May 3, 2024 • 41 mins
Colin reacts to breaking NBA news with the Lakers firing head coach Darvin Ham and insider Ric Bucher joins the show to share who LA is targeting to coach LeBron James
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, our three live in LA. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Getting ready for
a weekend. You're gonna see the dogs this weekend? Right,
some ATVs hang out ATVs.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I guess I gotta be ready to be the starter
on Monday.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Huh, going out and having a good time.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
No alcohol with the Ahvs.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
No, that's a This weekend is what's the schedule? What's
on the MAVs Clippers tonight right in Dallas. I'll watch that.
I already got Tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Saturday is Denver, Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I watch that for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Oh, don't forget.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
About Orlando Cleveland tonight to be able to get to
that one. And the Sunday is if there's game seven,
there'll be Sunday, all right, So I guess the Celtics series.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Doesn't open up. I'm sorry, Nick's Pacers opens on Monday.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
That's a bummer Sunday, basically basically tonight you're getting MAVs Clippers,
and tomorrow night Denver. See if in my world all
these series would be three games until the finals, you
would have to watch Denver Minnesota Saturday. I don't I will,
but you don't have.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
To do in a sad how By the way, how do
you handicap that one?
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I so many people say Minnesota in the series that
it's almost like, I think Denver.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Seating where's that Denver? Okay, So I think it's Denver.
I wouldn't be shocked if this goes seven. I think
it's gonna be a really interesting series. I'll take I'll
take I know, I'll take Denver in six. But I
think it's really interesting. I think they're gonna have some
trouble defending edwards, and I don't I don't think they're
gonna shoot as high a percentage around the rim. I mean,
(02:12):
Minnesota's just they're they're a problem. They just they have
just huge team.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, number one defense in the league for much of
the season, you.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Know, Yeah, seventy six ers eliminated last night at home.
When it comes down to this, a school just down
the road in Philly played a major role in ending
Phillies season.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
There was a sense that like old guys didn't like
to play for him. Tibbs was rough. Uh, it was
just a little bit too much. But this team is
young randalls out. It's a bunch of guys with a
chip on their shoulder that have been overlooked. De Vincenzos
on his fourth team. Josh Hart went to the grout.
I think he was a Lakers G League team at one,
(03:03):
but he's on his fourth team. Jalen Brunson Dallas shipped
him out second rounder. So what you're getting is the
rare New York team and the rare NBA team that
in a very weak Eastern Conference looks like they could
get to the Eastern Conference finals with a bunch of
like b guys Villanova guys. And I think one of
the things that's cool of all the great college basketball
(03:26):
programs in the country, of all the great programs. There's
only one program that you can use a term like this,
Villanova guys. And when you say Villanova guys, everybody understands
what you're talking about. In the NBA, you know Kentucky guys.
Basically you think one and done guys, some hit, some miss,
(03:47):
very fewer leaders. They're really good talented players, but very
few Kentucky guys I feel like are Bedrock foundational leader guys.
There's really talented guys, But you say Villanova, Villanova guys,
everybody in the league no. What you're talking about, smart, resourceful,
work hard, can fit with anybody. And what makes New
York interesting is that I think Tibbs would wear out
(04:11):
like Milwaukee's roster Dame and Brook Lopez and Jannis and
stars and older players, or the Phoenix roster with Tibbs,
where you've got Bradley Beal's been around, and Devin Booker
and KD has been around. I don't think Tibbs. I
don't think Tibbs necessarily works in every locker room. I
think he really works here and the Knicks are showing
(04:33):
that the one thing that is undervalued in the NBA.
And I have been on this for years is college basketball.
Adam Silver years ago just decided college basketball is the enemy,
and let's get all our guys aau G league. I like,
(04:54):
Steph Curry went to college, and Draymond Green was a
great long term college and all these guys a went
to college. And even the Kentucky guys who go for
an hour and come into the league, they're never really leaders.
They're very rarely their leaders. They're just super talented guys.
John Wall was really talented. Anthony Davis is really talented.
I'm not denying that, but I like, if you look
(05:16):
at the history of the NBA, most of your great teams,
even in this day and age, as college guys. I mean,
the Warriors are all college guys. Played Thompson, Draymond Green,
Steph Curry. It's a lot of college guys. San Antonio, like,
guys who had been in international basketball are gone to college.
So this idea of like, and I think Adam Silver
(05:38):
made a big mistake. I mean, all you have to
do is look at Caitlin Clark. Look at what Caitlin
Clark did. Women's basketball. It's not the Dunking League. It's
not as dynamic women's basketball. Kitlyn Clark. I believe will
change the WNBA and that the NBA has had this
position that, yeah, we're we're not got into the college
(06:00):
basketball college basketball bad. If you told me today, I
could stay in college for two years and get nil
money or go to G League and make a little
more money, You're gonna get way better coaching in college basketball,
and you're also going to get good marketing. Nobody watches
the G League. Everybody watches Mark's badness. I would stay
in college. So I think I like Adam Silver. I
think it was a big mistake to do that. And
(06:24):
I think you're seeing the Knicks are so likable because
they're college kids from Villanova. All Right, this story just broke.
The Lakers have officially parted ways with Darvin Ham. Just
broke seconds ago. Sources Tel Shams Sharonya, and Jovon Booja.
Apparently the candidates are Mike Budenholzer, who won a title
with Milwaukee and has twice one Coach of the Year,
(06:45):
Kenny Atkinson, JJ Reddick if he becomes available, Ty Lou
if he was available. So they have gotten of Darvin Ham.
What's interesting is I'm really surprised by this. Is a
week ago. The Lakers leaked it. The Lakers leaked it
out of a week ago that Darvin Ham was safe.
So the Lakers tried to get in front of this,
(07:06):
because a story only gets out if somebody wants it out.
So the Lakers tried to get ahead of this, and
they leaked a Darvin Ham is coming back and the
agents and Lebron came in and said, And I think
what Lebron said is I can go to Philadelphia. I
can go to a much better roster. I think that's
what That's my guess. What it came down to is
(07:28):
Lebron now can move and Lebron's like, I'm not coming
back for this. I think that's what happened that m
You don't go from the Lakers getting in front of it.
So he's fired and five six days later something happened.
And I think that happened is I'm not coming back
for this. That is my guess. By the way, Budenholzer
(07:51):
did a good job, although the knock on him if
you recall, he made some weird strategy situational moves. Very
Darvin hammish when he was in Milwaukee, where I can
remember there were a couple of moments in that series,
you're like, what is he doing? So again, get ready
if you hire Budenholzer for some strategy questions. I know
people that know Mike and think he's a great guy,
a really really nice guy. I think he's a good coach.
(08:15):
He's fine. JJ Reddick. That'd be weird Tylu Baumer's you
would not think Steve Steve Balmer would be embarrassed for
the Lakers. I mean they're paying They're paying seven million
dollars for Tylu. I don't think the Lakers will pay
that much for a coach. I just don't think they will.
(08:36):
How much do they owe Darvin Ham still? So they
signed him too, a four year contract I believe. So
they got ten million at least they owed Darvin Hammer
close to it. And Geenie Buss is one of the
poorest owners. She didn't want to pay somebody else six
seven eight million dollars. So Kenny Atkinson, that's the guy
in Golden State that used to be in Brooklyn, highly
(08:56):
thought of Kenny Atkinson, highly thought.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Of Anny Atkinson, you might recall, was run off by
Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn when Kenny Atkinson wouldn't play DeAndre Jordan,
who's Kyrie's guy.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Kyry said, you got to get up out of here, so.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
You know, let's just be honest. Outside of ty Loo,
there are questions about Bodenholzer strategy.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
We don't know if Tyler's available.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Let's be real. I don't think Steve Ballmer's highly competitive.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Lebron likes him, but money talks, right, you think Tyler's
leaving five miler on the table?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Come on and listen.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
You know I was banging on Darvingham most of the
season and the rotations and something, and you would laugh
at me, and it's weird. Now I almost feel bad
for the guy. They were so good in that Denver.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Series, Colin. They were right there too.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, but he substitution in the second quarter.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
It was most of the early fourth quarter, some of
those lineups losing the lead. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I feel a little bit bad for him, and my
Laker fans who are listening now are going to kill
me because I crush him on text chains.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I'm like, Darvin Ham is clueless. I don't. I feel
bad for the guy a little bit, call him.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I feel bad for anybody who gets fired. I feel well,
I feel less bad if you get nine million dollars
to walk out the door. But I don't want He's
married kids. I feel bad for anybody.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
He probably relocated his family out here from from Milwaukee,
and like, you know, two years later, he's dusted. This
JJ Reddick thing is gonna be Listen. You know I'm
pro Lebron. I'll defend him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It is really risky to be like, hey, be my
podcast partner.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Now, come coach the Lakers, and if they flame out
in the first or second round, who are you gonna blame?
Here's only one guy to blame, Lebron James. Don't blame Reddick.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You can't. He's absolved to blame. This is like a
chess match that Lebron's playing right now. Lebron dangerous.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Lebron what he does in these situations, he rises above it.
I don't know what happened. It's not my call. I mean,
this is Lebron's game plan, his playbook. But this was
the Lakers leaking a week ago. Darvin Ham's not going
to he's fired. Yeah, okay, and Lebron has options now,
doesn't have to re sign, so it's p and now
(11:02):
Lebron will get his people, his agent. Hey, Lebron doesn't
make the call here that you can't go from this
to that in a week without a call being made.
It's not like Genie Bus was like, he is coming back,
and then after two conversations she's like, my bad, he's terrible.
