MON POD @SpenceChecketts on NBA Draft, Jazz Trades, RSL Road Points + more

All right, let's get a dry time. Monday afternoon.

We are looking at about twelve minutes past the hour of two o'clock.

It is hot, man. I just landed.

From the great Pacific Northwest, stepped off the plane and realized that it's very much summer, the dog days of summer here in Salt Lake City, Utah. We are looking at about ninety six degrees in sunny on this Monday afternoon, and as it is every single day, it's going to have you along for the riots.

Bence check.

It's back behind the mic during a little time off to Friday off.

But good to be back.

Shout out to porter for holding it down and everybody else for holding it down while I was gone.

And my goodness, did I miss a lot.

I was kind of in the middle of nowhere Pacific Northwest without a lot of cell service. And when I kind of got back into reality saw all the news about the transactions in pro basketball. The Utah Jazz have been busy. They're making another transaction.

As we speak. We'll tell you what that is and what could be next.

So a lot of NBA today, a lot of NBA free agent fallout as a free.

Agency has begun.

Free agency is here, and Austin Ainge is putting his fingerprints on this team, as.

We expected him to do.

So.

The rookies did report No, ayst Bailey did.

Not refuse to come to the Salt Lake. He is here and summer League is upon us.

So we'll get to know these young men and see what the plan is for Austin and his staff as they move forward with their roster construction. So we'll do some NBA, we'll do some jazz, we'll do some offseason free agency, some drafts, and then the news came down the Jake rerhetz Laugh has been telling his coaches and teammates that he is transferring and the civil lawsuit that was filed against him has been drafted.

That came down earlier today.

Kyle Bond of Gura, friend of the show, Pete Damil, and of course our friend's over at the Salt Lake Tribune, Kevin Reynolds, making sure they're taking care of that story. Doing a great job, and it's really too bad in a lot of different ways. I will reiterate what Shaun had to say during our crossdock portion. This is not a situation where I find it appropriate to dunk on anybody. I think it's a bad look. I just think it sucks. I think it sucks where everybody involves. There just isn't

Everybody knows the deal man, everybody knows the.

Deal and if you know you're not willing to kind of tow the line down there, you probably should look to find a different place to go to school, as I've always said. But busy show RSL. We'll get to a little RSL on the program today. They're going to be back in action with actually kind of a busy, busy schedule moving forward because the June slate was so light. They only had two games of Jim and they're starting

Back soon as well.

So we'll do a little soccer on the program and do a little RSL on the program. Of course, one I always on the off season the NFL and pro football, but it's kind of a quiet time for that right now. RSL was able to get a draw at Children's Mercy Park over the weekend one to one, and.

Now they're going to take on Saint Louis.

They've got actually five of the next six games at home. Wait a second, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight of the next nine games at home. Oh all right, So a lot of RSL here in the market is they're going to be home for most of their matches over the next.

Couple of months.

All right, good guest list today on a Monday, Happy Monday to you. Hope you had a great weekend off to a great start to that work week. We'll bring in Tim Bontemps right off the top. Timmy covers the NBA for ESPN. He's on the Hoop Collective podcast. We'll get his thoughts on the Colin Sexton transaction. Yusuf Nurkic and you had to attach a second to Colin to make the trade kind of caught me off guard a

We'll talk about the.

Draw against ask C, and then we'll look out to Saint Louis and we'll see how healthy.

The group is getting.

As RSL badly in need of points, they do have four points over the past two games, which is a good sign in the right direction.

So we'll bring Kurt in today.

As well, so Tim Bond, Temps, Tom Haberstrow, Amy Donaldson, Kurt Schmidt, Mee Spence, Jackets back by the Mike.

Great to be back.

Thanks for giving Porter your attention and speaking to Porter.

I was Friday. I heard you have a little adventure.

Oh yeah, we were just a tad bit out of the neighborhood down in Spanish Fork. But it was a good time and as you mentioned, we had plenty to get to all of the Jazz draft stuff, all of the trade talk gathering on Friday, and of course at that point the Ace Bailey stuff was I thought the entire time much of a non story, but that was kind of the part of the show, was trying to explain that to a lot of the listeners who were concerned.

Very nice, very nice. So our first guest today will be Tim Bontems. But before Tim stops by courtesy of our good friends and your good friends too at Prize Picks, it's Tom now for your opening tip.

Welcome to the Drive with Spence check its on Utah's number one sports talk now into the studios of ESPN seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by Prize Picks. Use the code ESPN seven hundred and run your game with Prize Picks.

So, as I referenced, I left town and a lot happened over the weekend. Busy busy weekend of local sports storylines. We'll get to the Jake Rretz off Yu stuff a little bit later on. Have some thoughts on that what's next for BYU? What's next for Jake as this whole situation probably is something that everybody involved is ready to move on from. But the Utah Jazz led by Austin Ainge, are making some moves. So it's pretty clear. As we

There's a lot to like about Colin. He played pretty well here.

I mean he was a nineteen point night guy, ended up shooting over forty percent from three last year, which was a career high.

The usage stuff.

Isn't great, and he's one of these guards on this roster that isn't a great defensive player and doesn't have great size. So I wasn't too surprised to see Colin and hear the news that Colin had been moved on from I just completely thought they'd be able to get more than use of Nurkic. He was a shell of his former self and he was never really that good anyway. But he is a backup big and maybe you know he and Walker Kessler practicing together, you know, a veteran

Could have done better for Colin. But if they could have, they would have. It's not like they were looking for a bad deal.

Ultimately, this just opens up minutes for the young guards, more minutes for Isaiah, more minutes for Kiante, and more minutes for Walt probably and just opening up opportunities for these young players to play. Because remember, if we take Austin at his word during his introductory press conference when his response to Sean's question about manipulate eight minutes and losing on purpose, you will not see that this year.

Okay.

So really what they're doing is they are going to play these young players almost exclusively.

In a way.

It's what Washington did for a while last year. They brought in some vets. They've got Chris Middleton, They've got Marcus Smart. Now they have CJ. McCollum. But last year, you know, it was a lot of Palel Coolibali. It was a lot of really young Washington players because they were playing for Draft Capital, just like the Jazz, but unlike the Jazz, Washington didn't go about it in a way where they were manipulating minutes and making up injuries

And that's probably by design.

And I'm certain they're looking at next year's draft and hoping that maybe they can get a little luck next year that they didn't get this year. And then potentially if that goes down, if you can get one overall and say it's the debansa kid is going to play at BYU, then we got something right. Then we've got something as far as how this thing is going to go all right before we catch a break. The Ace Bailey stuff was interesting because I gotta be careful here

It wasn't just ESPN. There was an athletic report.

There were several people on social media that surmised that Ace very much did not want to come and play basketball and solid for the Utah Jazz personally can't cooperate any of it. We did talk about it on Thursday before I left town, but you do about nothing. I'm not sure that I would go that far, because remember, we don't know really what goes on behind the scenes. And the most recent example I can use is the Donovan Mitchell situation where our guy just blew up that roster.

And him deciding whether it was whatever.

The senator Adams I don't can't remember if he was a senator, but the you know, one of our state legislators with some very tone deaf, unfortunate comments that when I heard him, may usa, Oh dude, you just don't say that out loud. You know, you can keep your opinions to yourself if you want to. But that iteration of jazz basketball was blown up by one person. This was not Danny Ainge rolling in here and deciding to break it down. This was not justin Zanik deciding that that team was done.

This was Donovan Mitchell, essentially.

Telling him, telling people, I am out of here as soon as I have the ability to make the decision, Quinn Snyder himself saying no pathway forward.

So like, it's what I've heard a lot of mostly team.

Employed people talk about, Oh, you know, the trade thing, there's nothing. There might be something there, But what's this kid gonna do not show up and report. I mean, obviously he's going to show up and report and sign his contract and be a part of summer League.

I don't know if he wants to be here. If he doesn't want to be here.

I think the story was reported maybe in some circles a little inappropriately, But the fact of the matter is, in this league, as Richard Smith talked about and Gordy talked about during Draft night when we did our draft coverage, if you want to work for the business of the National Basketball Association, they assign you to an office for the first seven years of your career. And we can debate, and I have debated in the past, whether.

Or not that's right, whether or not that's just.

