Kawhi Out Indefinitely

Clippers Talk with Adam Auslund as Kawhi is labeled as being out indefinetely to start the season. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, welcome in. It's a Clippers Talk Live. I'm out
of Mosland. It's good to be with you. Or is
it as some expected news at least from my size?
My side just came out, big news, size but expected.

(00:27):
And it's this sham Sharania now of ESPN, O my
young Masuk of ESPN, who's been on the show here
on Clippers Talk our reporting that star Kawhi Leonard is
expected to miss indefinite time to start the twenty twenty
four twenty twenty five NBA season as he and the

(00:48):
team rehab his right knee for sustainability on the court.
Anything shocking about this? Did you guys think you was
playing next Wednesday? Did you think he was playing the
first couple of weeks. I don't know how I could
have prepared you any better for this. I just did

(01:09):
a deep dive on Kawhi, like I don't know, probably
less than a week ago, talking about everything. We've heard,
all the quotes we had from March thirty first on
throughout this right knee swelling going on. I don't know

(01:30):
how I could have prepared you more for this. Alex
Webbin said, not sure this is breaking news. We've known
this for the most part, I understand this sentiment. Old
man Yen says, not surprised, but still bumped. Now that
it's more official, I understand that completely him as he said,
why are people surprised he didn't do any basketball contact?

(01:52):
He hadn't been practicing with the team. I have been
telling you that in order to get back out on
the court. It would have been big if you could
have played in a preseason game, because that means he
would have already practiced and done some contact drills, the
proper ramp up and build up to playing. I had
played you audio from Kawhi talking about that very thing

(02:13):
in Honolulu. I just did a show on this check
the live section. I just did it, like I don't
know how many shows. It wasn't go now because I'm
doing so many, but I tried. I did my best
to prepare you. I don't know what else I could
have done. Deca Fantastic said, what I love is Clipper's

(02:35):
talk is becoming something I can always depend on when
something happens. Adam is always ready. That was the goal.
That was my aim here. I appreciate you, Ha, Deca Fantastic.
Jordan said, this was pretty known. Even Tyleru went out
with the starting lineup not too long ago. I mean
Brad Turner just asked him Monday night after the game,

(02:56):
do you have a starting lineup without Kawhi Leonard said, yeah,
the one I went with tonight. We've known. Hanta Hans said,
Kawhi Leonard always doing this after getting the bag. I
hope he gets well, plays well, and then we trade
and gets assets back. Yeah. This is totally intentional on

(03:17):
his part. He's not a Hall of Fame player. He
doesn't love basketball. He doesn't have a passion for the game.
He didn't try to play on one leg in Game
three last season against the Dallas Mavericks and hang on
the rim because he was scared to fall to the
floor after an Alu dunk. Shut up man Deca Fantastic said.
Week to week is indefinitely no setbacks. Is the key fact.

(03:39):
I'll read you more from the article, which really makes
this seem like non news. It starts like this. LA
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard will be sidelined indefinitely to begin
the NBA season as he really rehabilitates from inflammation in
his right knee, sources told ESPN on Thursday. The Clippers
in Kawhi are in the midst of a rehab process

(04:01):
for the two time NBA Finals MVP that is aimed
to bring sustainability for him on the court through the season,
and the franchise will be diligent and cautious to ensure
his fitness long term. I'll read that again. The Clippers
and Kawhi Leonard are in the midst of a rehab
process for the two time NBA Finals MVP that is

(04:21):
aimed to bring sustainability for him on the court through
the season, and the franchise will be diligent and cautious
to ensure his fitness long term. I have been telling
you for some time now that I believe they're being
overly cautious. Rightfully, so, considering everything that has happened, it
is the correct move. They don't want to set back

(04:44):
like they had in twenty twenty two when he first
came back from the ACL where he played a couple
of games coming off the bench, and then there was
stiffness in the knee in a game in Okac and
then we didn't see him for about three weeks or
a month. Don't want that, am I thirteen twenty four said,
indefinite can mean a lot of things, which is the
sad part. It could because why because of what I've

(05:08):
been telling you, no one knows how his knee is
going to respond. He has to go through the rehabilitation process,
strengthen the knee. Then see, Okay, as I'm doing these exercises,
is it being inflamed? Is it swelling back up? No?

(05:29):
Check mark, Move on to the next thing. Then eventually
get to the point where he can get back onto
the court, but that still includes practicing five on five
and then see how he responds with his need the
next day after that. I told you back in the
playoff series, Yeah, I expect him to try to play
on it. It's how he responds to that. And he

(05:54):
didn't respond well after Game two. He looked much better
in Game two that he did Game three. The Nie
well back up. I have told you my concern all
along is that the only reason the swelling has gone
down is because he hasn't played high level basketball. What
happens when he gets back to playing five on five
NBA level basketball. Does the swelling go back up? We
don't know. I don't know how I could have laid

(06:17):
this out any more cleanly for you guys to understand,
Alex Webb said. Sham said, they have a handle on
it and have a better sense of how to manage
the swelling. Hopefully it works out for Kawhi this time around.
He's quoting stuff for media Day. That part of it
that's not new information, like most of this article, and

(06:41):
it's pretty damn short, is pulling stuff from what Lawrence
Frank has said already. Leonard and the Clippers have gone
through a variety of medical treatments to control the inflammation
since the end of last season. We know Lawrence Frank,
president of Basketball Operation, is said at the start of
t in camp that the inflammation had gone down significantly

