To a Clippers Talk Live. I want to say the fifth edition of these we have done. I'm Adam Moslin. If you missed the show. Yesterday we had Carl tart On, new member of the SNL writing staff, and then on Monday we had om Young Masuuk from ESPN on. So it's been a great week and we're going to close things out with a great guest. It's our friend Justin Rousseau Russo that fly by Night kN Ite is where you find him on x He's one of my favorite reporters.
We talked with Til Marizar the last Thursday. He mentioned Justin a certain situation that occurred last year.
Because I messed up. I messed up.
I tried to book both of them to see who would respond first, because I don't know. Both guys are hard to get ahold of sometimes, so I just figure i'd live out of text see who responded. Whoever was first came on with Clippers pregame show with me, but Justin, thanks for putting up with me. Thanks for doing this here on Clippers Talk on the live YouTube side.
No problem, man, I'm glad to be here, glad to see you. It's been a know a couple of weeks since I saw you on Clips and Dead, but you know, it's always good to see you.
It's good to catch up. This is a new format I got going on. If you're listening to this on the podcast side, check out the new YouTube. I've had it up for about I don't know, a month and a half, not even two months yet, and I think we're about two k followers, so I'm happy about that, and people are starting to come into the chat and confirm we are live and good. On the YouTube side, Alan n G says love Russo's work. We all do very much, especially if Marcus Morris truthers out there.
They've had his back.
Forever umer those days.
Before we get into some of that talk I told you earlier, I told Justin in a text message.
Something I wanted to focus on.
Has been one of the themes here this offseason is just the two man game, the one two punch or twenty one blackjack, whatever you want to say for the new two man combination between Kawhi Leonard and James Harden being the focal points on offense now no Paul George and just how they have worked together in the past and what we can expect from them this season. So James Harden and I did look this up over the past week.
Justin out of his last twelve seasons, twelve years in the NBA, since he became a number one option with the Houston Rockets, he has never been on a team that's had worse than a twelfth ranked offensive rating, which is pretty damn impressive. In fact, on average their fifth. So he has a lot of times in there. He's had the number one overall offense I think twice in Houston, then once with the Brooklyn Nets, even though he was
only there for a little bit. So some of what people have wondered is, how do they without a lot of shock creaders on this Clippers team, how do they make up for the loss of Paul George and still be maybe a top ten offense somehow? Give us some hope, if you have any, Just give us the realism here, I guess, or the realistic view of how this Clippers team could look with the one two punch of Kawhi and James Harden.
Now, so the optimistic outlook is Kawhi Leonard and James Harden were both very good last season. They actually each had pretty low touches or at least Kawi did touch us P thirty six minutes. It was the lowest for Kawhi since twenty fourteen to fifteen. This is for last season, so it was the fewest for him in about ten years. For James, it was the fewest touches for him, just
like Kawhi since twenty fourteen to fifteen. So the optimistic outlook is both of them were very good offensively last year and the ball will be in their hands a lot more this year, assuming obviously health, which I mean no one can predict health going forward. So the optimistic outlook is the ball will be in their hands more.
They were very good and efficient last season when it was in their hands, and that could lead to even better things potentially this season than some people might have thought. With losing pg.
AM, I wrong in saying I believe they were the two best guys when it cames to isolation points per shot attempt or points per possession. They were the most efficient guys in isolation scoring last year.
Yeah, I've seen it floated around. I think Kawhi was number one. I want to say James was number two. Yeah, So I mean, you know, look if you have two great isolation scorers, odds are you're gonna have a really good offense just because if defenses kind of limit you to the shots that they want to limit you to, you need isolation. Guys who can pretty much get whatever
they want now they get it in different ways. Obviously, Kawhi's isolations for the most part, rely on him at the elbows or in the mid post or in the midrange in general. For James, his isolations usually just lead to step back threes, and it kind of tells you that there's no one way to be efficient in isolation. You can be an efficient jump shooter in the midlerange and you can be a hyper efficient jump shooter on threes.
Both worked to a large degree, and for each of them worked very well last year.
So is there a chance that they could actually compliment each other better? And it's not like it was bad between Kawhi and Paul George when they were both available, they won at about a seven hundred win percentage clip. They were very good when you could get both of them out there. But do these guys complete each other a.
Little bit more?
Jerry Maguire's style when it comes to James hard and Kawhi Leonard with maybe just doing more of the playmaking, which isn't necessarily Kawhi Leonard's strength, although he can because James Harden is so adept in that area, they might actually be a better tandem somehow.
With the Clippers, it's possible. I could actually see it. I wrote about it a couple months ago, where I think the streamlines their offense a lot more than it was this past season when the three of them were together, because there were times last year, even during the twenty six and five stretch towards the end of twenty twenty three going into twenty twenty four, where at times it did look a little bit clunky and like, all right,
your turn, my turn. We're trying to figure this out, which was very natural considering when the trade happened, there was no training camp, James was poor was therefore, so it took time. But at times you also got to see how good their offense could be when everything was flowing along. But for the Clippers specifically, it seemed and I haven't looked at the data specifically for this, but it seemed like if two of the three were on the floor, things did function better. Things seemed a lot
more streamlined and simple and not overthought. So there is that, you know, thought of. There's only two of them. Now, perhaps this leads to maybe not better offensive numbers and offensive rating, but in what could be seen as better offensive structure and fluidity.
Because guys aren't stepping into each other's spaces as much. Where Paul George and Kawhi Leonard you could see that happening sometimes, James Harden and Kawhi are so much different. It just seems like, I don't know, they're not taking away from each other as much on the offensive end. And I want to be clear, I don't think they're going to have a better offensive rating than last season, which ended up being fourth and was first throughout a lot of the season when they clicked in for that
twenty six and five run over thirty one games. But I'm looking for can they still be a top ten offense? That's kind of what I'm trying to dig into here. Miles Johnson wants to ask you this justin big ups Adam and Justin and any chance Harden makes the All Star team this upcoming year.
It's possible. The West is always tough for All Stars because it always feels like at least one or two guys get left out. If the Clippers are exceeding expectations in the first part of the year, then their a distinct possibility will be that it's because of James and how good he looks with the ball in his hands more both as a scorer and a passer, And it wouldn't shock me to see him make an All Star team.
The one thing I've kind of grown to learn about All Star selections is it's not really what you do like throughout the whole course before the All Star break. It's really primarily what you do the first month of the season, and then like that narrative takes hold and you kind of get carried to the All Star breaks. So I think James could do it, especially if he comes out really well.
Do you think he could average an efficient twenty and nine assists this season and his minutes might go up a little bit, because I think he was at one of his career lows at thirty four minutes as a Clipper last season, even though it still felt like it was taxing, and there was about a month and a half stretch where he kind of had to rejuvenate and wasn't playing as fast and didn't have the burst until
the playoffs started and he looked much better. Do you think, though, that's realistic production from James Harden twenty plus points, nine or more assists Pro Bowl game.
So basically it's like, can he replicate his last year in Philadelphia?
Right?
I think he can. I think it's there. That year in Philly he averaged twenty one points on almost eleven assists, shot forty four percent from the field, but also took seven threes a game, made nearly thirty nine percent of them. So it's like, can if dat James Harden shows up on I'm not gonna say a nightly basis, because that guy doesn't show up on a nightly basis pretty much
for any player in the league. But if that guy shows up on the average, I do think, you know there is there is positives to be gained from that. I do think that would allow not just him, but the team to reach success that I know a lot of outsiders don't think is there for them this year.
Jonathan Ing asks how do you feel the Clippers will be in the situations where Harden has to sit or load manages the Clippers do not have another dynamic ball handler on the team unless it is Bones justin.
It's gonna be tough. It was always gonna be tough even if it was just one of the like even when PG was here, if it was just one of the three who was playing, it was always gonna be tough. But specifically without James, I do think it will be a lot tougher. I think they're gonna have to get by on just defense in that structure and in those situations where all right, Chris Dunn, can you can you
at least replicate some of what James can do? Not all of it obviously that Chris Dune's not that guy, but then give us the defensive side of the floor where there's value there from Chris Dunn. And offensively, can you just make simple plays and make a couple of layups a night? Can Bones of Bones plays? Can Bones hit a three or two in a game? Can Kevin Porter Junior, depending on his situation in the minutes that
he gets this year? Can you like the thing? And I kind of equate this to a little bit like with the PG situation, you're trying to fill things not like for like, but recreate it as in the movie Moneyball said in the aggregate like you're trying to create parts of things and just hope that it works. And I do think the Clippers have certain guys who can do certain things of a James or of a PG when obviously Pg's gone. But if James is out, I
think they're could be enough. But they're gonna have to buckle down on the defensive end and it won't be pretty offensively. I'll just say that it won't be pretty offensively.
He mentioned Kevin Porter Junior there. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was thinking that if he is available, depending on the investigation by the NBA, he could be suspended to start the season. Well, let's say at some point he's available with the Clippers and he is getting some minutes out there and he's playing next to Chris Dunn or Norman Powell. To me, because of Norman Palell's inability to really be a passer, he can't be the one in that situation.
And I actually think.
Kevin Porter Junior would be a better number one with the ball in his hands playmaker also than Chris Dunn. And I'm am I wrong about that aspect of kpg's game.
No, I don't think you're wrong. I think of the three, KPg is probably the more natural passer. I think you look at a guy like Chris Dunn. He's an off ball, second side attacker and creator against the against the swinging defense, and for Norm, normous value of a passer comes when he gets downhill and when he's able to maybe not just specifically dump off, but make little dump offs or even just make the simple like strong side kickout to
the corner. Those talks like you're not gonna see rap arounds, You're not gonna see like James Harden level passes out of Norm or out of Chris Dunn or even KPJ. But I think KPJ comes closest to what you would look for in terms of a number one creator. There.
What's KPJ's ceiling in your mind?
Who is he as a player.
It's not someone who's played a game in the NBA since twenty twenty three April twenty twenty three, and there are a lot of unknowns because he was even a young player. Then we know he had a fifty point game. People say it was against Drew Holliday. I went back and watched that game. He hit ten three pointers, A lot of them were not against Drew Holliday. The defense by the Bucks in that game was pretty atrocious. I'm
not trying to take anything away. KPJ has a lot of a big but people reference that and probably over exaggerate just how much you know he was hitting difficult shots against the Milwaukee Bucks in that game.
