PJ Tucker Wants OUT

I'm Oudame Osland. This is your Clippers Talk YouTube side channel where when there's breaking news, even if you don't think it amounts to much, I will be here to talk about it as I am right now. Because there was something regarding PJ. Tucker that just came out a little bit ago, and I thought even on an NFL Sunday, we could talk about it a little bit here on

a Clippers Talk Live for you again. Two postgame shows that you can watch on the video section from last night on YouTube, and if you guys are in here on the chat, let me know that you can hear me or not. I would appreciate that. But I saw this just a bit ag from Justin Rousseau and it said this, The LA Clippers released a statement regarding PJ. Tucker quote. We've had ongoing conversations with PJ throughout the off season, and have both decided that he won't be

with the team for the time being. PJ is a pro, has achieved a lot in his career, and there's more he wants to accomplish. We will continue working with PJ and his representatives to find the best situation for him moving forward. Sal says, Audio's PJ. I'm guessing he can hear me. Now. If you've been listening to me throughout this entire summer here on Clippers Talk, you will know that probably in half the shows I did with reporters

for the Clippers, Law Murray, Justin Russo. As I mentioned earlier, Rousseau, the guys from the lob of the Jam the podcast, I would ask them, what do you think happens with PJ and Bones? Are they going to be at training camp? Are they going to show up to training camp? Well, I've seen Bones Highland there. I've seen Bones in some of the clips playing scrimmaging. I know he's there at training camp. I haven't seen PJ Tucker there yet, and that's interesting to me. I haven't seen a clip of him.

I didn't see him at Media day and I asked Carlo Jimenez about this, who was in Hawaii now on his way back as the Clippers have a game in San Diego that will be on Tuesday night in their new G League facility in Ocean Side. As Jordan Zumwalt says, wait, why wait, why why are we doing this Clippers talk? Well, just a little bit of a reset for the people getting in here. I know this was spur of the moment. Didn't know I'd be talking about this either, But PJ.

Tucker is currently not with the team for the time being because he and the Clippers have mutually agreed that the thirteen year NBA veteran will be away from the team as both sides work towards a resolution for his future. It's interesting. I appreciate you guys getting in here on Clippers Talk, if you've got questions, if you've got trade ideas currently, because it looks like that's where things are heading.

The Clippers have said we will continue working with PJ and and his representative to find the best situation for him moving forward. I wondered if this was going to be an issue, if this was going to be a problem. I've talked about it all off season. It was a problem. After he didn't get traded the All Star break, he was sent home, as was Bones Highland. Both those guys basically for I don't know, insubordination, conduct, detrimental to the team,

I forget, whatever they call it. They were disgruntled, they were unhappy that they weren't traded and moved at the deadline, and so the Clippers sent him home. They couldn't find trade partners for them. They tried, they couldn't. They couldn't find anything that would be in the best interest of the Clippers, so they sent them home. That was at the All Star break. Now, as we are just a couple weeks away from the season starting October twenty third, add into it, Dome PJ. Tucker is not going to

be around the ball club. And again I didn't see him at training camp in Hawaii in any of the pictures. Doesn't mean he wasn't there. I thought he was. That they had twenty one guys there and he was a part of that. So if anyone has confirmation on that, you can let me know. But it's really of no consequence now because he's going to be away from the team.

If you're just coming in. The statement from the Clippers is quote, We've had ongoing conversations with PJ throughout the offseason and have both decided that he won't be with the team for the time being. PJ is a pro who has achieved a lot in his career, and there's more he wants to accomplish. We will continue working with PJ and his representative to find the best situation for him moving forward. This is why I'm here. Amina Sean has said, wait, PJ wants out. PJ has wanted out,

He wanted out the All Star break. I find this very disappointing, only because they gave him multiple chances last year. Now he's thirty nine and he still apparently wants to be on a contender, thinks he can contribute, even though we saw from him last year it really wasn't working. He wasn't taking threes anymore. His patented corner three wasn't there, wasn't taking it, had very low confidence, and the Clippers still gave him all the opportunities in the world. When

he first got here. I remember he played that first game against Los Angeles Lakers. Didn't look good, but they gave him a fair shot. They really did. They went above and beyond on to see what PJ Tucker had left. He started. I don't know if you guys remember this the final game of the season, Game six, in that playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks in a must win situation. PJ got to start that didn't look good. It was like a minus ten in the first half. Clippers overall

weren't very good. It wasn't just him, but he wasn't exactly helping. And if you know me, you know that I've actually been a big fan of PJ. I thought he had utility when he came to this team. I felt like PJ. Tucker in very specific situations against the right opponent, the right big for a few minutes here and there, a few minutes, he could help this team against Jokics for a second that first contest, I think in Denver they threw him out there and he played

okay against him. I had seen it before with him in Philly play. Jokics pretty well was physical with him in just a few minutes. He did that with the Clippers against Zion. Same thing. But that is very much a specialist type of player. That is a guy who could see minutes once a week during their long regular season. PJ. Tucker still believes he's much more than that in this league. And to be fair, the seventy six Ers were starting him.

The Philadelphia seventy six Ers were giving him twenty two minutes a night in those first three games last season before he was traded to the Clippers. When he was traded, he let it be known that he didn't sign up for this, that he was going to every news in media outlet to let them know that he didn't want to be with the Clippers. I'm not so sure the Clippers were trading for him. I think it was about getting James Harden. I think that was pretty clear. And PJ.

Tucker was fined seventy five grand last season by the NBA for expressing the desire to be traded before the trade deadline. Remember, he was sent home. He wasn't exactly being a good vet to the squad because it seemed like Bones Highland also started to pick up on the bad vibes with him, and he was sent home too. He wanted to be traded. He won more playing time. He thought he was gonna be the backup point guard. I get it, but then they brought in James Harden.

It changed rotations, and now the Clippers PJ. Tucker are still trying to figure out a deal something that works for both sides. Is that possible? Can the Clippers get something for him? They don't want to have to use the stretch provision I'm guessing, which means you wave a guy and divide up his salary over three years, so it'd be a little bit over three million per year that the Clippers would be paying out and would count against their cap. People are speculating if Kelly Olinok could

be a guy they could get for him. Kaleolinox probably too good of a player. He got twelve points per game when he was traded to Toronto last season. I know that was somebody on the wish list for Clipper Nation. Would have been nice, didn't end up happening. Kelly Olinok is known for being a bit of a stretch big, a solid passer can pass out of the high post. Why would they give him up for PJ. Tucker to bring him back to Toronto? How is that an upgrade

for them? I think the salary would work, but there's no reason for the Raptors to do that. Unfortunately, what's the logic? Give me the rationale. Yeah, he's making twelve

million this season. The only thing I could see is, and I'll use this to make a point about another player too, is that Olynic is paid through not just this year but next year twelve million, about almost thirteen million this year Toronto Raptor Zoham at the age of thirty three, and then about thirteen and a half next year, a twenty five to twenty sixth season, So they could see it as getting out from that contract next season. Maybe. I don't know. They're in kind of a weird stage

where they're rebuilding but trying to stay competitive. The Raptors. You know, they brought Inn RJ. Barrett himid that trade with the Knicks last season, Massiu Jerry really good GM. But I don't know if they have a clear cut direction, and I don't know if Kelly Olenok giving him up for PJ. Tucker would make a lot of sense. I just think even if they wanted to give him up and get out of that second year of the contract,

they could probably get more for him. One guy would bring up, and I don't know how realistic this is, but we've talked about it this offseason. Is Grant Williams. He's currently with the Charlotte Hornets now. He has three years left on his deal at around thirteen million dollars. Grant Williams similar in his attitude and toughness to a guy like PJ. Tucker, but he's much younger. He's not even thirty yet. He's going to be twenty six this season.

