The Ringer NBA Show - Kendrick Perkins on Harden, Westbrook, the 76ers, Kyrie, and Much More | Real Ones

Episode Date: December 10, 2020

NBA champion Kendrick Perkins joins Logan and Raja on their very first Thursday podcast to talk about his newfound career in NBA media (1:15), the Harden mess in Houston (7:00), how Russell Westbrook will help the Wizards (20:30), Doc Rivers’s potential impact in Philly (26:45), what the Nets could look like this season (32:45), the all-bark, no-bite Clippers (55:00), and much more. Make sure to subscribe to the need feed for 'The Mismatch' to keep getting Kevin O'Connor and Chris Vernon in your feed twice a week. Follow on Spotify, subscribe on Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Guest: Kendrick Perkins Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's popping, bro? It's real one slogan Murdoch here with Roger Bell. We had our first Thursday guest, Roger. Listen, I don't know that you could, like for a premiere of Thursday guests, it doesn't get any better. We got Kendrick Perkins. Who was, who lived up to all his billing, by the way, Roger, was just, was fantastic. All the hype. And like, Perk has to be like a biweekly.

Like, he's got to be old. He's got to be. Like, we got to make it part of the pie. Off top. He's already a friend of the show. But he's definitely. family of the show right now. Like, he was great.

He talked about James Hardin. He talked about the Clippers. He talked about LeBron. He talked about Kyrie. He talked about everybody. He talked about Walter. He talked about Walter McCarthy. That's all you need to know.

Tap in. Real ones. Ah. So what's popping? Real ones? Logan Murdoch here. Roger Bell. Roger, we have a special guest on the podcast.

We have a former McDonald's All-American. We have an NBA champion. Most importantly, though, most importantly, a former Oakland soldier. Kendrick Perkins is in the house. Most importantly. Most importantly. Hey, you was doing, look, I was going to tell you to start the meeting over,

man, I was going to say, you know what, run that back because you did so well, but you had to throw in your Bay area and stuff. We know the vibes, man. You know what it is. You know what it is. Cape Perk, we go back and forth because I can't prove. it, but I don't know if he's actually from Oakland. Like, I think he might be a Burbs.

I think he might be a Burbs kid. I'm just saying. Oh, oh, oh, okay. A-O. I'm to Oakland talking that shit. Anyway. So, Rajah, when I was, you know, me and Perk, that's my guy. So I was asking him, you know, we're trying to get you on the podcast.

We'll wooop. Do you have the necessary equipment to, you know, get on the pod, right? Are you good? Do you need anything? Do you need me help? Utter disrespect. Perk responds back.

I'm a motherfucking professional. So we got a motherfucking professional on the podcast today. I just want to publicly say, I apologize, dog. I'm sorry, man. I just want to apologize, man. My bad, dog.

No, no, you good, Lowe, but you asked me if I had the microphone and I really do, but look, do the homeschooling and the kids being at the crib, I got kicked out of my man cave in my office, so I ain't really got that area. So I had to come in the old ladies, you know, spotting and do her thing.

But it's good, though. She keep it clean. She keep it clean. Let me ask, well, I already know about the homeschool. I traverse. I'm room to room in this. Wherever I can find a little spot, like that's where I'm posting up trying to get a video call in.

Before we get started, Logan, because I'm really curious. Like, when I played, like, I didn't know that I wanted to be on the media side of things until kind of later in my career. Like, when did that? Because we were in Cleveland together, you referenced it before we hopped on. Like, at what point in your career did you know this might be an avenue

that you wanted to pursue? Man, to be honest with you, at no point in my career that I ever thought I was going to be in the meeting. Man, I'm a country boy from Beaumont, Texas, with broken English. I ain't on here trying to use all those big words. I ain't looking into psychopeter.

I'm being me, right? But as a player, I always wanted to be that next head coach there was a big man that played in the league. And so, you know, I started doing the media just to let my voice be heard out there to all the organizations that I didn't play with, right, to let them know, like, okay,

big person knows the game of basketball. Like, he could be on somebody bench, whether I start as a player development guy for bigs or whatever the case may be. That was my goal. And then all of a sudden, the media just kind of took off from me. Like I did the Walsh podcast.

All of a sudden, I'm OESPN. I'm on Fox. I'm doing a dispute. And they calling me back. And I was using Twitter during the playoffs to like tweet different things like, hey, you can't leave strong side corner ever on the three point line. People like, hey, would you mind coming on the show coming back? And I just started liking it. Like, you know, once I started getting the schedule done, I'm like, shit, I'm at home a lot. I'm with the fan. And I ain't taken away from them. I'm only working what, three or four hours a day. Max, my day is pretty much done at about 12 o'clock in the afternoon.

So I'm like, shit, I can do this. I'm going to watch basketball anyway. So I might as well go talk about it. Right. Yeah. How did that give you some maybe different level of respect for the media or maybe some different level of disdain for the media? How does that, how did that make you feel from your playing days till now?

Well, you know what? I say this all the time. People don't even know, man. I got the utmost respect for everyone that's in the media, that has a media platform. Because people don't know it's a lot of hard work comes behind this. Like, it's not just waking up watching the games and going to talk about it the next morning.

You know, people are doing their research, they studying. They're up late at night, you know, crossing their T's, died in their eyes. So I respect all, everyone, everyone who's in that media space right now and trying to make it happen. Seriously. No, that's what's up. Look, look, so you touched on it as being maybe an avenue to coaching.

And it works out like that for guys sometimes, right? You hop on the broadcast, you show that acumen for the game. And before you know it, you start getting calls to come on a bench. And you talked about then realizing the quality of life that comes sometimes with the media side of it, as opposed to coaching. Are you saying to us now, Perk, I'm putting you on the spot a little bit, that that coaching bug is gone, like you are officially media, or are you still open to a potential call?

No, I'm still open to it, but just not right now. Like, right now I'm focused on this media. Like, I'm cool with it. Like, I'm comfortable. I'm more than comfortable. Actually, I actually love it. So I'm like, let me see what the next five to six years hold for as me being in this media space.

And if a coaching opportunity comes about as my kids get older, you know, as I didn't caught up on my family time, I'm a definitely look into it. Right. All right, man. Let's get to the shits. The shits. Let's get to the shits, man.

So we're doing to it. We're doing this right on the eve of the NBA preseason. And the biggest story right now has been James Hardin, the trade request, the going to the ice ball with a little baby, flying across the country park to go to Vegas. and being late to show up to training camp. And I think he has to do six tests before he can get back on the team and all these things. What is your take on the James Hard Houston fiasco that's going on right now? Well, I knew this shit was going to happen, man, to be honest with child, since last year. You know, it had reports that, you know, I'm down here in the age time.

