I told you we'd be back, and we are and well, well, well the Celtics reached thirty wins.
First.
Wow, Utah is suddenly one of the hottest teams in the league.
Why are you clinching your jaw.
I'm not clenching much. You're crying.
You're getting choked out.
You get choked up. That's not what's going on.
And as the February eighth NBA trade deadline approaches, there are rumors swirling all around the NBA, some interesting, some upsetting, some fantastic, but bhoos and we'll get into all of that and more with NBA reporter jov and Buh on the episode today.
I'm Miles Gray, remm Jack O'Brien and this is my.
Sorry get hit Okay, there so be driving Spinny got up with five? Is gonna try another three? Mister, look on James, be honest with the tail looks how no shirt time.
Yoh, thank you so much for coming to this wonderful NBA podcast. Thank you so much for being with us some hard times for me as a Lakers fan, and I've not been living and dying by your tweets.
You're reporting.
Stop Jack, you already you I already know. I've already seen the notes you've taken. You're gonna have fun with my dead body of a fan because I'm so down in the dump.
And anyway, by thanks so much for joining us. Man. How how how are you?
How are you?
What's how's life? Broadly before he zooming on basketball, I'm doing well.
I tore my achilles at the beginning of the season, so I've been dealing with that, yeah, throughout the year, which it's been an interesting wrinkle to throw into a season. But other than that, I've been good, and I mean, the Lakers are always interesting, so that there's always something to talk about.
Is it true that you tore your achilles out of solidarity with Aaron Rodgers or is that.
That's just the rumor.
That's the rumor, right, But you did hit those free throws right after you said I'm not coming off, let me hit these free throws, right, Yeah, So it was actually a celebratory tear at the end of winning a game on my birthday.
It was right before.
It was the week before the season started, so it was like the worst timing, yeah, like I would have and it was my right leg. So I haven't been able to drive for the past three months. Yeah, so it's been uh yeah, so I missed basically all of November. I covered remotely and then returned at like end of the month.
But what'sh you working with down right now?
I'm justalking in a boot. I'm actually about to be getting out of the boot. I don't like crutches, so I stayed away from them. They're tools of the week, minded right exactly, Like I just from like from like I was out of commission for like two weeks really yeah, and then I just went to like walk them, so I kind of pushed through it.
Yeah.
Wow, Okay, well you and Aaron Rodgers both we're big Aaron Rodgers.
I know it's an NBA podcast.
We just love the gap with all that.
I didn't get the fifty K surgery, so but yeah, I mean, before we get to the Lakers, just league wide, what we're looking at the Celtics. They've hit thirty wins first, good for them, good for them.
Good for them and the Lakers and the Warriors. We are out of the plan.
Memphis has had some of the worst injury like luck in the league, but somehow it's getting results here and there that sort of blow the mind and yeah, I'm just but then I also begin to look down. I remember last week we were talking about how like, yeah, Lakers are right there, you know, we're in there. Maybe we'll see what happens at the bottom of the standings.
And now look at what's happened. It's we're we're we're firmly there, and it's like we're just looking at just a comparison the twenty twenty two, twenty three Lakers after forty games nineteen and twenty one, four Lakers after forty games nineteen and twenty one.
So, you know, improvement, I don't know what, Yovan, what? What do you?
What do you?
First of all, what are the vibes like with this current Lakers squad given what's going on.
That's a good question.
I think they're better last night, just because winning, winning always helps, right, In general, they have not been good recently, I really think, since I mean they're six and twelve. Since winning the N Season Tournament and the N Season Tournament, it was like almost playing playoff level basketball in the
regular season. And you saw when Lebron and eighty are locked in and they have a competent supporting cast, like that's all they've really needed these last few years, is like just put competent players that compliment us, and we'll figure out a way to win. And you saw that the year they won the championship. You saw that really the next year before Ady and Lebron both got injured.
