The Ringer NBA Show - Predicting the NBA Headlines for the Coming Weeks | The Corner 3 (Ep. 367)

Episode Date: January 11, 2019

We take a stab at clairvoyance by each trying to predict two headlines that will be written over the coming weeks (1:05). Then, we throw an outlet pass to the weekend’s best games (34:00). Hosts: Kevin O’Connor, Danny Chau, Jonathan Tjarks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, it's Liz Kelly, and welcome to the Ringer podcast network. True Detective is back, and the ringers Chris Ryan and Jason Concepcion are our guides as we navigate the twisting pathways of season three's plots, themes, and characters on the flat circle, a true detective after show. Follow Jason and Chris as they chase down leads, explore each episode's cultural context, and discuss true crime cases that mirror the ones in the show. Join the guys live every Sunday night after True Detective on the ringer's YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook pages. Welcome to the Ringar NBA show. This is The Corner 3. I'm Kevin O'Connor and joining me today at Ringer Studios in Los Angeles. It's Ringer Associate Editor, Danny Chow. I'm here, man. Let's do this. And live, Poolside from a five-star resort in Phoenix, Phoenix, in Phoenix. It's Phoenix. Jonathan Charks. I wish I was Poolside. Y'all don't know the sacrifice I'm making right now. I'm sitting in an empty, abandoned conference room, pitch black recording this podcast. In Sunny Phoenix, it should be at a pool right now. Can you not find the light switch in there or something? I don't know I'm in here trying to hide out from me.

Very out don't play, man. Today's podcast is produced by Bobby Wagner, and we're recording it on Thursday, January 10th, at 2.20 p.m. Pacific. We're going to take a page from Kevin Clark and Robert Mays on the Ringer NFL show since the NFL playoffs, and we're going to play a game of predict the headlines. Where do exactly that. We're going to predict the headlines in the future weeks

in the coming months of the NBA. So let's start with you, Jonathan. predict the headlines. Okay, so I know I should give up on this team, but I just can't do it. I'm saying the Pelicans become the team no one wants to play in the playoffs. I'm saying they stay alive somehow. So I was breaking down the numbers, and they've had some good, they've done some good stuff the season.

When AD and Drew play, they're plus 11.8 and 1,127 minutes. Like, they can be dominant at times. They have two really good players. They just kind of fell out the rest of the rotation. I think they'll make a trade and then just sneak into the playoffs just like last year. And then at that point, you don't see Anthony Davis in a first round series. You mentioned how they're outscoring teams by that much. That's like essentially the equivalent of a 65 win team or something like that.

And when I was researching an article that touched on the Pelicans last month, it's amazing how when you just pull one of those guys off the floor, Davis or Holiday, how bad they get. Still, right now on the season, they get outscored by 9.5 points per 100 possessions with just one of Davis or Holiday on the floor, or neither of them. Like, they get their ass kicked, which is one of those guys. So they go from a 60s win team to pretty much a 20 win team just by taking one of those guys off.

So the question really is, you mentioned they need to fill out the rest of their rotation. Who are they getting? Who are they getting, Danny? Like, is there anybody out there for them that helps them out when they don't have one of those guys? I mean, there are plenty of guys who can help them because obviously, but how do you guys have been saying, how do you get them? But, like, you know, you guys have been talking about Holiday. and Davis, and those two were exactly the two players who swung the balance in last year's

playoffs against the Blazers. But at this point, you know you're going to have to give up that first round pick to get a quality, you know, rotation player for them. Who's the player that they're actually going to end up targeting? What position? Does it matter? I mean, they just need more good players. I mean, what's crazy is if you look at their stats, their opening day lineup has only played 60 minutes all season. I think this is like the first game in like months where they had Holiday Davis, Meritich, Randall, Etowin, Eichuan Moore, Elfrid-Pa-Moor, Alfred Payton. And like, Alfred Payton, each one more don't sound great, but the guys behind them are so bad that anyone who's competent is good. I mean, they're playing Julio Oka for big minutes right now.

Like, it's really thin. So getting their guys healthy as a start, which they can never do, it seems like. You know what I would try to do if I'm the Pelicans, and I don't even know if he's available right now. I'm not sure he actually is. Bradley Beal, but the Wizards, you know, the situation that they're in, if you were to give, like, Etuan Moore and Solomon Hill and your 2019 pick, it's not going to get it done. Wizards are going to say no to that. They would want more future first round picks, or maybe they wouldn't have any interest in the deal, period.

But theoretically, they got to get more than that for that. Yeah, exactly. But if theoretically, would you, what I'm asking for you, Chargers, is like, if you're the Pelicans, would you be willing to give up future picks, knowing that even if you bring a guy, Davis still that might be like, you know what? we're gone thinking, oh, a Beal Holiday backcourt is something to build with moving forward, where it helps you now and maybe it's, you know, it's a solid foundation to have. Okay, this is very cynical.

But if I'm Del Demps and I know that if I lose Anthony Davis, I'm getting fired anyways, why not, right? Right. Like, I've got a youth to my job no matter what. Let me have fun at least before I go. The problem is, is one thing I've heard is that ownership isn't willing to put out those future picks. Really? That's interesting.

