The Ringer NBA Show - Memphis Blues for Ja and the Grizzlies. Plus, Kuminga Demands Trade. | Real Ones

Episode Date: January 16, 2026

Logan Murdock and Raja Bell are back with another Friday edition of Real Ones, starting off by discussing Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga demanding a trade. How does Steph Curry feel about the Warriors being in such disarray in the latter portion of his career? Then, Ja Morant was seen arguing with teammate Vince Williams Jr. at a shootaround prior to their game in Berlin, Germany. How quickly do the Grizzlies have to move on from Morant so this issue no longer will fester in the franchise? Plus, Real One of the Week! (0:00:00) Intro (1:30) Kuminga trade request (16:56) Ja Morant issues (33:20) Players being celebrated by franchises (45:39) Real One of the Week! Hit the mailbag! [e-mail] Hosts: Raja Bell and Logan MurdockProducers: Victoria Valencia and Clifford Augustin The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out ⁠rg-help.com⁠ to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was good, Logan Murdoch here for another edition of Real Ones with myself and Roger Bell. We get into the drama in Golden State. Johnica Kaminga trade request is a top story? Yes, it is. We'll get into the details of why the soap opera going on with Golden State. And then we get into the soap opera going on in Memphis by way of Germany with Jiam Morant, who is caught on video, try to shoot the fair one with his teammate. and the ramifications of that.

From a league standpoint and a Memphis Grizzly standpoint. Then we get into a conversation of how we should treat our players when they leave the organization and what that means for the organization at large and the goals at hand. Then we get to our Rewin of the week. Really, really fun episode. Me, Raja Bell, Rewans. Next, Cliff, play the theme music.

What's Fobber. Real Ones. Logan Murdoch here. Bill there. Oh, man. We're in the season right now where it's like pre-trade season. I know we had the Trey Young thing that just went on, but we have two players that are in the midst of trade rumors at the highest proportion

right now. And that is Jonathan Kamiga and John Morant. Let's start with Kaminga first. So I was at the Warriors game last night in the midst of, excuse me, in the midst of Jonathan Kaminga's trade request, which is very interesting because I haven't had, I haven't had the experience of a trade request

from a player of Jonathan Kaminga's caliber be so big. Can you remember a time when like a player, like Jonathan Kaminga got this much attention for a trade request, a guy that is maybe like an eight man on the roster? I would, yeah, but like in fairness to Jonathan Kaminga, probably shouldn't be the eighth man on the roster. So we could say, like, no, I have it. But, like, his circumstances dictate that he's as low on the totem pole as he's like,

I think that's a manufactured totem pole slot, if you will. Fair. I just, I mean, we're going to talk about him before we talk about John Moran, which tells you everything you need to know about where he is in the news cycle. Ben Cruz is on the call. He might need to get off of it based on what we're about to talk about. So he didn't play last night. He has, like, a sore back issue or something.

something like that. He hasn't played for a minute. The last we've heard of him was a January second game where he was supposed to play. And he didn't get any time. This was a game against the Thunder where basically all the starters were out. And there were some rumblings that maybe Jonathan wasn't actually hurt within the locker room. Last night, Steve Kerr said there was no rift between him and comminga, which, I mean, it was just a lot of lying going on. last night. That's what we're doing. Yeah, Kerr said we're fine.

We're doing okay. His teammates like him is handling himself well. There was the, from the veteran leadership of Steph, Draymond and Jimmy Butler saying, it's not a distraction at all. This thing is not at all distraction. We love JK.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, not them specifically, but the locker room is all telling stories about they can't stand him. You know, so it's a weird place that we're in right now with Jonathan Cominga. It's also the trade market is weird for him. The Lakers have shown interest. I know the Kings still want them.

The Mavs is on some type of interest. But I just feel like comminga, for all of the gripes that he has, this seems like a case of when keeping it real goes wrong. Right. Like because you're not playing. You are doing trade demands. And this is the season where you were supposed to ball out and show teams why you should, you know, warrant a huge extension in a contract. And this is happening basically when you're essentially on a one-year deal because he is on, I think, a two-year $40 million.

But one of the years is a team option. So, you know, like I just, I think that. Both sides, the Warriors and Cominga have both just very much misplayed this. And here we are. How should the Warriors navigate this right now? I mean, they're saying all the right things outwardly, no matter what the circumstances are internally. I just don't know what you do in the situation like this.

When you ask me, what should, I mean, it's ultimately what they do or like how should they be handling? Like they're doing what they can do, which is, you know, get up at the podium, lie to everybody. You know, make it seem like less of a deal than it actually is. I mean, his trade value, I don't even know what it would be at this point. But after you've got done lying to us and telling us everything is good and there's no problem here, then you need to trade him. Like what? I mean, that's where they're at. You got, you have to move him. What do you want? You want to move him. Steve Kerr does not want him there. They have no plans for him.

