Welcome. What's burnon here with the international Man in Mystery Matt Barnes, just back from Croatia.
All the smoke international you guys.
By the way, that sunset everyone go to Matt's ig if you haven't seen it, it's crazy.
It was insane.
What was it like?
Yeah, I mean shout out to Domo. He was great, great hosts. We were out there for the Croatia Sunset Sports Festival. We were one of a handful of people they brought in from around the world to talk sports media, women in sports, women in media. So we had a great time. But it was really an eight day vacation. I think we worked a total of like four hours and eight days. So food was great, views were amazing, water was turquoise, as my girl likes to say. The
air was clean. So man had a great time in Croatia.
Shout out Showtime Basketball. For eight days for four hours of work, it's pretty great.
Cross the waters. We appreciate you.
There we go while you left, though, while you were sleeping so to speak, like the NBA Finals started, I know that you kept up. We're going into Game three in Miami all tied up. What the odds makers expected after Denver thumped Miami in Game one, and in fact, the Nuggets were actually up at halftime. They're up by fifteen in the second quorder. What does it surprise you that they're going into Game three tied? Do you think it means something?
I can't say it's surprised me at this point, because I think Miami has continued to surprise everyone on every level, you know, from me in one game, or being a playing team losing their first playing game, to running through the best the Eastern Concert has to offer. I really just give a lot of credit to Spolster and Jimmy Butler.
I really feel like they have these guys believing. You know, obviously you look at the roster, it's not a ton of name to jump out to you, but these guys play a certain way, and I compare them to a San Antonio from a standpoint, not the talent and if they'll win a championship or not, but just great coach that makes these guys believe in They're going to play their way every single game. They're not going to beat themselves. You're going to have to beat them, and that's what
I think you saw in Game two. They didn't beat themselves. I think Denver let their foot off the gas. You know, obviously spoiled through you know, Spolster through some defensive you know magic in there from you know, pressing to going into his zone to you know, really focusing on slowing down Murray. So uh again, you know, great executing, you know a great execution. But we all know, Rachel, you know, the finals in the playoffs in general all about adjustments.
So we're gonna have to see how Denver bounces back. But you know, heading into Miami won one, Miami's feeling very confident right now.
Yeah, no, I mean we know this bo is a Hall of Fame coach, bound for the Hall of Fame one day. This is chess match. Though Michael Malone knows what he's doing. He's been around the block. He was literally raised in the game. His father was an NBA coach. So I do think the x's and o's is going to be interesting going back and forth. And there was a lot made in game two of turning Yokic into a scorer instead of a passer. Right, he did open
up the scoring lanes. I mean, that's inarguable. Jokic had a playoff low for him for assists.
But afterward coach.
Spoke to you didn't like that.
Turning Yokic into a score. He was very adamant.
Oh, it's a very simplistic view and all of this stuff. Was that accurate on his part or was that a little gamesmanship of him being like, no, no, that's not what we're doing over here.
I think a little bit of both. Obviously, shout out Ramona because she knows the game. She knows the game, you know, as good as anybody.
Yes, and it was a completely legitimate, valid question.
Yes, but obviously there's more to it. You know. I think Jokic is great, but we've seen when his supporting cast doesn't show up. They're kind of a middle of the pack team, you know. I mean, obviously Murray had an off night, Michael Porter Junior didn't show up. You know, Bruce Brown's been great off the bench. He didn't really give him too much. So Jokic had to do what he had to do to kind of keep his team in the game. So we all know that he's a
capable score. He's just more of a pass first guy, and I don't necessarily look at the forces as him not looking to pass it was I think it was more of his teams just or his teammates not making shots. So you know, again, I think you brought up a great point. You know, two of the best coaches in the game, and it's an interesting chest game amongst them. And then also there's a game that's being played on
the floor with the players. So this game will be Game three will be about a justments and I'm sure that Mike Malona have his team ready, and I know Spoll throw some more wrinkles into what they're doing, so we know that Miami kind of really has to make
a lot of adjustments. Everyone think. You know, obviously on paper, Denvers the better team, but you know, the game is played on the floor, you know, with two great coaches that are going back and forth and in mind games, and players have to go out there and perform.
