This is the Baseline discussing the hot button topics.
Of the nb A. Welcome everybody, your tune to the Baseline.
Calie Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA.
This is our ownery edition of the Baseline.
We got some really interesting topics taking place as we enter into the second week of the NBA season, which has been jam packed with a lot of you know, great NBA basketball play, some you know, like just really awesome performances from some of you know, the NBA's great players, some great quality matchups.
Shaw.
You know, listen, let it not be said, man, if if everybody is you know, kind of gearing themselves up for the Emirates NBA Cup, which is going to be taking place like what this upcoming week or probably in about a week's time. Yeah, it's it's like, you know, these guys, man, they they putting it in and they're putting in that work. So and there's some great games that are gonna be taking place, you know, around that
time frame as well too. I'm sure at some point we want we'll even be speaking to that a little bit. But no, let not be said, man, NBA does not disappoint even after tip off, it went from tip off to tick off, ticked off.
When it comes to when it comes.
To some of the stuff that's been going on right now with with with some of these NBA players.
I think very well said we have a lot of injuries unfortunately to kind of get to but as alluded to, tempers are already flaring across and it's interesting when pop culture kind of like bleeds his way into the NBA's overall ethos as well too. So we'll get into a little bit of that and some really interesting comments and some things happening around some of the premiere superstars in our national superstars in our game. This is gonna be
a fun one man, a little bit. Only we're not gonna always be taking the high road here, I think on this one, We've got some things to say.
Absolutely, look quick, lead off Shaw, did you see that play Celtics versus Hornets? Jason Tatum? You know Williams Uh yeah, I mean yo, what's going on right? Like even Jalen Brown spoke to He's like, yeah, man, I thought them guys were friends.
Apparently not.
He's like homie Homie came over and basically lit him up, like riding lot lights up. You know what I'm saying, A wide receiver trying to go through his middle of the field.
I didn't even I don't even know what was up with that.
Now I understand that the speculation behind that was because of I guess the way that Jason Tatum a rebounded and just basically flicked off LaMelo ball like he was a like a tick on his on his jersey or something. But I didn't think it warranted Homie coming over, you know, three lanes falling down Michael Douglas style, you know, just totally just running trucking dude almost into the announcer's table.
That's just crazy.
Man. Grant Williams is a while dude. Let's say that he's one of the inomatic characters in our league. You know. Draymond Green immediately took to Twitter and you know, calling him a goofy and you know all that stuff. Goofy was the term of the weekend as well too. If you're following I think Draymond.
I think Draymond was like, He's like, look, if you're gonna do it, do it right.
He's like, Drayman's like, I'll show you how. I'll show you how it's done.
Yeah, yeah, but we'd but a weird situation. Whatever is going on there with Grant and JT, it's not really of any concerns or Charlotte. Hornets are one place and the Celtics from another space. And the Celtics, I think they know they're going to get some of people's best shots, both figuratively and literally.
The one person that I probably would not want on the wrong side of it is Jalen Brown. There's something about Jalen Man, Jalen, Jalen, Jalen like quiet dude.
Man.
He's He's the kind of person that I don't want to be on the wrong side of, you know how. He's just all real casual and then out of nowhere he just explodes it.
He is. He's a he's a very strong individual. It's strong ass.
Yeah. Man.
He had the altercation with uh Duncan Robinson last year as well too, so I think he's he's shown that he's about that action.
Yeah.
If people actually, if they want that smoke, yeah, he's got he's got a he's got a human door.
If they all want that smoke, he aired out real quick for them. He'll make it really be known.
And I especially appreciate the fact that Jalen Brown calls to that because that lets us know that, you know, no matter what people may perceive or think, those two they're tight right like they've been through the ups and downs.
Obviously gott in a championship, but you know, seeing Jalen Brown stand up for his people, you know, for standing up for Jason Tatum and things like that, that just speaks to on a on a deeper level that you know, it doesn't matter if them two are best friends, I'll still go through you, you know what I mean.
So I respect that a lot.
Anyway, as we're saying, the ticked off edition of The Baseline Cali Warrenshaw, so we appreciate everybody hopping off board with us this week. Be sure to get him my man Astro Sports NBA Get at me a gay face lead the Chows twinter handle at NBA. Based on available on all the major platforms. You know where to find this Go to w WW dot the Baseline NBA dot com in order to see I'm sorry see in here all of the latest episodes of the Baseline being dropped and if you see us on YouTube, the blooe and
white logo. That's the nineteen Media Group family. Nineteen Media Group running these content streets. Go to www dot ninetemediagroup dot com in order to not only check us, but also the great family of content creators that are part of the nineteen Media Group family. Sea. Let's get right into some of the injuries, news and notes has taking place in the association. There's a ton of injuries that have taken place already within the first two weeks in
the NBA and some key players going down. Polo Bancaro for the Orlando Magic has an oblique and is out indefinitely. I know everybody is obviously aware of the fact of Kawhi Leonard. He's been gone since the beginning of this season. Scottie Barnes suffered an orbital fracture, so he's gone for three weeks at least for the Pacers. Isaiah Jackson, which is that's a big blow, you know, as far as depth on that team, they're just starting to come into
their own. He's out for the year with an achilles injury. Cee J McCollum and Herb Jones for the Pelicans, both suffering injuries, are out two to four weeks. Desmond Bane Marcus Smart respectively for the Grizzlies are going to be weak to week to week, but out of their lineups and will Yon Bogdanovic is out for at least a month, so so a lot of key players they're gonna be
gone for a significant amount of time. It's interesting, Sean, because when you really look at it, to me, the one that stands out the most is the Apollo Bonkaro
injury for the Orlando Magic. Even though this is a feisty team, you can clearly see Bonkaro has taken that next step and it sucks because he just dropped a fifty piece you know, during the week, and for him to be out now for this period of time, which I just think is a critical stretch of games where the Orlando Magic with this point last year, made some serious strides, put up those win totals, you know, got themselves in a really good space where they able to
maintain for the course of the year. Be interesting how they're going to be able to manage without Bonkaro in their lineup.