So, you know, it had reports that, you know, James, you know, he had this relationship. with the ownership where he was starting to go with Darry Moore ahead on a lot of things anyway. So he has a direct relationship with the owners. And I knew it wasn't going to end up well because, you know, days that they weren't practicing, Mike and Tony wasn't big on practicing. So he would give two or three days off,

especially when they had a long period where they was off from games. And, you know, James would take off to Vegas or even Cobo. So I knew that this could possibly happen. But right now I'm looking at it. and, you know, like those old people used to say, man, those old old G's, it ain't what you do is how you do it, right? And I don't have a problem with James asking for a trade

and wanting to change the scenery. I don't have a problem with that. But I do have a problem with it's how he's handling, right? Like, a lot of people get caught up in, you know, basketball, as entertainment, and it is to the outside world, but this deal is your job. Like, bro, you get paid. 30 plus million dollars to show up to work. And people want to bring up Anthony Davis situation.

I was like Anthony Davis showed up to work. Yeah, he wanted out of New Orleans, but he was still showing up and giving you that 20 and 10 a night in 25 minutes. And I think it's just bad how James is handling things because guys that was like, you know, Barclay, Magic, Jordan, all those guys that were before us were getting paid. you know, a million dollars, two million dollars, three million dollars max. And they paved the way for this generation to be blessed the way that we are.

And it seemed like we're burning that bridge down by acts like this. Because, Roger, you know from being in the front office that, man, the owners will go back to the CBA when it's time when it's up. And it's going to affect the next generation. Next thing you know, they're going to have a James Hardin clause in it. You know, they have owners and they have guys in the front office. Right now, there's looking at the Houston. Mr. Rock is like, y'all need to hold him accountable. Like, y'all need to find him because this is not a good example.

So I'm just like, I don't have a problem with James won't out. But like, bro, you got to show up to work. Like, you can't do it this way. Hey, look, I couldn't have said that better. And I said on Bill Simmons podcast a few weeks ago as it pertained to this, that's exactly what's going to happen. Like, you're going to have, and to take it a step further, Perk, those cats you talked about, like, Magic and Mike,

they didn't have the ability to demand some shit. Like, that wasn't even a possibility at that point, right? Because owners had all the control. And so what they're going to do is go back at the next CBA and they're going to try to take back their fucking control. Like, because the players have too much. So I agree 100%. Now, let me ask you as a two-part question about you being on a team

in the capacity that you were on most teams as a voice, you know, as someone not afraid to speak your piece and hold guys accountable as a leader. If you're in that locker room and James Hardin is, doing what he's doing. What does that look like from your perspective in terms of, is there communication with him? Are you cutting him off until you see him again?

And then we talked about on our last pod, the league and the Houston Rockets having to do something to at least look like they have a backbone in this situation. Like, what the fuck? What do we do? Right, right. And real shit is like, if I was in that locker room, like, as a leader of the locker room, like you don't have to be a franchise guy to be the leader of a locker room.

You know this, Roger. So I'm like, this here. If I'm in that locker room, James not doing this. Because beforehand, I'm making sure I reach out and tell him, hey, man, look, camp start or whatever the case may be.

I'm reaching out to him days before. Like, listen, man, where you at? You know, I'm getting this under control. But right now, I mean, guys got to feel some type of way. Like, you basically tell him. and guys like, man, I don't want to play for y'all. Like, if I'm coach Stephen Silas, I feel some type of way.

Although he's handling it right, the media saying all the right things, but he got to feel this type of way, especially as a brother. And we've been lobbying for this over, over years for more opportunities for African Americans to get jobs and especially head coaching

jobs. And here it is, you have a young stud who've been in the game for a long time and well respected. And you don't show them that same respect. Like, show it to work like you would do Phil Jackson or anybody else. You know what I mean?

I just have a problem with this. So if I was in that locker room, I would try to keep the piece. You know, obviously, James is the franchise. He is Mr. Rockin himself. So it's like, what can you do? But, I mean, you know, you just got to try to lace them up on things,

man, because it's not a good look. No doubt. There is the argument to be made also that, man, James Harden got what he wants. So he wanted in Houston, right? He got, when you needed help, Daryl traded for Chris Paul. You had the best season of that run, right?

Then you flip him for your guy, Russell Westbrook, right? And then, you know, Daryl does get, you know, fired or whatever like that, or he gets let go. But you can't make the argument for most of his time in Houston. That's his team in his, in his, vision, lack of a better term, right? Can't you make that argument? Yeah, absolutely. Look, I said this, that

James Hardin has had more control over an organization more than any other player in the league. And that's including LeBron for all the people that say he got to say so in the front office and he'd be acting as the GM. No, James Harden really was the GM. There's no move that was made by the Houston Rockers that didn't go through James Hart or his input. He got Dwight Howard out of there.

He got CP3 out of there. He got Russ. And I know he played a big part in getting Jeff Green up when Jeff Green was on a free agent market. You know what I'm saying? So it's like the Houston Rock has been giving everything to James Hard. And I know this for a fact that Tim and Fatita has tried to do everything in his power to please, James. I'm talking about when I say everything, I mean everything. Yeah, that's that's slippery, slow.

Bro, slippery slope. Go ahead, Logan. Do you think that with the player empowerment movement, it doesn't have to be done responsibly? Because I feel like LeBron has been the most successful at it. What's the difference between how LeBron has handled the player and power movement versus how James has done it in this time right now? But you got to have the right people in your corner. So, you know, that's giving you the right advice.

Right now, no one is giving James advice. He's not really represented by no one. Like, no one is in this corner telling them, man, you can't do this or you can't say this or this, that, another, or let me handle this, or when you go to the media, you address it this way. And like I said, that was the big difference between what Anthony Davis did and what James Hart did.

Obviously, it was two different situations. But, you know, I think, you know, with Rich Paul being there, he was telling them, hey, man, look, this is how we're going to handle it. If they don't want to trade you, you still got to show up to work, still go out there and play your tail off for the organization and do what you're supposed to do. So right now, James Harden, he's not getting the right advice, man. Like, he have too many guys in this corner that's telling them what he wanted him,

not what he needs him. Yeah, that's a great point. And it often goes overlooked when you're talking about LeBron and that camp. That's not just LeBron taking wild shots and shit he wants to happen. There's a brain trust there. Like, he's surrounded by really smart dudes that have high business acuments. Like, they have a plan and a strategy that they execute. Perk, let me ask you, though.

