The Ringer NBA Show - Nets Media Day | Real Ones

Episode Date: September 26, 2022

Logan and Raja take a close look at some quotes from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving during media day, and discuss expectations for the Brooklyn Nets this season (05:00). Later, they discuss how the recent coaching controversy could have an effect on Celtics players (24:00). Then the guys discuss Jae Crowder’s trade request and the general disarray of the Suns franchise before Raja and Logan pick their Real Ones of the Week (30:00). Hosts: Logan Murdoch and Raja Bell Associate Producer: Jonathan Kermah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm Yossi Salick, and I'm the host of Bansplain, a show where we explain cult bands and iconic artists by going deep into their histories and discographies. We're back with a brand new season at our brand new home, the Ringer podcast network, tackling a whole new batch of artists, from grunge gods to power popp pioneers to new metal legends and many, many more. Listen to new episodes every Thursday, only on Spotify. There's Bobbin, Rehwin, Slogan, Murdoch, Raja Bell. No guest today. We're back. All right. We'll get some guests maybe at some other time, okay? But you're going to talk to us for the next 50 or so minutes. What's up, Rob? Yeah, I mean, guests are cool, but like, do we need a guest to carry the pot? Like, I don't think we need a guest. I think we could get this shit done. I don't think we need one. I don't think you need one. Last last. What's up? Yeah, I want to say, I'm going to give a shout out to this young man who was he hit me in my DMs when our Steve Kerr Pod came out. And he said, like, literally brother said like he was feeling pretty down, man. Like he was in a low.

place personally and he needed something to brighten up his spirit. And you know what that was for him? What was that? It was a fucking episode of real ones. And he was grateful and thankful to both you and I and the production team for putting the pot out. And he said it really meant something to him, which I, like, it was kind of profound. I don't usually fire back in DMs, but I had to reach out with a brother, like, that's pretty cool, you know? So I think we can do this. I think we can do this. I will say this, man, just as we're getting on mushy at the beginning of the pod. Shout to all our real ones all over everywhere, man. You know, they always hold us down everywhere.

We've said this in the two-year anniversary episode, but like, for real. Like, thank you so much, you know. I was with, I was at Warriors Media Day, and I was kicking it with the homie Pelo. He's a rapper out of the, out of the Bay Area. And they were just talking about how much they frock with real ones. And I was like, taking it back. Like, bro, thank you. Okay, Pilo.

I appreciate that. Thanks, Pelo. Absolutely. Also, shout up to Steve Kerr for giving us the time. That was a fun episode. That was really cool. You know, it was really cool. I had a couple people who really enjoy Steve Kerr, like friends of mine who listen,

but usually don't like hit me on certain guests. And Steve is one of those dudes who gets the people to come out. Like, yo, he's really good. Like, it was a really good interview. I did find it kind of funny how that little clip, how they kind of tagged that, where he was like, you know, I would bust your ass. And so without the proper context, the way it showed up on social. They thought it was me.

I saw that. Hey, hey, I'm not going to give, thank you for the pub. I don't even know the publication. But thank you for the pub. It was completely out of context. You know why? It's because people don't know who the fuck I am, Roger. They don't know who I am.

So they were like, oh, we see Roger Bell. And obviously they're talking about that. I got so many people. It'd be about that Steve would bust my eyes. I will say this. I saw Steve the other day. He was walking with a limp. All I'm going to say is, I think I got a chance.

I think I got a chance. Right now. I think I got a chance. Right now. I'm not going to dignify that with the response, man. What do you want me to, like, I'd never seen you play. No, real quick.

No, no. So I shouldn't do that. I shouldn't judge a book. I just want to say, like, I feel like you, I looked at the clip a couple of times. Raj. I saw your reaction to that. I feel like, I'm not going to say you threw me under the bus,

but you were happy to hear that. You were happy to hear that Steve wanted, that said, like, what just bucked up like that. I really felt like you were, because you laughed very uncontrollably, and this is coming on the heels of you asking him how annoying I was on the beat. So I don't know.

I think you threw me under the bus a little bit. I just saw your face and I was like, oh, he's loving this. Well, I was loving it. I didn't throw you under the bus. I was just saying like how cool it is that they have all these coaches now to play to play with late in the season. But I did enjoy the fact that Steve's inner like old NBA retired player side came out. I'm sure it rarely, rarely surfaces in the locker room. But it happens to me quite often where like some young whippersnapper somewhere thinks that it's like all fun in games.

And I was, it was cool to see that side of Steve pop up. Like, yo, you got me fucked up. I was like, no, I would bust that ass. It was like I caught astray, but it was like right there. It was like right. Just like that. Yeah. Right in the chest.