Yeah, Orlando is the biggest of the injuries. Especially they're expected to be the best team I think of all the all the teams that we mentioned here in general, they don't have They already lack scoring punch. And while I think KCP has been a nice addition to them, he's not going to make up one von Carrow has been able to do.
So.
Now, no, you don't see a fifty piece in KCP. Say that again, you don't see a fifty piece in KCP.
No, no, no, I mean maybe I mean.
K and KFC almost as similar. So you know, I'm I'm all right.
You know, but it's time for Anthony Black in essence to be able to step above Franz Wagner, who had had a not a bad start, but you know, kind of like a middling start. I think to the season. Wendell Carter Junior can give them some offense, you know, a little bit, you know, from from the front court presidence as well. So those are the guys I think
are going to have to step into this space. Cole Anthony as as a microwave scorer coming off the bench, no one person is going to be able to do what bon Carroll did, especially from the scoring side, but also some of the rebinding and the play creation that he was doing, you know, at that wing and kind of like forward position. So I'm concerned about the Ornlando magic here, but they they do not have I think the records and pieces in place in this is to
sustain a long term injury. So when you stay out indefinitely, Yeah, it could be two weeks, could be three months. We don't We don't really know, I think at this stage. So hopefully he's back, you know, sooner than later. And for me, the other injuries, it's too to two key things. Scotty Barnes in Toronto at the beginning of the season of the team that really needs to kind of get
things together really really rough. So now they can continue, they can't continue to build the continuity, you know, and then you quickly has already started the season on the shelf. Argie Berry started the season on the shelf. He's back now but playing well a great Dick is into the starting lineup. But now they need now they can't build around what is their centerpiece in Scotty Barnes here now for the least, you know, three weeks to a month,
and that's just when he'll be reevaluated. So for Toronto, you know, we'll playing the play in hopes it's going to be a little bit of rough setting and then finally for me, well, it's I'm gonna just kind of hit this in two parts, New Orleans and and Memphis. I don't know if there are two teams that have being more injured in the last two years. I think we probably need to do some some research on that, but they seem to always have something going on with it.
Zion and BI and c J. Mccoum alway has something. Herb Jones is now as you alluded to, I mean, they just they just cannot get get right. Luckily for mensive Memphis, they've been able to get some pretty good draft picks and they have some reserves on their staff on their team that have been able to pick up
the verbial slack. But now back to New Orleans, I think it's going to be b I on Zion time as long as those two can stay healthy to do some of the heavy lifting while CJ and Herb Jones are Andrey Murphy are also out.
Yeah, I think you have to feel, you know, enamored if you're the Memphis Grizzlies that you have job back. Knock on wood, Jaron Jackson Junior is going to be healthy because you know, he has the injury bug as well too at times.
But they have a deep team.
Shaw.
I was very impressed with the Memphis Grizzlies, and you know you were you you were high on them in the preview about this being a team that people should not be sleeping on. So I would be intrigued to see how much they can continue to keep that going, albeit having that shooting firepower in Desmond Vaine on the team and the fis of Marcus Smart, you know, defensively and really to help lengthen that that roster is obviously going to be helpful for Jenkins and the staff the team.
I think to your point that I worry about is the Pelicans, albeit though that I've seen where the Pelicans seem to thrive without having you know, CJ.
McCollum be that guy.
I think maybe from a stability standpoint, you know, as a point guard kind of player, he should, you know, he needs to be there. But I'm seeing that this Pelicans team seems to Now maybe it's just a scheduling, but I've seen where this Pelicans team, you know, having Zion healthy and having brandon Ingram healthy, I think certainly lends to you know, giving them the ability to be a more dominant front court team, definitely, you know, not
from behind the arc. Are are they thriving? But I think they may be able to get away with it with the type of matchups that they've had so far. But it, you know, again, we'll see of those two teams who can continue.
To thrive with some of their key guys you know, not a part of.
Their and don't forget for them has already been He's been out, You've been out first game of the season. So you know, three quarter three fifth of their starting lineup, you know, are on the shelf here in addition to Herb Jones and as I as I alluded to Trey Murphy. So whichever one you think is starting, between Trey Murphy and Herb Jones, those are all key role players for for that for that New Orleans team. So tough, tough sledding here for Willie Green.
Absolutely, man your tuned to the baseline. Calie Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. All right, so, uh, now that we're talking about the pain the hurt, clearly there's still a lot of pain and hurt going on in Toronto, and what I mean by that is, you know, Toronto's number one, you know, resident fan ambassador. You know he is the North you know, essentially self proclaimed that you know what I'm saying, a man, Drake, let it
not be said. You know, he's he's he's let his onerous, onerous ways show, you know, expressing how he feels about the rosen Excuse me, because you know, if people have paid attention, and you know, the hip hop culture and
the NBA culture are always co mingling. De mar Derozen appeared on Kendrick Lamar's They're Not Like Us video, and Drake made it, you know, made it be known in a space where it's kind of like, all right, if the Toronto Raptors, it's basically decided or eventually will retire his jersey, which is apropos because he is the cornerstone of that success that led them to the getting to this point where you know, despite what happened, you know, him and Kyl Lowry were the foundation, right, they were
the reason why Drake felt like I can now rep you know what I'm saying, the six one more time. But now he's like, oh, if they put de Roses banner up there, alcohol up there and rip that down. I love De Rosa's response to that, by the way, that was awesome, But I just don't understand like it. Look, man, I get it. You know your fandomness is showing, so to speak, because you But to me, I think it's misplaced just because he decided to be on a video
with someone he probably listens to more than you. Now you're showing your petty right now, you're showing your petty.
That's me.
I'm just saying he's showing a little bit of pettiness there by him speaking on something that's more basketball related than it really is related to the fact that he has an alliance, you know what I'm saying with an artist that he is in beef with.
The thing about this is DeRosa is from the West, so I mean.
He's from California, He's from Compton.
