is he is he effective or not does he have an impact on the floor or not the answer is yes i mean i watched him with the lakers i played against him with the lakers he had 16 7 and 7 versus off the bench i would say that's an effective night for a guy off the bench because i know if i had that game everybody would be tapping me on my back like yo great game so he's willing to do whatever

you want i i can see he always he already has a relationship with pg and the guys there i think he's still is he still gets to play at home without the negative laker attention and he gets to be and it gets the pressure's not on him to finish games or make the shot. He gets just to go be free Russ and enjoy playing basketball game. I think you could see it even in his, there's been clips of him walking around the facility and with the clip. He just has a bounce to him that he looks like, man, like I've lifted all of that off me. Like I'm so ready to get away from that.

And I really hope the best for him, yeah. And like, I think the best point you made so far is that he was willing to come off the bench when people said he wouldn't. And then he ended up being the leader, the leader, the leader, leading candidate for six men of the year, the best player off the bench in the NBA. So he's not everything they've asked them to do. He's been a perfect teammate. And, you know, I am happy to see him on a different team, happy.

And I think the clippers made the right move. I think it's a great place for him. It is a great place for him. They do have a lot of guards. So I don't know what they do with like, you got Eric Gore and you got, you know, you got Powell, you got Bones Highland. You got Paul George. You know, you got Terrence Samans still.

I mean, they got a lot of guards. You got Brandon Boston, who they're trying to develop. Half of those guys aren't going to play. and even less than that earned in the playoffs. So that's going to be quite a, you know, that'll be interesting for them to deal with internally in the locker. I'm going to keep it 100. But they do have an immense amount of talent, nonetheless.

That's never been in it, you know, every year when this team goes into the season when they're healthy. You know, they have a championship roster. You know, that's been the Clippers thing for the past every many years. They had that even when I played there with my pops, we had, you know, championship roster. So we'll see how that works out. I hope for my sake in the team I play for it, not too well.

But yeah, I'm happy Russ, man. I'm happy he had a big smile. He's a good energy and vibe and he's walking into practice. And you can see this is a good situation for him to just go thrive. Because he was playing well, man. So if Russ is even listening to this, just keep doing your thing, brother. You were playing extremely well with the Lakers. There's a lot of negative attention.

They do it just for clicks. And there's a responsibility in the media to just do better. Just do better, especially with our stars and guys who are just God, they did this with Mello. They're doing it with him. They do it with a lot of players, man, who gave so much to the game, and they just shit on them on their way out.

It's just so ridiculous. Oh, he thinks he's a star now. The guy came off the bench and played extremely well. What the hell are we talking about? You know what I mean? So it's all fit. I hope he fits well at the Clippers. On to the next.

Another big move that we didn't talk about. It wasn't a big move. It was a small move, but it's pretty rare is James Wiseman, former number two pick. The Warriors, you know, they traded him. the Detroit, they kind of got off of them. They gave up on that project. You also were a lottery

pick that didn't excel with the team that drafted you. What's that like? Because I'm sure when you first get drafted by the team, you're like, I'm going to be here for 10 years and this is going to be my franchise, especially him. You was a number two pick. I really, you know, I'm glad you asked me that just because it's hard to deal with, man. I mean, that's not an easy feat. You start getting the name bust thrown at you. And I got that thrown at me early. And especially with so much hype I had coming out of high school in Duke. I always tell people, man, like, I was a top 10 pick in the NBA, number one in high school. There was a lot of pressure on me to come to the NBA and perform. And unfortunately, I'll point fingers at both ways myself,

because you always have to take that as a player. And then the situation I was was just, it wasn't really made for me to succeed. I just, it just wasn't. And that happened sometimes. The NBA is very situational. And I got dressed to a situation where the ball wasn't rolled out for me to just be like, hey, Austin, go be you, go be free. And within my first year, I break my hand missed 30 games. And I spent that sophomore summer. I went back to Summer League. I dominated.

