Welcome back to Unplugged, brought to you by DraftKings Man. A crazy week and weekend and hoops were down to the Eastern and Western Conference finals with a lot of young new faces. Before we jump into that, though, I want to welcome my brothers, Vernon Maxwell, who just had Ashley elbows and I kind of lotion in his elbows before we started, and my dog Duly Fellas, what up, everybody?
What's going on? Man?
What's going on? How's everybody doing? Man? Everybody? Good? Man?
Man less man?
Yes, all time, hey, fellas. We got a lot of new young faces in the conference finals. The NBA will have a seventh different champion in seven years, first time in NBA history that's happened. Three out of the four teams have never tasted that. Larry O'Brien and the Knicks last title was in nineteen seventy three, so that was a lifetime ago. Let's start thunder Wolves first game on Tuesday. The series split was two to two. The Thundered are
favored minus three seventy in this series. Some of the key thunder guys have been struggling, though, Fellows, So let's jump into this series.
I started off man I tell you I love you know, the thunder Many. That's my squad, man, I say, they gonna that's the team I got to win it all. But it's gonna be a great series, man. And Man, you know they're playing they're playing good at the right time. You know they're playing real good at the right time. So but I think it's gonna be a great series. I can't wait to see this ship. And I liked what the league's doing now. Like we were talking about before the show, we think it was a memo sent
out to these motherfuckers. Let me to the referees, to let these motherfuckers play. The motherfuckers play, man. So and but that's the part I really love about all this shit though. The referees is really letting this motherfuckers play. And so I look forward to that part. But it's gonna be a great series. But oksee, I think of winning in seven.
Kad excuse me before you get into your Segon. Just want to get some stats. Sga and Williams are shooting under thirty percent from the three point line in the playoffs. Chats at sixteen and ten and two and a half blocks and gets a chance to go home and play
in front of his home crowd. Wolves ant is twenty six eight and six on forty five and thirty five splits, and Randall, who I think has been one of the best players in the playoffs and will be a key in this series, is at twenty four, six and six, shooting fifty thirty five and nearly ninety percent from the free throw line. Katie thoughts on this series.
I love this series. I think that it's very balanced. I think both teams have great benches. You know, Minnesota plays three great guys off the bench, you know when Walker, Alexander nas reed and then Devincenza right, and so they have depth, right, So I don't think it's just a mismatch from the depth standpoint. Though Oklahoma City their guys do have depth, they can't impact the game, especially on the defensive end with Caruso, who's approven champion and those
young guys as well. Man, they come in and they play their role. But I like oka See in this series. I think they have the best closer in the game, at least the top two closers in the game. So I still like okay See in this series. And I think really the difference of this series will be you know, lou Dort, you know kind of garden, you know, Anthony Ews.
I believe that lou Dort is one of the top three, if not the best on ball defender those Sometimes he might not get the most steals or blocks, like just standing in front of somebody and playing them with physicality. Offensively, all he does is pretty much shoot threes, and so he doesn't need his legs for that. He spends all his energy on the defensive end, and I think he'll make it really tough on Ant.
And so I like the OKC Thunder.
I won't say how many games I like them in, but I like that I like them to be the first to four.
I said, I said had early on that this could be the year that we see, okay, see you get popped in the second round, and that nearly happened. Or it could be the year that they get over the hump and represent the Western Conference in the finals. And this is you know, they've extended their chances. Obviously Game seven this past weekend, they showed that they were the better team and never had some issues. But hey, they showed that they were the better team. They're on to
the final or Western Conference Finals. Now, I love okac's depth. I love their camaraderie. Like I've said this, I fuck with what kind of team that they really mess with each other, really on the same page. And we've all played on teams where either there was like that or there was some islands, And you can definitely tell the energy when players are on islands. Those guys are all
on the same page. And I absolutely love that. And if you look at it, I mean, arguably, once the wave passes of the greatness and still that's still here with Steph Lebron and KD. These two guys SGA and Ant are right in the mix of you know, the face of the league. So I mean, obviously we'll get into the other side, but we have all young who brunts. It I want to say is twenty eight. We got all mid and young twenty somethings that are in these
conference finals. I'm gonna say, I like, I like Oklahoma City too, but I really like Ant and Randol and I feel like still still they haven't they haven't got the chemistry they're gonna have still. But like I said, I think last week or two weeks ago, it's two dogs that meet up and they're playing good basketball at the right time. Those guys play hard as hell, So this is gonna be a great series. I'm really excited for. But I would agree I definitely have Oklahoma City too
going to the Eastern Conference. Fellows, we are in some dangerous motherfucking water right now, because if the Knicks get to the finals and happen to win the finals, We're not gonna be able to tell no One from New York nothing for the next twenty years. Yeah, the next twenty years. U can't say shit to nobody from New York if their boys are able to slide to the Lils and make it happen. Man, So let's talk about this.