Yes. Great pod. Make sure you guys go check that out. So it's time to get to the shits. It's media day weekend, Raja. Started off with, I think Wizards had a media day on Friday. Bucks had media day over the weekend. Warriors had media day.

over the weekend. And then I wake up, I'm on West Coast time right now. So I wake up to Brooklyn Nets Media Day, with, where KD and Karee spoke. So I'm just going to give a quick, because you know, Kerr knows this, who's producing today. I basically got up out of bed to do this pod. Like I'm just, I got here and I'm like, okay, it's time to go. So I'm looking at some clips. So, you know, bear with me. Let's let's talk about the Nets really quickly. I was looking at KD's media avail, part of which what I sent to you before that we recorded this pod, where I'm just going to give you the rundown of what he said, and we could just react off of that. They asked him, local media asked him, are you surprised to be here after you, be in Brooklyn

after your trade request? He says, no. Management told me I was too good to be traded. Fair point. and he talks about how his frustration started when the team went on a major losing streak at the end of last season while he was out. We'll get into the context of that in a bit, but that's where his frustrations lied and why he wanted to ask for a trade ultimately. He says he signed an extension, a four-year extension last summer, with the expectation that the Nets would have their big three. of James Harden, Kyrie, and himself. And then they asked him, where his head is at in terms of the team he wants to be on? He said he wants to be in a place that's stable

and try to build a championship culture. That's the type of place he wants to be. When I just give you all that, he just go from there. What do you think? What do you think of these quotes? So I watched the clip and I was left feeling like it was it was not an immature response to those questions. There was a mature thought out and I know this might not be the popular opinion, but I can't fault a player for having an idea of what something is going to be and signing up for that.

And as you realize in real time that that's not what's going to transpire, getting cold feet and wondering whether or not. that's going to be the best place for you in the future. And I've had my thoughts about how Kevin Durant approached it this offseason. And in fairness to Kevin Durant, in full disclosure, I hadn't heard any of those comments. I hadn't heard a reason as to why he really wanted out, right? It was just what was being reported, that this was a trade request and he no longer wanted to be there. But hearing his response and his reasoning for it, I thought it was logical. I thought it was a grown-up answer.

And I could understand being in situations. I've been in situations like that where you sign up for something. I've talked about this openly. I signed up for something in Utah. And that did not wind up being what was there. Quickly had the rug yanked out from us, you know, with the Jerry retirement and the Darren Williams trade. And so it's not what you think. And, you know, I didn't have the leverage of Kevin Durant in a situation.

I wasn't Kevin Durant. But if I had had it, maybe I would have acted differently. That's interesting you bring that up, right? Because the typical narrative of it is, and you know, I've spoken on this narrative before, which is you signed this and you say you're committed. And then after a year, you know, after a year in which you, at least on the outside looking at, you have built this in your vision, right? You got James Hardin in here. You got, you teamed up with Kyrie, all of these things. I think looking at it now. now, you kind of just wish that, you know, if you're going to demand a trade, that it was just a lot more well executed, right? Just like, because you remember, KD out of all that whole big three was the only one that signed an extension. That only came to agreement to sign an extension. So it's one thing to say, hey, I signed with this, I signed with, I signed with the big three in mind, it's one thing to say that if all big three signs a deal at the same time, right?

But when you're the only one that does that, you know, anything can happen with the other two guys. So I feel like it could have been, you know, this could have been a lot more well executed on his end. Not to say his feelings aren't valid because absolutely, like he makes it really compelling case. But I just feel like all of the stuff this summer was just very reactionary. Get what I'm saying? Well, I do. And, and. I could say in one breath that I understand what you're saying and that you're probably correct. It was messy. I don't think that needs to play out through the media. I think if I'm saying I thought that the answer was pretty mature, I can also say that it would have been even more mature to just go in and keep that quiet and say, look, I don't like the direction that we're going in. Is there any way we could try to facilitate some kind of movement for me? Like those would have been way more mature ways to approach that. So you are correct. I think to some,

some degree, Kevin felt like signing that extension was going to be the first domino and everyone else would fall in place. He could not predict the uncertainty that is Kyrie, the enigma, that is Kyrie Irvin and how that would play out with the vaccine and the mandates that were in Brooklyn. And I don't think he could have foreseen, although he maybe should have, the way James Hardin was going to act in that situation. So I think he was kind of sitting there holding the bag. right. You've signed up for this. It didn't go the way you thought. But you still, having signed up, it not come to fruition, you still have the right if you're a player to explore options if the team is willing. Now, the team wasn't. And so this is where this is,

if you are going to come back when the team says, because I told you, I wouldn't trade it. You remember? I told you when you guys, we made a joke about it. I was to get your ass ready, bro, because you're going to be right back at training camp. As long as you're you're an adult about that and you come back and you're a professional and we go back to work if I don't execute this trade, I have no beef with you. Yeah. So being that this is, they're going to be, for all intents and purposes, the opening day roster is kind of set for Brooklyn, right? They still have a really good team. Sure. What does you think that this, um, distracts from that at all? I mean, is there a way for them to win 50 plus games this year?