(07:02):
since last postseason. Yes, but that the team wanted to
get the franchise's start need to one hundred percent and
would take every precaution. This is not new information. When
asked if he could have to deal with information coming
up for the rest of his career, that was asked
at media Day by om Yam Maasouf to Kawhi Leonard,
Leonard said that it is a possibility, but that the

(07:24):
medical staff has got a better handle on it and
is trying to ensure that isn't the case, So Alex
Web that was for media day. That's nothing new. We
already knew that. Tim Ay said, not shocked at all.
This has to be part of the load management strategy.
No back to backs and cut at least the first

(07:44):
month of the season to save his legs conjecture. Mo
Hassen said. Any true Clippers fans have been aware of
this for at least a month. This press release was
for the rest of the NBA and casual fans. You're
probably right about that, the guy who I almost put
in time out earlier, HANSA. Hans said, just an emotional

(08:08):
sad fan here. History repeating itself helpe the rest of
the squad kept us afloat, or can keep us afloat
while we wait for Kawhi to be back. That's fine,
I understand, it's frustrating. I get it. I just I
don't know if you have been listening to me since
the end of March when this first went down. I
told everybody then, guys, this swelling him missing that game

(08:31):
against Denver, which have playoff consequences. At the time, it
was a real injury. Everybody kept telling me, no, they're
just saving him for the postseason. They wouldn't give him
a break right before a long postseason. It's not serious.
He's playing Game one. All that stuff was misinformation. I
tried to alert you about this. Deuce Time said, I'm
not surprised. James Hardens, Zoo, Norm and Sky Jones gonna

(08:54):
do it. Grant Mona in here said, I don't think
any of this is new or new news to me
and Adam. Everyone around the team kind of knew this.
I'm reading stuff from the article that we already do.
None of this is new. This is just I don't know.
ESPN wants to take credit for obvious information here. I

(09:17):
get it. I guess it's a little bit more official now,
but I don't think anyone thought he was playing next week.
Jordan said, I think as Clippers fans should be happy
we are not throwing him out there in Game one
of eighty two. We need him later in the year.
Hope we get to see him in about fifty to
fifty five games this year. The West is tough. I'd
sign up for that right now. I would sign up
for fifty games with Kawhi. That's where I'm at with it.

(09:43):
Fifty games of high level play from Kawhi Leonard, I
would love that, but again, you have to put yourself
in a position to actually be able to make the playoffs.
Try to stay out of the play in and if
you don't have him enough, you could be flirting with
being on the outside of the plan. We'll see a
lot of unknowns AFG prints eight one to eight said,

(10:06):
hate to say it, but a degenerative knee will not
get better, It will only gradually get worse. Thanks for
the definition of what the generative means. I think the
tenure is done. Heartbreak xs xx Sick Angel says, what's
the odds he doesn't play this year? No idea, guys,

(10:28):
Kowhi can't know how his knee response to the treatments yet,
so how can any of us know? How can the
team know? Nobody knows it's how his knee responds. Frank
Jay said, why was he even in the Olympic initial roster?
That's fair. Did he not know his knee as inflammation
or did Olympics practice just make it worse? We don't

(10:50):
know that. At media day, it sounded like he was
doing his usual workload build up off season workout stuff
before and out after the Olympics, but he said just
two weeks before reporting to the training camp in Vegas.
I think it was for Tmusa. He initially said that
he had had a turnaround just two weeks before. Then

(11:12):
we find out after that Lawrence Frank press conference about
a week before Media Day that he had a procedure
in May. So I'm guessing he felt good after the procedure,
whatever it was clean up. People say want to sound smart.
Nobody can actually tell me what that means. But I
guess he felt like he was healthy enough and it

(11:34):
was a bucket list thing for him. And then he
said the knee was in a neutral state while he
was practicing and doing some five on five. But when
Lawrence Frank said, and I pointed this out a million
times here, that the swelling is almost gone, and that
was in early October, late September he said that, and

(11:55):
May is five months before that when he had the procedure. Apparently,
I said, oh, that's a little bit concerning commits me ow,
I'll just say it meew. Mio said, should kawaj just
sit the whole season? This is a wash season anyways.
Let him sit for an entire year and do whatever

(12:16):
he needs to do. I think you're missing something very
key here, very key that surprised me. O. The Clippers
need to stay in front of the Houston Rockets so
that they don't have their pick taken away again by Okasee.
They have a pick swap with either the Clippers or
the Houston Rockets. They are going to take the better

(12:37):
positioned pick the team with the worst record. The Clippers
have zero incentive to just give in and get a
better pick this season when Okac is gonna take it.
Whatever the best pick between them and the Houston Rockets is,
they're getting, So that makes zero since so maybe a

(13:02):
mute come in or maybe a timeout. Deuce Time says,
our defense is going to surprise people. Optimism finally got some.
Grant Mona says, see you tonight, Adam much to discuss.
Have a great show, thanks Grant. I think he's coming
on the pregame show with me Clipper's countdown starting at
six thirty. Deca fantastic says until I hear the word setback,

(13:25):
it's same old, same old. We haven't heard that yet.
Alex Webb saying, Harden got us. We are good for
the first half of the season, We'll see my guy.
The West is dark and full of terror. Jesse Beer said.
Adam Law has been hinting at this. It isn't new news.
Law keeps saying first week in November. First week in

(13:48):
November might be aspirational. My friend, he's out indefinitely. Nobody knows.
Law also thought he was coming back in Game one
and then changed his opinion on that. Nobody knows it's Kawhi.
I'd been telling people that what the situation is if
he plays high level basketball? Uh? Is this swelling just

(14:11):
gonna go back up? I told you guys this back
in April. I don't know. I feel like I've been
kind of on top of this. One. Deuce Time said
James Harden has approven one v one player in the
late game, especially in the regular season. Facts he's also
thirty five. A lot is going to be demanded of him.
Asian Domination fifteen said, do you think Kawhi cries at night?