Like, let's say James Hardin gets what he wants and it's out of town. And he's been rumored to, like, Brooklyn or that he wants to go to Brooklyn. He opened it up this morning and talked about Miami and Milwaukee a little bit. If you could take him anywhere, like, what do you think is a good fit for that skill set? Because, like, I'm a, I'm going to keep it a buck. I don't know that I'm sold on dropping him just in any. anywhere with what he, you know, requires in terms of usage rate and shit. So what do you see Perp as a good fit for him?

Right. So I kind of see, like, Philly. But if James Hoy go to Philly, are they going to be a title contender? Not really. I don't, I still have the books and the nets ahead of them and possibly the heat and the Celtics. Like, they would be writing the thick of things, but they wouldn't be the favorite to come out of the east. Here's the thing. I look around the league

and I played GM the other day and this is the team that makes the most sense to me. The Clippers. I don't know why Lawrence Frank haven't picked up the phone or if he did, I don't know, but if I'm Lawrence Frank,

I'm picking up the phone and I'm making an offer to see if they go bite on Paul, George, and whatever else I can give up for James Orton. I would love to see Kawhi Leonard and James Hardin pair up together. That would be a nice,

A nice-ass duo. A nice-ass duo. A nice-ass duo. A nice-ass duo. I mean, like, who, like, really, like, if the Rockers was to call the Clippers right now, do Lawrence Frank say no to that? I wouldn't. No.

No. No. There's no. No way. No, I, I, I, I, I, I, I would, I would do that. Do you, I don't know, I just, I just don't know in a situation that he's going to get everything he wants outside of Houston, man. Like, if you take him, even put him on the nets, right?

You're giving him with two other ball-dominant players who need the ball. Does that work? Does that work? I don't think Brooklyn works. It got to work. Like, you're looking at, you're looking at Golda State all over again. Like, with that's going, power? Like, you're looking at a big three like that.

It got to work. I don't think so, man. That type of bad good? Listen, I tend to agree with you, Perk, in that, like, with that much score and punch, I mean, you're going to win a ton of fucking games. Like, you just can't help but win a ton of fucking games. Where me and Logan balk at it a little bit is ultimately getting over the hump in terms of, like, whose ball is it when crunch time comes when we meet a team that's like the Lakers?

You know, like, is there any friction there? It can't be, like, look, James and Kyle Reed would have to take a backseat to Kevin to rank. Like if things got thick, KD is like, nah, KD, go to work. Just like Steph and Clay did. I don't know if they could do it like Steph and Clay, but they would have to take a back seat like Steph and Clay did. Like, hey, look, we got arguably the best score to ever touch the damn basketball right here and Kevin Durant.

Yes, I'm James Harden. Yes, I'm Kyriever, and I get it. But we're talking about KD. And you've got to move to hell out the way, give them the ball. You got to sacrifice. So at the end of the day, where does he end up parked real quick? Man, I don't know. I tell you what, I don't see the Rock is trading him anytime soon.

Not in the next few weeks. I think they give it 20 and 25 games before they decide to make a move. Like, they're going to try to get this relationship right. Like, they're going to try to fix this or try to make it right. So I don't know. I honestly don't know. Is there another chance that, like, James Hardin might, like go to Tahiti or something, like, you know, just go on a beach and just like if he gets fed up again.

Like, is there any, is there any chance of that? Because, I mean, that's another thing, right? Like, he's wielding his power right now. Like, yo, I ain't got a report to camp right now. Like, I'll do it when I want to do it. Is there another instance where he gets fed up about something? Maybe the trades aren't going and he just, he better not do that shit. He better.

He better. He better not do that shit. But to me, James is trying to be, uh, this day Dennis Rodman. right? Like he's trying to, like, he love hanging around celebrities and shit like that, right? And I, I mean, he do whatever. He do what, do you, but I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't get the whole little baby dropping him a hundred bands and the millie watch. Like, why are you giving somebody that's already rich a hundred bands? Like, but hey, do what the hell you do, man? That's you, do you. It's your world. We're just trying to have a apartment in it, man. Do you?

I want to ask a quick one because what gets lost in that whole dynamic with what's going on with Houston right now is Russ and being in Washington, right? And I want to ask you because I don't know Russ well, but I'm a fan of what he does. I'm a fan of the way, you know, he competes for every little possession, right? People have their own narrative on whether like that can win ultimately. Like, I'm not getting into all of that shit, perk. But tell me what type of teammate and duty is, number one. And then talk to me about like how he's going to be either beneficial or not beneficial for Bradley Beal and his ascension in the NBA right now. Man, listen, I'm going to tell you this.

Russ is a great dude, man, great teammate. He's a competitor. And Russ gives you swathing, right? When you walk into the arena or you're on the road or you're walking into any gym on any court, you have it in your mind that. I got Russell Westbrook. I like my chances on winning this basketball game because you know he's going to compete and you know that every game

you have a chance to win if a healthy Russ is on that team because of the spirit that he plays with. And when you think about it, Kobe Bryant didn't bless a lot of people, but he blessed Russell Westbrook with that mama mentality because he really got that. And so I'm looking at this situation

with the Wizards and Scott Brooks. You got Robert Packer. over the two guys that Russ is very familiar with and that he trusts and respect that's going to be able to hold him accountable, right? And I'm looking at Bradley Bill, a guy that averaged 30 last season, I feel like Russ going to this team with Bertons

and, you know, the kid that they just drafted in the lottery, I think, you know, he's going to be okay. Like in his first year, I think he's going to shine. And so, yeah, so I'm looking at this situation. and I'm like, Russ could do what he did for PG two years ago. He could do that for Bradley Bill and have him in the MVP conversation. Like, if you look at Bradley Bill and Paul George,

to me, they're the same caliber player. Like, they both could get buckets. Like, it's not a big difference. So you add Russ with a Bradley Bill, a guy who don't need the ball in his hands who can play off the ball. Russ is going to put that key in his back and I could possibly see him.

having the best season of his career with Russell Westbrook. See, Park, I don't know if I, I don't know if Russ helps necessarily the Wizards. And I think that the Wizards got the better end of that deal because, you know, walls coming off that Achilles. But I just don't, I don't know if they're going to be a top team in the East like that. I'd see them as like maybe a five or 60. You see them as, do you see the Wizards now as a contending team? team because of us on the team right now?