I really liked him with Boston. I don't know how you guys felt about Grant Williams, but I was a fan in Boston. Now they played a lot of positionless basketball, and then he ended up signing that deal with the Dallas Mavericks that he's on right now. I'm guessing they signed him to the non taxpayer mid level exception. Things didn't work out, they moved him. They made a great trade. They brought in PJ. Washington and Grant Williams is now a member of the Charlotte Hornets. Who don't know are

they going anywhere? Can they be a playing team this season? If they have LaMelo, if they have a little bit of hope, and I think they need a season where they just show something. They have Miles Bridges, they have some talent there, if LaMelo can stay healthy, Brandon Miller high draft pick, we have Josh Green now. I think he was included in that trade, But I like Grant Williams. I don't know how you guys view him if he

could play power forward for the Clippers. Since that's another conversation here with what we heard from Kawhi Leonard last night talking about how many miles he ran and was probably top five or top ten, and miles ran last season playing the power forward position, couldn't really tell if he was trying to angle for the Clippers bringing in a power forward or if he he was just saying, it is what it is, type of thing I'm going to be playing the power forward. I didn't take it

as him complaining about it. I didn't because he was pretty upfront when Law asked him about that question. Kin just said, yeah, who was the power forward last year? It was me. He did mention, though, is it beneficial because of all the wear and tear. If he's saying it's more physical to be playing the power forward position, is that something the Clippers are looking at right now? You have to ask yourself that people in here are saying Jordan Zumwalt saying he's not good enough of a

player to request a trade. Honestly, that's fair. He's not. He didn't prove that at all last season with the Clippers, and I find the whole situation disappointing him not being

with the team moving forward. I thought at this point in his career he'd be a good vet and even though his skills had diminished, he would be Donna's hasl maybe and you know, be a cheerleader on the bench and helps your on guys and support guys and still be a source of toughness like Eudonnas Haslm was with Miami Heat for so long because of his reputation, the way guys take to his teaching, and you know, he

would even get into it with guys. I think he and Jimmy Butler had a conversation before that got really heated. But they respect him, and I think PJ. Tucker would have that respect if he wanted that role. But apparently he thinks he can still play. Okay, great. My point would have been this, PJ. Tucker could have not opted into this last year of his contract. He didn't have to.

You can say, but Adam is that realistic. You didn't think he was going to opt into eleven and a half million dollars or no. I thought he would of course, But it's kind of having your cake and want to eat it too. You want the eleven point five million dollars that you opt into, but now you want to dictate where you want to play for that contract as well. That's what got me a little bit confused with PJ. Tucker, Like, if you opt in, you don't have a say and

where you're going to play. You could have not opted in and had been a free agent. It had gone wherever you wanted. Now you want the Clippers to have to send you somewhere that that can be a little bit frustrating. That can be a little bit disappointing. Big r R sixty four sos. The Clippers would probably love to trade PG. Problem is he's just a negative asset. You're going to have to include something to get rid

of him. It's not a bad point. So if you're saying that guy the most obvious player is bones, does that sweeten the deal for anyone? Does that make someone go? Okay, well, it'll take PJ. On it's an expiring contract to get bones Highland. We're into that. Who's that team? And do you still have to include a second round pick? Do you have to try to include a first round pick? I mean, that's something I don't think the Clippers would do.

It's a non starter. Obviously, it would depend on who they're getting back, but you'd expect something really good in that scenario. But they have one they can trade. They're twenty thirty. I believe it's gonna be difficult to get this trade done. I think it'll happen at some point, but I don't know how long this is gonna take. Mark Jaggs says PJ is not good enough to be making all these demands. Amina Sean says PJ should be grateful that he's on a team. Miss says Haslam is

still at training camp practicing this year. He plays in practice. I know he's kind of a player's coach. Now. He had tenure with the Miami Heat, and that's where he played I think his entire career and was a legacy guy there, and it would be different for PJ. Tucker. But the point still remains. It would have been nice to see him adopt that veteran role and cheer on guys and point out things from the bench that they could do better, and it's still his toughness from the

bench mark. Jack says, might as well wave him because he's a bad juju is affecting the team. Yeah, I don't know how that would work with the salary CAF if they could just wave him and pay the entire thing, if anybody has an understanding on that, because they don't

want to do the stretch provision. They do not want to do the stretch provision because even though it's just three million dollars over this year, next year, in the year after, that's still three million more dollars on the cap for a guy that's not even on your team. It hurts Big R R sixty four says, exactly, A meed he's lucky he's even in the league. He should be grateful and be a team leader. That's not the case apparently, I mean, and Shaan says, I'm tired of

this guy wanting. Chris Gomez says, yeah, I got you about Olennok was thinking him or Larry Nance, both those guys I think are unrealistic. Nobody's trading those guys for PJ. Tucker. I like them both. Don't get me wrong. When we look at Larry Dance Junior's contract, it's in the ballpark money wise. It works. He's making eleven million two, but he's in the last year of it that he's an unrestricted free agent Atlanta. The fact is they can just get more for him than that they can. Larni Jr.

Is a nice player. That's a really good asset for them. Tim Kirk said, love your interview with the great Ralph Lawler. Do you think Ralph and Mike Smith will ever reconcile the relationship. I'm not speaking about anybody else's relationship here. Tim Kirk also says PJ is not an NBA player anymore. If he has utility, it's in very very specific parameters, very specific. We're talking about a couple minutes here and

there against the right opponent like Jokic. Believe it or not, he's been pretty good against him or Zion because of his big body physicality out there. Yeah, he picks up vowels, So some of it is just, you know, hack a shaft type stuff. But I think that change of pace could be valuable maybe for a team I'd I don't know. It's hard for guys to come to grips with their sports mortality and when their career is ending, it's really difficult.