Like you don't go from that to that.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
So you made a great point about Kobe and Polenka.
Polenka was his former agent. I'm going to during the commercial,
I'm gonna look up the timeline of how that happened.
Did gd Buss let Kobehire's agent to be the GM No.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I think they'd work with Polenka so long that Genie
considered him almost family by association. And Genie likes that
and said, let's just bring him in house. I trust
him because she'd had so many negotiations on so many
things with Kobe that Rob had built this really nice
relationship with Genie and she's like, you know what, I
like him more than the other candidates, and I know him.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Or was there a Kobe Kobe likes him. I'm gonna
go elsewhere because you're right, Lebron.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Genie Bus probably called Lebron in the days after the season,
maybe Lebron's ghosting or.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I don't even think that happened, and I think I
think Lebron's people made a call again. It'd be one
thing if Genie Buss said a week ago, we're going
to we're gonna sit down and discuss Darvin Ham and
he's fired. You don't go from Darvin Ham is coming
back to let's get him out of here one of
the first guys fired. That's a phone call.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
And it's not like something happened right. There was no
incident that anybody's been aware of.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
They've got in a parking ticket about six a week
of those times.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
So this makes the Olympic recruiting more interesting. Forget about
bringing Lebron to your team, Golden State or whoever. Now
it's who's Lebron looking at on that Olympic team and
saying come out to La.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I'm running the show. Now, it's my show. I got
Darvin Ham out of here.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I don't think. I don't think other stars. If you're
a young star, you don't want Lebron's brand to overshadow yours.
Aunt Edwards doesn't wan.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
No, no, no no.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I'm talking about Kevin Durant specifically.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I don't think he'll play. No, that doesn't feel right,
Paul George, how about Lebron says this, Paul, you love La,
you don't have to move. I played seventy one games.
Kawhi couldn't show up for the playoffs. You think I'm
crazy on that? What do the Lakers need wing defenders?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It just feels very I.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Mean, I'm Lebron James. Hey, how's that hardened thing working out?
How is Kawi available tonight? You come over here? I'm
playing seventy one games. We got a rim defender.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
What if Lebron flips it on Curry and says, hey,
Curry's not you guys want to be sorry, not happening, Curry.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
It's a sinking ship there in Golden State. Why don't
you try to get the zero chance no shot?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
He is of their DNA. Now, Paul George is the
interesting one because Paul loves La and you just go
over to him and say, bro, I know you have
a cute new arena. Crypto's on the way back is
on fire. Just stan La come here.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Lebron feels like he's this shoot his shot guy. You
know you see this vague I think he's just like
I'm going in it doesn't I gotta.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Many the way, what does Lebron work well with shooters?
Lebron's always been great with guys who can score on
the wing. Kyrie could do it.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
J R.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Smith could do it, Battier could do it. Love could
do it.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
By the way, you think Lebron told Genie bus this week, Hey,
look at Kyrie dominating with the Mavericks.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
We sure could have used him. And I was against
that move. And I think you when.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Lebron James I go to Paul George, you tried to
go to a franchise to save him. Over here, we
win him. You tried to build something that's never happened.
We're trying to add to something another title that happens
all the time here. That's a pretty convincing sales job.
That's the difference between you're a football coach at Michigan
(14:51):
and you say, hey, you want to come to Michigan.
We win Natty's here, we win the Big Ten, or
you're at Purdue. Tell you what be the start of
something great here? Will you?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I would want to start something great, as I know
you would too.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No, I wouldn't. I'm lazy. Give me a big freebie,
get me a bunch of great players. I can just
mail it in. I'm telling you it's a pretty easy
sales job. How's that Clipper rebuild going. We got a
new arena, Lebron, it's gonna be fired. He wait, don't
you come over here. I'll give you a new Bentley.
You're gonna have a Bentley.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noon Easter not a im Pacific.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
What do you get when you combine a three time
manager of the Year at a three time National Sports
Writer of the Year.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
It's the Book of Joe Podcast.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Hey, this is Tom Ferducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games,
and what may have occurred to the dugout maybe in
the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
We're gonna dive into what goes on in the dugout
and behind the scenes in Major League.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Baseball, cars, wind whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio
app on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
It's almost Darbrenham just got fired with the Lakers. It's
almost like, even if you're successful like Spolstra and Steve
Kerr are Popovich, that's just an island onto itself. I
mean Phil Jackson had problems. You battling people in the
Lakers front office, pat Riley had issues. If you start
winning big, then you have a different set of issues, expectations, egos,
(16:30):
owner wants more credit, GM wants more credit. Even if
you win big, it's very rare that you can win
titles Spolstra, Popovich, Kerr and the ownership has patience. Not
a lot of that in the NBA, Can I.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Ask you think this is a good job as of
right this moment looking at the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Rosters, Well, it depends if I can get a third star,
it's a good job.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
So during the interview process, can you ask that.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Why I don't think it's a great job. Lebron's not
gonna probably play seventy one games a year, and Anthony
Davis had his healthiest season ever, probably doesn't happen again.
And the teams in the West that are better are
younger and getting better. I think the Lakers are kind
of this unless they can pull off a big deal.
They're kind of what they are is what they are.
Denver's getting better, OKAC Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Do you think they also got rid of Ham to
beat the Phoenix Suns to the punch? Hey, if Phoenix
runs off Vogel, we're in like a competition who could
get a better coach in the West.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
I don't know if the Phoenix job is better than.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
The Phoenix will pay more because he's loaded ridiculous. A
balmer and the Sun's owner are lit.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Is that good?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Okay, Let's say the Sun's jobs open up and you
got offered both.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
They would offer me eight, Lakers would offer three and
a half.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I'll go to Phoenix, and the taxes in Phoenix, you
know the situation.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
People talk about that stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
But again, I don't think that's your number one thing.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I don't think it's number one. But if you're giving
me double the money to go somewhere in a league
fluctuates wildly on the interpretation of how you did your job.
I take the money. It's not like it's not like
college football. You go if you go to a big
program like a Michigan or Ohio State almost always succeed.
You have a four year deal. Colleges don't like to
buy out contracts. Usually NBA will just run you off
(18:17):
in an hour.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Well, the problem is in college the fans actually have
a say because they're so crazy and you know, fanatical.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
They wanted to run off Ryan Day at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Remember, well, that's the lunatic that they have a say
in college. In the NBA, I don't think it's the
fans as much as fans have the stars. And you
know that we know Magic ran off a coach that
was chronicled.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Well, I mean Michael Jordan's I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Jordan's done it.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Like this happens everywhere. Let's not to well, it happens.
It happens in the NBA everywhere absolutely. I mean one
of the reasons Lebron got a little testy in Miami
is that pat Riley is like, no, this is spolster
and I aren't going anywhere. J mcklanews, no, no, no.
On the news.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
This is the herd Line news.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
All right, we have some breaking news in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
According to Ian Rappaport and Tom Pelasarrow, Odell Beckham Junior
is signing a one year, eight point twenty five million
dollar deal WI the Miami Dolphins. Bit of a surprise there,
his third team in the last three seasons. Uh, he's
only played in twenty eight games.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Guys always hurt.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Jalen Ramsey, who teamed up with Odell in La, tweeted,
you remember what happened last time, right, oh, referring to
when both of them went to the Rams.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Brett Ramsey was there and they added Odell.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Beckham's stats from modest with Baltimore last year three touchdowns,
five hundred and sixty five yards. But we'll say this,
Dolphin's got some playmakers, Tyreek Hill, well, Jaylen Waddle.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
The winner in this is Tua. He's looking to get paid.
I got I got all the hellose weapons and that coach.
I mean you got Tyreek Waddle, Beckham most hurt the running.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Back eight Chan, who was a revelation at running.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
So I mean the winner in this is Tua. Tua's
gone put up big numbers or as Dax the opposite.
The Cowboys didn't even draft a running back and they
have no run game. See Cowboys are saying, yeah, we
want to pay you, but we're not We're not gonna
load up for you. The Dolphins may be saying we're
not gonna pay you, but we want the best too.
In the last year, you're our quarterback.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
But in the grand scheme of thing, this doesn't change
the trajectory of the Dolphins.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
They're still second or third best in.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
The trust, right Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're not a
contender for first.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
No, the defense, Oh no, they'll be in the There'll
be a wildcard.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Team, the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, thinking wild.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Oh my gosh, okay, that's.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
By the way, the Lakers will be hiring their eight
head coach in fourteen years since Phil I just saw that.
What a circus.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Second story is Anthony Richardson. This is a team to
watch for me. U is back in action Colts offseason program.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
They're very excited. His rookie year was cut short due
to his shoulder injury.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Richardson's gonna need to protect himself more in year two,
which probably means less running.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
But Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter doesn't want him to
completely change his playing style.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I mean, he's he's got extreme athletic talent. Like we
talked about, you don't want to restrict that. You don't wanna,
you know, you don't wanna, you don't want to say, hey,
never ever move around, because gosh, he's so special. He's
so special at it. It's it's finding that finding that balance,
finding that sort of sweet spot of being able to
use use our athleticism, use his athleticism.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But but uh, like.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
I said, sort of be able to sort of get
up and play that next play and play that next game.
And that's that's what we're all trying to trying to
get this thing done. And what uh what what the
emphasis is for him?