No, I don't see them as a contender, but I see them as an Oklahoma City team that was last year. A competitor. A competitor. That could sneak up and when it's all said, done, could be in the top five of the Eastern Conference, and could be a dangerous out for anybody in the playoffs. Like, you look at that Oklahoma City team from this past season with Chris Paul on there,

like the Rockers had to take them to a game seven to get them out of the up. You know what I said? I could see that happening with the Wizards, just looking at the makeup of their team. I just think the frustrating with, and I'm a big, contrary to popular belief, I'm a big Russell Westbrook fan because, you know, just the effort that he puts into the game and just how he plays with a reckless abandon, I can get with. But when you get to down the stretch and you get to those ill-advised threes that they're just given to them. And you know what I mean?

That they're just giving him the three ball. And he's just making terrible decisions down the stretch. He did that a lot in that Lakers series. And they just were letting him shoot. Where do you think that he can, do you think he can ever just overcome that part of his game to where, dude, like, you're open for a reason, make the right basketball play?

Well, and look, I get that, right? I get what you're saying. But we have to realize that Russ wasn't healthy. this past season in the playoffs. Like, he wasn't healthy. He was playing on a torn cord muscle. Like, that's a, that's a six to eight-week injury, and he was only out for two weeks.

So a lot of people don't, a lot of people forget what Russ was doing before the pandemic. And COVID. And COVID. And COVID. And he had COVID. He was tearing the league up. I'm talking about, like, you know what I'm saying?

Like, dominating the league. He was leading the league and points in the paint. So you look at Russ, a guy that relies on athleticism. Like his first step is everything, him getting to the rack, him finishing over bigs. And he's not 100% healthy or even 60% healthy. Of course he's going to have to take jump shots. Of course he's going to have to take those threes because he's not able to blow by guys. But give me a healthy Russ, like two years ago,

Two years ago before, you know, before, not the year that Dame son of him home, because he was hurt then. He was playing on a bum knee. But before then, like the Russ that went, gave Utah 45 in the close-out game. When Paul George disappeared, give me that Russ. And we still healthy Russ in the playoffs. It's a problem. All right.

Let me, hey, I want to go. No, I like that because I fuck with Russ too. And the threes you're talking about, Logan. Look, if somebody is going to back up, now I'm not talking about, like, I don't know the percentages that he takes how many, you got to shoot a fucking three. Like, you got to keep somebody honest. Like, you can't just be out there turning down shots because you're afraid to miss them or the numbers don't suggest you make them. So some of those, he's got to shoot. But I want to switch gears because we're in the east and go to the Sixers perk.

And you've got a lot of experience with Doc. You know, you guys won a championship together. What does he bring to that Sixers team? especially since they kept those big two together. People were debating as to whether or not they worked together. Like what does Doc immediately bring when he walks in that building that they were missing? Man, he brings leadership as we all put on notice, especially in the bubble. With this owner off the court, Doc is a great leader, right?

Doc, I have you believing that you could literally run through a brick wall. Like, that's how powerful his message is. but he's an offensive genius, in my opinion. Like, if you look at Doc teams throughout the course of his career, the players that he had to coach, and you look at what they've done under Doc Rivers, like a DeAndre Joy. He played some of the best basketball of his career with Doc Rivers.

Doc Rivers put him in position to be successful. And I'm looking at Ray John Rondo. A lot of people don't realize this, but when we used with the Celtics, the year that we wanted, Rondo wasn't shooting jump shots. Doc was actually putting him in position to be successful so he wouldn't be a liability on the court. And I see him doing the same thing for Ben Simmons.

Like, oh, he need to shoot the ball. No, he don't. No, he don't. It's other ways a 610, 250-pound guy can impact the game without shooting jump shots, especially a guy that's dead athletic and a facilitator could get to the rim, has nice parts, Those moves, you know, a lot of threat at the basket.

It's ways to utilize that. And I think Doc is going to put him and Joel in position to be successful. Do you think this move is too late for this iteration of the Sixers to get Doc in? Or is it just at the right time? Because it feels like looking at the Sixers, they were always that, you know, when I covered the Warriors, the Sixers were the team. The Philly was one of the cities that we booked for the finals every year, right? just because, you know, they have enough talent to go there.

But it always seemed like they underachieved for whatever reason, and it was always, maybe you could throw it at Brett Brown, maybe you could throw it at other things. But do you think that they needed to change right at this right time or maybe a couple years before from the coaching? No, they hit it right at the right time. I always felt like it was Brett Brown. I felt like he kept getting an opportunity after opportunity to coach his team.

And it wasn't that. When you hear all these players come out and they lash out at Brett Brown, think about it. You had Jimmy Butler, you had, you know, Al Hoffford, even Tobias Harris. All these guys were coming out and shoot subliminal slugs at Brett Brown. And sooner or later, if I get into it with 10 people and two years, sooner or later, it ain't the 10 people that got a problem. It's me that got a problem because all these 10 people is not just, you know, messing with me. It's me that I got to address myself. So I feel like, you know, with that, with that coaching change, it's going to do wonders for not only Joelle and Ben, but also

Tobias Harris. Tobias played some of his best basketball under Doc Rivers. Before he got traded when he was with the Clippers, we were talking about him possibly being the All-Star. Right. So here's, I got a question for Perk. I have my own opinion on it and I'm not going to take the conversation with it. But what is Joel Embed? I mean, just the talent oozing out of the pores burgeoning on like superstar. But in my opinion, hasn't taken that step into superstardom yet. From your perspective, what does he need to do to take that next step? Like, what's the next step for Joel Embed? It's only one else. And that's, he has to lose about 35 pounds. Like, you can't. You can't.

cannot be floating around that 300-pound range. I don't give a damn high athletic you is or how good you're able to move at that weight. Like, if he lose 35 pounds and getting the best shape of his life, we can talk about Joe M.B. being the MVP of the league. That's how dominant he is from the inside to the outside. Like, he's a dominant force and he's a generational talent, but he has to be in shape. You agree with that, Ron? Yeah, he needs to look.

Look, he just wear, you could see him through the course of a game just wear out, right? And I think the reason he floats on the, because mine is two-part perk. Like, I think he needs to be less 50-50 and more 75, 25, 25, meaning he needs to take his ass on that block 75% of the time, 25% on the perimeter. But you know, like I know, it's easier to just sit out there and shoot jumpers when you're out of breath. Right. So, like, you don't want to go down there and bang anymore because you got the extra weight.

So I think it all kind of goes hand in hand. Right. And then if you watched them in the, when they played against the Celtics down there in the bubble, like, yeah, he was getting this 25 and 12 a night or whatever, but he was giving up 40 on the other end. Like, they kept picking on him, like, bring them up in the pick and roll. And he couldn't, like, they went in a drop and he just wouldn't even contest the shot. Like, he was dead tired. And I'm like, bro, you got to get some shape. That's a good point. Let's take a quick break. and I want to talk about Brooklyn when we get back.

