The Ringer NBA Show - Who Got Snubbed From the All-Star Game? Plus, Should the NBA Have 10-Minute Quarters? | Real Ones

Episode Date: January 31, 2025

It’s Friday, and Logan and Raja start the show off by discussing the biggest All-Star snubs from the East (2:45) and West (9:23). Then they discuss Adam Silver’s idea of potentially having 10-minute quarters (13:30). They wrap up on Zion talking about not playing back-to-backs (22:26), the most recent De’Aaron Fox trade news (29:04), and their Real Ones of the Week (43:49). Hit the mailbag! [e-mail] Get your tickets to the live show at Punch Line San Francisco on February 15 here. Hosts: Logan Murdock and Raja Bell Producer: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Ben Cruz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey there, humanoids. It's the Maskman David Shoemaker. It's a new era in professional wrestling, and that means a new era here at the Ringer Wrestling show. Kaz here, every Monday and Thursday hang out with me and my guys' shoes on the Masked Show. And Ben Cruz here. Come kick it with me, Cal, and Brian on Tuesdays for Ringer Wrestling worldwide, where we hit on the most interesting headlines and even react to some of Maskedmans and even your hottest takes. Don't tap out. Tap in to the Ringer Wrestling show feed now on Spotify. or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide it's popping real ones logan murdock here roger bell there um isaiah blakely on the board has ben cruz on the call this must be i don't know is this a big time show rangers is i don't know what's going on here what do you think i haven't even talked to ben but i just hopped in i didn't even i didn't even see it he just hopped in there he just okay all right

i don't know what's going on here all right evaluation evaluation day uh shoot pro cram um What was I going to say? So I guess we're going to talk some All-Star snubs. You're going to talk some 10-minute quarters. And it's about as far as the rundown that I have so far. So I guess we'll just vibe until then. Like, let's forget do it. All right.

Let's talk about the All-Stars. So I'll talk about the list. And then we can talk about the snubs that we think should be or should not be in there. And, you know, obviously talk about the people that are a little sad that they didn't make the team. There's been a lot of people that have just in their fields around All-Star. But anyway, let's get to the Eastern Conference Reserves list. Jalen Brown, Pascal Seacqu, Darius Garland,

Kate Cunningham, really excited for that one. I was, I'm really happy to see him on this list. Evan Mobley, Damien Lillard, and Tyler Hero. Not mad at that list. Not mad at that list. Can't be mad at that list. Now, obviously the omissions are, at least in the Eastern Conference, what we've been saying, everybody is capable for Lamello, which makes sense, at least everybody on social media

is capable for Carmelo, Lamello, because, you know, he got most of the fan vote, right? Right. And I felt like on this list of the names of people that made it, a lot of guys on winning teams,

a lot of guys that have been, you know, at least prioritized as, like, guys. that coaches would like, right? I think we need to, when we see the omissions, we need to see who's actually the voting body behind it. And this looks like a coach's dream

of a list of players, right? And the two omissions that are getting the most headlines, at least in the Eastern Conference, are Lamello and Trey Young. Lamello is nowhere near, his team's nowhere near postseason birth at all. And Trey Young's team is right in the mix. I think they're ninth in the Eastern Conference,

right in the mix in the play. in. So, I mean, I get why this list was the way it is. But I don't really overall have any problems with the Eastern Conference list. Do you? No, I don't, I don't have a problem with it. I mean, anytime you get to the end of, you know, the All-Star Reserves, like there's, I mean, every year, you're going to have somebody that was just really a borderline can make a case for type of player. And there's going to be a handful of those. Someone's always going to be unhappy in that process. So whoever that, like, first guy out, second guy out is, is always going to have a beef. I don't have a problem with the Eastern Conference list.

It was funny because I was looking at, like, people talking about, I think Tray Young tweeted out something about it. Like, it shouldn't be called the snub. It should be called the trade because I'm always, like, you try to make some, and I get it. He's an NBA player. But, like, you got to win. And also there's another thing element to this. like, you know, people, by and large, it's also a popularity contest, so people got to like you, right? Like, it's combined with the winning, but also the popularity of it. And while, you know,

like, I don't think, I think that Trey is, is pretty well liked on his team right now. I think for the early part of his, um, his early part of his career, like, we've talked about this on the show. Just as reputational, his reputation around the league just wasn't great. So I think that that, like, that also comes to pass when a coach is talking about a player or trying to make a pick. Like this is an emotions-based pick from coaches. I mean, even from media, from fans, all of which culminates. And I think that's why we need to have this separate quadrants when we come to at least the starters. But that isn't, I felt like the reputation for both Lamello and Trey kind of played into this decision for sure.