But who do you think he can be?
What's the I don't know archetype or the comp for someone like KPg in your mind.
I think a very reasonable thing to say here is I don't know, and I don't think anybody knows, just because you said he's been out of the league for a year. He went to play in Greece, but I believe he only played five or six games. There wasn't much to go on there. We don't know what he looks like. You know, I know he's done open runs and stuff like that, but you know that those are
open runs and in a game setting, who knows. We don't even know if he's going to be able to practice with the team following the investigation for at least a little while. I don't know. I mean the guy that he was before all of this happened, and when he was in Houston was a shot taker, a good passer, not a great decision maker for a lot of stretches, Like there were a lot of not great things that he did with the ball in his hands, but there are a lot of really good things that he did
with the ball in his hands. He and Jalen Green were not a great fit alongside one another. One of them had to go. Obviously, you don't want anyone going the way that KPJ did because of the situation. What happened never great. We don't know though, Like we just don't know. I think he can be a solid you know, maybe he's a ten point guy with three or four assists a game off the bench, and that's a valuable guy. A lot of teams would kill to have a guy
like that off their bench. But it's not just number based with him. A lot of it is between the lines, like is he doing the proper things defensively with rotations? Is he competing defensively in general? Is he in the right spots offensively if he doesn't have the ball in his hands? Is he sagging two far off the line to where teams just don't even guard him because they know he's not getting the ball from there, Like, there are certain things that he has to answer beyond the
stat sheet. So from that aspect, it's gonna be rather interesting for me to watch for other people to watch it. I just don't know the type of player that they're getting, and I kind of think the deal that they gave him shows no one knows what to expect out of him.
Yeah, there's just so many variables.
With the teams that he played on, the Rockets weren't playing defense at all. Then he has the wingspan, he has the ability to dig his heels in, I think on that end, but you know, it's happened a few times in spurts. But overall, Yeah, the book is out.
We're waiting.
We're gonna wait and see with KPJ and if he's available for the Clippers to start the season. Jonathan Ing asks this, given that Kawhi and Harden like playing a more half court, methodical offensive style, how is the team going to mess more fluidly between a more up tempo game versus half court style?
Justin so, I think they're going to utilize what they tried to utilize last season, which is a lot of hit aheads when they can, like Russell Westbrook did help them in transition at times when he would get a hit ahead, pass, push the tempo, and even if he missed, there was usually someone else there to clean up, or you know, he'd make a layup or he gets to the line or something like that. And it wasn't just him. Norman Powell did it. PG did it at times, Kawhi
would do it at times. A Mere Coffee was really good at it, Terrence was good at it. It's a collective effort where guys have to realize, look, we're probably not going to be a good or I shouldn't say good. You probably not gonna be a great offensive team. You're probably not gonna be top five offense. So there's gonna be nights where you have to manufacture offense in ways that are not conventional, where it's hit aheads from James, where he gets the ball early on rebounds, boom balls
up the floor. He did that quite a bit last season. He likes to find guys over the top, especially in the mid and low posts. That's been like a pet path for him over the last years of his career. So they're gonna have to find ways and KPJ can help here pushing the temple early in transition. When they do get stops, they can't just walk it up the floor unless the defense is already set on the other end, you know, like a long three defense is already tracking
back in transition. You don't have to push in that in so you have to be smart and calculated. The Clippers, if I remembera correctly, were actually I think an above average transition team last year based on cleaning the glass. But I haven't looked at those numbers in like a month, so don't quote me specifically on that, but I thought they were pretty I think they were top ten if I remember correctly, So they were a solid transition team.
They just didn't run a lot. They just as they kept saying many times last year, they're old, they don't run a lot. They're gonna have to, you know, rely on these young guys to get out and transit Derek Jones Junior. If Derek Jones Junior averages let's say two fast break buckets a game, I think the Clippers will be very happy.
And those long outlet quick strike strike passes we saw last season, that was an emphasis coming out camp that did carry over into the regular season. Justin Rousseau is our guest here at fly by Night. K and Ie is where you find him on X My Guy. JMI thirteen twenty four asks do you think the Clippers need another score? I've seen a mock trade where you guys get Jordan Clarkson for PJ. Tucker and Mira Coffee in two seconds.
Just I think they need another score, but I wouldn't say it's something where they need to go out before the season to find I think teams are are more liable to deal a guy like Jordan Clarkson during the season than they are before the season. I think you can get a pretty good deal on a guy like Jordan Clarkson the season. Now, I try not to do the mock trades anymore because you never know what a front
office is gonna do. For instance, I don't think anyone had ever even thought that the Clippers could trade what they did for Covington and Norman Powell. I don't think anyone thought that was a realistic possibility to happen. We never know what teams are looking for, so especially in this new CBA where teams are looking to get under the second apron. Teams are looking even to get under the first apron, So all of that needs to be
taken into some context. I do wonder if you get to November, like middle of November, and they think that they do need another scoring punch, if they might actually do something like that and pivot to get one. But I also know they are hell bent, for lack of a better phrase, on being a defensive team. They want a defensive first team. Jordan Clarkson's not a great defender. Obviously,
you can score the ball pretty well. It comes down to like what the cost benefit analysis of that would be, like, are you taking away a positive to get a positive but it's not as big of a positive as you're giving away. It depends how they see that.
Is it a net positive overall?
Considering his defense?
That ties into this one here outside of the obvious. This comes from Miles Johnson justin where would they upgrade the offense or where would they upgrade the roster?
I should say if possible, So the easy answer.
And it's kind of funny because I have an article coming down in the next couple of days. It's like the five questions for the Clippers. This season that they have to answer, and one of them for me is like, what's the overall plan for them? Not just not just general, but like in terms of the roster of where they need to fix things because this is not a complete roster. I think we can all just say that right now, this is not a complete roster. It's the roster now.
It might not be the roster on December first or January first, or by the trade deadline. I think they need to find a little bit more shooting. But the shooter that they get can't be a negative defensively, because then you're, as we said, is it a net positive. So they could use a little bit more floor spacing. It doesn't really matter the position. It'd be greatly benefit show if it was a backup center. Maybe they feel
that guy's on the roster in Mobamba. I don't know, but they do need shooting, I do think, especially because of how much of the floor might be tilted towards James and Kawai specifically, a lot of guys are gonna get open shots, you know, whether it's Terrence, and Terrence has to be willing to take them. This year, I've seen him working out, you know, the videos of him working out. He's he's drilling it down pretty good. But he's got to take him when he's open. You know,
Norm has to take him when he's open. Norman usually does, but you still got to say he's got to take him when he's open. Amir has to keep taking him. The biggest question from a three point shooting standpoint for them is Derek is what Derek Jones showed in the playoffs? Who he really is?
Yeah?
Yeah, like that's that is their biggest question for shooting. If that is who he is, a lot of their shooting was not all of them, but a lot of their shooting woes kind of fall by the wayside. If that's not they need to find a shooter. Not saying like Derek Jones Junior can't play, but like they just need to find a supplementary shooter, and maybe that guy can be KPJ, especially off the dribble. I don't know,
but they are a little light on shooting. Originally I had thought, you know, maybe back like a more steadfast backup center. But also I'm not certain how much actual backup centers will play. The only reason I say that I do think we see Nico a lot of time at the five. He will see time obviously at the four, but I think we will see Nico quite a bit at the five.
I think Kawhi could get some run there also, So yeah, I think it's a good point, depending on how Mobamba looks out there.
What doesn't help them is they did obviously lose PG, who for stretches of the season was a center for them defensively. He was a center for them at times in small ball lineup, so they maybe Nico. Maybe that's the Nico John.
I haven't heard this one before.
This comes from Luis Lemmis. I've heard rumors of Kawhi getting traded to Golden State for Kamenka and picks, so what they would do cominga for Paul George, But they're gonna do it for Kawhi. I'd I understand the contract situation with Kaminga and they don't want to give him the max. He's a restricted free agent after this year, I believe, so they can wait it out and just match whatever team does make a run at him.
How do you feel about this one?
Justin they're not trading Kminga. Kminga was never even on the table for the Clippers, I can say that, and if they're not, I do find it kind of puzzling though, if he wasn't on the table in trade talks and you're not going to give him the max contract, which to be fair, I don't think Kminga deserves a MAX contract either, But if you're not going to give him the max contract and you're not gonna trade him, I kind of don't know what they're what Golden State's pivot
to that is. But that's also not the Clippers problem, so they don't have to worry about that.
Wait it out and see if another team tries to give him the max. If they don't, then they could just offer him something less exactly.
I mean, he will be a restricted free agent, so they get to find out. I wouldn't trade Kawai for Cominga and picks. I don't even think it would matter what the picks are. The trade packages are so light these days because teams don't want to trade picks like they used to because they are so valuable now. Yeah, So I just I can't see that happening, And personally I don't think the Clippers, well, it sounds weird to
say like they wouldn't trade them to Golden State. I don't think they trade them to Golden State for kamina and picks either way, I just don't think that's something they would do. It makes them worse and that's just too big of a hill to climb.
I don't think even with his his injury history and how frustrating it's been not having him in the playoffs the last four seasons, overall, for the most part, I think Kauhai is a legacy player to the point where he represents them becoming a destination franchise for the first time, regardless of how things went in the two and three era. Justin this is someone that is a symbol of how far the Clippers have come, and to me, it makes
any trade talks around him almost a non starter. Is that crazy or you're shaking your head?
Do you agree with that?
I wrote before free agency that the relationship between Kawhi and the Clippers organization front office is very much like on the best terms that they can be at this point from what I've heard, so they're basically in lockstuff together. We saw that in January obviously when he signs the extension what he did, you know they are in LOCKSTUFP with each other. I don't think decisions get made without them telling Kawhi. Now that doesn't mean that they wouldn't
just make the decision even with telling him. I just think like they would like you do with every superstar. You wrote him in on it, like, hey, this is what's gonna happen. I think you're right. I think Kawhi is a legacy player at this point. I think he does represent, you know, their greatest free agent signing in history.
You know how many teams in history have ever said that the reigning finals MVP sign with their team in free agency right right then and there, and they get to say that, and whether or not it works out in the end, it remains to be seen. But he's their guy. He likes it there. I don't see that changing.