And then you saw that last season once they remade the team at the trade deadline, got out of the Russell Westbrook mess, they all of a sudden go on this crazy run, make the Western Conference finals, and they ultimately lose. But like we now have a proof of concept of when you have a solid supporting cast around Lebron and ad they can beat just about anybody. So go back to the in season tournament. At that point, they're fourteen to nine, their fourth in the West. They
just won this tournament. You're looking like, okay, they're right there, maybe not Denver Boston level, but like right behind you know, those types of teams. And since then they've just been free falling and they've lost some games that they, in
my opinions, shouldn't have lost. You know, I either report with Cham's Sharania about the locker room and some disconnecting there, which is players not feeling like they have consistent roles and the lineups and rotations changing night tonight really without a lot of rhyme or reason. Some of that's been injury related, some of that not, so I think there's been a lot of stuff happening on and off the floor for them. But that was a big win last
night against the Thunder. They had a big win against the Clippers last week, so they've still shown their ceiling is high, like they can beat the best teams in the league. It's just about doing that night tonight. And right now they're in tenth that they just passed Houston, so they are back in the play and mix. That's not where you want to be at the end of the season. It is tenth place, having to win two playing games on the road just to get into the
playoffs as an eight seed. So for them, they got a few more home games before they go out on the Grammy trip at the end of the month, and I think they got to go like probably three to one over their next four games to get some momentum, get back above five hundred and start slowly climbing back up in the West standings.
Right something I noticed with Lebron last season was like when he was chasing the record and like he was playing great and then for a little while, like including in that game after he scored the bucket, like it just felt like I don't know, I just wonder if he like rests so much on the court these days that like they are just chunks of the season where he's just like kind of shutting it down a little bit, and this is all just him being, you know, biding
his time, knowing that he's working with a finite amount of energy. Like do we think there's I guess he wouldn't really be playing if he was really trying to rest, But like, what do you do you think there's anything to that that it's just like resting in season while playing, resting in motion.
Yeah, I think he rests on defense sometimes, right, Like I think that's it's no secret that there are some you know, games quarters certainly possessions where he's not necessarily locked in defensively. But I think it makes sense. I mean, he's thirty nine, He's played the most minutes in NBA history. Like it's it's hard to hold that against him. Like one again, what I think when he's locked in and engaged we still see like he can be a top
ten player in the league. Or in that conversation, it's just a matter of again to kind of your point, like the you know, infinite energy, Like isn't there the way it used to be. So if there is a finite amount of energy, you know, resources that he's working with, I think it kind of makes sense. And we've seen
this kind of with Lebron. I think if you go back through his career, his teams tend to ramp up throughout the season, like you know, even in LA but going back to some of the Cleveland teams, and like they get off to these kind of weird starts and then they don't like sometimes they'll underachieve in the regular season, but then you see in a playoff series he's like, good luck game planning against Lebron. He's going to figure
out your weaknesses. He's gonna call up your your worst defender and to pick and rolls, and like he's just gonna he's just chess master out there. So I think as he ages, of course, you know, it's like the other thing that I think is the disappointing part of the Lakers season is him and Ad have been healthy all year yeah, and like looked good, yeah, and looked
really good. And the fact that they're still under five hundred like that to me is, uh, that would be kind of a point of concern, just because I think at some point one of those guys is probably gonna go down if history tells us anything, Like each one of them has suffered a significant injury in each of the last three seasons. So to to you know, kind of think that that's not going to happen again, I think it's a little foolish. So the Lakers have have
kind of not given themselves much room for error. But with Lebron, I think part of the pacing himself is also just trying to stay healthy. Where we've seen like if you go back and look at some of the injuries, like right before he was playing forty plus minutes for stretches, and like it was clear that when he ramped up too hard too early in the season, eventually an injury
kind of came out of that. So I think for him, he's almost kind of figured out ways to do load management on the floor, which is kind of crazy, but certainly if you look like he plays at a slower pace, he's not always trying defensively, and then fourth quarter coms, the last five minutes comes all of a sudden, he ramps up both of those things, and he's pushing and he's trying. So I think it's hard to blame him. You know, if he was thirty one and doing some
of these things, I get it. But at thirty nine year old, like he's already exceeding all expectations in my opinion.
Yeah, And I mean what he was able to do in the end the season tournament was pretty impressive.
So yeah, And so I think a lot of you know, us as Lakers fans or me as Laker fan Jabari as Laker fans, were like, just literally, godlick is it ham is that we need to just we need to completely read like organize this roster. What is going on on the lineups that we've tried almost every kind of a lineup barring using characters from like the Looney Tombs and don't.
Don't roll it out, I know exactly. We're like, you know what who we got? Okay? So is ad.
