You're tuned into Heat Check with Trista Crick.
On this episode of The Heat Check, I joined Damien Barling on The Dlo and Casey Show on ESPN thirteen twenty in Sacktown, always one of my favorite times of the week talking to the boys, and let's face it, the vibes were immaculate, and I thought I would share it with my folks on the Heat Check podcast. Let's not waste any time, Nick, go ahead and drop that beat.
What is happening? What is this?
The Blair trist the Blair Crick Project, Like, whoa, what is going on?
Well, I'm in New York right now, and so I'm in this hotel that I'm in the little library area where there was food, and my hotel that I'm actually staying at is a couple of blocks down the street. But I had just finished eating, and so there's like this little back area that I can charge my phone and it's not going to interrupt anyone. But I realize I'm like right up against the lamp, and I was like,
and I was like, this looks really. I mean, you guys make fun of me from my living room and how dark the background is?
I mean it's a whole new level. It's a whole new level.
It's slinky.
It's literally just your face. That's now we can see your hands with the like no, it's.
It's also I've got a black sweater on, so.
It's just it's all it's just all darkness. That's that's we know, it's perfect. I mean, this just adds to the it's it's just adds to the fun of talking to you.
I feel like we're at one of Trista's speed dating tables that she's had to stop at as on sort of you know, going around the room like we've got like two minutes and then she's got to move to the next table.
If only, if only I was not lucky to be on speed days. My day is Bizara. I'm looking for some wall trousers after.
It's excellent that so I assume, uh w f A N.
That's that's why you're no.
Dnist appointments today, the old New York YEP. So I had to get some new visilne put in.
And then I don't know if you guys can tell, but I got some new little new littelashes, uh all right, and so then yeah, they my dnnist appointments only on Friday morning, so I had to come up Thursday and then leave Saturday. So I'm gonna go and see some friends. I actually I'm getting dinner with Jake Fisher tonight.
Okay, I'm gonna try to get some get some tea on this Kyrie Irving news.
No, well we'll we'll We'll get to Kyrie here, uh in just a heartbeat, and I'm sure you'll share the tea with us, uh when you get the opportunity. But you fired up as all of us were last night, Uh to see Daron Fox miss out on on the All Star Game. And you're connected around the league, so it's up to you.
T K Like I was a little.
Worried that I might be complicit or an accessory to crime if a ride actually took place, because I said we riot at dawn, and then I think King's player also said let's.
Riot, yeah, and I was like, let's not really.
Riot because if my tweets the first one, then it's a January sixth situation I'm not trying.
To get into all.
Clearly, you're in New York, so you can ride at the at the NBA offices. We understand what's happening here.
I'm going myself like that girl at the Minnesota Timberwolves playing game.
I'm just gonna stick it to the window.
Has glued herself to Adam Silver's door in a deer in Fox Jersey.
In Fox Jersey, there it is.
I speculated that that coaches were trying to make some grand point by selecting a bunch of defais guys like Paul George and Jaren Jackson and Drew Holliday at the expense of a guy like Taron Fox.
Are you guys the type of people who think about the All Star Game as an accolade and an accomplishment, or are you guys of the mind that the All Star Game is primarily an event for fans and to entertain fans.
Both.
I think it's the first because I think players, I mean, their contracts are based off of All Stars, like whether they make the Hall of Fame, you have to accumulate some of these accolades. And to me, like the players, they do think a lot of it. Like I've talked to Sabonis about the potential for Fox to be there and what it would mean, and he was just like he wanted him to be there to get the experience
of it, like how amazing it is. And Fox had been there for like rookie rookie sophomore game stuff, But to be part of the big game is just different and it has a different feel and vibe and you're thought of differently as a player when you have that All Star It's not like Major League Baseball All Star where every team gets an All Star and then you know, or the NFL, where didn't the Ravens quarterback. It's through four touchdowns make the Pro Bowl?
Snowpuntley? Yep, it Snoopuntley.
Yeah he made the Pro Bowl, and so did Derek Carr, you know who had that great line yesterday. But yeah, I kind of look at it that way, like in the NBA, it's a huge accomplishment that if you don't stack those accomplishments, you don't have an opportunity to be a Hall of Famer.
Yeah.
I think I'm of that mindset too.
But when I think about it like a fan event as well, I say to myself and I tweeted this, does anyone really want to watch whatever Jaron Jackson's jump shot is out there? Like? Do we want to see his defense do we want when you talk about like getting defensive guys, why do we want defensive guys in the All Star Game?
