Introducing KJ Live - Adrian Wojnarowski

So I'm feeling great. Man. It's a beautiful day. I'm talking to you, man, Come on, this is awesome. Absolutely absolutely yes? Sorry, So which man? I want to jump right into it. Um, Yesterday you reported for ESPN that Ben Simmons so the Philadelphia seventy sixers will not report the training camp and he has no intentions of reporting the training camp this season or playing for the Sixers ever. Again, I guess the first thing that came to my mind was what are the pros to this type of move

for Ben Simmons? I mean, Chris that we've never really seen anything like this. This doesn't happen in the NBA. Now we know we've seen certainly playing guys push their way out of a place, and sometimes you can come in and be less than committed to what's going on and and make life difficult for your team and eventually get your trade. Uh that's not what is happening here. It's just I'm not coming and also doing it with four years left on your deal almost a hundred and

fifty million O to him thirty three million this year. Uh, it's it's a risky strategy because you're going to likely cost yourself money. We'll see how much money. But you know, Ben Simmons has been adamant that that the next time he wears an NBA uniform, it's gonna be somebody other than the Sixers. And it's a little bit of a game of chicken, because we know the Sixers are gonna be diminished without them, Like they're not nearly the same

team without Ben Simmons. And forget about what happened in the Atlanta series, right, like we we know what how many wins and what he's worth, certainly through the regular season, and they were a one seed last year, and seeding is going to be important, of course in the East, which is really good this year, and so you know, can he wait them out and get them to Maybe the Sixers get off to a bad start and pressure increases to to get something for him, or you're waiting

out the teams who would want to trade for you to get them. Maybe they get off to a bad start and there's pressure increasing on teams that were already interested, or maybe new teams to say, we better go out and do something big. We gotta shake it up, We've got to improve. And then the off frs get better for Simmons and maybe that gets a deal done. Or you just sit there away from the team, not getting paid and the team takes you through February to the

trade deadline. So certainly this is unlike anything we've seen. I think it's gonna be fascinating how it plays out. You know, the league does not like this. It's certainly it's not good for the league. I mean, we're being honest about it. Um, they don't want to see a precedent set with players under contract just not reporting, and I don't know that this would do that. I think this is a unique situation. I don't think I don't think this is gonna be something where players are looking

and going, okay, is that a strategy for me? I don't think that's going on. I do think it's kind of independent and unique, but it's definitely something we haven't seen. I guess I'm a little taken it back, just on how bad things actually got in Philadelphia to push Ben Simmons to this point. I mean, he's willing to fork over, give up two hundred and something thousand dollars per preseason game and all the extra sanctions on top of the

league sanctions that Philly has in their organization. Woach, if you're Daryl Morey, you're not. I don't feel like he's in a good position to me, other than obviously it's a bad look for the franchise. Your your your top guy. But you don't have to harry up and move this guy. You can say you know you're gonna find him, You're gonna be able to keep them and hold him. Do you think Simmons will become a locker room or chemistry

issue even but he won't be around the team. So I'm just trying to figure out how is Darryl morri or the Sixers in a bad spot here? Other than losing somebody that doesn't want to be with their Yeah, and I think for Dariel Morey, the hope for the Sixers was that Ben Simmons would come back and play, play well and his draft excuse me, his trade stock would would improve. They didn't like the offers they had for him this summer. Uh maybe they're asking for too much.

But it's really hard. And this is the other thing that's a little bit unique to the situation, Chris. You typically don't see players of this caliber being traded from contending teams one seeds or two seeds. They're not trading their star players. They resign them, they build around them. And when you see a player like let's go back through some you know, recent big NBA trades, whether it was a James Harden and Anthony Davis, uh um, whomever,

it's teams headed toward a rebuild. They want young assets, they want picks. Philly needs to get back a star level player to plug right in with Ben or two really good players, and they want draft picks. And so it's harder because the teams who are training for Ben Simmons, you know, they're trying to add them to the core they have. They're not trying to trade their best player for Ben Simmons. They're trying to trade maybe their second

or third best player. And in most cases, Philly is looking at that going, well, that's a downgrade from Ben Simmons. We don't want to downgrade because we're trying to win around Joel right now, who's in his prime. That complicates this, and so you have a very shortlist of players, um, who really makes sense that you feel like, maybe we don't win the trade, but at least we're breaking even.

We have something comparable. And Ben's unique talent. I mean, I know we talked about his but he doesn't do well a lot, but we nobody does do well and it does impact winning. Yeah, and we haven't seen too many six ten guys that that see the floor, have the i Q at the level that he does and can play the game the floor game. Then defensively, he's a monster. Um. Interesting stuff going on in Philly, but staying in the Eastern Conference, one of my favorite teams

last year to watch was the Atlanta Hawks. I mean, I love the job that they did in the second half of the season, especially after you know Nate McMillan took over. I think they had the second and third best record in the NBA. Do you think that that success they achieved last year, you think it's sustainable, it's gonna transfer over to this year? Or was last year sort of a fluke and sort of where they peaked? Now? I do, Chris, I think, and I think we'll see

a much better regular season team. Listen, they were you said it, they were definitely a better team, and name McMillan, but they were also a more healthy team later in the year. And you've got, Um, you just you saw, certainly Trey Young took it to another level. You saw the impact he had in the playoffs. We know what that does for a player's confidence to go do what he did in the postseason. Um, that's gonna make you.

