Colin Cowherd Podcast - CP3/Poole Trade Reaction, Wembanyama #1 + 5 Draft Player Types

was a culmination of many things. Jordan Pool trash talking Clay trash talking Steph Curry, trash talking Draymond Green, and inevitably that chemistry and that was never healed. There's video of the Warriors during the playoffs, Jordan Poole walking past and pushing Draymond Green. I'm not in any way saying he doesn't have a right to be bitter and that relationship was never going to be close. But the truth is it didn't get progressively better. And go ahead and

blame Draymond. Draymond's more important to the team. We see it all the time in sports. Two guys battle on a team, you get rid of the less talented or less crucial player. Draymond Green opted out because he can, and the Warriors are going to pay him more to come back. He is their best defender. He is often their best rebounder, best screener, one of the best passers, catalyst, heart and soul of the team. Curry is the shooter and score. Heart and soul of it remains Draymond. They're

not the same team when he's off the floor. Jordan Poole comes off the bench and Canada offense. But this is on Steph's timeline and Pool is seen as just too immature now and going forward. Now, you say, well, they didn't get much for him, So let's talk about

what you get for Jordan Poole. What's his market? What the Warriors are telling you is when Steph Curry misses games, or when Steph Curry is on the bench, or when Steph Curry takes a rest during the playoffs, then don't trust Jordan Poole, who did not have a very big trade market. It wasn't like a lot of people were calling the Warriors asking about Jordan Poole, an expensive, albeit talented guard with immaturity issues. You look around the league

right now, Zion Williamson's immaturity, Jah Morant's immaturity. Jordan Poole is a less talented version of those two. He didn't have much of a market. So what the Warriors were seeking is when Steph is out missing, taking a breather, big playoff moment, Chris Paul's the grown up who can fill in and leave the offense. I also believe it tells you something else because everything goes through Steph Curry. They gave him heads up on this trade. He was

fine with it. Does it tell you that Chris Paul believes he is going to have opportunities to start and play alongside Steph Curry because of Curry's capacity to shoot an ability and because he's known as one of the great movers without the basketball, Steph Curry can slide over to the number two. Now it would be a small backcourt, Chris Paul the point, Curry off ball, but Steph Curry is great off ball. And what this would allow move off Klay Thompson. Just a thought, is this the first

of other moves? Because yes, Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Steph Curry. But then there's Gary Payton and Moses Moody again, five guards that need time. You know, you start, you start looking at Golden State, and my takeaway is the signal I get is they're re signing Draymond Green. They're not relinquishing Looney or Wiggins. Steph Curry is the face of the franchise. Is this a preemptive move to get Curry to play some two guard and move off Klay Thompson feels like it to me. The idea that Chris Paul

is he's just simply too old again. You're not asking him to play big games or big minutes. What you're crossing your fingers on is availability in important minutes, vital minutes late in the season. That's what you're That's what you're making this move for, all right. I think Chris Paul comes into this situation eager, willing to restructure his willing to come off the bench, willing to be the

lead and let Steph play off the ball. I think a lot of this works because the Warriors called Chris Paul he's a high Q player, and said, listen, we'd like to bring into a winning culture. We're going to ask for some sacrifices. And I think Chris Paul, at this stage in his career, looked at the Clippers really old Kawhi and Paul George never available, Lakers really old Anthony Davis not often available. And then he looked at the Warriors and thought Steph Draymond Wiggins, Looney, these guys

want a title a year ago. So I think discussions were had between the Warriors and Chris Paul, Chris Paul, his agent, Chris Paul, Steve Kerr, Mike Dunlavy Junior. I think Chris is going to Golden State with the idea of being part of a championship team. He knows where he's at at this point in his career, and it is interesting. Porzingis to the Celtics is viewed as a big gain by Boston, yet Boston doesn't have a title.

Porzingis gets hurt a lot. They still don't have a facilitator at point guard, and Jalen Brown and Tatum are still sort of clunky at the end of possessions, end of games. Yet that's perceived as a win the often injured Porzingis, who is a time struggle to play with others. Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, that is a win. They let go of Tias Jones, a significantly more dynamic offensive player for old Marcus Smart that's viewed as a win. Tias Joanes to the Wizards, that's scene as a bit

of a steal. He is a really, really talented young player. Why is there so much cynicism with winning point guard Chris Paul going to a championship culture with Wiggins, Draymond, Steph Steve Kerr. I think a lot of it is kind of a belief that this great dynasty has ended and now it's just going off a cliff. But weren't these same people excited for Chris Paul to the Lakers and Chris Paul to the Clippers. Kawhi and Paul George are never available. Lebron's given you now fifty eight games

a year and Anthony Davis has given you sixty. Why are people excited in Los Angeles for Chris Paul to the Lakers? That would take the ball out of the hands of Austin Reeves who's not a natural to guard and Lebron who just came off as we're shooting here and doesn't play off the ball well. But they don't think it works in Golden State, folks. Basically, Chris Paul's a high IQ veteran player that will spell Steph Curry high IQ veteran player and allow Steph to occasionally playoff ball.