Like we really don't.
I want to see the box use his impressive dribbling skills to successfully fake out his opponent.
Like that's what I want to see, you know what I mean? I want to see him in the mid range.
I want to see his floater. I want to see his speed and athleticism. I could really care less about Jerry Jackson Junior and I am a fan of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Yeah, oh, we're going to revisit that.
But I think it goes to the first thing you said though, like is it is it is an at? Is it an accolade or is it a a showcase for the fans? I think coaches may have looked at it as an accolade, And of course there's components of both, as James mentioned, because there's incentives and contracts, so that's important.
But the accolade part of it that that's that's It's like, all right, we've got shooters and Kyrie doesn't play a lick at defense and he's starting, so we're gonna put Drew Holliday in and we're damn it, we're gonna take control of our league again, and we're gonna bank all stars at a defensive players. So we'll put this guy who's played thirty something games into it and averages fifteen points per game rather than Daron Fox or I mean, hell, even games.
Do you think that the solution is also to put you have to play a.
Minimum a certain minimum amount of games in order to be eligible.
Well, that's that's the case with postseason awards or not, maybe not postseason awards like MVP points, like you have to play a certain amount of games. And I think James has said earlier Jaron Jackson leads the league in blocks, but he's not actually eligible to lead the league in blocks.
No, yeah, he's not. He hasn't played enough games. I was even telling Damian too Trisa that I was talking about this with my son and my son said, well, do you know about the whole block thing with Jaron Jackson? And I'm like, no, what do you mean he is? Oh, look at his block numbers at home versus on the road, seventy seven blocks in eighteen games at home and thirty seven blocks and seventeen games at home, I mean on
the road. So they're like around the league, it's known that their their scorekeepers are giving him blocks for things that aren't blocks, and they're patting his stats, and it comes down to, like, what exactly are we doing here? Like it should be the best of the best, And if you're gonna reward Jaron Jackson for being on the Western Conference number two overall team, then forget that Aaron Gordon's a better player. He should have made it on
a better team as the Denver Nuggets. So I get you don't want two representatives from the same team rewarding, you know, getting rewarded, But if you're gonna do it with one, then like again, Jaren Jackson just didn't make any not on anyone's board as far as what was he number twelve in Ford's in the Western Conference when it came to aggregate score.
That just didn't make any sense.
Yeah, And I think the thing that also is frustrating is just how they formulate the teams, because you you know, somebody said this in my mentions, and I think this is true in terms of like Jaron Jackson obviously playing a different position than Fox, and so you've already got your guard slots already set, and so there's an additional slot that Jaron Jackson for a forward, you know, position
that he could get in. So they said, oh, well, would you if you had to choose, then would you take out Jaw or Sga or Dame if you were going to put in Fox? And I'm like, wellhy challenge this premise completely because maybe there's just more. Maybe there's just more guards that are All Stars this year that are playing in an all star calibern.
Well, I would add this too, like, it's very possible that they loaded up on forwards because they know that Zion isn't going to play, and so when they replace Zion with somebody else, it doesn't have to be a forward, right because they've already loaded up on so many forwards, and it would leave the possibility to add a player like Fox in the next round.
They better use him as the replacement.
Otherwise, like we we are writing, we will, you're gonna take it.
Twisted someone, which is just a massive curve ball from Tristan. You look like the death Row magazine Vibe cover and I can't unsee it.
Now.
That's a tremendous compliment.
I just can't unsee it.
I have that on my wall in my my house that I grew up in.
Oh that that's iconic. It is just as it?
Uh, someone can someone make this on Photoshop?
Can they add me it? And like, can you put it on Twitter? We just see what it would look like.
Say they put Lebron's head on Willem Dafoe the other day for me from the platoon poster. So yes, they can trist to.
I guarantee they're already working on it. It'll it'll, it'll be in your mentions by the time the calls over. So you're in New York. How about the if that keeps on giving? You mentioned it earlier? Kyrie wants out of Brooklyn, And from what we read from Adrian Wajhanowski a few minutes ago, is that teams are calling asking about Kevin Durant, like, Hey, how far are you going to take this thing over the course of the next week.
Yeah, And if I'm Brooklyn, what is your what is your real incentive to do what he wants?
What is it? Like?
I don't think you have any you know, you know he wants to stay there, you know he wants to be there.
The entire reason for the.