And almost every year they're not willing to trade future picks. So they just did last year. They gave out the pick for Miritage. Well, no. That was the year of the pick, correct? Oh, so you're saying, you're saying future picks. They'll give up this season's pick, but they won't give up future picks. And what I'm thinking, though, too, like how many teams will give up this year's picks for players?

Probably not very many. So they should be in a good position to get somebody, right? One of the funny things of this team is, you know, over the last month since December 10th, they're six and eight. And I've been reading and, you know, hearing on podcasts how Davis, you know, there's more. Like, he can do more, like, what James Hardin has been doing for the Rockets. But my thing is, like, how much more can you actually expect from this guy over this past month? He's averaging 32.7 points with 14.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.2 blocks with a 61.3 true shooting

percentage over a 37.2 minutes per game. This dude's only on the bench for 10 minutes a game, pretty much. Yeah, and he's not... What more can you expect, Danny? He's not shooting 10-3s a night. He's not shooting 15-3s a night. That's the only... Hey, AD, get on a... about he. I mean,

we're seeing crossovers, yeah, you see those, you see those plays. Dribble moves. But the thing about like when you watch those plays,

you notice how little space he's actually playing with, and that's kind of what makes those moves so much more incredible to see. Well,

that's why getting marriage back would help a lot. He just came back, I think, last night or two nights ago. Would you guys trade Randall? Does he, how much value does he have?

What are you getting back? Right. That's really my question. I mean, if you can get like two good players for him, they just need to keep keep their good players.

I don't think they can afford to give any of them up. With Randall, it's like he has the stats. I don't think he's a net plus for them. I think for the most part, he kind of looks like he gets an 80's way. It's very cousins 80 from last year. And it's so frustrating because he's been good. I mean, statistically he's putting up 19 and 8, 9. It's just a matter of the fit next to Davis.

John, I think there's obviously a chance. Anytime you have a player like Anthony Davis, there's a chance to make the playoffs. but I look at this coming stretch for them. It's a tough stretch coming up for sure. It's scary, right? Like you got wolves, clippers, warriors, blazers, grizzers, all of the road. And then they have Detroit, OKC, San Antonio, Denver, San Antonio, again, Indiana, Chicago.

And that's leading up to the trade deadline. How many of those 12 games did they really win? I feel like there's an outside chance that the headline before the deadline could end up being Anthony Davis request trade from Pelicans. Well, maybe they make a trade. Yeah. They could trade this weekend then. Like, they need to go and get on this. Let's go.

And it could be both. Both could be true. They could struggle over the next 12 games and into the deadline. It's like, oh, what are they going to do this summer? And then Davis goes on a tier to close the season. And maybe they also make a trade that helps him out. Yeah, and as you said, like, they wouldn't trade Davis to tell we know what the draft's going to be anyways. So it really doesn't matter.

Like, they're going to hold out to the summer no matter what happens. Who is dropping out, though, in the Western Conference playoffs? Danny, is there one team that you look at that's currently in the top page just to go through them real quick. Denver, Golden State, OKC, L.A. Clippers, Portland, Houston, San Antonio, L.A. Lakers. Of those eight, is there one that you think does drop out or could drop out for New Orleans to slide in? I mean, if you're looking at things realistically, you'd probably have to say the two L.A. teams. Like, if the LeBron doesn't come back sometime soon, and if he does and he looks a little bit physically compromised, that's a serious, dangerous situation there. And you look at the clippers, you can't really rely on a lot of these guys who haven't really been in that pressure situation yet.

And when they have, they haven't really done enough to make it to the playoffs. They have their share of injury prone guys as well. Exactly. They've been healthy so far, but Gallinari, Beverly and so on and so forth. I mean, hey, do we want to talk about LeBron? Like, he's been out for, what, two weeks? He's nowhere close to getting back. He said it popped on Christmas Day.

Like, when he comes back, will he be 100%? It seems unlikely. Whenever that happens. It's funny, like, when that happened, we're all, like, going on WebMD, Googling about, you know, I remember putting in, like, popped groin. And, like, everything Google was telling me is, like, usually when your groin pops, it's a more severe strain groin. Like, you're going to be out for a longer period of time. So either one of two things are happening now with LeBron. Either A, the injury is, you know, misreported, misdiagnosed and being a short-term thing.

Or B, he's just taking another mid-scent. season breather because he's been to eight straight finals and he's giving his body a break for the long run towards the playoffs during the end of the year. And for what it's worth, Sharm Sharania reported on Thursday that on January 16th, LeBron will be re-evaluated. That is right before a stretch where the Lakers take on the thunder on TNT, the rockets on ABC, the Warriors on TNT, and the Wolves on TNT over the course of an eight-day stretch. So that's a perfect time for the Lakers. to get LeBron back, and for the NBA, they would probably love to have LeBron back

for those four straight big-time national TV games. Yeah, but I don't know, is LeBron going to rush himself back for this team? He's realistic. Is this rushing himself back, though? Christmas was a long time ago, it feels like. Danny, what do you have next for predicting the headlines? So this is something that I can envision a future

extremely excited Bill Simmons column to read like. So here's my headline. So Bill's writing again. Yeah, I mean. Now we're thinking big here. If we're thinking about the future, I love to think optimistically. Yeah, me too. True value is great.