It doesn't make any sense. And while DeRozan has made his hey, you know, as an NBA player, he is the Raptors all time leading scorer, So the idea of his jersey being retired there at some point is not
far fetching any capacity. And so for Drake to kind of say what he says, because he's so salty about you know, losing an air quote rap battle if you will, you know, over the summer, which is now months old, and to be you know, Ice grilling them the entire time in the game, you know, and they call them a P word and all this other stuff like that too, Like it's I don't know, man, is Drake is on
some different stuff right now? You know, I think and as you're lived to a little bit more owner than he should be at this point, you got let stuff like that go to de Rosan that really got nothing to do with any of this, and on all the things on the night that Vince Carter Jersey is being retired to. So what is happening? Bro? Like it just doesn't make sense.
I mean, so what Drake?
So Drake is gonna is gonna call a P word out when Serena Williams is out there at a game? You know what I'm saying, Like, I mean, how far do you want this thing to be taken? I'm not listen, I get it. You know, you feel some kind of way if you if you if you actually are in rap beef with somebody, and you know that there are artists who are actually, But that's how it's always been.
Like if you put a microphone in front of half of these guys, they'll probably tell you right now they got Kendrick Lamar, you know what I'm saying, in in their in their eye music or whatever playing devices they're listening to before they're going game time over Drake, you know, And what does that matter?
Have been interrupted to disagree because I think the majority of the league probably are our very big Drake fans and so forth and Star you even heard, like you would say basketball when they're playing. They're not like us over overseas in France and where in the case we're like, oh, you've Steve Kurr, like Steph and Curry like man, I'm kind of tired of this whatever like that. And he's in the West, you know, obviously Golden State, not you know,
it's not La or Compton. But same time, I think Drake has the hearts, but he's he's maniacal in the way that he wants everybody, he wants, he wants everything, And I mean that's that's made him be successful, that you know, that level of greed. But now we're we're past greed and now we're at the point of petty, you know, and Drozan has really nothing to do with their rap battle appearing in Kendrick Mars video months old. Now, who cares, bro Like, let's let's keep it push it.
I get you.
But the only point that I'm making to this show is that once you start airing things out in spaces that you don't even a bye by or apply to, like you don't play professional basketball, right what they're talking about, what they are, what they're honoring DeMar DeRozan with, is something that you had no impact on. And you're saying you're gonna go and you're basically going to crap on on that because of the fact that he jumped on.
A video with the guy that you got beef with. That's stupid. You get what I'm saying.
It would be different if the playing field was level in something completely where the both of them had something to do with it. But as far as I'm concerned, when Drake goes out and says those kind of things, I don't think he recognizes that he's speaking to something that he was never applying himself completely to be. He never applied himself to be a part of the NBA, like it would be different if let's say, for example,
was Jay Cole. You know what I'm saying, I can understand that because Jay Cole genuinely tried to play in the NBA, like he tried out and wanted to do that.
That's all what I'm saying.
Like, I have no problem if you want to air out your beef, you want to speak some kind of way, you got beef with DeRozan, no problem. But to say when DeRozan, by the city and by the organization, who recognizes this right, the organization paid him to go out there and perform every single night and to give you a reason to be there.
They are saying, we're.
Gonna honor you because you are among one of the greatest players as a raptor, and now you're gonna basically come out and say something like, oh, I'm just gonna go down and rip down that banner because you know you don't deserve it because I got beef with the fact that you jumped on a video.
I mean, yeah, I don't know the full context of the of when it came out, because again it was VC's night and they're saying it. DeRozan will probably get the same honore at some point. So to even preemptively say that you don't know when that would be years from now, all that should be squash. So again it was. It shows a level of maturity, you know, on one of the great you know hip hop stars and you know currently today. But hey, that's that's what makes it fun.
Man.
No, no, But like I said, I love what DeRozan said. He's like, look man, it's a long climb up.
Good luck with that that plays the clip of Friday. You know what I mean? Well, he goes, I'll be talking again. So with the DBO stuff, so is from the West. Even utilizing that Friday clip, I think was you know, indicative of that. So a lot of a lot of fun here for us.
I just found it so hilarious too because they were on a video. They were on a commercial together with freaking State Farm. You know, like it's it's it's like the WWE. Just who whoever's writing this up is probably former WWE people.
You're two to the baseline.
Cali Warr's Shaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. Coming up, We got to talk about the Cleveland Cavaliers. They are on one ten toes down standing on business right now as they are so far owning the NBA. But is all of that contender or pretender's gonna speak to that? And then Superstar divorces in the making. I know sometimes we talk about it from an entertainment space, but can you really believe that we might actually be doing this in an NBA space. Oh, we'll be talking
about what that all means here on the baseline. But before we do that, are you craving NonStop hoops action? The NBA League passes your ticket to the ultimate basketball experience. Enjoy live games, on demand replays, and exclusive behind the scenes content across a variety of devices. With NBA League Pass, you'll get more more games. We're talking regular season and select playoff matchups. More features including multiview angles, in depth
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to talk about a team that is absolutely lit. Don't think we had them on our radar among one of the quote unquote contender like type teams, but they are playing like they are contenders. So the question is, Shaw, are the Cleveland Cavaliers from what you're seeing right now, right just right now, from what you're seeing right now, are they contender or pretender?
Yeah, right now they are an absolute contender. But we've seen their style before cal like, we've seen them go on really good and long runs within the regular season. It's just the aspect of when they get to the playoffs. One do they execute in the way that they need to and two are they healthy enough to do even all of those things? All that remains to be seen, I think as we push forward into the dol drums if you will, of the NBA season into April, May
and June. But right now, this Cavs teams looks real rushed. And I got to give all the credit to Kenny Atkinson, you know, kind of early on or what's six seven games into it, He's unlocked the Evan Mobley that everybody's kind of wanted to see why won't say it's been perfect basketball from Mobile. Mobley has been more aggressive and has not gotten into the way of Jared Allen when
they've been playing together there. Scarlin also complimentary guys like Dean Wade coming in here and doing what they need to do to be able to face the floor appropriately. Donovan Mitchell still being his all NBA level stealth. To me, this is all credit to Kenny Atkinson. Fourth and defense
right now, second and offense, third and net rating. Everything is clicking for the for the Cleveland Cavaliers, inclusive of their bench, which I thought was going to be the most suspect part of what they had going on here. But between that and Atkinson, those starters, they're doing a really, really god job to start.