Maybe Pj's having trouble with that, or maybe he does have a role somewhere and he can be a productive player still at the age of thirty nine in ten minutes a night. I don't know. The Clippers, though, more than gave him a shot last season, and he wasn't taking shots for the most part, was turning down threes, was scared to take those corner threes. It looked like just didn't have the confidence there. And for a player

I really liked it. I think could be a championship level role player in his prime and did win with the Milwaukee Bucks. Like I was happy to see the Clippers get him in the trade deal, but then seeing him out there, it just you could see the skills have diminished. He's much older. It can go quickly sometimes that ring in Milwaukee was just a few years ago, but it can go quick. Gicon says, hopefully Lawrence can

get something done. We'll see big r R sixty four and PJ is definitely hurting his value by complaining all the time. Other teams see they don't want that on their roster either. Maybe like if you trade for him, you better have a role or else he's going to one out, I guess, because that's what we've seen with the Clippers, and he will make it known to those who register and whoever is listening different publications. He complained to right away. With the Clippers, it was strange to

see you just got here. And I'll bring up some of the quotes if I can. This was when they first got him. Ah, pay Wall's killing me. I can't get behind it right now. But he was disgrestled over his lack of playing time, and even though he was given an opportunity, he didn't look good. The minutes with him next to a viat Zubas playing power forward were unbelievably bad. The net rating was horrific. Amina Sean says, Houston Tucker was different too, but PJ is washed now.

Houston Tucker was really good, Guys, really really good. That was a player. That was a guy, a modern NBA player that I would love. Luis Lemmas says, get rid of him and sign Tres. They can't trade him to an international team that Tres is on. Unfortunately, it's not how it works. They gotta trade him to an NBA team. Tim Kirk says, who will get most minutes at backup center this year? I think it is Mobomba right now, guys.

I did a Clippers after Dark last night. I'm trying to say my voice by the way, I didn't think I'd be doing this today, but I did a Clippers after Dark where after we went off the air on the radio side, and maybe I'll do this throughout the season. We were on the Patriot AM eleven fifty programming note when the Dodgers are on A five seventy, LA Sports will be on the Patriot AM eleven fifty. But the show was over on the radio side that I kept it going called it Clippers after Dark. I talked a

lot about kai Jones. I thought he struggled last night. I didn't want to be overly harsh with it, but some of the comments were, so I tried to cut some of those out. It just was, I don't know, uh mean spirited some of it. But I want to be positive about a young player. Well, I know a lot of people were really high on and the expectations are unrealistic to some degree. Some of the Kai Jones people, and look, I'm rooting for him. I want him to get that two way contract, but I think he's got

to play in the G League right now. He needs to develop. He just didn't look comfortable out there. Maybe it's just not playing at this level in a while, even though it's just preseason. Could say the same about KPJ. But Kayle Jones. You know, the first time he tested the basketball, he had his foot out of bounds. Just the spacing wasn't there. Just everything was moving too fast for him. So I think Mobamba is the guy right now, and hopefully he's available on Tuesday. He's been nursing a

knee injury. I don't think it's major. I saw him do walk through stuff in training camp, so I'm not overly concerned yet. Tim Kirks says, are we giving backup on bones yet? That Bones looked okay last night, got put in some tough positions. But you know, I'm a huge Bones Highland fan. I just believe that when he brought in Chris Dunn, when you brought in KPJ, that kind of telegraphed part of what they thought about Bones, and they said it sounded like Lawrence Frank this summer

was also trying to move him. It's not like they haven't tried to move these guys and give them an opportunity and help them out get to whatever team could give them more minutes. It just doesn't seem like it's going to be the Clippers. Tim kirksa's love your work. I'm an old time Clipper fan since the Great League Clin days on the radio in the late nineties and early two thousands. Lee Klin Prince of Darkness. Tim kirk

thanks for the compliment there. I'm trying to figure out a realistic landing spot for PJ Tucker where the Clippers can make this move as fast as possible and there wouldn't be too much of an entanglement with Picks and having to include a bunch of other guys. What would be the easiest, cleanest way to move on from PJ Tucker? I mentioned Grant Williams earlier. Other people mentioned Kelly Olennok. I think he's just too valuable of a piece for

the Toronto Raptors. The only thing argument he could make is he has two years left on his deal. PJ is an expiring eleven million dollar contract. Someone else said Larry ns Jr. Like him, but I don't think Atlanta's doing that. He's expiring and he's a good trade piece for them. If they could get him, great, But I don't know. They'd have to include a lot more, maybe if they really value Bold Hyland's and a second round pick. I don't know, Mark Jackson PJ. Tucker to the Knicks

for Precious to chew you. I don't Maybe I gotta see what his contract is New York Knickerbockers. It's just he's thirty nine. PJ. Tucker is at that place. And if you thinking about Tibbs and him using someone like that, I don't find that to be a bad idea. Precious is making. It looks like six million dollars. He's on a one year so yeah, they have to include more. Maybe they have to include bones than two. It's not

totally out of the ballpark. I could see the logic there of Tibbs wanting to use someone like BJ Zucker. That's not a bad call. Prescious last year averaged seven points and seven boards in twenty four minutes a night in forty nine games. That's interesting. That is I don't know. I want to see how much he played in the playoffs. What type of minutes he was getting there. Let's see, first round he only played thirty minutes. Was he banged up?

Was that matchup de Pennant against Philly? Second round against Indiana he played one hundred and fifty four minutes. Okay, there's another guy, old dirty dashers is get him the f out of here. I knew some of that stuff was coming. Also, we and sniff of the playoffs. Old dirty Dasher will not relax. He's been really tough on the Clippers with his predictions. Uh him Atheus said, not gonna happen because they won't be a second Apron team for PJ. Tucker. Yeah, they'd have to move something else

with precious. I suppose I didn't know who the knickt salary cap was at. I kind of figured they were a second Apron team already with some of the signings they made. They they spent money og and Nanobi, Jalen Brunson, They bring in kat Mark. Chad says. They said Tibbs wants Marcus Smart. I heard that rumor too. TIBs is in win now mode. Yeah, that's true. Tim Kirk said, who will start when kawiet sits out. We've talked about

this a ton. I think Norman Powe will be in the starting lineup and it could really upend things we saw last night. Mina Sean said that too. I guess as Norman stars. So last night's starting lineup was James Harden, Chris Dunn, Norman Powell, DJJ and Avitza Zubats. It's just a starting lineup for preseason game one. I don't think coach lou or anyone wants you to read too much

into it. But it's not nothing to me either. I just see it as if Kawhi is out, can you lean so far to defense where it's just James Harden and Aviatza Zubots and then kind of three and D players out there next to him in the starting lineup, But guys that can't really create for themselves that much. Terrence Man not really that guy, Chris Dunn, not really that guy. Derek Jones Jr. Not really that guy. Nicholas Patoomb not that guy. I think you need a little

bit more juice on the offensive end. I do Himothy said they're actually under the second apron. They found a way to manipulate the new CBA oh I saw that they paid like a dollar more on some of the minimums with the Knicks. Smart front office. Weird to say that about the Knicks, but they've done some really good things past couple of years. They're doing much better there and they're a legit contender. I like the move for cat.