And I felt really good coming into New Orleans to be that score that they wanted me to be. And they bring in Tyreek Evans and Drew Holiday. You know what I mean? Going into my sophomore season, this is what I have already. Which is a big season for any player. Going to that sophomore season, it's a huge season for development. And I never got that. As soon as, as soon as, you know,

that happened, you know, that changed everything for me. So Wiseman, he's going through something else. He has a new situation. The good news for him is he got traded to a situation that's on the rebuild. So not only does he have patience, not only does, I would say he has time and they'll have patience with them, he'll have an opportunity to grow. They're trying to build a young core there. I kind of look at it like Bobo.

I know Bobo was at a top pick like Weisner or myself, but just a talented player nonetheless that gets to go to a young rebuilding team and you're seeing him find his identity in the league. You'll see that with Wiseman. You know what I mean? There's guys that you just don't. Oh, I mean, you can name a bunch, Markell Fultz.

They don't work out for the Sixers. I thought his shot was broken and he would be done. He's a really good player for the magic. He's playing really well. Wendell Carter was a throwaway, I think, in the Vucevich trade from the Bulls to the Magic. I think he's a great young center, one of the young bigs in the league now.

And that's, you might not, one of his trash is another man's, treasure and the situation with me in New Orleans was just one of those that just didn't go right and then you just move on and move forward. You make that next one work and Wiseman and these other guys would do the same thing. I have no doubt. What they'll have to deal with though, I'll just, I just want to say this lastly. What they have to deal with is understanding they might not ever be what they thought they were going to be as their draft pick, okay? Because it's different. All right. When you're drafted to someone, you're their baby. You're their investment. You're

their pick. You know what I mean? When you go somewhere else, you're a chance. You're, you know, low risk. Low risk, high reward. Hey, we'll take Wiseman. We'll trade a little asset, a pick, a little bit of money, whatever they got, just like I was with the Clippers, just like he'll be here, the many names above you, right? It's different, right? So he has to learn now how to not only fit in, but be a great player within their scheme, because I tell people all the time. After I left New Orleans, my chances of being an all-star were never again. They were never again. I went to a must-to-win Clippers team, and then so on and so forth. Every team after that had their stars already. So it took me time in the league to not only be effective, but learn how to be a

good role player and let your ego go and buy into being a legitimate, like, good role player. And that's what Wiseman has to do. That's what Fultz has done. That's what all these guys have done. Wendell Carter, these guys have, they don't take 20 shots a game, but they found ways to be effective in their role. The same thing I had to do and learn how to do is what Wiseman, I think, has to. And Wiseman's, what, 20, 21 years old. It's crazy that teams are even, I'm understanding why the Warriors did it. They needed to shut some salary. Yeah. It's just crazy that people were even giving up on them. What do you think that says about the Warriors, though, that guys like Caminga or Wiseman, such raw talents are kind of struggling to play for the Warriors? Is it the kind of

brand of basketball they play where you need to have an IQ? You have to have a high IQ to play for them. You have to be able to shoot with the exception of Draymond, but that's because he's a point forward. So you don't really need Draymond to shoot and he doesn't have to. Everyone else has to know how to shoot, and you have to know how to play basketball. They also need defense because a lot of the guys that they play aren't the best defenders.

You know what I mean? So that's something that has been a struggle for a lot of young players, Kaminga and Wiseman. You are seeing Kaminga play a lot better, though, now. he is a supreme athlete. I think Ameng is an investment for them. I don't think he goes anywhere. I think that's one of the young players

that they want to build around for the long term. He has that type of just freakish athleticism that you just continue to take a chance on and develop. I don't see him going anywhere. So they got a good team. It's also hard to develop

when you're playing behind Hall of Famers and they're trying to win a championship and you're still trying to learn how to be an NBA player. That dynamic is not easy. That's something I'm not, I got drafted into one of the worst teams the NBA at the time. And, you know, he's obviously drafted to like the NBA champions. That's a lot of pressure. So for both of those guys. And it shows also, I think the Warriors are one of the,