To see, I think what's impressed me about this team Shaw is their ball movement and the decisiveness that I'm seeing from their star players. I don't know if whether or not Kenny Atkinson established the pecking order on you know, who the primary you know players are, you know, I you know, sometimes it's you know, we get a little
too into that whole thing. It's like, you know, he has to be the top tier scorer and he has to be the second score, like he has to be one A and one B and things of that nature.
I think what I'm just really impressed by is and I saw this the other night when I was watching the Cavaliers take on the Orlando Magic, which obviously, you know, it's a completely different thing of Paulovonkara is not on the floor, but the decisiveness in excuse me and Spider Mitchell with how he was trying to with how he's scoring the basketball, to me, it's almost like he read, you know, the the the scouting report on what it was going to take in order, you know, to jump
on this team early. And that, to me, I think speaks a lot to the preparation and to your point, that's where the kudos does go to Kennyakis. I feel like this is a Cavaliers team that is coming in more prepared with who they're playing against and how they want to dictate, you know, the way that they want to impose their will against whoever it is they're playing against. And that's just something that you didn't get a sense was always you know, being embedded in them while JB.
Bickerstaff was, you know, the head coach. Nothing against J. B. Bickerstaff, because I think he's a great coach. I do think that this was part of the knock on the fact that he couldn't get over that part of the hump because he just never was able to either make the certain adjustments or you just didn't see the consistency in this in his team's.
Preparation for who they're being matched up against.
Now, again, this is an early sample size, and to your point, Shaw, we don't know what this is going to look like once one of their star players goes down or there's injury that takes place.
But I do feel.
More positive about this version of the Cavs because it just feels like they all know what roles they have to play for them to be this kind of successful through the course of the regular season and for it to carry that momentum going into hopefully that postseason.
Yeah, I'm gonna support your point in this way. At this at this current structure, nobody on this roster is playing over thirty minutes a game twenty nine point six. You can call it right at thirty, but nobody's over thirty. And you can attribute to the fact that they've been a couple of the games. They blown the doors off, so they don't know. Those stars don't need to be
out there. But that is something to you where you're like, you're kind of getting that even distribution of minutes across the board from Dean Wade and Sam Merrill, even Isaac Occorro, who could be pouting talking about, Hey, I was a high draft pick. I don't have as large a role on this team than that I that I want to have. Remember, they don't even have Max Juce yet. He hasn't even been able to play a game, and he's somebody else who's going to come back and presumably space of four
for them and defend a little bit as well. Ty Jerome is coming to this. You know, this guy's been kind of a little bit of a journeyman, but now he's playing well and you almost giving him ten points a game off that bench. To me, this is all a tribut to Atkinson and the role definement as you were alluding to that he clearly has he's established a pecking order and there's nothing like having a coach that brings in the direct with the structure. And again nothing
against JB. Bickerstaff. We've had him on our show JB's a friend of the show. We like JB, but something wasn't clicking in the way that at least it is right now with Calves, and JB went on some runs too, Like I said, like I don't want to disparage him in that way, but right now this Calfs teams look different, and a lot of that has to do with the I think the aggressiveness too of Evan Mobley attacking, shooting threes and not being boldly just because he's air quote
slider frame. He's going in there and he's punishing some of those small great stuff in.
The Yeah, do you think Shaw, do you think that they are They are getting over this idea that Mitchell is supposed to be saving them. I think part of the struggle that this team has had in the last year and a half two years under the Mitchell aerosot to speak, is this perception that he has to he had to be the one to come in and save these guys, and these guys not realizing the potential of what they can actually help bring to this table to help him.
Right.
It was always like what Mitchell was doing when he was in Utah. He comes over and they're supposed to help make this team so significantly better. You know, I'm just wondering if whether or not they're beginning to recognize that they're just other things they know that they could
literally be great at doing. Like you see that with the way that Jared Allen commands, you know, the center position, that you're seeing more of that confidence more and mobile to your point, because I think that what his skill set brings be it different than what you get from Mitchell, what you get from Garland. That the expectation of what he needs to do and how he has to do it.
It's a it's an attitude of being that guy that is saying, I know that I am a mismatch problem for whoever is going to have to deem me up, you know what I'm saying, And I need to establish myself.
I need to put my foot in the.
Ground, draw that line in the sand about what guys are going to need to do to defend me. Rather than worrying about you know, when Mitchell gets off, when Garland gets off, when Struce gets off, Like you know what I'm saying, Like he doesn't have to worry about that anymore, because I think they all understand that like, look, if you start doing damage down there in the blocks, if you start doing damage even beyond the three or whatever the case may be. But there's just your level
of aggression. It bodes well for everybody in the way that they have to change how they're defending and that debt. That just opens up the floor even more for guys like you know, like their backcourts, you know, for sure.
And I think a lot of it too with Garland having the confidence. But I'm going to go back to your earlier point. Donovan Mitchell does not need to be a savior. He needs to just be a leader, not just but he needs to be a leader. There are there are differences in that, and leaders at times will have to say, you know, certain games, as he did
in Milwaukee just the other night. You know, that was a very very close game for them, you know, and Mitchell hits you know, kind of on a broken play, hits a game winning jumper in essence, you know, to kind of steal it from them in a very competitive game. But what's not discussed, you know from our lens, but Donovan Mitchell brought it up at the end of the game, was the possession before that Isaacaccor dove on the floor
and got them the extra possession. That's when we're talking about that level of role definement from one through fifteen. Everybody's like, hey, what can I do to help us win? Get to that next level? And I don't want to I don't want to steer it too far into my own fandom, if you will, but I'm going to say this.
I think there's a lot of notes being taped on how the Celtics changed the way they played last year, the way Tatum and Brown needed to buy in, the way the the rest of that roster, guys like Peyton Pritchard, who was you know, frankly wanted to be out and leave the team, and they were able to get on the same page. I think we're seeing a similar shift from the Cleveland Cavaliers roster and understanding, you know what, Hey,
here are guys. These are going to be the guys, and everybody else fall in line to do what's necessary and when when you're a leader. Donovan Mitchell, who the game winning shot, goes to Isaaca Coral and says, hey, it was his plan that got us a possession on national TV. That says that they're the appropriate amount of leadership permegating within that locker room. And that's why I think this CAP's run is for real as long as they can stay healthy.