And their teams were bad. Yeah, I mean, there's the human element of it. You know, I think probably, you know, both of them, even Trey and Trey's got, you know, great numbers. He's put up great numbers in the league. Once you get to the coaches, I'd imagine some of them are split on, you know, on just exactly what that, what his talent represents in the overall winning equation. Do you know what I mean? Like, not that I am necessarily, but I could see that. So again, when you're when you're down at the bottom of the I could get in type of list,

those things that you're talking about do come into play, right? Likeability, reputation, the whole nine, right? So it's unfortunate. Are you okay with the Tyrese maxi omission as well? Because that's also something that has been permeating as well. Are you okay with that one? Like, yeah, so here's the deal, right? Yeah.

I mean, theoretically, yes. But like, you're going to go to the Western Conference in a minute, and I'm going to say something, and I'm not doing it for clickbait, and it's not like a hot take or anything like that. But when, Wemby's in, right? Mm-hmm. I mean, if we're going off winning, now, I'm not arguing that Wembe shouldn't be in, right? Obviously, Wembe is Wembe.

But, like, we got to be careful when we start making a criteria for the All-Star game being based on winning. Like, you got to be careful, because where do you draw the line on that? Like the spurs ain't like taking the league by storm in any way, shape, or form, right? Like you got, you got, what, six more wins than like the, the, what were the hornets? Like, what are the hornets at? Sorry, I'm doing this right now. I'm just looking it up.

San Antonio's 20. You got eight more wins than the hornets. Like, you know, I don't, I'm not comparing Wembe and Lamello. I'm saying we just got to be careful when winning starts to be, you know, all stars are based on winning. I've made this case before. Howard and I got into it on that. I don't believe that the All-Star game is the format for rewarding wins. It shouldn't be the venue for that.

What should, what's the balance in that, though, right? Like, should you reward stats and someone? Like, LeMello's been bawling. Like, I can't say that he hasn't been bawling. He hasn't been winning, but he ain't been balling. Same with Wimbunyama. I do know there is a double standard to that. And also, like, to be fair to Wimby, he's putting up historic, like,

If you just put his numbers compared to everybody else's in NBA history, like he's the greatest player of all time through a year and a half, which is wild to consider, right? But like, what's that balance of, he ain't really, he's not really contributing to winning culture, but he's balling right now. What's that balance that should be put at the forefront if you're a coach with this type of, or any voter for that matter? Well, listen, I would argue that if we're comparing apples to apples in terms of players, Like their cases statistically are relatively the same.

And then obviously I'm going to lean towards the winning player, the player that puts his team in position to win more often than not, right, in an All-Star game. But if we're not, I think that the All-Star game is a celebration of our league's talent, of its players that are playing the best, you know, and doing the coolest shit. And so I don't always think that you should take someone on a winning team if his numbers aren't as good as someone who might not be on a winning team

and is doing crazy stuff statistically. So it's a very, I don't know what the balance is, Logan. I have a hard time articulating that. It's just one of those things for me that like, if you're going to pay a guy, yeah, got to do that on a winning team.

You know, if you're going to recruit a guy, you want to got to come in and be a, like, we need to do that and it's got to produce, wins. If you want to give a guy all NBA first teams and MVP's, like, winning for sure. But like as far as All-Star goes, yeah, I just don't, I don't know that winning is the, the first thing on my list of things criteria-wise that I would be looking at. Let's get to the Western Conference

really quickly. Anthony Edwards, these are people that made the team, right? This is Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, James Hardin, Jaron Jackson Jr., Sangoon from the Rockets, Jalen Williams, Victor Women Yama. What do you think of the list? At face value, I don't have a beef with the list. My brain's not working quick enough to figure out who would have been omitted there, or who would have been left off that list. I'm assuming you're going to tell me, but off the top, I don't have beef with that.

Biggest one is Demontas Sabonis. because but like again it's de monta sabonis norma pal which i get it i think he was just a victim of numbers at this point and but demontas sabonis was back into was putting up historic numbers in sangoon who has been playing really well on a winning team winning more than the sacramento kings right now got the nod over the bonus let me what do we have those numbers like what are like i'd be interested in that demontas is averaging 21, 14 to 6, leading the league in rebounds, double doubles, and Sangoon is 19, 10, and 5.

Yeah. Yeah, that's a tough one, right? Because we're, I mean, they're ballpark-ish numbers-wise. Like, that's not a huge discrepancy. I mean, in terms of the rebounds, maybe, right? It was 14 and 10 there, 21 and 19, you said. but you know I don't mean to be hypocritical here right but like that we're talking about a ballpark there and then you know as we're doing that we're talking about one is second in the west at 32 and 15

um and once one's hovering around 500 like I could see where de Montes like yes I could see that again I would I would categorize that as like guys you know down at the end we're trying to split hairs here like we're trying to figure out like someone is going to be upset in that I could see where the Sabonis camp would be upset. And I don't mean hypocritical, but I probably err on the side of giving the guy on the second team in the West that because the numbers are relatively close for me. Yeah.