I understand people are gonna see what Yeah, I understand people saying, but what about Blake Griffin. Well, I think it was a different situation because he was drafted by the Clippers, and I don't think they could have that happen again in a similar fashion and then be able to convince the next crop of free agents to come play here. So there's even less of a chance that
they would ever try that again. And at the time, look, they he still got paid more because he re signed with the Clippers, they could pay him more than anyone else did Blake Griffin at that time and still got all that money. And unfortunately the Clippers saw early on in that first season on the new contract that he wasn't going to be able to last, and his health deteriorated quickly. We got a lot of questions coming in here, guys. For Justin Russau, I love this. Thanks to everybody for.
Getting in here.
Here's an interesting CBA one because you touched upon this a second ago. Justin Jonathan Ing says, outlook on the league, how hard is the new CBA to do trades even if the Clippers are under the second apron when targets or what targets they may want to pursue happen to be on a second apron team as an example?
Does that make sense to you? By the way they're under the first apron?
It does make sense. Basically. I believe he can correct me if I'm wrong. I believe he's asking how does it like? How hard is it for the Clippers to do trades right now? With teams who are basically a second apron team For the Clippers specifically, it's not that hard. They can pretty much take back whatever they need to take back money wise, based on what they send out.
It's just I think teams are finding it very hard to do deal and you won't see large deals at least for a little while, just because teams are trying to navigate the apron. But they also have a while to get under where they need to get to. Any trades that I think happen will happen closer to the trade deadline, just because by then teams will have like an idea of where they are standing wise and money wise.
It is a rather fascinating subplot to like, not just the Clippers, but the NBA in general, that I think teams want to make a lot of moves, but a lot of moves are being held up because teams just do not want to be over the second apron. Like I said, a lot of teams don't even want to be over the first apron, so you know, it's kind
of a you hat a wait and see approach. The Clippers, I can say they while they are into the luxury tax I've been told to some degree that then getting under the luxury tax isn't like an end goal for them, Like they're not worried about that. It's pretty much just an apron thing for them, specifically from a roster building standpoint.
So any move that the Clippers make, I think they're going to do it to where they don't go over an apron, even the first apron, they'll try to just keep it to where if we're in the luxury tax, fine, If we're over an apron, that's not fine.
Justin Rousseau is our guest here on Clippers Talk. We got a live for you as I sort through some of these questions. Oh, the guy who asks about that trade to Golden State says it hasn't worked in five years. Bro, cool story, Bro. What's the solution for the Kawhi Leonard issue with the injury stuff? To even think a team's going to offer multiple first round picks for him right now, I think is unrealistic. I've never heard that Golden State report.
I don't buy it. The Coamingus stuff isn't happening at this point. So it's one thing to just complain and be upset and be frustrated. And I understand it to a degree, but you also have to be solutions based and be a solution driven of what you can actually do.
That's with in the realm of possibility. In my opinion, to be fair.
I understand why a lot of fans are frustrated. I get it, Yeah, I really do. Like I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say like they were sold a false bill of goods or whatever, but like, I think it was mentally torturing too for the fan base to get their hopes up, especially that bubble season that was like I think that was the first step, and then twenty twenty one Conference finals around when Kawhi goes down, it's
just like how much more can we take? And then it was a lost season, then basically another lost season because Pg's out, and then Kawhi gets hurt, and then this past season it's like, you know, it's a lot, it's it's it's a lot of mental anguish and kind of getting over it, and a lot of people can't do it. I don't blame them. I don't blame people who are just very frustrated because I think for fans, you are allowed to be frustrated, be.
As frustrated as you want, fan, however you want.
All I'm saying is, at the end of the day, I don't think they're trading why. He's a legacy player, and I don't know what you would get from him at this point on that contract given his injury history. So I understand sometimes it's a good time to vent and Clipper Nation has been through a ton. But I'm looking for some answers here and not just lashing out.
We'll take all your questions here with Justin Russ.
I see a good one that's actually interesting for me. Which one do you want from old dirty Dasher? How does the loads retirement impact NBA Twitter and NBA journalism. I actually really do find this to be an interesting question. Get it cause someone actually did ask me this yesterday. A friend of mine text me and basically was like, Hey, did you see the Los news. I'm like, yeah, like
it was. It was crazy, like it's speaking on it, Like I never thought I would see that, to be perfectly honest, like I never thought you would see the not just the top newsbreaker, but a guy at the level of what Woj was like that is essentially the King Kong of NBA. You know, reporters, journalists, you name it like.
You ain't got nothing on wog didn't have it.
For a while. But also I kind of respect the fact that he, you know, if the report is true, my friend told me that he turned down like twenty million dollars over three years, and if that's true, all respect to him for that. If you go walk away, if you go walk away from that to find peace of mind, amazing. But for the question, I think it impacts it greatly, I really do. I think it takes a lot away, it leaves. It leaves a void obviously that I think people are going to try to fill.
Obviously the top two or Shams and Chris Haynes, but I do think that people are going to try to fill the void, and I could see it going poorly.
But my one whole is that I hope a lot of the the news breaking responsibility falls back to beat writers in general, because they are with the teams the most of anybody, and I would like to see beat writers just across the NBA sphere get more stories to report, like more news to break, because they are they do know the teams, and they know the personnel, and they
have the human interactions. Not to say that you know, Shams and Haynes and Woes don't or didn't, but like, you know, like I would like to see that be the end result. Now, will that happen? Probably not, because you know.
It takes teams cooperating with their beat writers. That's it have to be working in unison.
It does, and we'll see.
I think Shams is going to be able to fill the void and he'll get the bag. But I think it's real that WoDES turned down a huge amount of money because as good as Shams has been and there's been competition there overall, WOJ is still the clear cut goat. He's been doing this longer, he has been just as good as ever. He never lost a step. He's in
his prime currently. I think it's the coolest thing in the world that he's doing something for himself because the breaking news game is one of the more difficult games out there and often a thankless profession because you really only get you know, I get, I know, there's Wilje bombs and stuff like that, but you get anything wrong or get beat by the other guy to a story, and you never hear the end of it. So congratulations Adrian ro Trowski following his dreams out there.
Uh see, I see shark in the box that Chris Haynes is a show, a show for the players. That's what I'll say. Everyone in the news breaking game, like the top of the line news breaking game, is a show for somebody. I'm like, I've done it. Other beat writers are don't like not to say shilling like a negative context, Like you are getting it from somewhere. Someone has to give you the story and you report it. And as the saying goes, there's always three sides to
the story. Their side, my side, and what's real. And so you know you getting it from somebody. Haynes if he does get it from players, which you know sometimes he does. Shams gets it from agents or players or front office. WOJ gets it from front office or players or agent. Like everyone gets it from somebody. Everyone who's giving you something has their own spin on it. Everyone has their own point of view on everything.
They get this information due to their relationships with a team, with the player. There's always an angle to it. People said a lot of the time, Okay, Chris Haynes is connected to Damian Lillard, so take it with a grain of salt if he's saying something that sounds like it's negative towards the Portland Trailblazers after the deal went down with him going to Milwaukee, Well, as kind of a buyer beware thing, you have to be informed on that
and you can read the tea leaves from there. It's not up to Chris Haynes every time to say, yes, I have a personal relationship with Damian Lillard. If you've watched the interviews, you know what it is. So it's kind to be fair, and.
To be fair, there's no one I trust more on Damian Lillard anything. Yeah, Chris, that's also the other side of it, So I think that's great.
I think all these guys are exceptional at what they do. And there's this misconception that they have microphones inside team offices and that's how they're breaking this news.
No, they're getting information.
So then you have to kind of delineate what's important there and read through it a little bit yourself. Uh, there's another Jonathan Ing says Haines just doesn't have the track record that Wo Woje or Shams have.
No, he doesn't.
But with Wolves out of the game, teams are going to be looking for a new guy to give information to, and it could end up being Haynes if it's not sham Sharania. We did have a comment in here I wanted to address which one was it. Oh, this is interesting. J Bows eighty four said, I'm all in on bringing SGA back when he's a free agent, as if you were the one, my friend. Everyone here agrees that if they could do that, they would great. Just stay competitive
and flexible until then. The problem is in twenty twenty six, Okase, he's still gonna have a lot of picks and flexibility themselves, and they may have won a championship by then. Now I'm under the belief justin that if they do win a championship, it actually gives the Clippers a better chance of getting SGA back, because then he would have fulfilled his part of the bargain when they trade for him
in the first place. Just like Lebron and Cleveland, he could leave after they brought him a championship and not be ridiculed, and whenever he comes back they give him a standing ovation.
There's nothing to complain about.
I think it would be the same way with SGA, like he would have all the freedom he wanted if they win a championship in the next two years, which is very possible.
Yeah, I look, every team with Caspace in twenty twenty six is gonna be looking at SGA. Every team with Caspace in twenty twenty six gonna be looking at Luka Doncic. Just how it goes, the Clippers will, other teams will just depends on you know, what deals they may or may not sign leading up to that. I Clipper related, I think that is not maybe their number one target, but I think it is like on the list of maybe number two or maybe number three, which is all
in at twenty twenty six free agency. Just get someone and just kind of keep it going, because I think we have to realize and rationalize that the Clippers are not a like as where as it sounds, the Clippers are not a losing organization. For the last thirteen years. Thirteen years, yeah, it sounds about right. Thirteen Yeah, they've had winning seasons and while yes, that hasn't led to a title, they're still a winning organization at this point.
They put in the infrastructure to be a winning organization. They're hiring people that have that come from winning organizations or have one thing in their career. They have an owner who will spend money, obviously to a certain degree based on the luxury tax penalties, which is why they worked a little bit to get under a certain threshold there. But you know, you get to look at it as they want to be in the market for great players, and I think Shay obviously fits that. He was very
good his one season with the Clippers. They did not want to trade him, obviously, but you got to give something to get something.
And when I look at twenty twenty six and the guys who are available justin.
It makes me think.
How perfectly things lined up for the Clippers to even have that opportunity to bring in Kawhi and Paul George at the same time, and just how rare something like that comes about, because twenty twenty six doesn't.
Seem that likely at this point. It could change, but.