Listen to me, this is a a dangerous team right when when they when they get right and it seems like Kenny Atkinson is unlocking you know, that part of how they can get right, and that again I would I would caution people, you know, watch out for this Cavaliers team, because I don't think we ever questioned the talent. It was a question of whether or not they just you know, mentally, are ready to take that next step.
And and I think maybe they truly believe that. While everyone is saying that this is really a race between the Knicks and the Celtics and maybe the Milwaukee Bucks, which now they've are you know, the way that they're playing, you know, you can almost dispel them out of this. It's like the Cavaliers want that same level of respect,
even though they got to earn it. But you feel a little more comfortable about saying the Cleveland Cavaliers arguably the third best team, even though their record is is obviously better than but they can arguably be the third best team in comparison to who we've been putting up as your top tier teams because of what we have already seen, which is something that we didn't see even
all of last year. We always felt like they just got by really talent on the talent, you know, we knew that they were just a talented team, but unlocking that sit that it comes together to see like the potential of greatness that can come from this. I mean, they they get into this mixshaw, oh, we're gonna have a hell of an Eastern Conference playoff run.
They've always they've always had the talent, you know, And going back him into our rankings, they were six, seven and eight respectively. You had them seven, come Adams had had them eight. I had them six, you know, and even that, but they were the team to me that had the most boom or bus potential from that middle tier because of what Donovan Mitchell can bring to that.
But Kenny Atkinson is a coach like he can do what he does, and you know the fact that he did not take that Charlotte job some years ago, I was able to kind of land in what seems to be a really great situation for him right now. It's just say hey all all the time, and that it needs to be, and I'm happy for him and the early success that he's had. All let's just continue see if the Caps can maintaining.
Yeah, yeah, Kenny Atkinson, Man, you got a little Ray Donovan in him. Little Ray Donovan's probably why he chose to good to go to the Cats. He's like, I want to get my Donovan your tune to the baseline, Cali warns Shaw, discussing the hot button topics of the NBA coming up, Superstar the Voices in the making. Yeah, man, Netflix has got a show, Hulu's got the Kardashians, and the NBA has got centers.
You'll find out what we're talking about. Don't go away, we are back.
Cali Warrenshaw, Baseline, NBA Podcasts. Final topic of conversation Shaw, Superstar Divorces in the Making. I mean, we're not trying to, you know, be like the National Inquirer or the Sun or anything like that, but I think we'd be remiss if we didn't start speaking on a couple of players who have recently been feeling some kind of way and have been airing out their grievances, sort of speak to
the media and the public. Ear so Joel Embiid and Giannis Atitukumpo have expressed their displeasures with.
The criticisms and the.
Outright I guess you could say tenor and temperament that has been you know, shifted with either their organizations or them themselves, and it's led us to wondering, man like, damn like is it they just are having a moment or should we be looking at this on a on a macro lens right like a in a macro space that like these guys, I think they are lining things up for them to be like throwing up the deuces to their respective teams.
Yeah, and just for a point of clarification, I think the Gianas report, if you're a fan of the NBA, you might have saw that. You know, executives are circling and monitoring the situation in Milwaukee as it continues to proverbally get worse.
Here vultures on a car.
If Giannis would would ask out and I like Janathan didn't say that out of his mouth, but he has been a little bit more tricky in recent years. You know about his commitment. But as you were saying off air, like they've done everything in essence to kind of keep him in tow, you know, making the moves around him. They've given him all the money that they wanted to.
He's earned all that money as well too. But it is a little bit different from the Joel mb situation where I think the media, the organization to some degree and he don't all have their wires kind of on the same page, like things are getting a little bit cross.
So they're short circling all over the place.
I think that's a great, great analogy for it, you know, and it all starts, well, it doesn't all start. But again, as we all know, at to date Andbid had not played any games. And then there was a quote, you know, from an article by I believe his name is Marcus Hayes, a well known Philly journalist, you know, who went out and said joelan B consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as a major inflection point in his
basketball career. He often says that he wants to be great to have a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an automobile accident when in B when his would when in BIEB was in his first year as a seventy six er. Well, in order to be great at your job, you first have to show up for work. Embiid has been great at just the opposite. Now, in his eleventh season, he
consistently has been poor in his conditioning. This poor conditioning apparently seems to have the layedst debut to the season, as Inbid will not play in the opener and has
not played in the beginning game since then. Embiid is ultimately frustrated, and I'm going to play a clip here from Embiid that led up to an altercation that happened over course of the weekend that we will then now speak on, you know, following the conversations and the altercation if you will, from Joe Ebiid and Marcus Hayes.
You know there is I mean, I've done it, you know, from what I can tell you, I've been I broken my face twice, I came back early with the risk of losing my vision, have broken fingers. I still came back. So I'm not gonna see her and be like like, you know when I you know, when I you know, see people saying doesn't want to play. I've been way too much. I've done way too much, you know, for this city and you know, putting myself out risk, you know, for people to be saying. So I do think it's
it's bullshit like that. Do He's not here, Marcus whatever his name is. I've done way too much for this fucking city to be treated like this, So don't wait way too fucking much. But like I said, I wish I was lucky as others. But that doesn't mean that I'm not trying to you know, I'm not you know, doing whatever it takes to be out there, which I'm gonna be here pretty soon.
So ce y'all. That led to an altercation after the Sixers loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, where Marcus Hayes did the reporter actually got into the locker room and Embeid said, hey, listen, you can you can talk about me. You can say s suck, but basically will Smith and keep family his name out f in mouth. And there's various reports and iterations. We don't even have all the full details other than that Embiid did lay hands on the reporter, you know,
pushed him in the shoulder. By by what people are saying, and then the Philly media team, the sixers media team asks people to clear it out, and you know, and they try and try to de escalate, but Embiid was turned up and ready to rock and he did not care about his professional career because he felt he was assaulted as a human being by the words that that that that reporter had had put out there, especially with how how sense of that has to be for anybody
who's lost somebody in their family. Your thoughts on, you know, the seventy six ers situation with Joel Embiid, not just with the reporter, but just kind of in general, what is is this all kind of leading to what might be a messy divorce with him and the franchise.