And also, like, we're talking about coaches here. And I'm sure, like, the reputational right now with the Kings right now, I mean, in their play over the last few years, even though they've been good, it's been, hasn't been as respected as what the Rockets are doing the season. Like, this is what it is. And we're talking about coaches right now, picking the reserves. I think people need to realize that part of the equation, right? And what typically a coach is will, a coach will value in this sense. So, I mean, it's pretty much

splitting hairs. And I don't think anybody, it's not the most egregious omission of NBA history. I think everybody would be fine. And I don't think it's going to be like that memorable, other than like the respective fan bases involved, but like, I think we're doing okay. I think We're fine. Yeah, we're fine. It's always, I mean, it's hilarious. Like, the coaches vote is always going to prioritize winning and no one even goes out to win the damn game. Like, like, I was fine.

That's fascinating, right? Like, we're all like, we got, we got to reward the winner. Yeah, the games. Yeah, but, I mean, there is something to like, look, the Rockets have been a great story. They've been playing great. They've been one of the, you know, one of the hottest topics in the league as, as of late. And there's something, you know, there's something to be said. for that too, right?

Where Sacramento just doesn't have any real juice. Yeah. Oh, that's all we care about this right now, 15 minutes in. I'd say that's all we got for you guys. It was the thing we had to talk about, Roz. Spirit and debate. Great, great potting. Good job by you, bud.

Yeah. The thing that I really wanted to talk to you about today. Let's get to the shits. Let's get to the shits. Adam Silver was on it was on with Dan Patrick It was a couple days ago I think it was like

I think Tuesday Sorry if I don't have that right But they were talking at a really good conversation Just about state of the league stuff You know headed into The All Star game and things like that And one of the things that Adam Silver proposed

Was Changing And it is changing the quarters from 12 minutes to 10 minutes to align more with the college game and the international game. And also cater a little bit more to the fans to have a two-hour game, more of a two-hour game just for television, right? He said that it might not be popular and it wasn't among coaches. But he's – but that's something that's proposed to – you know, as they go with – to this new TV landscape and go into this new era of MBA.

What would you think about a 10-minute quarter and change it from a 10 to a 12-minute quarter? Yeah, I mean, I don't love it. I think, you know, initially it'd be pretty difficult for staffs to try to figure out, you know, minutes, rotations. Like, there's going to, there'd be some hiccups. So guys would, guys would, it would be weird for guys playing that they just become accustomed to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the, the flows of games, you know, throughout the course of a career. But I don't know that it would, that it would change much.

But I don't, I honestly don't love it. I think the NBA is a different product when you start to talk about college basketball and Feebo basketball and, you know, just about any other level of basketball, like the entertainment value that, that's baked into the. NBA, I think, is baked in in a way that's not in other leagues. And so I don't, I don't really know that you need to be trying to become more like those other leagues. Like the NBA stands on its own, like with that. I feel like we're getting to a point right now with Adam Silver where we're just, not to say we're making changes for the sake of making changes, because I know that there is a, there is some level, I mean, he said it in the interview, that there's some level of, I mean, he said it in the interview,

that there's some level of thought behind it. We want to cater to the fans. We've always had, we've had this ratings discussion throughout the season that's been a narrative. But I think for the last five years, there have been a lot of changes in this that no one really acts for, right? Like that don't really make sense

to the quality of the game, right? Like, I mean, no one, like, we had, me and Ron had a decent time in Vegas, a year ago, but like nobody asks necessarily for an in-season tournament, right? Like, and no one is asking for all of this reform. We're just asking for the basketball to be better. We're asking for, you know, people to care about the basketball of it all. Yeah.

I'm not, like, he was also talking about, like, you know, things like, um, the shooting. two free throws if you get bowed behind in three point line. Like, what is, and also another thing that we're doing, and this is like a preview of how I'm going to feel about the All-Star game, but it's like you're making up all these new rules that people have to continually catch up with. Like, oh, did you, what's going on here? What's doing? What are we doing here?

And I feel like there's just changes for the sake of making changes when the real change should be how to make the game better. And the game, I don't think that this over the last few years, the changes that, Adam Silver has proposed to make other than the plan. I really do like the plan. But like I don't feel like these little rule things are actually making the game better. It's actually just helping people in a boardroom say like, hey, this is a good product to sell. Yeah.

