Next on the drive, Tim McMahon dropping dimes for your NBA daily assists.
Van McMahon, Van McMahon bat Is old Land, Texas flood as Sicke as Mudy's Man, Van McMahon, Van McMahon, the fan man.
The rain and the snow coming down rather heavily in Salt Lake this afternoon.
It is chilly, it is cold. Well, I'll tell you what. It's only gonna be hot downtown tonight. See what I did there.
League's Cup Baby, The NBA Cup starts tonight. Group play the Phoenix Suns are in town. An NBA Cup enthusiast and great overall guy and rider, Tim McMahon is our guest on a Tuesday.
Hello Tim, how are you, sir?
Howdy partner? I'm doing all right. I am outside looking over the bay here in San Francisco. Nice a little bit of a chillney air, but nice sunny day. Some boats in the water. None of that have Craig Thompson as captain. But here we go.
So you are in an area where there's actually an interesting game tonight. We'll get there in a moment. But before we start, what should our listeners know Tim about the newly branded NBA Cup.
Last year it was the playing tournament.
The group play starts tonight and the Suns are in town to play the Jazz.
The n season tournament last year, the play in tournament's a whole separate deal in season Jazz. After the Jazz have tried very hard to avoid the play in tournament the last couple of years. I don't think that'll be such a problem this year. I mean, you know, same concept, new courts, you know, new new sponsor, and what is it?
I mean a pronounce it.
To be honest with you, I think that might be right, Emirates Dan, I guess I didn't know how to pronounce it. Oh well, I'll tell you what by the end of this NBA Cup season, and I certainly will know. And so that's that's marketing doing it. It's best. But you know, hey, five hundred and grand on the line per player for teams that win the whole thame. But you know, I actually liked the concept because it does give a little something different during the season, but it's not completely outside
of the regular season. Obviously, until the championship game, all these games count towards the regular season standing, so you can't have teams just decide to kind of punt these.
It's funny though, because I mentioned or I was talking to one of the Magic staffers to day and they kind of mentioned they said, yeah, the one of the best things that happened for us last year was we didn't make it to Vegas in the season tourney, and their two replacement games or filling angel, well, you know whatever. The two games that you get they played the Trailblazers and the Jazz last year, and we're able to win
those was pretty signific. So it is a little confusing when you look at this at the schedule, whether for the whole league or just for teams, and there's kind of a gap of TBD there in the middle of December.
Yeah, and I don't care how much money you make. Five hundred K is not nothing.
But I wonder in your conversations throughout the league, players, coaches, front office exacts, is is there genuine excitement for this thing? Do they feel like it's being forced upon them? I mean, what's kind of the feeling around the NBA as far as how teams feel about the NBA Cup.
I haven't heard a lot of complaining about it. I don't know, if there's just a ton of excitement, you know, like five hundred grand in a trip to Vegas. I think all NBA players like both of those things, so they prefer to win it than not. But I don't get the sense of it's like something that I don't know that they're like circling these games on their calendars. Oh, these are NBA Cup games, and you know, there's been a whole lot of sextra motivation. But like I said, also,
I've not heard any any real complaint. There was some gripe in last year about the courts. You know, they're they're not quite as loud, but like, we'll see if there's issues as far as you know, the surface, well you know what they're slipping and those sorts of things. But honestly, those are the only complaints that I heard was that the courts from the courts were most slippery last year.
Okay, well, I mean, I mean, look, the bottom line is and we'll move on from the NBA Cup after this. Like this is something that pro basketball, in my opinion, has always been very good at, and that is being willing to look at dynamics and try new things and see if they stick. And this is essentially isn't this
Adams baby. Isn't this Adam Silver's thing? Like, this is one of the things that he kind of talked about very early on as really a copy of the European soccer model, the FA Cup and such, which I know you're a big fan of. But this is to me, this is one cool Well, it's one of the cool things about the NBA. They're willing to kind of try these different things and kind of see if they work.
No, this is definitely an Adam Silver creation. I felt the courts last year actually were a very sharp marketing tactic because hey, it got people. Those courts got people talking about the NBA during the middle of football season, and that's not always the easiest thing to do. And then you know last year, uh, the semi finals and finals were rating success and for being honest though, they also got extremely and there was a success in terms
of like the arena being full of all that. They got extremely lucky that the Lakers just happened to win the first one of these. And you know, if the Lakers don't make it, and it's you know, the Phoenix Suns, they're the Denver Nuggets. I think it could be a very different field this year, but we'll see.