Speaker 1 (21:36):
He is really fun to watch, like one of the
five most dynamic you two be want if you wanted
to watch a highlight reel of him last year and
he didn't plan that many games. He's crazy talented.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
I would also add the reason I like the cold
so much besides his schedule is Colin Shanesteichen is an
amazing offensive mind.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
He doesn't get the hype that the other guy does.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
People get how good he is, they get how good.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
I hope so Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman junior Josh Downs
was a nice receiver last year. Kid out of UNC
the kid Mitchell. They drafted out of Texas. I think
this is a bye team. I have them as my
shocker to win the division.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
I don't think if Anthony Richardson played sixteen games, I
got no problem. Well that's because I don't think he's
gonna I think his style worries me.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Probably won't.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Last final story is this Puka Nakua of the Rams,
such an amazing rookie season in the NFL. But he's
not the only family family member getting recognitioned Colin.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
This is crazy.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
His older brother Kai plays for the UFL's Michigan Panthers
and has been named a mid season Defensive Player of
the Year candidate.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
That's amazing. Pukah's brother Kai made the Browns as an
undrafted rookie, briefly played for the Niners and Jet. They
have a third brother who also plays for the Michigan Band.
How wild is that that the Nicoua family.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Is just stacked with that The NFL has a history
of that. Out of the Matthews family, the Watt family.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Rams to make a run maybe at one or both
of these brothers. After then, I.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Don't think you have to play with family. I think
a lot of people do.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
I mean, this guy's dominating in the UFL Renegades Panthers
Sunday one Eastern.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
I I told you, when you watch the UFL, there's
NFL players there. Now they're not on the O line,
but if you watch the DB's and the receivers, there's
all sorts of speed in the UFL like those. You
watch those highlights, and if I put NFL uniforms on
those highlights, you wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Know the guy's a playmaker.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Oh, the league has talent. And now that you've converged
both these leagues, he said, these are some NFL dudes.
Rams could I'd like to see the college national champion
face the UFL champion. It can't happen because the schedules.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
That's what I like to see, the college national.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Against the UFL champ. But that's interesting. And I was
a kid growing up there was a college all star
team that would face an NFL team or an NFL
team that would face all years and years ago. I
remember there was a game once in Chicago. It ended
because of a lightning storm or something. I don't remember.
It was like in the seventies.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
There were seventies.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Okay, you get so upset.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Nobody knows what you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Coal. Hey, I can't recite the Dodger infield in the summit.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
They have cable TV. Back in did HBO exist colin
nineteen seventies?
Speaker 1 (24:20):
It was the Make America the seventies again.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Oh wow, here we go. Where's your red hat?
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Jack with the news?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Herd line Darvin and Ham has been fired. Let's bring
in Rick Buker again. Buker sitting there. I want to
get lunch. I want to stretch out. We're like no, now, yeah,
I had all kinds of plans.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
So much for that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
So what's the what's the line? This is the eighth
coach in fourteen years, and I was.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Trying to figure out how many coaches has uh Lebron
had Now it was seven or eight? Yeah, because there
was I feel like I'm missing warning Cleveland. There was
Paul Silas, there was David Blatt, there was Tylo then spoke,
there's Luke Walton in LA. I think you could get
(25:12):
to ten before he's done the way we're going.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Well you are, no, Jamack had mentioned this earlier. I
don't see you as this, but apparently Laker fans see
you as tough on Lebron.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yes, yeah, I have high expectations for him based on
where we where we place him in the in this
in the hierarchy of of NBA players, and what he's accomplished.
I he's hard to coach, hard to coach, yeah, uh yeah,
I think it's a challenge. It's without question.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Because he wants to sub himself in and out.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
And well it's not just a subbing himself in and out,
but but you to take advantage of Lebron and what
he does, you have to make your team Lebron centric.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Yeah, he very much. You said this yesterday. Lebron teams
are He's the ecosystem. Yes, Kevin Durant'll come and get pockets.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
And when when he was winning you championships, that was
worth it, then you without question, what do I need
to do? What do you need Lebron? I'm good with
all that.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Now.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
The problem that I have is when it doesn't work,
like when they don't win a champ or he doesn't
win a championship. Now it's everybody else's fault. It's like no, no, no,
we're catering to you. It's a little bit like Yannis
and Milwaukee, like we're catering to you if it doesn't
if it doesn't work, I'm not going to blame other people.
We did what you asked us to do. We got
(26:34):
you who you wanted to get like so, and there's
nothing wrong with failing. It's just abdicating the responsibility of that.
And so this is another case where I just look
at their roster and I look where Lebron is in
his career, and Darvin ham by no means was perfect
in the job that he did. But you're not going
(26:56):
to find somebody who's going to fix this thing, this roster,
this group with a thirty nine year old Lebron James
as your closer still and win win a championship. That's
just not realistic.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
So he Jmax said, is it a good job? And
I said, well, if you're looking at it from thirty
thousand feet, Lebron's not playing seventy one games again, and
Anthony Davis has had a year and a half stretch
where he hasn't been hurt. Yeah, the odds are telling
you that's going to deteriorate.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Hunter, Yes, yeah, it's not going to get better. And
they're going to be left holding the bag.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
So and also they're going to get a third star.
It could be a player that coaches struggle with Trey Young.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Yeah, and I don't again, I don't see how that
you're going to have. You can't just acquire him. You're
going to have to trade pieces out to get him.
And I don't know that Trey changes the equation. I
don't know that he moves the needle for you in
terms of where you need to go. Defensively, they had issues,
they had shoes, particularly defensively on the perimeter. Trey Young
(28:03):
certainly doesn't help you in that regard. So I do
not see a coach coming in and solving this. Darvin
Ham wasn't the reason. I could make as strong a
case that Darvin Ham was the reason that they actually
got to the playoffs if you look, if you look
at the teams, the similar teams, Golden State didn't get there, right,
(28:29):
the Lakers did. Those two rosters to me, are pretty
comparable in the challenges that.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
They had, age and injury.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yes, so they they made their run, they got there,
and then they came up against the defending champs, who
have your number and have the matter.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
See, I would argue Golden State has more overall talent.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
But they had issues this year that were difficult to
overcome and.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
So Draymond's staff.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Okay, but that's but that's even more reason to say
the Lakers made it and the Warriors didn't.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Saying my takeaway is, I like, if you gave me
both rosters, I take the Warriors right right.
Speaker 5 (29:04):
So I'm just look, obviously there's been talk about Tyleru.
I heard you guys discussing that. The one element that
you didn't mention is the fact that they low balled
Tyleru the last time they went after him.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Who did the Lakers did? Oh?
Speaker 5 (29:20):
I didn't know that they low balled him, and they
I mean, they made an offer and he was like,
that's not good enough, and then they said, well, we're
not going to do better than that.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Balmer came in and double.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
And Balmer paid him, and and Phoenix would do the
same if they if they ultimately make a change.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
They would go Tyleru.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
They would, got I would, I would. I could see
them going Tylu. He's got My understanding is is that
he would. He's on their list if they make a change.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Well, Tyler's very good with dysfunction.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
He's good with coaching stars too.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Okay, yeah, I mean, do you call the Lakers dysfunctional?
Clippers are dysfunctional sons felt.
Speaker 5 (29:59):
No, I would not call them dysfunctional. I just think
they're impaired. I just I don't. I just don't think
they're a great team. And the expectations are always in
Laker Lakerville that they're supposed to be great. And with Lebron,
you're supposed to play for a title. And AD's healthy,
so you're supposed to play for a title. And as
(30:21):
we know when we look at teams, first of all,
the West just being stacked young and coming. Uh, it's
just it's not realistic. It's not it's not a realistic expectation.
And I don't want to be a coach walking in
to a situation that I don't have full control over
and that has unrealistic acts.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Okay, so I'm gonna get let's take Tylo out of it.
I'm gonna give you these names, Okay, Kenny Atkinson, J
J Reddick, Yep, what was the other one? J Mac,
Mike Budenholzer, which one would you take?
Speaker 5 (30:57):
I Well, for entertainment perpose me personally, I'm taking jj Reddick.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
I will give me jj redd probably go Atkinson. I
love him in Brooklyn.
Speaker 5 (31:09):
He's very much an analytics guy. Budenholzer and and and
Atkinson are very different in their approach, I would say
because of Bud's experiment experience working with Jannie. But i'd
lean that direction. Yeah, well, look, you're you're finding a
(31:33):
coach for the next year or two with.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Lebron that's embarrassing.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
And then you're and then you're moving on anywhere.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
So that's what I The argument I've made is that
I even think guys like Kenny Atkinson would go, you're
not going to give me three million dollars because remember
Genie Buss is one of the poorest owners. She's not
paying seven for a coach and Darvin Ham's last two years.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Yeah, and if I'm Kenny Atkinson, I like, I need
to come and I need that next job to be better,
like put me in a better situation.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
It's like it's almost like the Yankee job with Aaron Boone.
You think to yourself, oh, it's the Yankee job. But
when you had John Carlos Stanton and Aaron Judd before
you had Garrett Cole. You're like, it's not a world
series roster, Houston is, Atlanta is. But you think it's
a great job. When when when Brian Kelly took over
Notre Dame, Yeah, hey, oh it's Notre Dame. I have
(32:24):
very many good players. Now, Notre Dame was a good
job because Kelly recruited him. So the Lakers job, the
brand makes you believe what as not necessarily a great
Your bet two best players, one is historically brittle and
one's in your twenty two.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
Yeah, and you're you need the authority when you walk
into that locker room not having a ring behind you,
because there are guys who do have a ring in
that locker room. If you're Kenny Atkinson, you don't walk
in with that. Bud does walk in with that.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
JJ Reddick lived here. Listen, he's got it. He's got
some LA fields. I think he moved to Austin, Texas
or something at one point. But he's a isn't he's
done some LA stuff. He take the game, in fact, I.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Think he I mean if he's doing if he's doing
based in New York now.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
But if he's doing a pod with Lebron. He's got
to be in that life sometimes.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Yes, yeah, well I'm yeah, please give it, please please
give me that.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Is there any chance that Lebron would leave if they
don't hire who he wants? Hm?