(14:36):
This is a timeout? I think Kawhi is frustrated. Uh,
Deuce Time says one hundred to Alex Webb, Holo Dolo
says Hardens Zoo and the boys, it's all up to
you now. It truly sucks that our opening schedule is
so tough. It's a good point. The schedule is very

(14:58):
difficult early on on Phoenix coming up less than a
week from today at Into It Dome JJJ Triple J
Jared Jackson Junior is who when you respond to comments?
Is it you from YouTube or a different live stream?
It's me Adam A Jay says minus two Jays. He

(15:22):
will get fine for load management, but technically can't get
fined if he's not playing because he's hurt. But we
are really saving him for the middle of the season
towards the playoffs. Watch. This level of delusion is problematic.
This whole Oh Clippers are playing the long game and

(15:43):
this is a tactic so they don't get fined for
load management. Guys, the NBA doctors can clear someone for
load management. That's what we saw in the nineteen twenty season,
and the Clippers did not get in trouble. Then. I
know the player participation player pernticipation policy has changed a
little bit, but I think it's the same thing. I

(16:06):
think everyone knows nobody's faking anything. Kawhi's injury prone the
right knee. Unfortunately, last three seasons same type of issues
flaring up, popping up. Rene Ze said, our defense is
going to keep us afloat hope. So Louis Lemmis says,
Rockets look solid. Whit More a huper a hooper. I thanks, yeah,

(16:32):
I didn't need to hear that name. Can whit Moore.
Uh Louis Lemmis, if you know, you know, give Kawhi
more money. Uh Mio said the pick is gone. We
lost the trade. The pick is not gone. You're casual,
you're out time out, time out. I tried to explain
it to you. You didn't want to listen. That's a
clear cut time out. The pick is not gone this

(16:56):
season yet. If they stay ahead of the Houston Rockets, okay,
C will pick swap with them. That's very important. So
your little oh, what does it matter give up on
this season? No, it matters. You can keep your first
round pick him with you said it is four to
eight weeks. Who's saying is four to eight weeks. That's

(17:18):
not what indefinite means. That means there's no timeline. Clipsher
Die says, I'm just excited for Clippers basketball. Thank you.
I'm gonna be into it. On the twenty third let's go,
and honestly had no expectations for Kawhi playing when I
got the tickets. This is the way. This is gonna
be a fun team to watch. I like it. I

(17:39):
like it. Jam I thirteen twenty four said, wtf type
of question is that? Does a girln man cry at night?
Think before you type. You're right, he's still in timeout.
C has said, and definitely for the start of the season,
we knew this, Yeah we did. Uh triple J. No.

(17:59):
My comment was if you respond to comments from YouTube
or a different live stream, but you answered my question,
big fan, I appreciate you, triple J. I hope I
answered it. Uh double X. Sick Angel said, I think
we just got to have fun with this team for
the next three years. Last year was our last year
for competing for a championship until our next era of

(18:20):
Clippers basketball. I'm calling it right now the into a domera.
I don't know if this is post two, one three,
the James Harden era, the James Kawhi era. Until Kawhi plays,
that's hard to say into a domera. Tim Ay said,
I'm glad we have hardened over PG since he's more
able to carry a team. If it were the opposite,

(18:42):
I think I feel more down. Okay, I see the
logic there. He's the engine to the offense. Duce Time
said they bringing back hand checking and defense will be
of value in the NBA. No more carries and traveling
buckets will be tough this year. Not sure what you
read with the rules committee, but none of that is true. Yes,
they are letting them play more physical. Hand checking is

(19:05):
a judgment call. It's like holding from an offensive line
in the NFL, it's how much do you let someone
get away with? It still happens all the time. It
is the most overused terminology by old heads that say
no hand checking. It would be totally different now. It's like, actually,
hand checking has been illegal since like the late seventies,
but it's just how much you let them get away with.

(19:28):
And you can go back and watch games where Jordan
was getting all kinds of hand checking calls on the opposition.
They were calling tiki tak stuff back then too. Hello,
Dello says, in all honesty, this is nothing new. We
all knew this was the route, the routes they were
going with with this report, now everyone can stop asking
the same damn questions about Kauai every time. I think
that's part of the reason they're getting this out now,

(19:50):
and maybe it takes some of the sting out because
you still have five more days or six more days
till opening night. Jordan said, I think we were made
at five hundred or just slightly above in all games
without Kawhi. I have real faith in our roster, and
in a few games Kawhi does play, we will have
a winning record. We are making the playoffs, playoffs or
play in Jordan playoffs or play in that is the question.