So let's move over, excuse me, let's move over to where you're at tonight bike ride with Balkan music.
Tim.
I didn't expect to wake up and see Tim McMahon's story referencing Balkan music, and you wrote about Clay and Clay is back in the Bay to see the Warriors for the first time. So we'll get to the jazz in a minute. But this is far more interesting for basketball fans. Uh, tell us about, you know, kind of the story you wrote, and then ultimately where Clay's head is at as he gets gets ready to play his old team tonight in the bag.
Yeahs a Dallas based NBA writer. I've actually become pretty familiar with Balkan music. I'm a guy, you know, Luca likes his Balkan music. And when he comes out to warm up, that's what's playing on the American Airlines Center. It's about five minutes into Clay Tompson the warm luft, So, you know, just kind of an example of adjustment to Clay's making. He does he did not bring a boat to Dallas. You know, he doesn't have a boat. Doctor
one of the lakes. He takes his you know, he goes on the occasional bike rides to get a little look at the water. But that's that. And you know, since I really get from Clay, I talked to him a little while for that story and just kind of haven't been around him so far this season. Is he does not want everything to be about him being the former Warrior Klay Thompson. You know, he wants it to be about a starter for a team that thinks it
can be a contender. He's very focused on now and like you know that a night in Dipver, he was asked about, hey, you know what, you know, what does this mean for you? And he basically he said, I just to it's you know, it'd be cool to see people, but it's really just another regular season game November. And then he kind of admitted, Okay, you know there's a little something extra here. It's an NBA Cup opener. I mean, like come on. So he's really trying to put you know,
put up the stoic face. Didn't talk to media after practice here yesterday or after shoot around, like he's trying not to feed into all the pomp and circumstances, and there's going to be a lot of it. You know, they've got these Captain Clay Adams are given out. Steph Curry is going to make a speech at the mid court and they're all gonna, you know, tip their caps
to them, like the whole crowd. There's gonna be a video and the people with the Warriors that obviously know Clay very welcome over the year, they think he'll crack. They think Clay is going to shed a tear, but it is certainly his goal to just be focused on hoopon tonight and you know, we'll see how that goes.
And this is always interesting to me because look, I mean, he won four rings there and he went from you know, a late lottery maybe a decent spot up shooter to one of potentially, not potentially, one of the greatest shooters the game's ever seen. Like when Clay Thompson is in Springfield, he will have a Warrior jersey on, there's.
No doubt about it.
But ultimately, you know, you heard rumors like, well maybe the Warriors are still interested in running it back one more time and until Steph decides he's done with Clay, Clay comes back and then you heard, you know, his dad made these comments about wanting him to be a Laker, and we know that that's where Clay grew up. Ultimately, what landed Clay Thompson on Dallas him.
Well, Clay decided that he was going to go ahead and be the one who called at his time and the Bay was done. And look, they had the extension talks before last season. Two years forty seven million was what was being discussed. Whether it was put on the table or not, I guess kind of depends on who you asked, But it wasn't the deal that he was going to take. You know, Draymond got four years, one hundred.
He didn't feel like they were making the same kind of commitment to him that they had to Draymond that they had even to Andrew Wiggins. So last year there's like this black cloud hoping over in the whole time, he felt the weight of knowing in his heart it was probably going to be his last year. And then I think there was a little crack there and then they prioritized trying to get like a Paul George signed trade downe his bas like, if I'm not the priority,
I'm out. And then for him, it became okay, where do I have the best chance to win a championship? And he felt like, especially watching the Mavericks in the finals, where their lack of three point shooting alongside their stars really bit him the butt, he felt like he'd come and be kind of that, you know, that last piece that the Mavericks needed, and we'll see how that goes. But he does not want to be a chem Olajuan
in a Toronto Raptors uniform, right. He wants this last chapter of his career to be meaningful, to be competitive, and he thought Dallas was the best spot for him do that.
So drawing any conclusion of this league after ten games as a fool's errand but Dallas, after going to the finals last year and a lot of people's picked to potentially represent the West again. Oka, see just lost chat. We'll get there in a moment. But they are five and five, they're five hundred. So how's the clay experience God, so far in Dallas.