Speaker 5 (33:20):
No, No, he's not leaving, but they're not hiring somebody
he doesn't want.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
So that means it JJ Reddick or well, I mean
his He would want ty Loo, but he's not gonna
just don't think he's gonna he can get to her,
not going to be embarrassed going into his new arena. Well,
and he's not going to give up ty Loo to
the Lakers. He's not going to give the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
What they want. It's that's that's not happening. And again
I would go back to and I don't know how
Time feels about this, but do you, for all things considered,
the Lakers job you I don't know that the Lakers
job is something that anybody really likes what he wants
at this time.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
That's what I'm saying. I think Kenny Atkinson on Maybe
I don't know, Kenny, but I could look at it
and think you're twenty two for Lebron. They've they're on
their eighth coach. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
I mean, look, I'm drawing a blank in terms of
who they went after. But I don't I don't recall
that Darvin was necessarily their first.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Well he was, Charlotte wanted him, and the Lakers hired him.
There wasn't a big list for him. Yeah, and the
and the knock was he's a rookie head coach with Lebron. Yeah,
and I think he's been fine. I think there's some
substitution patterns that are wacky, but.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
But this is I mean, you think it's gonna the
idea that because JJ Reddick sounds intelligent on a podcast,
that he's going to make like in game decisions that
are going to be perfect. Look, Kevin Durant wanted Steve Nash,
wanted Steve Nash, who Steve Nash is one of the
most cerebral who wanted him Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Oh, now, and that didn't work at all in Brooklyn. Well,
it didn't work. Initially he got better, but it didn't work. Yeah,
it ultimately did not work. And so again that's why
I it's not because I don't want to see it
not you know, you know what's funny about that. I
think I can tell this story now, Steve Nash took
that job, and let's just say, sources tell me that
(35:09):
he couldn't. He wanted to be fired at the.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
End, and I believe it was.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
It was he was like, according to sources, this is
no fun. Yeah, let me get go back to Manhattan
Beach and surf.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
You know who you know who else feels that way,
Darvin Ham. Some of the things that he said in
the last few weeks indicates to me he's over it.
He's like, if you're I'm okay, I'd like to continue
to coach. But if I'm not, this is I'm in
a no wine.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
I'm always a little jealous of people who get fired
and get that parachute. And it's like, which which he had.
When's the last time you took a month off?
Speaker 5 (35:53):
A month? I think he's got like at least a
year or two at five million per like, well, sign
me sign me up for that.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Well jelly, All right, Rick Buker, good stuff, Good seeing you,
Thanks again, same back in a second. The Herd.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Easter n a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Round one and two of the NBA playoffs are hair J. Mack.
We've been playing this game for a long time. You
ready to roll?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Former newspaper guy blog King, here we go. Tomorrow's headlines today.
What's gonna be the headline for Magic Calves series?
Speaker 4 (36:32):
We haven't done a lot of Calves Magic on the show.
Don't worry, it's gonna go seven.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
The headline will be do you believe in Magic?
Speaker 5 (36:41):
No?
Speaker 3 (36:41):
I don't. I think the Calves win in seven. MAVs, sorry,
Magic Tonight are the play for sure. They're very good
at home. Cleveland's been hitting miss these last fights.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Got some internal dysfunction. We'll see about the Jared Allen injury.
Their center mobile's played well. I think they unlocked something
with the US Garland last game. He was excellent. Ultimately,
I think the Magic losing seven. I think the Cavs
will probably win, win.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
The final game and home.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You like Orlando tonight?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
I do like Leonard especially first quarter.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Tomorrow's headlines today. That was a betting reference clips MAVs headlines.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
We watched this game together of whatever that was called.
I mean, it was a beatdown tonight's game, the headline
will be Luke a mom no game seven. MAVs closed
it out tonight. They're big favorites. By eight at home
was that we know James Harden good early in the series,
historically gets later in the series and fails. I saw
stat that he's had thirteen playoff games in his career
(37:42):
where he shot twenty percent or worse from the field.
Listen for like a Hall of Famer former MVP. I
don't think the Clippers show up tonight. I think the
MAVs get them. That MAVs OKAYC series is gonna be
very interesting. A lot of people like Oka see. I
think they're in for a rude awakening with this Dallas team,
which is deep. Man, they got like eight or nine
Guy Isaay can cycle through led by Luca and Kyrie.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Tomorrow's headlines today, looking forward to this Nuggets g Wolves?
What say you?
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Saturday Night's main event? Right? This should be a good series.
A lot of people like Minnesota. The headline will be
Joker too, Nugget sequel rules the.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Boxed out office.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I like Jokic here in game one.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
I was looking at some of the numbers he for
all the Rudy Gobert rim protecting Joker averaged thirty three
a game against them this season, and I know Anthony
Edwards is going to be a problem.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
CACP probably guards him.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Jaden McDaniels is fascinating against Jamal Murray because then you
need Porter to step up again. But Nuggets are just
too good. I think the Wolves are close. Colin carl
Anthony Towns is the guy to watch like he could
swing this series. And if he doesn't, I think we
got to keep an eye on the New York Knicks
and Cat in the offseason.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Speaking of the next tomorrow's headlines today Knicks Pacers series,
I don't know who I like.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah, I think I overthinking this one a little bit.
You might be as well. The headline for Knicks Pacers
will be Boom Sika Laca Pacers can't turn off Bunsen Berner.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
Brunson Berner of course, Jalen Brunson. So I look back
at this, this is interesting. So Rick Carlisle, coach of
the Pacers, used to coach the MAVs in twenty twenty one.
He benched Jalen Brunson Dallas stretch Ah Boy against the
Clippers in the first round, barely played him. Carlin ended
up getting fired, and you just have to wonder. Brunson's
been doubted all his life. People have been like, oh, Jay,
(39:31):
he's too small.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
We heard Becky Hammond come on TV. He can't be
the number one.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
He's too small, small guarzon't win. A lot of people
doubting Brunson.
Speaker 7 (39:38):
Colin.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I think the Knicks a the side here. Yeah, they
could struggle early in the series, finding their legs after
that Philly that grueling series, But I think the Knicks
ultimately I'm going defense over offense, and I'll go with
the Nixon six.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And the one I'm waiting for tomorrow's headlines. Today, I'm
where is Lebron gonna be next season?
Speaker 4 (40:00):
The Darvin m news year kind of changes things, right,
Darvin ham Lebron and him didn't see how to I
remember Lebron shoot him out in that Nuggets game call
challenge a call he wouldn't do it. The headline will
be the big Lebron ski the dude abides in La
Look at a graphics team.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Is that chocolate milk? Now? That's absolutely non chocolate milk.
I think Lebron stays in La. I can't see him leaving.
Speaker 4 (40:23):
First of all, you don't run off the coach and
then leave town. That would be an awful look for Lebron.
I think he finds a guy, whether it's Atkinson or Reddick.
I don't see Bootenholzer, but they're gonna have options. I
think Lebron stays Colin. I'm just I'm being optimistic here.
Glass half full.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
They went to the conference finals against the defending champs.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Then this year they played him extremely tough in the
first round three games for all four games go down
the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
They're not that far off. They're maybe a piece away.
I don't think you need get.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Lebron's gonna play seventy one games again.
Speaker 2 (40:56):
I don't think he needs to think a.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
D is not gonna get hurt. That was the most
ads played in forever, and then he suffered that injury,
suffered stinger.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
It's very strange, but I think he stays, and I
think they reshaped the roster. Swell.
Speaker 4 (41:07):
Just keep Austin Reeves please. I've ordered the Austin Reeves Jersey.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I don't want to have to return it because he
is that is that your gun show Summer.
Speaker 4 (41:15):
Jersey I worked out in a couple of weeks because
of the ankle, but I'll be back hitting the gym hard.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Started today.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I haven't worked out because of gin, so we worked
out all right. Way. First things first is obviously around
the corner. I hope you had a great Friday. So
breaking news our last hour, which is always welcome. We
don't like to see people lose their gig, but Darvin's
I think it's going to be okay, and I thought
it was okay as a coach. We will see you Monday,
(41:40):
have a great weekend. Be safe. Live in Los Angeles.
The Herd
Thanks for listening to The Herd podcast. Be sure to
catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in
noon to three Eastern nine am to noon Pacific. Find
your local station for The Herd at Fox Sports Radio
dot com, or stream us live every day on the
iHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
All right, our three live in LA. It's the Herd
wherever you may be, however you may be listening. Thanks
for making us part of your day. Getting ready for
a weekend. You're gonna see the dogs this weekend? Right,
some ATVs hang out ATVs.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I guess I gotta be ready to be the starter
on Monday.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Huh, going out and having a good time.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
No alcohol with the Ahvs.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
No, that's a This weekend is what's the schedule? What's
on the MAVs Clippers tonight right in Dallas. I'll watch that.
I already got Tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Saturday is Denver, Minnesota.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I watch that for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Oh, don't forget.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
About Orlando Cleveland tonight to be able to get to
that one. And the Sunday is if there's game seven,
there'll be Sunday, all right, So I guess the Celtics series.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Doesn't open up. I'm sorry, Nick's Pacers opens on Monday.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
That's a bummer Sunday, basically basically tonight you're getting MAVs Clippers,
and tomorrow night Denver. See if in my world all
these series would be three games until the finals, you
would have to watch Denver Minnesota Saturday. I don't I will,
but you don't have.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
To do in a sad how By the way, how do
you handicap that one?