(20:15):
Caesar Ramirez says, big chance for Terrence Man to show more.
Him and Norm have to step up to keep us
afloat Nothing inaccurate there him if he said Adam isn't
Rockets picked to okay see top ten protected? Yeah, so
the Rockets can't be too bad. I don't think they
should be bottom ten. The Rockets I think are playing

(20:37):
team health permitting that goes for everyone. Jay says, not
a wash season. All this talk and uncertainty about my
Clippers has me feeling like the good old days when
there was no expectations on us. We will shock many.
Hashtag same old underdog, hashtag new dog house Hey, dogs
in the house. Uh says he'll be back after the

(21:02):
NBA Cup. Pointless conjecture. You have no information, Hunt a
Hand says, I got Powell in my fantasy league, so
more playing time for him. What's the condition on Kai's contract?
How can he make it guaranteed? I think with Kai Jones,

(21:22):
is he's eligible for a two way, they have one
more two way to give away. It's going to go
to him. By all accounts, they need a backup center
right now. Mobamba is out and he's played very well
the last four games in the preseason. Game one was
very shaky after that. As I always say, progress isn't linear,
except with Kai Jones. So they'd have to open up

(21:46):
a roster spot for him to get a standard contract.
Do they trade PJ and someone else a two for
one so then they have that possibility for Kai someone else.
I don't know. Se said that makes my decision easy.
Read Uno d it is. When those red jerseys come,
it is gonna be something. Triple J says, hope I

(22:07):
get to see into it in person. I became a
Clippers fan from Columbus because the Columbus NHL team shares
the Clippers name. And as a kid, I confuse them.
That's funny. I like that. I like fan history, like
that Triple j MHL NHL Minor League Hockey j said,

(22:29):
hit the like button and subscribe boys Clipper Nation. I
second that. Jason Chavez said, when will the pain end
for us? I don't know. I'm thinking about Kawhi right now,
then the Clippers organization front office, and then us. But
I understand as fans this is so frustrating. I completely understand, guys,

(22:52):
And if you want to lash out a little bit,
I'll take some of it. I didn't like what the
guy said earlier. I won't even repeat it. There's some
stuff that crosses the line. But because I know Kawhi
wants to play, and I know how frustrated he is,
and it's crazy that they're still dealing with swelling, and
I you know, I have I have wondered before Ulma

(23:14):
asked the question. I've told people this is behind the scenes.
I've been like, you know, is his body just saying
no more when they're swelling like this from playing and
doing things he used to be able to do. Is
his body just saying that's enough? I don't know. I
hope not. I hope they're figuring this thing out. But

(23:35):
if he had surgery in May and it's almost gone
five months later, I told you after we heard that
from Lawrence Frake, that didn't make me or give me
a vote of confidence. I try to be as honest
as possible. I told you back in April what I
thought the deal was with Swelling and how concerning that is.
But y'all didn't want to listen to me. He's playing

(23:56):
game one, an'm you don't know, Jordan said, I have
us anywhere from five to eight, So play an advantage
play in advantage seeding where we have two chances to
get the win either way. I'm sure we make it.
In we would have the nine or ten seed shaking
to play us in the play in Oh, they'd be shook.

(24:18):
Jordan question, how many games do you have Kawi playing?
Is that what's determining whether they're a five seed or
an eighth seed? Jm I thirteen twenty four said that
December to end of season schedule gets dark for real.
The night is dark and full of terror. I hope
he gets back as soon as possible, and don't we all,

(24:38):
and that he can stay on the court and it
not be an in and out thing. That has always
been my concern. See said, where are the real Clippers
fans at Let's go Clippers? Wall needs to step up? Hey,
it's been one game and I was damn impressed with
everybody at the wall and the supporter section. They were
an incredible game one Monday night. Do you guys deserve

(25:01):
a tip of the cap, a pat on the back.
Well done, just rallying each other with a chance over
and over again. It was loud and clear from the
section we were at. I think in twenty five up
there a little bit broadcasting row, Shakim Samuel said, how
many wins do you think the team without Kawhi could

(25:21):
win if Kawai plays zero games? Do you guys want
to talk about that? Is that gonna induce panic? If
Kawhi plays zero games? How many can they win? I
will go with forty forty and forty two. Maybe forty

(25:47):
two and forty all right, I'll say forty two, just
because they did do that without Kawhi in the twenty
one twenty two season with only thirty one games from
Paul George. Richard LW said, six months since the last
game he tried to play, and all the club told
the fans is managing inflamation, because that's probably all they know.

(26:07):
What else, what other information do you think they're holding back? Like, honestly,
it's inflammation. Now, the root of that, the source cause
of that is my concern. Triple J said, So is
KPJ getting a guaranteed spot that means bones chances are
slim to none? Huh, Well, guaranteed what do you mean

(26:29):
by that weird terminology? He's signed through next season? He
has two years on his contract, so yeah, we still
don't know if he's gonna get suspended. We still don't
know his availability. And maybe that's one of the reasons
they haven't traded Bones because I know in the past
they have looked for a better situation for Bones to play.