One of the real geniuses of Miami's roster for the playoffs, which by the way, is what it is because it shifted so much during the year, is that it's so like dexterous, right, they can do so many different things depending on what the other team throws at you. They can play in a bunch of different ways, and we saw that in the way they played against Milwaukee, the way they played against New York. They shifted like three times just in that New York series alone. So that's
what to me, you know, he culture, Yes, huge. I used to work down there, like no question. That is a big part of their DNA. There were several times in Game two where they were behind and they could have just quit and been like, great, this isn't our series, and they didn't, so like all of that's real yea. Also, however, they have the players that they have the guys to be able to do a bunch of different things. Yeah,
I think that's interesting. One of the sort of X and O things that I've seen a lot over the last couple of days going into Game three is that Yogica's post touches were really limited, and that's one of the things that Miami did. And then when he gets the ball in the posts, I mean, as untraditional as the center as he is in some ways, when he hits his back to the basket, the way that they score is just it's mind boss.
Yeah, I mean, you know, Miami's hung their hat during this spolstal era on defense, you know, in different strategies and you know what I've looked about Miami is, you know, they've the complete underdog story. You know, we've heard how many guys haven't been drafted. So not only are they playing for this championship, but a lot of these guys are playing for big deals. Yeah, you know what I mean in Miami is someone who will pay people good money.
But you know, anytime you can get Bam and Jimmy both in twenty and then you have Gay Vincent, an undrafted player from Norcao who you know led the team in scoring. It's been different guys at different time from me. Know, Caleb Martin had a great Eastern Conference finals. He hasn't
necessarily showed up yet in these finals. But again a guy like Gave Vincent stepped up, Truce has stepped up, so you know, again, I really just credit Spolster for, you know, the the the creative mind behind what they're doing on defense, and then having these guys believe in themselves enough that hey, even though you know we have the roster we have and in Denver is big Denver, you know we're just as good as anybody in the world, and we're showing it right now.
Well, Steve Kerr, of all people, had an interesting take on Spolstra. He went on Draymond's podcast after Game two, which is an amazing sentence that I just.
Said out loud.
I mean, things have changed so much in the media and NBA world that we have a current player podcasting after games about what's going on in the NBA Finals and has his head coach and what a time champion joining him. But there you go. Enjoy NBA fans. You've got a lot going on right now. It's a nice
world to be in. Steve talked about the heat starting Kevin Love and how that allowed Jimmy Butler to guard Murray and he said, quote, I can see them in their coaching meetings saying Murray is the head of the snake, not Jokic. Yokic is going to dominate no matter what we do. I think they just decided Murray is the guy we got to stop. And then you saw they were blitzing Murray quite a bit and really tried to take everything away from him out of the game. I don't know he thought it great call.
That's a great call, I mean, because we've seen I mean, this Denver team has been struggling the last two years because of injury. Yeah, and you know, Jokic has been and during that time one MVP, so we know how great is So Steve Kerr has a great point. Jokic is going to be Yokic regardless, Like you're not going to shut him down, But you know, we have a
better chance at shutting down to Jamal Murray. And he's been tremendous in these playoffs and really the whole season, you know, so I agree that although that may not have been the game plan, or it was the game plan, they did a great job at it. And then you know, obviously Krevi. You know, Jimmy Butler is one of those rare superstars that you know you're not just going to
get one thing from him. This guy is a complete player and does whatever it takes, from guarding the best player to knocking down big shots, to getting his team going to making plays. He's done absolutely everything this season. But I agree, I mean, Jokic is one of those guys that is going to be a mismatch. He's going to get his numbers regardless. But if we can shut down or slow down Murray, you know you're putting a
lot of pressure on Michael Porter Junior. You're putting a lot of pressure on Aaron Gordon, Bruce Brown Colwell, Pope, you know, I'm living with those guys beating us instead of Murray.
Speaking of the Warriors guys, while you were out of the country, Bob Meyer stepped down, and I mean, look, you go way back with Bob.
You obviously that was my first agent, very Bob was your first agent under Arn tellhim. When I came out of UCLA, I had no idea.
I know who's Tray mcgrady's agent man, all right, so you know him super well, you actually, I mean it's amazing. You interviewed him with all the smoke the day that Draymond punched Jordan Poole. So you had been there with the Warriors for some key moments this year. Obviously you're so tied to that team. What do you think happens from now on?