This is really exciting. Obviously, these guys linked up. Last year, the Knicks were a little shorthanded, Randall was out and then they lost OG I think after Game two. But hey, everyone looks it seems to be healthy again. Pacers with their depth, same thing we talked about with Oka. See, Pacers are a very deep team hot at the right time. The Knicks are very top heavy and there guys have logged a lot of minutes. But their guys are playing
a lot of good basketball right now. So let's let's let's take a look at this series and KD y'all start with you. The Knicks started a minus one for they're favored with home court advantage. They're two and one versus the Pacers. This year, Indy has six players averaging double figures. This is gonna be really fun. What do you see and who do you like? Wow?
Man, I think this is one of the more balanced series that we're gonna see in some time. Right the Pacers, man, they play with pace, they're well co Like, you know, Rick Carlile doesn't get enough credit. Right, Remember he coached Dirk Lewinsky and Steve Nash back in the days before they won their championship. He coached the Detroit Pistons before Larry Brown took over and you know, got them a championship.
So like he's one of those old school coaches that skill set has like transcended, you know, through the generations. And so I tipped my hat to him. They say he used to get taped before the game, so like, you know, he's.
A hooper to the core.
Like their depth, I like, you know, their continuity, But like I just think that the Knicks.
You know what I mean?
Like with that that that top five players that they play.
They don't play a lot of people off the bench.
I think McBride comes in and he's kind of an X factor. But I just think that the Knicks, it's their time. They got the best closer in the game analytically, and the eye test kind of proves to us that Jellen Bronson is that guy during the clutch time. I think their fans need this. And it's about time, man, that New York does something. Man, they've been living off the eighties and the seventies for so long, man, like so much shi it does coming up, Man, when we used to go to a B C. D camp and
things like thatn But you know, it's time. You know, it's time for them boys to you know, like show up and show out. And then also, you know, the other three teams in the playoffs right now, a small market teams, right and so the the the impressions and the Nielsen you know factor. Uh, you know what I mean. I think it'll be good for the game if the Knicks get to the finals. I think it'll bring basketball, you know, back to what you know, quote unquote it's called the Mecca.
So I'm mixing this series.
Wow, man, I can't stand the motherfuckers. Man. They act like they don't won the motherfucker Championship all. I like, God, Damn, I can't stand them, man. But it's gonna be a great series. Like you said, man, it's very balancing ship. I'm pulling for Indiana. Uh well, you know, I love Bronson and what they what he's about and all this ship and his dad over there. Shit, I don't think they made it this far until when his damn daddy was playing like like twenty some years ago. Whatever the
puff that was. So yeah, man, So but I'm pulling for brunts and to have a good series. And but I like Indiana in the series because New York those guys, motherfucker's gone lost a lot of minutes on them legs. Man, it's late to see, you know. I mean you got to you gotta think about that man. And Tom he he ain't doing a lot of fucking subbing man, So you know, I mean it's I think it's going to start to show up sometime coming up in this next series. I mean so, but pay attention to the ship now.
Them legs be gone now. So yeah, I like, I like Indiana. I like Indiana.
Hey, that was gonna be my main question at some point. Are these minutes going to catch up or is it drin or is adrenaline going to prevail? Like Katie, you've been to the conference finals right three times? Okay, yeah, so the conference finals. I mean it's you're almost there. You see the finish line. Yeah, so obviously my question is that fatim he gonna set in or is that adrenaline gonna carry them with? You know, a few days off in between games, Max, you got to play in
the garden for the finals. What was that crowd like? Although y'all handed them with what you needed to handle them to get you a ring, what was that crowd in that energy? Like in Madison Square during the finals.
A lot of ship talking, you know, we motherfucker was talking so much ship outside the arena. I said, God, damn, I'm glad we ain't playing against all them motherfuckers. We just playing five on five. You know, motherfuckers act like they was gonna all play against us.
You know, in their mind they was.
Motherfuckers go crazy. Man. I just can't stand the motherfuckers. But it was. I loved it was. It's one of my best places to play in the NBA. I love playing and UH and THEMN in New York, and like they said, it's the mecca. So it's like it's definitely a drilling flow. I mean to get to going and UH. I love playing in New York.
But let me say this, they the ultimate gas lighter. Whoever that is up there on the organ like a gas lighter, get the crowd off the chains. He is underrated.
Whoever the active. I don't even need to go to the game. I just might want to be in the city and feel the energy outside because like you said, I mean they was whooping people's ass after the last game.
We're going to get to that. I'm like, hey, there's some matchups in this game with Brunson and and Halliburton and Og and Siakam and Miles Turner and Kat and then Nie Smith and and nev Hart and then you look on the flip you look you look on the flip side of Heart and and and McBride and although you don't want to put you know, uh, Bridges is kind of in that in that category too, So I think there's a lot of cool little matchups within this series.