(26:52):
You're bringing Chris down and KPJ sure seems like Bones Highland.
His plans aren't long for the Clippers or with the Clippers.
Sergio Gutier says, will Kawhi ever wear the new Clippers
jersey in an actual game? I hope so. Richard Heacock says,
I'm just jumping on not sure what's been said. I'm
normally an optimist, but I think we need to be

(27:13):
prepared for his career being over. I hate it for
him more than anything. It's his career. Sergio Gutierrez says,
Kawhi for Levine straight up. I don't know if the
Bulls are doing that right now. I mean, Levine's pretty
injury prone. I wouldn't do that. The Clippers are not
gonna do that. Like Levin healthy, it still doesn't make

(27:36):
you a contender or something like that. You get an
actual healthy Kawhi. I know it seems like a long
shot right now, but an actual healthy Kawhi in a
playoff series, you feel like you got a shot against anybody.
Anthony Armstrong said, is KPJ going to be suspended to
start the season. I don't know, Sir Jeremy Mormon. Anything

(27:57):
as possible. Clippers could be really good without Kawhi and
really bad without Kawhi. I don't know about really good
without Kawhi. I think treading water without him is best
case scenario that Mexican nar is in here. One of
the usuals. Wait, I'm late. What happened with Kawhi? All right?

(28:17):
Little reset, It's much ado about nothing in some ways
from anyone in the know or anyone that has listened
to this show for weeks. Here, Jesse Beard tried to
come in here and be like, don't you know this
is what Lot Murray's been saying. Yeah, I've had him
on the show. I've been saying all this stuff. Thanks
bro Cham Shradia reported this along with our friend Oum

(28:40):
Young Masuk of ESPN, who has been on the show.
Said Clipper star Kawhi Leonard expected to miss indefinite time
to start the twenty twenty four twenty twenty five NBA
season as he and the team rehab his right knee
for sustainability on the court. And then they reference stuff
that is coming from past press conferences. That is all

(29:01):
information that's been out there. And I literally just did
a deep dive like a week ago or maybe less
than that here in this channel, a kind of Kawhi
investigation based upon all the quotes we have heard that's
way more in depth than actually anything we got in
this I don't know, seven hundred word maybe article, maybe
five hundred. It's it's nothing. Anybody who's surprised by this

(29:25):
hasn't been paying attention. Triple Jay says Adam might have
to lace him up and carry this team to forty wins.
Gregory says, people flipping out already as if why going
to be out for the entire season. If he has
to miss a third or half the season to play
more in the postseason, so be it. I'm confident in
the team without him. I'm glad you are. But if

(29:45):
he misses half the season, it's gonna be really hard
to get anything above the ninth or tenth spot. Jordan said,
it would be great if Kawhi plays fifty to fifty five.
I think that's the best of both worlds of load
management and staying competitive. Fifty to fifty to five sixty
is five or six seed around forty five conjecture great

(30:06):
great estimates. I'm glad. I'm glad you got all figured out, Jordan.
As usual, Sure, Frank j said, Kawhi is a bona
fide top top player, but at some point we got
to cut our losses. We just resigned him. So isn't
he locked in? Yes, we can't move him, even if
we want to. You could. I don't know what you're

(30:26):
getting for him. I don't think the trade offers are
coming in right now for Kawhi Leonard based upon his health.
I don't think the Clippers necessarily want to trade him
because he signified a transformational move by the team being
a destination franchise for the first time ever. Kawhi chose
them in twenty nineteen. Everybody won them first time the
Clippers were able to land a guy like that. Soggy

(30:48):
Cereal said we'll have a twenty twenty three Miami run
to the finals. I'm optimistically delusional. I agree with the
last part this. Morgan Freemas said in seven Gregory he said,
we'll be competitive and they'll be better than people expect.
We gonna be all right. Just watch, okay and well

(31:09):
if Gregory with two why says so, then wow? Why
be concerned? Guys? Hansa Han says, any update on PGA
trade on a PJ. Tucker trade, Nope, don't have one
for you. Probably just gonna have to wave them. Richard
Heacock says, I like this roster is not a championship roster,
but they're going to be fun this season. Go Clippers agree.

(31:31):
I think this is a team that is very similar
to the types that Clipper Nation has come to love
and adore. JM I thirteen twenty four, says you all
talking about trading Kawhi WQF are you gonna get for him?
You might not even get a first round pick. Probably
not currently, I don't know. David Stegner said, greetings from Germany,

(31:51):
Clipper family. What's up, David Stagner. I think it's nothing
that we didn't expect already. I am hype for an
underdog season. Let's make the best out of it. I
like this. Oh no, siste one says hi Adam A.
He was in time out at one point last night.
Did Clippers talk after dark? Late last night? Before that,
we had Darian Vagierion from Locked on Clippers If you

(32:13):
want to check that out, Hellodollo said. Also, indefinite can
mean one week or months. Yes, indefinite just another way
to say nobody knows right now? Is that not what
I've been telling you? Nobody can know because they don't
know how he is going to respond. Definition of indefinite
if I read it off of Google lasting for an

(32:33):
unknown or unstated length of time. Synonyms unknown, indeterminate, unspecified, unlimited, unrestricted.
Somebody's like that means four to six weeks indefinite. Like, no,
that's not what it definite means. I think they got
time out. Gregory said, last message for everyone not directed

(32:54):
towards you, Adam, by the way well you set it
in here, Jordan said, I disagree with your take that
without Kawhi we are cooked. I believe without Kawhi we
will be a five hundred team. A five hundred team.
Did you check the standings last year, Jordan? In the
Western Conference? Let me give it to you, uh NBA standings.
Let me tell you what a five hundred team gets
you in the West. Because you keep talking about, oh,