I've always said, if you're among the best at what you do in the world, you should have a say and where you do that thing. But in the ecosystem of pro basketball. It takes you seven years during that right and honestly, it's not all that different. I mean, how many people right out of school or whatever for the first job land exactly where they want to be doing exactly you know, what they want to do for the people they want to do.

It for it. That's not how life works, So say what you want.

I mean, the Jazz are gonna have a seven year runway unless something goes bizarrely sideways to convince Ace that he can accomplish whatever he wants to accomplish here in Saut Lake, so he reports all the noise seems to have kind of gone away, and now we get summer league and we'll see how he looks. The Jazz have released their summer league roster. Will tell you who that is, or I should say we will tell you who is on that list. They also released Johnny Juzing today. That's

So it did just become official. The Jazz have reached a biot.

Agreement with Jordan Clarkson, who will now become a free agent. According to our very own Sarah Todd from the show, she's hearing that the New York Knicks might be the landing spot for Jordans.

So we'll get back to that.

Of course, a lot to do with our first guests right out of the gates. One of our favorites, Tim bond Temps from ESPN. Tim, Happy Monday man, how are you doing?

Are you well?

Appreciate the time, So let's just start with that.

Jordan Clarkson, who by all accounts has been great here as a vet that this organization is really embraced and really really enjoyed having here, probably had his best year under Quinn Snyder when he won six Man of the Year a number of years ago. And you know, Tim, you and I have talked about this, if we're honest, He's been available for probably three years, but no market

What are your thoughts on that? Tim?

Yeah, I mean I think if you go back to Austin Age's intro presser and he talked about you know, we're not gonna intentionally manipulate lineups. Well, you know, and after intentionally the manipulate lineups a few remove the veteran players and allow the young players to play through mistakes. And I think that is what the Jazz are pretty clearly doing. I mean, they moved down to Collins sexon

I agree and move let's move over to the section and stuff.

You know, another player Tim that certainly could have been traded at any point over the past, probably, I don't know, the three years. I was a little surprised they had to attach a set is a good player. I mean, you know, this is not an All Star, but he played well here about nineteen points a night shout over forty PC from three. The decision making at times can

I don't know what else as far.

As the motivation goes, But give me your thoughts on that transaction.

Yeah, I think it was the exact same thing. I mean, you know, the Jazz have a bunch of guards and they want to play him, and you know moving on from Clarkston and Sexton allows them to do that easily, not any issues. And yeah, look, I really wasn't too overly, too concerned about the one second, I think if you look at, you know, where the Jazz sit, it was obvious why they'd be looking to move on from Sexton.

So Ace Bailey is the pick.

Tim The Jazz made that pick at five, and I think a lot of people around here really excited for the potential. You know, Jonathan Cavoni and the Sam Vassini, a lot of these, a lot of the mock draft guys about five six months ago actually had As in the mix for like number two outside of Cooper Flag and it's like, where's he gonna go? Of course, his teammate Dylan Harper separates himself. He's the second overall pick.

To give a comment.

I think it was to you guys over at ESPN about whether or not they're excited to have As in saw Lake City, and Tim, you've been coming on the show for six years, you know the deal. We want you to like us so badly. Sometimes it's a little ridiculous. But you know, there was even some people that surmised he might not even report.

Well, that wasn't the case.

He flew in on time, He gave his pressure and seems like a really sweet kid. He's excited to be here. Do I know exactly what's happening behind the scenes. No, I have no frame of reference for that, but I wonder what your understanding is of that entire dynamic.

Yeah, here's what I would say. I would say that, you know, what ultimately matters is the last part, right and my you know, as Jonathan and I were reporting on that story last week, my belief the entire time was that if we got to the point where Race Bailey got to Salt Lake City and was was around well already in Austin Age and Ryan Smith and you know, with the with the rest of the jazz organization, and with Walter Croyton also, who I thought was a very good pick up on the jazz in the draft, I

That last part I wanted to follow up on you you kind of answer the question, but let's unpack it a little bit away from the drama and just honed it on the player as you've learned more about him. I don't love comps, but if you have some comps out there, like what should the fan base know about his potential and should he develop and stay healthy and all the things fall into place, what.

Do you think that looks like in the NBA?

Yeah, I mean, I'm going to stay a little bit away from comps just because I mean I've seen him play a couple of times in person. But I'm not Jonathan your bony from a draft standpoint. But what I will say is like you don't need comps to look at him and see what the potential is, right, which is to be a big rangey wing. You know, the

In the end.

Just ask you one more follow up jazz question before we move on, because as you have articulated, and I am on board with and I agree with it, just it does appear they are clear in the deck and this is going to be a team that leans into their youth and there's going to be a lot of young players playing a lot of big minutes, and I'm sure Will Hardy is going to be a little frustrated from time to time. Coaches don't love rookies and young players. But they still have a John Collins on the roster.

To play pro basketball.

But they're they're they're do you know, I'm not doing the windhorse what's going on in Utah thing, Tim, But I'm doing something like it. Do you think there are other moves on the horizon for this team?

I mean, certainly I think that John Collins, I would I don't know this to be sure, this is just me looking at it, but I would say John Collins following following Jordan Clarkson and Colin Sexton out the door as another vet, you know, to get out of the way of some younger guys playing. Could make sense. Now the Jets have a lot more guards and perimeter players than they do big so that category at this point.

Actually, one more Jazz thing I want to get your thoughts on this.

They did end up trading three second round picks and essentially swapping their first round pick just to move up three spots to take well and by the way.

It's Walt.

He told us all during his press conference. He wants to be called Walt, so we will call him what he prefers. And look, that's probably a little too much to move up just three spots. But the other thing is like if he's the guy, right, Like, if you've identified that that's your guy, go get them, you know what I mean. So your thoughts on attaching three second round picks and that first, just to move up three spots to take walk Clayton Junior.

Yeah, I mean it's they moved. They used the three seconds to get up and get Clayton. And look, we'll see if seconds become more valuable as talent comes back in the draft in the coming years, but seconds probably matter as little as they ever have with the way the second round has been turned into a two way factory. So I don't mind the cost of that. Again, if Clayton has becomes their long term starting point guard, which I think he very well could. I'm a very big

All right, Tim.

So typically when everybody has the same take, I'm a little bit skeptical is if that's the right tick to have. But it's been a few days now since the draft, and look, maybe Derek Queen is Jokic junior. Maybe he's awesome, Maybe he turns into a great player for the Pelicans. I just don't understand how you can't even attach like a top four or a top five protection to what

Yeah, I mean everyone's opinion is correct. I mean there's not a lot of there's not It's pretty hard to justify that trade. The value proposition just is not there for to war. So it's a remarkable deal for you for Atlanta, which has had a remarkable week. I mean, Chris has Persingis was a very good pickup for them. Love the work they did in the draft. It seems like they got decent chance to get to kill Alexander

Yeah, no, I'm with you there, all right, So a lot has been making and maybe we just need to always lean into any story that has attached to Lebron Lebron James. He opts in and then there are conversations about you know, Rich Paul makes some comments that he wants to compete for a championship.

You know, maybe they do move up off of him.

I have no idea, But what's your take on just the entire Lebron dynamic opting in then the noise that's kind of surrounded out over the past few hours.

I suspect Lebron James be playing with Luka Doncic with the Lakers in the fall. I don't really see another way this is going to go. If Lebron had really wanted to explore the studio space, he could have easily opted out of his deal. He did not. It's very hard to trade anybody making fifty three million dollars, even if you're motivated to. There's really reason for the Lakers to be motivated to. Because Lebron has no trade clause.

I would agree with that. It feels like the noise around Giannis is quieted. Is that fair? Do you think there's still something there?

I think it's in the same place it's been, which is, let's see where the Bucks are at after free agency and then we can maybe assess what the overall situation is. But Giannis hasn't asked out. There has been no change in that situation, and you know they got Bobby before his sign We'll see what else they do, and I think when the dust settles, we'll see where the bucks are at and then we'll see if Giannis decides to

Why do you think there's been this increase in player movements. I mean, it's the first day of free agency and I think there have been over twenty transactions. Is that a CBA deals out a second Apron deal? What gives with all this? It seems like tim there's just a lot more movement earlier than typically there is.