Lebron, Yeah, Van doh Taz and Daffy Duck, Like, Okay, let's go for it. Let's see so one thing you know we've that has been reported is like Austin Reeves getting floated out. They're like, oh, maybe the Laker's trade for him or whatever. I have always felt him like that is something you don't move. We got him for a steal, and like I just feel like when we find the right mix of things, he actually delivers when
we need him to. When when that reporting comes out, I have to ask you as a journalist, like what's going on with with like words like that coming out? Is that just for like posturing, is it for negotiating or is this something like or is it likely that he is not on the team after the deadline. Well, so the Lakers have two attractive assets that opposing teams want, and that's Austin Reeves and either their twenty twenty nine or twenty thirty first round draft pick. That's the only
draft pick that they can trade. They can do pickswaps. They have upwards of four pick swaps, but they can only trade one first round pick, most likely the twenty twenty nine to one because teams are going to want the one that's more immediate. But so when the Lakers have these conversations with different teams.
Everybody's asking for Austin Reeves.
He's on one of the best value contracts for a role player.
In the NBA.
If not, I think he's right up there with basically anybody of He's making essentially twelve million dollars a year for the next you know, including this season and then three more years.
So did you look at that agent this offseason or did he just negotiate his own deal.
I'm just kidding Bill Murray stuff. He's got a couple of agents. So the problem.
The problem was that there's this Gilbert Arenas rule for second round or undrafted you know, younger players. That kind of caps how much money you can make. Right, So he basically was a restrict good free agent, but the Lakers. He ended up getting the most the Lakers could offer him. Now, a rival suitor could have came in and offered him upwards of about like one hundred million dollars, almost double what he ended up making.
So the Spurs were close.
The Spurs were considering it Houston had they not landed Fred van Vliet was considering throwing the bag at Austin as well, but neither one of those ended up happening. So the Lakers got pretty fortunate and got a discount. So to get back to Austin, In terms of the Lakers shopping him, they have no interest from my understanding and trading him. I think for them to move him, it would have to be for like a clear cut
all star level guy. And that's like a guy above a dejent Te Murray, a zach Lavine like that.
Level of player. Isn't cutting in good enough for them?
Yeah, I think it would have to be a market in maybe a Pascal Siakam like those are probably the two best players currently somewhat on the trade.
Do not come for you guys, I don't think that. Don't like anybody who can't shoot threes for you guys right now.
So I think that's that's a big thing too.
But like those types of guys at like that level, I think that that's the type of player you would see them consider moving Austin for. But anything below that, they're not interested. So for them, it's d Angel Russell that is the most I think from their end, kind of the most movable asset that they have. He's making about, you know, just under around sixteen million dollars. Then you also have ruy Haachima who's got a couple more years
on his deal. You have Jalen Hoochiafino, you have that first round pick, you have upwards of four pick swaps. So like they have some things that they can do, like the Jentey Murray's making eighteen million dollars. He does have a trade kicker that would raise it another like two three million, but you could get to that Thejente number with like d' Angela Russell and Jalen hood Shaffino,
and you're right there. So like I think that the zach Lavigne deal and some of these bigger deals where it gets a little tricky just financially, where the Lakers historically don't take on a lot of money in trades, uh so to you know, and they can only take back upwards of four point nine million dollars, so they are limited with their financials in terms of the incoming salary.
But I think if they do make a move, it most likely will not.
Include Austin Reeves unless again it's a blockbustered deal for like a third All Star, which I just don't see really happening with their lack of draft capital, right right, So I mean, but for all the talk, right, like everyone's like, oh, like what's gonna happen Levigne or whatever? Who are like who are even the most likely Lakers targets? Because we're talking we've heard things about like Murray or
you know, demart Eros and all these other people. But what, given what we understand now about like what the actual media needs are is does anything seem likely? But also like that doesn't that feels like something's got to give here too, So what do you what do you see like being likely?
Yeah, so something is likely.
The Lakers have been active, I mean that they're always active at the trade deadline. Yeah, and even you know, I want to say it was what the twenty twenty two trade deadline didn't really do much, but they were still active and close on a couple of deals before that fell through.
So you know, I think something's going to happen.