Speaker 4 (01:45):
I so many people say Minnesota in the series that
it's almost like, I think Denver.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Seating where's that Denver? Okay, So I think it's Denver.
I wouldn't be shocked if this goes seven. I think
it's gonna be a really interesting series. I'll take I'll
take I know, I'll take Denver in six. But I
think it's really interesting. I think they're gonna have some
trouble defending edwards, and I don't I don't think they're
gonna shoot as high a percentage around the rim. I mean,
(02:12):
Minnesota's just they're they're a problem. They just they have
just huge team.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, number one defense in the league for much of
the season, you.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Know, Yeah, seventy six ers eliminated last night at home.
When it comes down to this, a school just down
the road in Philly played a major role in ending
Phillies season.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
and noon Eastern am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS
one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
There was a sense that like old guys didn't like
to play for him. Tibbs was rough. Uh, it was
just a little bit too much. But this team is
young randalls out. It's a bunch of guys with a
chip on their shoulder that have been overlooked. De Vincenzos
on his fourth team. Josh Hart went to the grout.
I think he was a Lakers G League team at one,
(03:03):
but he's on his fourth team. Jalen Brunson Dallas shipped
him out second rounder. So what you're getting is the
rare New York team and the rare NBA team that
in a very weak Eastern Conference looks like they could
get to the Eastern Conference finals with a bunch of
like b guys Villanova guys. And I think one of
the things that's cool of all the great college basketball
(03:26):
programs in the country, of all the great programs. There's
only one program that you can use a term like this,
Villanova guys. And when you say Villanova guys, everybody understands
what you're talking about. In the NBA, you know Kentucky guys.
Basically you think one and done guys, some hit, some miss,
(03:47):
very fewer leaders. They're really good talented players, but very
few Kentucky guys I feel like are Bedrock foundational leader guys.
There's really talented guys, But you say Villanova, Villanova guys,
everybody in the league no. What you're talking about, smart, resourceful,
work hard, can fit with anybody. And what makes New
York interesting is that I think Tibbs would wear out
(04:11):
like Milwaukee's roster Dame and Brook Lopez and Jannis and
stars and older players, or the Phoenix roster with Tibbs,
where you've got Bradley Beal's been around, and Devin Booker
and KD has been around. I don't think Tibbs. I
don't think Tibbs necessarily works in every locker room. I
think he really works here and the Knicks are showing
(04:33):
that the one thing that is undervalued in the NBA.
And I have been on this for years is college basketball.
Adam Silver years ago just decided college basketball is the enemy,
and let's get all our guys aau G league. I like,
(04:54):
Steph Curry went to college, and Draymond Green was a
great long term college and all these guys a went
to college. And even the Kentucky guys who go for
an hour and come into the league, they're never really leaders.
They're very rarely their leaders. They're just super talented guys.
John Wall was really talented. Anthony Davis is really talented.
I'm not denying that, but I like, if you look
(05:16):
at the history of the NBA, most of your great teams,
even in this day and age, as college guys. I mean,
the Warriors are all college guys. Played Thompson, Draymond Green,
Steph Curry. It's a lot of college guys. San Antonio, like,
guys who had been in international basketball are gone to college.
So this idea of like, and I think Adam Silver
(05:38):
made a big mistake. I mean, all you have to
do is look at Caitlin Clark. Look at what Caitlin
Clark did. Women's basketball. It's not the Dunking League. It's
not as dynamic women's basketball. Kitlyn Clark. I believe will
change the WNBA and that the NBA has had this
position that, yeah, we're we're not got into the college
(06:00):
basketball college basketball bad. If you told me today, I
could stay in college for two years and get nil
money or go to G League and make a little
more money, You're gonna get way better coaching in college basketball,
and you're also going to get good marketing. Nobody watches
the G League. Everybody watches Mark's badness. I would stay
in college. So I think I like Adam Silver. I
think it was a big mistake to do that. And
(06:24):
I think you're seeing the Knicks are so likable because
they're college kids from Villanova. All Right, this story just broke.
The Lakers have officially parted ways with Darvin Ham. Just
broke seconds ago. Sources Tel Shams Sharonya, and Jovon Booja.
Apparently the candidates are Mike Budenholzer, who won a title
with Milwaukee and has twice one Coach of the Year,
(06:45):
Kenny Atkinson, JJ Reddick if he becomes available, Ty Lou
if he was available. So they have gotten of Darvin Ham.
What's interesting is I'm really surprised by this. Is a
week ago. The Lakers leaked it. The Lakers leaked it
out of a week ago that Darvin Ham was safe.
So the Lakers tried to get in front of this,
(07:06):
because a story only gets out if somebody wants it out.
So the Lakers tried to get ahead of this, and
they leaked a Darvin Ham is coming back and the
agents and Lebron came in and said, And I think
what Lebron said is I can go to Philadelphia. I
can go to a much better roster. I think that's
what That's my guess. What it came down to is
(07:28):
Lebron now can move and Lebron's like, I'm not coming
back for this. I think that's what happened that m
You don't go from the Lakers getting in front of it.
So he's fired and five six days later something happened.
And I think that happened is I'm not coming back
for this. That is my guess. By the way, Budenholzer
(07:51):
did a good job, although the knock on him if
you recall, he made some weird strategy situational moves. Very
Darvin hammish when he was in Milwaukee, where I can
remember there were a couple of moments in that series,
you're like, what is he doing? So again, get ready
if you hire Budenholzer for some strategy questions. I know
people that know Mike and think he's a great guy,
a really really nice guy. I think he's a good coach.
(08:15):
He's fine. JJ Reddick. That'd be weird Tylu Baumer's you
would not think Steve Steve Balmer would be embarrassed for
the Lakers. I mean they're paying They're paying seven million
dollars for Tylu. I don't think the Lakers will pay
that much for a coach. I just don't think they will.
(08:36):
How much do they owe Darvin Ham still? So they
signed him too, a four year contract I believe. So
they got ten million at least they owed Darvin Hammer
close to it. And Geenie Buss is one of the
poorest owners. She didn't want to pay somebody else six
seven eight million dollars. So Kenny Atkinson, that's the guy
in Golden State that used to be in Brooklyn, highly
(08:56):
thought of Kenny Atkinson, highly thought.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Of Anny Atkinson, you might recall, was run off by
Kyrie Irving in Brooklyn when Kenny Atkinson wouldn't play DeAndre Jordan,
who's Kyrie's guy.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Kyry said, you got to get up out of here, so.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
You know, let's just be honest. Outside of ty Loo,
there are questions about Bodenholzer strategy.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
We don't know if Tyler's available.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Let's be real. I don't think Steve Ballmer's highly competitive.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
Lebron likes him, but money talks, right, you think Tyler's
leaving five miler on the table?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Come on and listen.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
You know I was banging on Darvingham most of the
season and the rotations and something, and you would laugh
at me, and it's weird. Now I almost feel bad
for the guy. They were so good in that Denver.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Series, Colin. They were right there too.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
Yeah, but he substitution in the second quarter.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
It was most of the early fourth quarter, some of
those lineups losing the lead. I don't know.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
I feel a little bit bad for him, and my
Laker fans who are listening now are going to kill
me because I crush him on text chains.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
I'm like, Darvin Ham is clueless. I don't. I feel
bad for the guy a little bit, call him.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
I feel bad for anybody who gets fired. I feel well,
I feel less bad if you get nine million dollars
to walk out the door. But I don't want He's
married kids. I feel bad for anybody.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
He probably relocated his family out here from from Milwaukee,
and like, you know, two years later, he's dusted. This
JJ Reddick thing is gonna be Listen. You know I'm
pro Lebron. I'll defend him.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
It is really risky to be like, hey, be my
podcast partner.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
Now, come coach the Lakers, and if they flame out
in the first or second round, who are you gonna blame?
Here's only one guy to blame, Lebron James. Don't blame Reddick.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
You can't. He's absolved to blame. This is like a
chess match that Lebron's playing right now. Lebron dangerous.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
Lebron what he does in these situations, he rises above it.
I don't know what happened. It's not my call. I mean,
this is Lebron's game plan, his playbook. But this was
the Lakers leaking a week ago. Darvin Ham's not going
to he's fired. Yeah, okay, and Lebron has options now,
doesn't have to re sign, so it's p and now
(11:02):
Lebron will get his people, his agent. Hey, Lebron doesn't
make the call here that you can't go from this
to that in a week without a call being made.
It's not like Genie Bus was like, he is coming back,
and then after two conversations she's like, my bad, he's terrible.
Like you don't go from that to that.
Speaker 4 (11:23):
So you made a great point about Kobe and Polenka.
Polenka was his former agent. I'm going to during the commercial,
I'm gonna look up the timeline of how that happened.
Did gd Buss let Kobehire's agent to be the GM No.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
I think they'd work with Polenka so long that Genie
considered him almost family by association. And Genie likes that
and said, let's just bring him in house. I trust
him because she'd had so many negotiations on so many
things with Kobe that Rob had built this really nice
relationship with Genie and she's like, you know what, I
like him more than the other candidates, and I know him.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Or was there a Kobe Kobe likes him. I'm gonna
go elsewhere because you're right, Lebron.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Genie Bus probably called Lebron in the days after the season,
maybe Lebron's ghosting or.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
I don't even think that happened, and I think I
think Lebron's people made a call again. It'd be one
thing if Genie Buss said a week ago, we're going
to we're gonna sit down and discuss Darvin Ham and
he's fired. You don't go from Darvin Ham is coming
back to let's get him out of here one of
the first guys fired. That's a phone call.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
And it's not like something happened right. There was no
incident that anybody's been aware of.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
They've got in a parking ticket about six a week
of those times.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
So this makes the Olympic recruiting more interesting. Forget about
bringing Lebron to your team, Golden State or whoever. Now
it's who's Lebron looking at on that Olympic team and
saying come out to La.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I'm running the show. Now, it's my show. I got
Darvin Ham out of here.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
I don't think. I don't think other stars. If you're
a young star, you don't want Lebron's brand to overshadow yours.