That's tough. I mean, you're hearing some things slowed around. One of my former teammates, Mike Dunley Junior, great basketball mind, but I think what Bob did for that franchise is obviously can't be underplayed. I don't think anyone's underplaying it, just a great, great basketball mind that I think you probably just wrote it. Course, you know what I mean.
There's just a lot of stuff. And then again you hear rumors about the owner kind of overstepping his bounds, would you say, but as it can an owner actually do that if it's his team, you know, So I don't know if that any of that is true. But I think you know, Bob just needed a break. I mean a lot has gone on in the last has he been ten years, eleven years, and they've won, you know, four championships and been to the finals you know a handful of times. So sometimes as players and even management,
you just get worn out. And I think that's the case that you know, Bob has gotten worn out. But I don't think he's done in basketball. I definitely think, you know, he's a SOCOW guy. I think at some point you look for him to be on some some management side. I'm leaning Lakers or Clippers. I'm probably going to take a year off, but you know, look to have his mind back in the game, and if it does come down to the game, I'm sure it'll be in a SOCO team where he's from and where his family's at well.
It's interesting the Clippers had an opening, right Michael Winger went to the Washington Wizards, and they left that job open for a little bit.
And just to see.
I just I have no idea, but I am sure at least calls replaced from Steve Bumer being like, do you know how much money I have?
Would you like some of it?
Yeah? I also think too. I mean, and this is my opinion and complete speculation, but I think it could have been real with the Lakers if they didn't make the run they made.
You know that.
I think Rob Polinka was you know, playing with house money for long enough and they were able to make some great moves and make a run to the Western Finals. But that was one thing that I saw that if the Lakers didn't make that run, that I could have saw Bob possibly not taken no time off and really sliding right into Lakers management. But they have made the playoffs, Like, yeah, no, I agree, so it'd be interesting to see. Obviously, he
probably needs some time off. It's been a lot. He's got some you know, some some gray hairs, and he's not someone who should have gray hairs yet, so a little time off of the family will serve him well, and I'm sure he'll have his pick of the choice. You know, it can go anywhere he wants when it's time.
Bob Myers has been Draymond Green's greatest champion since he drafted Raymond. Do you think Draymond Green is a Golden State Warrior? I was like Jersey on at the beginning of the season.
I do.
I think that Bob may have. You know, that was probably one of the final things he got across to management about or excuse me about ownership, about how important Draymond is. And you know, obviously as players, I see it, I've seen it in person. Those guys in the locker room know it. Sometimes ownership may not be as keen because they're not necessarily basketball type guys. This is the
hobby for them. But I think that was probably Bob's last thing was Hey, I'm out, but if this core is going to continue to move forward, Dreymond needs to be a part of it.
I know Steph Curry has been really vocal about that. Clay has been vocal about it. And it's funny there were times this season and Dres talked about it that you know, the team has been frustrated with him both individually on the player level and obviously a big picture with the Jordan Poole stuff and everything. My opinion just from being in with them, and you were with him through that Sacramento series when he was susphened, Draymond was suspended.
That almost swung the pendulum a pendulum pendulum so much the other way. You know, the fact that he missed that game, well, I.
Mean, I just think, you know, as great as Steph and Clay are, Dre is the leader of that team. And I got a chance to literally sit back and kick it with Dre during that first round in Sacramento, and we talked for, you know, quite some time, and you know, he just, you know, he told me that it was it was so hard to see things going a certain way, but he didn't really feel like he had maybe the footing or the voice at the time
to kind of straighten it out during the season. And he said he really feel he felt like he didn't get his voice back until about February. And I'm sure a lot of bad habits, it probably accumulated for some of the younger guys at that point. You know, February is you know, thirty games left in the season. So again, looking back, I didn't necessarily think that the punch was gonna cause a something that would linger the entire season,
but it did. Yeah, And you know, obviously you look at Jordan Poole and his performance wasn't very well, But I wasn't necessarily looking at his performance more than I was looking at his body language and the way he looked teammates off, the way he looked Hall of famers off when they're trying to talk to him and give him a little bit of information. So it'll be interesting to see where he's at next season. I have a
better feeling that Draymond will be there. And I'm not saying it's either or, but you know, I think they could shop Jordan Pool this year. He may need a fresh start because there's no there's no there's no guarantee that that bridge can ever kind of be rebuilt, and it needs to be rebuilt because they need him at his best because he was supposed to get think. I mean, just last year, we're thinking this guy is like the guy you can hand the torch to and run with
it after you know, our core group is gone. So I'm not saying one season has changed at all, but it could. So that'll be interesting to see if if Jordan Poole is a Warrior at the beginning of next season.