Right now you mentioned every team's gonna be going, including two good organizations. They're already with retaining them. They could sign extensions before that even but what happened in twenty nineteen rarely comes along, and you kind of had to do that looking back, like, how do you how could you not do that at that time when you look ahead at the opportunities or lack thereof that are down the pike.
Like, it's just it's so rare and the Clippers had to strike. So it didn't work out. It sucks, it's frustrating, But I.
Think it was good process, is what I'm saying.
Very good.
I think the process was good. Everything after that. Obviously it just didn't work out, but the process was fine, and they shouldn't get crap for that. Essentially, like, if you asked thirty NBA teams, all thirty NBA teams, would you sign Kawhi Leonard in free agency and trade for Paul Georgian twenty nineteen, I'm pretty sure thirty NBA teams would have said yes. If given the option, they would have done it. The other thing I will say, and I want to shout out Keith Smith. So people who've
followed Keith Smith and know who Keith Smith is. Keith Smith has a very funny meme that he always posts whenever he posts about because he's a cap guy for spow track, Whenever he posts about how much cap space each team in the NBA has, he always posts a meme that said, as a reminder, cap space is not just for signing free agents. It's also for trading for players.
So I would keep that in mind as well for the Clippers that if there is a star or a star level type player who wants out of their current situation, twenty twenty six, the Clippers, based on projections, would have seventy eight million dollars in cap space, or maybe it's like seventy five million accounting for cap holds or roster charges. Excuse me that they could just give to free agents
or take players and trades. So there's always the possibility of that, and this gives them two years to identify, as aug thing says, discruntled stars or even just players that are just looking for, you know, a change of venue, whether it's role player level guys or anyone among that. Ilk.
When you talk about the Clippers having a winning season for thirteen straight years, longest current streak in the NBA, San Antonio had it over twenty for a while before they missed the playoffs and now losing record a few years back. To me, what I see this organization in front off as doing is stay competitive, stay competitive, refine, refine the roster and be opportunistic, and it's a hard thing to balance, but that, to me is what it is,
staying competitive while having flexibility. It's not easy to do, but right now they do have some of that when it comes to the biggest croper free agents in twenty twenty six and how things line up for the Clippers, so there's something to be encouraged by. Here's a question for you, justin Andy eighty one twenty nine to three asks, is Jimmy Butler someone you could see being targeted? A
playoff performer who isn't happy with this current situation. I'd take a year or two of Jimmy until we get to the twenty twenty six offseason.
Who wouldn't I could see them being interested. The only problem with Jimmy is not this coming season, but next season. He has a player option for just over fifty two million, I believe, so that could be a thing. However, I will also say this, the Clippers don't want money on the books beyond three years from now, so he fits in from that standpoint, but also boils down to what would you trade to get him and what would Miami
accept in exchange for him. There's no way of knowing Miami would have to be convinced that he's going to turn down fifty two million dollars when he's so I want to say, like thirty five, thirty six going to that year, So they would have to be convinced he's turned down fifty two million dollars in leaving. Maybe he does. We've seen crazier stuff in the world happen, so maybe maybe that's what his decision is gonna end up being. They decide to trade him at the All Star break
if things aren't going well, but who knows. I wouldn't write off Jimmy Butler being someone they could target if the price is within a range that they're willing to accept where they don't have to give up anything too far down the line or too much player wise or what have you. So and I will say that Jimmy Butler was a top their list that twenty nineteen summer, So it is that's what you got to go off of.
Yeah, it seemed like kaw I likes him and.
Go there was a and Andy also asked another question earlier. He said, are the Clippers holding up the Terrence Man extension talks?
I got it.
Yeah, in case the need to include him in a trade scenario, or do you think it's strictly a contract issue. So last season, at media Day literally a year ago, I actually asked Terrence publicly if he because he was extension eligible, then if he and the team have had any extension negotiations. He said no. I said, you know, is an extension something that you would look to sign? He said yeah, he said, I like it here they
did not have talks during last season. I know that for I know that I can report that they did not have talks that season. Both sides decided not to because Terrence could kind of end up seeing what the market would be a year down the line, both extension wise, and obviously a new CBA came into effect as well, So you gotta judge that from there, the Clippers didn't want to take you know, they didn't want to end up paying someone that they then couldn't trade if they
didn't need to. But basically, I think the two sides right now are most likely trying to figure out what the price point is. Zeus price point essentially came out at twenty million dollars a year or thereabouts. I believe right it was like it was like three sixty or something like that, or too sit, whatever it was. Terrence will probably get around that so and it wouldn't shock me. I think people also need to I'm not saying anyone here hasn't, but I like the NBA consuming public needs
to alter how they view contracts now. I don't think we can look at money anymore. I think we have to look at percentages. So like the Zoo extension I think was like eleven percent of the cap for each season going forward, which now twenty million dollars for a center. It's it's our eye, it's not bad. But then like if you look at it, like eleven percent of the cap for your starting center more than acceptable, you'll you'll
gladly do that. And I think in Terrence's case, if Terrence got eleven percent of the cap, I kind of think the Clippers are okay with that because he is a good role player. He does embody what they like in players. He's a tough guy, he's been there from day one. He is the second longest tenured Clipper behind Zoo. Then it's a mere coffee, which hilarious to think about that those are the three longest tenure Clippers, so they
like him, he likes it. There remains to be seen, but I wouldn't rule anything out.
I don't.
I don't think it's crazy to think that he doesn't have an extension for simply they haven't come to an agreement on a number, simple as that.
And he could be betting on himself this season that he outplays whatever contract maybe floating from the Clipper's side right now, and they have to offer him more, which big ups to Terence Man if he pulls it off. Greg said, I saw people asking about certain players on
the Toimerazarly stream. I'm wondering if a guy like Kyle Kuzma would be a good fit, which ties into a question somebody else asked about Kyle Kuzma, how do you feel about him and playing still with the Washington and our old friend Michael Winger now the president of basketball operations there.
So the positives to Kuzma are He's been in the NBA for a while, so he knows the grind, he knows what it takes, he knows what it takes to win a title. Done that, his deal also runs through when Kawai deal would run through, So timeline wise, that fits I don't know if he's what they're looking for, though I know he's a really good rebounder Amarashins. I know he is a very good rebounder, solid shot maker, good off the good, get into the rim. But I don't know if he fits kind of the mold of
what they're looking for. But that's just me saying now. They might think he's that type of guy, but I also don't know kind of how they feel. In general. I just don't think he's the type of guy they would look at. But that doesn't mean he's not someone that could, you know, get on a I won't say relatively cheap deal because his contract is what it is, but they might not have to trade too much for him as.
That wise, Yeah, for a team that is in a perpetual rebuild right now, but it's relatively in a new era under a new front office administration.
You could say.
Kyle Kuzma is still twenty eight years old, he's just entering his prime.
I like him.
He still is only a thirty three percent career three point shooter, but he's somebody that could very easily average twenty points per game, and he does have a very high two point percentage. So defensively, I always thought, actually he was one of the lakers better defenders against Kawhi Leonard when they used to match up with the with the Lakers, and he has.
A lot better defending as a fours, that's the thing for him.
Yeah, he has a lot more ability, I think on that end, and a lot of people would realize Kyle Kus has probably become on the underrated side.
Honestly at this point.
I would say that too. I think, you know, it's funny. I think that happens to a lot of players who get traded Washington. Well, yeah, but get traded kind of fade away to anonymity somewhere in the league and you don't see them a lot on national TV or what have you. I kind of think we just as a basketball public, just like we take them for granted and kind of don't pay enough attention to those guys, which is fair considering the TV deal and who comes on that to the TV.
No, but that's how you can find some value though, too, where you can find some steals and go.
Oh, I forgot how good.
Drew Holliday had that to an extent in New Orleans. He goes to Milwaukee. He's on a bigger stage, He's in the NBA Finals, and people start to realize he's one of the most valuable role players in the NBA and one of the best defenders in the NBA. Jonathan Ing wants to know under the old CBA, how much do you think t Man would have gotten in the open market. The new CBA shafted the middle class of players by capy their contract ceiling.
That's a good question. I don't know the exact I wouldn't be able to pinpoint like a dollar amount, but I think for a guy like Terrence, I don't know how affected he will have been from this new CBA. I don't know. It's really tough to say. I do to a degree agree that the middle class did get shafted to this one. I I just think it's it's tough for a lot of guys, and yeah, maybe he did get shafted a little bit. I just don't know to the degree. And I don't know what he would
have gotten the last CBA. Maybe he gets the same percentage wise as he as he will end up getting this year. What's interesting is the guy that I will say I think got shafted to a large degree based on the CBA turnover was Denny Obdia. I think Denny got a little bit kind of shafted because he was good two years ago and then he signed that extension
and then the new CBA came. I think if he I believe that was the timeline, I think he would have been able to kind of cash in a little bit more than he did with Washington before he got traded.
Hey, you no bird in the hand?
Frankie boy nine wants to know justin why are almost all the sports news outlets thinking Paul George will be better in Philadela if Joelle is injury prone too.
That's interestingly phrased.
They're saying that situation could go better than the Clippers even though they have another star next to him that's also injury prone, like Kawhi's.
I think how you interpret it?
Yeah, so I'll use an analogy, and this is not meant to slight the Sixers or Drawling Bead or Paul George or anyone there. My dog gets a bark box every month, and my dog has a million toys. He loves his toys. But when a new toy comes in a bark box, he loves that toy more. I don't know why because it's new. And that's kind of the standpoint I have on this is everyone loves the new thing because it's the new thing. That's not to say I won't work out in Philadelphia for Paul George or
the Sixers are drawing bead. I just think it's the new toy thing that's taken hold, where it's a new situation and everyone loves the new situation.
The new shiny object in the room tends to take It's like the it was.
A family guy right the boat. The boat's a boat, but the mystery box could be anything, even a boat.
Our h wants to know. This is a question that has been answered many times on here.
What do you think about zach Lavine as an option for the team also get get him for cheap and not give up top assets. There was a rumor earlier this summer that the Chicago Bulls were offering a first round pick with zach Lavine just to get rid of him. Justin and in that very fine state or under that context, I would I would look into it. I would because the Clippers don't have any first round picks. Depending on if it's top ten protected or whatever it is. And
I'm higher on zach Lavine the most. But I think the issue here is, and you elaborate on this, his contract could run past the twenty twenty sixth summer.