Aunt Edwards doesn't wan.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
No, no, no no.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I'm talking about Kevin Durant specifically.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
I don't think he'll play. No, that doesn't feel right,
Paul George, how about Lebron says this, Paul, you love La,
you don't have to move. I played seventy one games.
Kawhi couldn't show up for the playoffs. You think I'm
crazy on that? What do the Lakers need wing defenders?
Speaker 3 (13:17):
It just feels very I.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Mean, I'm Lebron James. Hey, how's that hardened thing working out?
How is Kawi available tonight? You come over here? I'm
playing seventy one games. We got a rim defender.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
What if Lebron flips it on Curry and says, hey,
Curry's not you guys want to be sorry, not happening, Curry.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
It's a sinking ship there in Golden State. Why don't
you try to get the zero chance no shot?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
He is of their DNA. Now, Paul George is the
interesting one because Paul loves La and you just go
over to him and say, bro, I know you have
a cute new arena. Crypto's on the way back is
on fire. Just stan La come here.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Lebron feels like he's this shoot his shot guy. You
know you see this vague I think he's just like
I'm going in it doesn't I gotta.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Many the way, what does Lebron work well with shooters?
Lebron's always been great with guys who can score on
the wing. Kyrie could do it.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
J R.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Smith could do it, Battier could do it. Love could
do it.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
By the way, you think Lebron told Genie bus this week, Hey,
look at Kyrie dominating with the Mavericks.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
We sure could have used him. And I was against
that move. And I think you when.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Lebron James I go to Paul George, you tried to
go to a franchise to save him. Over here, we
win him. You tried to build something that's never happened.
We're trying to add to something another title that happens
all the time here. That's a pretty convincing sales job.
That's the difference between you're a football coach at Michigan
(14:51):
and you say, hey, you want to come to Michigan.
We win Natty's here, we win the Big Ten, or
you're at Purdue. Tell you what be the start of
something great here? Will you?
Speaker 3 (15:02):
I would want to start something great, as I know
you would too.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No, I wouldn't. I'm lazy. Give me a big freebie,
get me a bunch of great players. I can just
mail it in. I'm telling you it's a pretty easy
sales job. How's that Clipper rebuild going. We got a
new arena, Lebron, it's gonna be fired. He wait, don't
you come over here. I'll give you a new Bentley.
You're gonna have a Bentley.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd Weekdays
and Noon Easter not a im Pacific.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
What do you get when you combine a three time
manager of the Year at a three time National Sports
Writer of the Year.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
It's the Book of Joe Podcast.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
Hey, this is Tom Ferducci from Fox Sports, MLB Network
and Sports Illustrated.
Speaker 7 (15:45):
And I'm Joe Madden, and we're going to be around
to talk a little bit about managerial decisions, playoff games,
and what may have occurred to the dugout maybe in
the nineteen eighties.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
I can't wait for this, Joe.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
We're gonna dive into what goes on in the dugout
and behind the scenes in Major League.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
Baseball, cars, wind whatever else we want to talk about.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Listen to the Book of Joe podcast on the iHeartRadio
app on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
It's almost Darbrenham just got fired with the Lakers. It's
almost like, even if you're successful like Spolstra and Steve
Kerr are Popovich, that's just an island onto itself. I
mean Phil Jackson had problems. You battling people in the
Lakers front office, pat Riley had issues. If you start
winning big, then you have a different set of issues, expectations, egos,
(16:30):
owner wants more credit, GM wants more credit. Even if
you win big, it's very rare that you can win
titles Spolstra, Popovich, Kerr and the ownership has patience. Not
a lot of that in the NBA, Can I.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Ask you think this is a good job as of
right this moment looking at the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
Rosters, Well, it depends if I can get a third star,
it's a good job.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
So during the interview process, can you ask that.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Why I don't think it's a great job. Lebron's not
gonna probably play seventy one games a year, and Anthony
Davis had his healthiest season ever, probably doesn't happen again.
And the teams in the West that are better are
younger and getting better. I think the Lakers are kind
of this unless they can pull off a big deal.
They're kind of what they are is what they are.
Denver's getting better, OKAC Minnesota.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
Do you think they also got rid of Ham to
beat the Phoenix Suns to the punch? Hey, if Phoenix
runs off Vogel, we're in like a competition who could
get a better coach in the West.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
I don't know if the Phoenix job is better than.
Speaker 1 (17:32):
The Phoenix will pay more because he's loaded ridiculous. A
balmer and the Sun's owner are lit.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
Is that good?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Okay, Let's say the Sun's jobs open up and you
got offered both.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
They would offer me eight, Lakers would offer three and
a half.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
I'll go to Phoenix, and the taxes in Phoenix, you
know the situation.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
People talk about that stuff.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
But again, I don't think that's your number one thing.
Speaker 1 (17:55):
I don't think it's number one. But if you're giving
me double the money to go somewhere in a league
fluctuates wildly on the interpretation of how you did your job.
I take the money. It's not like it's not like
college football. You go if you go to a big
program like a Michigan or Ohio State almost always succeed.
You have a four year deal. Colleges don't like to
buy out contracts. Usually NBA will just run you off
(18:17):
in an hour.
Speaker 4 (18:17):
Well, the problem is in college the fans actually have
a say because they're so crazy and you know, fanatical.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
They wanted to run off Ryan Day at Ohio State.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Remember, well, that's the lunatic that they have a say
in college. In the NBA, I don't think it's the
fans as much as fans have the stars. And you
know that we know Magic ran off a coach that
was chronicled.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Well, I mean Michael Jordan's I mean.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Jordan's done it.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Like this happens everywhere. Let's not to well, it happens.
It happens in the NBA everywhere absolutely. I mean one
of the reasons Lebron got a little testy in Miami
is that pat Riley is like, no, this is spolster
and I aren't going anywhere. J mcklanews, no, no, no.
On the news.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
This is the herd Line news.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
All right, we have some breaking news in the NFL.
Speaker 4 (19:06):
According to Ian Rappaport and Tom Pelasarrow, Odell Beckham Junior
is signing a one year, eight point twenty five million
dollar deal WI the Miami Dolphins. Bit of a surprise there,
his third team in the last three seasons. Uh, he's
only played in twenty eight games.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Guys always hurt.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
Jalen Ramsey, who teamed up with Odell in La, tweeted,
you remember what happened last time, right, oh, referring to
when both of them went to the Rams.
Speaker 3 (19:31):
Brett Ramsey was there and they added Odell.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
Beckham's stats from modest with Baltimore last year three touchdowns,
five hundred and sixty five yards. But we'll say this,
Dolphin's got some playmakers, Tyreek Hill, well, Jaylen Waddle.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
The winner in this is Tua. He's looking to get paid.
I got I got all the hellose weapons and that coach.
I mean you got Tyreek Waddle, Beckham most hurt the running.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Back eight Chan, who was a revelation at running.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
So I mean the winner in this is Tua. Tua's
gone put up big numbers or as Dax the opposite.
The Cowboys didn't even draft a running back and they
have no run game. See Cowboys are saying, yeah, we
want to pay you, but we're not We're not gonna
load up for you. The Dolphins may be saying we're
not gonna pay you, but we want the best too.
In the last year, you're our quarterback.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
But in the grand scheme of thing, this doesn't change
the trajectory of the Dolphins.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
They're still second or third best in.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
The trust, right Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they're not a
contender for first.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
No, the defense, Oh no, they'll be in the There'll
be a wildcard.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Team, the Miami Dolphins.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, thinking wild.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
Oh my gosh, okay, that's.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
By the way, the Lakers will be hiring their eight
head coach in fourteen years since Phil I just saw that.
What a circus.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Second story is Anthony Richardson. This is a team to
watch for me. U is back in action Colts offseason program.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
They're very excited. His rookie year was cut short due
to his shoulder injury.
Speaker 4 (20:54):
Richardson's gonna need to protect himself more in year two,
which probably means less running.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
But Colts OC Jim Bob Cooter doesn't want him to
completely change his playing style.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
I mean, he's he's got extreme athletic talent. Like we
talked about, you don't want to restrict that. You don't wanna,
you know, you don't wanna, you don't want to say, hey,
never ever move around, because gosh, he's so special. He's
so special at it. It's it's finding that finding that balance,
finding that sort of sweet spot of being able to
use use our athleticism, use his athleticism.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But but uh, like.
Speaker 7 (21:26):
I said, sort of be able to sort of get
up and play that next play and play that next game.
And that's that's what we're all trying to trying to
get this thing done. And what uh what what the
emphasis is for him?
Speaker 1 (21:36):
He is really fun to watch, like one of the
five most dynamic you two be want if you wanted
to watch a highlight reel of him last year and
he didn't plan that many games. He's crazy talented.