I'm really interested and excited about this series. To your point, KD, I completely agree. This is probably the most balanced series. And and and remember last year the w W kind of played this up too with Halliburton and and and runs in at an event and they stirred each other down. Know what the fuck? Haliburt was wearing some tight jean shorts and some combat boots. But I'm excited about this. I think this is gonna be a great series. I'm gonna I want to go with the Knicks, not because
of I just think it'll be great for basketball. And I think New York. New York needs a little bit of love on the basketball side, because I think California has passed them as far as the mecca of basketball in Florida. To oh you started to ship, I just say all that. I just said, Callie, it's been admitted. But I'm gonna tell you all right now, we're not we might in our lifetime, we might not be able to say nothing to anybody from New York. If these motherfuckers finds goodness.
I'm trying to tell you.
They're gonna ride this ship for man. But other news, like I said earlier, I mean the city is going crazy right now. They jumped a fan. They had a Halliburton jersey on. Let's take a look at that.
Trash back, huh.
They just said. They also said this guy that hey, this guy that guy jumped is Halliburton is flying him out for these games, so he'll probably be have some security on it. This is wild. He got didn't want to hurt him. That's crazy, Max. I know they wouldn't catch you slipping like that.
Max throwing hands out that motherfucker looking off and looking off.
They also they also said something to Brian Windhorse and I didn't get to see this, so I want to actually see this video. I just saw. I couldn't listen to the commentary, so let let's watch this video too. They got they got on Wendy's ass a little bit.
How did you feel about to lose it?
I don't give a fuck say.
To say, hey, hey, Wendy, be safe, bro safe.
It's a some damn security.
Man. It's wild in New York and it's a great conference final on both sides. Man, So I think is it safe to say that we are in the next phase of basketball? Who knows what Katie is gonna do? If you He'll have a chance to kind of get one more sniff at this. If he goes to Houston or something. Lebron ain't going nowhere, They're gonna be able to ask some help for him and Luca Deaf. You know, it has the door shut on Steph hardened with the Clippers.
I mean, all these guys that are obviously first about Hall of famers and some of the greatest players, uh in my generation. It's it's there's a lot of nut young new blood man. So I'm excited about that moving forward the future for the Boston Celtics. What does that
look like? There was conversation I caught a little bit as I was getting ready this morning about obviously Tatum being gone all next season and is Brown someone that could be in that driver's seat And a lot of people were riding the train last year he's the Finals MVP. This is that. I love Jalen Brown, but he has always been respectfully either one A or excuse me, one B or Robin has always been the best players in the game. Plan is always focused, has been always focused
on stopping Tatum. And that's just what it is. Whether fans like to say it or not, that's what it's been so is he ready to step into that one a roll next season? Will this team come back? Porzingis has thirty million expiring, Holiday still has three years one hundred million. I don't want to overreact. I'm going to ask the question to ask it. Do you bust a move if something crazy comes across the table for Jalen Brown? Or do you just stay set, let your superstar get
healthy and make a push in two years. Obviously, new owners over there with the Celtics, and we talked about this for we liked it. They've kept the infrastructure and in the training wheels on, so to speak, letting the former group kind of help them do this process. But as Nate said, at the end of the day, they're gonna be in the luxury tax, you know with this roster. Do they want to start that way? They gonna what are they gonna do? So, you know, our eyes are
going to be on the Celtics. But what do you guys think, Max, what do you think this team does? Obviously not gonna have Tatum next year, coming off a championship last year, a lot of money owed to a lot of players. Uh, what's the future look like for Boston?
I feel like they're gonna have to bust and move, get some trades, got to be involved in this ship this summer, get some guys out of there, man. And I think that's what's gonna happen. Like love Jalen Brown, I mean, I think he can do it. I mean, he's a guy can can carry a team, you know, and force. You know, I think he's he's capable. So I mean just I mean, Drew Holliday, I mean, you got them. He's making a lot of money, you know,
old too. You know, That's what I'm saying over the next three years, and so I mean they got to think about that, you know, and you know, but I just feel like in fra zingis, you know, I mean, he's just got to get healthy. But I think Boston, I mean, Tatum's not going to be there all next year. But I think Jaylen Brown can carry a team and
you know, he's very capable of doing that. And I mean, so, I mean, I don't know about how good they'll be, but I think, you know, Jalen Brown can handle his thing and carry a team.