I think there is. But a lot of things have to go right. But they're like the ultimate wild card, as they always are in this league. What do you think about the Nets this season? I think the Brooklyn Nets are going to be highly motivated. I think that having Kyrie in place from the beginning of a season, having Ben Simmons in a situation that accentuates his best qualities as a player is going to be a fun thing to watch if you're a Brooklyn Nets fans.

Now, what we can't predict is how many games are missed due to injury, how that affects the chemistry, things that are outside of the control. But I do think on paper, in a vacuum, the Brooklyn Nets, yeah, I think there's a road to 50 wins. I think they're a very, very dangerous basketball team. You're getting Joe Harris back. We very often, because I don't think we ever really gave it enough credit on this particular pod, but every time I spoke to Steve Nash, it was one of the major things that was wrong with their team last year was the absence of a player like Joe Harris.

And so, you know, having him back, the pieces that they've added, I think they're going to be a very formidable team in the East and in the NBA. The wild card is, though, it's always Kyrie, right? And Kyrie even talked about just his unavailability and just the unpredictability of his availability last season. Bag season. Not only affected his standing with the Nets, but also affected how other teams tried to pursue him

or didn't try to pursue him in the off season. He said that during his press conference today. That's the biggest thing because if Kyrie plays 60, 65 games, and I'm talking about a consistent, you know, 60, 65 games. Let's get it even to 70. Let's get weird. But say he gets to that. This team can be really good,

but it could also go the other way like last season. where, you know, Kyrie's an expiring deal, you know? He picked up his player option. I was talking to this with Simmons the other day. What if it goes bad? What are you seen with Kyrie in the situation right now? Are you,

if you have to do an early prediction of how he is going to figure things out or not figure things out, what would you think? He's impossible to predict. He's just, he's impossible to predict. And so I'm not even going to try to really, predict what headspace Kyrie is in. I mean, I think if anything, he's shown you that he is unpredictable.

So I've got a sample size large enough now. Now, that doesn't make him a bad dude or anything like that. My hope for Kyrie, and I think he's going to be great on the court, skill-wise, production, the things that you're used to seeing. It's box office, as Stephen A would say. He's box office. My hope for Kyrie, is he does one of two things there in Brooklyn. And this would be not on the court. This would be off the court in the locker room, on the planes, in the hotels, in the training rooms. Either lead or follow. Either lead or follow.

Don't be in that gray area of I'm not going to follow and fall in line with the culture that we're trying to establish. And I don't want to lead it either. I just want to do my own thing and kind of be this entity that is Kyrie Irving, third eye, open type of deal. nothing wrong with having the third eye open, but either lead and try to keep building on the culture that they're trying to establish in Brooklyn or just get in line and follow. And I think that would go a long way if he took that approach for what Brooklyn wants to do. And quite frankly, for his success on the court, because I know he's going to be great in terms of his individual skills. He's just too good of a player. But their overall success is going to be predicated on whether or not they're all

in good headspace, you know, and that chemistry is good. And so, So for those reasons, that's my hope for Kyrie. I want to give back to Katie really quickly. One of the things that they asked, the media, local media out there asked, was how Kevin feels about his commitment to Brooklyn after this offseason, you know, this offseason, you know, the trade request, all those things. He said, you got to look at my track record and also know that like how committed I am. It seemed like he was saying I'm more committed to the, how committed I am to the game.

And I'm committed to this Nets organization for the future. I think that, you know, based on hearing him on that, on that press conference, I do still think that like he is in Brooklyn, but it's definitely on notice, right? Because he went, he circled back to last season during that, that losing streak while he was out. as just zeroed in on that's the reason why, like, I saw that it wasn't, it wasn't tenable in this moment. And I do want to give some context to that losing streak.

First of all, um, Kevin Durant was out, which is a huge deal, you know, this is a very big deal. He's that good. Um,

Kyrie Irving was only playing road games and James Hardin was about to ask for a trade. So, I mean, yeah, it's cool. That's a poop. show. It's a poop show, right? That is a poop show. What is, like, that definitely is a poop show that could happen this season. That's definitely in play, right? Like, it's definitely something in play.