if not the best franchise in the NBA. Everyone makes mistakes. And, you know, they drafted Weisman. He's gone now. They could have had Lamello, Halliburton. They would have been unreal with some of those guys that they could have had. So, you know, they had that number two pick. It didn't work out, but I think it shows that nobody's perfect. Everyone makes mistakes, and the Warriors kind of made a mistake better. But if they have Halliburton, what does Poole do? Or where does Curry at? Or where's, where's Clay? I mean, like, people like, they could have Lamello. What's the point of having Lamello if you have Steph Curry? There's zero point. What do you have him off the bench just to play 10 minutes a game? Like, what, then now he's not an all-star, he's not

Lamello anymore. So some of those things, like, they had to pick Wiseman because they needed a obvious, they wanted a rim-protecting center who could block shots, run the floor. figure out the scheme, pick and roll, set screens for step, Clay, George. Like, that's what their idea and vision was. Lob threat, like Javel was. Javel was great for them, you know, when he was there as a lob threat. They wanted a young talent to be that. They're not going to, you know, draft a guard.

So, like, Lomello and Halliburton, although might be having better careers than Wiseman at this point, it still was, you know, it's hard. Those picks don't even make sense still. So, yeah, it is what it is. And Wiseman has a chance to. go rectify everything and really, you know, have a good career in Detroit. Let's take a quick break. And when we get back, I want to talk to you about Ben Simmons. So after the Nets have made all these moves and they got McKell Bridges, Cam Johnson.

I don't know if they're necessarily rebuilding, but they're retooled. Ben Simmons has been coming off the bench. How do you feel about what's kind of going on with his career? And do you think most of it's mental? Well, it's all mental. It's not physical. Obviously, he's physically gifted. So I don't know what he has going on in his personal. life or his actual life. You know, we don't, we, it's always easy for us as spectators or, you know, peers to, you know, dignify the hate that he gets and people talk negatively about him and feel comfortable with it just because he makes it a lot of money or whatever, but you never know what's going

on in someone's personal life. Or what he's even in his mental just as a player is a human being. So I don't know what's there. Something is there. We all know that. I mean, I don't have to like go into what it is. I just don't know what it is. and it's i don't care to know it's none of our business uh but he was an multi multi year all

star in philly and he couldn't shoot then and he can't shoot now so the shooting is not an issue when there was like ben can't shoot so fucking what he's six 10 is a freak athlete in terms of being able to move up and down the floor he can slide his feet and be an elite defender he can be an elite rebounder, and because he has those physical attributes, if he's getting rebounds and pushing the ball with shooters around him, just driving at the basket, put your head down and drive. Find open players. He has vision.

Remember, that was his thing. He's a great passer. And at the worst, you're at the basket. You're 610 with the 40 inch vertical. Make something fucking happen. That's who he was in Philly. That's who he was in Philly. I thought at that time that he was, I used to have this hot take where I would say that

He's like Janice, where you surround him with shooters. I know he was on, you know, a team with Embed and it was tough matchup for him. He's not Yonis. He's not Yonis. I know at the time, I was one of those guys that was like, if you surround this guy with shooters with his passing ability and his athleticism, he could be on a team where it's like his team. And, you know, he was an all defensive player.

He was the best perimeter defender in NBA a couple of years ago. Yeah, but you got to have, you have to have like a mental makeup for that and like a way about yourself that he just doesn't. But he's never been that guy. But the difference is, Yonis. Janus couldn't shoot, but he's shot. Ben Simmons wasn't even taking those shots. He wasn't missing.

Yonis tries to get to the frito line every opportunity he can, and he actually makes his fritos for the most part. He even made him when he took 10 seconds, and the whole crowd would chant every second. It didn't bother him one bit. He stayed up there in the whole, in the finals, in front of everybody, and absolutely manhandled the Phoenix Suns.