Well, there's basically no movement that's happened so far. What's happened is I mean, I guess there's a couple of trades that have happened, but I mean predominantly what's happened is now the second that the finals are over, you can officially begin negotiating with your players who you have under contracts. So for the last week, what we've seen is a whole flood of deals for guys that are staying with the current teams.

Right.

And so it used to be this stuff would happen and then you'd get to six o'clock tonight and free agency would start and then the floodgates would opening and just would announce all these deals right that we're done. Well, now like when you get James Harden's seign, you could just say, hey, we got James Harden done, and you know, you can sort of go down the list that way

Any anything else coming out of Boston or do you think mission accomplished with Holiday and poor zingis off the books.

I think they got their mission accomplished in terms of getting out of the second apron. It wouldn't shock me if the Celtics get out of the tacks. If they can't, they're like fifteen million in. You know, we'll see what happened with Holiday and what are with Jalen Brown and Derek White. I don't think they're trading either or those guys unless they get a ton for them. You know, they would have to be a crazy deal to do it.

Hurt last thing.

Tim, I'll say you lose because I do like in a sneaky way like this for the Calves, if Lonzo can stay healthy, as I'm knocking on wood because we know that for the past few years that's been difficult. But he got back last year thirty five to forty games, and you know, it looked pretty good. I think Isaacacorro's a decent player as well. But what do you make of the Cavs Bulls trade.

I loved it for the Calves. I mean another trade where the Bulls give up a better player for a worse one and okay, draft picks. They've done it several times now the last couple of years. It's pretty remarkable. But for the Calves to get Lonzo, obviously it's worth the swing for them. I said, Carl cannot play in the playoffs. We have learned that very definitively. Uh, Lonzo can if he's able to stay healthy and h and as far as the the you know the other part

Jim, you're the man. Appreciate the time and the knowledge.

On a Monday, excuse me, have a great week, but we'll get you back on soon.

Sounds good, spence, Thanks man.

All right.

Timmy Bond Tams covers the NBA for ESPN does a really good job.

Always enjoy when he can stop by.

We will keep you up to date because the news is coming in fast and furious. If you're just hopping in your car and driving around town on this Monday afternoon, First of all, hello, how are you?

Thank you for making this a part of your day.

The Jazz have completed a buyout with Jordan Clarkson, and our very own Sarah Todd, who's a friend of the show, is reporting that the New York Knicks are the potential option there. There's a report that the Knicks are looking to sign Russell Westbrook. If a Nick signed Russell Westbrook and Jordan Clarkson, that would just be hilarious. The Jazz also traded Colin Section in a Charlotte for use if Nurkic. They had to attach a second round pick to Colin

Has become official.

Jordan Clarkson is a free agent. Sarah Todd front of the Shows, reporting she's here in the New York Knicks could be the landing spot for Jordan Clarkson first day of free agency.

Man, and the news is coming fast and furious.

Our next guest will help break it down for us, the great Tom Haberstrow on a Monday.

Hey Tom, Happy Monday, buddy. How are we doing doing great man? How are you Well?

We'll start with the jazz stuff and then we'll kind of move on from there. And let's just start with what I just referenced, Jordan Clarkson buyout. He is now free agent. And look, man, you and I have been talking about this for years. This was a candidate to be traded quite frankly every trade deadline over the past three years. But obviously no market for him. He's coming off two straight years whereas production is dipped. He's not as young as he once was and neither are any

Yeah, it's really interesting because I think the market, you know, a guy like DeAndre eight and a former number one overall pick just worked out a buyout with the Portland Trailblazers in similar fashion where it seems like by the box score, this player on a trade market would have value. And Jordan Clarkson, you know, has been a serviceable spark plug for the Utah j As but as Seams Trownia pointed out on social media, and the report is he

All right, you referenced the section and stuff, and let's move over to as in a moment and to your point. And I was a little surprised, Tom, because look, Colin Sexton isn't Alan Iverson, but he's not a bad player.

He played pretty well here.

This is a guy that's averaged twenty plus in the NBA at a prior stop, and in Cleveland he shot over forty from three about nineteen points a night, plays his tail off. I mean, that's kind of his mo Now doesn't guard, Neither do many of the guards.

It's on Jazz, the Jazz roster.

They're not great defensive players, not great size, but to have to attach a second and receive use of nurkicchen Return who just doesn't have the value that he once did, and it doesn't make a lot of sense here. Your point about the expiring money is definitely on point, for sure, and that's probably the motivation. And then ultimately we land in a spot where they're clearing more minutes for their young guards. But what did what did you make of that transaction between the Jazz and the Hornets.

Yeah, it's just clearing out the lane for Ace Bailey. I think it's you get two guys, three guys, and you're saying, especially Sexon and Clarkson, is they need the ball in their hands to succeed. And I think when you look at the the addition of Ace Bailey and Clayton Junior, you're going to be wanting those guys to have the ball without any sort of confusion about their role.

Uh.

And I think Clarkson and Colin Sexton, we're both probably looking at this like, Hey, I'm not here for the rebuild another year of this and you got these young kids coming in, can you find us a home? And I think Jordan Clarkson the market was pretty tepid for his services in the trade market, but I think you'll have a much better time in a winning environment in New York on the timetable that he wants at his age.

We'll stick with the Jazz and you just referenced the two players, and they also drafted the Tanji kid in the second round, who actually can score it a little bit.

We'll see if he sticks around.

But you know, this is a tough one because I have experience living elsewhere, growing up elsewhere, and so I understand when.

People say, well, Salt Lake is not this or that or whatever.

But I've lived here for twenty five years, and just this whole shtick, this whole bit that this is like the worst place you could possibly exist as a young athlete gets so tiresome to me, and I look, to be honest, I don't know what's real. You know, I've been doing this long enough, been around this league long enough that I always know there's the messaging from a player or an agent, or a coach or a front office, and then there's actually what's really going on behind the scenes.

He could not have handled the presser better.

It seems like a really sweet kid who, by all accounts is excited for this. Am I saying that's real, No, because I don't know, But what's your understanding of this narrative surrounding Ace and his camp, like they just did not want for him to be here in Utah playing for the Jazz Yeah.

I think it's really about the camp and not necessarily about Ace Bailey. I look at the fact that he had a lack of a certified agent for much of this process in Omar Cooper that was guiding him in this process, and I think this is what you you know, you get what you pay for in the sense that there's a lot of confusion and misinformation and misreporting and someone says this, and someone says that, and you can't

Real.

Reputable, successful front office and coaching staff that I think a lot of this will go away and wash away. Ace Bailey is a big swing if things move right, If things go in the direction where he reaches his ceiling and he fulfills his potential. This is an absolute home run swing. A number five pick that people think

The other decision they made in the first round, and you know we were talking about this a little bit earlier. I don't really have an issue like if you have identified, oh it's Walt. By the way, it's Walt Clayton Junior. He told us in his introductory press conference.

He wants to be called Walt, so I will call him Walt, like if if you're Austin.

And by the way, Brad Stevens had a funny line he said, I could have told you two years ago, Austin was going to trade up to draft wal Clayton Junior. So Austin has always liked this kid for sure. And look, if you've identified a player as someone that you think can be your starting lead guard for maybe a decade or more, go get them, right.

I have no issue with that.

They did have to attach three second round picks and give twenty one to Washington just to move up three spots to gain Walton Clayton Junior, but there was some intel that was leaked that Miami wanted him at twenty. They went with the Yakachana's kid from Illinois. But what did you make of the decision making process by the Jazz to go up and get their guy, wal Clayton Junior.

Yeah. What's interesting is players that win championship the NCAA Championship, win the tournament are actually slightly undervalued in the draft. For a while there, you know, the Shabbaz Napiers of the world. We kind of thought that those guys on a big run in the tournament were actually overvalued. But recently we've seen a lot of these players actually exceed expectations at the next level. And so a guy like wal Clayton.

He is really.

Talented and also as a winner and an All American last year at Florida. I got a chance to watch him when the Jordan Classic came to Charlotte, and he was great. You could see that he had an NBA future and certainly played himself into a first round pick this season with the Utah Jazz, who a team that is really searching for their point guard of the future, and he's going to be in the running with Isaiah

Did, all right.