Now, from, I want to play devil's advocate. Now that Kyrie is not, the vaccine requirements aren't as stringent as they were last year. I do think that Kyrie would be available a lot more this season. But, what, Kyrie better be available all the time. We're not, We're not talking about all right. He should be. He's in a contract year. He better be. He wants a new deal.

Yeah. I'm operating. Okay, go ahead. Because I'm operating under the assumption that Kyrie's missing no games unless there's an injury or we've chose to rest him this year. Okay.

I mean, you also said it the same breath that he was unpredictable. But I just think the overall point is, I do think that Kevin is going to be loyal with the caveat, man. You know? because this can yeah he's committed to the organization but if something like that happens

he just asks for a trade what do you think what do you think about his availability well you know you know him better than i do right you spent more time with him in in off the court and having meaningful meaningful conversation so you you have a better window into his psyche than i do i would just say that all professional sports players are loyal with the caveat or caveat sorry i'm not saying this because I know them, no, I'm saying this

just based on what I've seen. This is my opinion. This is not, it's not necessarily, but I think you're right, but I think all players are like that, right? Because I'm loyal until,

until you prove to me that, like, like, what my end game is, um, and, and what, what you're able to do to help me procure that aren't,

like this, this, this don't match, if that makes sense, I'm getting lost in my words. But if you can't help me get where I'm trying to, to go either by roster construction or ability to control the troops or what have you, then, yeah, I don't know that I can waste the twilight of my career here.

And I think, again, that's fair. I'm not saying that Brooklyn can't. I'm saying that I wouldn't expect him to be in any other headspace. I'm going to give this everything I have. I've already told you that I was on the fence and may want to trade. If everything goes good and we've got this healthy roster and let's just be real. you're dealing with two really interesting birds in Ben Simmons and Kyrie as you're two and three. You know, if these dudes are not, these dudes aren't accountable and this is where we're putting all our eggs, you know, in these baskets.

Like, yeah, man, I'm going to maybe turn around and ask you to get up out of here again. I will say, KD and most veteran superstar players, they're not here to build championship culture at this age. They're here to win championships. They're here to win them. There's a difference. Right. There's a difference. Right, you know, because you're building the championship culture is like something that a younger team does.

You get what I'm saying? We want to contend for titles. Yeah, but I mean, you're still going to have to build because there was no championship culture in Brooklyn. There is none, right? So you still have to build it, but that's an expedited building process. This isn't a three-year, you know, experiment. I mean, it is at this point, but that's not what you're signing up for. You're thinking, hey, we could get on this track year one, kind of like the heat maybe.

man, we're vying for a championship that first year. And if for some reason we fall short, man, year two, we should be favorites. And that they just haven't been able to execute it like that. Then there's the Ben Simmons of it all, right? He went on an old man in a three pod with JJ Reddick and a Tommy Alter, shout out. And they asked him about the play. And he said that also is a great interview. you guys just go listen to it all the way.

But one of the interesting is that he finally addressed the play in Philly against Atlanta said that he thought that all he saw was a black jersey and then he saw Matisse Stivell as a very athletic person that can punch it. He says in hindsight he wish he would have punched it himself and it was just a it was just a messed up basketball play. But he seemed ready to go during that whole podcast, right? He was drinking wine. It was vibes.

He had on probably like a $3,000 shirt. You know, it was just, he was just looking like a Don. Is he going to be ready this season? Yeah. Yeah. But again, I want to qualify everything I say about him and Kyrie by first saying, when you're dealing with people who have. at least in recent past with Ben,

had issues off the court. You know, it's hard to say, right? Is that a fair way to put that? Like, it's hard to say. And I don't mean to, you know, I'm not trying to make light of anything that went on with him with mental health and so on and so forth, but both of those guys have had their issues off the court.

And that has affected their ability to be on the court. And so for that reason, it's kind of hard to say. I think on the court, he's going to be great. I think his skill set is a perfect fit for pairing him with K.D. and Kyrie. Patty Mills, Joe Harris, you know, Royce O'Neill, which Morris did they get? Was it Marquif, I believe? You know, T.J. Warren, I think that's a lot of scoring and a lot of shooting, man. And this cat can get that thing off the glass and push it and facilitate as well as

anybody in the league. He's a Swiss army knife defensively. You're not going to have to ask him to shoot when he doesn't feel comfortable shooting. Just attack the rim and kick out. I believe it to be a really, really good fit. But, you know, what type of headspace are you in is the question? And that, you know, ultimately for him and Kyrie, I think that's going to be a determining factor in like what type of team. I believe them to be a really, really formidable team in the east. What headspace are we in? Yeah. That's going to be the monster of the season, man. Hey, Brooklyn is going to be talked about throughout the season. It's going to be probably one of the bigger storylines of the season. Another storyline. And I wanted, if you listen to this pod, we've already kind of talked about it in depth. But I do want to get a basketball player's take on the basketball aspect of this situation. And I'm talking about, I'm talking about Boston and the Boston self. I was a little, before the MAU doca situation,