And we're back. So one thing I do want to switch gears a little bit, is stay in the Eastern Conference. But as I was doing this podcast, Roger, I kept realizing, Perk got hella former teammates. Hella former teammates around the way. Right?

So, like, it's so easy to go from team to team and just get his opinion on things. But I want to get his... That happens when you have a long, successful career, bro. Like, you have a hell of teammates. Yeah. You know what I mean?

It's that Oakland Soldier's influence. You know what I'm saying? There you go. Anyway, but I do want to talk about Brooklyn. And two players that you have played with and have been around closely, Park. Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Now, a lot of people are saying that they're contenders right now. They're going to be contenders.

I am of the mind that the Nets have one of the most talented rosters in the East. However, I just haven't seen anyone come back from an Achilles the way I think Kevin should come back from it, I guess. And I'm just skeptical that one of the worst injuries in sports happened to one of the best players in the league and the best player on that team and the guy that's probably that would get them to the Eastern Conference finals or finals if healthy. I'm just kind of skeptical on that. And I don't know if Kyrie is the one to hold down the port if Kevin doesn't get all the way healthy. Am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, am I, you sound like Max Kellerman right now. Almost always Achilles injury you do not come back from.

But I, I think Katie, a guy that is just a walking bucket. Like I said before, this guy is, is something that we never seen before in 7-1, the way that he's able to handle the pill, create his own shot, get separation to get his shot off, turnarounds over both shoulders. It's nothing that he could do off, nothing he can't do offensively. So I'm looking at KD and I'm like, shit, if he's 75% healthy, it's a problem, right? And then you have enough firepower over there in Brooklyn with LaVert and Spencer Denwitty and Kai Rhee that KD could gradually keep picking this thing up.

all throughout the course of the season and it keep building up going into the playoffs. So I'm looking at it like if KD could get those reps in, you know, from game one to game 20 where he's not playing a lot of minutes. And guys are able to come in and contribute at a high level and he's able to work yourself in the playing in game shaping and getting his groom back.

And he stays healthy. It's going to be a problem. Yeah. I think that like if anybody had the game to, recover from an Achilles the type of style of play, it's Kevin. I think that if they're, but he has to do it in my eyes, right? Like he has to get to that point. Do you believe that, one, I think, you know, everything I've heard, he's going ball,

but you've also been critical of Kyrie. Do you think that Kyrie in working with him, and this is the question to both of you guys, one, how was it working with him? And do you think that his mindset can fit with this Brooklyn, team going forward. I mean, my thing is you never know, right? But him and Kevin and DeAndre Jordan, they best friends, right? They best friends.

So, you know, some people that he will listen to is probably them. He may not listen to nobody else in the world, but he probably is going to listen to Kevin Durant and DeAndre Jordan. So that's a plus automatically. And I don't have a problem with Kyle Reed on the court. I just have a problem with some of the shit he'd say off the court. And some of the shit he'd do off the court. I never had a problem with him as a player

because I feel like he's probably one of the most skilled player where he is one of the most skilled players to ever touch the basketball. So I'm looking at it. I don't see an issue. And by the way, Kyrie is the champion, right? So he knows what it takes to win, you know, at a high level. And he knows what he needs to do to sacrifice

to put in that hard work. So despite everything I disagree with him about, that he do off the court, He's still a hell of a basketball player. I say this all the time because to people, you know, from the outside looking in, you know, Kyrie looks like he's good, right? And so people think that Kyrie should kind of know when he gets with Kevin Durant or LeBron that he needs to defer. My point is, like, I've been in the gym watching Kyrie and LeBron together.

When people of LeBron and KD's ilk see what Kyrie can do, they're like, God, that's a, that's some different shit. Like, he's that good with the ball. So, like, it's not as easy for Kyrie to just be like, yeah, I got to take a back seat. Because motherfuckers look at Kyrie and they're like, God damn, like, I need to get some of that in my game. Like, his shit is that crafty. But I'm with you. Some of the shit he does off the court, I think it could be a little immature and, you know, it's sometimes counterproductive of what you're trying to do. My question in a locker room with with Kyrie, who I classify as not necessarily a leader, but not a follower either,

just a guy who's kind of in his own lane. And Kevin Durant, from all accounts, like I don't know him that well either, is more of a quiet leader, not the vocal guy. Do they have to find or manufacture somebody in that locker room with a voice? If it's not going to be Kyrie and Kevin really isn't in that lane unless you tell me he is,

who's going to do that? Who's going to be the voice of reason in that locker room? Well, I honestly believe it's going to be Katie. Katie, he's proven to me, and I've been around him long enough, that he showed me that he's not afraid of being a vocal leader. He's a guy that, you know, when he was in Golden State, you know, it wasn't his job to be a vocal leader. He didn't have to be.

But he can if he's asked or he has to be. Like, he's not afraid to call anybody out on their shit. he's not afraid to say what he feels to someone, whether it's Kyle Reed, DeAndre, George, Spence, and Deere with him, whoever. Like, that's the type of guy Katie is, right? And he's the, like, he's a coachable guy, like a coach could go in, Steve Nash could go in and get on him and film,

and he's not going to give no bad body language. He's going to take it like a man, and he's going to go out there on the court and clean it up. So I'm looking at Katie, and I'm expecting him to be the leader of this. next team and for guys to follow his league, especially Kyrie. Why didn't, I mean, you brought up LeBron and Kyrie earlier. Why didn't that work, Perk?

Like, why, you know, like, LeBron seems to be the team guy that brings everyone together. Why did that not work in Cleveland? I don't know. To me, it almost felt like a sense of jealousy was there on Kyrie's part. Like, because you have to realize Kyrie was there, he was that guy before Broin got there. Although Cleveland was in the lottery every damn year

that Kyrie was the head of the snake and the number one option, when LeBron came, all of a sudden, you're a contender. Well, also, LeBron gets special privileges, right? But who gives a damn? Like, every team I've been on, the number one option or the franchise guys

get special privileges, right? But a robin, a robin is not going to get the same privileges of a bad man. It's just not going to happen. So, Kyrie used to see Braun, you know, where he used to have his personal trainer come in. And wouldn't work out with the team trainer. Braun would have his own medical guy, his own fitness guy that would be in the locker room. And so Kyrie kind of wasn't feeling it. All of a sudden, you would see Kyrie come in with.

his own medical guy and his own strength conditioning guy. You was there, Roger, when it had him. Like, I witnessed that. And so he was trying to measure up and be LeBron so bad instead of just basically following his lead. Because all Brown was trying to do was show Kyrie the ropes and take him under his wings. It was so many times that LeBron deferred to Kyrie like, here, man, just take over. And was cool with it. Right.