I don't see the miss here. You can't be excited about Chris Paul to the Clippers and the Lakers, and then I think it's a fatal mistake. Chris Paul the Warriors. He's going to have better, more reliable teammates with the Warriors, better culture with the Warriors, better teammates Steph Curry with the Warriors. I think it works all right. Second thought, Victor wembin Yama going number one San Antonio Spurs from France. Over the course of my life, I have seen basketball pivot,

professional basketball pivot several times. So when I grew up, it was Wilt Chamberlain. You know, the big centers, Bob Lanier, Nate Thurmond. You really had to have a dominant big to be a championship contender. It all started with Bill Russell back in the sixties, and then the emergence of skill and the dynamic athlete, the Michael Jordan's, the Kobe Bryants.

That wing players were now more marketable, more explosive, more talented, and they could lead you to championships, and then, of course we have seen the emergence of small ball, where centers back to the basket. Centers have been completely marginalized. Small ball warriors play small, play fast, hit threes. I do think the league is pivoting again, and a lot of it is the European influence of seven foot plus

athletes from Europe who are highly skilled. Victor Webbin Yama seven to three, dribble, got the bag, shoot threes, Jokic point center, Yannis dominant player both ends of the floor, and I think it's going to change the league that I feel over the next four to five years, maybe longer, that Yannis and Jokic will go back and forth like Bird and Magic did as best player, most influential player in the NBA. Now, Victor Wembin Yama in about three to four years may surpass both may But I like

the emergence of gifted, big European centers. And there's two reasons. One, I think the constant barrage of three point shots can be boring. It's not terribly layered. I miss big men I grew up. You know, we all love what we love at nine years old. In sports, teams, players cultures I miss in baseball. You know, home runs and strikeouts don't do a thing for me. I miss the extra base, I miss stolen bases. That's what I grew up with

in baseball. That's why I'll always have a soft spot to some degree on running the football in the NFL, like I think it matters physicality in the NBA. I like centers, I like bigs. I like physicality down low. That's the first part of it. The second thing is, I think you get a maturity with a European kid often over an American kid. American kids feel like it's their league. The AAU circuit. I don't think helps team basketball. I'm not sure it actually helps the individual. Steve Kerr said,

it fundamentally hurts the growth of a basketball player. The American kid grows up with a little bit more entitlement. In the NBA. European players come in more mature, they play against older players, they come out of the academy system like all of us. They feel like visitors to America. There's a sense of loyalty, not being concerned with their brand. It's about winning basketball, being loyal to Milwaukee, being loyal to San Antonio, being loyal to a Denver or a Dallas,

and I think that's good for the league. I don't think mobility is a bad thing. I have defended Lebron James and Kevin Durant for years, but I think ideally you get players who go to a team and stay in that city for fifteen years. Brady new England mahomes Kansas City. I mean, if you look at the NFL, Farv and Aaron Rodgers primarily stayed in Green Bay. It's okay if you leave at the end of your career. But I think that's one of the secret sauces of the NFL is that great historic players stay in a

city for fifteen years. I think it's better serve for the NBA to stay stars staying in their cities. I mean, Shack's career was always amazing to me. I know he left and want to title in Miami, but I look at Kobe's career as greater than Shak's career, and many historians don't because my memories of Kobe are so positive. Through the Lakers, winning with Gasol, winning with Shack, He's a Laker. Shack's career at the end was a hodgepodge

of weird fits and weird jerseys. It doesn't to me feel as formidable as pure as Kobe Bryant's career, though many people see Shack as a greater all time player. And so I think Jannis and Jokic and win Bin Yama and Luca, I think they're going to be with their teams for a majority of their career. And I think it's good for the league. I can think two things.