Trade request is salary and him getting a contract extension that he is not being offered, and them wanting to see what they have in the postseason with him before they do any of that, right, because he's a gigantic headache when he's not one of the best players on the court, which he's been awesome this year. He's been really really good when he's not suspended.
And so that's one component. And so if you say, well.
I'm sorry, we're just not going to trade you by the deadline, like you're just I have to figure it out. And if if you need to get paid whatever is your max through the bird rights, then you're going to have to work with us with the sign trade. And that's just what it is. You need us, we need you, et cetera. So why why feel rushed to do that when teams are only going to take advantage of you given the desperation in him being on an expiring.
Yeah, is this I mean, this is one of the few players that I can remember where he's going to be worth a certain amount as a player and he's worth a totally different amount as a human being. I mean, does that make sense? Like I don't think that he's like he's making thirty six million this year, which again he should be a forty something million dollar player, but
he's not. And I have this feeling that, like he's not going to get that big contract that you would expect unless it's from brook Brooklyn, who you know has a ton of money and a huge market. But I mean, even like if you go to the Lakers, you're not
getting the money. Well, I guess you could if they're able to complete a trade, because then they would have as Larry Bird rights, but just as like an asset going around, you're not going to be able to get like dollar per dollar for what he should be like worth as as as a player.
And on top of that, you've got Ruby Haschi Mura there who's also going to want a deal in the off season, which is going to take up quite a bit of your cap space.
And so at this point the math mathon.
Unless you're sending Russell Westbrook to the Brooklyn Nets, which which you're doing, yeah, or you're doing a three team trade and sending Russ to like Chicago or something and trying to figure I don't know that Kevin Durant, if Kevin Duran ends up playing with Russell Westbrook again, which I don't think he wants. I mean, what do you what do you? What are we doing here?
Really?
I don't know.
I never know what we're Kyrie irving, to be honest with you, I just I Lebron's out here tweeting I emojis and crowns like, don't I don't know what's happening with with with your king. We looked at Phoenix having a really intriguing potential offer. I feel like we mentioned another team, James Oh, Miami Miami potentially having something, but it felt like Phoenix worked the best. But there's that, and you noted this a minute ago. There's that weird.
Why would Phoenix do this unless they knew that Kyrie was staying long term, because you'd you'd probably have to move with Calbridge, you'd have to move someone you value to get Kyrie back. And that's what the weird thing hanging over all of this is is you talk about the incentive to do what he wants. No team is going to make a deal, no team like Phoenix, I should say, I feel like the Lakers will do whatever
just because they're the Lakers. I don't think Phoenix or Miami makes any sort of deal unless they have assurances that they can have him on their team for at least another couple.
Of years, which means, then, okay, Kyrie, we're going to offer you a two year deal, and if we do this trade, you're going to accept the two year deal. Means you're gonna have to sign this now, like secretly, and then we're gonna submit it when it's the time for us to submit it, Like it's gonna have to
all be locked up where there's no funny business. Because if I was worried about funny business with any player in the NBA, them changing their minds, them going back on their words, them deciding they need to step away for whatever reason, that would be Kyrie Irving. Right.
So, if you're a.
Team and you're in the risk management business, unlessen Phoenix has had their own fair share of controversies as well, right, you don't want to be having another issue or a potential blowback controversy that you really did not need to have, Like it would be an unmitigated disaster.
Yeah, it's so avoidable. Wait you just yeah, I mean, could it work out and he makes your team great, sure, but it could also not work out and you could be like stuck in a gigantic nightmare of a situation with him both financially and the pr stuff which you talked about. There are certain teams that can do it, and then there I think Phoenix is one team that you might look at and go like, you can't because they're the team that's actually going to have to give
up true value. Like if you look at the Lakers, like regardless of what my friend Damien here thanks of Russell Westbrook, Like in NBA standards, it's not value, like you're not getting value for him. And where you know mckail Bridges. If you're gonna get Bridges or you're gonna get Cam Johnson, you're gonna get a stack of players.
Those are valuable pieces, long term contracts, young players that can help you today and you know, kind of further what you're trying to do, maybe both teams get get help in this situation where again like Dallas doesn't have something to offer like that, and and even the Lakers they don't have something to offer like that.
If you're Dallas and you're Brooklyn, do you accept like Dorian Finney Smith and Tim Hardaway and like Jaden Hardy or something for Kyrie, and like, do you do that?
Deal? Does those.