Well, it was interesting that same podcast I was mentioning with Steve current Draymond. Steve was talking about the Miami Heat and you know, you know Steve, like he says things and he's always he's very smart, he's always in touchable, but you could never prove anything. But he said he's like that Miami Heat team, you know, nobody ever complains
about playing time or their role. And he kind of went on and on about how like, you know, a guy may have a big role and then he has a reduced role because of the way he's playing, but they never complain about it. It's always what's best for the team. And obviously there was a lot of public, you know, tention about the fact that Jordan Poole was unhappy with the size of his role, certainly toward the end of the postseason. So I don't know how much
of that was targeted. But Steve does not say things by accident.
We both know how smart strategic he is. So those are some warning shots for sure.
There you go. And he's right about the Miami heat, by the way, and that's possibly going to be tested again in this next Homestand because Tyler Hero has been in full contact for about a week, and he made a point of saying in game two, like, oh, I wasn't ready anyway, you know, he didn't want to put anyone under pressure. But Game three has been sort of the target that was.
Put out there.
Do you put him back in the lineup game three or four?
Yes, I do, and I think because he can shoot the ball and he makes plays. He's a scory twenty point a game guy, you know. And I saw him saying he doesn't want to step on anybody's toes. But at this point he's their third best player, and although he's had a lot of time off, you always want to give him a chance to see he can kind of get it going, you know, And obviously that's going to sacrifice some guys minutes. But one more thing about Golden State before we leave them is they've always had
strength and numbers. That's always been their motto. And it's never been about us me, you know, Like I said, I was there when all the stars were there, and
it was never about anything but winning. And you can see, like I said, with the Draymond thing, not being able to kind of really have a grasp on the team at the beginning, that was something they kind of went astray during the process of the season, and once he felt confident enough for comfortable enough to kind of, hey, we got to steer the ship this way, the ship was already you know, yeah, it was already ghost riding, like they say in the Bay. So it'll be interesting
to see if Tyler comes back. If i'm Spo, and I'm sure Spo will, and if Tyler's ready to play, you definitely got to throw him out there and see what we can give you on the offensive end, because this is a great defensive team, but they have struggled at times on the offensive end. If you have one of your best players coming back and is you know, healthy enough to play, you definitely got to give a chance.
I mean, certainly the way he scores could help them against the way Denver defense. So that seems pretty clear. And if Steve's right, and there really is a big similarity between the ethos of those teams and the strength and numbers and kind of the idea that Miami has that same vibe. People shouldn't get it, shouldn't caused static if he comes back and displaces some guys. So we will see if all of that is actually that's.
Why you pay the coaches big money, tough.
Decisions, and you know, we'll see, you know how much Spoe gives him in terms of you know, how much leeway he gives them to like work himself back in versus not some news involving let me tell you if this shocks you. During the NB Finals, so we have some news involving Lebron James has somehow surfaced the athletic reporting Kyrie Irving wants the Mavericks to explore trading for Lebron to make a big three with Luka Dancic.
So, first of all, what was.
The first thought that went through your mind when you heard those.
That's Luca's team, not Kyle team. It was literally my first thought. But then you know, as as that rumor comes out, or if it's not a rumor, if it's true, you see the Lakers responding with the only way Lebron is going there is if Luca comes here, and we all know that's not happening. So it'll it'll it'll be interesting to see, you know, what happens on both sides
of the coin. You know, I think obviously Dallas can give Kyrie the most money, but again, that is Luca's team, and as great as Kyrie has been or is, that team wasn't good with those two together, plain and simple. The numbers reflected that they weren't very good together. So it'll be interesting to see how management moves around with that. But yeah, I don't I don't see Lebron going to the Maps at all.