(33:17):
they'll be all right, they'll be fine, they'll be good
enough without Kawhi to still be okay, to tread water
and all these things overly optimistic. And I like the optimism,
but I'm bringing realism here. The Houston Rockets were five
hundred and forty one and forty one. They finished five
games behind the Golden State Warriors, who were the tenth seed,

(33:38):
So five games away from being in the plan. The
more you know, maybe do a little bit of research.
Uh double X sick Angel said, what would it take,
hypothetically for the Clippers to make the play in if
Kawhi can't play this season? Hypothetically forty five to forty
six wins somewhere in that range to make the low

(34:00):
end of the play in probably Oscar Hemanez said, all
you could hope is that the Clippers use this chance
to develop younger players. We do not have draft picks,
so win with what you have. Yeah, there is no
reason to bottom out right now, there's no incentive to
do so. It doesn't make any sense. Someone tried to say,

(34:22):
just lose this season. They were putting time out. Rafa
meant to a a man after my own heart cut
from the same cloth, said, keeping the receipts me too.
Coffee and Ball said, I really wanted the Clippers to
trade for zach Lavine, the second peg left when the
Bulls would have loved to get off him right now
will be harder to get there. I have been telling you,

(34:44):
before you try to trade for that replacement for Paul George,
maybe just maybe see where Kawhi Leonard's health is at,
because if he can't sustain play, it doesn't matter who
you trade for. You're still not a contender without Kawhi. Well,
this is dumb. Rafa, Mentue said. Addition, by subtraction, not

(35:06):
having Kawhi insane. That might be a timeout. Sergio Gutierrez said,
I'm not too impressed with Kobe Brown this preseason. Hopefully
he can show something tonight. He's my player to watch.
I think he's going to get minutes. Jordan said he
wants to walk back something he said earlier that sounded dumb,

(35:27):
and now he wants to correct himself. Maybe. Jordan said,
I'm saying without Kawhi we would be five hundred. Kawai
will play in some games, so if we stay in
five hundred without him, we will boost to a higher
winning record, adding the games he does play well, He's
out and definitely right now, so let's see what happens.
Sist A one said Adam a. In your opinion, which

(35:50):
teams in the West got better? Most of them? I'll
run it down for you. I've talked about it plenty.
The Clippers are the one team that most people are saying, oh,
clearly got worse last season losing Paul George. I'll give
it to you here. The Oklahoma City Thunder better and
they won fifty seven games over the number one seed.

(36:12):
You get Isaiah Hartenstein, you get Alex Gruso, You're better
They're gonna win sixty games if they stay healthy. The
Denver Nuggets, you can say they got slightly worse. They
lost KCP Jamal Murray. I'm a little bit concerned about
his health right now. He hasn't looked right. Minnesota Timberwolves
depends on who you ask. I think they may have
gotten a little bit better, but I think they are

(36:34):
in contention for a top four seed once again in
the Western Conference at worse by trading Karl Anthony Towns
they bring in Devincenzo. Depends on they make Julius Randall fit.
The Dallas Mavericks. I don't think they're making the NBA Finals,
but they can have a better regular season where they
finished better than fifth. I could see that happening, just
because think about it this way. They didn't pick up

(36:55):
Daniel Gafford and PJ. Washington until late in the season
when there were thirty games left. Now they have them
for an entire year and that defense. Now they lost
Derrick Jones Junior to the Clippers. They brought in Klay Thompson,
who's slicking a little bit on the wash side. I
hope not because I love Klay Thompson, but what do
you go oh of eight or oh of nine the
other night against the Clippers? That into it dumb. They're

(37:15):
in contention for a top five seed, Top four, May,
top three Phoenix. I don't see how they can get
much worse than last season. Just won forty nine games,
stayed out of the plan. We're the sixth seed health permitting.
They do have issues there. Katie's older Devin Bookers have
been a little bit banged up, Bradley Beal has health issues.

(37:37):
If they're healthy, they could be higher than the sixth spot.
The Lakers. I don't know if they're getting seventy games
out of Anthony Davis and Lebron James this season, But
I think JJ Reddick will be a much better coach
than Darvin Ham and actually can optimize lineups and put
the best five out there, which is kind of critical
to coaching. They have a possibility to be better. New

(37:57):
Orleans Pelicans de Jontay Murray's there. They still have Brandon Ingram.
What's gonna happen with that? But if they get more
games and a Zion Williamson can be better. Sacramento Kings
get Tomar de Rosen. They lost two less games last season,
then the year before and they dropped from the three
seed to the ninth seed. Brutal. That's the West. They
can be better. Golden State. I don't know. They could

(38:19):
be right around the same forty six wins. They need
good health too with Steph Curry. But I see the
Houston Rockets being better. They won forty one games, and
remember they petered out at the very end. They were
in a race with Golden State for that final playing
spot and they faded. I like Emo O'dukah's Odoka is
a really good coach, and they have a lot of
young talent, and they should be better. They should. They

(38:42):
could be competing with the Clippers all season long. They
play each other four times. Utah has less incentive to tank.
They could still get the draft pick, but they can't
trade Laurie markin it. He's there the entire year. So
they could be better than thirty one wins the Memphis Grizzlies.
The last two times they were healthy, they were a
top three seat in the West. Last year they weren't healthy.
They had twenty seven wins. They should be a lot better.

