The Ringer NBA Show - Part-Time Kyrie: What Does That Mean for the Nets? Plus, the Lakers' Chances After AD's Injury. | Real Ones

Episode Date: December 20, 2021

Logan and Raja talk about Kyrie Irving’s return to the Brooklyn Nets (4:13) and Kyrie’s complicated personality (19:59). Then they react to the news of AD’s MCL sprain and what this means for the Lakers' potential title run (29:30). Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Associate Producer: Stefan Anderson To ask a question for the mailbag, call 510-469-0294 or email [e-mail]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Head into the Ringerverse to stay up to date with all things superheroes and nerd culture entertainment. Hosted by a rotating lineup of superfans at The Ringer, including Mallory Rubin and Van Lathen, shows will provide instant reactions to blockbuster releases, insightful backstories on canon, and mind-bending theories, as well as fresh takes on the latest news and rumors. Check out the Ringerverse on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. The podcast is real one slogan, Murdoch there. Rock. Free pod meeting. We had a conversation.

Are you squared away on that right now? Are you okay? Are you doing all right, man? You asked me, because I just want to paint the picture real quick. You came up like, Logan, you're on Twitter like that, and I'm like, you know, periodically. And then you were like, and then you were like, you just asked me a lot of questions, man. What you want to get on Twitter, man? How do the real ones and how do we all get you locked in on Twitter?

What we got to do, bro? What we got to do? So Twitter's not about me, okay? I'm just going to keep it. Okay. Twitter's not that. Contrary to popular belief. My focus isn't about Twitter.

Like once I, once I did everything I needed to do to get verified on Twitter and Twitter politely told me, no, thank you. Wait, wait. Well, you're not verified? No, no, no, no. And it's okay. Like, I shot my shot. Okay.

Right to steal the term. I shot it. I didn't get, they didn't, they didn't accept. So it's no longer about me. It's no longer about me. So what I was asking you to do was getting my little, my young buck, right? Because the football, the football, the football, the football. football recruiting landscape is Twitter.

I didn't realize that, right? And he tweets a lot. He was to the game before I was on the Twitter. So what I was asking you to do was go check him out is Diabelle 3 QB1, right? Because, you know, we got to get him out there. That's the name of the game, right? And there's a lot of stuff at stake right now. So I was telling Stefan on pot, he was asking me, I have, right now, on my basketball team,

only half the team has reported their results from COVID test. At least five people have COVID, right? At least five people. I happen to be negative as is my son. But the point is it is affecting the senior season. They're getting shortened. People aren't allowed to come out and watch some of these kids play. Like they're recruiting restrictions because of COVID.

And if your team catches it and you have to lose a chunk of your season, it really puts you behind the eight ball in terms of being able to, to show your wares for colleges and stuff. Mine is young, but I'm just trying to get that ball rolling early, dog. So that's where I'm at on Twitter. That's like when I was growing up back in my day, Roger. We didn't have Twitter. Right.

This is the new age of making your tape, finding some address, and sending it to college coaches. That's literally what it is now. That's what we're doing. That's where we're at. No, that's where we're at. And I handle that part. Like, he handles the Twitter and the Instagram and all of that.

But as his dad, and I was telling, Stefan this too pre-pot. Like, I'm on my- producer Stefan. Shout-out's producer Stefan. Thank you for holding it down. Shut out. I was on, I'm on my grind with that. Like, we get that huddle and we're firing it off. And I know it's early, but

I mean, I'd rather be early than late. Off top. Off top. Well, you kind of alluded to it, man. Man, it's kind of, we're having our winter wave right now. Shout out to the little homie. Hashtag, uh, hashtag, get Roger verified.

Hashtag show a little homie some love. Straight up. All my real ones out there. Hold it down. You did picture on something, though, that I would like to talk about, which is, man, we're going through a winter wave. You all stay safe out there. The NBA is not immune to this wave. It's hitting all of us right now.

But I do want to give respect and all those things. I know 90-something percent of the league is vaccinated, and we will figure this out collectively. But it was funny because before like the wave really hit the NBA, there was a bit of news, Raja. It was a bit of news that was coming out that I sent to the chat. I think it was like Friday or Thursday. And I just, I was beside myself. I was, it seemed a little, I don't know if I have the words for it just yet,

Raja, but Kyrie Irving and unvaccinated player. was welcome back by the Brooklyn Nets to play road games. That's not the punchline. The punchline is coming. Don't even trick. He comes in because Raja, the roster has been ravaged by COVID. Right. Right.

A lot of players are in COVID protocol. This is not a disease or not a virus that should be played with. and we're seeing it with another winter wave. And Kyrie, again, who was unvaccinated, rejoins the team and wait for it, Raja, immediately goes into COVID protocols. That's not funny. That's not laughing.