There's so many good layers to this. I mean, one thing is trying to figure out kind of what Kyrie was trying to do here, right, this is news coming out kind of give him a little cover if he ends up leaving Dallas and going to the Lakers, can he sit there and say, well, I tried to get Look, I was trying to be loyal to the Mavericks. I tried to get this done in Dallas, and Dallas.
Didn't want to give up enough for him, didn't make the deal.
You know. So I don't know if it's laying background work. I don't know if it's that the Lakers are kind of lukewarm on signing Kyrie. I mean, obviously he showed up a two of their playoff games. He's been trying to make a statement about at least wanted to play with Lebron, if not play for the Lakers. And I don't know how much money they have or would want to pay him, certainly compared to Dallas. So maybe this was his way of sort of publicly distancing himself, being like,
I didn't want to play for LA anyway. See, I'm trying to recruit Lebron here actually, Like I don't know what the behind the scenes.
I think none of us have had a successful job at guessing on what Kyriry is thinking or his strategies, you know, But I think obviously there's two things for certain. The Lakers aren't giving up Lebron unless Luke was coming back. And two, the Mavericks aren't going to work with Kyrie from a standpoint of hey, let's send you where you want to go. That those are two things that aren't going to happen.
I mean, Kyrie's are free agents.
Well yeah, they're not going to work a trade situation to kind of make it favorable for him. So obviously I'm sure they want his talent, But I think they want it, but they don't really know what to do with it yet, because, like I said, we got a small sample size. And to me, but two great players like that, it's hard to judge a twenty five game run.
But they gave up a lot to get Yer run.
Too many pieces.
Yeah, for guy especially, it was gonna be free agent, right, And so to me, the fact that it didn't quite work had more to do less to do with them and more to do with the fact that, you know, Drian Finney Smith gone like that. They just didn't have the defense, you know, to be able to back those guys up. That they didn't have the co entary pieces.
And if you're about to pay Kyrie more money and.
You still don't have that's going to make you even more hamstrung and filling out that roster. That's what's complicated about the situation Dallas.
Isn't it.
Yeah?
And then also too from a Lakers standpoint, how much would you have to give up? Because that was the one great move that Rob May was getting pieces that you know, and and they all may not stay, but I'm sure they want to keep at least two or three of those guys. And that was what help them with their run. They've made great moves trade deadline and to bring pieces in that helped compliment Lebron and Ad.
So if you go back now and you're going to go all in for Kyrie, you're not going to be able to resign these guys and they're going to be a top heavy team, same way Phoenix was. And with Lebron being going into year twenty one and going on, was he thirty eight or thirty nine in December? I
don't think that's a winning recipe. So again that there's a reason why these management guys are paid a lot of money and coaches are paid a lot of money because there's going to be a lot of strategy that goes in to this Summer'd.
Be very interested to see whether Kyrie ends up in Dallas, how much money he can get them to commit, And frankly, more than money to years, I think is the issue. I mean, the backbreaker of a very broken relationship with Brooklyn was that they weren't going to pay him max amount. So you know, I do think that stuff's important to him and Dallas is the place he can get the most, But I just what kind of team is that going to leave them with You do have to be concerned.
Luca's going to ask out if you completely, you know, mangle the roster just to keep Kyrie.
So, like I said, it's Luca's team, Yeah, first and foremost, and that's what they all due respect to Kyrie and his talent, there's no question whose team that is. So, like you said, is it going all in on Kyrie? Is that going to rub? Is that even okay? With Luca? Like we don't know. Luca doesn't speak much. I would love to speak to him, but he doesn't speak much.
So like I said, I think everything has to go through Luca as far as you know, catering to him because, like you said, a wrong move here and there and he can ask out, and you don't want to lose a generational talent like Luca.
Amen. All right, Well, let's get to On the Radar presented by DraftKings, the only sports book you need. This Finals Game three in Miami.
This surprised me.
Matt Nuggets, two and a half, paint favorites on the road. Who do you like in Game three?
I like Denver, really like Denver again, love Spoe, but I also really like Mike Malone, and in his understanding of it's game by game, every game, he could could be a completely different game plan. You know, I know Murray wants to, you know, get another shot at bouncing back. You're hoping that the role players are going to play better.