I think. I can think Lebron's mobility was good for Lebron, But if you take Lebron out of it, a guy who's jumped from team to team to team and one and one and one look at Kevin Durant should have never left Golden State. He made one jump perhaps Phoenix two too many. So we have this perception that the league is is too mobile. It's really not. And mobility builds great dynasties. Even the Heatls with three Hall of Famers d Wade, Lebron Bosh, two titles four years not

much of a dynasty. So I like the emergence of highly skilled, more loyal European players. I like the layering of it. I miss centers dominating the game. I think they're players that come into this league with a single mission to win games and get better, and I like it. That doesn't mean I can't root for Scoot Henderson or Zion Williamson John Morant to turn it around. It's not that I don't enjoy watching those players, but the European influence I think is good for the sport. It is

for my eyes. I loved watching Jokic. That was I know it's a lot of garbage points in the eyes of younger NBA fans. I thought it was great basketball movement, elevation, shooting, passing, everything I love about hoops. Okay, I'm going to now let you hear about fifteen minutes of what we did live last night. Jason timf Hoops Tonight, myself and the two young guys Carson and Logan for Nerd Sessh went live ing the NBA Draft. The crew edited about fifteen

minutes of it. Our thoughts. Listen, the draft only gives you about three to four highly impactful players. I still love the draft. I love the construct and the architecture of pro sports. Love the draft. Here it is. Do you have some home projects you need to get done, Whether you own the house, or you rent it in your apartment, your condo, or your town home. Angie's List is now the Angi app for all your projects at home,

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elements here that we're seeing from European basketball players. They play against grown men, become in pretty humble and mature. They've got shoot jumpers, you know, Jokic, Jannis Christops, Wenbin Yama, you know, and I watch him. One of the things that really jumps out to me is just how a fluid it is. It's just a very easy it's not it's not a soft game, but it's it's pretty. It's a really pretty game. You know, he'll make spin moves and you know, have a little shoulder dip to kind

of kind of drive his position. But he's just so fluid. The game is, you know, the game. The great players make it look easy. Everything to me, the balls on such a string, the way he handles it. He's just a very fluid natural basketball player, very comfortable in the perimeter, driving transition, you know, and let's sometimes you just need guns gifts. I mean, like I watched a couple of blocks on the perimeter here on this highlight package. Just you know, he can when you can be burned and

block the shot. It's one thing to be burned and recovery when you could be burned and block a shot befooled. You know, some of that length is just he's just a remarkable player. I said the other day, there's only ten players since Magic I believe were not only consensus number ones and had no red flags. Wemby, Anthony Davis, Lebron Duncan, Robinson, the key Magic. I'm missing a couple, Tim Duncan. I think where you know, like Wemby is thin,

that's not a red flag. That's a developmental issue. Anthony Davis was thin in the waist. People thought, you know, but if you're watching now he's obviously the back of the shoulders. I don't really consider that a red flag. Ben Simmons was a consensus one, but was aloof didn't make the tournament, couldn't shoot. It's hard to find people that said he was communicative or a leader. John Wall was a consensus one, a lot of turnovers, out of control,

could not shoot. Those are great players, but I mean a no red flag number one. Since Magic, there's I think Wenby's the tenth. It's a remarkable rarity in this league for all the talent, and I just those three minutes of video I had not seen. It's it's just different. It's like Lebron's high school stuff. You're right, Okay, that's a grown man playing a software junior high school like that doesn't look like other players.

that you can't offer any resistance. I think It's interesting that you came in talking about these sort of international flavor to his game and the comparisons to Porzingis and whatnot, because this is in some ways an interesting culmination of like the global takeover of the NBA that we've seen, where the last five MVP awards have all gone now to international players, between Embiid, Jolkic, and Jannis, and now we have this totally generational prospect who is officially being

selected by the Spurs as we speak. What do you think that does for the health of basketball overall? Colin, Just this incredible, blooming international group of players.

I don't want to see every center mark regionalized. I think, first of all, these are European players because they play against older players in the European culture where you travel within countries on the train system. They speak multiple languages. They're I think more mature than our players. They come in hungry, humble, and loyal. I think they're likable players. They're not always the flashiest or the most dynamic, but I think they're mature. They're great players, they're good citizens.

They have multiple skill sets. They're very layered, and I've always thought guys old school. I like size. I like size in the league. There's nothing against Morant and Rose and Wall. I understand it. They're dynamic. There's room for that too, but man, there is watching Jokic. I think Jokic and the honest are going to go back and forth over the next six years, being the best bird Magic best player in the league for about six years, maybe five, and then I think victors God take it over.

those conversations. What do you think goes down with this number two pick? Well, I have no idea what Charlotte's going to do. I know what I would do.