Brad Stevens' 2020 presidential campaign is back on schedule. That's the headline. Because I feel like the Celtics are turning the corner after Wednesday's huge 27-point win over the Pacers who have the third seat in the east. Granted, it was the second night of a back-to-back, but still, you know, this. This was a game in which the Celtics looked like themselves. They did. And over the past 10 games, their assist rate has been just absolutely astronomical. It's up there in the 70s, which is just unreal.

Like all-time level. You don't find teams that pass the ball up that much. And I think that's really representative of their chemistry and how it's improved over the course of the year. And I know chemistry can be, you know, it's like an easy out sometimes. I'm talking about how a team is struggling. Sometimes it's actually just not the players just aren't as good as you thought they were. But I do think with the Celtics,

there was a significant component of that. And in that game against Indiana, I think it showed a lot of what people thought they could be. Hayward gave a really strong all-around performance, scoring, playmaking, rebounding, Tatum fueled their early lead. Marcus Morris, I mean, he continues to have a all-time great contract season. He's been on rail for them.

And Irving only had to score 12 points. Yep. And Jalen Brown once again, though, was excellent. 22 points on 12 shots, 7 rebounds, 3 assists. His early season struggles seemed to be done. Before Thanksgiving, he averaged 10.9 points on a 44.7 true shooting percentage, which is horrific. And since then, 13.6 points on a 60.3 true shooting percentage.

Jonathan, have you observed any difference for Jalen over this past month or so that has turned his season around? I mean, really, as you've been saying, it's like, When they play like this, are they the deepest team in the league? Jalen Brown is your second guy off the bench. That's insane. Yeah, I think it's between them and the Raptors, which is incredible. Like, because I think they have a national game on next Wednesday, I believe. So that's something to look out for.

But, yeah, I think something to note is that the Celtics have kind of been playing like the Raptors. You have Kyrie kind of sublimating his ego, kind of working his way, back into the overall scheme of the team. I remember back when we did our New Year's resolutions, I was like, the Celtics need to find some consistency to build around Kyrie. And when I said that, I was thinking, oh, Kyrie's just going to score a bunch of points and you just kind of need someone to fill in the blanks. It's kind of been the opposite.

Kyrie's usage over the past five games has dipped way below anything he's ever done. And, you know, over the past two games, he hasn't hit 20 once. Yeah. And he said, you know, after the Pacers game, that if he doesn't have to score 30 points for the rest of the season, he's completely fine with that. Danny, now that I think about it, you're talking about how they play like the Raptors. But the one piece the Raptors don't have is a guy like Al Horford. And maybe this is really a story of Horford getting back into his own. Like Horford, he's a 610, elite defensive center, can shoot it.

He got eight assists last night against Indiana. And that kind of player really, I think, elevates everyone else around him. And when he's playing at his best, they become a very, very difficult. team to match up with. Horford is really the glue for that team on both ends of the floor. When he's able to move laterally on the defensive end and earlier on I thought he looked like he was a little bit slower

a little sluggish moving laterally on the perimeter but when he's able to switch and play at the level he can on defense it elevates everything they can do they can make it a switch if they want to they can hedge with him they can drop they can play any way depending on the opponent and then offensively the spacing that he can provide opens up driving lanes

for everybody else and then the passing the playmaking. He's got he's got a six assists over the last four games. He's, I mean, you know, last year around this time when All-Star votes were happening and there was some people that had, you know, Horford over Embedde, Embedd's numbers far exceeded what he did,

and Embedd, obviously, was rightfully deserving and making the All-Star team. But didn't Horford outplay Embed in the playoffs? Sure, yes, and so much of what Horford does goes beyond the box score. What we're seeing now is the numbers are showing up, but still, a lot of it goes beyond the box score. KOSC, how many guys in the league can do

what Al Horford can do consistently. It's not many. Right? I mean, like, obviously there's superstar players, like in Anthony Davis, but even then, you know, there's not the path right opponent. He's a different kind of game. Draymond Green.

But also, he can't shoot like Horford anymore. Also, like, is there any other player you would trust to guard and bead over the course of a full game? I mean, the man button, obviously. With Horford, Horford seems just to elevate his play against Embed, too.

Yeah. It's a hard of it, yeah. It's also kind of like a trick, it feels like, where M.B. Look at Horford and he's just like, this guy's puny. There's no way he could take me. I'm just going to take him off the dribble, and it never works. With Horford, like, Horford's the guy who beats Milwaukee, too. Because Horford makes Brooke Lopez a real liability.