But again, I'm very confident, you know, I was. I was looking at what Jimmy said after game one, how the guys were still in good spirits and laughing and joking the locker room, knowing that hey, we just need four games, and they felt very confident. Confident is a scary thing to play with, because if you get everybody confident, that the underdog can always overtake anybody. But again, I don't they got a great coach and Mike Malone, they
got you know, Yokichen. It's going to be on the others and and I don't mean to put Murray in others because he's great, but it's going to be the other guys outside of Yokis that are gonna have to step up. But I feel like they will. But you know, this is going to be a back and forth series.
You know.
I initially I thought after the thumping, hey, this could be a sweep. But then I quickly changed my tune, and not because of the loss. I just had to think, like, Spo has been amazing all season, so why is the finals going to change? So I think it's gonna be a great series, but I see I see Denver getting Game three.
It's funny. I never thow I did think it had the danger of going only five games, just because Denver has been so consistent, and most of the opponents that he had played in this run have been inconsistent for various reasons. Right, I mean, honest gets hurt. That's not Eyone's fault, but it does make that team inconsistent. Then from there, Boston, we know I've been plagued by consistent
the most inconsistent postseason, Right, Denver's been so consistent. I just didn't know if the heat we're going to have lanes to kind of get into them with they're doing their heat stuff. But we saw some of it in the first couple of games. And Denver has not been great on the road in this postseason, not been terrible, but just not define as strong as they've been at home. I don't know, it feels like they're going to come out of there with a split, but maybe not.
We'll we'll see.
I don't know.
The one thing that you can bank on is obviously it's the fine asn't Normally Miami would be a place where you got to worry about guys, but Denver doesn't seem like that kind of team. Just going to I think, I think his brothers are going to be.
In there, but I.
Just not seeing his brothers. Please YouTube, because these guys are bigger than him. He's like the little one, right. One of them was a professional wrestler, and I don't remember what the other one did professionally, but they're both. They're both at games. They talk a ton of trash, shitload of trash.
From the stands because it can nobody whoop him. I've been talking that much too. If I knew that I had a brother that was just as bad as me and ready to throw them. We actually got a chance not to kind of change something. So in Croatia, we got a chance to sit down with Yokic's agent, Misko I think that's his name. Yeah, And just the way he discovered Yolkic was unbelievable. Literally found him in a newspaper back to back weeks that no one was covering them,
no one was talking about him. He traveled out to talk to his family and brought Yolkic under his umbrella, and the rest is literally NBA history. So stay tuned for that because I think that that was a really interesting time to get out and sit down here with him and kind of hear his philosophies and strategies on how we found him and how he moved with his agency.
Yeah, there's some clips already out on Showtime YouTube. Oh is that we're seeing? It's really really good. Yeah. I was fascinated watching that with you guys, and look, it's gonna be It is a great story about the way the NBA works in general, because there's gonna be more of those stories. Jimmy Butler in some ways is an unexpected hero, and you've just got so many guys. You've got those undrafted guys on Miami's team and I don't know Caleb Martin, who people gave up on right like
a couple of seasons ago. I mean, I just think that it's a great and you showed this so many times in your career that will and tell it, you know, over hype make absolutely a big.
Difference and there's a lot more money. Now, go get that money, young fellas.
I'm sorry.
What was Duncan Robinson's contract?
We were talking before we say it down.
Here's ninety million. It's a lot of money. So Struce and Vincent and Caleb Martin go go get Okay, go get that ship man.
Go get yourself. Some lots of coaching staffs being filled out over the last couple of days. We had Sam Cassell joining the Celtics bench, Steven Silas joined the Detroit bench as an assistant. Biggest tier of the week, though, was Frank Vogel as the head coach in Phoenix, which came a bit out of nowhere just because he hadn't been mentioned among the candidates as much, not out of nowhere in terms of his qualifications.
Championship coach.
All your thoughts about that move.