That's not funny. That's the situation. Yes. Raja. And also he is allowed to just play road games after the team, you know, beginning of the year, rightfully so, we don't really want you to be

around the team right now if you're not going to be vaccinated because you're not helping anybody up after the New York City mandate saying that you can't play basketball you can't play in aren't vaccinated straight up in New York and where I'm at in the Bay Area. You can't do it. And so

you know, he fought it and I remember there was some talk that oh, Kyrie Buck the system and things like that that immediately goes into protocols. Raja, is this helping or hurting the Brooklyn Nets? First, can I say something before I answer your question? Oh yeah, you get your shit off. Get your shit off. Kyrie won.

Good for you. Like, Kyrie is the winner in this whole deal. Like, he stuck to his guns. You know, I, we draw parallel to parenting. It would be like me telling my son, like, hey man, if you don't get all A's and B's, like you can't play on this basketball team. And him saying, all right, whatever. I don't want all A's and Bs.

I won't play on a basketball team. And me finally saying, all right, I'll accept the C's and Ds. Come play on the basketball team. Like, he won. Good for him. Way to stick to your guns. Kyrie.

And I have no beef with people sticking to their guns. I don't have to necessarily agree with all this, you know, the stuff that surrounds it. But, hey, he won. And so I just think it's, awful timing for the NBA.

You're going through like the worst COVID wave to hit your to hit your brand and however long. And someone who's fought this vaccination versus unvaccinated mandate is going to be welcomed back with open arms after you told them you weren't good with that.

Does it help the Brooklyn? Not just that. Not just that. Also got people hurt. Let's not forget about that. When, you know, they had a little protest at Barclays on his you have. Let's not forget about that. Okay. I'm just saying there were, there were some, people did get hurt based off of his actions and him not talking about it. I do, I, I want to just add that in there too, right?

Like, sure. Look, I, does it help Brooklyn right now? Yeah, it does, right? Because I think Brooklyn is sitting back, again, I don't, I'm not, it's not my team. So, but I think they're sitting back looking at like, look, we're playing KD extraordinary amounts of minutes. He's playing fantastic. But this, even Steve said it, Steve said it the other night. There's no, there's no, like this can't last, right? This isn't sustainable.

You haven't gotten the level of play out of James Hardin consistently where you would feel comfortable maybe resting KD and just letting James Hardin and the rest of your team take it over. And so in that scenario, you need body. Plus the COVID, you know, the ravaging the COVID's done to their roster. Like, you need Kyrie, you need another body. And it doesn't hurt that that body is one of the best players on the planet. So, yeah, it helps them overall, though.

Like, some things can help you right now and hurt you long term. Yeah. I think it helps them right now. I think it hurts them long term. I'm still skeptical about it, right? Because, and again, I want to preface it by saying, like, his choice is this choice. What am I? Who am I to say?

And also, when this went down about him not wanting to play, I was asking some, you know, people around the league and I'm sure you did too. Every person that I've asked about Kyrie, oh, is he going to get jabbed up? Is he going to get the vice? And they were like, no, man. Like once Kyrie is a person, once he says something, he is in his ways.

He's going to do, and he's going to dig in. So I'm not surprised that this happened or that he won on this one. I'm not. On a bat from a, so from that perspective, like it's his life. It's whatever he would like to do. But on a basketball, from a basketball standpoint, and I'm curious to get your,

your reaction to this. I'm kind of skeptical because I think I know this about basketball players and professionals in general. Kyrie might be right and in shape and all the things. But from a rhythm standpoint, and this is something that like,

I'm sure me and you are going to agree on. From a rhythm standpoint, it's hard to get back into a rhythm during a beginning of a season, end of a season, all these things. But when you're doing that and you can only play road games.

It's hard to plan for that, man. You know, I guess because you only know there's road games, but it's hard to plan against it or plan against that, especially when the person is, you know, not vaccinated, not doing those things to be healthy. You don't, you can't, it's hard to plan

with, in this situation. How do you, where can they go for? Say if he, because if this starts, like, if this happens right now, right? And this is the, this is the wave. This is the winter wave. We don't know what this new variant is going to do. We don't know anything about this. But what about in the playoffs,

Raja, if there's a game seven at home? They need Kyrie. What happens in the playoffs if you make it, let's say you make it to the finals and you navigate all that and you play Golden State in the finals? Yes. You don't play in any games. Yeah. Damn. Or,

yeah, or any Californians. No, no. L.A.? Is L.A.? No, no, no, just Bay Area. Just Bay Area. Just go to New Year. I mean, I'm sorry to hijack, but like, yeah, what happens? I mean, and I just feel like it, this is the thing that it, that is, because it's a bigger thing than just the vaccination. It's a bigger thing than this. It's, Kyrie, it always seems like it's going to happen, but it's going to happen on his terms at all times, despite the fact that he plays for a team, right?