For the same reason, he kind of attacks M.B., but even more so. Like, he's kind of the, I think he's really the mismatched piece for the Celtics in this playoffs. It's interesting with Milwaukee. Just a quick aside. That game on Wednesday night against the Rockets was quite interesting the way Milwaukee defended James Harder and they were forcing him to his right the entire game

Mike Prater on SB Nation wrote a great article breaking this down. We should talk about that. That's pretty interesting. Yeah, you know, I think they had the on-ball defender basically just on Hardin's left side forcing him right the entire game and Lopez dropped all the way down

in the key really essentially right in front of the basket in front of the restricted area giving Harden mid-range jumpers which he's not going to take and instead just protecting against the rim. I thought it was a unique strategy. And we've seen teams do this a little bit before the Raptors and the spurs

in the playoffs a couple years ago. But I think Houston's got... Houston has an adjustment now, I think, which they didn't really use in that game. And that's playing, going even smaller and playing PJ at the 5. Because if you're dropping Lopez at the rim, how can he guard the three point line too?

Right. And one of the difficulties, as Mike mentioned in that article, is that they don't have the depth that they did last year when you could play more small ball. They just don't have the guys right now. I think maybe if they make another move, then you go to that.

The playoffs of teams try that against you. I would also like to see Daniel House kind of move up a couple positions as well. He's a brick house as well. Are we talking, Danny, I go on Daniel House at the 5. I love it. You're taking my bit, Danny.

You know what? Yeah, I mean, this is your book. Let's go for it. Let's go for it. Next headline, Atlanta Hawks, exploring trades for forward Tareen Prince. Okay. Yeah, what's up with that?

I was really surprised this year with Prince he's averaging 15 points four rebounds, 2.3 assists. Another solid season replicating what he did last year. He's been out since

December 3rd for the Atlanta Hawks supposed to be back soon. I believe either this coming week or maybe early in the week or later in the week Prince stands out as a guy that a team should be targeting. I think you look at Atlanta.

he's somebody you have to pay in two years. I'm not sure how he fits into the equation moving forward. I have heard teams like the Sixers, the Blazers and Thunder. Could be looking at Tarine Prince. I think you could look at a team like the Sixers. He's exactly what they need. Oh, man. Yeah, I mean a Covington who could basically put the ball on the floor.

Exactly. Well, he's basically if Wilson Chandler wasn't like 95. Bingo. Exactly. He's exactly what they wish Wilson Chandler was. And even in Chandler's Prime probably wasn't as good as what Prince was last beside. But see, that's why why would they trade him,

I don't understand that. What's the point for the hawks and trading him? I think it's about swapping assets, where if you think Prince has maxed out who he is as a player, you're trading him a year in advance of his free agency. So he'll be a restricted free agent in 2020. So instead of waiting until next season for a guy that you don't want to pay $15 million or whatever he ends up getting.

But why can't the Hawks pay that? They're no one else in the roster anyways. I just don't understand that thinking. In terms of the like their time table? I think it's about just swapping assets, getting something, whether it's a future pick or another young player. That's a very process move they do this.

That would be like a process on process move. Yeah, like trading Michael Carter and Williams. Yeah, but he's actually good though. Exactly. Exactly. Where it feels premature, but you're actually ahead of the curb and doing it. But see, I would wonder if I was in our team,

why are they trading Torian Prince? Something wrong with him? Like, that just seems really odd to me that a rebelling team would trade a young player. I mean, think about Prince is a prospect, right? I think the concern with him, well, actually, first of all, the positives are that this guy can grind on defense.

he shows scoring potential off the dribble his spot up three is average not great a lot of that is manifested in the league like he's become a good score who can have big knights but if you're looking if you're building your team this team is going to have the ball in herders hands a lot and and trey young's hands a lot and john collins has emerged as a double the double machine and potentially a star if he keeps getting better taurine prince is a guy who likes having the ball in his hands likes running prick and roll Legs dribbling a lot. And you've basically been able to replace his value with a guy like DeAndre Bembery and not really miss too much. Interesting. Yeah, but so watch out for, I've heard the Sixers, Blazers, and Thunder are teams to watch for. Prince goes there, he's not getting the ball on his hands, that's for sure. So that's interesting.

What I've always been fascinated with was how closely his kind of trajectory mirrored Jimmy Butler's. in how that, like, when Jimmy Butler came into the league, I always kind of thought he was just going to be a role player. I don't think anyone really expecting him to be like this alpha dog star. And with Prince on the Hawks, he was kind of forced into that role because there was literally no one else on the team capable of taking shots. I mean, he emerged last year. So now he's enjoying the good life.

He doesn't want to go back to spotting up with three point lines. So now I'm just thinking, like, if you were to put Tori and Prince into that role that Jimmy Butler kind of, evaded. Like, what would that look like? I'm interested by that. Obviously, John, you seem to not agree with the idea of trading Prince,

but with the Sixers, I think, if you're them, I'd be stoked about getting Prince. You'd think about a potential end-of-game lineup with Ben Simmons, Joel Ambide, Torrine Prince, JJ Redick as your top and then Jimmy Butler.

Sorry, as your star player, as your five. That is pretty unbelievable. that's a size and the versatility multiple guys you can playmate okay but how did they get him would you give up let's start low here

like a zaire smith and a 2021 Miami pick of your so basically the picks from the suns they got in the draft if you're if you're Atlanta are you into zaire smith in the 2021 Miami john I mean I would just keep Prince but if you're gonna love zire Smith right yeah if they're gonna move him that's gonna that's a pretty good package

I would love to to know if Zaire is healthy. Like, literally healthy as like a human thing. Let's assume he's back on track. Let's just assume, you know, and we're hoping to do. Yeah, Philly's trading like bags of being, you don't know what they're getting you.