You know, it started out really well. I mean he really shot at one the first few games. It's been a little bit bumpy since then, you know, like you said to me, jerk after ten games, would be a little bit silly, and but the simple fact of the matter is we've yet to see Luca play at the level that we're accustomed to from him, which is, you know, firmly in the MVP conversation, he's not been that guy. And you know, when Luke's playing at that level, everything
else looks a whole lot better. And so I think if you talk about what's not been right with the Mavericks, I think you start with lucas you have to play, you know, to the standard that he has set. And then you know, they're five and five. Now, Derek Lively missed the last four games of US. Three of those four. He's back tonight. That's another major piece, you know. I guess I'm spending a whole lot of word to here to say that I think Madix will very much be in the thick of things come April.
Yeah, and I agree with that.
I mean, Luca is just too good and I'm sure will coast and then he's turn it on, you know the way that we've seen him.
Do they They do see a warrior team tim.
At the start of the year eight and two, and they have the second best net in the West and Steve is playing like twelve dudes every night. What has Golden State figured out early on on what's Dallas up against tonight?
Well, and you know the amazing thing is they did that with Stepness in a handful of games. You know, when he had the I forgot what fancied term they use for the ankle area, but you know he had that entry. Man, Like, you got to give Mike Dunley some credit for the way that they kind of pivoted this offseason. You know, no one claims out the door, and they weren't able to get the Paul Georges thinged. Obviously, they're they're conversations with the Jazz bet Larry markin and
never really picked up any kind of steam. But to bring in Buddy Heald, who's been absolutely phenomenal for them, you know, Dancy Milton when he's healthy, really helps them. Kyle Anderson has been a contributor. And then look when Draymond was on the court last year, the Warriors were pretty damn good. He just because of his own stupidity,
missed a bunch of games last year. And so you know, I don't know if I think it's a little bit early to say that the Warriors will be contenders in the West, but I don't think we can mole out that possibility.
Yeah, and again super early.
All right, let's start with the opponent tonight for the Jazz as the Sun's roll into town playing good basketball too. But Durant I think is out. He's definitely out tonight. I think he's out for a couple of weeks with the cap strain. Yeah, so obviously that changes who they are. But what should Jazz fans know? Because these days a lot of fans are going to the arena to watch the other team, which I get.
So what are we going to see tonight in the Phoenix Suns.
Yeah, and obviously no, KD is a bummer. And you know, that was a weird one because he actually strained that in the fourth quarter and there in Dallas. I was at the game, I was in the Sun's locker room. Atterwards, I talked to KD. He didn't get extra treatment. He was in good spirits, who wasn't limping around And the next thing you know, he's out for at least a couple of weeks. So I guess there was a little soreness and then an acted up on him. The next
day and they got it checked out. But look, they still have two MAX players obviously, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. And Booker is another guy was off to a slow start by his stainders. At some point, you know, he's going to have one of these nights where you know, he's sixteen to twenty two or whatever, and you know, we've seen Booker getting these crazy shot making grooves. You know, I don't I don't know if jazz fans do or do not hope that that it's at the expense of
the jazz at this point. It's so kind of a confusing time as far as that goes. And you know what, the other thing that they that's interesting about Phoenix is Roy O'Neill's playing extremely well, and obviously that's the guy that jazz fans know quite well. He's really settled into a nice role for them by shooting the ball extremely well.
You know, he's playing solid defenses. He's done for years, and they love this rookie Ryan Dunn, who was considered a phenomenal defensive prospect who could not shoot to save his life. He set the ball pretty damn well so far in the NBA. You know, you can see the work he's put in this summer. So, yeah, the Suns are an interesting team. I kind of put them in the same group of the Warriors of too early to call them contenders. And they you know, they only win
clutch games. They don't blow anybody out, but they're off the heck of a start.
Well, the how Utah Jazz have won two of three games tim, so you know, ultimately let's lean into that. And without being facetious, I do think with a group of really really young players and a head coach who I'm sure every night feels like he's walking into a gym completely up against it, well, I have no issue if they lose every game, because I understand what's going on. I get what time it is, and I understand the uh,
you know, the necessity of the pain. I do think experiencing some success here or there kind of put some wind in these young players' sales. At least there's that.