It was cool with it. Like, nah, we're going to put the ball in Kyrie. hands and he was okay with it. Not because he wasn't clutch, because he knew what he had and Kyle Reed, like, go ahead, young fella do your thing. So it was hard for me to, you know,

it's hard for me to say what really went on, but I know from what I saw that Carreed probably just got tired of Braun getting special privileges, but, I mean, he's an iconic figure. What you expect? Yeah, like, what the fuck? Like, so look, my take on the first.

What the fuck are we talking about? The way I described it was like Big Brother, Little Brother, right? And Kyrie didn't really like the Little Brother thing. But it wasn't it wasn't a forever. Like Little Brothers grow up to be Big Brothers too. So LeBron was doing what you're supposed to do for someone who hasn't seen the mountaintop yet, but has the ability to be a Mountain Top player on his own team, was showing him the way, like trying to give him the answers to the test.

And I think Kyrie just didn't love the fact that he was the younger brother in that scenario. Like it was cool for a minute. And then he didn't want it anymore. But it was before he got all the answers, Perp. Like he did before he got all the answers, you know? Right. Right. And went to Boston and found out that it wasn't that easy.

It wasn't that easy. Right. And it was just, it's real fucked up, though. Because I feel like Kyrie really blew a chance at him and Brian possibly winning in two. more rings together. Well, there's a lot of things, though. Does LeBron go to L.A. if Kyrie stays?

Or Kyrie buys in a bit more? Mm. I don't know. I think, to be honest, I think Braun's already gone to L.A. Like, I think once his contract was up, especially after that last year,

I mean, we all know the relationship that Braun and Dan Gilbert has. Like, it's no secret. like that's why that's why i be trying to tell people about the word pressure like Dan Gilbert and LeBron wasn't speaking to one another like they would walk past each other like they would have to go through Nate

Dan's business partner to get any fucking information they weren't going to Dan yeah yeah anything like it wasn't like you know Dan Gilbert would have an event LeBron wasn't showing up it was just it was what it was but I'm gonna come here I'm gonna deliver this championship I'm going to play this game at the highest level for the city of Cleveland, for the state of Ohio.

And he did that. And he was like, you know what, my time up? No, I said, I want to be fair to Kyrie. Because I like, I think Kyrie is a really smart dude. And ultimately, I like him. And he might have had a little bit more insight into what Perk just said, LeBron being out. And he might have wanted him.

This is just me trying to play devil's advocate. He might have wanted to beat him to the punch. Like, well, shit, you're not going to just leave me holding the bag in Cleveland. So I got to go. That could be another theory. I don't know. Go ahead.

Go ahead. Logan. Do you think that, and also one thing, do you think that Kyrie, we both know that Kyrie's idol is Kobe Bryant, right? And it seemed to have played out in a similar way with Kobe, where he's like, I don't want to be a little brother no more to Shaq. I don't want to do that. Like, I don't want to have my own team.

Do you think that Kyrie saw that and was like, well, this is just how it has to be done. Yeah, I can win chips with with Brom, but this is the blueprint that I've said. I've got to go do it on my own. Well, I mean, that's a good question, but no one knows what's going on in Kyrie head. Like, this is the reason that we're talking about them

because of the things that he's done, he said that he say, like how he goes about things. Like, for example, you know, he writes, he issues out of the public. statement at media day, right? At the start of training camp, like, I'm not speaking to the media. And you're like, what?

Like, who does that? Like, everybody goes out and talks to the media. Like, no one shies away from the media and he issued out of a public statement. Like, I ain't talking to guys. And you're like, what is he thinking about? Just never know. Yeah, he's a real enigmatic dude, man,

a true enigma, Kyrie. Like, because, again, you can have conversations like, you know, I sit with them on a plane sometimes perk because I had a background with Kyrie's dad. He went to BU and I played at BU. And so there was a little bit of trust there, just a little bit because, you know, if you don't have it from Kyrie, he's not talking to you at all. So I got to sit with him on a plane a few times and pick a, he's a really smart dude. Like, there's some real shit going on there. And then there are other times where he does shit like that and you're like, why, if you were

that smart, why would you, like there's no reason to do that type of shit? So it's really, really hard to get a beat on that shit. Well, how can you follow a guy that you can't really understand, right, or who doesn't let you in? That's my thing, right? How do you do that? That's why I, but that's why I asked Perk. Like, I don't, like, I never really saw Kyrie as a true leader. Like, I see Kyrie as, as, like, Kyrie. Because sometimes it's hard for Kyrie to follow, too, in my opinion. Like, so you have to have somebody with Kyrie who will lead.

Karee can be this fantastic, phenomenal scoring, like basketball player. But in terms of true leadership and identity, you have to have someone with him. Spot on. And the crazy thing is that I stayed down the street from Karee when I was in Cleveland, like literally three, four houses down. And I, like, Karee never came off as a problem or nothing. Like, he was cool and everything. And then all of a sudden, you know, like those egos, man,

and KG told me this way long time ago. The problem with winning a championship is that everybody think they was the reason why. Right. Like, when you win a championship, all of a sudden, your ego is like, oh, they wouldn't have won it without me. Like, yeah, that's cool. To be fair, to be fair, though, Kyrie, they don't win that without Kyrie. I mean, he is valid in that statement, right?

Yeah, but everybody's valid in that statement because everyone stepped up at that time, Like, you know, Richard Jefferson could have said that because he played huge minutes. Like, every role player that played for Cleveland during that time could have said, hey, they wouldn't have won it without me. Tristan Thompson, he could have said the same thing. Fuck you, perp. I'm just saying. No, that's facts. That's facts.

We're like, put on for the, put on for the ball players. We're here. We hear. We all carry a different level of weight, but without it getting carried, you don't get up the hill. That's what I'm saying. That was philosophies. and atrocities. You put your backpack on

on that little, Roger. I'm just saying, man, he's right, though, because a lot of people just, and so when you win the championship, everybody like, oh, I was the reason. And so all of a sudden, now, Kyle Reed don't want to play with Bronner. He don't want to be in Cleveland.

He's tired of being under his shadows. So he, you know, I'm going to go do me. Obviously, he went to Boston, and we know how that turned out, Right. Hey, I want to ask about LeBron and the Lakers, but I'm more interested in real quick, and I'm going to let you do that, Logan.

Who was, like, because you just touched on KG, and you played with a lot of great players. Who had the most profound impact on, like, who you became as a player, like, not just skill-wise, perk, but, like, who you were in the locker room? Like, who was your vet that molded you? It was Walter McCart.