I don't know how the math checks out, but that's probably not like, it's probably not a horrible option for Brooklyn in the sense of the like, Kyrie's obviously very good, but the reason you're a championship contender or potential championship is because of Kevin Durant.
Kevin Durant is one of the best basketball players on Earth.
And if you can surround him like that, it simply boils down to what compliments KD and if they can determine that those guys do, I'm all for it. I personally would love to see Kyrie and Luka Dancic let me see that. I want to watch that implode. I will watch every Dallas Mavericks game on League Pass to make sure I am tuned in live when that inevitably goes bad.
Someone tried to get King the Kings in the mix, said would the Kings be interested in Kyrie Irving?
And I was like, what, I don't believe that that happened.
No, what are you serious? Is there a team that makes less sense than them?
I believe our friends at the Kings.
Harold wrote an article and the article said, well no, and that was the end of the article.
What are we doing? Like, what are we doing? Guys? What is this?
We will step in as a fan base and just say hard pass fan, we're good.
Also, what has not been mentioned in all of this, and I think, and I hadn't thought about it until just today, is we're in the period of time right now.
Where normally in normal years.
Past, like two three years ago, pre pandemic, at this point, all attention and focus is on the Super Bowl, right and then what you've had is a change obviously with the eighteen weeks season, but also the trade deadline moving backwards. Usually the trade deadline happens around All Star Game. I remember when Boogie Cousins was traded in New Orleans right after the All Star Game.
So I love the.
City he was traded during.
Oh yeah it was during. Yeah, it was difcent.
I had to confirmed during the actual Star.
Game like he's going, okay, that's insane.
So now the war between the NFL and the NBA is just fully on, right, NBA and croaching on the All Star Game, and or NFL and coroaching on the NBA All Star Game, NFL and croaching on the NBA playoffs with the draft, and then the NBA clapping back and saying, that's fine, We'll just have Kyrie Irving requested trade and Pro Bowl.
How about that.
We're going to ruin your Pro Bowl, your crappy Pro Bowl all next week, all.
Next week, the week where all of the excitement is supposed to.
Be on Jalen Herds and this big Patrick Mahomes matchup, and everybody's just talking about NFL, NFL, NFL, and it's like, no, it's trade deadline weeks. Trade deadline week. Is Cape Kevin Durant going to be traded? Because that's what I care about.
Next week, there's gonna be a big storyline, depending on who you are. It's gonna be a big storyline in the Super Bowl that two brothers are playing against each other, and two brothers are playing against each other, and this kind of depends on what side of that fence you fall on.
But this week off like I hate.
Like I haven't, I honestly haven't thought about Kansas City and Philadelphia one time this week.
That's exactly how the NBA wants it.
It's like yeah, whatever, Like all I'm thinking about at this point. Well, one, we were trying to get through last night and we thought we had a bottle of champagne ready to go for our two All Stars, and now it's it's it's next Thursday. Though, I think the the the feeling headed into this trade deadline, at least for Sacramento Kings fans, is a little bit different for NBA fans.
It's always fun.
Speaking of can we get back to your Memphis Grizzlies fandom for a minute?
Fandom? I just said, I like them.
I feel like you gave us a pretty like strong like like it was more than just no, I like the Memphis Grizzlies. It felt like like the Grizzlies are really hate Herble, Like they like, not from a basketball playing perspective, just from like a regular perspective. They kind of suck. And that whole debacle last night, which your boy Dylan Brooks was ridiculous.
So what's so hilarious about it is? I want to say.
Wednesday, maybe Wednesday, So that's what Two days ago. Two days ago, I posted something that showed Trey Young's a three point percentage Jordan Poole's three point percentage and Dylan Brooks three point percentage.
They're identical.
And you want to say, oh, Trey Young takes harder shots than Dylan Brooks or Jordan Poole does whatever, the three point percentage is exactly the same. Like I think, actually, Dylan Brooks has a better three point percentage right now than Trey Young, which is just a crazy bananas. And I was just like, you know, narratives are funny this way, and people went and sane, do not put this video out. Nothing pro Dylan Brooks here. It was just boo, just
anti Dylan Brooks, anti Dyllis. The hate was powerful, crazy hate, and so I put out another video.
Listen.
I get you don't like Dylan Brooks because he did Chucker. I get that you don't like his Grayson Allen style of play, But this level of energy for Dylan Brooks is strange. This is weird behavior. Tell me, why take me to your leader? Why do you guys hate Dylan Brooks this much?
One day later, one day.
Later, we get what we got and I was like, oh, well, now I see now got it?