Yeah, so I'm like you. I'm I like zach Lavine. I think Zach Lavine is very good offensive player, and I think that does matter in the NBA. I think I think at times we have slanted too far defensively at times, not all the time, but at times, and I think what Levine has done throughout his career kind of gets lost in the ship. Maybe one of the underappreciated guys that we were just talking about. But yes, his contract not great for a guy who missed a
large chunk of last season. But I wrote about Levine last summer and I said, I do think there is like a false sense of him being an injury prone player when before this past season he had he had played like eighty five percent of the games over since he came back from his ACL injury. That's over like five or six years, So eighty five percent of games played would have been massive for a team like the
Clippers to get. But there's no guarantee you're getting that guy. Uh, even with how great he is offensively at times, his contract isn't great. But if Chicago's giving you a first round pick, maybe you do it. But I will say it's not something that Clippers look heavily into, mainly because of the second Apron stuff. It wasn't just like Zach Levine's not a guy we like. It was more or less we like Zach, we don't like what it would
do to us if we got him. Financially. It's kind of like the aspect and you know, along those lines. Not to say they were going to trade for Zach Levine if they if they had to, That's all I'm saying. I'm just saying there were ramifications at play that kind of never really made it a realistic thing for them.
Let's go to old Dirty Dasher worst case scenario before the trade deadline, Clippers are out of the playoffs by then, Is a fire Saiale possible?
Yes? I will say that, Yes. Is Kawhi included, Yes, I just I don't think I think they would be foolish if everything wasn't on the table. I don't think you can go into a situation worst case scenario. They're bad, they're injured, or they're just bad in general. However you want to phrase bad. I don't think they can go into that at the trade that and go well, we're not gonna trade this guy, and we're not gonna trade
that guy, and we're not gonna trade that guy. Everything has to be on the table, or else you're not doing your due diligence to make the team better down the line.
I think that's fair.
Uh, even you know James Harden, he can opt out after this year anyway, so if you could get something for him before that happens. Let's say his numbers are really good and he has stayed healthy, but the team overall doesn't have a good record, or it looks to be close to contention or even a piece away, then then yeah, I think you do have to make that move.
What about I want to say what I will say. The only player guaranteed to be on the Clipper is going into next summer is a bas the only guy. So out of all the players you look at on the roster worrying about trades and stuff, he can't be traded.
So don't even look there, Sorry, Zoo haters. He's got the Lori marknen Like sealed deal contract. Andy eighty one twenty nine to three wants to know if Lonzo Ball or Ben Simmons get bought out of the last year of their contract, who do you rather take a gamble on? So so, LaVar has said he wants his kids playing for the Cliffers. I was to stir if that was ai at first, but it seems to be confirmed at this point.
LaVar says a lot of things. I think we could all agree on that. That's actually in a weird way. I kind of like it, just to a certain.
Degree, because he's never wrong or never lost right.
It's rather interesting. It's an interesting question. It's because it isn't either or I will go on record. I like Ben Simmons. I think Ben Simmons is a really good player. I think Ben Simmons has taken a lot of for lack of a better phrase, a lot of shit over the last couple of years, fair fair foul. I just I just think he has I think he's a really good player. At his peak, he was very good. I think we do forget that that this was a very
good player. All defensive team Guy Spearhead for their offense, getting joeled the ball, all sorts of good steps. Obviously, back issues and what have you after that took its toll. Lonzo's the interesting one. He did show good things in Chicago, he really did. But I'm very wary of knee issues, and I'm like with Ben, I'm wary of back issues.
If you're asking me to pick, I think I might actually go a Lonzo because I do think there's a track record of guys getting over knee injuries better than back injuries.
That's not bad both.
And I guess I should mention he can shoot now, so you take that. I guess he's a really good defensive I can't. I can't craft Alonzo. Lonzo is a very good player when he's healthy. He's just not healthy. It's such a weird thing for both of them. I feel like they're just lost in the stains of NBA time.
I miss watching both of them play, especially Lonzo ball because of that passing ability. I mean, Ben Simmons was a good passer too, but I saw Lonzo more here at UCLA and then with the Lakers, and I was intrigued, especially after he fixed his shot. That is not easy to do.
And I kind of. I don't know.
I have sympathy for Levar's suns in some ways because he puts such a spotlight on them, and look, he's a good dad. He loves his sons. They got into the NBA and all that. But there was so much hype coming in because of him, and then Pat Bed picks up Lonzo ninety four feet his first game. But overall, outside of the injuries, I would say he turned into the type of player that could be a role player on a championship team that you need. So I hope he comes back at some point.
He reminds me, like it's very he's the Alex Caruso type where team because he's a connector and he doesn't do bad things on the floor.
Yeah, he he makes positive basketball winning plays out there, which is something you need.
Uh. By the way, Caruso to Okay see is such an insanely good move and I hated it.
It's insane that they didn't get a first round pick from the team with the most of them either of Chicago, which makes me think that first round pick with Lonzo might be real because I don't know what their front office is up to.
Jordan's have you seen.
The White Sox. It's not going well there.
I heard over the last year calendar year, the city of Chicago sports wise has the lowest win percentage of their big three sports teams when you include baseball, football, and basketball, and obviously they have a couple of baseball teams. Out of anyone in the history of sports, the city of Chicago has the lowest win percentage combined win percentage of all their sports teams the Big Ones, out of any team in the history of sports, which.
Is almost like, who could be with? I thought of Charlotte, but Charlotte doesn't have a baseball team.
Yeah, and the Panthers are really bad once in a while, and they certainly are this year.
But the Hornets were bad.
It might be of.
Cities that have a baseball, a basketball, and a football team and hockey, to be honest, because and hockey, the Black Tops were really bad.
You're right, yeah, yeah.
Jordan says. This will ruffle your feathers definitely. But I'm thinking Ben Simmons Nets are in a rebuild and can get rid of these players that don't fit the timeline. He is six ' ten and a versatile defender. The only reason this would ruffle my feathers is because you thought it would. We know they're in a rebuild, we know they're trying to get Cooper flag. So yeah, obviously, Jordan, I think it's all on the table.
They will have a selloff.
Can I just say what a great job by the Brooklyn Nets, And I mean that in all seriousness to getting all their picks back and reminded me of that movie Draft Day where he just getting all picks back for nothing. I mean, not the same to Calibridge as is nothing, But do you understand, I mean like it's kind of wild. They just ended up with other picks back out of nowhere.
Okay, there's been a question that has been posed multiple times. I want to get to it here, and I'm sorry it's a very good question, but we went outside the Clippers for so long. We kind of have to circle back to what we were originally talking about with Kawhi and James Harden being the two man tandem. Bashian Schwinsteger I think Swinestager.
So is he in Germany right now?
Maybe Bastian Swinstager was a famous soccer player.
Oh so, I'm just a casual when it comes to football.
Should the Clippers look at dallas His finals run as a blueprint for their ceiling as a team this season. Two stars playing surgically half court isolation offense supplemented with athletic wing defenders.
Justin, Yes, to a degree, Yeah, it's not bad, that's.
Uh, especially with Derek Jones now, especially with Derek Jones junior.
Yeah, to a degree. I think that's a viable way to look at it. I not whether or not they can deliver to that degree is obviously remains to be seen, But I think there is something there. They have the defensive center anchor and pick and roll threat. Uh. And it beats the Zubats who can supplement some of the offensive, like the necessary offensive baskets around the hoop that they might need. Because the Clippers do get jumped, they won't be a jump shot heavy with PG gone. I don't know.
I think they still will because Kawhi takes a lot of jumpers and James's basically I don't I haven't look at the numbers. I want to say, like, James probably took eighty percent shots of the jumpers last year, if I had to guess, and I'm probably only wrong. It just felt like eighty percent of the time he was shooting the jumper. But yeah, I do think there are things you can take from Dallas in that scenario, where as he said to isolation heavy players athletic wings by
athletic wings around them, who can see. That's the thing that's actually interesting from this. Defensive wings who take pressure off Kawhi specifically are very valuable. Kawhi wasn't guarding on the ball as much last year as he had in the past, and I think that also allowed him to save his legs while he didn't play, you know, while the playoff thing happened. Whatever.
Sixty eight games, the most he had played since what the twenty sixteen to twenty seventeen season with San Antonio.
Yeah, so like and he was that was the best I've seen him offensively. Like, his legs were saved to a large degree. They did everything to save him. I think that's the way forward. So I do think that can be the blueprint. It just depends on everyone played in the same direction and whether to some degree, whether or not Derek Jones is still you know, like a thirty six thirty seven three point shooter.
That's the thing.
I'm very skeptical about it, only because body will work wise, I think in his career he's shooting about thirty one percent from three Last year, during the regular season with Dallas, he was at thirty four percent, then in the playoffs at thirty seven percent, which was actually much higher. Before the NBA Finals it was over forty percent, and then he had a really bad series against Boston.
But he's twenty seven. He's improving.
This is his first big contract, non minimum type of contract, and I'm hopeful that he's still getting better and still just developing his ball game.
Who do we have here?
Oh, Grant Mona had this earlier. He was very curious about closing lineups. Harden norm team man DJJ kauwaizu Uh, I'm looking for a new Palell Rangers lineup without Paul George. That's what I've been thinking about a lot, justin.
Yeah, you know what. The closing lineup stuff is actually rather interesting. I think it'll be obviously Kawhi and James will be there regardless. I think the other three spots are entirely up to just fit that night. I I think there's enough guys to wear look if on for instance, let's just say a team that they're playing on a given night has Let's say they're playing the Dallas Mavericks
for instance, right, uh luka, doncis Kyrie Irving? Maybe you play Derek Jones done to at least have two point of attack defenders against those two guys, to where James doesn't have to do it, Kawhi doesn't have to do it, and the fifth guy can be whoever you want. Now, Dallas plays small, so Batoom likely plays the five to
close that out. I do think Manny says he thinks Batom will close I do think Batoom will be a closing lineup guy for a large stretch of the season if he if he's healthy, if he's playing, et cetera. Like he's too smart not to be. I think that's what they value. They need. They need the the smarts, especially going small, But closing line up is is gonna be a very big question for them going into the year, and they're gonna have to stumble upon some things as well.