Manhandled them. The entire series, they had no answer for him. And in that game, what was it, six? He went, probably the greatest finals performance I've ever seen. He was unbelievable. Definitely, definitely the best breakthrough performances I've ever seen. And he was, like, went through it. Yeah, he was incredible.

And he really solidified himself as the best player in the NBA or arguably best, whatever that argument never ends. But that's what Ben Simmons, I don't want to say he was that, but he was a lesser version, but still a very top tier player because of his, listen, that's why he gets paid $40 million. He didn't get paid that out of nowhere. No one paid him that money because we liked him or because we wanted to see him with a lot of money in his pocket. They paid him because he was a really good player.

He's an All-Star. And he couldn't shoot. So this whole thing about him being scared to shoot is just so ridiculous because he's never been a good shooter. In fact, the only thing Ben Simmons has to do in the offseason, the only thing he would ever have to do is stay in shape physically, continue to develop his handle, just work on handling drills. That takes 15 minutes a day, mind you. and sit at the fucking free throw line for an hour, an hour, go back at night. I know you could do this because I've always been able to make shots. I've always been a solid three-point shooter and field goal percentage.

My frithos, my entire career, have been horrendous. I've shot like in the high 60s. This year I'm shooting mid-80s because I worked with a shooting coach to help my jump shot and help my frito. I took a 20% upward sky increase, bro, because I worked on it all summer. I sat at that free throw line. bored, Pasha, miserable. Going back up at night at 10 p.m., I want to get my bag, no bag, frito line, for hours, shooting. And there's no coincidence now the level of comfort and confidence.

I go up to the line every single time I get up there. Even when I miss, I still know how I missed in the comfort I have. He's going up there and he doesn't want to be up there, and he's guessing because of it. It's a very vulnerable place to be when you're not a good frito shooter and you're up there and everyone's chanting and everyone's on your head. It's so mental. Everything right now, Ben is going through is mental. And I know you might have some like nagging injuries. but we all have fucking nagging injuries. He's fine physically. It's mental.

You know what I mean? And this guy's a great player. He's only 26. So like he shouldn't be written off yet, by the way, either. Like, Ben can easily, like, mentally get into a good place this summer. Understand who he needs to be, who he was, how he can get back there and become a productive player at age 27. You know what I mean?

So I think that's something. That's why the Nets, I think, aren't just quitting on him and not playing them. Now they got him coming off the bench. But they still want to match. out there on the floor because of his athletic ability to his defense. I still do have hope. I know I'm one of the very few. A lot of people out there think Ben Simmons is done. I still think he can be

an all-stars. I really do believe that. I think it's still there in him. I think he has stuff going on that he only can deal with and get past. And I think hopefully with good people around them, they can help him get there. But the guy didn't lose how to play basketball. He didn't forget it. Okay. It's in space jam. Nobody sucked his powers from a basketball and took everything he had away from him. The guy can still perform at a high level.

He just needs to get there mentally. Whatever timetable that is, that's on him. But I still believe he could be a top tier player, yeah. And he gets a lot of hate, especially online. People are like, why can't he shoot? I can shoot things like that. I always wanted to ask you this. There's something going on in the world of maybe pick up basketball or people that play basketball

recreationally that they think they could like sub into a game and make shots or they could do it why can't they make free throws i can make free throw miss free throws can you please explain the difference of a pro versus a regular guy playing basketball because i was a young kid i learned at a young age i went to a marital magic game when i was a kid with my dad i watched bow outlaw who was just a hustle player that could not shoot had a gross jump shot and i watched him pregame just draining threes and that's when I realized at a young age, every player can play. These guys are professionals. They are machines and they can all play. I don't think there's something going on, whether it's guys that LA Fitness filming their games or whatever it is, that they think that they can,

they don't understand the gap between a pro and a regular guy. Can you please explain? It's so delusional that I don't even know that I want to waste my breath even explaining this because people really don't get it. They go into their local YMCA, LA Fitness, Golds Club, whatever, I don't even know what they call in these and shoot their jump shots. and say, I can hit this, why can't bend? The pressure, this pace of speed, the game is at being guarded by an NBA player, guarding an NBA player, it's so ridiculous that when people actually think in their right mind that they actually even have a shot to compare to an NBA player, even like college players,

like it's just ridiculous. It's just the difference between an NBA player and someone outside of the league. It's a very, very, very, very large, large gap. Playing against your average Joe, your average civilian, I want you people to listen to me right if you're listening right now. And I don't mean this with any disrespect, because I appreciate, first of up, the support and love.