Got it? Guys.
I feel like I feel like the perfect guy to ask might be here is Kyle Matson joins the party, and the death row circle is complete.
Why do you hate Dylan Brooks? Kyle Mats?
If Dylan Brooks never played another basketball game, the NBA would be.
Better for it.
He's the worst bro, No, the honestly, Like, okay, so it, I mean, it's obvious. I don't care that you're gonna talk mess and not be that good. But the for me, it really started with him hurting Gary Payton the second last year.
And that like, yeah, there's the Warriors.
Fandom there right, and him hurting GP two and and whatnot. But just as from a basketball perspective, like that's just that was crap. You don't whack somebody across the back of the head while they're in mid air and just full blown wind up and swing and then this is just like a pattern now and last night wasn't even a basketball thing. That was just him taking a swing at Donovan Mitchell's Donovan's and that's that. I just know, I don't I get how other people feel about Draymond.
Now, I understand That's where I was gonna go, Like, when Draymond is on your team, you love him. When you're a team playing against him, You're just like, man, I just I don't get it.
I can't handle it.
Like it was.
He's tough.
In a series against the Grizzlies, which the Kings might get this year, in a series against the Grizzlies, anytime the possession ends with Dylan Brooks shooting it, it's like, yes, a plus good possession. So I'm just not I that's the that's the other problem. At least Draymond not excusing it. At least Draymond's like a defensive Player of the Year and uh, you know a guy who can push a
triple double every night. Dylan Brooks is just like, there's a fifty dudes in the league that are like Dylan Brooks.
He stinks.
I don't know if I would say there's fifty dudes Dylan Brooks is a very good defender.
There's twenty's. I don't know.
I just I feel like, if you took Dylan Brooks off the Grizzlies, Grizzly, can I.
Give you another reason why the whole Grizzlies thing is out of control? I think I lost Dylan Brooks after the Shannon Sharp thing when he stood at the podium in like jeans and like a tank top, and it.
Was like, oh, it looked he looked absurd. That is one, but two that whole like John needs to get his crew under control.
He's the one though, he's literally the leader of this.
The stuff with his dad, the stuff with his boys getting escorted off of like court side, Like, dude, like, calm down, Like it's cool. Your dad got like his fifteen minutes of fame for looking like us. You're like, that's great, bro. The next time he goes head to head with an NFL Hall of Famer, that hall of famer is gonna pop them in the mouth.
And then what are you gonna do? Like that whole, that whole circle needs to chill.
Like they're taking their they're they're taking their little hard nosed identity a little too far, Like relax, you're a professional basket Calm down.
Did you see what Josh said the other day? He got into it with whoever they played two games ago. I forget who it was. I mean, it's hard to keep track how many alter cases.
We're at war with everyone.
Minnesota, I believe it might have been Minnesota.
I think it was.
I think it was maybe Like I think it was like somebody random that he got into it with anyway.
So he runs up on.
Him and he's apparently they were yelling. Somebody told John RAN's dad to shut up, and so I think it was maybe a timberwolf. And Jaw runs up on the guy and he's like, what did you say?
What'd you say? So they asked him.
What he basically was getting into it with, and he's like, yeah, I checked this temperature.
He didn't have a fever.
And I'm like, wait what, and so then he's like yeah. And then so and So comes up. I forget who the other player was. So and So comes up and I told him he needed to back up or it was gonna be something, and he said he was cooling.
And I'm like, what is going on here?
Like you know what, we got some fake tough guys going on here. See that's a job needs uh Dylan Brooks, because he's gonna he's gonna say something.
He needs Steven Adams there too.
Adams for sure like the reason and and I don't remember and listen, I love Jaw. I think Jah is the most electric player in the NBA. Night for night on a random Tuesday, I just think he is. He's just like he's the best show on the court right now. But when you're tweeting stuff like that and you're talking about your hollow tips, and it's just like, what are we why are we doing this right now?
Like okay, maybe we shouldn't.
You know, if Steven Adams was five ft away from me at all times, I'd probably pick a fight with everyone insight to the gas.
Station, the grocery store. You'd run people over in the produce section. I got Steven Adams here. You want to say something?
What you say to me? Nothing?
Nothing? Have I have to be so bothered to acknowledge another person in public that bothers me.
I would have to, like, you could breathe on me.
Wrong.
And if Steven Adams with me, I'd be right with Ryan's And I'm not a fighter at all. Yeah, I'd get my ass kicked by everybody.