I think it gives them a different dimension, especially going upgainst team like Boston where you can play five out.

Now he's kind of their version of Porzingis. But the Clippers in that starting lineup, if Kawha is not available and we don't know yet, he wants to play, and if people are asking me to guess on whether or not he'll be available opening night right now, I'd like to be positive and guess he will be, but nobody can know because all that matters is how his knee responds to the strength and conditioning program they're doing right now with it. He's not participating in the drills of

training camp. He's strengthening the knee. But he also mentioned last night I found this interesting. They said, would you like to play in a preseason game before just all of a sudden being out there in game one of an eighty two game regular season, and Kawhi said there's always a ramp up process something to that degree. That's interesting. So does that mean we would see him in a preseason game first, if we're going to see him in

game one October twenty third, I don't know. I think it's a possibility, at least by how he said that, by how he put that. Tim Kirk says, I think Harden will be an All Star in average twenty five points per game at the age of thirty five. I think it's asking a lot, but I think it needs to average twenty or more. I don't know about twenty five. I mean agrees with that, he said. My guest is twenty points per game. Now. If Kawhi is out, I expect him maybe to be twenty twenty two somewhere there.

But it depends on where he's at physically and how much he can get by guys and bend the defense. That's what you're looking at with James Harden, and to his credit, he looks to be in great shape. Some gets to the lefty scoop, layup and blow by a guy last night for a bucket. That was good to see old dirty Dasher said, yeah, I was so gun ho with two one three five years ago. This last news from two weeks ago broke me. I'll support the team, but I'm like rowdy Roddy Piper and they live and

I'm wearing glasses. Came to kick ass and shoe bubble gum and I'm all out of gum. Dude, Nukem stole it from that, Mark Jagg. Chris Dunn can create shots for himself and others done. Drive and kick game is phenomenal. There's a reason TYLERU has been very impressed with him in training camp. Chris Dunn is not creating much for himself. I don't know what you've seen from him, but he's not somebody that's going to create a ton for himself. That's that's cap. I love Chris Dunn, but that's not

his game. He has a he has a bit of a floater. But we're talking about a guy who averaged five points per game last season, five points per game in sixty six games. I think he can create for himself as kind of wild. He can play off the ball, he can be a catcher shoot guy. And you know, over the span of about if you could bind the last two seasons with Utah where he played just twenty two games, and then last year sixty six games. So reported him. In eighty eight games, he shot about forty

from three. That's good to see because he hadn't been a great three point shooter before that. That's still not a big enough sample sized to say he's a forty percent three point shooter. But he just needs to be above league average, above thirty six percent. That would be big for him. Tim Kirk says, what is Jeff and Gundy's role going forward? Can you get him on your show? Hope we can get Mark Jackson and join the franchise too. I don't know. I'm glad they got jayb g his role,

he's the defensive coordinator. He never in his head coaching career had a team finish worse than sixth defensively. That's damn impressive. That's his forte. He's a defensive savant. That's how his teams got by, that's how they overcame injuries, got to the finals. With the New York Knicks, Jeff Van Gundhy is great for this team. He's a big, loud voice and presence. Brian Seeman has talked about that. Guys listened to him. He's never truly left the game.

He's been there as a broadcaster and he's been working with Team USA forever. He loves to coach. It's so it's such a windfall for the Clippers to have Jeff Van Gundy in the fold. Guys, it's really really big. Mark Jagg Providence was years ago. I know I loved him at Providence. My guy, he's been in the NBA and almost out of it now for ten years. Saying because he could cook guys back when he was a Providence doesn't mean anything. Do you understand he's in the

NBA now and that has never materialized. His Providence game, an offensive game with Chris Dunn, is never materialized at this level. I give him all the credit in the world, and he became one of my favorite players because he adjusted his game and his hung his hat on, hung his hat on his defense, and found and carved out a nice role in the league because of that. How do you get through to some people, Amina Sean said. Kawhi roasted all his new teammates. When asked who's who

stood out, Kawi said, no one. I don't think he mentioned like that. I think Kawhi is a little list. He just he's not going to make something up. It's not a slight. It could just mean everybody's been playing well, that's kind of what he was alluding to. It's not putting one guy above everybody else. Kauai is very brief to the point sometimes terse. Laconic is a word you

could use for him, like that's who Kauai is. He's not just going to, you know, elaborate too much on something if there's not a lot there to go off of. I also just found the interview last night fascinating. I didn't know it was going to happen until it happened. It seemed a little bit impromptu, but it was good to hear from him a little bit and interesting to hear his comment about and we can talk a little

bit more about this, but the power forward position. I think that was one of the big takeaways there from Kawhi Leonard last night. And it all depends on how you want to interpret this, but he talked about that he covered a lot of mileage last season. Spectrum had him at two point five to three miles per game. That led the Clippers so He's right, Kawhi was moving. Kawhi was at two and a half miles per game

leading the Clippers. That's from Law Murray. He had that stat so that may lend credence to the fact that maybe they do need an a power forward so he doesn't have to do as much and move around as much. I just have never been sure. I didn't know the mileage and the difference between playing power forward and small forward. I kind of assumed small forward meant he was playing more on the way on the perimeter and he'd have

to move more there than power forward. But maybe that's not the case in today's NBA, and if it's not, it probably would be best to have Kauwhi not playing the power forward position. Tim Kirk says, why aren't there any plays for Zuo to shoot mid range? His skills aren't full of utilized on offense enough because mid range shots don't make a lot of sense when Zoo can shoot sixty four percent from five to nine feet out.

Last year he led I think the league in all bigs from five to nine feet out at sixty four percent. He was better than Jokic in that area. It was push shots, runners, hook shots. Why does he need him jumper when he just led the league from five to nine feet out. Guys, if he shoots forty five percent in the mid range with a jumper, which is a really good percentage, that still doesn't justify him to it. It really doesn't, not when you're as effective as he

is closer to the basket. Mark Jacks says Kawhi played every game until he gots knew contract. That's not true at all. He got his contract, continued to play, and then with about two weeks left in the regular season, he wasn't able to go. Can we just be accurate once? Amina Sean says, we got to stick with quiet power forward until we get a real power forward. Well, Kawhi last season basically said that. He said, I'll do it till we get a real one, something to that effect.

So does he want them to get a power forward? Does he not want to put that pressure on the front office. I'm not sure. I think Kawhi knows he's paid like a superstar. So sometimes you gotta do the dirty work, you gotta do the little things. That's something we heard Paul George complain about at times that Kawhi never really has. I just don't know, and we did hear this from Quas and he's feeling good last night.