Though absolutely one of the things, like with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the new television deal, there'll be an influx of money coming in, and so I know that they're over the tax, but there'll be some kind of
compensation with this new TV deal coming in. But when you're a new ownership and you don't have an opportunity to win a championship, because I don't think they can win one without Tatum as history has shown us, you know, I think you gotta try, and you know, take a page out of Sam Presty's book, go back to Danny Ainge and how he kind of you know, quarterback. You know that whole situation and getting assets while guys still have value to be able to you know, build for
the future, and then talent retainment. Al Horford is getting older, Tatum won't be with you next year. You still have some value with Drew this year, so you know, he's a piece that a championship team could really desire, or even Derek White for that matter. And por Singus has an Inspire an expiring contract, so that is valuable as well. And so I think they got to dive on the
motherfucking sword this year. They got to dive on that motherfucker right and draft capital, try and retain like Pritchett because I think he's a young guy who could be a pointed for the future. And then they got to kind of reassemble and get that talent. But what you want to do is you really want to keep JB and Jason Tatum together, right, you know, because like it's rare that you can get that kind of talent, you
know what I mean, in their primes together. And like I said, those guys are getting older, and so I
think they should make some moves. They should, you know, take a step back in order to like, you know, reload, you know what I mean, not next season, but the season after next, and that'll give the new ownership group of you know, an opportunity to you know, kind of find their way, kind of go through some hardships so they can appreciate, you know, the value of winning in the league, because if you inherit the team and you only win and you're competing for a championships, you don't
know about the hardships and there's always a recalibration period. So I would say they should dive on the sword and try and recalibrate.
It to be interesting to see. First and foremost, my brother Jason Tatumn get well, yeah, chance, this would be a big I got a chance to talk to him last week and was just kind of talking about me. This is physically draining, but the mental is going to be the strongest part, and that's what he said he was having the hardest time with at the moment. It was just like this mental right now is tough. Og so so definitely send him some love to the little
bro and get back strong, get back okay. Joker didn't hold his tongue after seven games. Let's ask could the Nuggets win a championship with this roster? He said, we didn't, so obviously we can't. If you could, we would have. And he said he's gonna be drinking a lot of beer in the next week and a half. Unbelievable season. Most likely Sga will be the MVP, but it'll it's unfortunate. Then when we look back, we're gonna forget what kind of season jokichad because he won't be the MVP. But
his numbers across the board have been absolutely incredible. From the Olympics to this season to the playoffs, he's been incredible. Jokich is fifty five million a season. Murray is forty six million a season. Michael Porter Junior is owed thirty eight million dollars next season. He's someone who's been injury plagued and try to tough it out and play through the injuries. But at the end of the day, this man is making over thirty million. He's only giving you
nine points a game in the playoff. Hots off to my little homie. It's definitely the Missouri tie with with the Kronky tie. Yeah, yeah, Katie was there with Kronky. Shout out to Aaron Gordon man for for for coming out in Game seven knowing he couldn't really move and
trying to give them something. He's a warrior. And he brought up a point too, you know, saying that the NBA needs to start giving more time off in between games, I think after the first round, which is which I'm not mad at, because like we've all said, I mean, the season is a motherfucker and then when you get to the playoffs, man, it turns the intensity up a whole another level. Man. So he was saying some stuff that I really like, you know, what does this team do?
This team let go? I think they underestimated the Bruce Browns and the Jeff Greens and those smaller role players that really helped them secure KCP, helped them secure their first championship in a long time. Can you trade Michael Porter? Is Murray? The guy? I mean? Murray has been up and down. He's making nearly fifty million dollars a year. Next year, what are they going to do a new coach? Is Adaman gonna go from intern two head? Are they going to go find a big name? There's a lot
of questions over there. They don't have a GM. I don't know who the GM is going to be, So a lot of questions over there. And with Jokic, you don't have too much time because there's always that talk of pairing him with somebody out here in LA which will be absolutely insane. So what do you think Denver's off saton is going to look like? Katie?
The first thing is that, like, at some point, I think you're gonna start seeing some more criticism of Jokic, right, because at the end of the day, man statistically and analytically, during the regular season, he puts up numbers, right, and he has more MVPs than championships, right, And so there's been several players who have been minimized, you know, for having that kind of dynamic, right And at the end
of the day, you're, like judge off of winning. If you're supposed to be the best player at the best time in the league, at some point your resume has to reflect that. So at some point, I think he's going to start getting criticism about not winning championships and just being you know what I mean, a guy who gets statistics, you know what I mean.
Now, I know that's tough to digest, but.
That's the reality that Russell Westbrook had the experience.
That's something that.
A lot of guys who had to experience that kind of criticism. So I think, luka, it's fair because of his pedigree. So I think that the Nuggets definitely have to make some changes. I don't think Michael Porter Junior is one of those guys who has a lot of trade value because, like one of his legs are longer than the other. You know, he's kind of injury prone. But he's also showed some toughness. Though his numbers were down, he has played you know with the throw it.
I like him. I like him, man, I like him a lot.
He's a good third option, you know what I mean. So I'm not gonna hate on him. He is a champion and he has brought some into that city, but that's an extreme number, you know what I mean.
To be getting in the playoffs. So I think they have to make some moves. I think they have to define who their coach will be.
I think they have to get you know, a general manager in there, and then they're gonna have at some point they're gonna have to deal with the Jokic issue because he's gonna say that, Hey, you know what, maybe I can't win here, maybe I have to go take, you know, the same path that a lot of superstars, you know what I mean.