It's just a matter of the magnitude of is it a medium sized deal, is it a bigger deal? You know, I think that they have a couple needs. I think upgrading that Torrian Prince, Jared Vanderbilt, Ruy Hachamorra cam Reddish basically like the two to four spot on the roster, like adding another three and D wing. One name I've heard is Dorian Finney Smith from Brooklyn. I think he is probably going to be the best, if not top three three and D wing candidate on the market potentially.
So I think that's a guy who could come in start like if you look at I mean, they would likely have to give up DLO in that deal, but just let's say they don't. Somehow can just do it with like Ruey thinking about like Dorian Finney Smith and Torrian Prince's spot last night and what that would look like if you have like d LO, Austin Dorian lebron in eighty like I really like that five man grouping.
And then the other one is they are looking for some more athleticism and speed in the backcourt, some more scoring punch. So that is where you hear names like Jean Tae, Murray, zach Lavine, Terry Rogier from Charlotte. I think right now Murray is the most realistic because of his contract and because of just how low his salary is, like he's basically making half of what zach Lavine is making, So just finding a way to make that deal work, I think it's just easier. He's also real probably a
better player than Zach Lavine. I think it's close. He's definitely a better defender than Zach Levine, and I think there's a more natural fit there with him and Austin Reeves versus an Austin Reeves Zach Lavine backcourt.
So my understanding is the Jean Say Murray.
Of some of the bigger names that have been rumored, he's the most realistic. But they're looking at some smaller deals again, like a Terry Rogie or something like that, Dorian Finney Smith. Those are just some of the names that I've heard.
Amazing.
All right, well, let's take a quick break and we'll come back and we'll get into some other things from around the league and how they affect the Lakers, because this is a Lakers podcast, and we're back. We're back, and we saw a historic first career triple double from future Los Angeles Laker Victor wembin Yama sixteen twelve eleven. Some very fun highlights in that one, uh, some dominating moments.
This guy pretty good, guy, pretty good.
I think he said he's gonna play in the Skills Challenge too. He did that and I think they I think one of they took out the passing skills challenge and one where fat how quickly you can read infinite jest.
Yeah, so instead of passing, they are going to be seeing how quickly you can read infinite just and then pass below.
That one out.
Yeah, reading comprehension all the charts, y'allah.
But yeah, and Jabari was saying, you know, a lot of people suspect he might be he might be playing in the All Star Game. Maybe you know, maybe just show up as like an alternate if possible, just to get out.
There, which I mean, you know, that would be the most fun thing for the All Star Game is for him to be there.
That would get eyeballs on it for sure, for sure. What's I mean?
We got to ask you too, you havev on like what how how have you been embracing the the wembi of it all this season? Going from like see what this kid can do and then being like, bah, we'll see, we'll see, to be like oh, okay, yeah, he's this young man's good, this young man's got something. Yeah, I've
I've bought into the hype. I don't think it. I think it was a little forced in comparing him to Lebron, just because I remember how crazy the Lebron hype was and they were televising his games as a high school junior and it was the chosen one and like you know, the next MJ and this and that, so like, I don't think Wehmby it felt a little manufactured some of the Like I think he's arguably the most hype prospect since Lebron, or like the most intriguing prospects since Lebron.
But I think people were trying to say it was like as much, if not more than Lebron, and I just felt like that wasn't necessarily accurate and it was also kind of setting him up to fail, just because that would be putting insane expectations on him. But I think he's been pretty much as good as advertised. Like the Spurs don't have a point guard, and you know, it doesn't really make sense, Like that's where if I'm the Spurs, like I would have tried to go and
get Austin Reeves. And maybe he isn't a traditional, you know, pure point guard, but just having a guy who can handle the ball and run, pick and roll and create for Wemby like I think the fact that he's had as much success as he's had without that, like with with with Sohan running point guard, like it just it's
kind of crazy. So you know that watching the Spurs like that, they have a lot of guys, like they have a lot of talent individually and guys that I like, but it just doesn't necessarily fit together and make a lot of sense. So I would like to see Wemby in a more structured offense with pieces that compliment him more, right and and them feature him more. But outside of that, like you just see, there are certain things he can do.
And I go back to the Lakers played there twice in the beginning of December, and he had this sequence where you know, he dunks on ad and then Max Christy has like eight feet of space and shoots this floater that Wemby somehow reaches the top of it and blocks it, and Knight's a fast break and then he gets an alley oop in transition, and it was like this thirty second sequence of this is like the insanity that this guy could do, of just what he could
do on both ends. So I think he's a special prospect. I think he's going to be a future multi time All Star. I think he's probably going to be a top fifty player. Ever, I just I do think that the hype got a little out of hand entering the season. But that's also kind of how the media works and how some of the star shows.