Why would you, it would just be spiteful at this point, right? Like, why wouldn't you move him? I, I, it would be Joe Legg of as being the reason why you wouldn't move him, right? Because he is the ultimate, has ultimate veto power. And he's the reason why he's here right now. Yeah, but, but like, okay, fair. Let's, like, so if ownership is going to mandate, we keep something on the roster. And coach and, and, and executives are going to say, hey, well,

listen, brother, no matter whether he's here, regardless of who wants him here, we're not playing him. Then there needs to be a conversation had above Jonathan Camingo. Like, then someone, we've got to pick a side here. We can't be. Or Joe Lakeb needs to say, all right, I get the point. You guys will never play him regardless. And I will take a step back, do what you will with him. Like, get me something else.

But we can't live in both of those worlds where Joe Lacom wants him and we're not going to trade him for anything. But if you keep him here, we're never going to play him. Like, that's a wasted asset. Like, why would you do that? And then, like, you're, I don't, I just don't see. I think the, there's no picks on the table for him. Nobody's giving up picks. Maybe there's going to be a salary swap in that situation.

But, like, I just, I, that's why I say over the, the last summer was just so bad for both parties because it was, they were both just trying to win a negotiation as opposed to actually doing what's best for both parties, right? Like, Jonathan. And he got just above the qualifying offer and a team option on his contract, right? And just basically kicking the can down the road. And the Warriors essentially, you know, because of this negotiation, their biggest pieces over the summer was Gary Payton, who they resigned, De Anthony Melton, who they resigned in Al Horford, right? Who was, it was, they played against the Knicks last night. And Knicks were battered. And I feel bad for our guys. even though that you don't want to, you know, be in the group chat with us and you don't love us anymore. But it's cool. You don't want to be in our next group chat anymore.

It's fine. It's fine. No worries. No worries. But the warriors just have such a wonky roster and there's so much just cloud around this team. I mean, it was a good moment. I think they're four and one in their homestand. But there's the comminga aspect of it.

There is the Steve Kerr aspect of it. And, you know, there's a lot of people that don't think that Steve Kerr is going to be back next year. And including members of his staff. And so in the midst of all of this, you have to deal with the Jonathan Kaminga thing. But then also you have to deal with what's next year when a potential pillar might not even be in the building. There's just so much to weigh with Golden State right now. And I just, this is just I feel like if you want to move forward, you have to cut bait with what's going on right now.

There's really, it's really a toxic environment, no matter how you, like, whenever I see Steve Carhe's the shell of himself at the press conference, bro, I send pictures to group chats, including real ones that he's just like stoic. There's no life. It's just, it's terrible. It's a very toxic environment. Yeah, that's such. There were a few pods ago.

I don't know if you remember we were, I forget what we were talking about, but I was, I was saying something about the organizations that are well run. and we historically look at them as kind of the cream of the crop in the NBA in terms of getting things right. And I included Golden State and you pushed back slightly. You were like, ah, I would say Golden State. And this, you are correct for the reason that we're talking about right now. Like this is unfair to Steph for me to have, you know, the end of or at least the last few good years of his career be kind of overshadowed by, by, I don't know if personal agenda is, I'm not there, so I can't speak to what's going on, but I'll just say this again.

And I look at their roster. You mean to tell me like a Jonathan Caminga. I mean, I think he's still fourth on their team and scoring right behind like Pajemski. Is that right? Like by a fraction of a point, they lack like athleticism long, like rangy wings. You mean to tell me that he's not going to play for you? Like that's a catastrophic failure. Like one way or another, he should have been moved and you should have gotten something back for him when there was value there that you could have plugged in and could be helping at this point.

Or we've got to squash whatever we have going on and figure out a way to have him contribute to a roster that lacks exactly what he is. But the fact that we're at the point that you're describing right now and we can't figure it out and it's a mess. And Steve Kerr's feeling the way he feels and we've demanded a trade. We don't know if Kurt's back. Like this isn't fair to Steph Curry in my book. And you were right. Like I was wrong in throwing them as an organization, you know, in teams that have got it right historically. They captured it for a while, right?

Like it was run well for a while. But as of late, it hasn't been. I think that you brought up a great point within your point just now of great organizations function. And there's two ways that great organizations function. One is they're just a great organization. right. I'm thinking about the San Antonio Spurs are typically looked at as a gold standard, right? Oklahoma City gold standard, right? Where they can, even when they're losing, they're still making just, oh, I like that move, how they picked that person. That was a nice, savvy little draft pick that you got there. I like what you did right there.

And then there's a second version of a great, well-run organization, which is it's centered around a player, right? And that player kind of is the one that balances all of everything around him. I think about, they always, the spurs always say Tim Duncan was that person, right? That kind of steered that organization. Like the Lakers, when they got post-Lebron, right, they got some clarity on like who their player was. And, you know, they didn't do great on that aspect. But they had a player that they could revolve it around.

The Warriors are kind of in that tier right now where Steph is the great equalizer of everyone's kind of mistakes. But he's getting older. He can only cover up so much and so many flaws within the organization. But he can't cover up an older roster. You can't cover up, you know, malcontent, at least not to this aspect. And it's tough because you look in that locker room, there's really not any, not to say there's not any leadership, but it's a, it's vets and then there's young guys.