It was way before KG. See, people got to realize. I always say this. As a rookie, you want to be blessed to walk into a locker room where you have great vets. And I did my first year. I had Walter McCarty, Tony Debt, Tony Bouttee, Eric Williams. I had guys that actually showed me the way on how to do things,

how to go about things on and off the court. And Walter McCarty was just like, you know, he took me under his wing and was just like, it's okay to be who you are. Like, it's okay to be a screen seller. It's okay to be a guy that just rebounds or anchor a defense. Like, be who you are.

And he was like, everyone can't be an all-star, Bert. Like, he sent me down with that. Like, everyone can't be an all-star. And the guys that try to be an all-star that's not an all-star, they have a short career. Like, either you want to play 10-plus years

and be a star in your role or you can play three years trying to be an all-star and never get to the point where you need to get to. And he always used to say, get your lettuce. Like, play your role, get your lettuce, and be professional. So Watson McCarty was like that guy that took me under his wing

and showed me the ropes since day one. Get your lettuce. That was a bar. Yeah. Get your lettuce. We jump in science on the real ones right now. That was a bar. I can't even say that.

When Roger touched on on Bronn, He's going in a year 18. How is he going to be able to be this season health-wise, just getting through with low management and things like that? And how was he going to be able to win a title under these circumstances? Hey, look, first of all, Lowe, you can't be bringing up low management, man. They already own this shit. Like, you see the league already cracking down on that, man.

You can't be bringing that shit up. But look, Braun is going to be okay, right? Roger, you know this, man, a guy that invests into his body, you know, who's disciplined, who's going to do all the right things he's supposed to do off the court and away from basketball when he goes home, whether he's at a restaurant. So we already know this. But you've got to look at what Rob Polinkett did to this team. You go out and go get a Montres Harrow, a Dennis Strouda, Wesley Matthews.

You add all these pieces. You go get the six-man. a year and the six man of the year run up, right? And you're going to get both of these guys to take, not only to help repeat, but to take that low off of LeBron and AD. So I wouldn't be surprised if Braun take an even bigger backseat this year

and let Dennis Stroudan and AD run the show. Hit Tres come in and get your 15 or 16 a night. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to be cool with getting this 21 or 22 a night. You know what I mean? Like, I might not have to play all these games. I've never seen, I have. There are two people in my career who I saw dedicate time to their body where I was never worried about.

It was Steve Nash who had his own personal guy like LeBron does, and they would be in there after everything you did on the off days, no matter what. But the body was what they were spending the time on. They were really fixing every little kink in the machine to make sure it ran smoothly. I think what your witness in Perk is like the relationship we talked about with Kyrie and LeBron and how that never matured, big brother, I mean, little brother becoming big brother eventually. I think you see that happening with LeBron and AD. And AD is receptive to it.

Absolutely. Do you know what I'm saying? So I agree with you in that LeBron continues to take baby steps back. It protects his body. It protects his ability to be fresh in the playoffs. and it protects his ability to win championships riding off into the sunset. And you know what?

To hop on that point, the worst thing that could have happened for the NBA is letting Anthony Davis go through what he went through last year to win that championship, the highs and the lows. Like, you know, when he was getting called out for not attacking the basket in the Portland series, and all of a sudden he'd go out there and dominate that series.

He got called out in the Rocket Series for letting P.J. Tucker gave him in the garden. All of a sudden, it was Harold's chicken idea that night, right? So then you go back, you go to the Denver series where he just did whatever he wanted to be yokish. Like, he had it his way. And then on to Bam out of the Bayou and everybody, you know, that was trying to stop him in the Miami East series.

And when you let a guy like Anthony Davis get a taste of blood and he's getting groomed by one of the greatest to ever do it, and LeBron James, and he's been, and he's, and he's okay with it. Like, he's, he's following LeBron League. Like, everywhere you go, everywhere LeBron goes,

you see Anthony Davis, and he's okay with it. Like, and you should be okay with it. Like, why would not, Paul Pierce told me something? He was like, he was like, look, I see you and Rondo doing your thing,

but why are you not hanging out with KG? And I said, what you mean? This when KG first got there, he's like, bro, you got a future. Hall of Fame in front of you. One of the best powerfuls to ever play the game. One of the best big man

to ever play the game. And you're not under his wing trying to figure out how to get better or picking his brain. And I was like, you know what? That made a lot of sense. Like, why am I not everywhere where KG is it?

You know what I'm saying? So Anthony Davis, man, I really, to be honest, I feel like he's going to win MVP this season. So what's the biggest difference? Between, because we talk about this all the time. Roger gets on my head. The Lakers versus the Clippers last season.

This is the first time I've talked to you publicly about this. Why did the superstar duo work more with the Lakers than the Clippers? Because the Clippers stuck their chest out. Everybody said, oh, they're the deeper team. Now they have internal issues. What went wrong on that side? in a way that it's in a way that it didn't go wrong in with the Lakers? Because the Clippers was doing all the barking, no bite.

And I said this time and time again, well, you know, guys were hopping over the Clippers fence and finding out that their dog was just barking and wasn't going to bite. They was going over the fence and going to get their ball and walking straight out the front door, taking the dog on with them. Like, the Clippers just wasn't about their life. And once guys start to see that it was all the front, they start, you know what I'm saying? Like, once you see that, like the Denver Nuggets,

once they saw that they could get to game five and game six, no, game six. And they was like, hold on, these guys ain't really built like that. Then all of a sudden they started to get their swag of. So you look at LeBron and AD, but you really couldn't compare Paul George and Koward to LeBron and AD. And I said this time and time, again, that the reason I didn't trust the clippers was because I didn't trust Paul George.

And it was over time, what he'd done with the Thunder? Like I told you, in a closeout game with the Utah Jazz, when Russ going there and have 45, he had five points. And I watched Paul George just, like, you know, have these lapses where he would just disappear in the big moments. So I'm like, you know what? I really don't trust him. Like, he's going to have to show me. I had to tell Doc Rivers and Ty Lou that.

It was like, oh, I see you rolling with the Lakers. I'm like, yeah, it's not because of y'all, though. I don't trust Paul George. That's great. That's fantastic because I'm with everything you just fucking said. And on top of it, the Lakers had the two best players in the series. Like the Lakers were like, you're talking about LeBron and A.D., and Kauai's great and Paul George is nice.