So you know, I often say if everybody has the same opinion of something, I tend to be a little skeptical. I just think I've always been cynical that way, and I like to zig when people zag. But what what? Maybe maybe Derek Queen's awesome. I don't know, maybe he's All the Famer, maybe he's an All Star? What what are they thinking? Tom like man like to help me understand. Is there any zigging to this zag? Is there any justification for the move they made?

No?

I can't.

I mean, unless Derek Queen is the second coming of you know, Karl Malone or Kevin Garnett, I can't understan here's the problem with that logic. If you think he is that guy, then you take him at seven, right, Like, if you think Derek Queen is that guy, you make sure I'm gonna take him at seven for sure, bird in the hand. If I really think he's that good, I don't even have to give up the next year

All Right, what's next, Tom, what's the domino?

What's the next transaction that we're all waiting to hear that you think is actually real? Is there some Yanna stuff out there still? What he thinks next?

Well?

The Yannest thing is interesting because the Kevin Durant sweepstakes ended up with the Houston Rockets retaining all of their high assets like they still have They still have on Men Thompson, they still have Reed Shepherd, they have Jabbari Smith locked in long term, they have their Phoenix first round picks, and so I suspect that we're going to hear a lot more about the Yana situation in the

I like what I'm.

Seeing from the Milwaukee Bucks this offseason. I'm here for the long haul. I want to retire a Milwaukee Bucks.

He has not said that.

He also has an asked for a tray and San Antonio picks Dylan Harper, and you don't see them moving out of that pick because I think they want to keep it in case Janna Fandi Docobo hops onto the market and they can move Dylan Harper potentially in a

Right, Tom last thing, I'll set you loose.

I know you wrote on this, so Malik Beasley was a jazz man for a minute.

Didn't you last that long?

And you know what, we talked about this when the Johntay Porter stuff came out. And I know that you have done some digging and these two investigations aren't necessarily the same.

So we'll unpack it a little bit.

I'm honestly surprised this isn't happening more with how easy this is and accessible it is to gamble on sports. But Malik Beasley is being investigated allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets. Okay, so that's kind of out there. You've done some digging. Now unpacked this for us before I set you loose.

Yeah, Tom Thefinder dot com if you want to read more, but I'll give you what I've found so far and kind of tease, you know, as the story progresses. But Malik Beasley is being investigated, and according to ESPN dot COM's David Purdham, is there's one game in particular that has drawn the attention of the sports betting community is January thirty first, in the Damian Lillard return game. This was in twenty twenty four when he was with the

Story, Tomthefinder dot Com. Tom, thanks for the time, buddy, Keep up the great work and we'll chat too. You got a spence, all right, the great Tom Harberstrow weekly guest of ours to talk all things NBA. Yeah, Malik Beasley's in a little hot water here, so it's a it's a federal investigation. As Tom referenced, this was when he was with the Bucks, so not when he was here with the Jazz. But uh yeah, this could do. John Tay Porter, I believe he was banned for life

Yeah, I'll get in.

Thank you Baby. In studio, We'll try.

Okay, not just for h Adam Sandler is not in studio, but an old friend is in studio.

We haven't seen her for a while. Amy Donaldson from Kassel, How are you, Amy.

I'm good. I've probably seen every Adam Sandler movie, not because I'm a fan, because I had Stepson's Sure.

Yes, yes, Indeed, there's like a generational gap between Sandler. Like people my age think he's funny, and I feel like the younger people just are kind of out on him because he's made so many bad movies.

Yeah, I think that's right. I think it's I think there might be a little bit also of a gender gap for mister Sandler, although his recent affection for Taylor Swift because he has daughters, has brought him I think into the into the fold a bit. So there are some women now who are given given some movies.

A chance O that didn't age very well, I guess back from back in the day type of stuff.

Well, I don't think they've seen water Boy water one of his was the one what was the one where he was in the where he wasn't he had to go back to like elementary school or something.

Billy Madison. Billy Madison was great.

That was the one that my step sons loved.

Yeah, so what do you bet u? Let's get an update. We were just talking off air. You've been traveling. I follow your Instagram. You're all over the place these days.

I have and haven't been very dedicated. I retweeted and re share what so other people are doing. But I went to Australia for a month and uh hung out with my My kid moved there last year and so I went there and the first two weeks ed was with me, so we had to go one of the we wanted. He's a huge snorkeler, beach guy. Yeah, he loves I mean he I he considered like actually diving. But we didn't have a ton of time, so which sounds funny because we're there a month or I was

Interesting.

Yeah, it's super cool. So but yes, we did that. And then he's a huge Mad Max fan. This one oh cool?

Okay?

So Mad Max two was filmed in a place called Brooken Hill, Australia, and everybody knows who knows Mad Max knows that is an Australian film in origin. So uh. We went out to the museum out there, and everyone thought we were crazy because it's in the middle of nowhere. But it looked I'll tell you this, it was so it was like going to Delta, Utah. Really, it looked so familiar. I loved it so much. It's super cool town. A lot of Aboriginal people live out there, a lot

Do you know what you ate? Yes?

I do. It was a spice chicken wrap from the airport.

Oh, that shouldn't do it. Spicy chicken should be safe.

Well, I guess we just say that I have not eaten chicken since, and I'm not so sure I can eat a wrap.

And take a little bit of a break.

And then you were assisting your sister, who is a ultra marathon runner, try to get through a race in Alaska.

Yeah, she was running d Nali one thirty five, and I agreed to be a pacer. I said I could maybe give you fifty miles, but she got pretty sick about oh fifty miles in made it about fifteen more miles, and then after about the halfway point we called it. We so we more so called it. I would say. My mom and my dad and I collaborated to convince her because I don't know if you know an ultrarunner, but they're not. They don't want to quit.

They'll die.

I've got a couple of buddies I've not like whenever they're telling me what, I'm.

Like, what are you doing it?

I mean, I'm not a good ultra runner because I will quit. Yeah, I'm not. I want to hike another day. You want to live, I mean, and I like, I guess for me, the experience like walking through into your Alaska with my sister in the you know, the middle and it's not dark, like it never gets black in the summer, right, so it's like eleven twelve at night and it looks kind of like dusk and it's just the most beautiful place. I just for me, that was so odd inspiring. I was like, this is the thing.

Good for her for the state, all right, Amy.

I was excited to see you on the rundown because a couple of things going on that I want to get your perspective on.

And you know we were talking.

I had Tim bond Tom's Tim Bontem's excuse me on earlier from ESPN, and this the way the Ace Bailey story was covered. And I want to be clear, I don't know what's true and I don't know what's not. I mean, you and I have done this long enough where you know that you get messaging from players, you get messaging from agents, you get messaging from coaches in front off, and then there's what's really going on behind the scenes that they don't want to say out loud.

You never know.

And I can get a little defensive when I hear people talk about our market, certainly juxtaposed with places like Cleveland or Oklahoma City or San Antonio, Like I just prefer saw Lake over a lot.

Of the NBA markets that I've been to over the course of my life.

And maybe I'm biased here, so the whole thing comes out like, oh wait, it's not as preferred destination. And there were even people who said out loud, he's not going to report. He doesn't want to be there. He refused to work out for any team. There was a report that he actually told not a So I want to be clear, this is his reps. Told one team

Kid, is excited and durable, right yeah, So what's your take on this entire dynamic.

Well, I think it's a collision of everybody wants to have a scoop and everybody hates us. It's our insecurities coupled with this twenty four hour news cycle where everybody wants to know something special. Everybody wants to give you something that you can't get anywhere else. I had the scoop. I mean I see it a little bit. Well, we see it on all these bigger stories, right, a little bit on the rets left thing in the last we'll get there the last twenty four hours. But yeah, so

Interesting.

There are people I once traced there was some rumors going around on a story, and I started to call the people who were reporting them and say, you know, and I know everybody, I said, I'm not reporting, I want to know. I'm trying to figure out the roots of this thing, where this idea, where this information came from right? And what ended up happening was it was a circle. So somebody was quoting somebody else, but if

You know.