There's no in between there that can kind of like close that guy. And that's been a problem for the last few years. And you kind of see that, you know, with, you know, Draymond storming off the floor, you know, Jimmy calling them mediocre. Like, there's just not any balance on, you know, development versus, you know, striving for, you know, the excellence that they want to achieve. But it's just a weird balance right now. And, like, I think that it is unfair for Steph to go through this. And, you know, but I think that that it's going to be. He's not going to go out like Duncan.

He's probably going to go out more like Dirk, and that's a shame. Yeah, that is a shame. That is for someone who has, I mean, I guess Dirk was the culture too quietly. They are kind of similar in that regard, but I think, you know, Dirk had a lot of people around him with that organization that were also really good leadership pieces. Yeah. That, that really facilitated, like, driving culture and keeping things operating at a level that could keep you viable for championships and playoff contention and stuff like that.

And I feel like it's Steph, you know, Draymond's just so erratic. Sure, he's a part of that. Like I think he's their, their emotional backbone at times. But, yeah, it's just, it's just sad for Steph. I feel kind of the same way about Janus. When I look at Janus,

I seen him booing like back at his fans in Milwaukee the other night up at the press conference talking about like, I do that on the road. You boo me. I boo you. which I felt probably like a, that's like a little preview of probably my real one in the week. But like that makes me feel bad. Like because you've tried to be loyal. You've done what you needed to do for an organization.

You poured your heart and soul into it. There's obviously a two-way street there in terms of trust. Like you, they trust you're going to go out there and be a, you know, a representative of the brand. You trust that they're going to keep putting you in the best positions to win championships. And it just hasn't been executed well. either one of them over the last few years. And for guys that are that good, they've been just like the faces of the league, that, that sucks. Yeah. And to the honest point, I mean, I don't care what he says. He's going to get moved soon. Like, I don't care how he talks about how much

he's going to stay. And it seems like when him, and rightfully so, right? Like, he's, he's, he's, kind of going through the emotions of being of someone that is about to leave, right? Like, and trying to leave amicably. Because he's saying everything outwardly facing, like, hey, I want to stay. I want to make this work. But everybody around him that he trusts is saying we are about to leave. And we about to get up out of here. No, and good for him, though.

Yeah, but it's also a thing like he don't want to, the thing with Yannis is he just doesn't want to go out in a, you know, there have been, there have been examples of players of fifth caliber that KD is an example. LeBron is an example of guys who leave their foundational first team and leave it out, leave it badly. Yonis just doesn't want to do that. It seems like when you talk to people around the league. And I totally respect that.

Like I think, you know, you know, in terms of your image and your legacy and Milwaukee and trying to protect those things, I understand that 100%. You know, just he's probably held on there trying to be that. he's probably cost himself a couple years. Yeah.

You know, so sometimes you've got to make a call and they're difficult calls. It's not unlike any, you know, anything else in life. You can sit there and not make the move and cost yourself some time, but the move was inevitable. Or you can make the tough call and say, hey, we're doing it. Yeah. And save yourself the time on the back end. So like I applaud that in one regard. Like I can appreciate that.

I probably cost him a couple of years now. Yeah. I get it. But also, like, you can't play double duts for so long. He's been playing double dutch. Yeah. Yeah. That's how I did.

I was never great at double dutch. So I'd be like this for five minutes. Yeah, I ain't never got into one. I looked at a few. Ain't never jumped my ass in one. Oh, no. You fucking around hits your head. Ah, shit.

God damn. Oh, man. say a quick break we're going to talk about someone we always talk about mr job morant raja we are back jaum rant jama rant jama rant did you see the video of him getting into it with his teammate i i did i did you have more context for me because i couldn't find like what do you know exactly there's a lip there's a lip reading point type of deal did you see the lip reading thing i did i actually read lips pretty well so i kind of got to just like you've been here five minutes. Like, I'm right here. But, but, what was the genesis of it? What happened?

I see, there's no reporting on it. I don't know. Like, there's really no reporting on it. I just, it just also looked like, you know, what it looked like for me and I, you know, who's been around the league a little bit, you have been around the league a little bit longer to me. It looks like to me, him and Vince had like a problem for a minute. And Vince went to him. And then Jal was like, let's, let's scrap. And Vince made a, and, and, hey, and, and And Vince made a business decision. He's like, yo, we can shoot the fair one in the back because I'm not trying to mess up my bag right now. Like your job, Morant, you are settled.

We can do you can do this. But we got to do this in the back. That's what, that was the, that was the business decision that I saw, Raja, based on the limited amount of reporting that happened. Yeah, I just, I mean, I don't know. Like, that could have been what happened. I had no idea what happened. In either case, this is, I mean, for. different reasons, but the same result. It's time to go. This has been a drawn-out inevitability

writing was on the wall from a couple years ago. Like, I mean, this is, you've just dragged this whole process out. And typically when we do that, it gets messy. And when you have, first of all, let me just, sorry, is my thought. I just got random thoughts pop in. I'm not, as Jabberant, face of a franchise, at least for a while, level of player that he's been in this league when he's at his best, you don't and aren't going to, if you're not in a great frame of mind or mind, like just overall mental space, you're not going to deal well with with younger, less accomplished players running up on you in in scenarios like that.