You just come back a better player that that just gives you great belief, It gives the group around him great belief. And then you just see what I think Travis Shlank has done there is I mean, he's drafted really well. They've got really good role players. You know, Clint Capella, who signed an extension this summer, just such a good anchor for them defensively in the middle. You know John Collins with a new deal, uh Bogdanovitch, you hope for your Atlanta that that he's healthy this year.

Certainly he missed a lot of time Gallant Donald Daniel Gallinari missed a lot of time last year with the ankle injury. Reddish too, and Reddish too, and he's not really been able to get traction yet on his career. But a very talented player, and so you know, you you go down. Kevin Herder is going to be a really good player. He's up for his rookie extension. He saw he played well in the postseason for them. I guess one of my questions though with that, because you

got a connunche him. Now, if you're the Hawks, you paid Capella, you paid Trade, you paid John Collins. But now if you want to keep a Herder and and Reddish and and you know, extend that everybody, you can't pay everybody. So what are they gonna do? Like how can they can? So I guess that's my question or something that I would be watching for is what they're

gonna do. That's gonna be interesting because they're a very good team, and like you had mentioned, with the injuries, I mean they made it all the way to the Eastern with the finals, Eastern Conference Finals with guys that were banged up, hurt, and Bogey. To me, is is a major X factor type. But I am. I love the Hawks. John Collins versatility. He really showed up and took a leap last year. UM. Another team who I

wanted to ask you about. I got two of my guys, two of my bruins in the back court, the Chicago Bulls. UM they signed Zach Levine in the offseason. De Mar de Rosen Vossovich is there? Talk about your thoughts on the Bulls, Billy Donovan in that Eastern Conference this season. Yeah, listen, certainly some more offensive weapons, you know, bringing in Alonzo Ball, bringing into Mar de Rosen, you know, Vussovich and Zach Lavine. We're kind of trying to figure it out in that

short window. You know, Zach went out with the with COVID and lost the stretch of games. I kind of took Chicago out of the playing race, and so, uh, it's certainly a different group and and a more talented group. How they fit together will be interesting. I think it is a challenge for Billy Donovan. UM. To figure out the pieces they are, how they played together. Maybe it doesn't happen from day one, but that's a team that you would imagine gets better as we go next season.

And uh, you know certainly was put together to be in the playoffs and to be back in the post season. And um, listen, I think I'll be really interested to see how Alonzo Ball leads that team. You know, he he really wanted to be with the Bulls. Uh. He had hoped that they would get a deal done at the trade deadline. They didn't quite get that done obviously. Now Lori marken In, who was a high pick for um, you know, came into Jimmy Butler trade on Draft night.

Obviously he's in Cleveland now. But I think Chicago is one of the teams. They're just like when you look at that list of most interesting teams, how this thing could go. I think they might be the team, but maybe the most variants you could see where they could hit it with that group and have a lot of success. You could also look and go do all the with all those pieces fit together, how's that group played together? Because there's a lot out to you know, you've got

some young guys you've got guys later in their career. Uh, you know, early in the season last year that was the thing that played really fast with Zach and then Bosvig comes in and the pace slows down a little bit, and then you're you're trying to figure out how do you balance that with two really key offensive players who played differently. So, but I think Billy Dunovan certainly an

outstanding coach. They got really good leadership there um our tourist Karnisavists and Mark Eversley, really good front office and and so I do think it's gonna be a fun team certainly to watch. Yeah, I'm also looking forward to the development of Pat Williams. He was a really intriguing root and that's the wild card there. You you said it,

Chris and you know, young player last year. You talk to people and they seem in practice and he was one of those young players who every day would do one thing where you'd go, holy cow, this guy could be And then you saw him in Summer League take a step and more aggressive. And that's what I think

they want to see him as. Come out person like, see his personality, come out, see him, you know, take the initiative to do more, and so how do you balance that with Patrick Williams with a DeMar de Rosen who's used to listen having shots and scoring the ball, and Zach Lavine who's going to score the ball. Um. But I think Patrick Williams, you know, a high lottery

pick for them, Like how that plays out? I think will be um really uh important short term and long term because I think there's a lot of hope that Patrick Williams is really gonna that that he could be a cornerstone guy for them. Yeah. I think so, he's got all He's got all the goods. Man. When you look at the job that Atlanta has done and putting pieces around Trey Young, and then you kind of juxtaposed that next to the job that Dallas has done putting