Because this could have been, Kevin doesn't have, shouldn't have to play this many minutes. I mean, he can. He's great. He's amazing. but this shouldn't have happened if you would have like been there for your team. Is that, am I wrong to say that? If he, please help me out because you've been in locker rooms more than I have. But if you had a, if you, if you're Kevin and I'm not trying to speak for him,

but if I was in that position, I'd be upset if my, the best, the other best player on my team who can really help me is not going to play like, is not going to do. do it. And I just supposed that with Andrew Wiggins, right, who back in the beginning of the season, he also said he wasn't in the electionate, right? He went to go get it, not because he thought it was, he thought it was a, it was a team thing. He said, I was going to do it, I'm going to do it for the team. Kyrie, though, on the other end of that is like, eh, you know, I'm going to be stuck in my ways and that's what it is. And we'll figure out or we won't, you know, either way, I'm not playing, I'm not playing unless it's under these conditions. And so now, like, okay,

my help in the short term, but like, that's not going to mitigate the Kevin Durant's minutes problem for home games or playing against the Knicks. Like, I don't, how do you, I don't know, there's no managing, Harry. I don't, what's going to, what gives

with this, I have a few thoughts on it. Number one, I was wrong. I said there was, I came on this pot and said there was no way they were going to let this man just play away games. Right? Like, that would have been unprecedented. I thought there was, quite frankly, more backbone in that in Brooklyn, apparently not. So I was wrong. Good for you again, Kyrie.

I am not hating. Yeah. But you would be naive to think that James Hardin, Kevin Durant, Paul Millsap, Patty Mills, like people who just came over in the equation to be a part of this team, despite what they were saying in public about their support for Kyrie, you'd be naive to think that those dudes weren't talking shit and looking at him sideways at some point behind closed doors. Because you just, you basically, you chose you over. us, right? And that's what that boils down to. So again, that's your, that's your prerogative.

Like, I'm not judging it, but I'm telling you, if I was in that locker room, I would feel some kind of way about that. So now here we are, um, as a Brooklyn team who again, um, is really, really top heavy. I mean, you've got, you're looking at that as a franchise and you're like, wow, we're, we're rolling right now. Like, we're, we're a lot better probably than we anticipated maybe being at this point without Kyrie. Um, what could derail? this. Well, we got a guy coming off of an Achilles two years ago. He's playing major minutes. You know, like we can't have him get hurt. And so now we're trying to figure out how we can, boom, get him some rest at some point in the season. And that's Kyrie. It is because he's another

guy who can carry your team offensively. So I understand kind of what they're thinking. I don't, I don't know that I would have done it. But here's who I feel for, like in this equation. And, you know, People might not feel me because it's a star-driven league. But all the pieces around Kevin Durant that have assumed these roles in support of Kevin Durant in an effort to have them as the number one team in the Eastern Conference right now in Kyrie's absence, there is consistency there. There's a level of expectation there. There's a level of definition of role there that you've worked towards all through training

camp and all through the early part of the season. That all goes out the window for half the games now. And we're just roughly half the games because who knows what happens with, you know, the way it winds up being played out. But that inconsistency would suck as a role player on that team, having to redefine, having to figure out what those minutes look like. And I know no one cares because your job is to figure that out, right? And they will. But you're just introducing a lot of instability into an equation, right? four variables, you know, the messier it gets, the more chance there is for something to disrupt

the apple cart. And, you know, he's a brilliant player. I've said it before. But that's what you're, that's what you're, you're, you're gambling. Like, you're rolling the dice on that. Yeah. No, I just, the biggest thing also, and you talk about the other guys, right? Like, that's, you're talking about the Blake Griffin's, Lamarcus Alders is.

So all these people that have, you know, they're at the backstage of their career where they're like, yo, I want a chip. Yeah. And I got to deal with this shit. You know, they're not going to say that publicly, right? They're not going to do that. But they have to be frustrated. They have to.

How big of a distraction can this be? Because I believe that's the biggest thing is where he has, first of all, I know, I look into that. First of all, he has to get in shape. And we don't know what kind of shape he's in, but we both acknowledge NBA regular season shape is different from just being in, you know, the regular world-class shape that these athletes are. Gotta get in shape. Gotta go through rigorous testing. Then only play a certain amount of games.

Well, what if he says, no, I want to play home games? Or what if there's so many different variables, what is the best case scenario for this, Ra, and the worst case scenario? Well, the best case scenario is that they figure out, he's ready to rock. Steve Nash and Company do a good job of figuring out rotations and cleaning up lineups and so on and so forth.

then they, you know, they're a really good team right now. They're number one in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Durant's playing great. You're just adding another superstar offensive player to the mix. You know, I will say they're a great defensive team in the last pod. We gave kudos to them for that. So, you know, that's not necessarily ever been Kairi's forte. So you're going to have to figure out, hey, bro, we're not just here to play offense type of deal.