It's just, that's human nature, bro. Like that's, that is a powder keg of an individual walking around kind of adjacent to the team. He's just waiting. And that's when you're dealing with a semi like neutral, never having been in those situations legally before type of person. Well, he ain't that. he's already been in those situations legally and has at his own troubles in that regard off the court. So he's he's just ready to blow.

Leave him alone until we get him up out of here. And that's unfortunate, though, that we've ever, that we'd ever let it get to that place, but that's where they're at. But it's funny because even he's like, the other thing that's a little wrinkle, and we'll go like the job, the John Memphis part in the second, but the other wrinkle is here is like, this happened in Berlin, in Germany? This is supposed to be during an event where the NBA is trying to push their league propaganda in Europe. They're trying to get a European league.

They're trying to grow the game even more in Europe. John Moran is the face that right now in this particular context. I know Franz Wagner played for Orlando and they played out there. And he was kind of the main attraction. But John was supposed to be like, oh, we get to see John Moran playing Germany. this doesn't really happen that often. And now all everyone is talking about is one, Jaws injured,

and everybody's talking about this video, right? And that's not great from a league perspective. And you have Adam Silver having to answer questions about Jaws' ability to play basketball and him hoping that he plays in London. Like, it's not just a Memphis thing, Roger. This is a league thing. And how this is getting to interfere

with how the league promotes its game overseas. Like, what, what do they do? Yeah, this is, this is interfering with bigger business than the Memphis Crisley. Now this is, I don't know. I don't, I don't have an answer to what you do. Like, I, there comes a point with these organizations. I mean, I'm not breaking any news here, bro. This happens in people's marriages and their relationships.

Like, there comes a point where irreparable harm and damage has been done. And we can make the break or. in some instances, try to work through it and drag it out and the break is inevitable. They were at that point. You can see that. I've had one of those. I had that with Utah when I'm not going to get back into it, but I've told you what happened in a locker room towards the end of my career.

Once I have that exchange, that's a rat. And what I should have done after I had that exchange in the locker room, when I was brought in to talk to the general. and the head coach and they asked me if I wanted to be moved. Like I said no because I was trying to do the whole like, yo, I don't want to be a bad dude in this man. Like I'll stick this out. And I said, I don't, I don't have a problem. I'll stay. You know, if you guys want me here, you know, I want to be here. And that was the wrong thing to do because that relationship was over. Yeah. And everybody, everybody knew it. I, you know, at the time, I didn't. But that's where they, they were at that point.

I mean, when they changed the coach, they started having the issues with him playing less pick and roll, wanting the ball to move. That was last year. I mean, this was well documented. We're only getting that version of it. Imagine what's going on behind closed doors by way of meetings with JAA, with ownership, with front office, Jaws agents. It's a mess. I guarantee you it's a mess. They've known this.

And you've just dragged your feet. I just want to give a victory lap or throw a victory lap to Howard motherfucking Beck's way. because he said all this stuff a year ago, which means it was bubbling before the surface, which leads to my next question for you. What is the right time to say goodbye in that way, right? Did you say it? Because Jaya is obviously a not only organizational pillar, but a pillar in that community, right? Like, you know, you go to Memphis is all Jiamerang jerseys.

That is what that region is about. But how do you, when do you start saying, ah, We need to move on as opposed to like, oh, man, we should probably try to work this out. Like, you say it shouldn't drag down this long. One is the time when they should have just been like, okay, we're going to strike while the iron's hot. Let's trade them. Let's get it out from out of the Jamerrant business. It's a good question.

But it's not always as simple as that, Logan, because there are optics involved. And, you know, when John Morant is the face of something, now I can't. say for sure that this is anything that was talked about in the Memphis offices or, for that matter, with me in the Utah offices. But what they did to me was when about after I said I'll stay and I did not want to be traded, they went about making my life as miserable as possible to get the worst version out of me. Yeah. So when you do that to me, like then the fans are like, well, he's an asshole. And so it becomes a me problem, less than a we problem. And as it relates to John Morant, the organization would catch all kind of hell if a good citizen, like if a good teammate and a

good player, John Morant is just shipped away. So if you make his life a live in hell and he starts to act like an asshole, it becomes a lot more palatable for a fan base to be like, hey man, get him up out of here. And I can't guarantee. that that's what happened. But to answer your question, it's not always as simple as when should it be done. They knew it and probably should have done it as soon as you had those conversations about, yo, I don't like this. I don't like this coach. You clearly see he don't like me. Our styles don't mix. You've chosen to bring him in here. Once you do that and you've got a month sample size denoted, those two don't mix. I mean, you know. But how you execute that is

sometimes a bigger, you know, more difficult question and how palatable it becomes for like your fans and how you can, you know, control the narrative of what's going on to some degree. Well, my question is this. And I made me think about the Jonathan Kamiga situation as much as it made me think about the John Moran situation. Okay, yeah, one hand, they said they wanted to be here and you make their life a living hell. But you're also eroding a Rajabelle's trade value. You also eroding a Jamerance trade value, eroding a Jonathan Camingo's trade value in the process. So like it doesn't, yeah, I get it. You want to be vindictive.