He'll start thinking.
That's where Nis, that's where Gianni's is right now, you don't want to get there. They get there.
That loyalty, and then they get to that point where it's about legacy because we start judging them differently after you have all the individual accolades and then it's like, okay, we're your championships. How do those things line up?
Let's not forget to before you go vern Dylan, what was the GM's name in Denver? Who's in Minnesota now? Connolly? The guy that built that roster, that that Denver roster that won a championship. Boy is in Minnesota pulling them strings right now. So it's to be very interesting offseason for Denver. They are up against the clock from a standpoint of these days, superstars aren't gonna sit by and waitt seasons, so they got to figure it out. Yeah.
So jokicch has two more seasons under contract with an option for sixty two million dollars. The twenty seven twenty eight season outstanding out of it, Yeah, he could definitely get on. Yes, moving on to the Cavs. Three straight years with the Corps not getting past the second round? Can this offensive minded small guard combination of Mitchell and
Garland survive in the playoffs? And when I saw this question, I had them pull the stats of another small guard combination that I really loved that I think had really good teams but just kept running into the Warriors when the Warriors were the shit. And that's that Portland back
court of Dame Lillard and CJ McCollum. Their numbers in the playoffs were Dames were twenty six four and six, forty one and thirty seven from the three point line, and then CJ was twenty points, four rebounds, three assists, forty three percent from the field in thirty eight from
the three point line. In contrast, in three seasons in the playoffs with with Donovan Mitchell and Garland, Donovan Mitchell twenty eight, five and five on forty five and thirty four from the three and Garlands seventeen three and five with forty three and thirty four. Something that was interesting. Who said it? Simmons just threw a crazy idea out there about straight up Mobley for Giannis. Obviously there would be some more stuff in there, but I think Fellas
correct me if I'm wrong. They need to make some moves in Cleveland. Is Donovan Mitchell gonna sit there? And obviously I think he did? He sign another deal there. Yeah, so he read up. Garland had a lot of potential. Obviously is hit by the injury bug Mobley and their other pieces Defensive player of the Year. I don't see this team. And I said at the very beginning, got in trust Cleveland. What does this team need to do? Max, I'm gonna start with you to get over the hunt.
Do they need to press reset on this team? Oh? Yeah, Mobley's new contract. Nate just told me kicks in next year, So how much forty six next year?
They gottat they gotta reset. You got two little guards. Gotta tell you got those two little guards. Man, you gotta reset, man. And and uh uh that that's that's not gonna win. That's not a winning pedigree to me. With the two small guards. Man, that shit don't work. Man. So, but you gotta break that up first. And then damn, there's a lot of money being paid to some motherfuckers. That's really that.
You know that.
I think you know, they gotta they gotta they got to break it up, man, the team up. And uh I mean donovd Mitchell Man. I love his I love his playing what he's about. I mean they need some help, you know. I mean he's basically out there playing by hisself. This man in the second round against and I mean Indiana, that shit was crazy. I mean I thought, you know, other guys will step up and give them a hand. You know, those guys in the regular seasons easy, but you.
Know the playoff lights is different.
Later you get into them playoffs, man, that shit started to change for you, you know, and a lot of nerves. So but I just think they need to break it up, man, because I'm small ball guard ship. That shit ain't gonna work. It's not gonna work.
Yeah, No, I feel you on that og obviously, you know, Donovan and Garland are a smaller backcourt, but like they are productive. What I was more concerned about is that like Evan Mobley and Garland missed games in the playoffs, but then they were able to play in some games.
So for me, like old school guys, like it was a difference between being hurt and injured, right and even if you could go out and give twenty minutes and make them game playing for you and then let the adrenaline kick in and let the tour do all and the quarter zone kick.
In, you know what I mean.
Like the difference of like them losing at the buzzer, you know what I mean, Like they could have made a difference and if your go up, you know, if you're down, you know, if you're up to one, and things like that, like the series could go a little bit differently, and so I sometimes, like you know, I question this younger generation's like true commitment to the game and doing everything that they have to do, because if you can play, you know, miss one game and then
come and play the next two games.
Well maybe you.
Could have given a little bit more during that time. With Evan Mobley, like, you know, he is coming in. You know, he was what defensive Player of the Year. He has shown growth and improvement every year. Milwaukee is a place that can't get a lot of free agency, so they have to do deals through trades. And so if Giannis is thinking about leaving, you know, Houston and Cleveland are two locations that have some assets, some young you know assets that they could potentially you know, plug
in there. But I think it's gonna be hard to you know, win for the Cavs if you only have Donovan and Garland in that backcourt. You need more size and I think could you know, kind of you know, suppress some of those flaws. But at the end of the day, like you know, they got to be healthy, and those guys weren't healthy enough.
They didn't given up, you know, they didn't given up.