If he or Chet make the All Star teams like an alternate, they would be in the likes that the last person to do it, it looks like is only eleven Blake Griffin for that Yal in two thousand and three, Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Shack Matumbo, David Robinson, Ewing, and Jordan. That's the list going back of rookies have made the All Star team.
So prettysive.
Yeah, basically other than Jordan used.
To be a big man's league back in my NBA when the game was about the game, uh Dame time had the big buzzer beater and Ot versus the Kings. That's like one of the wildest thing is that he hits a running at full speed, fading five feet to his left, like four steps outside of the three point line,
buzzer beater. And my first response is to wonder how the Kings let him get that look, because I knew it was going in like the second that lift his fingertips, just like he makes that type of shot looks so easy that it's just a blast.
So here we'll watch it right now.
He two to tie to win, five point two left the way he's running three seconds. I'm with you, Like this is just terrible defense, such a hard time, you know, Like it's like we've we've seen him make these types of like you know it's name time. But like the bonus right here, Like is Boos going to pull up from half court? Like no, Like what why is bonus behind the three point line there? I just he's that was going to keep him up at night. This is to me the fatal flaw of the Kings, Like I
just don't trust their defense. I mean their defense is already bad, but like I just don't. Yeah, it's an example like this of of why I don't think they're gonna win a playoff series, right yeah, because that was just sort of like it almost felt like a drill for Dame. But it's like, yeah, go around this cone and then I'll hold the broomstick up and then you just shoot over it. Ye, Like about with that kind
of intensity, you'll be defended. Uh but yeah, I mean, look he does what he does, that dame and Chris Middleton looks so excited.
Chris, he looks so excited when he came on the court. Great that guy the court? Who's this guy with? I love?
I just like his very simple like he keeps like. I feel like he hasn't changed the way he's dressed.
For a long time, which I like to see.
You know it flashy exactly exactly, he just got off your shift. And then also very heartening Gigi Jackson.
His react in the NBA. Yo, his reaction to the youngest child in the NBA. He just turned it nineteen.
Yeah right, Uh, his reaction to hearing Shack's voice through the headphones so he's given like a postgame comment. It was really I felt like a child for some I don't know why like it. It felt like the thing like I think for a lot of people of a certain age, especially for like millennials, where we grew up with like a gigantic Shack shoe in every mall, and like and.
That's the size of Shaquille O'Neil's foot, Yeah.
Famigiving, yeah exactly, Yeah, bigger than let's car.
Shack.
Shoot, but like, yeah, that was just a really really great moment. And just to kind of see the excitement on his face. Let's play that just because allowed to play this, or yeah we got clearance, Oh hell yeah.
Just trying to be as coachable as possible, Juju Shack here.
I don't have any questions. I just want to say congratulations, jump fella. You played the hell of a game and the people didn't know who you were. They know who you are. Now ready brother to.
Get to hear your voice.
Appreciate you well, GJ.
You could tell that with Shack.
He well he was mumbling, okay, you better act and pressed to hear my voice too.
It was like.
Yeah, and also like the way he tightened up, like he suddenly had like the politeness of somebody we're going to Chick fil a. Yeah, he was like, yeah, very much, sir. I appreciate you all the time. Police pull up to the next window. Thank you so much, God bless you.
Like so it was like a little a little kid who saw Santa orself that it was so amazing.
Yeah, oh it's beautiful, and well like he's he's joining an interesting group right of like the last people the youngest people to do, like put up twenty points at least twenty points back to back, where like Lebron and Katie I think the only people younger than him.
Yeah, so it's a wild company.
Yeah for real long.
I hope it lasts.
I mean this this season has been so all over the place, like we've seen it all that I'm like, please, let I want to say.
I want to keep saying this young man's name.
With the Grizzlies.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then speaking of joining wild Company, h and bead forty one and ten in a blowout over the Rockets on Martin Luther King Day, Uh, sixteen straight, thirty and ten games.
Uh.
It's so I just found out that he's reached the level that Lakers fans are actually willing to entertain him.