(39:05):
San Antonio. They're better than twenty two win team. They're
better just by playing when Byama more minutes. They babied
him last year. They won't be doing that as much.
They have CP three, they have some other young guys.
If Devin Vessel can get healthy, and I know he's
already banged up Portland twenty one wins last year, I
don't know. They could be worse. Who knows. Triple J says,

(39:26):
I got about fifteen more minutes here. Triple J says,
you and other Clippers media defend the front office, but
I just don't get why they keep the fans out
of the loop. Same with PG injury before the Suns
Round one series, like it was a competitive advantage, not
to say a guy's out for the series to make
the other team still have to game plan for them.

(39:47):
You're not going to do that. Other teams wouldn't do
that necessarily either. If you look at any team star
players and how murky and vague injury reports can be,
it's not that unusual. I'm sorry, I think it's a
little bit my opic. You're just looking at it through
the lens of a Clippers fan. Rafam mentwo As said Westbrook.
That's it. Yeah, they can be better without Russ. I

(40:11):
think Jordan said, we aren't going the whole season without Kawhi,
so bringing up a straight up five hundred season doesn't compute.
We don't know anything. He's out indefinitely, hope not. But
when he's back, is he playing at that high of
a level. Remember it took a while. Go look at
the numbers when he first came back from the ACL
before he was Kawhi again. Evil Bot said Kendrick Perkins

(40:34):
saying he's retire. He and Stephen A. King f off.
Mo Hassen said if the front office wave PJ, could
they sign Kai to a regular contract in Williams to
the two way while staying under the cap. I am
not sure about that, so I don't want to guess.
Rafam Mentue said, Minnesota not better. They ain't much worse.

(40:57):
Uh more minutes for nas reed is a good thing.
They are not much worse, if at all. I don't
think you understand. Anthony Edwards is like twenty three. He
is going to get better. Dallas isn't better. They can
be better seating wise. I don't think they're gonna make
the finals regular season, though they could be. Hullo Dollo said,

(41:19):
the people that keep saying lose this season or trade
him right now. Either aren't Clippers fans or have absolutely
zero clue about the state of the franchise with the
picks and how trades actually work. Agree those people have
been putting time out often. Timothy said, I think it's
time for l Frank to go. He can't come out
being disappointed at the Team USA decision than three months
later Kawhi is out in definite. A lot of politician

(41:43):
or politics happening, and we don't need a politician. Yeah,
welcome to big business. Like you think this is unusual
for just the Clippers, Like if he felt good during
Team USA, then he should have had an opportunity to play, period.
I get it's weird, and I don't know if anybody's

(42:03):
ever asked that question. So you were ready to play
five on five for Team USA, but now the season
is starting and you're out, and definitely that doesn't seem
to line up. I understand that disconnect there. I have
asked that question. I asked lat Murray. He put it
as he's trying to play eighty two games versus ten
games in team with Team USA. I don't know. Rafa

(42:25):
mentu A, said Brian James and Reddick are a joke.
Oh god, Triple J said, Brian Shaw had the most
authentic response I have seen from someone in the Clippers
organization since two and three started shaking my head. Rafaman two,
I gotta stop going to him. Richard Heacock said, Triple J.
What did Shall say? No? Actually this is good? What
did Brian Shall say? Check out Clippers Talk after Dark

(42:47):
from last night in the live section here on YouTube.
Richard Heacock said, I understand the strength of the West.
I think because of it, there might not be a
sixty win team. Everyone rest players has injuries and tries
hard to beat one another. Two maybe that can help us. Yeah,
they can beat each other up, which drives down records.
That could happen. I just think of o Case he's healthy.
Because of how young they are, they are actually a

(43:08):
team that could win sixty games. They have guys who
are young getting better, and typically younger guys stay healthier,
and they're loaded with everything you can want. Coffee and
Ball said, regarding the Levine comment, I disagree with or
without Leonard having Levin at the very least doesn't gif
rap picks to the teams. We owe them to plus
his contract runs concurrent to Kawha's. That's part of the problem.

(43:31):
Coffee and Ball. They want money opened up in twenty
twenty six. If they have Levine under contract, who has
an opt in for fifty million during that summer, that
does not help them get other free agents. So you're
missing part of the equation a little bit. I understand
your point about staying afloat and above the Houston Rockets.
That's not a bad one. Lay Low Concer said, what's up, Adam?

(43:54):
What's up? La Lo Lo Loo from better Coole Saul?
I love them, man, hear me out. What if we
trade Kawhi straight up for lebron Uh? That's hear me out?
Time out. Triple J said that the corporate response is
basically to be patient with Kawhi, basically saying we have

(44:18):
to hold Kawhi's hands, maybe insinuating him and others or
over it. You're reading into way too much there. Nicholas
I said, quit pairing up Kawhi with another crutch. The
dude is done La la before he was hitting for
timeouts that I love Kawhi, but man, this game so old.