Speaking of Yannis, he said his favorite place to play is in New York and is the city he has the funnest in it or or the Florida cities. So I don't know if that means anything. I'm just we could use him down here, he said, he can come on down the Warriors. The Warriors, I mean the sun is setting over there. They've had a great run. Guys are getting older at the end of the day. Can you get what can you get for kaminga signing trade?
It was always a mystery to me, like how what happened with him and Steve Kerr, what happened off the quarridor what happened with him just mentally for him not to be able to consistently get minutes. But when they did give him minutes, the boy played some good basketball. Yes, the boy played some really good basketball. Numbers could be deceiving at times, and sometimes numbers don't add up to wins. We've seen guys in the past have crazy numbers that
don't add up to much. But I really think he's young. He's what twenty three, twenty four hours is kminga He's a baby, So what can you get twenty two? What can you get in the sign and trade for him? Janni's Steph We talk about Giannis again. Is there a pairing there in the future. You'd probably have to get rid of Draymond plus Kaminga and some a few. First highly unlikely, but you know, you never know. What does
Golden State have to do? Curry is due to make fifty nine million next year, Butler is due to make fifty four million next year, and our brother Draymond Green is due to make twenty five million next year. So what do the Warriors do with that kind of payroll and the roster they have?
Wow?
I think they got to sign a trade with the young kid Kaminga first of all, I mean, he need to be He got to get to a new environment, another place, you know, because I mean I heard some weird shit that happens.
He hurt.
Didn't like him because he was a guy that liked to be in the clubs or ship, ship like that to that nature. But ship I ain't give. I wouldn't give a damn what he do. If he came out and played like that boy plays hard man.
He playsah man.
Yeah, just Harm's way man and he plays hard man. But you can get a lot for him. I signed in trade. You can get something for him. And then with the Draymond deal, you know, I love Draymond to death. That's my guy, man. So I mean I think it's about time for that marriage to end, you know, with Draymond and and and the Golden State Warriors. You know, yeah, they need to part their ways with each other. But I think, uh, and Steph. You know, Steph's gonna be Steph.
I mean, he needs some more help. They need to get him some help. But I just feel like they got to break it up, man, and and make some moves and and and good luck to the young guy cominga man. I love his style. I love his game. He plays hard, you know, so hopefully he can get somewhere where somebody with flaming and love him the way he's supposed to be loved.
Thanks Og for me. I feel like, you know, you got to bet on the youngsters at this point. I think, man, Draymond has served his purpose in Golden State.
You know, they.
Maximize like his potential. You know, he's a champion. He's going to be forever in all of our hearts, you know what I mean, as the heart and soul in the spirit of that Warriors dynasty. And so I think like he can go and like imprint somewhere else and give that to a whole different demographic of people. You know what I mean and youngsters that could benefit from that,
and his number is twenty five million. I think you got to bet on the young boy, you know what I mean, Like, you know, instead of doing a sign and trade with Kaminga, you will find more minutes for him if Draymon is not on that team, right, and you will change kind of the way that you play. And I think scoring is something that they need. And this guy averaged fourteen to fifteen points in limited minutes and when he gets the opportunity, he can score the basketball.
But with Draymond on that team, it takes a difference identity. And so I think, like, but Steph getting older, with Jimmy getting older, I think you bet on the young guys because you can't just draft talent like that. It just doesn't come up every day in the draft. They developed the talent, they culptivated the talent. And like, I think he's right now. If you trade him, he'll be like how Tracy McGrady was when he got traded from
the Raptors, and he'll be like on the CUSP. If not an All Star, he'll be a very very talented lead scorer in the NBA type guy.
He's that talent.
Hey, I'm not mad. What I'll say to that is I think the bridge has been burned between him and Kerr because I heard some of what Max said and I heard some other shit that we don't need to get into. So I don't know if there's light at the end of the tunnel. But to your point, KD, if he is able to get out to a new situation and spread his wings, he's gonna be a problem. Yes, he's a twenty. He's a twenty twenty plus point a
game score in this league. He's freakishly athletic. You know, if he will listen to some people or just maybe a change of environment to be able to listen to some new voices, I think there's definitely his talent is not in question here. I just think it's his mentality. So it's going to be interesting to see, you know, you know it? Do we live in an air now
where greats Draymond was a great for the Warriors. They don't really get to ride off into the sunset with their teams unless anymore, you know Clay perfect example, Clay, they had to have Clay bust to move. I think Steph is the one guy that will most likely retire there he'll be probably the last of the three amigos, but it'll be interesting to see if Golden State decides to go in another direction. Mike Duneley being that ownership over there, have a lot of a lot of figuring
out to do before we get out of here. Fellas. The w NBA season has kicked off. This segment, which is crazy, is brought to you by Rose Sparks, long lasting, it's fast acting, ed three. Whoever did that is a maniac. But Angel Rees and Caitlyn Clark, the beef is reunited. I didn't get a chance to see the game because I was coaching this weekend, but for what I did see, Angreur Rees pushed someone in the back. They didn't call it. She got the offensive rebound. Kaitlyn Clark gave her a
hard take foul. I definitely didn't think it was. I think Angel dramatized it a little bit and flailed, but then she got up ready for smoke. And now the talk is is this does she hate? I don't give a shit if they like each other or not, Who cares. I think what has grown this game is the storyline
and the rivalry that started back in college. Dare I mention that Kaitlyn Clark came out the game or came out with the twenty ten and ten triple double to start the season Sparks or fire fellas Angel rees and Kaitlyn Clark? Is it beef? Is it competitiveness? Does Angel not like her? Or does it not even matter because it's still good basketball?