It's like they call flyover states the center of the country. We are a flyover place in sports, and so there is this narrative and we are all super defensive about it, including our reporters here, and then these things all collide. Everybody's looking for information. Somebody repeats a rumor, somebody says it. Everybody's scrambling. I heard this, You got a boss, I've had this happen to me. You get a call from your boss at ten o'clock on a Friday. Somebody else

I wonder what because again, without knowing exactly what's real and what's not, I will say that I like that Austin just took him like, all right, maybe you don't want to be here, but we think you're the guy, and we're this is the best player available at five because I do feel like there's been this undercurrent of fear tied into certain decision making. And I actually wondered, and again, if we operate off the assumption, which is never.

A smart thing to do.

But there was so much noise around Utah not being aces preferred destination and so much reporting over the twenty four hour news cycle that I'm inclined to believe there's something there.

I don't think it's with Ace.

I do think it's with this agent of his who isn't even like he doesn't have his right Well, he didn't have the paperwork file to be like an actual agent when Ace first hired him, So he's new with this and he's probably trying to figure it out. So if there's even a sliver of truth to it, you know, the Jazz had that intel. But I like that Austin just said we're drafting him. We think he's the best player.

But I also think Austin is savvy enough and everybody else at the Jazz that if it were true, if it felt true to them, I don't they're going to have conversations about that before they draft him. They're not. I've this has happened before, where there's been a trade rumored or there's been an acquisition floated, right, and there's been open resistance to coming here. Those are conversations you have to have because the last thing you want to do is trade for it, is use your pick on

Echo Chambers.

Yes, and so I think that's somewhat, but I mean it's happened so often. I believe, I mean, and I watched the press conferences, one hundred percent believe that we're there if there was a whiff of this before, there were conversations that were had, so that even if there was reluctance, it was understood what that reluctance was about, and so whatever whatever was going on, if it was nothing, I mean I heard some music, it was nothing or whatever. How many times have we been the purveyors of an

Yeah, that was a joke.

Or you know, or that was just the reaction. Yeah, and again the way things are now, this kid is eighteen, right, like you have kid. I have a kid. I hope nobody's holding my kid to what she says.

You know for sure.

Sometimes me, sometimes I have a reaction like what I mean, there are so many things in a meeting or wherever where you're like, your initial reaction is that's stupid, I don't want that whatever, But like give people room to get educated and to get information into maybe evolved, but I was super impressed with the press commerence. I liked all the picks. I thought it was really fun. I have tickets to the Summer League with my grandson and nephews,

So yeah, good good.

However it works out, we're going to enjoy it well.

And the only time will tell. I.

You know, when it comes to what I feel is really unfair messaging about the jazz and Utah and Salt Lake, it just makes it hard for those guys to do their jobs when they've got to answer all these questions misconceptions like no, it's not that weird here, and again, you and I both grew up elsewhere. I'm aware of the oddities that exists here. I've never ran from them.

They are real. Okay, it doesn't make it a horrible place to live.

You just have to find out how you traverse the space, and you know, respect the culture that essentially is intertwined in everything that we do here, Whether you like it or not, but it just it makes their job so hard when they've got to do this all the time. Like another kid doesn't want to come here, another player doesn't want.

Us to trade for him.

Dennis Lindsay went on a podcast last year and said that he had a trade done for a star forward I know who is Kevin Love. He had a trade done for Kevin Love, and Kevin Love's agent called him and said, don't do this. He will not come live in Salt Lake, he will not report.

And so if.

Austin kind of has this attitude, and again to your point, conversation certainly took place that were not privy to. But if he's just going to go all in and be like, look, we're drafting you, we're trading for you. And then you know with Ace, they have seven years, okay, your rookie contract four years, then you'll pick up the option for the final three unless he wants to be traded. We

Just go about it unafraid.

Yeah, and I think they knew they know something about these players that we don't. They know more about their background, their histories, what their other interests are, because these are human beings. They're not like, they're not commodities, right right, And it's not so simple as to say, look at the stat sheet, you know, and look at what we

Right, Yeah, good point.

I think they're I mean Carl Kyle would which, by the way, there's another guy who's had rumors floated every single year that he's retiring, right but Kyle Whittingham is bread and butter, is getting people to believe that no matter what, no matter who's on the rust or no matter what they're ranked, no one respects them, right and in sports, that can be a huge, huge, huge bonus.

Yeah, No, for sure. So we'll see, we'll see, we'll see how it works out. All right.

You referenced the Jake rehetzl Jake Rehetzlaf story. We'll get to a catch or break and then we'll do that coming up on the other side. The civil lawsuit has been dismissed and Jake, according to Pete Thamil, has plans to transfer because he believes he's going to face the seven game suspension for violating the school's honor code. So we'll get to that with more local storylines as well. Amy Donaldson live in studio for another big segment coming

Live in studio.

I always appreciate Amy's time world traveler back on the ground watching any RSL soccer.

I know you've been traveling, You've been watching any ANRSL.

I did. We didn't watch the most recent game, but the game before and yeah, I'm when I got back, Like I said, I feel like I was living in another world, especially because rugby is so huge in Australia. Well, you were there for a month and they have this thing,

Oh okay.

And then of course, so my daughter and I were in this place called Cans. She was there for some training. That's when one of the origin games was. The women's was the day before we saw part of it, but we went with a bunch of people from the training, a bunch of social workers. We go to this pub and watch rugby and it was a blast. And yeah, I just I love for me the cultural aspect. Like I watched the gold medal game in the twenty sixteen Olympics in Brazil.

Rugby, Brazil, no soccer.

They So Brazil was playing in the gold medal game in the twenty sixteen Olympics in Rio Macarini Stadium, and I'd been to one of the semi round games and then in a pool game at Macarena with our buddy Chris Cameroni.

Very nice.

That was when I was live using periscope and showing video of my ride and somebody flashed me. So that was cool. Yeah, that was super cool. Learned my lesson about live video and so but I decided on the gold medal night, listen, I want to go. And these people Brazil had not won a gold medal in the Olympics in their sport, I mean soccer. There the number of leagues, the number of teams, it's just ridiculous. And so I went down. They had this pier. They had

Well do you just.

You're so desperate to be with your children when you're an adult, right, Like, so they say, do you want to take me to lunch? You'll buy lunch for them because you want to be with them, right. So my kid was like, I want to do this CrossFit thing. We need a third Do you think you could do it? And I was like sure, I've been lifting weights and I do waits twice twice a week. You know our old people waits. So she sends me the workout and

It's a big ass.

And then I started assessing I was the oldest by fifteen years, and I was like, this is not happening. But I'm telling you there is something about your competitiveness never goes away. Because they told me what we had as a team, we would have to do these burpies. If I didn't do the rope climb, oh, my whole team has to do it. And I was like, I'm not penalizing my team. I did the rope climb, I broke, I did it. Yeah. So but yeah, it was super fun and now I'm super I want to watch more rugby.

Yeah.

And your point about the cultural significance of things that are away from the competition, I find to be very applicable for sports like rugby or soccer that I just wasn't raised with. Right, Like when we first brought oursell here on two thousand and four, I've told you very lukewarm to the whole endeavor. I'm like, what are you doing? Soccer doesn't work? And like I told my father, I'm like, this is a bad idea. You know that Now obviously he was right.

I was wrong.

And my friends who were soccer fans still soccer fans, you know, they all said the same thing. You've got to go overseas. You've got to see something in the Premiership. You got to go to Germany. You got to see what it's like over there. And my first eye opening, oh wow, okay soccer means everything to these people was seeing a Tottenham game in London, you know, seeing a Premiership game, Because I think we have some parallels here. You and I have talked about like football is our soccer,

I mean, I think I grew up more with baseball, but you know, and when I was a kid boxing, my dad was super big into boxing. I mean, I think it's probably whatever you grow up around, right, like whatever, but baseball was the thing, and I do think there's a big cal I mean, and then when I went to high school in Alaska, hockey is bigger than football.

Right?

Yeah, but you know, we took hockey for pe Like there was just this culture of toughness and like eighty blow, Well let's play hockey, you know outside we need to have you know, I don't need gloves, you know. It It was and there is this whole cultural you know. Watching the gold medal game between the USA and Canada here in Salt Lake in two thousand and two, yeah,

Though the rules, there's nothing like it, no, for sure.

And I was actually talking about this with Pablo last week because Diego Diego Luna, who has been the lone bride spot for this soccer club, that just can't figure it out.