I wonder if I thought about this the other day, From closing to starting lineups, it's all but assumed. We hope that we see James Harden next to Terrence man next to Derek Jones Junior, next to Kawhi, next to of eacha zubats. Do you think there's at all a chance that actually we see but toombs start the four, to slide Kawhi down to the three, then Derek Jones Junior, then James Harden meeting Terrence Man is the one coming off the bench. No.
And the reason I say that is because Kau is a four.
But he said last season, until we get a real one. He said that verbatim. I'll play it until we get a real one.
I'm gonna be perfectly honest. Four.
He's the four, is the real four in the room with us.
He's the four. Defensively, he will be the four. Most physicians are designated now based on defense, so I think he will be the four. I think he's going to be the low man helps who suffocates passing lanes at the nail or you know, on the weak side. I think he's just the four and Derek's going to be the three. Now. Offensively, Derek will be the four where he's just parked in a corner most likely. But defensively, Kawi is the four. Kawhi is not guarding on the perimeter,
as much as he used to. I hope that Kawai just accepts, not excepted, but I think he understands that he is going to be the four. That doesn't mean that you're not going to see Kawhi Nico Zoo out there together, but in that instance, Niko's probably the three. He's going to be guarding on the ball, and Kawhi is still going to be off the ball defensively. So I wrote the four last season, and uh, I want
to say exit interviews last year. I say last season meaning twenty twenty three, that the best way forward for the Clippers was to understand that PG was the three and Kawhi was the four, rather than trying to keep playing them at the two and the three. They and it was really good, Like that's when there's a lot of their success happened last season obviously. So I think they understand that that Kawi is the four, But I mean, if there's a I just don't think that that's just
what he is now. His knees are not great enough to play the three, like you think.
It's more taxing to have to be on the perimeter and chase guys around rather than being bodies on the interior.
Well this is this is the other thing for me. What fours are out there that he has to go up against that are physically darking for him.
It's not c web kg and Tim Duncan anymore like Julius Randall.
Yes, but you see him twice a year and he still.
Takes a lot of shots around the perimeter.
Right, So I it's tough that the game's changed. The fours are different now, you know, Like, for instance, you looked at Denver. Denver's four was Aaron Gordon who did hang out on the perimeter a lot. Sure, he went around the basket for duns and you know, cut layups and stuff like that, but he was on the perimeter a lot, you know. So I just don't think there's a lot of fours that are physically going to be taxing for him.
I don't know.
Jordan says, you're wrong. Kawhi at the four is awful for his health, even though he just played sixty eight games starting at the flour, which most he's played in almost a decade.
It could be bad for him in the long run, But I don't think the Clippers have the benefit of long run here. I think it's a day to day, week to week, game by game assessment. I think at the four they have a better chance of not just surviving in the endium, but you know, succeeding.
Jordan's kind of been out to lunch here the past couple of lives. He was talking about Kai Jones starting over. Vitza zoobots kpj is gonna be the starting shooting guard. He doesn't understand why Batoom would be in in the fourth quarter. Why would you be yelling why the f Batwo?
Men?
You want Nicholas batuh min late in games? Have you watched Niko BATOUM My god? All right, Jordan, you're cool still? Uh Let me ask you this well. I like this question. I think this is interesting. How would you feel if the Clippers move Norman Tucker for Tobias Harris at the deadline that comes from Andy eighty one to twenty nine to three. His contract's up summer of twenty twenty six. He's got two years left on his deal, no player option.
He'll be an unrestricted free agent Tobias Harris in the summer of twenty twenty six. Which does line up with the Clippers plan.
Is that when Normos deal is also off the table.
Yeah, he's got two more years too.
It's it's tough, It's uh.
Is it more of a position of need because Tobias could play some four here and there and a three and four?
Obviously it depends, like it depends what they what they deem a position of needs. I think there's been a lot of Tobias Harris hate when Tobias has been a good NBA player for a long time. But also the question here is that would you trade those two for Tobias Harris? And I don't mean to disparage PJ. Tucker here, that's would you trade Norman Powell for Tobias Harris? Straight up? And I don't know would Detroit do that? That's the
other question. Detroit knows Tobias Harris very well, So I don't.
Know, we know Tobias. I like Tobias.
I know he was paid fifty million almost in Philadelphia and that wasn't going to go well because Jimmy Butler they.
Let him go.
Yeah, that's tell Elton Brands what we love. But that's the guy who made.
Tobias Harrison walking and make them give him fifty million dollars.
Ya, he's supposed to turn that down. I don't know understand what you want from these guys?
Uh?
Do you think.
I have to ask you this? I even had it in my notes. Old Dirty Dasher asks why are they bringing PJ?
To camp?
And I'm wondering if maybe Justin Russo has some advanced numbers that prove PJ. Tucker's worth on the floor, like maybe there's a higher rebounding percentage when he's out there, even though he's not the one doing it, because that's how it.
Was Remarcus right, I ain't got that. Do you got anything?
Is there any benefit to PJ Tucker at this stage of his career outside of a couple of minutes against zion a couple of minutes against jokicch and I mean a couple literally, But I do like him as kind of a change of pays against some big bodies.
So to answer the question, why are they bring him to camp? Because he's under contract. That's that's why.
Because he opted into eleven million.
Which I think he should.
Have of course, But if he says, you know, I didn't sign up for this this time after he opted in when he could have been a free agent, I don't I don't want to hear that stuff.
I'm sorry, boy, It's a really interesting situation, ain't it.
I've asked everybody on here that has come on recently. Are he and Bones coming to training camp?
I would be camp.
I would be two.
But okay, I'm gonna say I wouldn't be shocked shocked they were sent home last season at one point. They do want bigger rules. Lawrence Frank talked about that the presser for Team USA with Kawhi Leonard that they're searching for trade and if they could find one, I'm sure it would be done by now.
I was sitting across the table when that part happened.
So really, nobody's offered them enough yet for these two guys and I it hurts my heart because I want Bones. I would love for Bones to get a real opportunity like we saw early before they brought in James Harden last season. Even though I want James and all that, it's just it made it funky with Russell Westbrook.
So what I will say is I stand with the players on this who want a larger role. I think every player should want a larger role. I think it's weird when players don't want a larger role. However, what I will also say, I don't know what the roles that they're looking for. I don't know if the roles that they're looking for on this team actually even exists.
I think a role could exist for Bones, but the roles the role for Bones only exists if KPJ wasn't here, right, The role for PJ possibly exists if Nico's not here.
But yeah, Bones is behind KPJ and Chris done now and James Harden like there's a norm, there's no there's no clear path. And he was the best guy they said in training camp last year, the most impressive guy.
Year two. He was good.
Progress he made He was averaging what fifteen points per game his first five games of the season.
He looked great. He was dude, I think people he started. I know a couple of games, I said.
I'm I'm holding the skeleton key. I attached.
The game in Chicago he bowled out. I thought it was it was all gonna happen. And then he had thirty nine towards at the end of the year. In that game, who was it against Phoenix, he had a huge yes.
Where they started Triple TV dam at the very end and not let him get to forty.
Bones is a bucket.
So I think Bones has a I think there's a better case for Bones having a place than PJ. I think Pj's situation's just tougher. Eleven million dollars finding a team that will take eleven million dollars in this cap climate is basically an impossibility. They're not going to wave and stretch him. It would get them under the luxury tax if they waved in stretch them. They're not gonna
wave and stretch them. They could wave him. They could wave him the closer they get to the trade deadline, or even right after the trade deadline, if no one comes and gets him, they could just outright wave him and basically just be done with this contract at that point, because if they wave and stretch him, his contract goes over three years, which the benefit of that is you get under the luxury tax. But why would you want to keep that on your books for three years when
you can just be done with it in one. So Yeah, if they get to the trade deadline and there's no trade possibility, I could see them waving him after the deadline. So they a team lack of Miami or a Milwaukee can go out there and just sign him so that he's still eligible for the postseason. But look, I don't see the harm as weird as I don't see the harm in bringing him to camp and seeing what he has.
I really don't because of the one or two percent possibility that that he really does like show out and show you that he deserves a spot for both of them. Actually, I don't.
Think it's crazy for me, and I think we know what they have with PJ. Tucker.
The harm would be his attitude. If his attitude isn't right, like there's only like a downside because I think we know who he is as a player at this point and it doesn't look like he's going to be playing on this team.
What I will say to that? And people can take this however they want a lot of the attitude issues with the team have left, and I don't think PJ, while he can be surly at times, while he can't be surly at times, is going to I don't think PJ. Tucker's attitude is going to scuttle the Clipper season.
I can't believe that Stray just hit Mason Plumbing like that. I can't believe you're saying he was the gratitude problem of the.
Mean Look, people could take it forever. Play they were. I'm not saying name. A lot of the attitude problems are gone.
Okay. Andy eighty one twenty nine to three wants to know.
Well, I guess he's making more of a statement, but he likes the idea of them trading bones, PJ and second rounders to the nets for Dorian Finney Smith. He'd be great next to Kawhi. Yeah, I think they can get more than that. Sorry, bro, unless they.
Really value bones. I think they might be able to get a first from somebody for Dorian Finney Smith.
I also don't know what Dorian Phinney Smith is. I think I think we like Dorian Phinny Smith. I like him, but I also feel like we've reached the standpoint Dorian Phinny Smith where I think we all like the idea better than what he is.
Okay, that's that's a fair statement. I'm trying to pull up his numbers from last season. So he was an eight and a half points per game. He only shot thirty five percent from the outside. It was one of his lower seasons there he's.
I mean Dallas. He left Dallas and kind of forgot how to shoot.
Yeah, that's fair because in Dallas he was shooting like thirty nine percent back to back years.
And even had thirty five and a half the half season he was there before he got traded. But like, I don't know, maybe he's just bummed about being in Brooklyn. I mean, it wasn't a great situation. Who knows.
So I'm not the one following up here justin, but our smart listeners here wants to know. Who was that player that you had that cryptic comment about jam.
It wasn't a player, it was plural, I think, I think not. I think there were several players who just weren't happy, and I think when when that happens, which is a fair feeling for a lot of people to have. I'm not sitting here and saying they were wrong. Okay, like you can. People can feel how they want to feel.