I mean, I would agree with you that the game, none of these rules are really making it a more enjoyable product. You know, and let me just go back to like what I was saying about the leagues, you know, not being like, any other league. Like the NBA, if you watch Feeba basketball, like watch when our Olympic teams go play in Feeba basketball and, and, or watch college ball or just tap in and watch some Euroleague basketball, the physicality, like the amount of times that we will blow a whistle for a star so that they can go to the line to supplement those averages so that the fan can get the scoring that the league wants. It's crazy. Like they don't hand those out in Euroleague. They don't hand those out in college basketball. You don't see a parade, a

people going to the free throw line, you know, like you do in the NBA, the defensive three seconds. Like that's not a rule that exists in college basketball. It's not a rule that exists in your league. That's in the NBA. So you can see your favorite mofo get by his defender and take off and put his neck on the rim. Because there's no help side low man or he was there and then he had to get back out. So he didn't get the defensive three second calls. So all of those rules are in or in place like for scoring and for, you know, like to score.

the perception being that the fan wanted the scoring, and so we're going to put in the rules. Like, shorten in the game is just like, that's not, like, that doesn't make sense if everything else you're doing is to drive points up. And to your point, it's just the aesthetics of the game. The game is evolved without, with the game itself, not the rules, not the NBA.

Like, the game has evolved into what it's become. Like, again, I'm watching Memphis and Houston last night, and this comes on the heels, of Texas being at my son's school, right? So I'm up there to see them. Like the first question I get asked by Coach Choice the running backs coach is like, what do I think of NBA games?

Like, do I think it's better or do I think it's worse? First question I get asked, right? So we get into this whole thing about the game. And so now we're into it like, you know, it was Coach Gilbert, Coach Millwee, and everybody's talking about all the threes and how it goes up and down and how there's, and that just happened.

Like the analytics driven world and what people are putting stock in and the way they're training and the messaging that they're given to players, it's turned the game into that. The rules that you put in place aren't affecting that. They're not, they're not affecting that. That's what aesthetically is hard for some people to watch. It ain't necessarily the length of the game. Well, I'm sure the length might bother some people, but by and large, it's not the length of the game that's bothering people. It's the way it's being played. Raja, I was at the, I was at the, um, Warriors, uh, Thunder game the other day when

Shay shot a gazillion fucking free throws. Yeah. It took the life out of the game, bro. Yeah, the parade to the free throw line, yeah. The parade to the free throw line. Was that the 52 ball? That was a 52 ball. That was a 52 ball.

Cooking early. I will say this, though. I mean, people don't want to see the free throws. I will say this another, another thing about Shays, 52, and I don't want to hate on. That boy is, it's the smooth. It was like the smoothest 52 that I had seen in a while. you know, like where you look up and like, damn, like, you know, he's dancing with the defense.

It's a waltz to the, you know what I mean? It was a waltz to the free throw line, but it was also a waltz, like, around your favorite defender. But sure. The biggest thing out of that game was, why does dude, like, is a parading to the free throw line of? Because he's a star and he can draw fouls, right? Like, but that's been something, that's not just a now thing, right? Like, the famous clip of magic in, in, in, uh, MJ is, if you've, if you've, breathe on Michaelissa foul, right?

Like, this has always been a thing in the NBA. I mean, you lived it guarding Kobe and everybody else's favorite player, right? Where you're playing sound defense and this is what happens. Like, if you're going to, if you're

going to do this, like, actually make substantial change, right? Like, I don't know. I just, the league, this is, I don't know. Two minutes a quarter in it. Like, I mean, that's not really, I mean, I don't know, man.

I'm not railing. I have no beef with it. But I guess I'm saying all that to say I agree with you. Like, I don't think two minutes is really. Instead he wanted to get it to two hours when the average game is two hours and 16 minutes. He's doing this for 15 minutes. For 15 minutes. For 15 minutes.

We're tinkering. All right, no. I hear you. We'll see what happens. All right, man. Let's take a quick break and I want to talk about Zion Williamson. All right, Raja, we're back to talk about one of our favorite, non-favored subjects. Mr. Zion Williamson, who has been back with the Pelicans since January 7th,

was speaking on his availability in back-to-backs of the pelicans who limited his ability for back-to-backs because he's very much been entry-prone for most of his career. And this version of Zion that was in immediate availability, like look like the Hulk. Like he looked, you know, Zion be looking big for like most of his career. and then like for we can all relate to this you know you go in a gym you go hard for like a month and then you start looking swole you know what i mean he looked like no he looked like the terminator on this one and you picked a great day to sift blame back to the pelicans he says let me be clear to everybody out there if i can play in black to blacks i would physically yes i can't but i work for the pelicans they have now decided based off the numbers it's not smart for

to do that right now. It's what they feel. I'm rocking with them on that. But yes, if I could play in a back-to-back, I would. I want to dissect that quote a little bit. I'll just real quick. Man said that I just work here. It's on them.

And my boss has told me something else to do. I'm not beefing with them, even though I brought this up already. I'm not beefing with them, even though that like it looks like I'm irritated with the questioning. But I will play it back to back if I want. Like, where are we with this?