But it doesn't behoove you to be vindictive because it's fucking up your team. Yeah. I mean, look, I was a little different story because I was older. But you're absolutely right. Because, you know, I had people at the end of that. And I knew from people on staff. Like, hey, they're going to bring you in here. And I'd be in shape, ready to go.

And then it would get back to my agent and like, well, we're not sure. that he's really really going to accept, you know, the role that we have for him. And I'm like, what? What? Like, I've never, I've never had, I've never had a problem with that. But I had been put in a situation where I devalued my, like, I devalued myself with the contribution from them, right? And that's what happens, you know, mine was different because I was old. You weren't getting shit for me anyway. But that's why I'm saying with these two situations, when there was value, move it. You already know. You know where this is going. Get out while you can get something back for the player.

I just don't know where they go. Like, I mean, I know Miami is out there, but they're telling everybody behind the scenes that they don't want to trade for them. At least that's what they're saying, right? Milwaukee's just desperate for any backcourt help, so, like, maybe, you know, they'll make a lastest effort.

But that just seems... He's played 18 games this season, Roger, a John Moran has. Like, I've seen more highlights of him this season in street clothes talking shit to the opposition and I've seen highlight dunks. And I'm serious. Like he had a great game against the Sixers. They had the 40-point game against them.

They lost that game, by the way. But like, I just don't, it would take a monumental shift in his mindset that I just don't see happening in a new place. Right. Like every one of his pre-confer conferences that I see, he's just defiant. he's he I don't know it doesn't seem like he is ready for a change it may be a change of scenery can give that but like I just don't see it at this very moment well again this is deep and I don't mean to be but you're not like this is what I'm saying to you and forgive me because I'm not trying to be a conspiracy theorist here it's not really in my nature but that's what you're supposed to

see when they that's what that if that's the plan right if the plan that I articulated and theorized could be in action, right? If that has been executed, you're supposed to feel exactly like you feel right now. Like he won't buy in anywhere he goes. Like this is going to be a mess. Now, to your point, it's not in their best interest to necessarily do that in terms of recouping assets, but it does become a lot easier for you to sell to your fan base. We've got to get rid of a player of John Moran's ability and level.

Listen, John Morant when he's playing well is electrifying. To the point you made, like, I mean, everybody walking around Memphis has a John Morant jersey on. So he now looks like he won't. I would say to that, I mean, he won't be able to fit in anywhere because of his attitude and style. Sometimes bad situations will bring out the worst in people. Yeah. Now, I've criticized Jha at lengths on this pie, and I will call a spade of spade of as it relates to all that off-to-court stuff, the guns, the, you know, any number of things

you can go back and find, I don't apologize for Jock. I do have familiarity and know what it's like to be in a situation that you are miserable in and you have been made to feel miserable and unwanted in and have that bring out the worst in you and just say, hey, man, if I could just get out of here, this isn't exactly who I am, but I can't, this is how I am right now, and I can't help it. Right? And that sounds like it sounds like an easy thing. I'll just change the way you act.

Okay, cool. I will for a minute. And then here they come with this bullshit again. I guess where I'm back to. You know, and so. Here come Vince Williams again, man. I told him I was trying to chill.

I told him. Bro, here we go. Yeah. But you, like that shit happened to me, bro. Like, I'll tell, listen, man, not to turn this into. Jerry Sloan was my coach.

Jerry Sloan Utah Heavy Anthem people Like you know This is a this is a state where you're gonna be out there for the anthem Absolutely I have no problem with the anthem I had no problem with the end But I had a habit of

And I used to get the BGs a little bit When I first got into the league so like I go in the back Because you drank all that damn coffee Yeah I drank a lot coffee right But like it turned into my habit where I would be back there And and you know Just come out after the anthem was over Jerry Sloan had no problem with that.

Jerry and I had a conversation about it. He was like, no, do what you do. Not an issue. I never had a problem anywhere I went. This was mid-season. Like, out of the blue, I get called into an office to talk to our new head coach about why I'm not out there for a national anthem. Now, he'd been on the staff with Jerry.

So he already knows why I'm not back there because I didn't done it for 25, 30 games. And you were there the year before when I did it. But he went about to make it his mission and let me know. that's not going anymore. You're coming out. Fine. Not a problem. Half time comes. You're walking by. Most arenas have a family room. Right. Now, in some arenas, they're not accessible to you as you walk to the court because they're kind of off in the cut. Yeah. Right. As it was, Utah's was directly in the path of you walking back to the court. So my little dudes were like, Dia was pre-K and Ty was probably like two and we had just had Zen. Zen was a baby. So, you know, I would go in, boom, as we're passing, been to the meeting, been to the halftime speech, going in, give my wife a kiss, give my little boys a kiss, go back out to the court and warm up, done it for my whole career, did it in Phoenix, did it while this dude was an assistant. Now all of a sudden, I got to come in and answer questions as to why I'm in a family room talking to my wife at halftime of a game, to which I explained really naive and innocent.