I liked it, you know, there wasn't really much left out there. And I say that without due respect, you know, And to me, I think Volga got a bad rap. You know. Obviously, coming to LA is a lot more than basketball. Coaching Lebron is a lot more than basketball. So to me, it's hard to really judge a coach when he coaches Lebron because we all know the way Lebron moves, and he should move how he does move. I love the way Lebron moves, but sometimes I think,
you know, the coaches are the scapegoats. So I like the hiring out there. But I also liked that they brought Fizzdeal over Fizzdale. You know that they had to pay him to get him out of his Utah management situation. But you know, they still have some very solid pieces of there and booking KD and they got to figure out what they're going to do with Aiden. You know, see what you know, how much juice is left in Chris Paul's old legs. Still my guy, But yeah, I
like the Vogel move. I like the bringing on Fizzdale. So, you know, a lot of shake up this offseason just from the coaching. So I can't wait till players start moving.
I mean, fizz is such a like player whisperer. Absolutely, I assume that that's part of what made him appealing. There is just kind of helping that cohesiveness. I think he and Kevin Durant are going to do very well together. He and book are going to do very well together.
And Vogel. I'm interested in me. He's got a real history with Big Man.
So I'm very curious to see whether this means do they keep Deandrayton. You know, I assume he certainly came in with a plan. I assume he went into those interviews saying, hey, if you keep him, here's what I would do with him, right, And I assume that was part of what made him.
So I just hope that that aiden because he is so talented that he has someone just sit his ass down this summer, whether it's our brother Kevin Garnett going out to Phoenix and sitting down with them for a week. But I just think he needs someone that he respects, or if there is anyone out there that he can listen, because he is so talented and he can bring so much to the table for that team, but it's just between the ears with them, and it's always been between
the ears with that guy. So you know, you think that you know, you went to Arizona and then your Phoenix and you get paid a bunch of money. Sometimes you do need a change of settings. But if they can salvage him, I just think he's such a talented big if if anyone is able to get through to him, maybe it's Kevin Durant, because not to cut you off, I remember he spoke on how great Kevin Durant has been for him off the court and kind of talking
to him. So if he can sit down and sew because Kevin Durant doesn't talk a time where he talks on his little show now, but his basketball mind is incredible. He's such a student of the game. And I really think that if Aiden would listen to KD and follow Katie's lead, he could be a huge, huge part for the Suns team.
Yeah, and I can never quite figure out what it is Mayden, because if you sit and talk to him, he does not have a bad attitude. This is not a guy who, like you know, is sullen. He's not entitled, he's not you know. He likes being friendly with his teammates. He was so excited when Katie would spend time with him. He thought it was like the most exciting best thing ever.
Was like, oh my god, he stayed up with me all night and talk to me, and it was just like, hey, he's your teammate and you guys are on a long road trip and to him.
It was so exciting. So there's a disconnect somewhere.
Clearly it might have been my Money, you know, you know what I mean, It was well doted, committed that they didn't get along, and I was the biggest firing surprise to me was Money. Yeah, you mean to think that what he's able to do as that team in a small window time is winning percentages? How much winning? So to me, when I first fired Money, I'm like, Okay, well then they still want to keep Aiden, So I find it hard hard to believe that they would let go of Moni and Aiden in the same summer. So,
like you said, it was a disconnect somewhere. If it's Monnie Williams, it's Monty Williams. And then they decided to keep their investment in aid. And so again just if it's KD or Book or you know, a handful of them, just being able to get through to him, because I get this kid has so much talent and can really help this team.
Yeah for sure. And look, by the way, thrilled that Monic got the bag o Corig, because I think he was scapegoated a bit in Phoenix. You trade again, So I'm kind of like Dallas. You trade a chunk of your team for Kevin Durant and then you're surprised that you don't have the bodies to go at it and the playoffs. You're just like, come on, that's not the coach's fault. But I was like, man, he got paid into trade.
That's going to help guys like Spoe and Steve Kerr and some of these guys. The contracts that are coming up, twenty million is is the number now for the top going coaches. So that's gonna be dope, dude.
I mean, look, they work.
So you know how much coaches work. They work to so many hours. And you're talking about Duncan Robinson with his five years ninety million, So you know, there you go, who who's as important as any one player to a team is the right coach? So I don't know. Do you think Sam Cassel joining the Celtics means that Doc Rivers won't be working this season because Sam normally goes River.