pieces around Luca Donges. Why do you think the Mavericks haven't surrounded Luca with the necessary parts to really push put him to that Western Conference type finals type level. Well, you look at Atlanta, and so much of it for them has been hitting on the draft. Travish Lank came with a good reputation. They hired him. You know, it's funny they hired I think Travish linkin Atlanta with a thought of believing in him as a player, as an evaluator of talent. This is a guy who really grinds

it on the road. And you know is that uh like just has built a really good reputation in Golden State for that in other places, comes in and really hits it in the draft, gets multiple picks and trades. You know, remember the Dan cheich Um Trey Young Draft Knight trade brought them another first round pick. And so but you hit it in the late teens with John Collins, you hit it a little bit later with Kevin Herder and Dallas. You haven't had that draft success and they

haven't had necessarily the high picks either. But so much of Dallas they put in the Christaps Porzingis trade that Porzingis was the co star. He would be the complimentary guy, you know, an all star level player, very unique skill set that he'd come in and and and be that. For Luca don Chech he hasn't been healthy, Chris, and I think I think he's very talented. You saw earlier, certainly earlier in his Knicks career, where like this is

a really skilled player. But but but injuries, you know, kind of those lower leg injuries have been a concern. You worry about that in a player with his frame at seven three. It's it's so I've heard good things about how he's looked this summer and can he stay healthy? So I think that's a big part of it. And then you know Tim Hardaway, who you know, ended up being much more than I thought. Listen, when they traded for Hardaway, you know, New York was getting money off

and the MAVs really wanted Porzingis in that deal. And it turns out Hardaway now they resigned him again, and he's been such an important part for them. But I think that, um, you know, I think the hope for Dallas is is that. And everyone's always talking about free agency and they're not gonna have you know what, we'll

see that the cap flexibility. They certainly have some Lucas deal kicks in next year his new super Max and Porzingis is on a Max deal, are Hardaway is on a big deal and and so, um, you gotta hit on picks, and um, you know, you gotta find some

guys around the edges. Um you know, you know, you look at like a Utah when they bring in a Royce O'Neil like Joey, players like that who are a little bit on the fringe, who come in and become starting level players six men and and I think the really good organizations you get them on the cheap um. And that's where your evaluation, your your your player development, all those things come into play when you're trying to build a contender, because you you gotta hit on some

of those guys too. Yeah, you do. Talking about free agency and the way the free agency will look in the future in the NBA, do you think that, you know, these big name guys as that they have been in the past, will be available for teams to sign. Will the free agent crop be as fruitful, as as plentiful as it has been, just because of the nature of the way that the league is kind of shifting. No, And you know, Bobby Mars had a good piece are

Insider Front office inside our ESPN about that. He and I. He and I have talked a lot about that this summer. That you look at the landscape and earlier on in this collective bargaining agreement, you saw players doing shorter deals, keeping their freedom for free agency. I'm gonna do a short deal. I'm gonna keep pressure on the organization, and

I'm gonna keep my options open every year. And now you're seeing players and initially that super Max didn't seem to have the appeal to the great players in the league that the owners and front office has hoped it would. Right, they wanted to incentivize players to stay where they were, so if you were with a small market team, they could pay you so much or um with a super Max.

If you got if you hit the qualifications made all n B A or or m v P and and and got that, you know, you turn that one seventy million dollar deal into two oh five or whatever it would be. You're seeing that play out now more, and there's a little bit of an attitude. I think there's a lot of an attitude of I will sign the super Max now, I will fix the destination later. So if I don't like how it's going, I'll ask for

a trade. But what makes less senses go into free agency and instead of taking the five year, two hundred million dollar deal that I can take with my team now, I don't know why am I gonna go do the four year Let's say the one forty deal. That's just worthless because it's you don't make as much leaving as you would stay. I'll just force a trade to where I want to go. The harder part for that, though, is when you have and you're seeing it with Ben

Simmons four years left on your deal. You know, Damian Lillard has three years left on your deal. You you don't have the leverage to go where you want to go when you have a bunch of years, because anybody will trade for you. Um, when you have three years or four years left, because they know you have to

play for them. Now you have one year left on your deal, or maybe two years, you're gonna be you know, maybe a small market team who would like to make a run at a big name guy says, okay, that guy is gonna leave me in a year, and he's telling me and his agents telling me, if you trade for me, I'm gone. You're gonna get nothing in return. I'm gonna walk, and all the assets you gas to trade for me, I'm gone. But when you got three or four years left on your deal, you can get traded.