I want you to know that I want you all to keep tuning in to this podcast and keep listening. But I say this as a professional, and you can say whatever the hell you want about me, but I've been a professional for 11 years, and I'm going to continue to be one. You suck at basketball. And that's okay.

That is okay, because you're not supposed to be a professional because that's not what you do. when you guys sit there on your TV and you get to watch things and analyze things and understand that you might see something, oh, he shouldn't have passed this one or he should have turned. You guys are watching it from the far. You're not in the game at the speed we play it. You also need to understand that us players, 99% of us have roles in the NBA. Our job is not to score 20. I don't go out every night looking to score 20.

I'm not going to get that much shots. I get four to five shots. I play 25 minutes a game. And this isn't just my situation. This is every role player in the NBA. Just the whole team goes through this. You got one to two guys a team that get 20 shots a night. And then some teams might have like an elite score off the bench where he gets some shots.

Everybody else is out there sliding their feet, guarding the best prize of world, running up and down just to possibly get a shot every two minutes. That'd be like you going to the gym running for like 10 minutes straight doing like seven suicides, getting a random three in the corner, six, eight guys closing. out on you and you have to make it. And if you miss, you got some little dweeb on the couch saying, he fucking sucks. This guy can't shoot. He's 0 for three. Oh for three. I can make my next 10, but I'm not going to get 10. That's why it's so hard to be a role player. You get five, six shots you've got to be efficient with. If you don't think we could go to your YMCA or your little pro am and score 95, I'd promise you I could. I could go to any pro M across the United States and have a 50-point game. No problem. Let's just go ahead and say it then. The worst player on any

NBA roster, a two-way guy, whatever it is, could go to any pickup basketball game, any way, it wouldn't be close. Any pickup basketball game, any high division one program, Duke, UNC, I don't care what it was. If I went back and played in college, bro, it'd be a joke. And I'm not even bragging about this because I should be. So to think that I couldn't play at your local sorry-ass pickup game where you and your friends are in my DM box talking crazy to me, you're out of your mind. You're out of your, it's actually to the point where we don't respond or none of us usually

respond unless we have nothing to do that day. because it's just so delusional. That'd be like me thinking I could get a punt return and I'm just going to just be out there juke in NFL players and truck stick one of them because one day I hit somebody hard and I had the better. I don't even know what,

that's the level of just ridiculous. I'm actually a loss for words, Pasha. You got me anger here right now. Let me calm down. Listen, this was common sense to me that there's just such a gap between the pro. But that's because you've been around, you've seen it.

You've seen it front hand. A lot of people don't understand that the last guy in the bench would be the best player in any league ever in any other world. And they don't understand that our numbers reflected not how good we are, but the situations win or the roles that were asked to place. My role will grow, obviously, the second half of the season and into the playoffs, but I'm still a role player. I'm never going to be the star for the Minnesota of Tobolves. I'll never be a star for any team I play for the

NBA. I wasn't before and I'm not going to be now. But I accepted my role and I bought into that, and that's what's going to help me be a better, better, better role player of these next five, you know, whatever see it, however many years. And that's what every player thinks. No one is, people look at these numbers and actually think like, that guy sucks. I could give him, I can average more than six points a game. Bro, are you out of your mind? If you don't think I average, if you don't think I got 12 shots a game, you don't think I can give you 14 points a game, 13 points a game.