Yeah, but I was seeing that Adam's there. You wouldn't know.
No, you just think that the.
Grizzlies are the most hated team in the NBA right now.
Absolutely, I don't think there's a close second.
Yeah, yeah, probably, yeah. Probably.
My friend lies in gen z Lob City, and I think it's really good. I think it's a really good nickname for him. It's the reason I hesitate is because like they're super unlikable, but they've also not done anything, which to me is just like, Okay, you're just over there. You're just this small dog that's really loud, like cool man. There's let the big boys play now, like the Chris.
Paul, the Chris Paul Lake Griffin Clippers.
But Chris Paul's really good though.
So it's yoahs good. They have good players, like I'm not you don't like Johweit was that an eye roll.
No, I didn't not. I didn't eye roll. I just turned to my right.
Christa.
He's mad because joh is the player that Russell Westbrook.
Wanted to be.
I don't even know that I'm joking. I'm joking.
He looked at the side, like, yeah, Jo's not that good.
No, John's good.
But I thought you were equating like the Memphis Grizzlies to Chris Paul. Like Chris Paul significantly, No, like.
That know that they're the Memphis Grizzlies are the Chris Paul led Clippers.
Oh gotcha?
Yeah, with with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan and they never want a thing, but they were ever.
Everybody hated him. They were always talking trash and.
Thought they would win a bunch of titles.
They never won anything exactly. It ended up ending disastrously.
I had a rivalry with the Warriors.
Yeah, rivalry with the Warriors.
I actually root for the Grizzlies, though, I like, I want them to succeed, Like they remind me of the Cincinnati Bengals kind of you know.
Where you're like, because I didn't root for Burrow Joe Burrow.
Yeah where it's like Jaw Burrow, bro Jaw Burrow, Yeah, Job Burrow, Joe Morant.
I don't get it, Like, why why root for the Bengals you were just in Buffalo?
No, I mean, like, I get why people like them, you know what I mean?
I get why people have this draw for unapologetically arrogance.
Yeah, I did it wore off real quick though. I was like, no, I get it, now, that's cool.
I like this.
I think we even did this last year, Like, no, this is cool. I get it. It wore off quick though, Like I'm I'm over it.
There reaches a point when you're gonna talk trash at the level that they talk trash, where like, okay, they're down here that the Grizzlies.
They're plucky. Oh and they talk some smack.
I like this, this is good, but at some point you got to win something. And there are two playoff trips now and they're still like they're talking as though there's still this plucky underdog, and it's like, no, no, no, man, You're you're gonna be the one or two seed and you're going to be a favorite to come out of the West.
You got to do something at some point. That's that's what That's what bothers me about them.
It's well, I love the I love the DLO and Casey Slash ninety ninety three.
I forget there.
I'm not good with like call letters of radio station, but the Memphis station I'm on.
All the time.
I go on.
Tuesday ninety three nine, I believe. And they just get so mad how much I ride for the Kings. They just get so mad how much I root for like the broadcast team and lighting the beam, and they're just like you, this is very clearly a bridge too far.
This is a rift. And I'm like, I, like everybody, I don't know you want me to say our.
Doves, well, I'll tell you what us. Uh, you could tell them to kiss our ass.
I'll do that. I'll do that on next to Steven Adams.
Steven Adams is our friend, but you can tell everybody.
Would you guys like Bane? He guys like Desmond Baine?
Yes, I actually think I I can't wait for Desmond Bane to debut at WrestleMania next year. Like I cannot wait for Like we always talk about who's gonna end Roman Reigns run as the champion. I think it might be Desmond Vane. I'm gonna come out and spear Roman Reigns and be.
The that dude is yoked.
Yeah, Like there aren't players like that. You're like what in the world. Like Aaron Aflalo used to be like that in Sacramento. He showed up and it's like, okay, man, Like can you shoot anymore? I don't know what's going on here?
Ericson another guy.
Yeah, Desmond Ban goes to the rim and like I swear, he flexes as he's dunking on everyone. It's just like, what is happening?
I would I'd be I'd be up there with the with the bicep.
Dune kiss kissing the bicep dude.
Yeah he is.
Desmond Band is easily my favorite Grizzly. He's an unbelievable player. He's so good.
I love Steven.
Adams, I I love him both.
Yeah, being around Steven Adams, Yeah, he's just like his whole personality is just spectacular, Like it's so authentic and he just doesn't care, and you know, he's He's very nice for a guy that's that big, just a like a gigantic human being.