I was a little on the fence about the, um, about the Boston Celtics in terms of if they were going to make it back to the, uh, back to the finals, in part because they're two part. One, the KD trade rumors and we know,

both know how that affects, you know, younger players, especially younger players who are faces of the franchise. And I'm talking about Jalen, uh, Brown and him being in trade rumors. But the other thing, though, was I just, I wanted to see a little bit different

my different outward mindset from Tatum, right? Because he was a little too outside after losing a championship in the way that he did, right? Like I was in a, I was talking to Dennis Scott and just, just throwing this theory out. And he had to tell me that I was thrown. the theory of like, man, I just wish he was under a rock. You remember back in, you know, after, if you lose somewhere in an embarrassing fashion as a star player, typically those players from another generation just go under a rock.

You don't see him for two, three months, right? And I was telling 3D that I wanted him, I wanted Tatum to just be under a rock for two and a half months. And 3D was like, it's a different generation. It doesn't mean that it's wrong or right, but it's a different generation of this generation. How should I look at the lens of adjacent Tatum or somebody, despite all the things that are happening, what should we expect from the Celtics right now? Like, it can only go one or two ways. It can go disastrous or it can, like, galvanize. Where do you see this going for this young

team? It's a great question, Logan. I want to, I want to go back if you remember when the Robert Sarver thing first broke last year. It was right before the season, right? I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong. It was very early in the season, if not like the first week or something. And I thought that it would be too much, I said on the pod for of a distraction for Phoenix to overcome. I thought it was just going to be a mess, right? And all Phoenix did was turn around and it really galvanized them in a way.

They had a great regular season at least, right? Like they played great. Ultimately, it didn't work out, but they played great. And so I say that to say that my first reaction is like, that's a lot for a team to, to, to process. It's a big, it's a big change in terms of your day to day

and, you know, who you're taking your cue from. And then on the flip side, I'm like, well, you know, this guy's been one of his top assistants. He's been in the Boston organization longer than EMA's been there. By most people accounts, he's a really, really bright, connected, relatable coach. So maybe this is one of those situations where something like this may galvanize them in the way that Phoenix looked like they were galvanized last year.

But I honestly don't know. My gut, though, says that that's a huge change at such a late point in the summer. Yeah, definitely. But I don't know, man. It's interesting because, I mean, you can definitely compare this to the Sarver situation in terms of how it affects. a team. But I think the teams are totally different. Right. The teams that are, you,

you had, you had been in a unique, the sons were in a unique position where like Chris Paul had just gone through this before, right? And you had a leader in the locker room like a Chris Paul. Whereas this team is led by two guys under 30 in their mid-20s, right?

And is there, you, I feel like you need a guy. And not only is this happening, Robert Williams is out for eight to 12 weeks after knee surgery. So it's going to be tough. I think I'm more in line to think that this is just, it just seems like it's going to be a punted season.

And I could be wrong, but I think this is going to be just a punted season. Just for the simple fact that this is a coach and not ownership, right? It's always easy in the lot. I know Phil Jackson always used to, as a coach, used to just use ownership with the Bulls and sometimes the Lakers, just as like motivational tactics, right? They're not even with us.

We're going to galvanize and go into this cocoon and come out. Right. It's a little different when it's a coach. And also a coach that was as close as star players as M.A. was. So I don't know, man. No, that's very true. I would just say, though, if they are looking at ownership and the executive offices, I don't have any insight into the situation.

But if Boston Celtics team is looking at the players that is looking at this like ownership did them dirty in any regard? Do you know what I mean? Like if that's it could still galvanize them in a way. I do think it's too much to overcome for a team. And more importantly and probably the biggest thing is I just think the East is really, really, you know, with Brooklyn back in the mix and, you know, Janice hasn't gone anywhere. I just think that the East is just tough. And you just went to the finals last year. You are relatively young.

This, as late in the game as it's taken place for you, I think it's probably too much. I think you're right. I don't know that I would call it a punted season, but I don't see them back in the finals. Now, let's go to the Valley of the Sun real quick. You want to go take a trip to Sky Harbor real quick? Oh, man.