But were these players maybe friends that played on a team together before the.
Clippers or I'm just Ji wants to know.
Okay, sorry, I think it cam bleed bleed into the team and sap it a little bit. I just don't think Pj's attitude is going to be an issue on a team where he clearly is not a I wouldn't even just say, I'm just gonna say top eight rotation guy, because from there on you could gripe about hey is either tenth or eleventh or twelfth or two, like we can gripe all day. But he's just not a top
eight or nine rotation guy. I don't think that guy is gonna cause problems, and if he does, if that guy causes problems, it's a it's a more fragile team than they would care to admit. At that point, you're getting rid right now?
Did Otani just did he get to Oh my god, he's at fifty one to fifty one? Now he started this game at forty nine steals and forty eight home runs and now he's fifty one fifty one.
By god, goat Tani is at it again.
So he was on my team. I'm an Angels fan. He was on my team for many years.
So sorry, it's all right.
I'm actually happy for him. But what my Showwi story is. I saw him in high school in Japan when he was eighteen, and I was blown away because, like I'd read scouting reports on him from like Baseball America and like the really like in depth, like scouting analysis of him from the guys who do it like year round. So I saw a video of him at eighteen. I want to say, this was what twenty twelve at the time, I believe, and he was incredible and I fell in
love right there. And then the Angel signed him and I was so happy, and I'm happy for him now because he's he's crushing dude. Ever. Ever, he's Baby.
Ruth played during segregation.
I don't want to hear about Babe Ruth compared to Altani in today's day age.
He's the greatest talent I've ever seen in baseball. I still think Barry Bond is probably the greatest baseball player of all time, but Otani, to me, is the greatest talent I've ever seen in baseball.
I'm a Giants fan, and I've taken Otani because I know Barry Bonds never.
Hit fifty home runs before Royd's.
I mean, I've read Game of Shadows.
Allegedly, nothing read Game of Shadows. No, we don't.
It's a fact they have the receipts. Victor Consei and the guys have the receipts.
How much you love receipts, So this is up your.
Alley on the receipt master. All right, Jordan's over here.
Am I gonna have to keep receipts on this wild trade package?
Jordan says, I think packaging Norman Palell, Bones, Tilan Chris done for Ben Simmons would be good.
No, yeah, like you just want to take a flyer like obviously Trady for Ben Simmons requires a lot of money, because I think he makes like forty million dollars. But I just don't think. I don't think that at that point the Clippers would trade a guy like Norm unless they're trying to get cap space now for next summer. That's the only that's the only upside.
Ben Simmons has played less than sixty games combined his last two seasons. Guys, but yeah, let's bring in an injury prone guy to the Clippers. Uh okay, Bastian our German friend says, Norman pj for John Collins of the deadline, I never heard this name, John Collins. Jazz get off of Collins before his twenty six million dollar player option the twenty twenty five to twenty six season. They also take on PJ as they have no directions or franchise
at the moment. The problem to me with this is norm is under contract for two more years, so why would they do that.
I'm I'm just not a John Collins guy. That's a me thing. I know a lot of people who are John's like John Collins, I'm just not a John Collins guy. Seeing him up close, seeing the way people have described him defensively specifically, I'm just not a John Collins guy. I like the idea of John Collins. I'm just not
a John Collins guy. And as far as Utah's direction, Utah's direction is just to be where they're at right now and to keep taking as many swings at the fence as as they can, to keep improving because because I'll tell you this right now, if they get Cooper flag, they're sent. And you can't convince me otherwise.
I agree Danny Ames, he's working it there.
John Collins did average fifteen to nine while shooting thirty seven percent from three last season, is still only I think twenty six or twenty seven, So I'm intrigued. I also, though, wonder maybe you can speak to this more. I didn't watch him a ton last season. Is he still the ridiculous athlete he was with Atlanta? When he can put his head on the rim like he used to. I think that dunk on embiid.
So he is, but not to the same degree. It's dwindled. But I want people to think like, oh, he's not as athletic, Like it's just like a notch below where he was. Okay, and that's just natural because of age.
Yeah.
JM thirteen twenty four wants to say, Jam, I why is sports culture When a player leaves from a situation, they get blamed for everything that's happened, regardless of the good moments they had.
Because example, well, I think he's talking about like PG to a degree, Here's how I'll say it, Because I think sports fans to a large degree have a hard time separating the good from the bad when it comes to emotions. I think that like when a player leaves, we we I say we, the sports fan contingency genuinely generally think that if things were good, the player would stay, and like the fact that they're leaving means that they just weren't good enough to deal with this. So we
kind of like pie along with them. I don't agree that players should get blamed when they side to leave.
I just heg is getting blamed because he took shots at the organization on his way out, shots that are directed at the fans in some way when you talk about the B team and then his dad saying we felt like we got stabbed in the back.
Oh, he said, I'm speaking in general, not PG, So in general.
Term, Well that I'm speaking specifically about PG, because in general it's a case by case basis. For me, always tell me the player, and I'll tell you how it should be viewed.
Yeah, I I don't know. The older I've gotten the kind of less I've understood why why fans kind of pylon players to a large degree, because their job's tough. Like whether or not you say like they make x amount of money, their job's still tough. It's not like it's a great job, but it's still tough, like it's you know, they're all going up to ridic good.
Fans are still smart enough today. We brought it up earlier. Do you think Philly fans are mad at Jimmy Butler for leaving or do you think they're mad that they made the decision? To keep Tobias Harris over him and mad.
At the front office. They're pointing at the front office.
They're not mad at Jimmy. If I know, Philly fans are just mad at everything.
Well that's fair.
They wake up mad, okay, like it's just in their in their spirit.
I want to put a smile on everyone's face as I get this question asked from Frankie boy nine. When is the Ralph Lawler interview coming soon? Probably the next couple of days. I would say, at worst on Monday. I don't want to put too much pressure on my editor, but the Ralph Lawler sitting down one on one, two part interview.
Is coming up within the next four or five days. Data Man asks.
What should be our expectations if the Clippers coming out of camp should be rolling like they did in January. They're not going twenty six and five again, guys, or a slow build up expected NBA Cup champs.
Let's go.
What are the expectations, Justine?
What to expect?
It would be a good way to end things.
Yeah, uh, you know what, I think they'll be fine. I don't when I say fine out, I mean like they're gonna win fifty five games, but I do think they'll generally be fine. I think it could be a slow ramp up, uh to where like they come out playing Phoenix. That's gonna be an interesting matchup right off the bat because Phoenix has a lot to prove themselves and it's the Clippers New Arena home opener, and they're gonna be fired up, the fans are gonna be fired up.
So I would in terms of the expectations early in the season, I think it could be a slow ramp up with an early season, Like, I think they'll start out good, probably dip just a little bit, and then kind of have like a steady trajectory after that. So you know, it's it's hard to say, but I'm kind of expecting them to be good and fine. I think overall, I think, uh, what would I play them for a win total this year? What do you we'll give.
Me the seeding?
I have them at best being the sixth in the sixth spot in the West at best. If things really break their way, if they upgrade, you know, it's an evolving roster, then I'll recalibrate my expectations in my prediction. But I think anywhere from six to ten honestly, tell me how many games Kawhi is playing, and I'll tell you what the record could be, because right now, I mean, I think he's going to be at best playing sixty six, because sixty six.
Is where you'd be if.
You take away one half of the back to backs, because they're playing sixteen of those a two mins sixteen he gets sixty six, and you know that's that's being hopeful that he's only missing the front end or the back end of a back to back. I have real concerns about the swelling when I when I see there was no necessarily tweak to the knee. Not a doctor never even played one, wants to do a once did a show with the UCLA Doctor on A five seventy. But last season was different because it wasn't a step.
It was just wear and tear over a season that eventually led to recurring swelling that they couldn't get down for justin We don't even know. It could have been two months. We don't know how long it took for the swelling to go down.
That's my concern.
That was one of the weirdest sagas of the season. So I was up and I flew to Sacramento to cover that game and that shoot around, we're going to pull the side and told you're gonna have a Kuhi update. He's not playing. He flew back home. Yadiada YadA. We're not that concerned, yadi da YadA. And then you fast forward and yeah.
Uh, they couldn't control the swelling. That's what it was.
And he said, and Om brought this up on my Monday show on Ome Young Masu from ESPN that you listen to his own words during training camp a Team USA, he said he reached a turning point two weeks before showing up at training camp with TSA. That means it could have been I don't know, two and a half to maybe three months where they.
Were trying to figure this out.
Almost Alm and I sat next to each other when Kawai said that at Tmusa and we and we doesn't mind me saying that, we both walked away and had like a ten minute conversation about what it even meant, because he made a comment after that that was like my knee was is like I can't remember, I can't remember the exact point. I said.
It was in a neutral state. That's what day before they sent him home.
Yeah, a neutral state, that's what it was. And I don't know what the hell that means. Does that mean it's fine, doesn't mean it's I just took it to mean stable, but I don't.
To me, it means it hasn't flared up, it hasn't swelled up, even though he was doing.
Five on five.
Yeah, that's my guess. So what I will say from Team USA is the parts of practice we were able to see. He was always wearing uh sweat sweatpants, so we never actually got to see anything in terms of like if he was wearing anything on his knee, on his leg at all. It was all in sweatpants. From what I from what I can recollect from a couple
of months ago, I don't know. I mean all I all we can go after was what he said, what Team usay, what Grant Hill said, And I asked a question to Grant Hill before the game against Canada the next night, which was the day that Kawi got sent home. And then when we talked to Lawrence Frank at Summer League in Vegas. Those are the only those are the only people who talked Aboutkawai's status on the record at
the time and everything. Whatever answer you got from anybody was different from somebody else, and it was the weirdest thing I've ever experienced. On the record, we don't know. We don't know when the swelling went down. We don't know what precautions they took, We don't know things that they did to minimize the issues. When he was asked whether or not he had a procedure done, Lawrence Frank wouldn't on the record, wouldn't specify whether or not he did.
He did say, though, if it was something significant, they would.
Yes, which reading between the lines for me, meant they went in and cleaned cleaned up some stuff. Now that doesn't mean that is what happened. That's how I took it and interpret it. But that's not what he said. It's just how I read between the lines.