I think I like Jaw's new persona. I think that's Yeah.
Yeah, you don't like Ponytail Jaw.
Yeah, Ponytail appears to have an attitude.
Yeah, Ponytail Jaw.
I mean I get it sometimes when my hair, when I have my hair up for too long, I get a headache.
I get very irritable.
It's like sometimes you just gotta let your hair down, you know, and you're just in a better mood.
Literally never seen your hair out before.
Yeah, Instagram, you did like a or you did like one post work out TikTok once and that was the only time.
Yeah, I mean I don't I don't really like it up. I don't head hurts my head.
Yeah, I don't really, And the only time I'll do it is either post workout, like in a workout, or if my hair is so dirty it possibly it cannot be.
Possibly down and that has happened before too. Just the grease level is just so it's just bad. Pause.
Hey, I'm sure this has been addressed, but forgive me. Are you like in the corner of a restaurant, I'm glam shots.
I'm in a hotel.
Uh, it's like a cafe in this hotel called eleven Howard Awesome.
There's a place called the Library.
They serve food, but then there's this little b that's not intrusive to anyone because it's.
Like a library.
So people are doing work, so I don't think they really want this energy for them. So I've gone to the back, which is a little bit more dimly lit as you can see, and so I'm right underneath a lamp.
Vibe are strong, No, the vibes are strong, for sure.
There's lots of photo shops on Twitter waiting for you. You are more than welcome to stay, but if you've got other things to do, you can go to.
It's really whatever you like. This is it's just correct time.
I mean, I'm just having a good time with you guys. Is there anything else you guys feel like it is worth addressing? Oh wait, really quick, Cloud, because I haven't talked to you about this. I'm really sad for brock Porty. I'm sorry that it went down like that.
That stinks. Really, Yes, that stinks.
Had the same vibe to me just as a just as a as a fan of Game six of the twenty nineteen finals, yep, where the Raptors want it, it's just kind of like, well, what are you gonna do? You know, and when guys get hurt, it's hard to win.
Yep, Like Clays down, Kd's down.
And the Raptors are really good too, Like I don't want It's not taking away from them. They could have won the series anyways.
But that's just how I felt about about Sunday. So it sucks. But figures crossed he's back by camp.
Yeah. Otherwise, you guys are screwed.
We're hitting that used check over next year.
I did not play that, but I was watching for that and I was like, Kyle cannot give me out anymore bets He's got, He's got no credibility left in the bank.
His good will negative. His goodwill for bets is at is literally negative for.
What it's worth. That was tongue in cheek the you check over, Well you did.
I didn't know that.
I could have played that and you didn't say hey JK JK crying.
There was no hint of jokes.
All caps.
Where where's Kenny in the middle of trade deadline week? Where where's Kenny?
He's actually out by you. He's in Baltimore. Okay, He's in Baltimore.
For Orioles fan fest.
Orioles media. Did I get it?
You got to get the hat.
He's going to get those limited edition he had to do it.
T Man Seni jersey on sale.
It'll fly back tomorrow. Yeah, he'll be back with us next week.
Well, I miss you guys. I love you guys. I can't wait one thing him.
What's your one prediction in terms of who surprisingly gets moved and it cannot be Kyrie.
Or Katie m.
I think o G gets moved.
Do you have a thought about where he goes?
No, I think it's going to be a bidding war, though, I mean, I think you know we're seeing that like possible Pelicans, possible grizzlies. I think you'll see Portland try to jump into that fray if they can come up with the assets. Yeah, he would be the one guy, just like the vibe there is weird in Toronto and it feels like things are coming to an end and his value is really high right now with two years left on his contract, And yeah, that would be the guy that I would think.
It's moved.
You think that it's shade and sharp and Jeremy Grant, is that what that would have to be?
And like a pick, I think no, they they really like Jeremy Grant. I think they believe he's gonna stick around. So I would think you might be right about shade and sharp, but like maybe can you do that with Simons? I don't know, Like I think that they would have to get creative. But that's just like where Newland's not high, Nurk is out for like until after the All Star break, So a lot of people just think that it's time for them to call it in, just like, hey, what are you guys doing?
That's what I think it's called. It's called packing it up. It's you made it up.
You're ready to do that now you made.
A valiant effort.
Guys, like, I'm fine with Dame just going off for fifty on any given night.
I do not care about winning games right now. I don't. I just don't.