Not lone bright Spot, I mean Johnny Russell. When I came back and found out that Johnny Russell had come to RSL, I was like, wait, what, Yeah, but that's one of those things that could be cultural, right sure. And then the two games I think I've seen him score is two goals goals. Yeah.

Yeah.

So so the reason I'm bringing up the Diego I was announced last week, right before Pablo jumped on the show, that Diego was named it All Star. Yeah, for the second straight year. And then you pull up the list Diego will be playing in that game next to Lino Messi, and I fully admit that I don't think I have frame of reference for what that means in the ecosystem of who Messi is in the game of soccer, world football.

But imagine being Diego.

That's what I'm saying, Like it's Michael Jordan, it's Tiger Woods, But that might not even do a justice with how big the sport of soccer is worldwide, and most people believe he is the greatest that's ever done it.

It's a really cool thing.

Well, and I just saw someone made a TikTok about Diego when he broke his nose. Yeah, and I don't know if you saw this, but he said, like, if this is the mentality of our US men's team, this is he said, this is American and you know, and I thought, it is that like we love that sort of you know, as much as we love the like wolf, you know, individual is rugged individualism type of thing. When

Move off of RSL.

I'm just realizing, because you've been away for so long that I don't think I've talked to you about the ownership transition.

The Millers are now the majority. You know, we may have, we may.

Have discussed a little bit because I went out to the press conference.

That's right, That's right, we did a little bit.

I think it's super exciting. I think I told the Larry Miller stories.

Yeah, that's right.

It also appears to be a bit of a paradigm shift. Now I've had three different RSL guests with three different messaging, and you know, three different messages about this.

It was kind of funny because.

Pablo joined the show, and I always complain when RSL sells great players that they've developed, like why can't they play for us? I understand the economic value Andres Gomez proof of concept twelve thirteen million, you know, goes over to I get it, But like Diego is the guy that I do not want to see go anywhere he's so bright and he's so young. So Pablo hops on the show and he's like, hey, we're not looking to

But it does appear.

With Steve Stark's and the Miller family now running things, there might be a bit of a paradigm shift where if we develop some of these young players through the academy and they turn out to be good players for the senior team, maybe they'll be around here for the long at least that's my hope.

Yeah. I think that paradigm shift you're talking about has something to do with what we talked about at the beginning of this whole thing, and that is they understand how hard it is to convince people this is a great place to be right and so internationally it's a little bit less of an issue because coming to America such a culture shock there's playing in the MLS is

Well, and talk about proof of concept.

I know the Jazz never want a champion ship under the Miller regime, but they were more often than not really good and really competitive.

We got spoiled, we did, we did.

Were we going to talk about Jake?

Oh, we're getting there. Yeah, we're getting there. I'm keeping about ten minutes. I figured we end with that, so let's move over. Now.

We were talking about, you know, football tribalism and when a story like this surfaces. And let me just say this right off the bat, I've never loved covering honor code violations at BYU. I don't really love discussing it like I just think it's weird societally where people are obsessed with who other people are sleeping with.

It's never been like a thing for me.

I look at the honor code as team rules. So like when a coach talks about somebody being it happens in every program they broke team rules or whatever. So the honor code is just a probably more strict than most team rules and more personal, right, it feels more personal?

Yeah, you know, yeah, for sure.

Those are the things that were that make us uncomfortable.

So for our listener's frame of reference, Jake Rhetz Laugh had the civil suit filed a few months ago, and our friends of the Tribune have done a good job with this, uh, and the civil lawsuit was dropped.

It has been dismissed.

Excuse me, probably a settlement, you know, I think it's okay to say.

That out loud.

I have no idea, but that would be my guess. And then Jake has elected according to the Tribune. According to Kyle Bonneger and Pete Thamil from ESPN, Jake has elected to transfer because he's facing a seven game suspension.

And all of these things are reports there. Nothing is direct from that it is correct, and nothing is direct from school because under Tom Holmo, they used to announce when an honor code violation had occurred and what the punishment was. Yes, they wouldn't always tell you what happened, but he would know his honor code. So we would all be like, something has to do with sex or drinking, right, right, and then and that's a bad assumption because we don't

Yeah, and that's where we're at. That's what's happened.

You know.

I can remember when these things would kind of either publicly manifest themselves or there'd be rumors of what's happening behind the scenes. A lot of people that do the jobs that we do in media would cry that this thing needs to be changed. B YU needs to change the Honor Code. It is too punitive.

They're not going to do that, Okay.

I don't I don't ever think people shouldn't change their own you know, whatever their rules are exactly. I just want you to apply your rules fairly and consistently. Yes, that's always been my issue. I had one of the my only interest ever in the Honor Code was when it was applied more strictly or more punitively to women than to men. And that was a problem. But outside of that, like, you know what you're signing up for, I mean one hundred percent, I mean think about like

Do you think the weight of his response motivated her to try to come together and just get this thing figured out?

So?

Absolutely absolutely, Because here's the thing. Sexual assault victims don't report crimes because there is, as you said, there's this uncomfortability with reporting on on our code violations that have something to do with pre mariital sex. Imagine trying to report a crime that has something it's it's a crime, but it's also a personal violation that people still see as a purity or you know, a moral failing that this happened to you, right, And so there's so much

Yeah, right, I.

Everybody there were people who were critical and talking about how brutal it was and unfair. Look, Jake would make you the same argument. We don't know what he did. We don't know if we don't know who's telling the truth. So that's what the courts are for. But hashing out something like that is so emotionally painful, and it's going

No, it's good perspective, you know.

It was one of the reasons I always don't really enjoy cover ding honor code violations like this is it's a sports soccer radio show, so there is a sports angle to it, but it feels like it's so much more heavy, there's so much weight to it as opposed to like, all right, let's debate who the backup quarterback is and who's going to start. Like, No, there are very serious allegations that were alleged, and to your point, we don't know what's true and what isn't. That's not

That's the one that I remember them changing the policy.

And it's hard to say like they would have won the national championship because the NCAA tournament.

Is redifficult that way.

You just felt like, well, they were good.

He was so good, and Jimmer was full Jimmer at the time, and Brandon was a perfect compliment to him. And I can remember when that came down when Brandon was suspended for the nc Double Tournament. We had two factions. One faction was what are we doing here? We have a really good team, and the other faction was, no, this is who we are. And so I don't really know where to land with that. I wonder what you how you feel about the way a story like this with Jake looks for BYU in.

The athletic department.

Well, I think like, does it dissuade kids from wanting to go play football there?

Well, I mean it might disswade some kids for sure, And it might dissuade some kids from going there and thinking they can get away with it, right, And it might dissuade you from, you know, as a coach, it might dissuade you from recruiting certain types of people or you know, or how But I think Kloni Sataki is cut from that same cloth. This is who they are. They're not changing the honor code, and they're going to embrace the fact that everybody abides by the same rules.

Yeah they are.

Yeah, And now you see teams accommodating their Sunday play. You see people respecting the fact that they if you follow, all I'm saying is whatever your code of ethics is, just follow it, because I know programs who have a code of ethics, but they are quick to violate it if it's their star player. And nothing will teach you entitlement quicker than having a coach cut you some slack when they really should sit you on the bench.

Yeah. No, I think it's good perspective.

So ultimately, when you look at to your point, the spot BYU is in as an athletic department, they're in a very healthy spot. Because and I said this, my old producer Brady sent out a tweet because I'd forgotten that i'd said this when I said it. But about five years ago when Nil kind of started to become like, wait, this is going to be real, and then it became real about four years ago. Now, I said, if you're

I mean, I grew up in the Lovell years.

It was nineteen and two, I think over twenty one years, and then coach mac comes in and kind of evens it up a little bit. But two things, when Kyle said no to his alma mater and yes to Utah and Utah gets the PAC twelve invite, that sent Utah football kind of on this path where it was a generation of dominance in a way that I never thought

Right now.

Yeah, I think there were a few other things. And I'm going to give Tom Homo massive credit, as you should,

Right?

What are you sacrificing for? And so I felt like taking away not just the chance to win those conference titles, but get conference awards, you know, have those rivalries, like all the stuff that goes with it, the culture being creating this culture, right, I was like, I don't think they have notre Dame level culture.

And they don't, No one does.