Speaker 4 (21:51):
I would also add the reason I like the cold
so much besides his schedule is Colin Shanesteichen is an
amazing offensive mind.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
He doesn't get the hype that the other guy does.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
People get how good he is, they get how good.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
I hope so Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman junior Josh Downs
was a nice receiver last year. Kid out of UNC
the kid Mitchell. They drafted out of Texas. I think
this is a bye team. I have them as my
shocker to win the division.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
I don't think if Anthony Richardson played sixteen games, I
got no problem. Well that's because I don't think he's
gonna I think his style worries me.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Probably won't.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Last final story is this Puka Nakua of the Rams,
such an amazing rookie season in the NFL. But he's
not the only family family member getting recognitioned Colin.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
This is crazy.
Speaker 4 (22:35):
His older brother Kai plays for the UFL's Michigan Panthers
and has been named a mid season Defensive Player of
the Year candidate.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
That's amazing. Pukah's brother Kai made the Browns as an
undrafted rookie, briefly played for the Niners and Jet. They
have a third brother who also plays for the Michigan Band.
How wild is that that the Nicoua family.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Is just stacked with that The NFL has a history
of that. Out of the Matthews family, the Watt family.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Rams to make a run maybe at one or both
of these brothers. After then, I.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
Don't think you have to play with family. I think
a lot of people do.
Speaker 4 (23:10):
I mean, this guy's dominating in the UFL Renegades Panthers
Sunday one Eastern.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
I I told you, when you watch the UFL, there's
NFL players there. Now they're not on the O line,
but if you watch the DB's and the receivers, there's
all sorts of speed in the UFL like those. You
watch those highlights, and if I put NFL uniforms on
those highlights, you wouldn't.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Know the guy's a playmaker.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Oh, the league has talent. And now that you've converged
both these leagues, he said, these are some NFL dudes.
Rams could I'd like to see the college national champion
face the UFL champion. It can't happen because the schedules.
Speaker 3 (23:46):
That's what I like to see, the college national.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Against the UFL champ. But that's interesting. And I was
a kid growing up there was a college all star
team that would face an NFL team or an NFL
team that would face all years and years ago. I
remember there was a game once in Chicago. It ended
because of a lightning storm or something. I don't remember.
It was like in the seventies.
Speaker 3 (24:05):
There were seventies.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
Okay, you get so upset.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Nobody knows what you're talking about.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Coal. Hey, I can't recite the Dodger infield in the summit.
Speaker 3 (24:13):
They have cable TV. Back in did HBO exist colin
nineteen seventies?
Speaker 1 (24:20):
It was the Make America the seventies again.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
Oh wow, here we go. Where's your red hat?
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Jack with the news?
Speaker 2 (24:30):
Well that's the news, and thanks for stopping by the.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Herd line Darvin and Ham has been fired. Let's bring
in Rick Buker again. Buker sitting there. I want to
get lunch. I want to stretch out. We're like no, now, yeah,
I had all kinds of plans.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
So much for that.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
So what's the what's the line? This is the eighth
coach in fourteen years, and I was.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Trying to figure out how many coaches has uh Lebron
had Now it was seven or eight? Yeah, because there
was I feel like I'm missing warning Cleveland. There was
Paul Silas, there was David Blatt, there was Tylo then spoke,
there's Luke Walton in LA. I think you could get
(25:12):
to ten before he's done the way we're going.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Well you are, no, Jamack had mentioned this earlier. I
don't see you as this, but apparently Laker fans see
you as tough on Lebron.
Speaker 5 (25:22):
Yes, yeah, I have high expectations for him based on
where we where we place him in the in this
in the hierarchy of of NBA players, and what he's accomplished.
I he's hard to coach, hard to coach, yeah, uh yeah,
I think it's a challenge. It's without question.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Because he wants to sub himself in and out.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
And well it's not just a subbing himself in and out,
but but you to take advantage of Lebron and what
he does, you have to make your team Lebron centric.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Yeah, he very much. You said this yesterday. Lebron teams
are He's the ecosystem. Yes, Kevin Durant'll come and get pockets.
Speaker 3 (26:04):
Yes.
Speaker 5 (26:04):
And when when he was winning you championships, that was
worth it, then you without question, what do I need
to do? What do you need Lebron? I'm good with
all that.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Now.
Speaker 5 (26:14):
The problem that I have is when it doesn't work,
like when they don't win a champ or he doesn't
win a championship. Now it's everybody else's fault. It's like no, no, no,
we're catering to you. It's a little bit like Yannis
and Milwaukee, like we're catering to you if it doesn't
if it doesn't work, I'm not going to blame other people.
We did what you asked us to do. We got
(26:34):
you who you wanted to get like so, and there's
nothing wrong with failing. It's just abdicating the responsibility of that.
And so this is another case where I just look
at their roster and I look where Lebron is in
his career, and Darvin ham by no means was perfect
in the job that he did. But you're not going
(26:56):
to find somebody who's going to fix this thing, this roster,
this group with a thirty nine year old Lebron James
as your closer still and win win a championship. That's
just not realistic.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
So he Jmax said, is it a good job? And
I said, well, if you're looking at it from thirty
thousand feet, Lebron's not playing seventy one games again, and
Anthony Davis has had a year and a half stretch
where he hasn't been hurt. Yeah, the odds are telling
you that's going to deteriorate.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Hunter, Yes, yeah, it's not going to get better. And
they're going to be left holding the bag.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
So and also they're going to get a third star.
It could be a player that coaches struggle with Trey Young.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
Yeah, and I don't again, I don't see how that
you're going to have. You can't just acquire him. You're
going to have to trade pieces out to get him.
And I don't know that Trey changes the equation. I
don't know that he moves the needle for you in
terms of where you need to go. Defensively, they had issues,
they had shoes, particularly defensively on the perimeter. Trey Young
(28:03):
certainly doesn't help you in that regard. So I do
not see a coach coming in and solving this. Darvin
Ham wasn't the reason. I could make as strong a
case that Darvin Ham was the reason that they actually
got to the playoffs if you look, if you look
at the teams, the similar teams, Golden State didn't get there, right,
(28:29):
the Lakers did. Those two rosters to me, are pretty
comparable in the challenges that.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
They had, age and injury.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
Yes, so they they made their run, they got there,
and then they came up against the defending champs, who
have your number and have the matter.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
See, I would argue Golden State has more overall talent.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
But they had issues this year that were difficult to
overcome and.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
So Draymond's staff.
Speaker 5 (28:55):
Okay, but that's but that's even more reason to say
the Lakers made it and the Warriors didn't.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
Saying my takeaway is, I like, if you gave me
both rosters, I take the Warriors right right.
Speaker 5 (29:04):
So I'm just look, obviously there's been talk about Tyleru.
I heard you guys discussing that. The one element that
you didn't mention is the fact that they low balled
Tyleru the last time they went after him.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Who did the Lakers did? Oh?
Speaker 5 (29:20):
I didn't know that they low balled him, and they
I mean, they made an offer and he was like,
that's not good enough, and then they said, well, we're
not going to do better than that.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Balmer came in and double.
Speaker 5 (29:30):
And Balmer paid him, and and Phoenix would do the
same if they if they ultimately make a change.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
They would go Tyleru.
Speaker 5 (29:38):
They would, got I would, I would. I could see
them going Tylu. He's got My understanding is is that
he would. He's on their list if they make a change.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Well, Tyler's very good with dysfunction.
Speaker 5 (29:50):
He's good with coaching stars too.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Okay, yeah, I mean, do you call the Lakers dysfunctional?
Clippers are dysfunctional sons felt.
Speaker 5 (29:59):
No, I would not call them dysfunctional. I just think
they're impaired. I just I don't. I just don't think
they're a great team. And the expectations are always in
Laker Lakerville that they're supposed to be great. And with Lebron,
you're supposed to play for a title. And AD's healthy,
so you're supposed to play for a title. And as
(30:21):
we know when we look at teams, first of all,
the West just being stacked young and coming. Uh, it's
just it's not realistic. It's not it's not a realistic expectation.
And I don't want to be a coach walking in
to a situation that I don't have full control over
and that has unrealistic acts.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Okay, so I'm gonna get let's take Tylo out of it.
I'm gonna give you these names, Okay, Kenny Atkinson, J
J Reddick, Yep, what was the other one? J Mac,
Mike Budenholzer, which one would you take?
Speaker 5 (30:57):
I Well, for entertainment perpose me personally, I'm taking jj Reddick.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
I will give me jj redd probably go Atkinson. I
love him in Brooklyn.
Speaker 5 (31:09):
He's very much an analytics guy. Budenholzer and and and
Atkinson are very different in their approach, I would say
because of Bud's experiment experience working with Jannie. But i'd
lean that direction. Yeah, well, look, you're you're finding a
(31:33):
coach for the next year or two with.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
Lebron that's embarrassing.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
And then you're and then you're moving on anywhere.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
So that's what I The argument I've made is that
I even think guys like Kenny Atkinson would go, you're
not going to give me three million dollars because remember
Genie Buss is one of the poorest owners. She's not
paying seven for a coach and Darvin Ham's last two years.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Yeah, and if I'm Kenny Atkinson, I like, I need
to come and I need that next job to be better,
like put me in a better situation.
Speaker 1 (32:03):
It's like it's almost like the Yankee job with Aaron Boone.