Like, what are we doing here with these two, with these two entities, right? With the pelicans in the, in Zion. That's a house divided. Like, they've been signs of that forever. Like, they clearly don't see eye to eye on much of anything. Yeah, let me be clear. I mean, when you start off with, let me be clear.

Like, you've said it, you said it all there. I'm saying, let's set this record straight. This is not me. This is them. You know, I've not spoken to, like, Griff or anybody about this, so this is just me kind of like, if anybody would ask me, play his ass. Play him.

Give him what he wants. Yeah, like, yeah, play him. I mean, I get what you've done there is like, and I've said this before many a time on this pod, and I don't know how often it falls on deaf ears versus how often people are listening to what I'm saying, which is like bigger picture load management, and not playing in games was never, well, not never, but it wasn't really, the genesis of that

wasn't really player driven. It was sports science driven. It was information analytics driven from, you know, the data that they were getting moving its way up through coaches, management, management to owner, trying to protect the interest of the investment and then, you know, therefore the ability to win a championship. And so as they throw all this data, in, you know, it was supporting people taking these rest, these targeted rest in between days of work or games, you know, in a way that kind of turned into like load management. It wasn't pervasive across the league. It was just like a couple people doing it. It was San Antonio for a while, right? Like nobody else was really doing it. And then, you know, everybody started to have a star

and you want to rest them, especially as they get older. So I get why New Orleans is doing that with Zion. Like, and Griff is big into the numbers too. So like, they are trying to protect him, but like at some point, throw his ass out there. Let him go. You gotta take the training wheels off. Yeah, just let him go.

Let him go. And then, and then you'll know, like, definitively. Like, and then you can have your own press conference. Say, let us, let us, like, set the record straight.

Let us be clear. It's just a mess, bro. We're letting him go and he cannot stay healthy. Look, look what he, look what happened. And if he does, then he does. And then you got,

you know, maybe you're not 12. and 36 or whatever you are. I'm going to talk about. Sorry. Yeah, 12 and 36. Good shit, buddy. Hey, yo, you did.

That was a staff look away right there. Yeah, that was a pool there, boy. God, duh. You're so sick of watching the pelicans. You know when you go and you, I mean, I'm sure you experience is a lot more than I do, but like when you go and you turn on a television show or you turn on a game trying to support.

show potner or whatever you're trying to just, you know, let me just put it's like. And it's just ass. You know that pit in your stomach? Have you ever, have you ever experienced that where you're just like, I really love this person, but this is not going the way it should be going. And you just feel kind of guilty for like, you're just like, you know, let me just turn this off. Yep.

Yeah, I've been there. And then when they ask you, be like, yeah, I saw, I saw that. Yeah, that was those, those, those, that was, that was I. Yeah, well, when you get to like, when you get to like, what am I, 408 right now, turning 49. am I, I'm a turn of 50. I'm turn 49. When you get up, when you get up here, Logan, like you don't even front you. You look great, brother.

You look great, brother. Yeah, thank you, man. Thank you. I wasn't fishing, but I appreciate that. You don't really lie about that anymore. When did you get to the point where you stopped? When did you get to the point where, because I felt like you already were like that. As long as I mean, I guess for as long as I've known you, but like, I always shot it pretty straight, but I did take people's, you know, I never, I wasn't, I don't like to hurt people's feelings.

Like, you know, at my core, I'm not someone who enjoy. doing that like i i i don't like to sugarcoat things but like i i will if if i care about your feelings but i mean i'd probably say the last seven or eight years for me man 40 plus have been like look though why why don't fuck i'm a lie to you i mean i don't know i'm not watching i'm not watching i don't know what to tell you bro i typed in it was terrible i stop watching i don't know what to tell you guy i mean i i wear the same jeans now like two three days in a row like I ain't even tripping. Do you know what?

I mean? Like, I'm not fucking, what? Let's go, bro. And the same ones. Yeah, like, I'm not even, what am I doing? Like, I'm past all of that. What's funny is that these stories will never leave the group chat and the pre-pop meetings. But Roger is about that action boss. All of the.

Every other thing, Roger has a story about how he just, he was wilding. You know what I mean? Hey man I've had my day You know what I mean Speaking of having their days They're not having their days The Sacramento Kings and the Aaron Fox

It's coming to an end What happened now Well I mean Now The report came earlier this week That the kings are open to trading Aaron Fox right Like this is

And it's We could have a whole other discussion It's just like Journalism just being a series of media rollouts for a certain person manipulating said media. I'm getting to inside baseball here. But basically, Rich Paul is, it seems to be trying to get Aaron Fox to San Antonio at this point.