You want to play a plane real quick? You want to get on a slide through real quick. Let's go, man. How do we think, we just talk about, how this might how the sons were galvanized last year with the sarver news there's more sarver news in the news raja does this it's this more what does this do we already see that uh j crowder demanded a trade i'm not sure if you saw russia but he did a whole sizzle real about his trade requests i i got to send this to you afterwards it was all on his instagram um it was very

it was very millennial as i say that it as a millennial okay um it was It was kind of fire, though. I'm not going to lie. He started it with like, fuck, Jay, crowd. With the crowd yelling, fuck Jay Crowder. It was like, it was like some 300 shit. It was tight. But anyway, you have this trade request.

And also, I guess my bigger question is, do the suns after their summer have a hole and going into the fall have another, like, chip on their shoulder? Do you think they got a run in them? No. Nope. You about to get aggregated, bro. Just how you said that.

You about to get aggregated. I don't know if you can. I don't know if we, I'm a. stay in Sky Harbor. I don't know if you can go after that. No. I don't. I, listen, I mean, shit, you asked me in my opinion. I, I think that that's a lot.

It was, it was last year. You figured out a way to overcome it. You did not look good in the playoffs. They did, they did not look good. We've got another year of tread off of the tire of Chris Paul's career and he was, he was good. But like, none of these

things, none of these things are easy, bounce, And in terms of Chris Paul's health and ability like that, you don't get better as you get older. I think they'll still be a good team. But a run in them, like, are you asking if they're going to win a chip? Do I, no, I don't think they're, I think they've taken a step back from where they were two years ago. And I think that this mess. And kudos to coach Williams and James Jones and James Jones and front office for being able to navigate this in the way that they have and have that team.

play as well as they did through the regular season. But I think at some point, it becomes too much. I think I lean on the same side with you. I do want to, we had Amino Hassan on last week, because on the ringer NBA show with me, where I'm honing. I asked him this question. I'm asked you this question. Since these sons are up for sale, one, you know, I don't know how much money you got on the calls, but, but I feel like, Phoenix, the whole area of Maricopa County is a sleeping giant with the sons. Under the right ownership, I believe that they can just soar, right? Am I wrong in thinking that?

What are you like with just great ownership? And if you get the right person in place, I feel like Phoenix can be a power just for the fact that every, all the stories that you've told me, it's always been a lot of stop and starts. You guys have had the staff infrastructure there, but there was always one common denominator why you guys would just fuck it up. And I think that if you guys have a really great ownership, I think that I think that you guys can be a power, man. I really do. Obviously, I've only played, you know, and lived in the cities, the NBA cities that

I played for, right? More than a lot of people have played for it, but still not, you know, never lived in Milwaukee or I didn't live in L.A. and I didn't live in New York. And so you'd take that into account. But Phoenix is one of the best cities when things are going well and the teams are good to play in. It was a real magical ride when I was in Phoenix for those years. And I'm sure that Dan Marley, Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, errors, they'd probably say the same thing.

Like Phoenix is as good as any place in the... NBA. And then when you add to it that it's a beautiful place to live, it's a destination, it's got great weather, it's got great food. You know, it's a really, it really is a cool place. And they just got to get the right recipe out there. They've got good talent. They've got to find the right ownership group. And, you know, that's above my pay grade as far as who's coming to the table, bid in, what the criteria is going to be for ownership, if there is any. But I hope they get it right because it's a fantastic place, man. If I had family anywhere, even in the Midwest, if I had family that lived in the Midwest, we would have probably set up shop in Phoenix. It just so

happened that my wife's whole family and my whole family are literally on the Atlantic Ocean. So we wanted our kids to be raised close to family. But we loved Phoenix. Kept a home there for, I don't know, seven, eight years. Love it. So also like a prerequisite for any ownership group that buys the sons or is it bidding for the sons. You got to have a Rajabelle night. I'm going to say that right now. We got to have a Rajsbell night. On a serious note, though, I really wish that like, and it didn't happen, and maybe

it happens under another ownership group, but they didn't, Phoenix never really like celebrated the past like that, man. You get what I'm saying? I really hope that we can have like the reunion nights so you can go and have your reunion night in Phoenix, you know, so that team could be celebrated. like it should be. You get what I'm saying? I do. I got invited back for Steve's, I think Mark West used to reach out for Steve's like Ring of Honor induction and stuff like that. And I, you know, look, man, I don't, I always say my MBA life was another life, right? I live another life now. Like,

I'm not really connected to the NBA other than watching it, you know, tapping in with a couple people and talking about it. But because you just can't keep, you know, it's, it's another life, right? Like you're, and so I did not go, but they made, they made, I guess my overall point is they made some efforts to try to get me back for different things. I think it was maybe twice, and I didn't make it back. So it's not like they have it, you know, and I mean, I don't, you know, I don't know that a lot of, do a lot of NBA teams do that? I mean, yeah, they do. I mean, the ones that are functioning. That's how you keep the propaganda going, bro. That's how you Keep the propaganda going.