But Kyrie will be fine with that. So my best case scenario is that it all works. you know, worst case scenario is that you've taken a team that, I mean, at least theoretically could win a championship and was rolling even despite

like they're missing of Kyrie. And you just, you introduce a lot of bullshit, right? What do you think that locker room, that media scrum is going to look like every game? You know what I mean? What do you think there's shootarounds? Like, I'm sure they have a lot of

press anyway, but like, what do you think? you think that's going to look like what the guys who usually have to answer questions about themselves the minutes they played and what they did or didn't do now we're getting fired at about questions about kairi all the time i don't usually want to talk he doesn't want to talk no this is the burden that the rest of that team is going to get going to carry yeah you know like it's it's it's it's a lot not to mention logan you know this but we're we're we're brothers man we're a family like yeah you know that's a day in day out type of thing i've never this is unprecedented i cannot Remember anyone saying, hey, man, not going to see you guys at home or not going to, I won't be

around. I'll meet you guys on the road and playing games. Never, never seen it happen. So, you know, you're asking me. And also, we know this in the regular season, you don't practice. You do, but you don't. You know what that's like. It's not training camp practices where you can figure out a rhythm to get with somebody with a new

team. No, man, you're going to just, he's just going to fly into a Cleveland or Milwaukee or wherever and just try to play basketball with guys he, yeah, it's rough. Correct me, I mean, if I'm wrong, is he allowed to practice with them at home? He is.

He can practice with them at home. He just can't play in games. Can't play in games. So it's just in like the arena. So in their Brooklyn facility, he's allowed to practice? Yeah, but you cannot play in again. Well, that makes it, you know.

But I'm just saying just for even then, though, but we know how often teams practice and how often they practice hard. They probably have like three, four hard practices a year during the regular season. That's as you're getting into the season, yeah, things taper down in terms of your intensity and stuff. But I don't think Kyrie's going to have a problem with that because he's so good. He's a vet. For sure.

And I should, I should, you know, take it back. If he is going to be at all their practices now at home and he just isn't playing in home games, like I think that that is going to help those relationships that I talked about. It's not like you're only seeing a dude when he's on the road. Like he's now welcome back in the facility and he's around the guys. And so you can develop those relationships. It's still unprecedented. I've never heard of a guy just playing Roe game.

So I have a question for you because I've, you know, I've been a, I haven't never covered Kyrie. I've never, you know, been around him on a consistent basis. But every person that I talked to about Kyrie who has had good times with him or who has spent some time with him aside from, you know, every person that I've been around has said like, you know, they really like him. to a certain extent, they really, really, like, you see the things that happened was reported out with the Celtics, right? And then you see him in Boston, and he's getting embraced by Jason Tatum, getting embraced by all these guys, right?

And so on paper and on television, it looks like, why did Kyrie just blew it all up and just dip? And then it doesn't seem to be the case with his teammates, right? because even, you know, even with the stuff we referenced with Kevin and, and James and all these other guys would be, you know, understandably annoyed and pissed. Kevin's always stuck by his side. Kevin went to Brooklyn to be with Kyrie.

Why is that happen? Because you've spent a year with them, but like, how is it on paper where, yo, man, what the fuck, Kyrie? And then in the locker room, he seems to be good with the, locker. How does that work out? Did you see any? Yeah. What is it about that makes people love Kyrie? Well, in close proximity when they're with Tyree. Yeah, I mean, first of all,

Kyrie is a good dude. Like, he didn't, he doesn't come across like him, like a, like a, like a bad dude when you're around him. I never got the impression. He was always, you know, cool. Kyrie, Kyrie, um, is Kyrie. Like, you know, I think there's something to be said for being who you are, you know, like, you know, like, unapologetically. whether you like it or not. Like, this is who I am, bro. Like I, and he's been this way throughout this whole, you know, pandemic thing and the,

and the vaccination. Like, he is not apologizing for taking his stance and, and being true to him. And whether you agree or disagree with that, you respect someone like that. Now, not everyone's going to love you, but not everyone loves everybody, right? But he's,

he's not a bad dude and he is who he is. So he's not trying to fake you or bullshit you or anything like, like that. He's going to tell you what he feels and tell you to your face. and I think people respect that and people like him. I don't dislike Kyrie. Like I know I disagree. I actually enjoyed some of my conversations with Kyrie.

I said this before. I've known his dad a long time. Like, you know, I like dread. Like I've disagreed with some of the things, you know, that he's done. But that doesn't mean I think he's a bad dude. I do not. And so when you ask why people like him because he's a good dude, like I don't think he's a bad dude. Yeah.

It's funny because like I remember just asking around the league. and stuff to people that, you know, I've been around him and things like that. You know, just thinking, you know, especially during this season with the VAC stuff, just trying to get a better understanding, right? Because I don't, I've never met Kyrie. I don't, I don't know him per se.

So I just want to get from what I can 3,000 miles away, a better idea of who he is. So, you know, I'm asking around like, yo, man, like, how is it? How is he from, you know, and everybody across the board, university is like, love him. Really do.

And more because even with the vaccination stuff, I brought up the vaccination stuff and they're like, well, no, he stands on his principles. And that's a universal thing that everyone seems to respect to every person that I ask about him, especially people that are in the locker. I'm not talking about media members. Right. Because media members have a different perspective on him. And I get why theirs and I'm giving, you know, I acknowledge how media members feel about Kyrie. But the people that were consistently in the locker room with him always say he stands on his principles. I like you.

Da-da-da-da. And so is, is it more like, I don't even, I don't know where I'm asking with that, but I do, I'm affirming what you're saying. Yes. But when, what people do have is just more frustration than anything? Or is, I'm trying to better understand how he is. So is, is it just frustration more than, or annoyance more than anything? No, I think, you know, generally speaking, I like people who are, who are themselves and that are true.