Yeah, so I'm glad you laid everything out here with this, right and I'm gonna try to be succinct about this. I'm gonna really try. I can completely understand Joel Embid's a frustration. I really could. He has every right to feel frustrated at the same time as a as a
as a an athlete, as a professional athlete. And if this is about you know, your legacy, if this is about what you want people to perceive you to being and stuff like that, there's a time and a place for how you go about handling these situations.
Okay, so, but this is this has.
Kind of always been Joel Embiid's problem. It's it's how he goes about handling the situation. It's not so much as what you say, it's what you do. And I feel like that was a perfect situation where you really should say less and you should really just do more.
Right, do more. That it puts it on.
The those that are opening up this space for them that have no idea what's going on to speak to that situation and then you can help dispel that myth. I will say this right, I don't like when people who say that they are journalists. And I'm not questioning the credentials of Marcus Hayes. I'm not questioning what he's
done as a journalist. But this is what happens when what you're supposed to be doing is journalism, but what you are speaking to sensationalizes putting facts out there because you have an opinion about either a player or the situation that's going on with the player. And when you when you don't define those lines properly, this is what you get. Right, you could run the risk of you being blackballed, you not getting access to the star players.
And think about it like this too, Shaw, When you put stuff like that out there, what are other guys in that locker room thinking if they confide to speak to certain things and situations, if you're an anonymous source or whatever the case may be, that it's going to allow you to come out and say things in an editorial fashion, in an opinionated fashion that really is not completely based than all of the facts that are going on.
You know what I'm saying. I just felt like he took it a step too far. If you want to question.
Joel Embiid's availability because he's constantly injured in whatever the case, may be, no problem, but you don't take his words, and then you don't take and you take that situation, you flip that in some way to say, oh, he's using this as a prop and excuse.
You don't know that.
You're not there, you're not meant to be there, You're only there to speak to the facts. Had he done that, I don't think we would have gotten to that particular point. But again, if we're just talking about what this does for Joel Embiid, I just think it further cements. Joel Embiid is just he's done with Philly, not that he wasn't done with them before, but I just think he's literally done with Philly, and I'm gonna speak to something Shaw.
We didn't talk about this. I didn't think about this.
Until we were talking about off before off year because I was trying to figure out, like, what's a good correlation to what's going on here.
Remember what happened with Derek Rose. You remember what happened.
I'm not talking about everything happening exactly like how it's happening with Joel Ebid. I'm saying there gets to a point whereas you as a player, you begin to realize that this situation that's going on is not good for your well being and your family's well being and your longevity in the NBA, especially when you're not getting the back of the organization to help you out when it comes to these type of matters. And I feel like
this is what's going on now with Joel Embiid. He's at a point where he's just like, look, if you guys can't appreciate what I've done at this point, If you guys can't appreciate the sacrifices I've already made, given the circumstances and everything like that to heck with you, you know, and I get it. My only concern though, when it comes to Joel Embiid is the fact that by saying it and doing it in the way that
he does. If he's talking about trying to get his bag again or going elsewhere, there's some other organizations, very well known organizations, you know what I'm saying, traditional old school OG organizations are looking at this like, look, as great as he is, do we really want to be thrown out that kind of money For someone like him, with that kind of attitude and the way that he handles things, he may not be ready for that line
light that we that we have in our market. If he's talking about being elsewhere, yeah, I.
Think very great points. Cl One thing I do want to tap into is, you know, having some having been somebody who who's written before, I've had some access to players, and you do have to think about, Okay, well how am I going to paint this. You can be critical, and but you have to be fair, and I think trying to bridge or thread the needle if you will, to some like the way that he's currently behaving and be that is as if it's some sort of dishonor to his family. Is I mean, it is it is.
It's an absurdity that, as somebody who's been in the journalism feeling, I don't have the credentials as Marcus Hayes, like I just I could never and what what What irritates me more about this whole situation is not it wasn't like a blog you know, you will, and the aspect of just saying, okay, well whatever, I just put this out on my own independent website and I have
you know, millions and millions of followers. No, the Philadelphia Inquire is a national, you know, media entity with editors what editors like, yeah, go ahead, you know what, boom, let's do that and let that be clickworthy. Like I just I just don't understand, you know that. And I understand it's a tough market to be in. And I understand that it's free press and you know, amendments and you got to be able to you know, free speech,
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But there's a line I think of humanity that was crossed here that I don't be able to come back from and the beat said, listen, I don't I think even said like I've read some other stuff this morning, and they're like, well he apologized in the moment, and he's like, I don't want your ef an apology, like it's too late, like you've already crossed cross because forever beef, you know, like Na said, some beefs are ever last thing. And I think with that,
you know, if in bead ultimately then ask out. I don't know. I don't want to say that this is a straw if you will, but it's hasn't helped. And meanwhile, Paul George, you know, flies himself over from the LA Clippers. He too has yet to play a game, and he's sitting here and lot, yo, what the is going on? I thought I left some drama on the West side. I come over here to Philly and it's just as much drama kind of going on in the same situation.
It's so early. The Sixers can write the ship here from a record standpoint, and you know, go on to win a bunch of games and be competitive the Eastern Conference. That I don't want to overstate or understate that that fact, but it's not great. It's not great to where we are. And if Embiid were ever to be like, you know what, I've had enough of all of this stuff. Yeah. The problem with that last thing I'll say is that he has a general manager who plays hardball when it comes
to that. You know, you saw the Ben Simmons things played out. You saw the James Harden things played out. So if Embiid were to ask out, it's not going to be a pleasant situation, I think for all part of the involved. And Darrel always very comfortable with being uncomfortable real.
Quick because I want to go over to the Ji Honisty real quick as well too. Shaw.