Right. And it comes on the heels of where the king, it comes on the heels of Mike Browns firing a month ago. Doug Christie surprisingly making this team into somewhat an interesting ball. club. You know, they won the, the, the, the, the seventh straight. Um, they won, I think, what, 10 of 11. And now they've lost three out of four, coinciding with, you know, this report that came out for both, uh, front of the show, Sam Amick and, uh, Sean Saroni. Um, but I just, when I, when I see this going on with these two teams, it's just on the, on the, the, the, Aaron Fox side, it's like, wherever you go, bro, you better kill it. Because,

at this point in your career, like, you have, you know, you've, you've, you've gotten your team to the postseason, right? But hasn't been a bona fide like, and you've gotten all the pieces around you, right? Hasn't been a bona fide, like, right? It's like a tier below the dude, right? Maybe like tier three. Like, the tier one is like the guy that the one man, like, title contender tier two was like the, you know, the Anthony Davis is the award. world, as Roger likes to put it, and I'm agreeing with.

And then there's, like, the tier three of guys that are trying to get to tier two and show people. I feel like Fox is in that mode. And I feel like if he does get his shot with Wembe, they better, they better soar. Yeah. And then I look again on the king's side where you talk about, we were talking about a rudderless franchise with the Pelicans. What do you do now, right?

Like, if you trade away Deeran Fox who has been. the best player of the last 15, 16 years in your franchise? Of a generation of Kings fans. And you couldn't make that work? Looks terrible on you. And then, like, I don't have any, I don't have much confidence that, you know, this is also a big,

this is also a big moment for the King's front office in Monty McNair. But, like, I don't know how much of a return they're going to get because they're just, like, like, Rich Paul and Clutch are just, like, flood like killing all leverage right now by these leaks and so i don't know where we go from here i don't know what's going on here it's it's looking really ugly in sacramento is all i'm saying yeah i mean this is more about sacramento for me than it is about than it is about um box yeah de aaron um i mean just you know again i have no insight into what's going on there i don't

know anybody on that team like i'm not i'm just a fan an observer um But it's the age old. Like if you go to four different places and everywhere you are, there's a problem, right? Or in this case, if any number of people come through your organization, either a coach, a player, executives, and there's always an issue. I mean, there's always an issue no matter who it is. The consistent thing is you. So to your point, I mean, I don't know that they've done anything egregiously wrong there. It's been it's been a ride.

And I imagine Deer and Fox is looking around and clutch is looking around with no map. And they're in there, they're sitting there in the navigation. Like, you know, you're, you ride a shotgun. Your job is to navigate back in the day or you, you know, when when Dea rides with me because I'm too old to really like, like watch the phone and know what roads are splitting. Like I screw that up all the time because they pop up so late. It ain't because you old, raw. It's not because you're old. That makes me feel better.

So Dia's job is to be reading. Hey, bro, stay left, dad. Stay left. Stay right or tie or whoever's in, whoever's in there. You ever go off on them when they be missing the turns and shit? Do they miss the turns? Oh, yeah, because they got, they have attention spans of like, of like fleas. So like, sometimes they'll check out on me.

And I'm like, yo, hey, my man, what the, we just, you know, so. How the hell do we get to Orlando? Bro, what in the hell? right but like point being like he's they're sitting there as in shotgun with with with with this with this king's driving like yo we so we have no we have no directions here like you just you're just asking me as somebody sitting in the passenger seat to get you from here to new york with without like without any real plan and i always talk about that like give me a plan give me give me give me some stability and look again i don't know definitively that that's

that's the case, but when you have a track record, you know, that, that, that kind of speaks for itself. I imagine that after this much time, that's what they're, that's what they're saying. Like, hey, man, look, we're good. We've seen enough. We've had enough. Like, we represent enough people in other organizations to know that it doesn't always have to be like this. And so we went out. And forgive me if that's not the case, but that's, that's what, as an observer, that's what I tend to believe it is. So they Gronna Dieve got the job, got the job. He walked the team in, 2013, I believe. Only has one postseason birth.

Only has one. Plains don't count. And before that, I mean, Mariza, you lived it. You knew what, you knew what before his ownership, you knew what it was after the Chris, like in the middle, after the Chris Weber-Mike Bibby days. You knew whatever you're going at the Kings game.

It was back in the day, I remember when I was in high school, we used to have those games where you, it was a game to get your film up. The Kings were always the game to get your film up, you know? Get some plays on the film. And we know who does have a roadmap at all times. Rich Paul, at all times, he knows where to get his client,

and he knows how to get him there. So we'll see what's happened. But I feel for that fan base because that fan base is like so thirsty for a winner. but don't know what like it's been so long since they've had sustained winning that they'll pretty much take anything that is kind of given to them and it's sad like because they deserve they're they've been through a lot and you know i don't think that with their front office and their ownership that they're going to get to the for the promise land there so we'll see um i'm gonna raja switching gears really quickly i'm going to send you something hang on get checked your phone

buddy and I want you to play it on air. I'm going to give context to this really quickly before it goes. So the other day, I was obviously at Warriors, at Warriors Oklahoma City because I wanted to see the Thunder. It's only time to come to the Bay. And Grant Hill was at the, was their pregame for, to give Steve Kerr and Steph Curry their Team USA rings. But pregame, I sent it to you.