Like, hey, yo, not a big deal. Like, that's what I do all the time. Oh, well, you know, you got to understand how that would be perceived if it looks like you're in there. I mean, just going out of your way to make my life miserable. Do you understand what I'm saying, Logan? So, like, I am a professional in this. And so I'll just say again, I can't guarantee you, John Moran will go somewhere and be

a better version of himself. But there's a chance that his life is so miserable there in Memphis that he just can't get right. Yeah. That's a good point. I mean, for whatever reason, like, they kicked his homies off the court side. I think in the last couple of years, it's not the Memphis that he, that he inhibited when he was drafted.

We can say that. Let's take a quick break. Man, we'll talk about how franchises to treat their franchise pillars. Okay. Two things happened this week that I wanted to get your take on. Kyle Lowry got a standing ovation in Toronto, as he absolutely should. He helped get them a title. They're only titled in franchise history.

And same with Kevin Love, who won a title in Cleveland. You were there. Actually, you weren't there. That was the next year. No. Yeah, you left. And then had a great career. Not only without the title of Cleveland, stayed in Cleveland for much of his career,

even after LeBron left again. but it got me to think it. And it's funny that we're talking about this on the heels of our last segment where it got kind of gloomy. But what is the appropriate way? And I think about like this one, Jai, like down the line, right? What is the appropriate way to treat not only your stars of your organization when they're gone and they have retired and moved on?

but also your other players and other role players are just people that's within your organization once they leave. How important is that and why is that so important? Yeah, I mean, obviously you're not going to treat your role guys like you treat your stars, right? Like that's, I mean, that's not real world. I do think that most NBA teams, if you've been a member of their franchise and their brotherhood, have an open door type of policy as long as it didn't end terribly with them. Where, you know, if you want to come back, come to a game, be around and stuff like that. I think that most of them are amenable to that.

I told you guys, like the Sixers, the O-1 team, I'm getting texts right now about whether or not I'm going to be in Philly to kind of celebrate that and stuff like that. And that's fun. And I meant nothing. You know, like I was the low man on the totem pole at that time. So teams typically will look out for you. As far as their stars go, you want those guys around as much as possible. It is great for culture.

It's great for optics. It's within the building team-wise. It's as important, I would say, maybe slightly less for fans. Like they are the people that a lot of those fans grew up on. The reason why they're fans of your team, the reason why they're ticket holders and season ticket holders now, seeing them having access to them, having them around your building is really, really important.

And so, you know, I, Kyle Lowry, I know both of them, not well, but like I spent time around both of them. Like Kyle was at Villanova when I was with the Sixers. And I've watched his career. him sometimes down in Miami when he's working out. He, he, I mean, he got like every ounce out of what you could get for a dude of his stature, athletic ability. And this isn't a slight, like, because he was a good athlete and stuff.

But, I mean, he squeezed every ounce out of that. He was an amazing, an amazing point guard for those teams. Kevin Love made the ultimate sacrifice to play with LeBron and Kyrie in Cleveland. I mean, you can go back and look up what was going on with him when LeBron was talking about fit out, fit in. I mean, Kevin Love was lost for a while, trying to figure out how he could make that work because he was making such a huge sacrifice in terms of who he was as a player. And he did that and he won championships because of it and they won championships because of it. And so treating them with stand in ovations and videos and things like that years later when they returned. it's a special thing for them and and they deserve it.

Yeah. No, it's funny because like we're seeing both sides of that, I think, this season. We're seeing what I just described as with Kyle Lowry and with Kevin Love of what you would want out of, you know, how you treat your stars. And then last year, you know, you see what's happening with Dirk and the Mavericks right now. and just it feels like there's just even a growing, growing divide between those two entities. And that sucks, right? And like, I think other, like, it helps because you just want for the fan bases you describe. But it also helps future players.

I always think about, I always think about not even just how you treat your stars, but like the facilities and things like that. You are always, there's always ABC. You always be crouten. And superstars from other teams see how you treat the people in your locker room and the players that you are saying that you love. And, you know, I think about what's happening with Dirk right now. And like, no matter how the Mavericks are, you're going to see, you know, future. And it's not just the Mavericks, but, you know, you're going to see future players be like, man, I see how you treat it.

Brough, how am I going to get treated? You know, that's why, you know, you see good examples of things that, you know, maybe it's not great for the salary cap, but maybe like, you know, you give that star player that extra contract to, you know, show, hey, what you mean to us? Now, that might be sacrificing some wins on the other end, but, you know, it may help us sit on the back end and also it shows that you're part of this group. But I think that, like, I think about with Ja, like, what is his relationship going to be with Memphis going forward? you know, that's going to be tough, right? Like, that's not, that's not, it's not, it's not great for any party involved. No, that, that's, yeah, that's unfortunate. I'm trying to think of, uh, I think Darren and Jerry were like that a little bit.

I think they mended defense a little bit before Jerry passed. But it feels like he got a weird relationship with Utah, right? Who's that, Darren? Darren, yeah. I can't really speak to, like, his relationship. I think he's good there. I know he really liked playing there. Like I play golf with him and hang out.