Should probably tell you guys that that's important. It's one thing to say they need a power forward and they need to move Kawhi back to the three. It's another to find a power forward that fits good or fits well enough next to it. Each zubots meaning he has to shoot a little bit because Zoo's not shooting. Yeah, there's a reason, Tim Kirk, that they look for stretched bigs. Also, how many stretched bigs are there really, especially that could also guard the basket? You know how much of those

guys get paid. You know how unique those guys are, Ad Jokic embiid not many more than that guys who are stretched bigs that could also guard the basket. Yeah, that'd be great. You have no idea based upon how few shots is taken away from the basket in the mid range. If he can do it, it's just difficult. Sometimes. I think a power forward like Bobby Portis could be good. Cool they giving them away the bucks. I'm gonna check

Bobby Portis's contract right here. I know his annuals within range, so he's making twelve million this year and thirteen million next year. But that's a player option next year. Do they want PJ. Tucker back for that in some cap releaf next year? Because they assume that Bobby Portis is going to opt in, even though he might not because he's thirty. He's still young enough where he might not.

But he's kind of a legacy guy there and one of their leaders with Milwaukee, helped them win a championship and is a good player who shoots forty from three last season. PJ. Tucker is not doing that. He's a thirty eight percent three point shooter for his career. Really thirty nine percent Bobby Portis? Are they really giving him up for PJ Tucker? I think they know who PJ. Tucker is versus Bobby Portis. Not realistic. Mark Jack can even point that one out. Now. They love Portis in Milwaukee.

We know Luis. They're not giving up Kelly Olynyk for PJ. Tucker. Why would they do that? It takes two to tango. Yeah, Portis is a fan favorite there. Belgrade zero one one says hello from Europe. Hello, it's good to hear from our international Clippers fans here. It'd be great to hear some realistic trades for a power forward. If you guys want to say John Collins, I'll listen, But what is

the trade package? Who are the Clippers giving up? John Collins did end up shooting thirty seven percent from three last season. That's a good year. Only took three a game, but made one per game fifteen to eight in his twenty eight minutes per game. He's still young. Let's see what John Collins contract is at. You tell me how they can realistically get John Collins. Give me a trade

for him. This is interesting because Collins is making twenty six million this year, so obviously it's gonna take more than PJ. Tucker. They're gonna have to trade PJ Tucker bones would they want him? John Collins has a player option for twenty six million next season. I could see him opting out of that because he'll still be at

the age of twenty eight, entering his prime. He get a longer one hundred million dollar deal, even though even if it's less annually, he get a longer deal, So at worst you would have him off the books for the summer of twenty twenty six. Even if John Collins did opt in that twenty six million dollar deal during the twenty five to twenty sixth season. You guys tell me how they could do it. Tim Kirk says, Zoo, he's still hung up on this. He still hung up

on this. Zoo is an eight percent free throw shooter. Earlier his career. He showed great touch on a shot he had potential to developing new a stretch big when he is seventeen away from the basket. Except he just except for one thing. Tim, shooting at the free throw line and shooting in the mid range are two different things. You know, guys aren't guarded at the free throw line. Tim Kirk says, he doesn't even look at the basket, which hurts the full of the offense. He's good in

the short role. He's become a much better passer there. Stop get Zoo on the block and let him go to work there. That's where he's most valuable. Kalaid Jojo says, what you think is happening with Kawhi, he seems to be over with the Clippers following his comment, I didn't see it that way at all. I don't know what you're talking about him and he said we need to trade bones first, because Tyler is going to waste twenty games on bones and KPg lineups. I don't think he's

gonna do that. We'll see if KPg is available to start the season. Man for Collins, it's gonna take more than Man. Collins makes ten million more per season. Actually he makes fifteen million more per season. Who else? Luis if you even want to do that? They just paid Terrence Man. Kevin Richards said, you can wave pg PJ, but then you can't trade him. They will want to keep that money to be able to aggregate in the trade. Waving him would only give you an open roster spot,

no other advantage. Yeah, that is a good point. Mark Jack said Man would have to be included to make salaries match. You're saying Man in PJ for John Collins would be your move. Would you guys want to do that? Tim just can't let it go. Like he can't, He says, Young Zoo had potential to be Marcus Sohl like Unfortunately the materialize seventeen foot shots not hard to make. You need to look watch them. Table Marcus sol I'm glad you've never listened to me before, because I've actually called

that beats a zuboss a long lost Gasol brother for years. Tim, thanks for participating. Really appreciate the productive conversation about things that could have been. I'm just gonna start ignoring somebody who has a one track mind and isn't participating in moving the conversation forward. Khalaide says he said he's not impressed with any new addition as his body language says he's not used to a non competitive team. That's not what he said at all. I'm glad you are the

body language interpreter. Oh my goodness, guys. Him saying nobody stood out above the rest of the guys is not a slight. I think that's also just wasn't a question he thought he was going to be getting. He thought they were going to be talking about the knee and things pertaining to that. It was not a dig at his teammates at all. That is a wild way to interpret it him at he said, we can't trade for

Collins without trading Man or Done or Norm. True? Would Norm and PJ be the move Norm makes then utwo Wo'd probably have to give something else back to make that work. Talking about twenty six million dollars from John Collins, Norm makes eighteen million or nineteen million, and PJ makes eleven million. I love Norm. I think he's extremely valuable to this team. I also could see at some point down the road. I've listened to it. I have listened

to it, Khalaid, I've listened to it multiple times. I didn't read into it like that. I didn't see many of the Beat reporters do that either. He's Kawhi. He's extremely blunt and honest. If he thought someone or he was going to elaborate about one particular player, he would have That's not his thing. Have you heard Kawhi in interviews before, I mean said personally, I think we should keep Norm because he's a good shooter. He's a really

good shooter, shot forty four percent from three last season. Oh, you guys are killing me right now. I appreciate all the questions and stuff, but I don't like the uh inferring and trying to play body language expert with Kawhi Leonard when like it matches up with how Kawai always is. He's almost deadpan with his delivery. Sometimes it doesn't mean anything. You can't read much into that. Kawhi is a good teammate. He's not throwing anyone under the bus like that. He's

not trying to give anyone a story. Oh it's cofficult to me. I love y'all. Still, Uh yeah, I Norman Powell to me is too important to the start of this season, especially if Kevin Porter Junior is gonna get suspended. I think at some point, guys, I brought this up last night, but and maybe this was wild on my part and I was out to lunch on this and I was being far too impulsive. But I did tweet out that I believe at some point Kevin Porter Junior

is going to end up the starting two guard. At some point that could mean much later in the season, it could be next season. I didn't put a timeline on it, so I'm giving myself some wiggle room. You could say, I just see coach lou Is someone that wants someone who's more versatile offensively and then has potential defensively. Kevin Porter Junior really does on that end. There's a tape up on YouTube of his defense, and I think he can be a bridge between them going so far

one direction or the other in their starting lineup. Because right now with the Clippers, I talked about this a little bit last night too, that Kevin Porter Junior can help out their offense, because it's like the Clippers have to go all in with their offense or all in with their defense, and they're going to have a deficiency somewhere in the starting lineup. And I'm not sure which way they should go right now, because if you don't have Kawhi Leonard in there, you're missing a lot of offense.