And, and, you know, I can kind of, I get what I get with you. You know what I mean? Like, you're not faking and stuff like that. So there's some of that. what frustrates or can become frustrating with Kyrie at times is he's he's a hot and cold type of dude like so some days you come in and he's hot meaning like you know he's personable with everybody like their vibes flowing like it's a good you know it's a good thing and then other days he comes in and he's cold which means you know like I'm not doing the media today I'm not

doing that shit like I don't you know I'm shut like I'm shut down for one reason or another you know And when people, maybe not in the locker room, but maybe at that next level of, of, you know, management and stuff like that, who have to deal with the headache that that causes with media, you know, or has to deal with what the trickle down is with someone else in the organization, that gets a little frustrating. With media, it's hard because, you know, like, that's your job. And someone's not coming in there and allowing you to do your job every day. You could get. Also, there's a level of there's us versus them with the media on both sides. Yeah, and we both acknowledge that. And media once, you know, media typically, I think, if I'm keeping it a buck,

media always wants respect, right? Like media would have the Napoleon complex in this thing, right? It's always, I'll respect me. You got to respect me. I do my job. And, like, as players, we're like, yo, man, like, we don't, you know, we do respect you, dog. But, like, if I want to come in this motherfucker and talk to you, I'm not talking to that.

Also, we got to earn that shit. We got to earn that shit. We got to earn that shit. Just like y'all got to earn that. It's just respect. You got to earn it. It's fact. But those things that can become frustrating with Kyrie.

So I'll say it like this. Look, my sons were little dudes when we were in Cleveland. I brought him to the gym one time to shoot around as the Cavs were, you know, as they were getting off the court. Like shooting on the rim, like little tiny dudes, second in kindergarten. Kyrie came over and shout with him for a few minutes. Unsolicited. Like, you know, like he just stopped by and shot with him for a few minutes. Made my kid's day.

Like the night he had a, a, um, the katea, um, the kate. Kyrie 1 came out. Like my sons were there with the kids, like, you know, in the stands, like hanging out after the game. He reached up and gave my son one of those shoes. My son still hasn't in his room. The very first Kyrie won on the first night it was ever, you know, with his steel plate in it because he's got broken feet. Like he gave one of my sons a jersey, sign that bad boy. Like it's, you know, Kyria's not a bad dude.

He's a good dude. That's why people like it. I can say that and still say I disagree with some of the things that he does or says. You know what I mean? But that's not taken away from where his heart's at. sure well you know for all involved man i hope i hope chri stays healthy man i hope all that works out i hope but it's i mean you know it is frustrating to see on the week that's i think that's where i'm coming from on this one like you said it's frustrating to see on a weekend where you know people are

you know not healthy the wave is coming through and also you know his rhetoric or lack of you know talking, how's gotten people hurt and people that maybe he caught that are fans of his right outside of outside of Barkley. Like that doesn't that isn't lost on me either. So I just both sides. So I got do everything I've heard is that he's a good dude. But also this shit is is really also gotten not not helped. Look, it's a terrible look for the NBA right now when you're talking about, you know, protocols and keeping people healthy. Like we can't avoid that. It's a bad look. I don't care where you stand. Like, that's a bad look for a league that's positioned themselves the way the NBA has, right? Yeah. One hundred percent. Secondly, and when I talk about the Brooklyn Nets, this isn't as a fan.

This isn't as like someone that either likes or doesn't like Kyrie. This is purely as a, as a front office, someone that's trying to put himself in the seat of management in Brooklyn. It's the same as being a parent. Like, when you're not going to stick to your guns and hold those accountable for what you told them they need to be held accountable for, you've now lost control. You set precedent. So now, like, real talk, Logan, like, you only got kids yet.

If you set precedent to allow someone to do some shit and you don't stick to your guns, I mean, there's nowhere to go now, and I worry about that for Brooklyn. I mean, specifically, and this is another conversation, and I don't want to say specifically with athletes, but specifically with people who are exceptional, and we both agree that Kyrie's exception.

Exception. Right. More than exceptional. He's all of that. When people are exceptional, other people bend the rules. It is what it is, right? You can look down the line. We saw this right now.

And that does such a disservice to everyone involved. It just does. But that's the game. We'll see if it helps. We'll see what happens on whenever he comes back. Whenever he gets out of COVID protocol. Whatever. let's just come on

you couldn't write it better than that dude the next day man all right dog let's stop done talking about this man let's take a quick break we're going to talk about somebody

we always talk about Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers we'll be right back and we are back talking about the Lake show because why not um Raja

Anthony Davis has sprained an MCL. I see your face right now through the Zoom. I don't know which clip they are going to use on the Twitter, but we might need to. Joe Me, everybody, make sure you guys get that face you just made. We're going to meme that. We're going to get all that figured out. Screenshot, do what you got to do, play a.