Well? I love the ship, you know what I mean. When I saw when I saw the ship, man, I was like, goddamn, that's what it needs. We need this ship. But the only thing I didn't like about that ship, man, the racism part, you know what I mean. And I just I just don't think that ship should be a part of these girls the girls game and the boys get the men game either, And so uh, the fans got to do better, man, I mean, because I mean
the same kind of ship what happened to me. You know, got to watch what the fuck you're saying in them stands, you know, and and then security got to do better too. You know, when you when you identify that person, you got to go up to that person, You got to handle that person. You gotta do something about that, you know. But I just think that Angelies really don't like this motherfucker, you.
Know, and that's fine, and that's fine whether she doesn't, that's fine, Right, Yeah.
I love that part that about the game. The girls game need to have some shit like that in it, you know. So I look forward. I mean I can't. I think they played like four or five more time. So I'm looking forward to it, man. So but it's none to that. I think it's just sparks.
Yeah, there you go.
No, man, I think it's dope.
Man, Like, they have a rivalry that kind of goes back, you know, to their days that I went LSU, and they've always been competing against them each other for national championships.
They've always been you know, first team All Americans. Like they are rivals on the basketball court.
Right this time it was a little bit switched, right because like Caitlyn, I think she got seventeen percent of all flagrant files were against her last year in the w NBA.
That's a crazy stuff.
Her to go to the weight room. So her has changed, her mentality has changed. She's got a better team this year, and so she took she wasn't on the receiving end.
Of the hard foule. She gave the hard foul, right, and so like, you know what I mean.
That to me, that said, like, okay, she coming in with a different disposition this year, Like right, she ready for the shit, she ready for the smoke.
So I like to see that. But for every action, there's a reaction.
Now, one thing we know about that little Barbie from Baltimore, Maryland, Like she got right, and so she reacted if it was Angel Reese, if it was somebody else, she was gonna react like that because that's how miss Reese conducts herself on the court.
She's a junk yard dog.
When you talk about the race element and things like that, it does come out in situations like that. Because if Angel Reese would have made that foul on her right, I mean a different you know, like we wouldn't be talking about, you know, the reaction. We'd have been talking about the infraction, you know what I mean. And so like it does play a part in it. That's a place where you know, society we have to get better.
But for me as a competitor, as a hooper, I love it because this guys like you and me, Matt, who loved each other. But if we fouled each other or whatever, and we work for whatever, like we're gonna go hug it out afterwards, you know what I mean.
Like it's good for the game.
You know what I mean.
Those sisters are playing their heart out, you know what I mean. They're putting up points. You know, KP is putting up points in her new situation and things like that. So I love to see, you know, the females getting that attention for their game.
It's great for the game. Again, outside of the racism and Max, You've told your stories and and and we've had I've had incidents in Utah where I've been called nigger in Boston, So there's definitely and I think these leagues need to do. Yeah, you've been there, A lot of guys have been there. I think they needed to start doing, like whether it be undercover cops or undercover security, just dressed in civilian clothes, sitting in the stands in areas.
And if you catch these clown ass motherfucker's saying some pul racist shit, get them and then it's a lifetime band for them and everybody in their family. And put their name and face on TV and just make an example out of people because for us to ask people. Hate will always be in this world and it's very unfortunate, but forever us to ask the fans to do better.