Like, what about Fultz? Who knows? When did you get on Fultz? It's a magic hat. It's a mystery box. Yeah. If I'm Atlanta, I'd want that mystery box. You'd want Fultz.

Yeah, of course. Why not? I love the fit with Tray Young and Kevin Heter in a theoretical world where Fultz fixes his shoulder problem and he gets back on track. Imagine that. That gets to be stoked.

those guys I love to live in Utopia, I know, I know, it's not real. I'm in my dreams. Anyway, moving on. What do we have next,

John? Okay, I got a headline for you. The day the music died, a city mourns, legend is traded. The end of the Vucevic era. You had me excited and I don't know if I'm going to be a lot.

He's legend in his own mind. He is. He's having a great year, John. Yeah, it's just unfortunate. I think Orlando doesn't. doesn't want to blow it up, but over the last 15 games, they have a minus 7.4 net rating. They've got the worst offense in the league.

They're sliding really fast. By the time the deadline is, it might be too late. I mean, at that point, don't you have to move them? You can't pay in the summer anyways. It feels like Vucevic and Terrence Ross, who's having a really good year, could be on the move by a month or so. Yeah, Orlando entered the season wanting to make the playoffs, and, you know, there's still only two and a half games back from Charlotte for that eight spot, so they're not out of it.

but they're trying the wrong direction. And it's probably for the best if they lose games. So, okay, so if you're another team and you're looking at Vucevich, and you're looking at his amazing numbers, and you look at Brooke Lopez's season, and you're like, okay,

if we just had a Brooke Lopez type player, would that make our team better? What team is that? The Los Angeles Lakers. There it is. They should have kept Lopez in the first place, but boot with LeBron, that's interesting one-two combination right there, a lot of space.

Seeing Brooke have the year he's had makes it less and less hard to believe that they actually let him go. I mean, nobody could have expected him to be this great in Milwaukee. But yeah, he's been on the elusive it does make sense for the Lakers. Maybe a swap of KCP and a future asset or something like that. But you can't give up an asset that you want to use for Anthony Davis. I think, but I think you can just give up your first this year. I's playing now for Vooch at this point. Unless you need that in an 80 deal.

Or maybe you can give up Mo Wagner. I hate to say at KOC. but he might be at the door. You can't give up Mo. Mo's untouchable. Can't do it. Mo Wagner is an untouchable asset. Sorry, Moe for listening. Orlando's nice.

I mean, for what it's worth. How would you feel about Dallas for him, John? And the reason why I ask is because, you know, I've heard Dennis Smith, obviously there's been the trade rumors with him. Orlando, I've heard is interested in him. I've heard Phoenix is also interested. I wonder, I'm not saying, I wonder because if I'm Dallas,

but let's say Vucevic in a young asset for DSJ and something else. I mean, Vooch is good, but I feel like with Luca, you want more of a rim runner than a pop guy. Because Luca's not this otherworldly athlete who needs space to attack the rim.

He needs a guy who's attack the rim for him. So I think Vouch Baron DeAndre, I don't think he's the answer at Center, but I don't want to let the age him. DeAndre go. Yeah, I think DeAndre, they'll let go this summer. It's a matter of, so you think they would stick with that rim runner.

I think it makes more sense given Luca's game to have a rim runner there, but I don't know. I'm right there. with you. Is there any other team that stands out as somebody that should be targeting Vucevic? I don't know. I threw this out in Slack, but I don't really know if it makes them better. I just personally would love to see Vouch on the Kings with their offense happy approach. I mean, Willie Colley-Stein is not, is not necessarily the answer for them going forward.

So, you know, why not? Have another guy who could shoot. Just scrap defense altogether. Ball out. Who needs defense? I just want points. things play fast. Yeah, but they got to let Bagley get his minutes, though. You can't be bringing guys to take away minutes from Bagley. Which made the Enos Cantor news quite interesting for Sacramento. I couldn't believe that one when I heard that one. Helps their rebouting.

Doesn't help get minutes for young guys. Man, I don't even, yeah, we need a younger Greg Monroe in our team now. I don't get that one. Danny, what do we have next? Okay, so back to my morbid fascinations of the week. Cleveland finishes with worst record than 2002-03. season, but don't get the number one pick this time around. Oh, no.

So what's their pace on now, Danny? What are they looking at record-wise? So they are 8 and 34, I believe. It's a win percentage of 190. But yeah, so they have lost 11 in a row, and they're about to hit a horrendous five-game road trip in which, or actually, they've already started the road trip, but here are their next five games. The Rockets, the Lakers, the Blazers, the Blazers, the Jazz, and the Nuggets. Yes. All on the road.