As a future Laker, like.
You guys are now we'll always talk about yeah, you know, yeah we like him. Yeah yeah, but you've never been like like there are certain players who you're always like, yeah, he's a future Laker, and like that's I can't wait to watch it seem in the Purple and gold.
But yeah, yeah, yeah, this.
Is huge for me as as a Sixers fan, as an Embad fan. I'm just so flattered that you guys like, oh my god.
Really the league means.
He's put his head down, he's looking great playing for his low teague. You know, we really like that. We like the spirit.
The final level of stardom is like Laker fans willing to entertain.
Yeah.
Yeah, and it's never at a moment of crisis for us either.
No, you can't wait.
To see the trades, you guys invent. I'm a a super producer. Jabbari was asking if he could interest me in a slightly used d LO.
You know that was when we were talking about I think that's when we were talking about the spurs for Wemby.
Oh okay, all right. Yeah.
Wemby obviously is another player that you guys have have voiced.
Some I mean we need that rebounding help man. Yeah.
Not.
You haven't voiced interest, You've voiced confidence that he will eventually be on your team. So that's how Lakers fans communicate.
I'll show him.
I'll show him all the fine homes of the publishing titans that are in the like San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena area. I'm like some of the greatest book publishers lived in this area, Victor and you could you.
Could also live in the Rand McNally house. Think about that. Just think about that, man, Just think about that.
We love books, We love Yeah, but no Embeade is looking. I keep asking you this, are you Are you feeling good? Are you still going to have your your ice heart that you have to have to protect yourself as a six.
Ers, as a Sixers fan, I mean I default to ice heart. I but last season I did not feel good the entire season, Like even when they were putting it together and winning some games with Harden, just the fact that they had the same basic structure of doc and you know, like where they looked too similar to the teams that kept going out in the second round for some reason. They seem like I wouldn't be shocked if they got out of the second round this season.
Oh that's big.
Wow.
Yeah.
I also wouldn't be shocked if they didn't get to the second round. I mean, I guess I'd be a little bit shocked, But it depends on where they where they face the Celtics, who I think have the It's Celtics versus the field in the Eastern Conference. Basically in my opinion, they got it all going right now, so if they stay healthy, I don't I don't know. It's really like whoever is not playing them in the second round?
Yeah, what do you? How do you have you heard of.
The Eastern Conference?
Have you heard of it a few times?
Yeah?
I thought it was like it's a little depressing.
Uh No, I think that the sixth I mean the Sixers have had some obviously have I would say underachieved to put it kindly, over the last few years in the playoffs. But we haven't seen the Milwaukee Philly matchup. That's been one I've I've really wanted to see. I just Yiannis versus Embiid in a playoff series and and how that would go.
Uh.
You know, Philly always somehow ends up on the Boston side of the bracket, and that's just been their Achilles heel. Uh to bring up a source subject, except.
When they don't and they play the heat and get beat by the Yeah, so I lose to anyone in the second round.
Man, we don't care so the hot. Look, I mean we're not we're not picky.
You give the second rounderies and a man, We're happy to cough it up.
I think like getting rid of James Harden, Ben Simmons and Doc River in the last couple of years has I think it's kind of cleansed the Philly like I think. I think if they're on the opposite side of Boston in the bracket, like let's say they're the three seed and Boston is the one seed, I think they could be Milwaukee or Miami or whoever else they match up
with on the way to the conference finals. Then it's just a matter of can Embiid be the clear cut, I guess best player in that series, you know, And what's Boston's health looking like, you know, they've got some injury prone players, So I think there's a lot of ways they could shake out. But I've been really impressed with Maxie. I think Maxi's should be an All Star. I think you should potentially be an All Star starter, depending on how the back court plays out. And I
think they're right there. And Nick Nurse is one of the best coaches in the NBA. I think people it with Toronto kind of being in the middle class the last few years after Kawhi left, like people forgot how good of a coach Nick Nurses but I've been impressed with him. I think you should be in the Coach of the Year conversation. And you know, Embiid is probably the MVP front runner right now. So on paper, Philly's got again. I give Boston the edge, but Philly's right
there for number two. I think potentially even out of Milwaukee.
We do kind of think of talent.