which don't really fit into any of those molds. And the hyper athletic is, in my opinion, the least successful archetype of star that we've seen in the MP between Russ Westbrook, Derrick Rose, John Wall like that specific archetype of player. They almost always are bad defenders because they're relied on in large doses to create offense, and so

they can serve energy. On that end. When they can serve energy, they can be downright destructive to a defense because they don't have the length and athleticism with just their size and long arms to bother things. Even when they're being lazy, they tend to they tend to rely on their athleticism too much, so they're very they're not

gym rats. They're not good at polishing up their skill set because they have this superpower in their athleticism that allows them to beat their peers without having to work as hard as many of their peers have had to work. And so we've seen that archetype fail miserably time and time again. I should fail relative to the other stars at the top of the league. And the one guy you can point to who really kind of succeeded in that archetype in recent NBA histories is Dwayne Wade. And

couple things. He's bigger than all of those guys. He's six ' foard, built like a truck, and he was an outstanding defensive player, and those two things are what allowed him to kind of break that mold. And again he's the exception that proves the rule. So to me, Brandon Miller, big scoring forward, spitting image of Paul George

and some of the fluidity and length stuff. The only thing I don't love about him is his release is a little low down on his head, which in the NBA, when guys are contesting shots higher release points like Paul George, like Brandon Ingram, where they're a little bit more over their head, they're better at getting shots off over defenders. That that's my one concern right now. But I think he's almost guaranteed to be a like Perennial twenty point a game guy plus for a long time in this league.

as chocolate? And I'm like, I know. And that's the problem is most of the Tory bat for you, like ice cream is fantastic and you could eat the pint. Nobody eats a pint of broccoli, and in small doses that point guard, when you don't rely on them, can be effective. But I mean Isaiah and Steph Curry guys. That's rare when you win a championship to a point guard. And those guys are spi once. They're two of the

top fifteen players in history arguably the league. So I'm really interested though, as we're going to watch this live, it'll be on the podcast. If Portland takes Scoot within a minute, Portland's going to go from we're not interested in any discussion of a trade to we're taking Colins. I don't know what did you do here?

putting up thirteen a night in the NBA finals. US failed in the playoffs repeatedly as one of the worst playoff performers in NBA history. Derrick Rose sadly gets injured. Jaw has yet to do it too. I think that is the reason that you take Brandon Miller is not only the ceiling too, but I think he immediately helps the Hornets in their deficiencies. One of the worst defenses in the NBA. Steve Clifford wants to reenact get the Hornets back to being a really physical defense, and they

were twenty ninth in shooting last year. How do you maximize LaMelo Ball one of the best young playmakers in basketball. You give him an elite spot up shooter that's exactly what Brandon Miller does immediately, so I think he is the right pick. I think he helps him immediately, but he also has a massive ceiling where I think he could be a lead star scoring wing.

time NBA players. So maybe anything that he accomplishes we should just throw aside as like a complete outlier, you know what I mean. And that's the thing, Like, yeah, they succeeded playing small ball. They had a six to sixth center, they played a six to seven power forward, and like that that worked because Andre Gudala is one of the best perimeter defenders to ever play the game. Draymond Green is a defensive anomaly at his position as one of the best defenders.

It wasn't just Jokis bowling people inside. It's Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Junior jumping over the top of people. It's Bruce Brown jumping over the top of people. Perimeter size is massively important to the to the Scoot Henderson Brandon Miller cup like, that's the thing is like Ran and Miller, you know, the worst version of this story, as he's Andrew Wickets, Like, that's the worst version of this story. And Andrew Wiggins was the second best player

on a championship team. The Scoop Henderson thing like, it's a huge wide range of outcomes. That doesn't mean he can't win or break that mold, but if he did, he would be the outlier, which, as from the standpoint of a front office, means that he's less of a safe bet than Brandon Miller, is.

But now we do have this decision for Portland, which, as Colin mentioned, if they take Scoot, you gotta wonder if they are simultaneous sleep putting Dame over the edge to where he may actually ask out Logan, We'll go to you first, what's your expectation for the direction that Portland goes here? And organizationally, if Portland has two brain cells to rup together, they'll deal Damian Lillard. I mean, I just don't understand going in on this core again.

I just don't see a title window opening with anything that you can do with this pick. I don't see any stars available on the market that you can pair with Damian Lillard. Importantly, I don't see enough depth pieces to get this roster over the top. I believe in Damian Lillard. Let me make that clear. I think Damian Lillard is still one of the ten best offensive players in the NBA. I genuinely believe that. I think he's

an offensive engine. I think you can win with him as your best offensive player, but around him you have to have a lot of pieces. I just don't see any area, any route for Portland to take this pick, to take their current assets and build a contending team around Damian Lillard. So I just think you're endlessly chasing your tail when the alternative to this option is to explore taking Scoot Henderson.