Tank flow through you. Yes. That's a death march. That's a death march. I love it. And I've calculated this. If they lose out from now until the All Star break, they will have 27 consecutive losses, which would take over their own league record, their own historic league record,

of losing 26 consecutive games back in 2010-11. Is there any possibility of that happening? I would not. I would never watch the Cabs anymore. I'm looking at their schedule. They have two games versus Chicago. Yeah. I mean, they

Those are... But they lost against Chicago by 20 the past week. I mean, Jim Boylan, heck of a coach, of course. Two games against the Washington Wizards,

maybe, you know, if they sputter again. Two games against the Celtics, though. Yeah, two games. I mean, there's a chance to face the Knicks as well. Oh, my God.

And yet, what's looming over the Cavaliers is the Patrick McCaw situation. New York Times, Mark Stein reported the calves

are being investigated for salary cap circumvention by signing Warriors Restricted for agent Pat McCaw to the two years, $6 million non-guaranteed deal. And about a week later, after signing that deal,

they waived him. That whole thing has made no sense. I understand that. Stein reported, you know, Stein reported, you know, Stein reported that the Warriors are the ones who filed that complaint, and there's some around the league who believe that they signed McCaw to get him out of his deal

with the Warriors, his situation with the Warriors, they're restricted for agency. Hashtag petty season. Petty season. I mean, it looks very suspicious for sure to cut him a week later. But how could they prove? it though, right?

Code of silence. Unless there's text messages or voicemails or something like that, how do you prove that? It's just as possible that they may be a strong enough offer. Delete those messages. Yeah, maybe Slack, something like that.

We're kind of... We're kind of burying the lead here is that if they do, if they are found responsible for this, then the penalty is they lose their first round pick, right? Can you imagine? Always the penalty or could it be a second round pick?

From what I've heard, it was, the penalty is you forfeit your first round pick. So if this costs them Zion, no way. There's no way to prove it. Like, it's just as possible as they made a strong enough

offer for the Warriors not to match because, you know, they didn't want to give him a car that money. And then you get this guy and you realize he sucks, you say peace out, and then you sign a guy who's worse and campaign to help your tank out. So, I mean, there's no way to prove it. Unless there's

records. I just... I'm not going to put it past the Cavs though. They've done a lot of really incompetent things over there. I mean, I wrote that piece about the Cavs over the Thanksgiving

break mainly to just cleanse myself. I was thinking way too much about the Cavs and I wanted to just get all of my thoughts out there so that I wouldn't have to think about them again. I have to think about them again with this. But it would just, that would take their depths of despair

to just a whole new low. And I'm not rooting for it because that's, That's just completely unfair for the franchise. But the fact that it's even a possibility is something. It wouldn't be cool. I hope it doesn't happen. The crazy thing is just how much the Warriors have, like, been pursuing Macaw so much.

Like, this is like the two-time defending champions, and they've really, really been, like, fighting for McCaw, keeping him on the roster, filing complaints. Racking like he's freaking amazing, how they're acting. It's crazy. Also, he's like, so he's supposedly going to be signing with the Raptors. Yes, the Raptors. And so they're basically

CJ Miles is basically out of the rotation because he's having the worst year of his career. Can't shoot threes. So they're bringing in a guy who can't shoot threes. I'm saying this, if the Raptors sign you, though, you've probably got some ability. They've really been killing the last year's on roster moves. And then it works out like Toronto

traded El McKinney to the Warriors for Pat McCaw. Oh, so they're just getting all of the... Yeah, all of the Warriors Intel. Moving on to the last headline. Mine is, Luca Donchich named NBA All-Star team Wow

I mean this is not much of a prediction It's number three in votes Right he's gonna get in isn't he Yep I know it's I'm not really going out on limb here The second returns for All-Star votes Came out on Thursday and Luca has 2.2 million votes That's only less than LeBron Janice and Kyrie

That's it so that's more than Steph That's more than Katie AD Paul George Kawhi Yeah Hardin and Bede his 2.2 million votes is more combined than Ben Simmons, Jason Tatum, Lonzo Ball, and Devin Booker. Guys, I'm feeling bad now. As the ringer staff, I feel like we owe the world in the policy.

Luke is great, but man, this is a little much. I mean, the response on Twitter is appropriately how this is a joke. You know, he shouldn't, you know, be in this position. And, like, it kind of is. It is a joke. You know, fans make up 50% of the vote. Players and media each make up 25%. So these are only the fan votes then, right?

Yeah, only the fan votes. So I don't think he's going to get no player votes. Yeah, he's not going to be a starter. I don't think, I don't think there's any media or. Yeah. But reserve. Oh, yeah. I can see that.

I don't know if that'll happen either though. The coaches only put rookies in their down often. And this is why I don't think it's quite a joke. It's a joke that he has more than all these guys. That's a joke. But it's not a joke that he makes the team. Like Luca right now is averaging 19.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. How many guys do you think we're rookies that put up these numbers?

in NBA history. Just throw out a number. How many rookies put up at least 19, 6, and 4? In history? Forborne, for sure. How many you get? Didn't Tyrie Evans have a crazy rookie year or two?

He's just like 25 to 5. It was seven. Seven guys. Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abduljabbar, Sydney Wicks, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Grant Hill. Seven.