I've already done it before so I know I can do it. And I'm better now that I was four years ago. So I've already done it. So I know I can. But this is the role that we have. And people have this thing where they watch basketball, they see all of this, all of these things we just talked about, this whole pie of stuff that we just said. and they have some type of delusional thought that they think that they can actually go out there and play with us.

They do not have a chance. None of you do. I love you, but you don't and you're delusional. And that is why I brought you to my local LA fitness this summer. And I just needed to remind some of those guys what was going on because you came in probably went about 5% and just dominated everyone. And after that, everyone left knowing what I know. There's just an insane gap. And I didn't even shoot.

And I didn't even shoot a three-pointer. I was working on my jump shot. So at that point, I hadn't been shooting threes yet. I was like half. I was like at the free throw line. I look like Damar de Rosen out there to shoot and fade away middies. And I'm not even a mid-range guy.

It was incredible, by the way. I felt like a good time. I didn't have a good time. It was good. I love pulling up to like a gym and just playing with the people, man. And like going out there and just having fun with guys. Guys are giving you their best competing.

I had guys guarding me hard as hell. That was fun. That was fun. Yeah, the only issue is when I go without you, I'm kind of like a feature player out there. And then when I brought you, I turned into kind of a spot-up corner shooter. I turned it to Gary Neal. I don't know where I was on the corner, just not getting the ball.

But it's fine. Hey, you have a standing invitation. Anytime you want, you can come with me and play. I take a backseat to that. That's fine. All right. I think this is a great time for rapid fire. Are you ready?

We missed last week. Let's get it. First question for you. I know you saw Mad Dog get into it with JJ Reddick about Larry Bird being an all-time three-point shooter, this and that. Who is a better three-point shooter? Larry Bird or your brother-in-law, Seth Curry. Seth, man. I'm sorry, Seth.

We're saying shooter, right? Not player, obviously. I'm not high on drugs. A better three-point shooter. Larry, Larry, you know, Larry's one of, Larry Legends, one of the best players to ever play in the NBA, and he would dominate in any era he played in. I'm not going to even get into that argument

because people actually say that Larry would dominate in any error he played it. He was nasty. With that being said, if we're talking jump shot to jump shot, Seth Curry's a better jump shooter. And I agree. Next question. Did you enjoy Rihanna's Super Bowl performance? Because a lot of people are talking about it,

and we haven't gotten, we haven't had the opportunity to talk about it. How dare you? How dare you flip that on me? Because you're the only part. You have nonstop talked about this Rihanna performance and how underwhelming it was for you. And for you to flip this on me and ask it, like how I thought. I just want to, I just want to know if you saw it was a good performance.

No, I want, I want you to answer that question. What do you think about the performance? Say what you said the other day. If she, I don't want anyone coming at me. don't want anyone coming out. Say what you said. Stand on it.

What do you look for in a good performance? In a good performance? What is it? Like costume changes, stage presence, maybe dance moves. Yeah, all these things. Maybe a little surprised guest. Surprise guests, maybe bring out somebody. Definitely, definitely, definitely like some dance moves, you know what I mean?

Like, or something, you know? Right. So none of that happened. I'm not a hater. I don't know what it's like to be a pregnant. it's that's really cool that she was out there and did that. That ruined any woman's chance of making an excuse that they're pregnant. They can't do something.

She did that. That's incredible. As far as the performance, it's not the best that I've ever seen. What do you think? I'm getting like a sample of what you said the other day. You were really hilarious with it, but it's okay. I think it was incredible that she went out there and performed pregnant, standing like a hundred feet in the air on like a rotating, you know, I don't even know what that was.

If I'm ranking it to the other Super Bowl performances, all by Shikira J-Lahs. Shakira J-Lo. See, here's the thing. I liked Rihanna's better. I knew all her songs. I only know one song from Shakira, and that's the one that's like, I can't even tell you the name of it. I don't know that many Shakira songs.