But he's out four weeks, Roger. As if the Lakers season couldn't get any worse. I don't know. They were shredding water throughout the entire. higher season. And I know I'm going to get Laker fans in my minutes talking about, well, what you haven't been watching every game, Malik Munk has been bawling. Like, dude, you know I love the league Munk. But that's not the point right now, dude. Okay. It's Anthony Davis, who was, we talked about him last week. What are the ramifications

of this, Ra? I think it's, you might just need to just, oh no, man, just. Do I need to tell you again? You want me to say it again? No, hold on. Hold on. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm walking through this. I'm working through this right now. All right. Part of me just says we just need this, this season is cursed. You just did just wrap it on up.

Let's see what the young guys are doing. Let, let T.HT get 25 shots a game. You know, let's just shut it down. It's over. We got legacies on the line, so that's not going to happen. Raja. Raja, look me in the face right now, dude. What?

Talk me through this, my guy. What is going to happen? What's going on? How is this, what's going on, my guy? I don't know. I don't know what's, what's up? What's up? You guys are, you've effectively, or you will have effectively at the end of this season,

wasted one of the few years that LeBron is capable of carrying your team to a championship. That's what will happen. And I feel awful for Anthony Davis. I feel awful. That's an unavoidable injury. Like, that's not someone who's injury prone or anything like that, although he is injury prone, but you're not avoiding that.

He got rolled into, like, that shit happens. It's a terrible, terrible blow for the Lakers. Just trying to get healthy. And we talk, right? About that 20-game window. And, you know, those 20 games painting that clear picture unless someone was hurt. And then you maybe give them another 10 games to kind of figure it out.

But, man, you're starting to get late in the season to develop that chemistry and stuff like that. But here we are. We're starting to do it. And all I hear is, man, Lakers are looking our right. Like, we're playing all right. And here I go talking about,

yeah, they're beating a lucolus, like, Mavs team. So miss me with that. Hey, man, hey, man, hold on. Check this out. Check this out. Check this out. Check this out. Son.

Check this out, son. I'm going to keep it real, real, son. Yo, ever since the Lakers Beluza, they last I checked went four and two. So, ha. No, but what I'm saying is, like, and so you're making my point. You're helping me to my point.

So, like, boom, we got healthy. and that's what we're going to do, right? So now maybe some hope, some silver lining, well, you miss a piece like AD for four more weeks. That's not just about the chemistry, right, that and the time that you're missing, developing that, and all of that. Those are miles that you now are putting on LeBron.

That those are miles that you don't need to be putting on LeBron in December and January, like ideally, because that's going to come back to bite you. I hope it doesn't because you know how big a fan I am, but those are miles he don't need. So, like, the ramp, you know, that injury is just one that was just a terrible injury at a terrible time for a team that just couldn't afford it right now. So we talk about this beforehand. And I mean, I know you're not a Lakers fan, but this is sometimes a Lakers-centric podcast.

But when these deals were made in the offseason of trying, of like going big and getting a name instead of, you know, being true to the game. You see, you know, you get a Russell Westbrook who is a friend of the show. We love Russell Westbrook. You get, you know, these, you get, you don't really round out your roster with, with bench pieces that can like, you know, hold it down. When we see these transactions on paper in the summertime, they get jokes and it's all that stuff. But nah, bro, this is serious. You need a deep team in this age right now. You don't need names.

You need players that we're going to fill out the roster in general. It was all fun in games in the summertime when they were making jokes and we're making memes and all this stuff. Right now, I think, you know, chickens are coming home to roost, man. It seems like that right now with this roster. Am I, what is the best, like I'm going to ask you like I do with the Kyrie. What's the best case scenario and the worst case scenario for the Lakers? Best case scenario, Western Conference finals maybe. You still got that hope?

No, but you're asking me for best case scenario. I mean, I don't see them getting to the finals, but, you know, I think, because I'm still a believer in if, if, if those three are healthy and firing on all cylinders, taking them in a lot of matchups, like, in the playoffs, like, I just am. Including Golden State. I mean, that's going to be, that, yeah, I don't know. But that's why I don't have them going to the final. You understand what I'm saying? Like, I don't have them going to the finals.

Sure, sure. You know, worst case scenario is, you know, you put all these extra miles on LeBron. Something happens down the stretch. You wind up without one of these three. I doubt it'd be russ, like, but it would probably be one of those other two. And, you know, you're scratching and clawing to get a, to get in. Playing game. You know what I mean?

And so, like. Or you're not. Or maybe worst case scenarios, you just don't even make it. You just don't even make it. I tend to think, again, like, if you have, geez, so hard. Like, Westbrook, 28, and 9 last night. LeBron, 31, 6, 14.

Carmelo with 21. How many minutes? Isaiah Thomas, fresh out the G League with 13. He let him in scoring his first night on the floor. That's a terrible look. Good for you, IT. Like, shout out IT. Shout out IT.

Great story. Good for you, bro. Yes, sir. But, like, you're a championship-level team and a dude coming straight out to G is leading. you in scoring, that's not a good look. No, not at all. Not at all.