Steemed company. All seven of those guys, as rookies made the All-Star team. Yeah, I wonder if the Mavs got to be playing better, though. The Mavs, they've been struggling lately. If they keep falling off, it might be even tougher to get them on that team.

Because, like, you're going to put up veterans, veterans take them off for Luca for a rookie. Coors don't only do that for got rookies on losing teams. If I were Mike Conley, I'd be like, yeah, man, come on. Man, come on, man, really?

I know, I know. I just think I look back and it's disappointing that LeBron didn't make the All-Star game as a rookie. Then it could be an all-star in every year of his career. Is it disappointing, though? That doesn't really matter. I mean, I mean, it's,

That's also part of it. It just doesn't matter. It's a volified execution game. Let's keep him off that radar of NBA players. Let's get this backlash. Just cool it off. Okay.

That's why I don't know. I think let him stay off the team, so people hate him. The thing is, I also want Donchich to play in every single one of the events over All Star Weekend, except for the dunk contest. Like, put him in the skills competition.

Put him in the three-point shooting. Like, hell, if you want, he can dunk too, whatever. But like, look, if we're trying to get him to lose as much weight as possible, let him burn as many calories as he can over the week. I just think it would be great to see. I mean, look, the fan vote is silly, but I also think, you know,

if the fans want to see Luca Donchard's playing the All-Star game, which is just an exhibition game, put them in the damn All-Star game. Moving on, let's look ahead to the weekend, starting with the NBA Watch of the Night. The Lakers, without LeBron, are taken on the Utah Jazz. That's on 10 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Pacific on ESPN.

Danny, will the bronze slout for the Lakers? This feels like it should be a win for the Jazz, but the Lakers have... They've been getting some positive contributions. Oh, yeah, they've been whipping the ball around. Over the past, however many games since LeBron's injury, their assist rate has gone through the roof. I think they're now in the top 10,

whereas previously they were in the bottom 10. I think they were like 22nd or 23rd in assist rate. Last game was a really great example. 30 assists. you had Brandon Ingram and Lanzobal really showing off their abilities to play make and it all kind of funneled into Kuzma who had a game of his life.

And then on the other side, Donovan Mitchell is really elevated his play as of late John. Yeah, I mean, Utah, like, they're the other team were kind of waiting to get back in the top eight. They assume that they have too much talent. They were too good at the end of the last season.

I know they've had a tough schedule the first half of the year, but it just feels like they should have the pieces of getting the top eight. I'm looking forward to that one. Granted LeBron's not playing. It's still an interesting matchup and an important game for Utah that's just knocking on the door of the playoffs

currently in that nine spot. And remember, if you want to watch every NBA game, subscribe to NBA League Pass on NBA.com, Amazon or your local cable or satellite provider. Anyway, moving on, we're going to throw an outlet to the weekend. Also on Friday night, we have Dallas on the road against Minnesota and its new head coach Ryan Saunders, son of Flip Saunders. Only 32 years old as NBA head coach.

Ridiciest ever? Unbelievable. 32 is obviously youngest in the league now, but Bobby, do you have the numbers if this is the youngest all time? It looks like he's not the youngest of all time. I guess technically the youngest of all time is player coach Dave DeBuscher at 25. Player coaches. If we're not counting that, we're counting just coaches. Then it's Walter Budcoe Jr. age 25 and he coached the bullets. What was this? I've never heard of this, man. Let me guess. The record was trash. he had a short-lived stint as a coach resulted in a 10 and 19 record

it's not that bad so he's playing interim coach or something yeah well I guess like Ryan Saunders so anyway Ryan Saunders sharks are there any systematic changes that you would like to see from Saunders with the wolves

I mean like we've been saying is feature Catmore I want to see more Tyos Jones I think he gives Kat the ball I feel like their other guards are kind of more shoot first players and if you have a son footer needs the ball get a pass first point guard in there.

Did y'all watch the game the other night, his first game? I didn't see that. Did he change anything in that game? The only thing I saw was the little shower in the locker room afterwards. That was a beautiful moment. It was great. That was great. And Wiggins got 40, so maybe he's got the Wiggins, the Magic Touch with Andrew Wiggins. Who knows?

Wiggins got 40. Ryan Saunders in his very first play as an NBA coach had them run his dad's favorite play of all time. Oh, that's cool. I didn't see that. Yeah, that was very nice. Pretty cool. As far as who I would like to see, I want to see more Sarich.

That's one of the guys I'm most excited to see under Saunders here. I'm hoping that they play at a faster pace, especially after rebounds and after turnover, just push the ball. A bit more than they were before. I want to see more of that overseas, you know, Sarich. Not playmaking necessarily, but put the ball on his hands a little bit more and show what he can do as a passer. Not a primary ball. Have we seen much Sarich cat pick and rolls four and four or five? No.

I would love to see it. Or how about Kat Sarich picking rolls 5'4, right? Let's get it just like just less Tash Gibson shooting threes. Like if anyone should be shooting threes, just give it to someone who actually can, you know? Speaking about four or five picking rolls and celebrations, Blake Griffin makes his return to Los Angeles on Saturday night as the Pistons are taking on the Clippers. Danny, how are you going to remember Blake Griffin's tenure with the Clippers? I will forever remember the 2014-15 first round series that they had against the Spurs.