But yeah, but I would say they have their own version of it. Whether it's less or not, it's still theirs. But the one thing that independence allowed Tom Holmo to do that I think was it led to this situation where in now, including the Big twelve invitation, was he could play during COVID yes, everybody else was subject to was subject to conference rules, and the PAC twelve shut down. They were all those West Coast schools were like, we're

It also helps that they're writing very big checks to attract talent.

No no, I think, no, listen, But I think that was it was like, look at this invest Look how well they look at these uptas. Right, So then you have these people who want to get on board with us. The nil thing comes out that next year. The settlement takes beers, but you know this is going to be

Yeah, that happens. That's our time. This is not a podcast. Unfortunately, we do have to break to keep the lights on. Amy, It's always great to see you. We'll see you soon, okay, Yeah, for sure, our friend Amy Donaldson from case we've missed her, it's been too long.

ESPN seven hundred.

Welcome is Maroon five to the Delta Center coming up on October the twenty fifth Tickets go on sale on June twenty seventh. Well, anybody who thought the Memphis Grizzlies we're breaking it all.

Down is not correct.

Jaron Jackson Junior five years, two hundred and forty million dollars, an extension to stay with Memphis. Free agency and pro basketball began today. The Jazz made a couple of minor transactions will tell you about.

Let's do a little RSL.

The team's been playing better, man, turn around a little bit.

We got four points in the past two games.

We've got a really busy July, both on and off the field, and always fun to catch up with our guy Kurt Schmidt on a Monday afternoon. Kurt, Happy Monday, man.

How are we doing doing well?

Man?

How are you?

I'm well, I'm well.

So do you feel like the past couple of matches you guys have played better or things just kind of evening evening out. You just kind of continue to do what you do and you're actually getting some uh some some better luck.

I guess is how I'll put that.

No, I do.

I do think we're playing a bit better. The guys are playing with a little more confidence. Yeah, I think it's I think it is getting better now.

Johnny Russell Kurt, uh.

You know, we've talked a lot about his pedigree in Major League Soccer and then the story where he just didn't have a club for a minute and you guys were able to grab him. And every week I check in with Pablo when he joined the show.

How's it going. Is he getting fit?

Is he getting acclimated and now we've got.

A couple of straight games where he's been able to tally a goal.

What do you what are you seeing from your your one of the acquisitions you made from.

Sporting k C.

Yeah, I think he just adds a bit of quality and experience to the front line that that we didn't really have. You know, we were pretty young in the attack right now, and he's obviously a guy who's been around the block, who knows the league well. He has a bit of calm employees and in those critical moments, you know, and yeah, like his fitness is still coming along as match fitness. You know, he played a half

I can't imagine what that must feel like.

I mean, I'm sure he has a lot of different emotions about Sporting k C because it was home for so long, and also from what I understand, the end wasn't what he was preferring.

But what what do you what do you think that was?

Like?

Man going up there and scoring in front of those those fans where he used to play at such a high level.

I mean, I don't think guys, guys who play at this level ever feel bad about scoring a goal, no matter who they're playing for or who they're playing again. So it was respectful. I think how he you know, how he celebrated after the fact, and you know, didn't want to, didn't want to insult the fans there. But yeah, I never never seen a professional at that level be sorry about scoring a goal against anybody, So I'm sure he enjoyed it just fine.

I thought it was a really cool moment.

So if we panned back just away from Johnny and I'll just give you the space, how do you feel like you guys have been able to keep the ship aflow with Diego, with the with the national team in the attack, who do you feel like you stepped up?

I think the last couple of games, I think Jogo stepped into the void and added some quality minutes. Obviously, Johnny, with the production the last two games, has has shipped in and helped us. You know, obviously Gozo's continued to grow into the role more and more as a young player, and you know he still needs that that common poison in the final third. But I mean, the guy works so hard that that's not a question of if that comes,

Slack since we brought up Diego. Of course, he is with the national team for the Gold Cup experience and continues to be a real bridespot.

Kurt.

I wonder what your impressions have been as you've watched him play throughout this tournament.

I think he's been fantastic for them, you know. And again, I think we talked about this in the past, but he's got something just a little bit different, I think than the normal cast of characters in the national team has, which is the responsibility to carry the team, to know,

I honestly do not even know the answer to this question, hence why I'm asking you. But I've never even it's never really dawned on me. How How connected are you guys to Diego when he's with the national team?

Are you calling?

Are you checking in his Pablo calling? What's that dynamic like when he's away?

Yeah, a little a little bit of everything. Obviously, you know he's with them, and he's busy, and they you know, they're they're playing, you know, in tournament soccer, they're playing games every few days, so there's not a ton of downtime to just chat with them. You know, I don't know how much Pombo spoken with them. I've checked in with him a few times, and you know, seems like he's enjoying the experience.

I do wonder what the hope is as far as and maybe a lot of this is intangible, because I would imagine just playing on the stage with the national team, getting starts, getting minutes, being able to provide services and provide dangerous chances and scoring chances. I would imagine the intangibles, you know, things like confidence. But Diego doesn't lack confidence at all. I just wonder what sort of you know, from the club perspective when you're players with the country.

Yeah, I mean confidence is a big part of it. Anytime you're playing well, no matter what team you're playing for, no matter what competition it's in, it gives you confidence to carry into the next game, wherever that may be. I think part of it is also as you step up in levels you know in the game, whether it's obviously from youth to professional to you know, college, however, you want to graduate those levels. You know, speed of play,

I certainly have not done the research on this.

I'm sure our guy Gerald knows, but I don't recall a mid season month in my history being around this club where you on the we had two matches. I understand their scheduling stuff with some of the other cups, a lot of cups got to keep track of all the cups. What's it like from a front office perspective when you have an entire month with only two games?

Yeah, the I mean the players had a mandatory break in there as well, so they hopefully got to refresh themselves a bit and get the refocus now on the second half of the season. You know, from our standpoint, I think it's it was. It was maybe good for us and where we were at now. I I whenever we don't get the result we want, you know, I always want the next game to be as soon as possible, right You want to get that taste out of your

And Pablo dropped some math on us last week as far as you know, points per game at home what you need to get over the line that he believes you need to get over to make the postseason. But if I'm looking at this right, it looks like you've got seven of the next eight games at home, with only a trip to Portland up to Providence Park in between a bunch of home matches. I mean, obviously, Kurt,

Yeah, Look, I think we've got to do what we did in June, right and maximize our points at home and collect some points on the road when we go there and make sure that we're tough to beat. We're still you know, we're still at a stage where we can we can do that and get there, and I think the confidence of the group and the optimism within the group is appropriate to that.

Now.

You know, again, we've got a chunk of games at home, like you said, and it's always there's something psychological about that, right, that's a little bit different on the road, whether it's confidence or comfort or whatever it might be. But the boys know what they need to do here in our home stadium, all right.

So the secondary summer transfer window opens July the twenty fourth, Kurt, Just in case you didn't know that, I'm letting you know, so July the twenty fourth. I've never asked you this question before, and maybe there's nothing here. What's the main difference between the primary transfer window and the secondary transfer window? Are there different mechanisms dad to the group or is it just like all right, these are just the two windows and essentially it's the same thing.

I mean, there's there's no like rules, regulations. I guess that really differ greatly between them. I think the big difference for us is the given the timing of our season being offset to the European calendar, is the summer window is sometimes the bigger window. There's a larger pool

Are you allowed again, I honestly just don't know, because I'm juxtaposing this to other sports where you're not supposed to talk to players or it's tampering if they're under contract, or you know, you can't make contract offers unless it's in a certain time, or else you could get doc draft picks during the moments on the calendar, during the stretches on the calendar where neither the primary or secondary window are open. Are you allowed to contact players and agents and negotiate.

Yeah, you're you're allowed to make those approaches and obviously negotiate those deals, and you'll see teams and now and steals,

Gotcha, all right?

So safe to say you currently are in contact and negotiating with potential additions for the secondary window this summer.

Safe to say, safe to say correct.

Okay, what are the priorities?

What are we prioritizing and do you have a loose idea of when we could actually hear announcements of additions on the way.