I'm fine with just getting Why not scow him, get rid of Anthony Simons.
You could probably get a little oh go on, wow, oh she's back.
Stop talking about.
Her mildly terrifying the way it just went black and how your face was really close to the screen when it came back.
That was the start of a horror movie, for sure.
It's like dead It's like dead me.
I see dead people at eight here with Trista at this place in New York.
Goodness, gracious, Yeah, you know I'm dropping.
I'm gonna go ahead and drop pins. So you guys know where I'm at.
You know, Streamyard, stream Yard is like this is too much Blazers, far too much.
Yeah, I'm interested to see if Phoenix goes to get og getting like maybe moved DeAndre or something.
Well, here's the trade him.
Now, yeah, here, here's a question. You can both respond, what what what are the warriors? The warriors like every like week or so and still fear in the rest of the Western Conference, and then the next week it's like.
Ah, not so much.
That's what they are, Like, that's what they are last year.
This time they were forty and thirteen, and everyone's like, hey, and why are you giving up on them?
They won the title last year and because they weren't twenty six and twenty six?
Remember the Boston was five hundred at the deadline.
Yeah, but Boston had good players. But Boston has had last year had was way deeper than this Warriors team.
Like the Warriors are going like eight deep right now because they just don't have guys.
It gets it's just getting.
Ready for the playoffs. Shortened rotation, just getting ready for the playoffs.
Yeah, I know.
I loved doing that in early February because they like the fact they chased the win last night in Denver and didn't rest everybody except for Clay and then Draymond got hurt, but Steph played and Wiggins played on the back end of the back to back After blowing a fourteen point fourth quarter lead in Minnesota, it was just like, dude, what are we This is not like Okay, so they make the playoffs, fine, but are they gonna beat four teams?
Four times out of seven. I just don't. I just don't.
And I don't know what assets they have that are tradeable that anybody's gonna want.
Like nobody wants James.
They burn all those young guys.
Yeah, like j James Wiseman has no trade value right now. Moses Moody has no trade value right now. Jonathan Aminga does, but I don't think they want to let him go, So.
They only want to get rid of guys who have no trade value, right.
It's like, what we're gonna do is we're gonna trade our bad players to other teams for the other teams good players, and that's how we're gonna build a one.
Yeah, they just don't. I don't, like, do they need to make a move. Yeah, I just don't know what it is. I don't.
I don't.
I don't see it.
What about are you guys trying to go out and get Kyrie Irving the Warriors? Yep?
So so actually so my boss Matt and Higgen and God love him. He comes in and he goes, hey, so let's think about this from the Warriors perspective, Like it's a no, right. I was like yes, and he's like, it's just basketball wise, And I'm like, yeah, man, like they don't need another guy who can score the ball and then not play defense. They just like Jordan Pool for Kyrie irving straight across.
Are the Warriors that much better?
I don't think so.
Yes.
I think the way you talk about Kyrie in relationship to uh to the Warriors is would if the Lakers got him, they're a game and a half behind the Warriors.
What does it mean for the Warriors?
Exactly?
Like that's where you're you're if you're covering it from that angle, that's that's a scary proposition.
But then it's like, are they trade russ is their only tradable asset there unless they're going to stack like nine guys which are not So is gonna go play with Katie again?
Is that it's just.
And really bad picks, like really really future like twenty seven, twenty nine, right, that's all they can offer?
Yeah?
Yeah, not great?
Noikes, good stuff Kyrie on Phoenix is concerning. I read og in New Orleans was a thing too. Those are two teams that are both behind Sacramento.
Og in New Orleans would be sick. The Pelicans would be really hard to beat.
They just what do they give. Yeah, yeah, that's true.
They just have to.
Like I mean, they've played without one or the other before, Like I don't feel that this skid.
Is like massive for them. Yeah.
Yeah, they've struggled without one guy, They've they've never struggled like this.
Yeah, Ingram's been back for a handful of games now.
Yeah, No, they need to figure something out. Zion's nowhere to be found. So I don't know what that is about.
Did James said he was reading something today he just started to run.
Oh yeah, this is like very vintage Zions.
Yeah.
They said they're not putting any time for a return on him at all. So I mean, I don't think he'll be back by the All Star break, or maybe he'll be back after the All Star break, but like it seems like very zion Ish to come back the day before the All Star Break and then play in the All Star Game and then and then missed a bunch of time after he.
Probably heard himself yeah in there.
Yes, unfortunate part. Trist is gonna go glue herself to.
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