So should you start nor On Powell, Well that gives you a problem in your starting backcourt if he and James Harden are your point of attack defenders. But then you say, well we should go more sports defense, then well that means you don't have a lot of shot creation. And it's all on James Harden to get them into the our offense to find open shooters, to find it

beat a Zubos. That's a lot on his plate. If you're just saying it's him next to Terrence Man, next to DJJ, next to Chris Dunn or batoom, and then it eats a Zubos. That's just so much to ask of James Harden at thirty five. Hey, I'm sorry, Tim, I'm trying to be honest with you and give you the facts on the situation. And I would say your attitude towards me hasn't been great in here as well. Let's get along him. Athy said, the problem with KPJ is that he has a low basketball IQ. He's a

young player still, he's twenty two. We got to give him an opportunity to see more about that. I totally understand what you're saying. He was averaging nineteen points per game on a team that was really bad in Houston, and you can't put everything into those numbers because of how bad they were. A lot of guys, a lot of players can put up numbers on a bad team because somebody has to score. Somebody's going to get an opportunity.

But they were so bad that there's so many variables going on with KPg that we can't say exactly this type of player he is yet. I don't think we know that. I know he's a lefty who has a lot of create isoball in him that can pass and playmate a little bit, and has shown that with his size he could project to be a good defender on

the perimeter. It hasn't developed that way because he's still too young, and he's been in a bad situation and obviously put himself in some really bad situations where he's missed a lot of time now because of his off the court issues. We'll see. Johnny Blatie has confirmed PJ Tucker is in Hawaii with the team. PJ went on the court during warmups. Okay, that's good to know. Johnny Blatie says, I live in Hawaii and went to yesterday's

game versus Golden State. So a little boots on the ground, A little bit of an update there on the main thing we were talking about. Let's keep the main thing the main thing with PJ Tucker. Sean Shawne has said this, the Clippers and forward PJ Tucker, I've mutually agreed for the thirteen year NBA VET to be away from the team as the sides work towards a resolution for his future. I don't know what that means. I interpret that is he's going to be traded. Maybe I do know what

that means. They're trying and have been trying to find a landing spot for him, and it's not beneficial for him to be around the team right now because he's a disgruntled player. Still, that's how I'm reading into it. I don't think I'm bringing into it too much. I'm going off of a lot of information and evidence since he's been a Clipper. Talked about it at the beginning of this show. So well, the riding has been on

the wall. Himothy says, I just saw on a trade on Twitter PJ Tucker in the second round pick for Jock Landale. You're saying that trade is done. I don't think you're saying that right. Jock Landale is a big with the Houston Rockets. I'm trying to look at his contract in AUSSI uh, sit, would the trade work? He's making eight million, Pj's making eleven million dollars. Jock is on the books though the next three seasons. I'd be a little bit surprised if the Clippers wanted that to

eat into their twenty twenty six possibilities. A Mean says, I don't know who would want Tucker though, I'm not so sure either, because if you don't play him, apparently you're getting a player who's unhappy. Because that's what we've seen with the Clippers is sending him back to a former franchise that knows him and might have a spot for him, or might have minutes for him a better solution. Maybe Houston's one of those places. Miami, Milwaukee, Toronto, Phoenix.

He's been around a little bit. And don't get me wrong, I really liked when they got PJ. Tucker. I was hoping he could contribute in little ways here and there, but it just didn't happen. And he's thirty nine now. Timothy confirms it's just a suggestion for Josh Londale. I

don't mind that. Keep them coming, Keep the suggestions coming, tim even if you have more suggestions about Beata Zubats turning into Marcasol in a mid range game while taking him away from the basket where he's very efficient and is just coming into his own at the age of twenty seven, even if you have other suggestions, We'll take anything here. I don't know if they'll always be realistic. I don't know if I can get behind all of that and concur or being become an advocate for some

of the suggestions. But I'm doing my best here. My throat is a little bit wrecked from just talking so much over the last couple of weeks and doing the broadcast last night, but I'm looking forward to Tuesday in San Diego. I think that might be a radio exclusive on the Patriot ambuleven fifty and k eib. I'm trying to see and Aman says this feed the ball to zoom wore in the post. Yeah, it's like if it

ain't broke, don't fix it. Wanting Zubas to turn into a mid grade shooter when guys aren't stopping him in the post and he's never got a real opportunity to just be featured more in the offense. There seems like you jump with the gun a little bit. Zubos doesn't need to expand his game at this point. What he needs is to get more touches, like I've been saying for years him if he said, Talma said, Clippers have tried to trade PJ. Tucker, but it has been difficult.

Makes sense. If it could have been done by now, it would have been done by now. I'll read the tweet from Tom Marrizzari of Clutch Points. He said Clippers have tried to find a trade partner for him dating back to last season, but that's proved to be difficult. Ricky Cheu said, underneath it, I wonder why. Yeah, and I'm trying to see if there's any more good suggestions. People are talking about his age. People were saying buy

them out, take the hit. Mark Jacks says, I can see Milwaukee, Phoenix or Miami wooing him if he would play a hasm role, but he doesn't seem to want to. That's that's why I brought up earlier. That's what I said. I was hoping would become his role with the Clippers. He'd be like he Dones has them old. Dirry Dasher said, Kawhi not being impressed in camp. That's that's not what kaw I said, Guys, he just was Kawhi. He's kind of a literalist. Just take him for what he literally said.

You don't have to read too much into it. My guy Jamal Christopher kind of pointed this out and I thought this was interesting, he said. Jamal Christopher said at jam Christopher on exit, Kawhi when it comes to the media, is one of the most blunt but literal guys I've seen in sports. Dudes like od literal to expound, he said, just in my opinion, when he says nobody stood out in training camp, that ain't him saying the players are weak or anything like that. Kawhi took the question literally

as in, nothing remarkable has happened. Lol, I don't know. That's my interpretation of that. That's how I see it too. Nothing crazy has happened, So Kawhi is not gonna say anything. And I think it was also a presser where he was thinking more questions were coming about the knee and the focus was on that, and they did in waves. And of course that's going to be the conversation right now. And going back to PJ. If there's any more suggestions of what he could be traded for, how you could

somebody's saying, trade him to the Shanghai Sharks. Guys, not realistic, not helpful. Someone's pointing out that, yes, but he would not make the same money on the open market. I understand this. I understand PJ opting into eleven million dollars because he wasn't getting that anywhere else. What I don't understand is then dictating where you want to go. You opted in to money that the Clippers are paying you, so you don't get to have your cake and eat

it too. That's disappointing. That's frustrating about this. PJ. Tucker is a veteran, he knows this, but it's just it's really difficult, and it's put the Clippers in a tough spot where other teams know he's disgruntled, so they're not going to offer much even if they were interested. They know the Clippers pretty much have to get rid of him because he can't be around the team right now. Apparently the front office is doing the best they can.