You get former players, you have reunion nights, you celebrate teams, bobblehead nights. They do. I'm weird like that. I'm weird like that. Look, I don't, that was, you know, it was a great time in my life, man. Like, it was a magical ride for my family, myself, my friends, everyone, they got to be a part of that. But when I retired from that and it wasn't what I did anymore, I settled into a whole other life, you know? And so trying to straddle the two for me.

is difficult, man. I like being low-key and, you know what I'm saying, I like what I do. I like being around the crib. So you're not going to cut. When they reach out with the new ownership, you're not going to pull up to the arena, man.

I mean, maybe, dog, but what's, I mean, what I'm going to do? Wave at a couple people. Hey, guys. Nice. Hey, thanks for, hey, thanks for having me, man.

Get celebrated, man. I don't need to be. I'm celebrated every day, bro. I got, I got, I got four of them running around, man. We do it. But no. Listen, I would, if I could help, I guess here's the point. If it meant something to people and I was helping do something, like, yeah, sure,

I'd go back to any place I played. If they were like, yo, man, this would mean a lot to the people where can get all you guys back. But just to roll out and throw your hand up a half time of a game, I'm good, bro. That's a flight. That's navigating the airport. I got to check into a hotel. Come on, you know me, bro.

I feel you. I know that. Honestly, though, like, I feel it. Honestly, we haven't, we haven't talked in a while like me and you. I'm a lot more washed now, man. I just, I don't like. With the backhanded. Yeah, I like that.

You're a lot more washed. Okay. I'm a lot more washed now and I like it. But it's just also, man, like, do we have to? You know, it's always like, do we, do we got to do it? Are you sure? I just, I'd really, because all you think of what someone asks if you want to do something is, you're messing up my routine.

Okay. I had my set of what I was going to do today. And now I'm going to go to sleep at 1130 instead of 10.30, like I wanted to, you know? Yeah. Yeah, man. I do know. You do know. That's why you don't never go to NBA games. I do. No, oh, bro. Just when I get there and I'm watching a good game, it's phenomenal. It brings everything back, man, the crowd, get some out of popcorn, the lights, the anthem.

This part you feel like, yo, I'm going to go to more games. The party, you be like when you're at the game in the moment, you're like, I got to go more. What the fuck? I need to do this. This is once I'm in my seat watching in the anthem, I still get chills at the anthem at any level game. When that anthem is going off, bro, it takes me right back. But everything leading up to sitting in my seat, I mean every single part of it is torturous. But it's just, it's not fun for me. So what's it like at the end of the game? Like you went to one game last year.

You went to one game. Are you like, dude, can y'all motherfuckers hurry up and get out of the locker room, please? Like, I'm trying to go home. And then the kids are like, no, pops, let's stay. Or are you like, no, I'm in it. Let's meet, let's do it. How are you? No, last year was cool.

I was in a good mood. You know, my wife and I had had a beverage too. And we were really excited to see people. Brooklyn had a lot of people that I, that are close friends of mine that I wanted to see. Like, you know, David Vanderpoul and Steve Nash, you know, Amari, you know, Goron Drogich was on a team. I hadn't seen him in a long time. So I was really fired up to hang out. Nicholas Claxton, who I played on the national team with his father.

So his father was in the stands. we were talking so I got to see Nick. Those were really cool people for me to stay and see. So it was good. I was fired up to do that. And even leaving, which I'm usually like, oh, shit, we got to get back in this traffic. And I was good. We were on a high last year.

But for your regular game where I'm not going to have these personal relationships, Logan, it's just in that arena at the game, phenomenal. Getting to it, getting everybody down there, beating, finding a parking spot. walking in the crowd, waiting in the lines to get my food or my beer, then getting all of that together. Oh, my God. I got a lead pass, bro.

I know, I know, I know. But you did get invited out. You did get invited out this season, so for a game. I don't know if you're going to do it. Oh, I will for my kids, yeah. Yeah, yeah. I'm going to take my kids to see the Golden State.

I'm Steve, if you're listening. Raymond, Raymond, if you're tapped in. Oh, I'm hitting y'all up. Yeah, yeah, Raymond. Raymond. Raymond. Raymond. All right, man, let's get to a segment we haven't gotten to in a while.

Are you ready, champ? You ready to go? I don't think you're ready for this. I don't know if you're ready for this. I was not prepared for this. I have a retroactive one. Let's get everybody started. Room of the week, okay?