You may not like where you end up. You end up at another small market or a place that isn't better than what you have, And so I think that's um, that's also part of this dynamic. Absolutely Uh going to New York for a second. I just wanted you just to touch on the Knicks. They re signed what de Rose, the resigned Nerland Noel. Um, they don't have a lot of space. They resigned Julius Rando to to a very

favorable deal. Um, it wasn't the max Um Mitchell Robinson coming back, he's put on fifty or sixty pounds in the off season, or the Knicks a legitimate threat to be a top four or to five seed in the Eastern Conference. I think there are a threat to be that Chris. Because the Tim Thibodeau gets a lot of gets a lot out of his group in the regular season, I think the question for them is gonna be and we saw it in the postseason last year. You know

he can grind a group through the regular season. And I thought what he did last year was just really important for the organization that it just established a baseline again of competency and professionalism. And if you were a Nick fan and and you watch your team play every night, like you saw something that you hadn't seen in a long time. Right, They come to play every night, they

and beat anybody. You know that Nick, I mean Nick fans for years like you might as well just go to bed early when they're out on the West coast because they're gonna get drilled out west. And that wasn't the case. They're in games, are beating people. That was really important for the organization and that's what Tom Thibodeau brought back. And then you saw in the playoffs they struggled to score. They struggled when you saw him against Atlanta.

Uh when Atlanta loaded up on Julius Randall and they needed other people to make shots. They struggled having enough maybe playmakers, you know Alec Burk's comes back. Who's who was good for them last year. You know that will be the next step. But I think they did keep you know a lot of these deals this summer were really two year guaranteed deals. They weren't like it was three years with a player off team option. So they have their flexibility. I think for New York, you know,

having cap space next summer doesn't really do anything. There's no big free agents. What you want to have if you're New York. You want to have picks, and you want to have some young players who developed value. Emmanuel Cook quickly with outstanding you know, Obie Topping struggled in his rookie years. Certainly they're playing a lot of veterans. And then he saw in this summer and he said, okay, Obi toppin looks like he might be ready to make.

You know, that stepping a guy's second year. And so you want to develop those younger players, either for you to be part of your rotation and go forward, or if you're the Knicks right now, what you're waiting for is that next unhappy star who wants out and then you have enough assets to go get him in a trade. And so I think the Knicks are trying to balance and live in both those worlds right now. Absolutely, it's gonna be interesting in the Atlantic, UM going across the way,

talk about the Nets. You know, came up short last year. UM battled through some entry stuff with their big three, made some I considered pretty big signing when in Patty else during this off season. I love Patty Mills. I love when he brings to the table on a lot of levels. What are your thoughts though, as far as the nets um actually winning this year or being the

favorites to win the championship, are they they are? To me, Chris, if that team is on the floor, if they're all playing and they're all healthy, I think they're the best team. And I think there's a gap between them and everybody else, even the Lakers Milwaukee, who you know, we saw no Kyrie James Harden basically on one leg in that series, gutting it out, and then k D playing, you know, at an all world level, playing like the best player

in the league. Milwaukee was certainly fortunate to get out right and beat them, and they did and went on to win the title. But I think the next team with their big three. I love the addition of Patty Mills. I thought that was one of the really good under the radar signings this offseason. I think he's perfect for them.

You know, Joe Harris, I think we'll have a lot to come back and want to prove in the playoffs, he was really really consistent and good for them, and and and didn't play well in that Milwaukee series, Uh, you know that stayed with him. Who want to come back? And and he's been a really good player for them. And and you've just seen, like you know, Blake Griffin found a role there. Let's see what LaMarcus Aldridge has left coming back. Um, but I think the Nets are

the best team. I thought we as we saw last year for many different reasons. It was rare to have all three of them on the court, and um, but when they're all playing together, who, like you saw right from the beginning, Harden took on that playmaking role, played in a way that was perfect for that next team, we are gonna feature Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant is the best player in the world, and I'm gonna get him the ball everywhere on the floor to make him great.

And and uh and and then certainly Kyrie is as skilled of the player as there is in the league. So I think And I thought Steve Nash was really good. I thought Steve with a lot of different lineups, almost a different group every night, you know, there was a baseline of kind of how they played, and they were competitive. I thought Steve did a really good job in his in his rookie year. And he's got a good staff, and uh, they're gonna be tough if they're all on

the floor. I think that that's the most underrated thing about the Nets organization, is that from top to bottom, Uh, that entire organization or like basketball dudes like my my buddy Ryan for and Kelly he's actually assistant coach out there, and you talk about Jacques von Royal, Ivy, Thiago Splitter. They are have an organization filled with just basketball guys. And I think they had a lot to do with

the big threes. Ability to kind of buy into to to Steve Nash and buy into this unselfishness that to me has been the most important And the thing that stood out the most with the Nets is their unselfishness and and they love playing with each other. They love sharing the sugar, and that was the thing I was wondering where they going to ever be able to kind of, you know, get together. And they got it together quick. But again, the injuries are gonna be you know the deal.