It's a really difficult situation. If PJ wanted to go to another team, all he had to do was not opt in to the eleven million dollars. I understand that was unlikely, but that was his opportunity to become a free agent and go wherever he wanted. Back to Kauai from Himothy, he said, some of the Clippers fan base are just fed up, I guess with Kawhi. So they're going to just complain every time Kawhi gets injured or say something. I understand. It's discouraging. It's been tough. It's

frustrating for Kawhi. Guys. This is an all time NBA player, a top seventy player, Hall of Famer like for this to be happening continual, continuously. It's just it's tough. Mark Jaggs says, Jeremy Grant is a name, but he makes a lot. Yeah, Jeremy Grant makes a lot. Some say it's an overpay. The contract is I want to get it exact, but I think he got one hundred and fifty million, one hundred and sixty million from Portland and

he's just in the second year of it. He has four more years in the last year is a player option for thirty six million at the age of thirty three. I like Jeremy Grant a lot, but for that money you'd have to be giving up a lot too to make that work. Tim's going back to Zubos said you said it yourself. Zee is twenty seven. Look at when brook Lopez started to shoot threes. It's about offensive versatility. There are many open twelve to fourteen, twelve to fifteen

footers for Zoo to make one available. Here's my points him. I understand where you're coming from. My point would be this, we haven't even explored what he can do on the block. With how efficient he has been there, let me explain something. Last season. Nobody was better from five to nine feet out than of eats Zubots. He shot sixty four percent there. Nobody was better there, not even Jokic. So why are we saying, you know what, let's figure out the mid range. Now?

How about we just feature him more with the things he's already good at until teams can stop it. With Zubots getting many more touches now because Paul George is gone, why don't we look at that first baby steps to just jump out and say let's have zoos shoot three pointers like brook Lopez. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. He's great on the block, he just hasn't had high volume there. They haven't given him that opportunity.

Hopefully it's coming this season. That's what I want to see first before we talk about him expanding his game. It's all these different roles. Have him mastered the short role and pass more. Amina Sean said, I feel like Tucker's just digging himself in a deeper hole. He had an opportunity to go to another team, but he decided to stay with us. Facts he could have gone anywhere he wanted, He could have been a free agent. He

decided to opt into the eleven million dollars. I don't blame him for that, but if you're going to say that now he also gets to choose what team he wants to go to when he opted into a contract with the Clippers, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Tim Kirk goes back to, you're missing my point. He can do both touches in the and min range. No, he can't do both. We haven't seen the midrange. We don't know he can do both. We know what he can do touches in the paint, we don't know that

he can do mid range. So I think, actually, Tim, to be fair, you're kind of missing the point. I've been trying. Man, I've been doing my best here, but I can't keep going in circles with you about this. We don't know that he can do mid range. We do know what he can do. Let's lean into what he can do more. That's all I'm gonna say about this. It's just I can't keep going on this forever. My guy to him, I appreciate the conversation, but you're kind

of just talking right past me. You're not listening to anything that's coming back your way. With PJ Tucker here, it's just if you opt into a contract with the Clippers, some will say you should honor that contract. Now, the other side of that is a team can always trade you at any time, so it can go both ways. But in this case, that eleven million dollar contract is not easy to trade for the Clippers. Teams are not lining up for PJ. Tucker. If they weren't, would have

been done by now. It would have been done at the trade deadline. It's just it's really difficult to move PJ. Tucker without moving other pieces, and then it gets more convoluted and it's not easy. It's not easy. I think the Clippers are going to try to make it happen, and that's really accommodating on their part to make sure PJ. Tucker goes to a place that he wants to go to. I don't know how he has this much pool, but

they're trying to do the best on Pj's part. But they have to have a team willing to trade with them too. So it's just a complicated situation. It really is. It's like talking with Tim Kirk who just doesn't want to listen. It's really complicated. He wants to talk about, oh, because of what Zuba's did in the summer league. I don't know if you do this, but summer league, summer league, preseason's preseason slight difference between that and the NBA level,

slight slight difference. That's okay. Some people just want to argue on here. I can get with that. Some of the time. People like the debate stuff. If that's good content, I can I can certainly do it. I just think we've exhausted this subject and somebody's not listening at all. I appreciate those who are in the chat, and I appreciate Tim Kirk as well. And it's going to be I don't know how prolonged this standoff is going to be with PJ. Tucker and trying to move him, but man,

maybe it will happen much quicker than we realize. I don't know. I just know eleven million dollars for a guy who's almost forty and doesn't have a ton of game left in him, at least from what we saw with the Clippers. Not a good position to be in from the Clippers side of things, to make a trade done or to get a trade done like that. But never know, I believe in this front office. Mark Jack said, Harden seemed excited with this team. He's been with the

team for a month. I think I trust his basketball knowledge. That's a good point. James Harden seems really really excited. James Harden seems excited to lead, excited for the team to play through him. He made that known. And look it bothers me. How the national narrative about James Harden when he said I'm a system, the full quote was, he didn't say the system. The full quote was, I'm not a system player. I'm a system. No lies, no lies spoken, just facts, no lies detected, just facts. That

is a fact statement. James Harden absolutely has proven over a decade that he is a system, that he is an offense to him unto himself, that he raises your floor definitely in the regular season to being a top ten offense on average since he has taken the range. Since he became a number one option with the Houston Rockets, teams with James Harden running the show on average are fifth offensively. Do the Clippers have enough around him to do that when Kawhi is not available, even when Kawhi

is there, I don't know. Harden's thirty five now but I do think Harden gets a bad rap and it's a little bit unfair, and he's been a little bit defined about the perception of him in the league for good reason. He's not getting enough credit. He hasn't with how good he has been in his career and with him, even at the age of thirty five, being the Clippers floor general. It gives you a chance to have a

real identity on offense when he's out there. You saw it in preseason last night with him in Aviatza Zubas and him feeding him in the basketball and getting him involved. And even though they had turnovers and they were sloppy basketball and it was inconsistent out there with you guys getting familiar with one another, it's preseason game one. It's

all understandable. You could still see James Harden's ready. You could he looked good overall, encouraging signs from James and Big Zoo and Powell and Emir Coffee and Kobe Brown. Those were my top five players last night in that preseason game. All those guys had their moments where they shined, but the offense flowing through James Harden, that's what you want to see and he's gonna be ready. He's in great shape, and he had thirteen and he assists in

just seventeen minutes. I don't know if some of you thought he was going to average twenty ten this season, now believe it could be higher. It could be because of how good he looked in just preseason game number one and how seamless the transition I think is going to be for him to play even when Kawhi is

not there and be the focal point on offense. And also the reps he's gotten in with Big Zoo and training camp, all the practice work where they had to figure things out on the fly when they brought him in during the regular season last year. Now it's him in Big Zoo working together in the preseason and training camp, ironing out the kinks. That's really meaningful for this Clippers team.