What else can we do?
I feel like I'm over here playing detective and I'm not. I'm not in a state to do that. But you know, I mean, look, everything I heard was that Kauhi looked fine in tem Usa camp. That's what I heard, is that he looked fine.
Did you see him work out? Did you see some of the five on five run outside of the video were you there watching some of the practices.
Anything that's on videos is all we got to see. We were everything that was filmed in terms of like anything that made its way to the public sphere was all we got to see. We were only let in for I'm trying to remember now, because it was four days of practice, and I think in each of the days except for the last day, the first three days we only came in for like a ten minute session, and I don't really remember Kawhi. I remember Kauhi for
one of them. I don't remember him for two of them, but that doesn't mean he wasn't there on my member. It could just be hazy for the other one, though he didn't play at all on the court. For the last one, I don't remember him see being on the court at all. But everything we'd heard was that he looks fine, he looks good. He got people asked questions about him to Steve Kerr and other players, and they
they all talked about Kawhi and glowing terms. And then I woke up in the hotel room that day of the game, found out that was gone, and was like, what the hell just happened? And it was it was a Great Vegas trip, and so yeah.
There was something else.
Lawrence Frank said that I'm also reading into and trying to decipher what happened here, and it was something to the extent of the degree of we know how Kawai looks in practice, we know how he should look. So I wondered if Team usay saw, okay, he's not giving maximum effort, which Kawhi we know has levels to him. Regular season Kawhi versus playoff Kawhi players never admit to this stuff. I think it's just instinctual. Well, it just happens.
It's just subconscious that they start playing harder and show a different motor out there. But he probably was in slowed down version of himself, and maybe they thought that's related to the knee, and maybe that gave them pause for wondering if he's going to be able to make
it through the entire run. With Team USA and Kawhi feeling good and making that comment still about his knee being in a neutral state, and then saying two weeks before he had a turning point, it probably just made them feel like, uh, well, we don't know if we're going to be able to rely on him over the next month, so maybe we should go in a different direction.
Now.
I don't like it because he's Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant wasn't playing at all. But we know Kevin Durant had a scoring title on the line for Team USA, so they weren't going to send him home even though he was hurt and didn't play at all during the Uh was it not the knockout round but the exhibition course of a Team USA. I That's all I can I can see.
I just I that's such a weird situation because I do think that there is some truth to like the Clippers know how he recovers and how he looks in practice compared to what Team USA.
And coach loves there. And Lawrence Frank was there for some event.
Yeah, uh, Lawrence Frank was there for a couple of the days, I believe two of the days. So yeah, I they don't.
Come out and have that press conference if Kawhi didn't feel like he was ready, right, they're speaking on behalf of him because he was so disappointed. I'm sure which which one the Lawrence Frank press conference regarding Kawhi Does that happen?
The Lord I believe that press conference would probably still happen only because Lawrence just didn't get asked about Kaui at that press conference. He got asked about everything. He got asked about PG you got to ask about, uh, the rough situation, he got asked about, PJ, he got asked about, He got to asked about everything.
Right, But he was there to make a statement about Kawhi off the top.
He was, But that's not just what that conversation was for. That was an all encompassing interview that was set up for several of us to on the beat to talk to Lawrence about everything off season relationship. Now, what was what let off? It was the Kawhi thing because at the time that was the biggest story because just what two days before, two days before, three like four days before, Kawhi had just left. So it was like, oh, that's a little interesting, So we kind of need to we
need to ask about this this topic. There's something else I was gonna Oh the other interesting caveat in all this is Clinton parks Kawhi. Leonards trainer has been very vocal on Twitter that this wasn't a Kawhi Leonard Clipper's decision. This was Team USA's call.
I saw from what Lawrence Frank said. He mentioned they were very disappointed not once but twice with Team USA's decision. Of course, it wasn't their.
Call, right.
What I will say is that when I asked Grant Hill on the record in the press conference ahead of the game against Canada, when they knew that they would send like when they knew that they basically couldn't have Kawhi Leonard need to send him home, he kind of just didn't answer it like it was like generalization speak, which is fine, but it was a very like political answer of just you know, it happened and kind of
stuff like that. So they I don't know. I look, it goes back to what we said a long time ago. There's three signs to every story, and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. I don't know. Maybe one day it will come to light and we'll just kind of wonder why it took so long.
My opinion it lies with the Clippers. But that's cool. That's cool.
We got Justin who so on with us, and we're gonna close things out here because we're almost reaching the two hour marker.
And just I apologize, I'm a talker.
You know, no, no, this has been great.
I'm the one that's always worried about keeping somebody too long here. But Justin is at fly by Night K and I t e on X on Twitter Justin, where can everybody find you?
For your wonderful work?
And I encourage everybody to subscribe. I don't do it with everyone, but I do it with Justin. I am a reader of his and.
It is very informative.
Pieces that he gets done for you that are illuminating, as you've sensed here on the pod.
Thank you. Uh it's Justin Arusso dot substack dot com. I will tell people that's starting in October because the season is starting. I am turning subscriptions on. It'll be five dollars a month, I think is what it is for substacks. I'm just letting people know ahead of time that you know, if you do subscribe, I appreciate it. It will be behind a paywall. It's just the nature of the business now. And I apologize ahead of time,
but it is what it is. I things ain't cheap no more for folks, and man, when the when the double cheezburger a McDonald's, they ate two dollars anymore. I thought they're bringing.
Back a five dollars value meal somewhere.
Aren't they doing that somewhere?
Look?
Guy, you get, yeah, the top half of then.
You get enough soda in the straw, and that's it. You know, it's just all you need. But no, I'm kind of interested to see how the season goes. I'm actually excited to a large degree. I don't know if it's because things are different or just because the closes we've gotten. I'm kind of feeling it again, like, oh great, I actually get to go now. You know, I saw someone a long time ago in the chat ask how excited are like the beat to go to the new
arena for media Day. I'm I'm actually intrigued to see how they set it up. Because the old media day was at the old training facility, obviously, and everything was as you saw Adam those everything was on the two courts and split into like little sections and stuff. I'm curious to see what they do for this one. Is it gonna be the main court, is it going to be the practice facility? Are they gonna have stations in between? Like how do they do? I'm kind of I'm actually
fascinated to see what they do. And yeah, so that'd be the last time I see them for at least a week or so because I'm not going to Hawaii for training camp. I did it last year. It was great. It was my first time ever in Hawaii, and I wish I could live there because it was so incredible. But I won't be in Hawaii this year, so but I am looking forward to media Day. I'm looking forward to see the arena all the way done. I was there for the Halo board thing and that was pretty cool.
So Media Day, September thirtieth, we are looking forward to that.
One cannot wait for that. Monday morning, four or five traffing baby.
Oh yeah, I'm gonna have start leaving an hour earlier than I I used to Burbank, probably an hour earlier than I used to go to Crypto, which is fine.
I am happy to go to into it.
I'm happy to get there as early as possible because it is a dream arena.
Living it right now, yeah, it's uh, you know what's interesting. So you've obviously been into it. You've parked in the parking structure, right, yeah, have you taken have you taken like the.
The over overhead walkway, I did, and we went under.
Oh you did, okay, So also you just walked across the street.
Yeah, we hit the crosswalk, okay.
So on the overhead park like, if you take the the well, I don't want to keep saying overhead walking, that's not what it's called bridge.
I don't know what it's going.
The other bridge, the overpass, I guess, yeah, you take that from the parking structure, you walk in straight eye level to the gigantic outdoor like TV board. So it's actually kind of a really cool thing to walk directly and just see that right in front of you the whole way.
It's surreal. I was talking about it with Paul sheer on here. It feels like augmented reality, like we're wearing a lens, or like you're wearing a lens and you've got the Google glasses on or whatever they were supposed to be. It feels like virtual reality. Being at this place. Everything is just so high tech.
It's it's such it just hits you in the face. It's like like there is like a culture shock type deal to it, or like your brain has to adjust to kind of how it is, and it takes. It does take a minute, So I will tell I will tell baby, like when you walk in, take your time, get used to, get used to what you see.
Get comfortable, Flipper Nation, You're finally home.
And for a fatty like me, those seats are very wide and I enjoy them very much.
Listen, well, look the food. They're scriptures. They have to account for that.
Listen. I'm a I'm a sucker for a great seat, and those are some good seats.
I'd say the best seats.
The top level seats are closer to the floor than I think.
Any arena in existence.
Yes, and what's more important than being closer to the action?
They got that right, and your.
Eye level with the most gigantic board anyone ever thought to build, because that's what I also need in my life. You know what's funny is I did have a Clippers person tell me at the Halo board unveiling that they were excited to hear my thoughts on it because they know how much of the data stuff I love to see and every piece of data that came out, Like, I know you didn't build this for me. This feels like a little bit for me though.
Hey, it's justin russau Ga. It's kind of a nerd. What do you think about this stat we're putting up here on the.
Halo exactly exactly. We make room for your wrapping and last comment here Manny says he can't wait for the sushi dogs. Yeah, you give me one of those. I'm there every.
Day, sushi dogs, not with mustard, with with sabi. Oh, I'll be there every day.
Maybe not for the traffic, but I'll enjoy the experience.
I got a run because we got to clips and dip coming up in just a little bit. That's coming up a little bit later tonight with myself check Mockler will up Nike programming. Note there, this will be the last Clippers Talk of the week unless the Ralph Waller interview drops later tonight or tomorrow.
It could happen or Saturday or Sunday. Be on the lookout for that.
Follow me hat follow out of May at Clippers Talk is the YouTube And by the way, that Ralph Lahler interview will be a YouTube exclusive. I'm not uploading it to the podcast. It's a visual. We're doing it kind of documentary style. We're including a lot of clips, a lot of plays, a lot of great pictures with his best friend, the Goat, Bill Walton, who passed away earlier this season. That was one of the reasons I wanted
to talk with Ralph and celebrate Bill Walton. So please subscribe to the YouTube side because that's the only place you're going to get this Ralph Lawler interview that I'm actually I don't say this very often, but I'm proud of something that I've done for once and it was mostly just because I got to hang out with Ralph and he's so amazing. So for Justin Rousseau, I'm Adam Mosland. We'll talk to you later later tonight on
Clips and Dip.