Um moving over to the West Western Conference, Man, I want to talk about the Lakers. They made some big signings, made a big trade. Um got Russell Westbrook in the building. How do you think that Russell and Lebron to ball dominant players are going to fit in with each other. Yeah, it's gonna be interesting, and it's it's not really a dynamic we've ever seen. I don't know what we compare this group with in terms of like the skill sets and say, Okay, we saw it work with these guys

that didn't worry. It's just a unique pairing. What I do know is that you're gonna have to fit in with Lebron. You're gonna have to figure out how to play with him, because it's Lebron James and and the part of the greatness of Lebron is his ability to elevate the people around him to to maximize as unselfish as he is and and and what an incredible passery is and how and I Q unlike any um you know at the very very top, he sees the game

in ways that that almost nobody else does. And even as that as Lebron loses some athleticism in his mental late thirties, he compensates with it because he's not He wasn't the best player in the league because he was the most athletic or the most explosive. Um. He he was the best player in the league and and still certainly is right there with k d because of of how he sees it, thinks it and and and how

skilled he is. And so he's a player who can age. Um, who's gonna age really well and still be all NBA because of that. But same with Russ and Russ is you know, Russ isn't the as explode us as he was in his twenties and thirties. But I think what's underestimated about Russell Westbrook is he is a great teammate and he has got your back. He is a player who cares deeply about winning. Now, do you love every

shot he takes? No, you don't. And Russ will also admit it to and he'll do it privately with his guys when when he's like but I think I think it will work because Russell will be intent on it working. Now again, part of surrounding Lebron traditionally as you surround him with shooters, right, because he draws so much attention defensively, that's not where Russ is, right, Russ is not a catch and shoot uh guard. He's still attacked the rim

and and so it'll be a challenge. Um, But I do think that you know, and he saw Russ really come on last year. He was injured early in Washington. He played through a lot of pain and just went on played and you saw him as he got healthier, and then you saw that Wizard's team come from really far back to get into the postseason, which was remarkable. And and how he acquiesced to Brad Beal and made Brad, you know, continue to make Brad the featured guy there. I think Russe will do that in l A too.

It's funny when you listen to the barbershop talk around here locally in l A. It's a lot of arguments going on, man, because no one can just no one seems to be able to envinge in the world where Lebron, like Russ has the balls the late game situation, Russ has it on the ice, so his brock balls in his hands, Lebron spotting up because if you got it the other way around, and you got Lebron with the ball,

do you want Russell Westbrook's spotting up? Now? Granted, they got some good pieces they signed Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk. I love those two. Those are two electric electric scores that are gonna come in and give you buckets. But again, the whole thing is gonna come down to the spacing and how comfortable guys are with each other in those late games situations. We didn't even talk about Carmelo and what his role is gonna be this year, But I want to get your thoughts on Mellow and just what

do you think his role with the Lakers. I mean, we obviously we envisioned a you know, the six man type of situation the rebirth in Portland, So I wanted to get your take on Mellow this year with the Lakers. Yeah, catch and shoot and and that's gonna be his job. He'll have a lot of open shots with that group. You know, he showed in Portland he can still make

him and you saw in Portland. You know, I think it was important for Mellow to finally accept the fact that he was a role player and that he was not going to be a featured player anymore. He did that in Portland, and I think he came in there humbled, grateful for that opportunity, and he really helped that team. He helped them on the court. Certainly he helped him

off the court. Remember talking to Neil as their president about you know, all the leadership that Dame had has to do day in and day out, and certainly c J that you know, they were Mellow took some pressure off of them some days because they were still leaders, they still their team. But Mellow commands such respect of his peers, of young players. I mean, so many young players who come into the league end up in the

locker room. They all they grew up idolizing Mellow and that he was able to help in that regard in Portland and and it was just was terrific in that way. And I think he can do that in l A. But he's gonna need to catch and shoe, he's gonna need to make shots, and he's shown he can still do that. Will be interesting to see how many minutes

a night that is for him. But this is his chance to win a championship, and he has been, um, you know, it's been in an elusive and elusive pursuit for him, and he has said it, this is it, this is my chance. And you know, he and Lebron have been talking about playing each other since I think the ABC D camp and finding a way to play with each other. And I think, you know, I remember I've talked to Mellow. I think he was on the

podcast last year. I think we talked a little bit about, you know, he didn't line himself up to go to to be a free agent with the Big Three and go to Miami. He could have maybe done that, and so, uh, this is his chance now, and so it'll be a lot of fun to see him there, see him back, uh, you know, in in a in a glamor market in the NBA. And listen, he's still a player who he just has such a following. He's still suck, such a popular player, and it's it's gonna be a lot of

fun to see him and Lebron together. He can still get it going. And you know out here in l A, everybody's expecting the championship. So it's gonna be exciting. Um. A couple more questions on the Western Conference. Two more teams. I wanted to talk about the Warriors. I had Warriors jam Bob Myers on my podcast back in March when the Warriors were sort of finishing up their season. They were actually in a good spot. Steve Kerr had sort of right at the ship that got some wins. They're

figuring things out with lesser talent. Bob is feeling great about the Warriors. They go into the summer, they draft too high lottery picks, um and Kaminga being one of them that really turned it out the summer during the summer league. I guess my, the biggest thing, and it is everybody's question, is is how is Clay gonna look when he comes back after nearly two years off major injuries? Right?