There was an exchange. Play the tape. Playing in the NBA, you've worn many hats. It's obviously been a great coach. But prior to that, you were a general manager for the Phoenix Suns. And I'm wondering if you could share with the media, maybe your top three favorite players on that sunset. Well, everyone knows

Steve Nash would be number one. Let's see. Roger Bell immediately comes to mine. You like Raja? Yeah, that's your guy. And then Amari. Yeah, Marri. Nobody else really

comes to mind. See? See? Hey. Hey. That was that. That was me in the front row. Hold you down. I was like, yeah, fucking right.

Yes. So give us a backstory to this. And we're going to have Isaiah clip that in post. But so immediately, right when he says Roger Bell, I'm like, yeah, yeah, fucking right he is, right? That's my guy. Right. And you saw, you heard the Steve reaction. Yeah.

And so I immediately text Roger, right? Like, yo, Steve brought you up is like one of his favorite sons. I'm not going to say like the fool thing. I'm going to just say he said, whatever motherfucker, right? Raja, why can't you accept being loved? This is really what I want to ask. That's the segment that we're going to have right now. Why can't Raja accept being loved by the greater basketball community in legends?

Because this isn't the first time this has happened. Yeah. Yeah, it's an uncomfortable. And people give you your flowers and you go, whatever. So first off, what was your reaction? And then why can't you get flowers? I mean, clearly someone told him to say my name in the clip. So, like, my first reaction was like, please.

Oh, my God. Clearly, that was the setup. So, like, that was my initial reaction. It was like, I forget where I was, too. I saw that. I was like, please. Friend of the show, Steve, by the way. Please.

But no, I mean, if, you know, like, listen, I'm a fan of Steve's. Ever since he would play with the Bulls, dog, like, that was my squad. So if, in fact, that was genuine, I do appreciate it. Why it might be hard for me sometimes is because, my safe space was always people disrespecting me, Logan. Like, no, but that's how I came up. Like, it's how I came up in youth basketball.

It's how I came up in high school and college. So like, it allowed me to have a chip that if I otherwise didn't have, I might not have been able to make a career out of playing in the NBA. So I'm just like doing a little couch session with myself. Maybe that's why it's hard for me sometimes. You know what I mean? I don't know.

Yeah. So you really was like, fuck out of here. Steve Kernan said, shit you gas in me. You definitely, I'm still calling somebody prompted him to say that. So like,

he literally said it. I didn't prompt him. I was excited. That was a scrum. That was a media session. That was a media session. That was a media scrum. Grant Hill got the mic.

Also, Grant Hill talks, I mean, I don't know how well you know, Graham, but like Grant talks, like how he talks on TV in real life.

Like he doesn't miss a word. And like, you know what I mean? Like, it's always smooth and like presidential. Very, very buttoned up in presidential. I was like, bro, do you ever, he doesn't ever miss a moment.

He did that in a impromptu as media session. That voice right there was impromptu media session. Listen, you could be at dinner with Hill. You could be at dinner with G. Hill and be like a glass or too deep of wine or something. And like in the most laid back of settings, like he still sounds like that. So not surprising. Yeah, for sure. Um, were you and Steve Close in Spenix at all?

Steve Kerr and I? Steve Kerr, yeah. Yeah, you know, I like, I like Steve. Like we do, we did like, um, we did, uh, training camp in San Diego one year. Like, and that was Steve's town. Like, so like, you know, we, we go out like, you know, a couple times over the course of the, the training camp. I think we went out and like to someplace like Stingray or something like that and his, you

know, the wives were there. And like, I like to. wife. I like Steve. I was cool with Steve. I don't be for Steve. Clearly, because you know, he loves you. I'm just saying, you know. Hey. No, I mean, I really meant it, though, because I, again, I was a fan growing up. And like those dudes were like him, Terry Porter, Sean Elliott, David Robinson, Danny Ferry, Jaron Jackson, Sr. Like, all of those dudes were like the vets that I like, I revered a lot of those dudes when I got to San Antonio when I was trying to make their team.

So, like, I had that connection with Steve, too. You know, so I had seen, I had seen Steve. So, like, yeah, I was cool with Steve. Steve, bring your ass back on the show and stop playing. Like, it's like, I also said, I also, you know, I'm always, like, working. I'm always, like, promoting his shit. I was like, you, at when he walked off, like, you couldn't fucking promote the pod? What the fuck?

That's literally what I said. You didn't get the hit? Like, damn. Like, bro, what the fuck? You're going to say, Rises Dave, but you're going to say he has a very great podcast on the ringer.com. Are you serious that you've been on before? And then, yeah, so we're here.