Our real one of the week is a shout out to a person, place, or entity, an organization. but just won the week. It's been a while since we did it. So it doesn't even have to win the week. It's just since the last time we did it. I am going to go with Asia Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces. I wish she was on the Sparks. But she went out there, got that MVP, got that finals dub, got her first ring.

It was great, you know, beat the Seattle Storm. Not for the chip, but just, you know, put them out. just just just said super urge retirement retirement tour nah that's over with I got a ring to win got her first one Asia Wilson the best player in the WMBA said it and I wish he was on the sparks

that's my ruin of the week Rosh's Caddanov he still is just looking for a real one of the week at this point he needs to get on his shit he's like doing research and just gonna I don't know if this is real no I've had this one I just needed to look up these stats real quick man you know I do this a lot I go football because it's football time of year, right? Basketball hasn't started yet and you just took

the WMBA juice. So this cat is a real one for a lot of reasons. Number one, and I questioned it. Still do, maybe, but he stood in the face of free agency and his team wasn't giving him what he thought he was worth. Without an agent, he told him, no, I'm straight. We're going to table these negotiations. He's trying to flip the NFL on its head with that fully guaranteed. I know what Cleveland did, the NFL owners don't like. But Lamar is like, yo, I'm in conference. I'm in division. I'm younger.

I've never been in any trouble and I want minefully guaranteed too. And so when the Ravens, when the Ravens want to step up and do it, he told him, I'm cool, man, I'm going to play this out. And all he does is continue to raise the market for himself. Now, let me tell you what these boys' stats are so far this year for a dude who they said couldn't throw the ball because that's the knock, right? 56 of 88, 749 yards, 10 touchdowns. All right. Rushing, he's got over 200 and some yards and a few more touchdowns. He's 2 and 1 should be probably 3 in 0 if it hadn't been for the meltdown against the dolphins.

But my real one of the week is Lamar Jackson, man. Like what he's doing right now, he's on MVP pace. He is playing better right now than he played in his MVP season. I hope it's sustainable. I'm pulling for him. Lamar Jackson. Brower County Stand up

What? And that boy's on And he's on my fantasy team. Lamar, you not entertained? Mm. Lamar,

you're not entertained? Shout out Florida. Zad on Brower County. We see you. Popinot's finest, baby. Papadol's finest. You know who is not real one of the week?

Who's that? Because you just went football. The Las Vegas, Oakland, L.A. Raiders, okay? I was, I was bamboos. Roseled, Roger.

Let us stray. Hood winked, okay? All my partners was like, yo, you know what? I'm just going to say his name because he got, he got to be messed up. I'm not even going to curse this late thing. Master Tess Vatson,

who is a big who is a big voice in NFL, gasped me all summer. You know what he said? He said that, oh man, you got Devante Adams, bro. you got Devante Adams, it's time to come back. If you're going to come back to the Raiders, this is the time.

Okay, Derek Carr is coming off. A career season. This is the time. This is the time for you to come back into the black hole. Get a Devante Adams jersey. Lock in. The black hole is back. The silver and black is back.

Ever since he said that, it's just been downhill ever since, bro. I watched the game opening day against the L.A. charges. The game, you got to win, all right? lose opening game. Okay, that was cool. You know, oh-on-one, you know? A lot of Super Bowl teams have won a Super Bowl after losing the first game.

It's okay, sorry. And then they just fumble the bag against the Cardinals, right? And then... And then... They let Kyler Murray run around for 21 seconds, man. On one play. And then they go to Nashville

in a game you got to, a win, bro. You got to win. Battle the O and twos. You got to beat the Titans. We lost to Ryan Tanna Hill. The season is over. Okay? I'm sorry that I just took over ruined a week.

But damn it, something need to be said and I'm pissed. Okay? I'm pissed. I came back. The heartstrings were pulled. I really was locked in back into my old AFC West rivalries. I was just all in and they just lay the egg.

not real one of the week is the Las Vegas, Oakland, Los Angeles Raiders. It's just, it's a disgrace. Just, just a disgrace. I think that's where we can end. That's a good place to end. Yeah, I mean, there's nothing else I can say about that. Shout out to the Miami Dolphins. Wow. Wow.

That's a big win. Big win. Big win over the bills. Big win by your team, bud. Good job. They're only your team of convenience, though, but it's okay. We're not going to get into that. We're going to just get into next. All right.

That has been another edition of, real ones. We will see you guys next week. We're doing Mondays. We're easing back into the NBA season. We may or may not have a guess for you next week, though. That's popping. Make sure you guys check that out. See you guys next week. Hala.