I think that's the number one thing? And then what about these other guys that they signed during the off season? Is Otto Porter going to be a contributor? What about you know, Jordan Poole gonna be able to make another short of a leap? I mean, you know, Looney's there, and Steph is gonna be Steph. Dremond is gonna be Dre. But what do you think about the Warriors? To me, I feel like that if they get hot, Clay comes

back uh as a decent version of it himself. I feel like they could surprise the people and potentially get to the Western Conference Finals. I'm going out on the limb. But what do you think about that? Won't? Yeah? No, you you said it, Chris. And the question for that team is gonna be what is Clay like? And two years away is a long time, and there's no more professional player than him, no more dedicated player, nobody who cares as deeply about his craft and who always puts

the work in. And he's I'm I know he's done that in his rehab, but there's nothing that simulates playing NBA basketball except playing NBA basketball, and so I think people have to be realistic that let's you know, Ramona Shelburne ESPN reported that he you know, they have the optimism maybe he's back around Christmas, and so if you're saying around the first of the year, you know, you're hoping by the playoffs that he's you know, but maybe

it takes a whole year to come back. Like I just think it may not be realistic to think it's just gonna be the old Clay right away. That doesn't mean he can't get back there, but we just don't know. And I think that's the wild card. It all depends upon him. James Weissman, you know, the number two pick. A couple of years ago, they played much better without him than they did with him. And they they when they kind of went back to the style that they

were used to playing, Uh, they were more successful. Now that's not just on him. You know, you're gonna see growth. You know, obviously he had the injury which krittailed you know, some of his development and time on the court. But this isn't what you're not hearing from the Warriors this year is like they don't want to talk about development. They're not talking about like they're talking about winning, and they're not using their minutes and roles to grow young players.

They're putting a team on the court that can help Steph Curry and his prime go as far as they can in the playoffs. And so you mentioned Kaminga and Moody, and I think those are two players who can be on the court as rookies and contribute and and in the long run have a chance probably to be very good. But they need, you know, their men. Their mindset in Golden State this year is putting a team on the court that gives us our best chance to win every night.

How does James Weisman fit into that? What does he look like when he gets back, you know, and obviously Clay once he's back, and so, uh, that's a team again with the Hiberians, you mentioned conference finals realistic. I guess if Clay is great. Um, but we know the West is deep and and we saw what Steph did last year almost single handedly amazing. But but that that's that's there's no one player in the West that's gonna just carry you. Uh, he'll need more health obviously. Yeah.

I think Wiggins his performance last year, the jump he made in this consistency on both ends, I think that was a major plus for the Warriors too. You know, I'm gonna go out and say I just want him to get there because I've I've never been the biggest Stepan, but I love just last year what he did, how much heart he was showing. I mean, he literally was playing for that franchise, and I can I can feel it when I watched the highlights. You know, it was a lot of pride associated with that. And I'm a

big Clay Thompson guy. So I really wish Clay is he gets back to being a hundred percent last one in the West. Do you think the Suns can make it back to the NBA Finals. I don't see it. I don't see it, Chris and and listen, what they did last year was remarkable and what Monty Williams and Chris Paul and James Jones that leadership to take a team. You don't see teams go from um the dregs of the league, that the bottom of the lottery and all of a sudden make a jump like that. Now, Chris

Paul was an important edition. And you saw the development of DeAndre eight and the Michael Bridges and and and all those guys. There was some good fortune last year, and sometimes you need it, and that's okay, that's not a knock. You need to put yourself in position that if stuff happens to the team you're playing, that you're good enough to take advantage of it. And so they were good enough to take advantage of the Lakers injuries. Now they were too seat. That's hard to do in

the West. And you know they is they move forward in the West and their injuries in front of them, and teams were beat up and then all of a sudden, Kauai is not there are in the conference final? Well they beat the team that was there. And so I don't know if that good fortune, uh, I don't know if that carries them to another conference finals and or another NBA Finals, but certainly they are formidable in the West.

They're good enough to make a run. I don't feel as though they're a favorite, but they've shown that um that they can take advantage of an opportunity. And that's what a lot of postseason basketball is, matchups, taking advantage of an opportunity. That or you don't have to be the best team all the way. You've got to be the team. And sometimes it's healthiest that plays together and and and you get a break. Yeah, definitely need those breaks, I think. But if you think about I'm just not

sure when Jamal Murray's coming back. I know Kauai is gonna be out for an extended period of time from last year. So I'm just wondering about, you know, the status of them guys and how that's gonna play out in the race and all of that. It's gonna be interesting to see because those are two major pieces in the Western Conference that's gonna that are missing from teams that are gonna open the door for others, you know what, and they change. Yeah, you're right, Jamal Murray, I think