You think to yourself, oh, it's the Yankee job. But
when you had John Carlos Stanton and Aaron Judd before
you had Garrett Cole. You're like, it's not a world
series roster, Houston is, Atlanta is. But you think it's
a great job. When when when Brian Kelly took over
Notre Dame, Yeah, hey, oh it's Notre Dame. I have
(32:24):
very many good players. Now, Notre Dame was a good
job because Kelly recruited him. So the Lakers job, the
brand makes you believe what as not necessarily a great
Your bet two best players, one is historically brittle and
one's in your twenty two.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
Yeah, and you're you need the authority when you walk
into that locker room not having a ring behind you,
because there are guys who do have a ring in
that locker room. If you're Kenny Atkinson, you don't walk
in with that. Bud does walk in with that.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
JJ Reddick lived here. Listen, he's got it. He's got
some LA fields. I think he moved to Austin, Texas
or something at one point. But he's a isn't he's
done some LA stuff. He take the game, in fact, I.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Think he I mean if he's doing if he's doing
based in New York now.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
But if he's doing a pod with Lebron. He's got
to be in that life sometimes.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
Yes, yeah, well I'm yeah, please give it, please please
give me that.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
Is there any chance that Lebron would leave if they
don't hire who he wants? Hm?
Speaker 5 (33:20):
No, No, he's not leaving, but they're not hiring somebody
he doesn't want.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
So that means it JJ Reddick or well, I mean
his He would want ty Loo, but he's not gonna
just don't think he's gonna he can get to her,
not going to be embarrassed going into his new arena. Well,
and he's not going to give up ty Loo to
the Lakers. He's not going to give the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (33:39):
What they want. It's that's that's not happening. And again
I would go back to and I don't know how
Time feels about this, but do you, for all things considered,
the Lakers job you I don't know that the Lakers
job is something that anybody really likes what he wants
at this time.
Speaker 1 (33:57):
That's what I'm saying. I think Kenny Atkinson on Maybe
I don't know, Kenny, but I could look at it
and think you're twenty two for Lebron. They've they're on
their eighth coach. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
I mean, look, I'm drawing a blank in terms of
who they went after. But I don't I don't recall
that Darvin was necessarily their first.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Well he was, Charlotte wanted him, and the Lakers hired him.
There wasn't a big list for him. Yeah, and the
and the knock was he's a rookie head coach with Lebron. Yeah,
and I think he's been fine. I think there's some
substitution patterns that are wacky, but.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
But this is I mean, you think it's gonna the
idea that because JJ Reddick sounds intelligent on a podcast,
that he's going to make like in game decisions that
are going to be perfect. Look, Kevin Durant wanted Steve Nash,
wanted Steve Nash, who Steve Nash is one of the
most cerebral who wanted him Kevin Durant.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
Oh, now, and that didn't work at all in Brooklyn. Well,
it didn't work. Initially he got better, but it didn't work. Yeah,
it ultimately did not work. And so again that's why
I it's not because I don't want to see it
not you know, you know what's funny about that. I
think I can tell this story now, Steve Nash took
that job, and let's just say, sources tell me that
(35:09):
he couldn't. He wanted to be fired at the.
Speaker 5 (35:11):
End, and I believe it was.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
It was he was like, according to sources, this is
no fun. Yeah, let me get go back to Manhattan
Beach and surf.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
You know who you know who else feels that way,
Darvin Ham. Some of the things that he said in
the last few weeks indicates to me he's over it.
He's like, if you're I'm okay, I'd like to continue
to coach. But if I'm not, this is I'm in
a no wine.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
I'm always a little jealous of people who get fired
and get that parachute. And it's like, which which he had.
When's the last time you took a month off?
Speaker 5 (35:53):
A month? I think he's got like at least a
year or two at five million per like, well, sign
me sign me up for that.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Well jelly, All right, Rick Buker, good stuff, Good seeing you,
Thanks again, same back in a second. The Herd.
Speaker 2 (36:08):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays
in newon Easter n a em Pacific on Fox Sports
Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Round one and two of the NBA playoffs are hair J. Mack.
We've been playing this game for a long time. You
ready to roll?
Speaker 3 (36:23):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Former newspaper guy blog King, here we go. Tomorrow's headlines today.
What's gonna be the headline for Magic Calves series?
Speaker 4 (36:32):
We haven't done a lot of Calves Magic on the show.
Don't worry, it's gonna go seven.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
The headline will be do you believe in Magic?
Speaker 5 (36:41):
No?
Speaker 3 (36:41):
I don't. I think the Calves win in seven. MAVs, sorry,
Magic Tonight are the play for sure. They're very good
at home. Cleveland's been hitting miss these last fights.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Got some internal dysfunction. We'll see about the Jared Allen injury.
Their center mobile's played well. I think they unlocked something
with the US Garland last game. He was excellent. Ultimately,
I think the Magic losing seven. I think the Cavs
will probably win, win.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
The final game and home.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
You like Orlando tonight?
Speaker 3 (37:09):
I do like Leonard especially first quarter.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Tomorrow's headlines today. That was a betting reference clips MAVs headlines.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
We watched this game together of whatever that was called.
I mean, it was a beatdown tonight's game, the headline
will be Luke a mom no game seven. MAVs closed
it out tonight. They're big favorites. By eight at home
was that we know James Harden good early in the series,
historically gets later in the series and fails. I saw
stat that he's had thirteen playoff games in his career
(37:42):
where he shot twenty percent or worse from the field.
Listen for like a Hall of Famer former MVP. I
don't think the Clippers show up tonight. I think the
MAVs get them. That MAVs OKAYC series is gonna be
very interesting. A lot of people like Oka see. I
think they're in for a rude awakening with this Dallas team,
which is deep. Man, they got like eight or nine
Guy Isaay can cycle through led by Luca and Kyrie.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Tomorrow's headlines today, looking forward to this Nuggets g Wolves?
What say you?
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Saturday Night's main event? Right? This should be a good series.
A lot of people like Minnesota. The headline will be
Joker too, Nugget sequel rules the.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
Boxed out office.
Speaker 3 (38:21):
I like Jokic here in game one.
Speaker 4 (38:23):
I was looking at some of the numbers he for
all the Rudy Gobert rim protecting Joker averaged thirty three
a game against them this season, and I know Anthony
Edwards is going to be a problem.
Speaker 3 (38:32):
CACP probably guards him.
Speaker 4 (38:35):
Jaden McDaniels is fascinating against Jamal Murray because then you
need Porter to step up again. But Nuggets are just
too good. I think the Wolves are close. Colin carl
Anthony Towns is the guy to watch like he could
swing this series. And if he doesn't, I think we
got to keep an eye on the New York Knicks
and Cat in the offseason.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Speaking of the next tomorrow's headlines today Knicks Pacers series,
I don't know who I like.
Speaker 3 (38:59):
Yeah, I think I overthinking this one a little bit.
You might be as well. The headline for Knicks Pacers
will be Boom Sika Laca Pacers can't turn off Bunsen Berner.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
Brunson Berner of course, Jalen Brunson. So I look back
at this, this is interesting. So Rick Carlisle, coach of
the Pacers, used to coach the MAVs in twenty twenty one.
He benched Jalen Brunson Dallas stretch Ah Boy against the
Clippers in the first round, barely played him. Carlin ended
up getting fired, and you just have to wonder. Brunson's
been doubted all his life. People have been like, oh, Jay,
(39:31):
he's too small.
Speaker 3 (39:32):
We heard Becky Hammond come on TV. He can't be
the number one.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
He's too small, small guarzon't win. A lot of people
doubting Brunson.
Speaker 7 (39:38):
Colin.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
I think the Knicks a the side here. Yeah, they
could struggle early in the series, finding their legs after
that Philly that grueling series, But I think the Knicks
ultimately I'm going defense over offense, and I'll go with
the Nixon six.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And the one I'm waiting for tomorrow's headlines. Today, I'm
where is Lebron gonna be next season?
Speaker 4 (40:00):
The Darvin m news year kind of changes things, right,
Darvin ham Lebron and him didn't see how to I
remember Lebron shoot him out in that Nuggets game call
challenge a call he wouldn't do it. The headline will
be the big Lebron ski the dude abides in La
Look at a graphics team.
Speaker 3 (40:17):
Is that chocolate milk? Now? That's absolutely non chocolate milk.
I think Lebron stays in La. I can't see him leaving.
Speaker 4 (40:23):
First of all, you don't run off the coach and
then leave town. That would be an awful look for Lebron.
I think he finds a guy, whether it's Atkinson or Reddick.
I don't see Bootenholzer, but they're gonna have options. I
think Lebron stays Colin. I'm just I'm being optimistic here.
Glass half full.
Speaker 3 (40:40):
They went to the conference finals against the defending champs.
Speaker 4 (40:43):
Then this year they played him extremely tough in the
first round three games for all four games go down
the fourth quarter.
Speaker 3 (40:49):
They're not that far off. They're maybe a piece away.
I don't think you need get.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Lebron's gonna play seventy one games again.
Speaker 2 (40:56):
I don't think he needs to think a.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
D is not gonna get hurt. That was the most
ads played in forever, and then he suffered that injury,
suffered stinger.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
It's very strange, but I think he stays, and I
think they reshaped the roster. Swell.
Speaker 4 (41:07):
Just keep Austin Reeves please. I've ordered the Austin Reeves Jersey.
Speaker 1 (41:11):
I don't want to have to return it because he
is that is that your gun show Summer.
Speaker 4 (41:15):
Jersey I worked out in a couple of weeks because
of the ankle, but I'll be back hitting the gym hard.
Speaker 3 (41:18):
Started today.
Speaker 1 (41:19):
I haven't worked out because of gin, so we worked
out all right. Way. First things first is obviously around
the corner. I hope you had a great Friday. So
breaking news our last hour, which is always welcome. We
don't like to see people lose their gig, but Darvin's
I think it's going to be okay, and I thought
it was okay as a coach. We will see you Monday,
(41:40):
have a great weekend. Be safe. Live in Los Angeles.
The Herd
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