But here's here's the problem, right, It's the problem that both Darryl Moury and Joel Embiid have. What do you have to stand on for you to play hardball? Maury has not led this team to an Eastern Conference finals, Maury has not gotten him to an NBA finals. And Joel Embiid, for all his efforts, Yes he's got an MVP,
but what does that mean nothing? Because there's still other teams that are still better than him his team, and that will wind up still being favored even if they make it into the playoffs.
You get what I'm saying. So clearly there is a problem here, and I guess what I was trying to do.
And I know at some point, y'all, we're gonna revisit this because Joel embiid is you know, he is good at you know what I'm saying, egging things on, you know what I'm saying, and he's willing to take it. That's the one thing I think people forget. Man, he doesn't do this without knowing that he is going to shoulder this, and he will carry this, whether you want to consider it petty whatever, he will shoulder that.
That's fine.
What I'm just saying is is that for Joel embeat and what his future may hold, and what his future may tell because he's his his legacy is already immersed in the process, and we're now at this particular stage. Now now we're going to move to another stage should he choose to go elsewhere. Do you really want that perception to carry with you that everywhere you go it's always this, you know, this level of I don't want to use the word chaos, but it's just PANDEMONI.
In one place. So it can't say everywhere he's gone. He's only been in one spot.
No, no, no, But I'm saying the iterations of your of your career. Let me use that better, the iterations of your career. Do you want another iteration of your career? You be versed in controversy and chaos of things, right, Like, because even when he makes comments like I don't see myself playing back to back, why are you saying anything about that?
You know what I'm saying.
The season hasn't even even hasn't even started, and you're already speaking about things that even you don't know whether or not you can and can't do.
You know what I'm saying, And so that all you're doing.
Is adding introject from this standpoint, because like, and we say this all the time, right and we had a lot of conversation about even that, but we we as media members podcasts as a whole lot like we it's so strange, like we do. And I'm not criticizing it. I want to be clear about that, but we want
it both ways. We get frustrated when you know players are well, you know, a great game, I tried, hord blah blah blah, blah blah, and then when they give us something to talk about, as we have now been talking about for the last couple of weeks, like we also hold hold them to a different standard too as well as too like it's a it's a it's a
weird juxtaposition. But I agree in the aspect of the statement itself came seemingly out of left field, because I don't know how he got to that, to that, to that end conclusion that yeah, this might be something for the rest of my career, not just you know, this year as he's trying to you know, maintain or injury manage, if you will, but in be as somebody, as we continue to say, and as you just said a little while ago, he knows how to push buttons, but he
seems to be like somebody who wants to also pick and choose when the buttons can be pushed back on him. And that's where I think we're having overall diskonde oft.
Yeah, but he ain't Kevin Durant, Right, Kevin Durant can push buttons all he wants, but he has got a resume that allows him, you know what I'm saying. We sat here, we questioned the way he goes about doing things oh my god, childish, petty, whatever. But he's been consistent, he's never told you differently, he's never shied away, and nothing is not without it being deliberate. So that's when you know that Kevin Durant knows exactly what he's doing.
There are times where you wonder, like, are you really doing this for the greater good or whatever your own purposes or is it just you're in your moment, you're in your feelings and you just got played, like you got duped into coming out and saying something like this when it didn't even need to be said. And I'm not saying it because I wanted to be a boring you know, like, yeah, of course we want to have conversations and we want there even to be some controversy.
But I do think that some of the comments that he is making, I don't see where that even is even beneficial in the general sense with what we talk about with the NBA culture and for someone who is an MVP player, right he if Nikola Jokic was doing this, we would be like, what the heck is talking?
What's going on here?
Like you know what I'm saying, Like kats will be rolling in their grays or former MVP players be like, I would never say that.
I would never say that, Like that's just absurd, you know what I'm saying. All I'm getting.
All I'm saying is that I don't know, like it's coming from a different space. Finally, y'all, I just want to get to this thing real quick about Giani's and it was something that we were talking about off the year when Jana's out to Ducumpo. My biggest pet peeve is that if if Yannis wants out right, very much so,
but he hasn't said that. If if he wants out, I honestly think that she should be because I don't know if there's just some miss going on with the way that the organization sees what kind of team Yannis should be should have around him, or whether or not Giannis's influence about the kind of players and the roster and what he I don't know if it's completely all salted in its assault BA into this idea that you know Giannis has a full say of what's going on.
I me personally, again, this is conspiracy theory thought process here. I still think that Giannis is still hung over at the way things were handled with them moving Drew Holliday off that roster. And while I know that he gets along with Damian Lillard and everything like that, there's nothing about this team from the last two years that you've seen that gives the feel that he has control of what's going on.
It's either that or Yiannis doesn't care.
And we're like putting the blame on everybody else and not really focusing on how Yannis does not have that that it factor in him, like that you know that monster desire that you know we saw prior to winning that championship, and it's it's not something where it's I'm blaming him. What I'm saying is it's just like you don't get the feel that this is gonna be like that Bucks team that we were so enamored and gunning for and saying we hope Giannis gets that that first ring.
We're not seeing those iterations of those type of Bucks teams since they won that championship.
I'll back this up by saying, for me, with Giannis, I think he has created for a very long time, like the humble superstar, like that's been the them, and that he's operating within After you receive a certain level of success, you win multiple MVPs, you win an NBA Championship, it's very hard to maintain that same level of humility. You're just operating within a different are, Like what you
do is different. It is, and I'm not excusing it, but I think we're starting to see the aspect of him now truly being into stardom and what that what that means, and how an organization capitulates to what his whims are as a generational type franchise player, that that he is so the nice guy who came from the
humble beginnings. All those things are still true. But it's like how we talk about, you know, with rappers, Like at some point, yeah, you're wrapping about being on the street, but now, hey, you're making millions and millions of dollars now, so you're not cooking up crack anymore. Bro, Like that's not the same life. You're like you are in a different space. Now you're sipping champagne and you're going to
the met Gallery or whatever the case may be. So your your your are is different and as a result, your position changes. And I think that's what we're seeing with with Gianni's everything that made him who he is very much the the the the crux of of of those things. But he's changed somewhat and his level of expectation is different, and the organization is is feeling the results of that, and they've again they've answered to that. But if he does ultimately want to ask ask out,
I would not be surprised. And you know, for rival executives to be circling, maybe there's smoke, but you know, when again, when there's smoke, there's fire. And whether that ends up being Brooklyn in New York, a very demanding market that would completely elevate his his shoe game and all those other things, or an organization like Miami, you know, with their culture building efforts and things of that nature. I don't know that Giannis is going to be a buck,
you know, for the rest of his career. So I want to throw this question back to you kind of dual fold betting man. Would you bet that Joel Embiid and Organis will be on their respective teams for the entire of the career or wish one would you think we don't even name name a team? Or do you think wish one would potentially ask out or would they both ask out.