I tend to think of talent communicat cumulatively, like that like yadd talent until you're the best team type thing. But there's just seeing the standings right now. Philly is in third, the Calves are in fourth, and we're seeing the thing happen with the Calves right now where they're like really putting a run together after two of their three best players got hurt, Philly lost supposedly their best player or second best player in Harden, and like they've
had a better beginning to this season. That that's just always interesting to me when it's like, actually, you just need to.
Like clear give people a little bit of.
Room to like cook in some ways that make it work. I want, I do want.
If that's like something that's happening with the Lakers, I don't know why it would be but just feels like there's a lot of pieces there that aren't aren't necessarily coming together, and I do. I am just throwing that in there because I'm contractually obligated. This is a Lakers fan podcast, so I.
Just want to bring up thank you, and you still have to mention the team or the city four more times before I absolute anchor fit.
That that's happening with everybody except the Clippers.
Who are they?
And yeah, they added to it and can be additive.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I wonder it's if it is. I mean, there are so many things too where you have around the league. People are like, I just need some minutes, man, that's all I need. That's all I need. I got these other these pieces of dead wood that are in front of me, and I'm telling you, if you just get them out the way, like I will show you, but.
Just help me out.
And I feel like, yeah, I mean like any competitor is going to feel that way. But yeah, when it actually comes together, it there's definitely some Greek some credence to that way of thinking. Just look, I'm willing the Lakers please do something, Please do something, man, just for me, for me and the rest of us.
They take the first couple of times, Miles burst in tears when he was saying that.
Heyman, what I say about telling people about my courage? Water coming out my eyes?
That's what we call it. We branded crying on this show.
Anyway, all right, shall we take a break and come back with the fastest segment in all sports podcasting?
I think we should. I think we will. We're gonna be right back.
And you were about to go into the hot seat after this, and we're back.
And.
He's unhinged. I know it's.
Because the state of the Lakers became too real in my mind, and now I must retreat to a world of fancyful with fantasies.
I can't even speak anymore.
But watching Wonka, you've just been in a theater for the past.
Indubitably, just like like, how do you get so good with that cane? But anyway, it's time for the fourth quarter. It's a rapid fire a round questioning.
Yo.
You have wandered into this show and it's now time to subject to you to one of the fastest questions and answer segments that has existed in all sports podcasting history.
We're gonna ask you a question you just respond quickly boom.
Just be reflexive, don't think at all at all, because you're.
Not ready, because you're not in your athletic stance. You don't have your feet chopping.
You're not I can't really chop my feet right now. That right, we chopped that left foot, chopped that left foot. Uh ready, here we go. Okay, I think we're ready, shall we Jack, Let's do it? Brian start the clock, Brian the editor, Brian.
The editor starts flock. Sorry, I need to use your.
Legal name or we're doing a branding thing with their editor, Brian the editor, with the editor, Brian the editor.
And you really have to keep this segment moving.
Like when I start talking about Brian the editor and his marketing plan for himself, you really need to stop me and just say, hey, I'm here to talk about NBA stuff.
You know, let's get this thing. Get this thing moving. Remember remember the goal folks, Here we go. Who's gonna go first?
You?
Why don't you go first?
All right, well let's try that.
That sounds fun.
Yo. Here we go.
Where are the following players following the deadline? Gut instinct? Just say if they're gone or if you have a team in mind that they go to tell you say that team or if they're staying there, staying but whatever it is.
Just answer me. Now here we go.
First question number the one, Donovan Mitchell Stang, Zach Levine Stang.
What Pascal Siakam traded? I'll say Indiana, Oh, that'd be fun. D'Angelo Russell Atlanta traded for Joel embi straight up? Hey stop stop.
La m Joel Ebid Joel Embiida?
Who go for?
Do you think Murray for Russell? A pick? Are you throwing jjs?
Wow?
Interesting?
Who's the most underappreciated of the truly all time greats? Like somebody who deserves to be mentioned? Put is off and the left out of the all time debates? And I will be asking my questions in rhyme.
Chris Paul, Chris Paul.
Interested? All right, what is it about Chris pa?
Yeah? What is it about Chris Paul?
I think he's I mean, depending on I guess. If we're considering Steph Curry a point guard, I would say he's right there at like maybe number four. But I don't in my opinion, I don't think like magic Steph Isaiah Chris Paul I don't think a lot of people would put him at number four. I would Okay, okay, and we're nota have more on that later, but we do have to keep this segment going.