Yeah, No, I think you can't. I mean, you really don't want to have like double figure losing streaks and like you didn't, especially to start the season. You want to be oh in you know, eleven or twelve or fifteen or just whatever, just because that is such a weight and it I think it has a major negative impact on development when there's that level of misery, when you feel like there's no reward for all the work
that's being put in. And so, look, we understand the Jazz aren't going to win a lot of games this year, but you know, you don't want it to be a fourteen win season, and you want to see, you know, these young players. You want to see proof that what they're doing is paying off. You want to see development. You know, you want to see progress, and so you know, to be able to pull out a couple of wins and again, I you know they're going to be very much in the mix for the number one overall pick.
We all understand that, and frankly that's the plan, but that does completely bottom out to do that.
Now, I like you just kind of see to the draft guys as far as who these players are. So I know you don't cover the draft yourself, but we are going to revisit this throughout the course of the season because college basketball has tipped off. It's now here and obviously Cooper flag is playing for Duke, So we're going to be like the funnest things now as a Jazz fan is just to check mock drafts and a lot of them have the Jazz is one of the top two picks. Like Gavoni released his stuff today, So
just I know you're not a scout. Tell our listeners though, what you are hearing about the type of pro Cooper Flag could be.
Yeah, backs for home. My colleague had a really good story on Cooper Flag yesterday and I learned that I'm pretty sure I played against Cooper Flag's main AAU coach when I was in high school. Wow, I was That was one of the major things that took from that.
I don't know that anybody else cares necessarily, but like the question with Cooper Flag is is he going to be a guy who could be a primary score Because as far as everything else goes, like, dude, this is going to He's a six foot nine, multi position, high intensity, high level defensive player. You're going to see it like you know, this is the guy he's going to have.
He's going to be a five x five threat because he's going to block shots, he's going to get He's a phenomenal pass We've got that kind of feel he's a super athlete. I think the ability to create shots and kind of the overall shooting that those are the questions. But you know, again, so I don't know if he's going to be like a number one offensive option, but he's going to be a guy who can help you win games in a whole lot of different ways.
All Right, before I say you loose, I got to get your take on what Chet's injury means for OKAC. I mean, Shay just went for forty five and the first game without him, and they're still really deep, and I'm sure they're going to tread water, and it looks like he'll be reevaluated in ten to twelve weeks. So maybe it isn't catastrophic. But they were off to such a fun not just a successful start, fun start, fun team to watch at nine to two, and Chat's going to be out for a while.
What do you think this means for OKAC?
I mean, they were off to a dominant start, and they were the best defensive team that we have seen in a while, you know, in several years in the NBA. And you know, Chat was to me the early front n to be defensive player of the Year. Certainly on the paths being an All Star, but they're gonna win plenty of games about him. They've had to kind of get through these next whatever. It's going to be two or three weeks before Hartenstein's are ready to make his
Thunder debut. He's still recovering from that hand that he broke in their preseason finale. And obviously then you know they won't have to play small as they are right now. But I think Chet is expected to be back, you know, well before the playoffs. Really what this does, though, is they're pushing back the entire experimental timetable as far as do Chet and hart and signing. How much would they play together, what's the rotation look like? How much of
their minute staggered? Those guys aren't going to play together at all until you know, I don't know, probably maybe the All Star breaks sometime around there, and so you know that's the big splumer. I still think if you're asking me who who would I bet on being the number one seed in the West Conference, I still would pick Oklahoma City. I just wouldn't be as confident, obviously as I was before show went down.
All right, Tim, thanks for the time, man, Enjoy that game should be a fun atmosphere.
And we'll chat soon.
I appreciate it, brother, All Right.
To McMahon covers the NBA for ESPN. He is the Jazz reporter for ESPN.
He's out here quite a bit when the Jazz are a serious team, which they're not right now. He's on Twitter at ESPN on Underscore McMahon. Klay Thompson is back in the Bay Area to take on the Warriors. The Jazz welcome in the Phoenix Suns. So the injury report as of now we know Durant is out. Looks like Keyante is a game time decision, but expected to play. Walker Kessler on the injury report I have right now
is listed as out. The last game we saw Walker did play nineteen minutes against San Antonio, got the start, had to leave, so I haven't heard anything official there. I'm just trying to figure out who would start tonight if Walker's not going to play. Last game, it was marketing, Cody Williams, Walker Kessler, Sex and Isaiah Callier. My guess is Caller goes to the bench with Keyante back, and I guess John Collins is your starting center unless will
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