there's hope that he is back this season. I think there's some hope that Kauai can come back this season. But what do they look like when they do, where are you in the standings when it happens? Can you make up ground? Excuse me? Can you make up ground? Uh? A lot of uncertainty coming off injuries like that. Listen, Denver, Listen. We look back and if Jamal Murray doesn't go out, nobody was playing better than the Nuggets last year and they've just been the Aaron Gordon train and Gordon oh man,

they killed the clip. I remember. Yeah, they were smashing, they were looking good and killing people and they had a real chance. They had a real chance. You look back and you go, that team could have easily have been in the NBA finals. But I mean, that's that's sports, Chris, that's I mean, that's injuries. Injuries, man, Injuries are everything in the league. Man, Well that was nice rundown of the NBA. I wanted to segue over into the new sort of development leagues that have popped up that are

now grabbing um the kids. They're gonna be in the event eventually before they go to college. The Overtime Elite League and the g League Ignite where we saw two lottery picks get drafted from that team. Jalen Green, Jonathan cominga uh in this most recent draft, Woach, what do you think that this new route that elite level high school basketball players can take. Do you think it's gonna attract more guys and take away from the bulk of the talent from the n C Double A. I don't

know if it's gonna take a bulk of it. It's taking a significant portion. And what I think is great, Chris. It's an option, and it may not be for everybody, but you know, there's gonna be kids who still want to go to college route and want to go to school somewhere, want to play major college basketball and all

the things that do come with that. And there's kids who say, I want to go Ignite, I want to go over Time, And that's what it's all about, is having options, and it's not one size fits all, and I don't think it's ever gonna be everybody's at this one place. I mean, there's a limited you know, Ignite or Overtime. You know, there's limitations on how many guys they're gonna bring in and pay and all those things. But I think the NIT last year had even more

value because of the pandemic. And I think the fact that Jalen Green, Jonathan Comingo could go in the bubble, be able to play you know whatever. It was five weeks, six weeks month in front of NBA executives within against NBA level talent or certainly professional talent with gms they're studying them. Um as opposed to a year where there

were nothing was interrupted. They were able to play there in the bubble, there in the gym every day for offices, could come released, watch up close and see them again on an NBA court with an NBA three point line guarding bigger, stronger, older guys. I thought that was an advantage last year for those guys, and I thought they certainly benefited from it this year when gms are back in the college is more. Those guys weren't on the road as much, very little going to the A C

C or the Big twelve or the Big Ten. They were limited in their travel and their access to these guys. So I thought it was even a greater benefit the ignite last year for two high level guys like that, and um, you know, Brian Shaw did a great job. I got Jason Hart over there. I think he'll do a really good job. I think the league puts a lot of thought into who coaches the players, the support system around them. So I think the Ignite is here

to stay. You know, the overtime Elite is still new, um and so you know, we'll see how that plays out there. Certainly getting their share of of really good players in college basketball has to figure it out. And uh, but I think what is to me is really good.

And I think what was important to the NBA was if I don't want to go to college basketball and I don't want to go be in the G League, I remember the Ignite is not really it's not the full G league experience, and the the NBA knew that if we just put these guys in the G League at eighteen years old and they're doing the whole G league gamut, which is you know, six am flight from Fort Wayne to which you know, to to Maine back down to play the Long Island, that's like, like, that's

not for kids. The the Ignite thing is a little more um of a colt environment and agents. I don't think Christy agents weren't gonna let and and anybody like, because you could get eaten alive in that day to day G league at that age. Playing against men coming right out of high school. That may not enhance your draft status. Uh And so I think the way they've

set up the Ignite is a good fit. It's not, again, just the full immersion into the G League life, which I think most kids right out of high school would really really struggle with physically and probably little mentally too. Yeah, I think. But I think the most important part of of the G League Ignite experiences the mentor the mentors that the kids are around. Brian Shaw, Roder Strickland, some

other guys. Now this was last year. Now this year you've got Jason Hart, who is you know, one of the very best college assistant coaches that uh in in the n C Double A and is eleven year pro and is all about showing this next generation how to do stuff. That's what these guys need to understand the most is practice, habits and you know, responsibility, accountability, being grown men in a professional basketball setting. I love these

two leagues and the overtime Elite crew. It's filled with guys that have NBA front office experience and to be a coaching experience. Um, Brandon Williams, Kevin Ollie, some other guys are over there doing a hell of a job. So I'm really excited about both leagues and what the future holds. Whoach my man? Last question for you, UM we I do it? Asked this question to all of my guests. UM had a great conversation with Mark Spears.