But, I mean, come on, though. I'm going to go with LeBron and A.D., period. No, I want to ask because he brought up Ty Loo. And, you know, like, you know, I had a little bit of experience with Ty Lou too. I think he's fantastic. Do you worry it all, Perk, about the Clippers. And if you're going to let Doc Rivers go, all, and that message isn't working, right? Are you worried at all, not about Tyloo's ability to coach?

Because I think that's unquestioned. But the messaging being kind of the same. Like, if you're going to let go of one message, do you worry that you brought in a very, very similar message right behind it? Right. And, you know, it was crazy. is that it wasn't a messenger that should have got fired, right? It wasn't never the, Doc Rivers.

He was just a scapegoat. You know what I'm saying? Because you hear Paul George come out and say things like, oh, he was trying to use me like Ray Allen and all this. No, that's a lie because Doc knew you weren't Ray Allen.

Ray Allen is not missing wide open threes or hitting the side of the bankwood. That ain't what Ray Allen do. So I'm looking at it, and I'm like, you know what, Doc was the scapegoat. They hide T-Loo. Not all the pressures on the players. Like, this is what y'all wanted.

You got it, especially Kauai and PG. Like, it's time for y'all to deliver. And Doc said it best. You know, you're blaming me, but guess what? Tailu was sitting right here on the side of me, and it ain't going to be too much different because I raised Tileu. Right. So I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay, before we get out of here, let's have some fun real quick. I have a second before you, Perk. me and you talk pretty frequently and you bring up the 08 Celtics about as much as I bring up Oakland and... No, you bring them up. No, you bring them up.

You bring yourself all the time. So, I want to play a game with you. I'm going to throw a team out there and you're going to tell me if the 08 Celtics will beat them. Is that cool? Yeah, it's fine. All right. That's fine.

The 1996 Bulls. Nah. That was a litmus test for me, Perk. Full disclosure. If you had fucking said yes to that, bro, I was going to lose all credibility. I already know. All right.

All right. The 2000 Lakers. Nah. No, we wouldn't be, nah, we wouldn't be the 2000 Lakers. Although, Look, although I was one of the best post offenders in the league, there you go out.

There's no way I was stopping Shack. No way. Right. Right. I got you. Like, we didn't have an answer for Shack. Like, nobody did. Nobody.

Yeah. The 2012 Miami Heat. Yeah. Yeah, we would beat them. Mm. Okay. All right. The 2017 Golden State Warriors.

Yeah. be able to beat them too. How would you guys have beat the 2017 don't say words? Don't get offended. I'm not offended. I'm not offended. I just want to get this way.

I want to say how. I just want to say how. I want to see how you would do it. I want to hear the strategy. How would you do it? I mean, because here's the thing. You could talk about KD, but I'm going to talk about Paul Pierce in 2008.

Paul Pierce had to go through some battles. Like, he went through Joe Johnson. He went through LeBron. He went through Col. He went through a stingy Detroit Piston team who was stingy on the defensive end. Like, Paul Pierce was on one that year. Like, I'm talking about 40, 40 balls in each series. Like, close our games.

He was ready to go toe to toe with some of the greatest. You look at KG, Golden State wouldn't have had an answer for Kevin Garnett. Agree. Like, that was for sure a 25 and 12 type of night. But you forget about, you know, Ray would have did his thing. but you forget about our deal. Like, we had some real guerrillas on that bench, man. You're triggered.

Eddie House, Sam Cassell, PJ Brown, James Posey, Tony Allen, Big Baby, your boy from the Bay, Leon Pope. Town Biss. We was deep. We was deep. I don't necessarily agree with you, but I like it. I got one more for you. I feel sorry for your lows. I got one.

I got one more for you. The 2006 sons. Who wins that? 2006. You're, hey, you're, hey, that's some petty shit. Hey, Roger, I think we get child, man. Yeah, that's some petty shit. Look, you guys would have been kryptonite kind of for us

just because of the size, the physicality, and the ability, like, to slow it down. Like, what teams didn't have against us was the ability to make, make us really slow down and guard. And the ones that did gave us fits. Like Dallas gave us fits with that shit. San Antonio gave us fits with that shit. You know what I mean?

Like was the teams that tried to play like us that we fucked up. So I, you know. But you know why I said that? Because we were able to go small. We were able to go small. Well, we put KG at the 5 and we put James Posey at the 4. and then we will rock out like that. And I just feel like, well, another thing is that I don't know what Rondo had over Steve Nash,

like throughout his playing career, but every time he matched over Steve Nash, he had it his weight every single time. Like, he went at Steve Nash. I don't know what was it about it, but if he got up for that matchup, but he went at Steve Nash. And then I'm just looking at, you know, Paul, Ray, Yeah, yeah. I would say it would have

win seven games. I think it could have been a good one. It would have been seven, it would have won seven games for sure. And we would have won it. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. Yeah.

Oh, shit. All right, man. That was fun. Let's go to real one of the week. Now, Perk, real one of the week is a person, an entity, a

organization that got your respect this week. I will go first. Roger will go second, and you are our guest, best for last, you'll go last. My real one of the week is Carl Anthony Towns,

who has gone through a lot this summer with his mom passing. He said his uncle passed. He said he had seven family members that passed of COVID. The fact that this man can still play and still even be remotely available when he doesn't have to be.

I think that shows strength. I think that shows courage. And I think that he is my real one. That's Dean. You should have went last with that shit. Yeah, you should have went last with that one, dog. God damn, Loaf. I'm up next.

All right. Well, this shit's going to be corny. But I'm going with the Big Ten as my real one of the week. Ohio State Michigan canceled. Ohio State only got, what, four games under their belt? And technically, they shouldn't be. be allowed to play in the Big Ten Championship. But if they weren't allowed to

playing it, it would not allow them to qualify probably for the national championship. And the Big Ten said, fuck that. We need our bread. We need to be represented in that top four. So they're going to play in the fucking Big Ten championship. And that's real.

No, that's all the way real. I got to go with Illinois men's basketball. They beat Duke like two days ago. So they're the real ones of this week because I didn't go to college, but I mean, I'm like 60% of the world where I really don't like Duke. I just have something personal

against Duke and all the Duke players, I don't know what it is, but you know, when they lose, it's like this, it's like this sense of joy you get right. And so Illinois, man, the men's basketball program, they went and gave them their business. I think they won't buy you. 20. So smoke. Yeah. They do real ones. There you go. Real ones, man.

Well, Big Park, man, you know what it is. I really appreciate you coming on the show. We really appreciate you coming on a show. Friend of the show, come back at any time, man. And that is the podcast. You can check us out on Spotify. You can check us out wherever you get your podcast. Make sure you tap in to the mismatch. You tap into group chat.

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We'll see you guys on Monday. Thanks for listening.