I do not have a loose idea for you. I'll leave that to Gerald as far as the Mounts sense. But no, look, I think we're looking for some help in the attack, but we're also looking to add a little bit of experience to the team. We're a young team, so adding you know, obviously we did that with Johnny, but adding another veteran piece I think could help us, help solidify us a little bit. So we're looking and

Do you feel like you are close to deals?

Do you feel like you have targets you have identified and the conversations are progressing where you feel confident that you're going to get a couple across the line.

Yeah, I mean maybe I'm cynical or pessimistic, so I won't ever say I feel good until the deal is actually done. But no, we're we're progressing on a few different fronts, and you know, nothing's nothing signed yet, obviously, but I think we're we're getting closer and closer.

You do have a new ownership group.

I wonder what sort of messaging comes from them to you about how you'll approach this window. That's different maybe than past owners that you've.

Worked with, I mean against. I don't know if it's different, but obviously they've been very supportive, and honestly, the messaging from them is just you know, it sounds obvious, right, but be good when you know, improve the team, and you know there's not I know there's been a lot of stuff in the in the marketplace about you know,

It's it's interesting, Kurt, to consider just the background of the Miller family and their longtime stewardship over the Utah Jazz and the fact that they do come from the world of pro basketball. And I will admit, I mean I when I started learning about soccer and MLS and roster construction and different mechanisms. It's almost like learning a different language. It there aren't a ton I mean, look, talent identification, negotiation, there are evergreen trades to building teams.

And other sports.

But soccer is just a lot different than basketball. I wonder what sort of dynamic that's brought as far as the Millers needing to learn what MLS is, what soccer is, you know, as opposed to you know how they have made a name for themselves, and that is owning a pro basketball team and doing it at a very high level.

For a long time.

Yeah, I mean, look, the numbers are certainly different, you know, smaller often with MLS relative to you know, some of the other big sports in the in in this country, NBA obviously, you know, NFL, whatever might be MLB. But but apart from that, I think one of the biggest, the biggest thing for someone new to the game draft Their head around is often just the source of players, where you know, in those other sports, your your source of players is so domestic. The draft is so important.

Tell me about Saint Louis. I just had the standings pulled up. They're beneath you, and the standings fifteen points, three eleven and six minus twelve goal differential. I know we're supposed to say all these teams are dangerous, Kurt, but it's getting to the point of the season where a team but below you on the table rolls into your building.

You need to get go, get all three. So what do they do well? How do you? How do you get it done? Coming up this weekend?

Yeah, all these teams are dangerous since but not to rehash the cliches, but you know, any team that we play below us, above us, you know, other conference doesn't matter. You know, we need to get the three points at home. They're below is, but they started out rough and they've made a coaching change that's given a few guys a new lease on life. Who are who are playing at a different level lately. So it's it's just you know, yeah,

Last thing before I said you lose, we had Tony hop on last week. It was really fun to learn about these U sixteen kids who have set history.

They've made history.

They became the first club to win Generation Adidas and MLS Next Cup. And look, most of the attention, of course is on the senior team. That's who people pay to go see, That's who people know. But if you can continue to develop these young players at this level, it will only pay dividends for you down the road. So last thing BEFOREY said you lose, provide a little color and context to what this accomplishment means and your thoughts on this academy squad.

I think it's just a testament to the boys and the work they put in, and obviously the work that the staff has put in, you know, from obviously Tony, you know Jordan, those guys have done a great job with those teams. The recruitment side, you know, John Spencer, Matt Hayes, those guys have done a great job of bringing the talent in and just the dedication that all those guys and people that I'm you know, I'm not

All right, my man, well, I appreciate the time.

Congrats on a couple of good results, and go get it done this weekend.

All right, all right, thanks kurch Schmidt.

Kurch Schmid. RSL will be back in action.

A light schedule for them in June that only included two matches.

Uh.

They beat DC United to nil and then went up to Case and got a draw one one.

Saint Louis is in town coming up this weekend.

Then it will be Houston, a quick roady to Portland and then home games against Cincinnati San Jose.

Uh.

In addition, oh then there it's the uh the Week's Cup. A lot of cups, a lot of cups in the Sport League's cut, A bunch of games at home. Though for ourself, if you didn't get a chance to get out and to see him in June, you'll have a lot of opportunities. Now that July is here, we're about to turn our calendar to July tomorrow. Look, Karen Carpenter is a boys straight from God. I'm not knocking on her, but what this is such a depressing, sad way to end an otherwise energetic, fun radio show.

What are we doing here?

I think my take on sad songs like this, uh huh, it's a Monday song. It's the main thing. My take on sad songs like this as they you know, they actually make you feel better, right because you're singing about rainy days and mondays.

Okay, but you're you know, you're creating some art.

So it's yeah, there's a lot of sad songs, but they're not necessarily sad on their face, So I don't think.

It's like a healthy, energetic artistic expression.

You're getting the sad out by using words and melodies, all right?

Is that fair? Yeah?

No, I see the logic. It just really is such a sad, depressing song. But maybe we're exercising some demons. I am ready to go home.

And go to bed.

Your boy had a little bit of a aggressively exciting weekend.

Yeah, I mean, listen, I had a buddy's wedding this weekend.

Nice, I get it. I get it. I also had a long weekend, a lot of golf, a lot of sun, and now it's time for some sleep.

I mean.

And we've been working together long enough.

You know, when I do the Portland thing, the flight lands like twenty minutes.

Before the show starts. I'll just say you miss cross talk.

I know.

I got here for the very end, but we only did like thirty seconds of it because I wasn't sure if I was going to get here by two. We sat on the tarmac. I was very patient and kind and respectful, as you would expect from somebody like me.

I had to wait for the I love sitting on the tarmac. By the way, There's.

Nothing worse, dude, There's nothing worse when you're looking around like what are we doing here? So I had to land scramble get to the show. Luckily, free agency the story with Ret's laugh and BYU there's a lot of stuff to get to. What's your take on this stuff? Down in provo with Jake and how this kind of has all gone down. I haven't got your thoughts on this today.

I mean, obviously not a fun situation to cover. Like you, it's the last thing in sports that I care to cover in that way. Right on our code stuff, it takes on a new and different tone right when there's assault allegations and the like. So that is obviously first and foremost the focus of the situation is getting the facts out, getting the.

The specifics out.

Now, the funny thing there is we may never know because what was figured out today Spence, is that not only has the suit been dropped or dismissed, it was a joint dismissal. Right, so Jake and the accuser together filed a dismissal, a joint dismissal, meaning yeah, as you alluded to, there's probably some sort of settlement behind the scenes in some form. We won't know whatever happened there.

Yeah, I think that's well said.

All right, before we say good night, The Denver Nuggets are making some moves.

Michael Porter Junior, an.

Unprotected twenty thirty two first round pick that's always risky, goes to the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Johnson who I really like a lot is now at Denver. Nugget and Denver just brought back Bruce Brown, who played really well for them when they won the championship in twenty twenty three. Great off ball cutter, he's great with Jokic. I like what Denver's done. There's a lot going on. Jazz trade Colin Sexton a Charlotte. They buy out Jordan Clarkson, guarantee

On a Tuesday edition of the show.

On a Tuesday edition of The Drive, we'll discuss what we just did a little bit more in depth with our friend Kyle Bonnagura. Of course, offseason football and the latest on the drama in Provo. Tim McMahon stops by for your NBA Daily Assist, and it's going to be a heavy hoops show from there on out. Smitty in studio for an entire hour, and then the afore mentioned Sarah Todd, whose reporting has been on point over the last several days and the last week in Jazz and

Very nice, that'll be a fun Tuesday show. Join us for that special Thank you today to Tim Bontems, Tom Haberstrow, Amy Donaldson and Kurt Schmid for to the sound you may have missed from the show. Website is ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. Make sure to download our mobile app and take us on the go. The ESPN seven hundred up is available in the App Store in the Google play Store. And then, finally, for what we do in our space every afternoon for four hours, check out our podcast page.

It's called The Drive with Spence. Check its. It's available wherever you get your shows.

Subscribe, rate, review sand Ie Things in the comments, give us all the stars of helps for porter. I'm Spence saying I have a great Monday evening. We'll talk to you on a Tuesday Drive as always. You can catch it right here on ESPN seven hundred ninety twe FFM. We are proud to be part of Utah's ESPN Radio network.