How many minutes is LeBron playing, Ra? Let's see. Minutes played. LeBron played 39 and a half minutes the other night. Oh, okay. That's not good at all. No. So like, that's worst case scenario for me. It's like you got to burn, you know, you got to burn him out just to get to the start of the

playoffs, you know? And like, LeBron is one of those dudes who's already much better on the, the first and the third than he is on the second game. You know what I mean? Like he's much better on the first and the third. Like so, you know, he's just, I don't know, man. I feel bad. And can I just do this real quick?

Let me just do this because I don't. Just do it. Just get it off. Get it off. It's all good. This is my Anthony Davis. Carl Anthony Town was busting his ass. This is before the injury, though.

Hear me. Like, this. That's what worries me. Like, when we talk on the pod and people counter my argument about him, like, I got it. I know how talented he is and shit like that. But Kess just be going at his chest. Like going. He's been getting his ass kick beforehand.

Jared Jackson was giving him that work too. But it's not even, you know what I'm looking at? Like, Real Talk as a former player, I'm not looking at the actual production or lack thereof by AD or the other player. I'm looking at the look in their eyes when they go at that man. Is their fear? They see food. That's what they look. That's the way they look.

And that's concerning. Like when your peer see you as like, yo, bro, I'm about to eat this. That's a problem. And Roger, they don't see like, you know, the vegan plant-based hamburger when they see AD. Nah, nah, fam. They see the baby back ribs. They see the tried. Tim. They see it nice

and season. And they're ready to go and work. Yeah, that concerns me. That concerns me, man. And so I feel awfully got injured. That little rant had nothing to do with the injury. That's one of those unfortunate ones. I, you know, I just... I hope that it works out,

man, because you know how we pick the Lakers to win the title. Or come, no, we, yeah, we picked the win the title this year. Man, it's crazy because I was... Because I remember I was an opening night in Staples Center, the RIP Staples Center, the name. And I just remember thinking, man, yo, it was a buzz that the, I thought that this was going

to be the litmus test for the rest of the season, and they got beaten at home, and they ain't been right since. They ain't been right since. They were healthy, fully hugged at all their guys, and they got trouched on TNT, and of everybody and they ain't been right since dog it just that hurt that hurt i yeah i watched them the other night and there's just you know when you can eyeball says there's something missing it's not pure talent like from from a big three standpoint it's something else i can't put my finger on it that's usually like you know chemistry or or or you know general vibes and stuff like that there

appears to be something missing from the occasion like you know you eat like I don't know. My wife and my little and my daughter like to bake together. And occasionally. That's beautiful. It's great. No, it's great. And it's always really good.

Except sometimes you'll go in there and there's our house is just chaos. So you'll bite it. It looks the same, right? It looks great. And you go to bite it and you're like, there's something missing. I can't put my finger on it. There's something missing. And it'll be like, oh, I forgot to add the tablespoon of oil.

And you're like, oh, I knew something was missing. I knew it. I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was missing. That's the way they're looking. It's like an 8 out of 10. Yeah. It's fine. It's fine, but something's missing.

Yeah. You know what this season makes you feel like. You know this, Roger, because I know you've been an NBA player. You've encountered a lot of bullshit, a lot of bullshitters, right? When they tell you like, don't worry, it's going to be all right. Don't worry. It's going to be all right. Don't worry.

I got you. I got you. I'm going to, it's going to work out. Like, I got you. And you just want to tell that motherfucker, stop playing with me to just say it ain't going to happen. Just say it's not going to happen. That's how I feel about the Lakers title. hopes is that one part of my brain is like,

no man, no trip. They get AD back, you know, LeBron, the goat, the greatest of all time. And, you know, it's going to be all right. They're going to win. You know, you don't want to see them as a sixth scene. You know, they're going to get, LeBron's done this before. And then, like, the other side of my brain is like, bro, what are you talking about, dog? Like, why are you even?

I felt this way in the 2012-13 season when Kobe was playing with Dwight Howard. And I was like, oh, they're going to get their shit together. They're going to get their shit together. because of course they are. Their talent is crazy. Right. And then, you know, Kobe, you know, we all know what happened on that one.

Kobe, you know, put his, put his whole career on the line on that one, didn't work out. And then they got swept by the spurs, you know? That's what I kind of feel right now. It's the inevitable. And I don't even know, would the title feel that great? I don't know, man. We're just in December right now.

But damn, it's hurting right now. I'm hurting. It's a lacro fan. If I were one, I would be hurting too. And I'm not the bullshit or you're talking. about. I've told you. You're not the bullshit. No, I've told you. Anyone? I don't know. Anyone listens?

Any Laker fan? Say it again for the people in the back. Say it. Say it for people in the back. I'm sorry. There will be no championship for the Lakers this year. I don't think they heard you, Rob, because that we're talking, you already told the people in the front. We're talking about the team. As a huge LeBron and Russell Westbrook fan,

you know this. I allow no slander of Westbrook on this spot. I'm just reading if it's valid. Even if it's valid, it's not welcome. I'm reading tea leaves, man. I got your tarot cards on the table, dog. It's not happening. Hard eyes that are open.