I know a couple of J-Lo songs. It's not Rihanna. They're not Rihanna level. Even if Rihanna's pregnant, not moving, just standing still. still would like to see her sing her songs than that shit. I thought Rihanna's is better than theirs. Was it better than last year's? Absolutely.

It's not even the same realm of last year. It's not better than Bruno's. It wasn't better than Travis Scots and Maroon Fah, or Adel Levine. Those were way better. All of those were better than Rianas. That's just facts. And I thought Rie did a great job. That's definitely a great job.

I was just wondering how it compares to the other ways you've seen. The other ones, the other ones were better. Some of them were better. but I think under her circumstances, she delivered the, you know, what was expected of her? I think she delivered. Well, no, see, that's why I'm going to have to disagree with you for a second. She was gone for so long. I think people either wanted new music or something.

You were gone for so long. We were excited. And, you know, great songs, great hits. You weren't feeling it. You weren't feeling the concert. She looked unbelievable. Don't do this. Yeah, no.

She's beautiful. Our music's crazy. Oh, Pasha. Look at you just curling back in your corner. I want the same Pasha I had the other day where we were getting lunch. You said it was underwhelming. It was underwhelming. You just said the performances really just didn't do anything for you

and you feel obligated to say something positive because she was pregnant and you don't want to get hate towards it. Bingo. I don't remember that conversation exactly, but you're not wrong either. Who would you like to see next year then? That's the thing. Who do you have that they can actually, like perform honestly i think you do a dual a dual concert like let's let's get drake out there with like

bad bunny be the most lit it'd be the craziest super bowl performance you've ever seen i mean that that that would be watched by every single person in the world bad bunny and drake do a do a do a duo uh that would be insane that's a really good one yeah that'd be insane you you ask me what i want i'd want i'd want i'd want that yeah for sure do you think that do you think that half-time show is too long i mean i felt like there was definitely it was like two games being it's definitely it's It's definitely, it's definitely, it sucks for the players. They got to sit there and like, but it's part of their event. I mean, that's the whole point of the Super Bowl a lot of times for most people is just to watch the TV shows in the halftime.

I have zero interest in who wins that damn football game. I don't even follow football, let alone care who wins the Super Bowl. I usually only watch for the commercials and the ambiance of the halftime performance and everything that kind of goes with it in the show. So if I got bad buddy and exactly, yeah. If I got bad buddy and Drake doing that, that would be a hell of a show, I feel like. But I didn't even watch the game. I know it was a good game, but I wasn't really in tune. I got to be honest, would you?

You have the Charlotte Hornets tomorrow at home, first game after break. How do you feel like your team's going to perform after all this? Got new players coming in, this and that? Yeah, well, our biggest task, our biggest challenge tomorrow is to not look at the team's record and let that reflect our energy in the court. We're playing statistically in terms of record. They are the worst team in basketball, them are the Houston Rockets. With that being said, you look at their roster.

They have guys like lamella ball and PJ Washington, and they have, I don't know if Ubre is healthy or not, but they have Uber. Terry Rozier. Terry Rozier is a really, really good player in a prime time score. They have one of those teams that if you mess around, they steal a game, and what might not mean a lot to them would really, really hurt us. So at this point, it doesn't really matter who we play, worst team or best team. We have to understand that these last 21 games are really going to be the dependent on where we end up

if we're going to the playoffs or not. So it's a big game. Tomorrow's a big game. Big game for us. All right. Let's close it off right there. Looking forward to speaking with you next week. Good luck tomorrow.

And hopefully, maybe we'll have to edit out that Rihanna stuff because I don't want anyone coming at me. Yeah, if you thought Beyonce's Beehive was bad, Riri has some hardcore fans there. I think Rui did an amazing job. I think she looked gorgeous. The fact that she did it was pregnant was amazing. Obviously, you are more on the side that you didn't really like her

and you thought her being pregnant was offensive and all that. So it's okay. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Okay, we'll end it there, everyone. I'll just kidding. I'm just kidding.