Doc goes I think so. I think so. And we may have seen the last of Doc. You know, we may have seen the last of Doctor's. You know, me and I like Doc as a person, but I think the glaring weakness with Doc has been his in game adjustments. And we've been raving about Spoe and Mike Malone and that how important in game adjustments are, and that's kind
of to me. Doc is a very strong coach, great motivator, can make you believe, you know, the ocean is purple, and have you ready to run through a wall with his fucking gladiator speeches. But what I saw as a player, and what other guys have talked about is just kind of his adjustments. So again, I think, you know, obviously going to Boston is similar to Fizdale going to Phoenix. A great guy that is able to communicate and be
a bridge between the head coach and the players. So I definitely like that pick up because you know, Emy was hand picking those boss and assistants and bringing them out to Houston, So I think Sam was a good pickup for that staff.
What strikes me about Doc is that he went from one team to another team that both had a lot of behind the scenes situations going on, and I think there's a lot about what was going on in Philly these past three years that we don't know ton, and so I'm not really ready to make an assessment on on sort of oh, did he do a good enough
job or not? And again I just keep saying, if Jason Tatum didn't hit what one or two less threes at the end of game six playing, he'd be in the Eastern Conference, you know, they'd be in the Eastern Conference finals at least, and like he would still probably.
Be in that job.
Kind of like rap Polinka, Right, you make it to the conference finals, you're going to keep your job.
So I just I don't know.
I think Doc is the kind of guy I wouldn't be surprised if he took a year off and then shame that.
A great great talker, great motivator, great person. Yeah again, I just as a player, I've seen it. I've heard I've heard other players talk about it. That to me that if there's any not even saying bad, if there's one weakness Doc has, it's just those in game adjustments, and those are so huge these days, it's always a huge, but up late it's really steaded out.
Take your off and watch TV and be on TV and see hit the golf, do so much golf. But maybe you know, make those adjustments from your couch and get better at it.
Before I let you go.
I this just caught my eye and I had to ask you about it. Jared Jackson Junior was on Paul George's podcast again NBA fans, You're so lucky. You're getting all this shit.
All this content, all of it.
He said that Steven Adams, when Paul and Steven Adams were playing together in Oklahoma City and remember now Steven Adams is playing with Jaron Jackson Junior in Memphis. He said that Stephen tried to scratch his face so hard that he would bleed.
And he was like, Stephen, what are you doing? Why are you scratching your face so hard? And he goes, mate, I'm just trying to get us more time. We need to tuddle.
We don't have any.
Timeouts left, so he was trying to I didn't see it, but I've kind of saw. So he was trying to scratch his else so that they could get like a stoppage.
Yeah, because you know you can't have blood on the court, right, and that's Johnson. So so that's what Steven Anders was doing. And of course it made me think of what we have seen other players.
And coaches do to try to get that extra time.
Out. They don't have Jason Kidd spilled bottle, a spilled drink, Paul kg.
Bump into me.
So what's the strangest thing a teammader coach has done of that nature, Because you've played with everyone.
Forever, I don't nothing comes to mind. Honestly, I was trying to delay it or change it. I don't have
a good story. I mean, I remember the one time the game was delayed was when I was playing for the Kings early in my career and there's a mouse mouse at the palace, and literally while I was in Sacramento with Web and Bibbie and all these guys, and I remember, like, they're in the Eastern Conference game, so literally someone turned the TV on and we were late coming back out to the court to start the second half because we were all watching.
Are you serious what.
Was going on? Yeah, we're all to what was going on? We didn't know that with Stack and and and his guys and Ben Wallace and Ron. So yeah, that was the one. I mean, that's the only thing that comes to mind of like stopping play or not starting play on time. But as far as a player or a coach doing some stick shit, I don't have nothing else.
That's pretty funny.
I mean the game wasn't going on, no, but literally.
Like literally they like we were late to come out to start the second half because we were all watching the Malice in the Palace.
That's bonkers. I didn't realize that's see. There you go.
All right, next week, we'll have more NBA Finals this because we know we're going to at least five games, So stay tuned. What's Burning available every week on Showtime Basketball, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. This man is going to get some very well deserved sleep.
I'm gonna go golf first.
Are you serious.
I'm just going to try to burn it on both ends. Damn, I grew up my baby. If I don't come home, I'm a sleep my golf cart, So come find me, see yah,