Like I know he liked it there. It just I wasn't there when the erosion of the relationship started. I just was there when it came to a head. But I think they, I think I remember them kind of having to sit down and kind of mending fences. But like that always sucks when someone means to a franchise what Jha has meant to Memphis and what Darren meant to Utah, what, what Dirk meant to like. the MAVs, like you, you want those relationships intact. You want, you want them around. You are correct.

Logan, it speaks to future potential stars. It just, it just goes to your overall culture. Like, if we're preaching and, and, and trying to sell family, well, we got to keep family close. Yeah. You know, like, it's the same in college, you know, organizations. Like, you know, I grew up a hurricane fan. I say this, you know, all the time.

My dad was an associate AD there. Like I grew up on the campus and a lot of those, that corridor of time when they were winning championships are either my older brothers, my brothers or my younger brothers, right? So like one of the most special things about that place specifically during that time was big bros were always around. Yeah. Like grandpa, like those dudes were always present and welcome and it fostered like a real, a real family environment where where it's bigger.

than hooped or bigger than football for them. And you want that within an NBA organization, just like any. I mean, you're seeing that right now with Michael Irvin. You're seeing that with Michael Irvin right now with the University of Miami, which is, which is awesome and hilarious. And a lot of things that we- Calm his ass down. He didn't calm his head down, buddy.

Mike, they- I can tell you one thing. If they win the whole thing, he's not calming shit down. Yeah. No, you ain't calming that. As a matter of fact, Mike, they went the whole thing. or somebody sent me an invite. I'll come through.

How are you feeling about that right now real quick? We're deviating, Boo. How do you feel about that? Are you like? I got them win. I got them win in the National Championship. I don't know. Okay.

That's what I got. Wait, are you asking me about Michael Irvin? No, no, no. The canes, the canes, the canes. Yeah, no, I got them winning the National Championship. Indiana's fantastic. I'm not throwing any shade. Watch.

Okay, okay. I do want to ask, though, like, because I think about Phoenix, as it relates to this discussion and you, right? I feel like when, you know, this could be helpful for Ja, right? Like, I'm thinking about, like, the future and how he's going to be perceived in Memphis and how the organization is going to treat him and, like, bending fences and things like that. And I'm thinking about you and a lot of players in Phoenix during this new ownership versus this old ownership. how have they kind of done a kind of a 180 in terms of how they treat alumni? Like how has that been for you?

You haven't gotten out to Phoenix. Maybe next, Ben Cruz is on the call. Maybe next year during All-Star we can do something to Phoenix. But what has that been like for you? Like, what is that relationship? No, it's been great. And I haven't, you know, I typically have, have juggling a lot of balls around here in terms of schedules and trying to be at all my

kids stuff. It's why I chose to do this job instead of, you know, the one I was doing with the calves. So a lot of times I will say no to things that people from the outside would be like, well, I would need to be. It's because I want to be in one of my kids' things, right? That's important to me. But the sons have made every effort, multiple efforts, over the course of years, to invite me, to make me feel like I'm a part of it, and to extend invitations to things that should I want to come out, I would be welcome to come out with my family and my wife. And that does mean a lot.

Ciala is the young lady's name that I deal with. And they've been awesome as an ownership group, and I'm sure it has to come from them. And, you know, I have not taken them up on that in a way that I probably should, if I'm being honest. But I think we might try to make a trip out there, this year and it's been fantastic like it before new ownership I hadn't heard a thing from the sons now again I was only with the sons for for three years I don't have a true legacy

with any particular team so if you were to not invite me around like I wouldn't feel any kind of way about that and I did not feel any kind of way about it but it does feel pretty cool that they do that I'm going to push back on you saying you don't have a real legacy out there because I've been to Phoenix over to let you're on the wall like you're they they fuck with you're still one of the guys at um in Phoenix bro people fuck with you when I go there be people that recognize me like yo what's that with Roger that what's going on like yeah they fuck with you bro well no I appreciate that I'm just I'm just I'm saying like I I wasn't you know I'm not like Dan Marley out there or Kevin Johnson or you know like I was I was a player that played there for a cool time for a short

period of time. And if, like, I, they still hold a really near and dear place in my heart. But like, I'm not one of those guys that you would say, hey, we got to have a round. That's all I'm saying. You know what I mean? But it is very cool that they make the effort and extend the invitation. Like, it means a lot. So we might see Raja at a Sun's game or and or a Sixers game season. You're getting out of the house? I don't believe, I don't believe it until I see it. I don't believe it yet either. But we'll see. Because I also might not get on a flight. knows. Like I might, you might think I'm getting on a flight and I just might not like the flight. So I don't know. You're triggering me right now, sir. You're triggering me. All right. Okay. Let's level set. Let's get to a segment that we do every Friday called R1 of the week where we push, where we present, excuse me, an award to a person and entity and organization that won the week.

Roger, you go first. I did two last week. I have two again, but like this is a one A and a one B. Like one is clearly more real than the other one. Like the Miami Hurricanes have to be real ones of the week. I've given it to Christopal before, but now we're in national championship, dog. Like, this is happening. We bought to be national championships. Like, I say we, like, it's not we anymore.