I see the Bucks probably figuring out a way. I don't think Janis hates the Milwaukee Bucks, but I don't think he is enamored with this the way that the Bucks organization is structured. And I think if there is another unsuccessful campaign that takes place, like say this year, I think they're cleaning house. I think Horse will be on his way out the door, Rivers will be on
his way out the door. And you start from scratch again with Giannis again saying I told you so right, like so you know, like maybe now they'll value with what he really wants and desires as to how he sees this team a little bit, you know, as far as what he wants to you know, kind of have on that court, you know what I mean, Like he wants guys that roll with him like that. Okay, But to your point, could be a different perspective as it
comes to Joel Ebiid, He's out. I'm sorry, man, Like you just don't say the kind of things that you're saying right now. If you're Joel Embiid and if you're Darryl Moury, I don't know how you save because unless he wins a championship, which you tell me, Shaw, you think the Philadelphia seventy six is as constructed right now, is gonna win a championship?
I mean as constructed right now. No, But they have other moves to make, and we have not seen what is supposed to be the iteration, the best iteration of this team take the court yet. So I need PG and Bid to play some games alongside MAXI, you know, give me fifteen to twenty games to kind of assess what that looks like for their long term outlook. But right now it seemed like we may never get that.
But I don't want to be too much of a prisoner of the moment there until I can see what they look like, you know, cohesively.
How long do this didn't beat have on this contract?
I don't know off the top of my head. I mean, that's obviously something you know, can kind of look up because then he just re signed, you know, I think that was last summer, so he's probably got you know, three years and you know, maybe a player option something.
I mean, if he if he if he if listen if if embiid you know what I'm saying, quote unquote gets the gets the uh what do you will call it, gets the gauntlet if he if he if he wants, if he chooses to try and snap his fingers to make the existence of the remaining of his contract goalway so he can leave the Philadelphia seventy six ers, then
I think we'll worry. I'm just saying, if there's anyone more incentivized, you know, to demand to get out from underneath all of this, it would probably be Joel Embiid.
But I think the only way is left.
So as you're talking, there's two years left, so this year and next year, no options or anything like that nature. So you know he's going to be extension eligible here, and so you know, will he play out all of next season? You know that remains to be seen. Understanding that that would be his last year after they just signed Paul George, you know, for a four year deal. Uh, you know, this could get really really interesting here quickly for the Philadelpia seventy six.
Er, They're gonna have to win a championship. This is the only way that you may be able to salvage having Joel Ebid there, because it's like I think, as far as he's concerned with maybe the exception of Tyrese Maxey, which doesn't necessarily have to be about the player or players as much as it is about the organization doing what's necessary to have his back. And I tend to wonder at times if whether or not the organization truly
does have Joel Ebid's back. I think if they did, they would not joelan b would not be coming out saying some of the things that he's been saying.
They would have basically curtailed a lot of this already.
And maybe they just, you know, capitulate because he is their star and they find it funny and it's cute and all this other kind of stuff. But I'm telling you, he is accelerating the timetable of fans demand that this team gets to an NBA finals, you know what I'm saying, Like they want to start seeing results, Like they don't want to hear Joel Ebids talking anymore. They want to see him on the court producing MVP like kind of numbers because he essentially teased them, Hey, I'm an MVP
worthy your player. But my problem is I still have not figured out a way either one to stay healthy or two to put my best performance when it matters most to get us to the Eastern Conference finals and ultimately the NBA Finals.
This is their best year. And I'll close with that, this is their best year. He's got to stay healthy. Well.
It certainly doesn't help that we were talking about the Cleveland Cavaliers just before we were.
The Cleveland Cavaliers. Shaw have entered the chat okay, so that does not help.
That's because of the Sixers and the Box have failed here to be the beginning part of the season. So while you know, two teams that we thought were going to be at the top there they are struggling here to begin the season. But it's only what sex seven games in plenty of time for things to turn around and turn around both sides, you know, and whatever injuries could happen to anybody at any point, your sprained ankle away from dropping three four spots in the Eastern Conference.
So I were wishing all these teams the best of health and hopefully that they will all be fully whole and we'll be able to see a competitive fees and conference in the way that we thought we were going to going into the season.
Absolutely, So what say you, listeners, right like, if you had to be a betting man. Who do you think would be out the door first for their organization? Would it be Joel Embiid or Yiannis Attatakumpo you know? Or does Hell's freeze over and the idea for both? Weighing on your thoughts, man, We'd love to get your perspective on this as always show, another awesome show, a great, great discussion, you know what I'm saying. It definitely livens things up right before we get ready for NBA Cup.
Yes, sir, yeah, wait for the MBA Cup. Here Klay Thompson making a turn to Golden State I think in the premier game for dollars and Golden State there. So we'll have much to have some conversations about that here in in the coming weeks. But this has been a live one. Hope our Pensil listeners enjoyed it and let us know your thoughts.
Here and all that.
We had beefs, we have injuries, and we got speculation on Superstar Divorces man, a lot of great stuff. I mean, like like a novella on this point.
Yeah, exactly, man, We just we just attract speculation everywhere we go. For another speculative episode that I can't wait to have with my brother from another mother, my man, mister Warrenshaw. Once again, we appreciate everybody hopping on board with us this week for the baseline Cali warn Shaw.
We appreciate you guys, you know we do, and we'll catch up with you next time.