It's not going to happen if you have hate in your heart at some point with a couple of drinks in you not that shit is going to come out regardless. So we just need to have playing clothes. I'm not asking for other fans to snitch. I'm not on that, but I'm saying these leads can pit people in the crowd. I think in the lower bowl where these athletes are, where we're at and ketseys, motherfuckers that are on this
hateful shit. Because that's the thing that discussed me. The flake whether I don't definitely don't think it was a flakir foul, but the hard foul and the interaction and the reaction I don't care about that. I think that's great for the game. The shit has been happened. Women are more caddy and been getting in smoke more than men do, so this ship has always happened. It just happens to be these too young, these two young stars in the league. Man. So I'm really again excited for
this season. I'm really gonna make an asserted effort not to just watch the season. I'm gonna get out and show my face and get to some games. On the flip side, I'm most likely to be going to Sparks games. And our girl, Kelsey Plumb, welcome to LA. She came out and dropped a thirty seven ball in the season opener versus the new expansion teams, the Valkyrie out of they're playing in Oakland, right or they're playing in San Francisco, Oakland. Okay,
so yeah, the new Bay Area team, the Valkyrie. Shout out our girl Natalie. We went to UCLA with her, the head coach over there of the Valkyries. But Kelsey Plump, let's not forget she was a bucket in college, a twenty five five and five girl at Washington. I think she averaged fifteen and six. She's gonna get a chance to score this year. You know, the Sparks aren't how
do we say it. Obviously they got Cameron Brinks back, but I still think are a few years away, and I think what needs to happen the same way things happen in the NBA is obviously our girl Juju is recovering for what she needs to recover from. But I think in two years something needs to happen where the Sparks and get the magic man, get the loaded get they need to get the They need to get the loaded dice KD. They need to loaded dice, loaded dice
and get it. Obviously, Barrell went out with the big injury. She'll be gone what six to eight weeks. It's gonna be some time for this Sparks team. But I definitely think the future with the core pieces they have and adding someone like a Juju down the line can definitely bring Sparks basketball right where it needs to be. Yes Au Fellas, I was out in Memphis, tenne Key this weekend and ran into a bunch of our brothers from Penny to a chem to who else, Bonzie Wells, Chris Paul,
Raymond Felton, who else. A lot of a lot of dads were out there, man, it was great to see everyone. We took. We took some on the chin this weekend. Man. We lost to Jermaine O'Neil. So we lost to Marcus Spears. Shout out my homeboy Barkers Spears over there at ESPN. His son is I think top three in the twenty twenty seventh class. They beat us at the buzzer on a bullshit ass call that one of their kids, a
white boy. He was nice, super athletic, but this kid euro step from the three point line without a dribble, travel like a motherfucker, and they called a foul at the buzzer. He hit one free throw. Uh, and they beat us, but we missed fifteen free throws. Max, we can't miss fifteen free throws. That that was definitely on us, but fucking refs. But we were able to uh, you know, two and two. We lost to it. We also lost
to Jail three John John Lucas's program. Another game we didn't shoot well, but we'll definitely be ready.
Uh.
Next stop is Augusta, right before Peach Jam. But Fellas, what do you guys remember best about your AAU journeys? Obviously, Katie, we ran into each other in AU, Max, I don't even know if they had AU with your old as. But what was your uh? What what? What? What do you guys remember real quick most about your AU time? Oh?
Man, Mine I was just I was just killing every motherfucking boy they put in front of me. That was That's what. That's what the I remember ever, god damn thing they put in front of me.
It was different back then, Max, because again, and not to cut you off, like I don't like it, but I understand it. These generate all the kids are friends, and I don't like that shit. Because we were playing we didn't know who who was who until we got to square up against someone. I already told the story where we didn't know who the hell Tracy McGrady was and KD he was on that team, Like we had no idea who this Florida Flash Team was until they beat us by thirty Like that shit was we KD?
What do you What do you remember most about Au?
You know what?
I think?
What I remember most is that, like one the first time I got on the scene and I went to ABCD camp, is that I realized that, like, boy, I gotta step my shit up. Well you're hooping down here strong, like yo, I got the lock in if I want to get to another level. The second thing I learned how to do is like compete right and like you know, bring that dog from Florida to that situation. And then the gear that we got, the ability to travel. We
met some transformational people like SONNYE. Vicerol, Brett Barrow and like so many people who you know, imparted good things into our lives that it was a blessing. But the friendships and the relationships and the Late Knights talking shit and the Late Knights playing one and you know what I mean, like experiencing things for the first time, Like just getting that human experience outside of basketball was something that I like that really sticks with me to this day.
And a lot of those guys we still talk to this day.
Yeah, I love that and I almost get to relive it obviously being a coach and seeing these young boys now and allowing them to have some fun and doing shit with them and letting them know, man, enjoy this time. I've teamed up with our partner DraftKings to make picks
all throughout the NBA playoffs. The Conference Finals are finally here, kicking off Tuesday night Wolves at Oklahoma City and Wednesday Pacers at the next I'm gonna start with the first game on Tuesday, Wolves versus Oklahoma City Thunder, and I feel Julius Randall will have more points than DK Pick six hasn't listed at and for the Wednesday game, Pacers versus the Knicks. I feel like Pascal Siakn will have less points than the Draft Kings. Pick six hasn't listed
at anyway, Fellas, that's a rap for unplugged man. We appreciate you guys stopping by this week. You guys, make sure you have a good week. Tap in big week for basketball man. Make sure you guys tune in starting Tuesday night Western Conference Finals start. You can catch this on all the Smoke Productions YouTube and the DraftKings Network. We'll see you guys next week.