Now.
I'm gonna ask you two players that you can take from all of NBA history or film sport, you know, I'll widen this out even films that include basketball coachs.
From there into creating to create your.
Your I know, had to do something different. I'm messing with the form.
It's jazz baby, uh, to create your mad Boosti's edition NBA Jam Team.
Which two players are you combining to make that?
And just keep in mind that it is jazz and jazz is about the notes you don't play.
I'm gonna go prime Shaquille O'Neill okay, and prime Steph Curry. M. I think that's basically unstoppable.
Was that it last week? Was that also the combo we got last week?
It's unfortunately it is the correct answer, and we do have to stop this question.
Yeah, it is the best answer to white answer.
Yeah, you just to shoot the lights out and then just dunk and then throw every.
Like would you really throw somebody across the court with like somebody who has like high like full up power, uh strength like that right, that's just demoralizing. You want to quit the game of NBA Jam and Boostie's Edition.
Yeah, the defense is the one maybe weakness with that that combo, but I'm going all.
I mean, shack, he was blocking five shots in some games.
Yeah, won't play an NBA Jam too. Like you could just sure there was no fouls, you know what I mean? So just body them and then just have Steph on fire and then it's a rap and then you take another child's lunch money.
I hope you're proud of yourself.
NBA Jam Team Special Edition. Next one, Jack, you are from the valley.
What's your favorite movie about the valley?
And try and describe it the way Magic Johnson would in a tweet.
The super Bad count as a valley movie. Yeah, it's Burbank, which isn't good valley. We Yeah, that's that's a hotly contested thing, but we will take it. Super Bad is my favorite movie of of all time.
So wow, okay that would be I guess, Uh, what'd.
You kept to say about that movie?
Yeah?
Uh, it's a movie about friends who stopped being friends and then are friends again.
Yes, I know.
Yeah, we've all had friends like this. Sometimes you're not friends, but then you become friends again.
Ten out of ten uh.
And finally, since you have that Southern California blood coursing through your veins, ranked these Los Angeles chains in and out Fat Burger, Tommy's.
No, I'm going to go in that order. In and out Fat Burger Tommy's. Wow.
Wow, Wow, we're taking Tommy's.
I've taken Tommy's pretty high. And that's because I used to. My elementary school is right by a Tommy's, and that used to be like the one fast food or drive through that my mom would entertain going through just because it was so close to my school.
Even though the chili destroyedeth me. I'ming back. That's what I love about it though.
There's just something and they put when they put the hot Chili's in there too, they will overload that thing and you will have problems for the rest of your life, but.
Hey, it's a.
System will clear you out.
Yeah, like those are actual Those are actual pharmaceutical companies. They have pharmaceutical needs and juices. Yovan Boha, thank you so much for joining us. A Moles and Jack got mad Boosties. Where do the people find you? Follow you, read you, support you, all that good stuff. Yeah, you can find all my work at the Athletic and you could find me on social at yovan Bouja j ov A n b u h A. Appreciate you guys to
having me on Oh of course, of course. Man again, like I said, thank you for honoring us with your presence. Like I said, I've been living and dying by your reporting resaying like, oh.
Yeah, we're going back to the old lineup. Okay, maybe, okay, we're doing some much just okup. That was wild. That was wild.
And I remember texting my friends and be like, it's word's back, baby, and then be like, okay, we spoke it too soon.
Darvin won over Lakers Twitter for like an hour and then yeah.
The memes, the memes were beautiful.
Anyway, make sure you follow us on Twitter. I'm at Miles of Gray.
And I'm at Jack Underscore O'Brien, and you.
Don't follow hashtag mad Boosti's b double o sd I e s for show links, updates and your chance to ask some questions.
I know some of y'all had some questions, and I'm sorry.
That we didn't get to them, but this is a dynamic show, and I was in a state. I was just in a downward emotional spiral talking about the Lakers, So you'll have.
To forgive me until next time. Hopefully the things improved for my.
Los Angeles Lakers and and even your team as well. I'm I'm, I'm willing to grow a little bit and say I want.
Everybody to do well, every team to do well in.
Terms and in terms and conditions, apply terms. Anyway, thanks for thanks for joining us. We see you next time, all right later bye.
Mm hmmm.
Mm hmmm
Mm hmmmmm