I'm really excited for James Harden, and I think it's a really cool experiment almost to see what an all time great player can do now at the age of thirty five, was so much still demanded of him. I think he can have a great season. I think he's gonna play at an All Star level, whether or not he is an All Star. It's tough in the West, It's always difficult, but I think he's going to play at an All Star level. I think Amina Sean agrees with that.

Harden is ready to go. Kawhi, we don't know his status, but Harden. This is as I've been saying for a while, it looks like James Harden's team because the position he plays, how unique and how great he has been thriving in that position running an offense. And then's just the availability expect Harden to be out there. He's been a tank in the regular season for teams. It's been just a workhorse,

somebody that has been very reliable overall. Knock on wood, as my guy Dime Dropper would say, although it didn't work last year with Kawhi, but James Harden they need him.

He is so vital to everything this Clippers team does because while they're building to have a defensive identity, you already have a built in offensive identity whenever James Harden is out there on the floor like they could be, I don't know what their offensive rating is going to be on the whole because that includes minutes without James Harden. But when James is out there. I expect him to be more than just serviceable. I expect him to have

a good offensive rating. With James Harden on the floor now, still decisions to be made of Kawi's unavailable which way they go. I think KPJ eventually Coach Leu would like him to be the guy that gives you a little bit of offense and a little bit of defense. But he's still unproven. He could be suspended, and we've had that conversation. But the unknowns with this Clippers team and where they could end up finishing in the West really intrigue me. Nobody has a beat on exactly where they

could end up. A lot of it's yes, injury dependent, but even health how good could they be? Because I said this during the season or during the series, and then after they lost to the Dallas Mavericks, you take them to six with Kawhi only playing two games and not looking close to himself. What happens if they had had a healthy Kawhi Leonard in that series and Paul George wasn't on the team, A healthy Kawhi next to

James in that series, I think takes out Dallas. I think they would have so that tells you just get into the playoffs with a healthy Kawhi and James Harden and let the Chips fall where they be, because those guys are good enough as a one to two punch. I think to take out the team that got to the finals last year in the Western Conference, I think it would have happened. I'm damn sure a healthy Kawhi

it would have happened. Honestly, I truly believe that, even take Paul George out of the equation, just Kawhi healthy next to James Harden, and I think they beat Dallas last year, so they're dangerous. You gotta have some belief in this team. Still. I know a lot of factors and things have to go right, a lot of conditions being healthy, I know, I know. But there's a lot of teams where it doesn't matter if they are healthy, they still aren't winning that series or aren't going far.

The Clippers, you give me healthy, quiet James Harden in a series. I like my chances. I do, especially with what I think we're gonna see from Big Zoo this season. So we'll continue to monitor the situation with PJ. Tucker. Clippers are doing their best to appease and make it happen for he and his agent, and that's good business, like to do right by guys. It's just he opted in to the eleven million. He could have been a free agent gone wherever he wanted, would have been done.

So it put the Clippers in a difficult spot. Melvin Powell Junior says, James Harden forced a few unnecessary passes to Zoo, but those two are certainly going to be rolling all season. DJJ, Chris Dunn and t Man just need to be ready to shoot from Trey with no hesitation. Completely agree. Great comment, Melvin Powell Jr. Great comment. Those are the type of guys who have played off of James Harden over the years. PJ. Tucker was one of them in Houston. Trevor Ariza, Eric Gordon, guys like that.

This team is built in a similar fashion. But those three cannot hesitate whatsoever. That will kill their spacing if they do, because teams won't respect their shot and they'll clog the paint. It will jump up and mess up and muddy up the pick and roll that James Harden's trying to run with a Vita Zubots have to take them and they do have to make them at a respectable enough rate to get the defense to lean their

way and close out. Then when they close out, all those guys you mentioned Chris Dunn, Derek Jones Junior, and Terrence Man can attack closeouts, wreek more havoc, get two on the ball, then find the open man or get to the basket for an easy one. That's how you get your offense unglued. That's it with lesser shot creation talent overall, that's how it is done. That three ball from those three needs to happen. It's just it's non negotiable. It has to for this Clippers team to be successful.

We'll see. I'm really interested for Tuesday night, excited for that game. Hope you guys join us. Carlo Jimenez is in his bag now in his second year as your play by play broadcaster for the Los Angeles Clippers, and we had fun last night. Felt like we were right back into our old ways and our flow. Me bringing it in and out, Carlo throwing to me for some

analysts work here and there, which I really appreciate. That's like my favorite thing ever to get to talk about this team during a game and We're gonna have fun starting at six point thirty with the pregame show Clippers from Brooklyn, Nets from Otionside in San Diego at the Clippers new G League facility until then, and maybe we'll have another Clippers talk here on the YouTube side tomorrow if you need more content. I had two postgame shows last night. Went in depth on Kai Jones, what Kawhi

Leonard said, talked more about KPJ. Also talked with Carlo who was in Hawaii. We had him on the video side too. Also chalk with Chuck Mackler. We had him on video. That was a lot of fun from clips and DIP. I appreciate all you guys in here, Old Dirty Dasher says, I'll watch listening cheer for you and the team. But man, this season will be rough, Old Dirty Dasher, I'm hoping you're wrong. I'm hoping you're wrong.

I believe every game is going to be very meaningful because the Clippers need as many wins as they can get to stay afloat. It's gonna be like the twenty one twenty two season to me, where they were there. They ended up in the playing, but they were just scratching and clawing and fighting and battling each and every night to stay above five hundred. Every game meant so much. Every game was so critical, no games off. That Clippers team battled man and they played above their heads at times,

and I think we're gonna see the same. Appreciate all you guys checking me out here on Clippers Talk on the YouTube side. Subscribe if you like this episode. And I mean, I appreciate everyone, including Tim Kirk here as we were battling a war words about it. Eatsa zubats in his role. But it's all good, it's all fun, and I appreciate Clipper Nation your interest in this team. I just love talking Clippers basketball all the time. It is my passion. I hope it's my calling. I don't know.

I hope I'm doing an okay job for you guys. But we'll be talking to you again soon here, if not definitely, six point thirty Tuesday night, Clippers taking on the Brooklyn Nets in preseason game number two. I'm Adam Oslin. We will talk to you then,