Well, I appreciate the shout like that. Yeah, that actually means a lot. I appreciate it. Yeah, for sure, for sure. Because he only shouts us out when, when like something like crazy is happening, like bad is happening. And he gets into a tiff with his former superstar.

And we're caught in the middle of it. Remember that? Remember the good old days of real ones, Roger? Remember that? Yeah, we were caught in a media store? You were messy. How was I messy? You because I was just dragged along for the ride.

I was just sitting here one day and hear you like, because I don't get a run. Like it ain't like a rundown. We were just coming on here popping shit. And so here you go launching into a window. I remember it. Yeah, I was just caught. I was in a crossfire with Steve.

No, you weren't. Roger, no you weren't. I do remember the days. You didn't get no calls, bro. You didn't, he was like, yo, what happened? You didn't get no calls. I was one that got called because he said,

I went on Logan Murdox podcast. And I was like, okay. And I was the one. got the blowback. You didn't get the blowback. You were like, no, I didn't say, I didn't say I got blowback. I meant like I was, I was, uh, yeah, no, yeah. I mean, no, I did not get the blowback. I did not have to answer any questions in regards to like making that a bigger story than it, than it was. All right. We're stretching this episode long enough. Um, what, it's, it's Friday, so you know what that'd be. Do you think that they know what we're doing, Roger? Yes, sir,

Ski. Do you think that they, that they're on to our shit? Um, all right, let's get to a little segment we like to call it real one of the week. I don't have one at the moment, so I'm going to give it to Roger really quickly, so he could do it and I can stall. Yeah. I mean, this isn't going to be anything new. I mean, I think I saw Bill and them going over it and Ryan talking about him the other day, but I know the whole NBA is talking about him right now. Amen. Thompson. Praise be. Yeah. And just his development as a player, I remember walking in a gym. I don't know how many years ago this was, but my guys were really little,

and we were waiting to play up at the Coral Springs Rec Center, and I saw two long, lanky, really young-looking kids playing in what looked like a high school division. And I walked by, and I was like, man, those kids can play a little bit. And I came back when my dad was coaching with me at the time, so we stood there and watched a little bit.

And then there was a brother standing next to me that was like, I asked him about them, and he was like, oh, I actually coached them, like, you know, told me where they were from and everything like that and told me their age and they were babies they were like in the six or seventh grade playing in a high school division and they were cold like they were tough back then um and so i followed them ever since right but to see what he's doing and watching him last night just start to round out that middy um start to get really comfortable in different like crafty situations you know uh in the pain around the rim scoring the ball you know he's he's one of the highest level athletes you know in a league full of freaky athletes you know in a league full of freaky athletes you know he's he's he's one of the it's, I think it's been cool to watch. So I'm going to give him a real one of the week. That's dope, man.

The Bay Florida Connection. You know what I mean? Shut out. No doubt. I'm going to give mine to Dwayne Wade. Okay. Who revealed that, you know, he underwent surgery for, um, to have part of his kidney removed for a cancerous tumor.

You know, I hope he's doing well. Um, he talked about it on his podcast. And one of the things that, like, really stuck out to me was like, you know, he had some issues with himself and then immediately sought medical attention. You know, a lot of people in our community tend to, you know, not do that. So like, I'll be right. You know what I mean? Go get yourself checked out, man.

You never know. Like, you never know what might happen to you. And first of all, I'm glad he's doing okay. But also given the awareness that like, yo, I was feeling pain. I went to go see a doctor. You know what I mean? So ruined it a week for D-Waid. And I hope that, you know, he's doing better in his recovery and all those things.

and also like just having the wherewithal to to share, you know, and no doubt. So, Rewaned a week to Dwayne Wade. A few things before we get out of here. First thing is Rerwinsmailbag at gmail.com. Real onesmailbag at g-roo.com. Real onesmail bag at g-roo. Should I say one more time, Roger? I think I'm going to say one more time.

Real one Rolbag at gmail.com. Also, there's still tickets available for our show on February 15th at the punchline at San Francisco. Roger Bell will be there. I will be there. Howard Mother fucking Beck will be there. Could be some special guests there. Come tap in. Might be some special guests in the audience.

Never know. Never know who you might meet, you know? And then, so we'll get your tickets there. Ticket link will be in the pod description. So will your reminder to check out. I'm going to say it again. Ruanonesmailbag at gmail.com. Run one's mailbag at gmail.com.

What is that email again? Rangh, I forgot it. Rewansmailbag at gmail. Fucking right. So we're going to talk all that stuff on Monday on Tuesday excuse me with Howard MFing Beck um it's been a great week great to see you raja we both got to get out of here uh see you guys on Monday talk to you soon all the shits bye