Oh, the Spurs? Yeah. That was, for my money, one of my favorite playoff series of the past five years. It was so tightly contested. And at that point, you could have convinced me, and I was probably convincing other people, that Blake was the top five player. Obviously, things have gone down different paths since then. But I think Blake had an incredible high on the,

clippers. So, no, you say he's not a good career. That was actually mine. That was the one that I thought of. How about you, John? I mean, Blake, how about when they compare him to Nelson Mandela that Pioneers? Like, that was so ridiculous from top to bottom. I'll always remember that and trading him like four months later.

I think aside from, you know, singular moments like that, I'll also remember Blake is a guy who, you know, he just kept evolving, right? You know, while battling injuries and, you know, the fast start he got off to his career. He was great as a rookie. He was never complacent. He got better as a ball handler and as a playmaker over the course of time. He extended his shooting range every year to eventually become a three-point shooting guy. And so like, despite all of the injuries, despite all the rehab, and his athletic decline, he kept improving the other areas of his game to maintain his positive impact. And we're seeing that now with the Pistons. He's having another all-star season, dropping 25 points per

game, eight rebounds and five assists. The Pistons, when Griffin's on the court are a tough, competitive team, the issue is when they don't have them. But I think the way Blake has evolved as a player, it's just really, really impressive. I feel bad for him. If Detroit keeps stumbling like this, it's kind of like, just

no one's going to be talking about him in a year or two. Pistons can't turn it around. Yeah. I think one thing that kind of he gets a bad rap for it because he's a funny guy. He likes to be in movies. He likes to, you know, act and stuff like that. It doesn't necessarily mean he you know, doesn't love the game.

And I think his, as you were saying, you know, his constant improvement kind of is a testament to that. And what we're seeing it, what we're seeing in the Pistons, he's basically being the kind of point Blake that we've always kind of clamored for. Is there hope for the Pistons though?

Like, I want to be optimistic for Blake's sake, but what's the hope for them? Yeah, no, we were just talking about Blake, man. I mean, they started a little of Blake's sake. Casey, but just the lack of overall talent seems like has got to them. And are they capped out too, right, for a while? Can you make any moves?

Point Blake, my first article on the ringer.com, August 22nd. I just pulled it up. One for the history books. From 2016, Doc Rivers must unleash Point Blake. Happy to see it's actually happening now under Dwayne Casey and the Toronto Raptors.

So your biographers want to read that article in there. Don't go back and read that. Don't read that. Last game to discuss on Sunday night, we get the Blazers at the Nuggets. I'm going to actually be at this game. Oh, nice. You're going to Denver, Kansas?

It's going to be my first time in Denver. I'm looking forward to that. It's going to be a lot colder than L.A., but I'm excited for that. It would be nice. Yeah, I'm actually going to be off next week. I hope you guys don't miss me too much, but I'll be in Toronto, freezing my ass off.

Look, I've never been in weather below 30 degrees, I believe. So I'm Tarry kids, man They're so soft Do you have a winter jacket? I do But I just I don't know

what I'm supposed to experience Like I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling So I don't know If it's gonna be enough Or if I packed way too much

I don't know Okay Danny we're not gonna have you Next week unfortunately But we do need Hurt or he wrote from you now Okay

So this week's edition of Hurt or he wrote Is not about anyone play that he made But it's actually A quote that he gave to one of my good friends, James Herbert, at CBS Sports. Okay, so I'm just going to read it.

So Kevin Herder had a high school coach who had a saying. His saying was, don't show your third nipple. And here's how it plays into what he said. Here's his quote. You go on a date, you show your strengths. And if you have a weakness, you don't show it right away. So going into a game, obviously, one of the bigger strengths I have is making shots. So let that be my strength.

don't show all the weaker parts of my game. Let your date figure out your third nipple instead of showing it, instead of telling them about it. So the thing that I learned about this, the thing that I learned about Kevin Herder is that we should all be interviewing him in the locker rooms. We should be.

He's self-aware. He's feeding the content machine. He knows he got to felt harder. Hearder he wrote every week. Don't show your third nipple. Words to live by. That's all we have time for today, unfortunately. That was fun though, guys.

Danny, enjoy Toronto. Don't show your third nipple. I won't because I will have it all covered because it will be cold as hell. Yes, it will. John, how much longer are you in Phoenix? Only a few more hours. Oh, dang, man. I've lost it.

For the pod, I'm letting it go. Go see some sunlight. Yeah, yeah. Come on, man. Yeah, get in that dark room. Anyway, well, thank you guys. Have a great rest for your weekend. And thank you for listening to the Corner 3.

Please give us a five-star rating on iTunes. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your dog. Tell your cat. Please just tell everybody about bringing our NBA show. Make us very, very happy. If you do that, special shout out to Bobby Wagner for producing today's show.

And I'm a good friend, Elon, for listening to the show. Thank you again. We'll be back next Friday. Without Danny Chow, unfortunately, we're going to figure out who we're going to be bringing on. See you later, everybody. Have a good weekend. All right, y'all.