Wide open. It's not happening. It's a very Christmas, bro. Merry Christmas, man. It'll be a good time for it right now, Raja. Talk to me. You got that yet? What?

Do I? Do you have that yet? In my sniffter. Do you got that heem? I swirle it. Like, that's how I get down with mine. Just last. Do you got that?

Do you got that, you got that, you got that yak? You got the yats. The bouquet. Wait, hold on, hold on. Let me look around. Do you have the yak? Because the real one of the week is presented by Hennessy. Tennessee is collaborating with the NBA to give a real look into the lives of different personalities,

including front of the show, Russell Westbrook, also. literally bawling artist Victor Solomon and hoop York City founder Alex Taylor. Real one of the week, Roger. Man, um, what I'm going to say? I've been thinking through this, man. You know, I'm going to

go out the side of the box. I have all the people at the fine establishment called saucy Oakland. Went there for dinner, Roger. I'm celebrating a birthday. Okay. And we went to get the, um, and I know you're a foodie. When you come out

I got to bring you there. We had the chef's choice, which is basically, you know, they bring all the food out. It's an Asian-owned, LGBTQ-owned establishment. It was great. They brought the trays. It was some of the best food I've ever had in my life, right. So, for one of the week, saucy open. That's what I got.

That's what I got. Who's your real one of the week? I like that. I was struggling to find a real one at a week. and I will reluctantly do this because I don't, I'm not like a fan or anything, but this cat Jake Paul. Mm, all right?

The man, he put Tyrone Woodley to sleep. All right, now I know there's conspiracy theorists out there about whether or not that was fixed or not, but it's got nothing to do with the outcome of the match. This cat just, I mean, he just self-promotes on another friggin level, man. He has just told you all that I'm going to be a boxer and you're going to pay me millions and tens of millions of dollars. And I just create, I just create what I want to create, right?

Like I believe it. I say it. I manifest it. And it is what I say. And so I give a shout out to him, dog, because despite how you feel about him or the boxing match or his skills or any of that, I mean, how much money did that fool make this weekend? He got to the baggage claim. Logan Paul, real one. Also, man.

Darren Williams. Oh. Knocking motherfuckers out. It's my neighbor, bro. You got a chill on my neighbor, man. Frank Gore lives around the block, man. I got to ask. I'm not trying to, I don't want no smoke with neither one of them.

I just saw what I saw. I'm just saying. Yeah, Darren, Darren's got a little skill set. He got the blonde hair. He got hands. He said, I ain't doing this no more. I just wanted to show you all that NBA players ain't no suckers. He looked.

And we could fight too. He had a lot of shit to get all. Yeah, man. I don't want to fuck with him. I'm good. I'm chewing, bro. He must be. Neither one of them, but specifically, like, Darren was really just.

He must be a South Pole elf. You ever seen, hey, you ever seen Elf? The movie is one of my kids' favorite line. Oh, bro. Yes. That's one of the, that's definitely out here in a Murdoch. With Peter Dinklage. Elf, and Will Ferrell.

Yeah, and Will Ferrell. But when Will Ferrell says, he must be a South Pole elf. like the kids just lose like they think that's so funny my favorite part of that movie is when Faison Love he's only in for like a little bit he's only in for like the manager of like the toy store

or something like that Big Worm is the manager of the toy store and he's about to kick Will Ferrell's ass great movie I'm about to go watch Elf tonight oh man but that was been another edition of Real One of the Week and the Real One of the Week

is presented by Hennessy. In partnership with the NBA, Hennessy's new film depicts the journey of basketball to reveal the places the game can take us. Make moves that start movements. Hennessy, the spirit of the NBA. Discover more at Hennessy.com. Please drink responsibly.

Imported cognac, aka that yak. Hennessy, 40% alcohol by volume 80-proof, copyright 2021, imported by Moet. Hennessy, USA, Inc. New York, New York. Kennedy is a registered trademark. That has been another edition of Real Ones, baby. We are going to take a hiatus until December 30th. But in the meantime, we're going to do a mailback when we get back, Roger.

So for everybody that wants to all the Mad Hoopers out there, you know, you might even start off the show. All the Mad Hoopers, you make sure you want to leave a voicemail call 510-469-0-2-994. and if you want to send something written, hit the real ones mailbag at gmail.com. Okay, make sure you hit us up. We're going to do our end of the year mailbag. It's going to be lit. The mailbags are so much fun. We're going to have Jemey on.

He's going to read off the questions. It's going to be a lot of fun just to end off the year. But in the meantime, make sure you check out everything on our NBA slate. That is mismatch. That is group chat. That is the answer. And then make sure you check out other ones. Make sure you check out 60 songs at the fine in 90s.

Make sure you check out the Ringer music show. Make sure you check out the ringer verse. Make sure you check out all the stuff on there, including Black Girl's songbook with Who, Roger Bell. Town legend, Danielle Smith. Make sure you check out. Keep the propaganda going. R2C2 with Who, Roger Bell.

The Crescent Clown, Belayo Legend, Cici, Sebastian. Happy holidays. Everybody be safe out there. We will see you guys on the 30th. Holla!