He's he broke down a great story. I wanted you to break down or give us a great Kobe story with Kobe being Bryant fans here, Man, we just want to get your some of your best or fondest memories of an interaction or interactions with Kobe Bryant. Yeah. I've never never covered anybody like him. I'm sure I never will again. He think about Kobe was his He had such an incredible curiosity and and and and a and a desire to understand not just his industry and his world,

but he wanted to understand your world. And he wanted to under stand the world I competed in and understand what I would do to compete, what others would do to compete. And uh, he understood our profession sometimes I thought better than some of us understood our profession. And uh, I remember once obviously we know how competitive he was, and and and the one thing you know, it's the

relationship with Michael Jordan is really interesting. And he saw it kind of come full circle at his memorial service and Michael how emotional Michael was, and Michael talking about sort of, you know, like a little bit early on he saw that Kobe is a little bit of a like an aritant. You leave me alone, kid, you know

a little bit of that, and Kobe wanted to. But I do remember a time where they weren't particularly close, and I remember there was a point where Michael had I think Michael maybe had done some list or Michael had in an interview, had had given a list of either greatest all time player, is our greatest act of players. I can't remember. I'd have to go back and think what it was. Whatever the list was, he left Kobe off of it, whether it was the top three or whatever.

And I knew Kobe was pissed about it, and he said, were you gonna be on the road. I want to get together. I want to talk. And I'm like, well, i'll be where you like. You tell me where to go, and he said, well, we looked at their schedule and come to Minnesota. So I got on a plane. I went to Minnesota. We go out to eat, and I remember this too. He would wear that jacket almost like

it was like a varsity letterman Laker jacket. It was the year after they had won their back to back, so it was the what year with it that crispin they won the back to back three second one with pole, right, Yeah, And at this point, like Lebron's in Miami and he's a he's about to start winning championships and and and Kobe's trying to hold on to He's trying to hold

onto it. And I remember we met at the restaurant um at the hotel they're across from I think it was across from Target Center, and he had that jacket. It was like a varsity letterman jacket, was like a Lakers jacket. It had like the six basketballs, I think the six championship balls and else was wearing that jacket.

Guys want to tease them, but it was Kobe and he could wear like it was like a varsity letterman Laker jacket with all the like you know when a guy in high school is like a all state and you get a patch for its all state or that's what it looked like. And um, it was actually it was. It was kind of pretty neat. And and so we sit down and we start talking, and I don't know if Michael came up. I do think Michael came up, because now Kobe had five titles, right, and he was

chasing the sixth, and and that was it. And I think Kobe felt, I know he felt, if I can catch Michael and championships, that puts me in the conversation with you. You can't ever take me out of conversation for the greatest among the greatest players of all time. And and at that at that point, I think people are talking who's the best player in the league. Lebron is the best player in the league. Now maybe it's

not Kobe anymore. And and but I think he thought I'd get that sixth title, Like Lebron's a long way from six and the other great players in the league are all a long way from that. So we started talking about Michael and he said to me, you know, Michael is not really the one that I emulated as

much as it was Michael Jackson. And I got close, you know, I got to know Michael Jackson, and I'm going, I'm going, what are you talking about like I'd never heard him talk about Michael Jackson in that way, and he went on and on about getting to know Michael Jackson when he was a young player in l A and going up to to uh never uh never Land ran everything never was it never Land right, And he would watch Michael make music, and he would watch his

painstaking process of of in the studio and how meticulous he was, and he learned about this attention to detail and how every and he went on and on. I'm sitting there with my tape recorder on going maybe I missed this, but I don't think I remember he got up and went to the bathroom, and I remember I I googled Michael Jackson and Kobe. I remember sitting in my seat going has he talked about this before? And I look and I'm like, I don't see it anywhere,

and I'm going, all right. And so I ended up writing the piece and it got a lot of attention at the time because he had never And of course the only thing I remember finding was I think Kobe was at Michael Jackson's memorial service and maybe they did a quick TV stand up with him and he talked

about him. But what the interview really was about, was it was a dig at Michael Michael Jordan's It was it was it was what the whole thing was really about, was like, you know what, Michael, You're not even really my guy. Now we know Michael Jordan was this guy, and like I knew it was bullshit, and he knew

it was bullshit. And the Michael Jackson story was real and he had done and spent all this time with him, but it was the lengths Kobe would go sort of give a dig back to Jordan's without like just it was elaborate, and Michael Jackson stuff was all accurate, but it was just really didn't really I don't know if he really wanted to talk about the Michael Jackson stuff as much as it was the way to tell Michael Jordans, well, like, you know what, if you're not gonna put me on

a list, maybe you're not really mine. It just was great and it was Kobe and and I just it just was a little window into how he thinks and how competitive he is was and there's just nobody nobody else like him. Man, absolutely genius. This guy was basically like to MJ to Michael, you're not the MJ that I looked up to. I looked up to this MJ. But exactly. That's a big time story. That's a big time story. Well, woach, thank you so much, maman for

joining kJ Live today. We'll be watching you on ESPN. Do what you do think. I'm sorry I kept you so long, man, I know you can I know, Okay, good, all right, good man, Chris. We'll catch up soon, my friend. Yeah, we definitely will. Thank you so much for joining. This is kJ Live with Adrian watching Rowski