In fairness, right? Like, I'm a Texas long award. But I still have, I still have like real deep. Are you going to win it? Are you going to win it? Are you going to get the shirt? Are you going to get the shirt? Are you going to get the hat?

No, I can't. Listen, bro, like, I'm sorry Miami Hurricanes fans. I still love the Cains, but like, my allegiance is lie elsewhere, you know, as it relates to college football now. So, but I still rock with the Cains. And like, if you're playing anybody other than the Texas Long Awards, I'm with you. Um, my true real one of the week, I touched on it. It's Janus.

I, I, I, I fuck with you, but went back. I like that. I think that. I like, what was your reaction when you saw that? Were you just like, were you clapping? Were you tearing up? How did you think when you saw that? No, I was just like, I gave myself just a little nod, just a little like, yep, yep.

Been there. That's real. That's real. I didn't have the juice, so I couldn't necessarily do that. But he does. Hey, good for him. And I liked that he got up there and said, hey, I do it to my opposing fans when they boo me. And why would I change that for the home fans?

Like, if you ain't riding with me and you're booing me, I'm booing you back. Yeah. I was cool with that. But he's also like, yo, I'm breaking my back here to do everything that I can. And you booing me? And you're booing me. Are you serious right now? Yeah.

Yeah. I got down with the boo back. Yeah. Yeah. Shout out to the boo back. Hashtack. Ah, ha, ha, ha, ah. Booback.

All right. My room of the week is close to home. I'm going to give it to Ryan Coogler, who won two Golden Globes over, I think it was last week. And also shout out to Amy Poehler, got the podcast award, first ever podcasting Golden Globe for the ringer. Good hang with Amy Poller. Shout out to you. But you are not in this context, real one of the week, but shout out to you. But, man, like, Ryan has just been such an inspiration, man.

And, like, you know, I've known him for a long time now. And he's always just been accessible with advice and just honestly, just inspiring. a lot of people. Like, I remember, you know, he, I'm really close with his younger brother, Kenan. He's one of my best friends. And I remember always talking about, oh, man, your big bro who's going to USC, like, that's cool. He's like doing what John Singleton was doing, right?

Like, he's going to USC film school and like, okay, that's cool. Let's see what he does, right? And then to see him, like, stand outside of merit or stand outside of. at Grand Lake Theater at the premiere of Fruitvale Station just like greeting people and like then see him ascend into what he is today man it's just like been a huge inspiration and he's always accessible for like advice he's always accessible out here um just an overall real one um but he's you know sinners is obviously a great great movie and he did his thing on that and he's really just getting his flowers in a way that not to say he did it before because he's had an

illustrious career. But right now, it just seems like he's just in the midst of a generational run. And that's really cool to see from somebody down here who's actually seen it up close and seen the behind the scenes of it all. So shout out to Ryan Coogler, man. Shout out to the big homie. There you go. You know? I like that. Real way. Side note. Side note, return the industry. We're talking about the industry. I don't know we're Netflix now, but Bridgeton boys. We're coming back, baby. Back, baby. We're coming back. Real quick, real quick.

If Netflix invites us to any premieres, are you going? Are you getting out of the house for that? Are you going to be an industry, raw? Are you going to be a little, are you going to be an industry? How about this? How about this? If my wife finds out that we've been invited to something like that, then the answer is yes, I'll be out of the house. If I can keep that from her in any way shape or for, that I probably not go.

I, well, I'm just going to say, you have an open invite to, and I'm just going to say this outwardly, severance premieres, right? like, bro be asking like, yo, is Roger coming? Can Roger come through? Like, what's up? But you don't want to come to LA. So like, it's, that's the thing. I don't know.

That's, you are, here's the thing, bro. This is the running theme of this podcast. You were invited to shit and you don't go. I'm coming. I know. Roger, if you just took two more invites a year, you would, it would be fine. Like, you would be outside. I would be outside.

I might have to take you up on that. You're such a Virgo, bro. You're such a Virgo, bro. But you don't fucking, you're just anti-social. You be in the, you look at the group chat, you don't respond to it. Jesus. No, I'm social. And I actually like have a good time.

Not all the time. But a lot of the time when I am outside, I have a good time. It's just getting outside is really difficult sometimes. Does that make sense? I mean, I know that doesn't probably make sense to people, but like it should. Like, once I'm there, I'm good. If you could get me to it, I usually enjoy myself. It's just like everything that goes into getting to things sometimes.

We had a great time in the bay. We had a great time in the bay. Just also notice, hey, a little prediction here. More in person, real ones in 2026. I'm just, we're stamping that. We've made accommodations for Rajat. We've made accommodations for everyone. I think we're going to have some fun this year.

All right. With that being said, we've given you guys a great Friday pod. That has been another edition of Real Ones. We do this every Tuesday and Friday. we are back Tuesday so you know what that means real ones mailback at gmail.com real ones mailback at gmail.com real ones mailback at gmail.com me rajah and howard motherfucking back next week tap in uh all the shits enjoy your weekend bye