(44:38):
I can understand the frustration. I try to think of
it from his perspective, though, My god, he's one of
the greatest players ever. Guys, there is a scenario on
Earth too where Kawhi has a healthy career and is
in the damn Goat conversation. Legit, that's how good he
is when he's healthy. Jackson Snow said, Minnesota spacing got

(44:58):
much worse, and that's a huge lost for them. You
think their spacing got much worse because Julius Randall and
Kat You're forgetting Devincenzo is there. You're forgetting nas Reed's
gonna play more and he can shoot. I don't think you, guys,
this is wishful thinking. Oh no, Minnesota got worse. Dell's
got so much worse. This is wishful thinking. I'm sorry

(45:19):
they did not get significantly worse. Evil Bot said Memphis
is better this season, no kidding, man. I brought it up.
The last two times they were healthy, they were a
top three seed in the West. Now they've had some
health concerns already in the preseason. But Deka Fantastic said
being a good GM isn't managing fans, it's managing players.
Saggy Cereal said it's constructing a team. Actually that can compete,

(45:44):
and the Clippers, if they were ever healthy, they could have.
They can't account the front office for Kawhi doing his
acl in the middle of a run where we all
thought they were gonna win the championship. That's not their fault.
They can't account for them. And he misses a year,
then he comes back, does his meniscus. Now he has swelling.
I'm sorry. Every GM in the history of basketball would

(46:08):
have made the trade, So don't tell me this is
on Laurence Frank Saggy Cereal said out in definitely means
nothing changed. I like our team now. If Kawhi returns,
that's cherry on top. Season hasn't even started, so we
can't be doomers yet. Good. I like that, Baha, Sharif said,
DeMarcus Cousins and Lou Williams just said in affirm that

(46:28):
l Frank is the problem. Well, I didn't hear that.
I gotta hear the context, Timmy, he said, Adam, are
you going live for today's game? Of course, I'll be
it into a Dome pregame of six thirty. We'll be
live on here and on the postgame show. Jay says.
Starting the season eight and two. Can't wait for the
Clippers' top post game. Let's go Clippers. Yeah, I'd sign
up for five and five in the first ten games

(46:49):
after Active Sports tv LA Clippers News says, so Frank
was upset with Team USA for Kawhi being sent home,
but the whole time Kuhi was really injured. We don't
know exactly what was going on there. SS said, Hey, Adam,
I could find you on the AM after last preseason game,
or I couldn't find you on the AM. You were
only online last preseason game. We were on a five

(47:13):
to seventy. We were on there, but not for Clippers
after Dark. I'm doing a lot of stuff here that's
just YouTube exclusive. Now if you're just signed up for
the podcast side on Spotify or iTunes or iHeart sorry,
but I'm posting a lot of exclusive content on YouTube here.
I've got like six episodes here that are not there.
Just in the past week, Jordan said, I'm confident on

(47:36):
a night to night basis only teams I can see
out matching as straight up as four teams thunder t Wolve,
Celtics and Knicks. I'm sorry, man, you're out to lunch.
You're crazy. I don't know. I don't think you understand
how much top end talent means in the NBA. I
don't know if you heard this, but it's a superstar
diverer league, and a lot of teams on paper, based
upon the Clippers' health, are going to have the talent

(47:56):
advantage most nights couldn't. I don't know that means. Active
Sports tv LA Clippers News says Laurence Frank can't be trusted.
I'm done with that stuff. Jordan's said, Philly and regular
season walls to be a load managing cool story bro
Active Sports tv LA Clippers News said our organization is

(48:16):
looking like a joke. Okay, we got another Doomer here.
Hello Dolo said, Yeah, they're looking like such a joke.
With the best arena in the history of the world.
Hello Dolo said, Okay, see lost iHeart for Isaiah Hartenstein
for about two months with an injury. They might have
a rough time without a center. Wait, what's the Isaiah
Hartenstein injury? Out for two months? Am I the casual here?

(48:42):
I know he has a hand injury. Oh that just
came out earlier today, miss five to six weeks. Yeah,
they'll still be fine. Uh, sucks for Hartenstein. Okay, see
though I love Isaiah Hartenstein, get better, speedy recovery. Coffee
and Ball said, good point twenty twenty six free agent
classes loaded anyways, doing a great job at him. Enjoy

(49:03):
the rest of your day. Appreciate you, Coffee and Ball
raphe L Romo said, just joined Kawhi out and definitely yeah,
that's that's what the header says here too. Triple J
said never seeing Kawhi pass the second round in a
Clippers UNI is depressing. Deca fantastic said. Tyleru said, we
may have to piss off Kauwhi. Yes, I brought that
up this quote multiple times. If you check out the

(49:26):
Kawhi investigation I just did about his right knee swelling
in the episode section, in the live section, just within
last week, you would not have been surprised, surprised at
all by anything that occurred. Yet today. He also said
it seems like Kawhi voice he wanted to play opening day,
but the Clippers clearly are protecting him. I agree with
that they should be. Triple X Sick Angel said, I

(49:47):
got ten minutes left. Maybe need some more Jordan Miller
in my life and love the content you've been pushing out,
you've been grinding. Thank you, appreciate you for noticing. Mk
x LNT said, this is a fantastic opportun you need
to accomplish the unexpected. Let's see what our guys can do.
No woman, no kawhi uh we Marley h. Nicholas I said,

(50:11):
I'm going to the game tonight, see the new stadium
and Lop City too. Kai Jones, well, no doubt I
would expect him to be playing. I know there's gonna
be some starters likely out, but just more room for
Kai Jones KPJ to get some more run I'm expecting,
and then Jordan Miller Kobe Brown. Need to see them
be at their best tonight. Here. In the last preseason game,

(50:32):
Jackson Snow said, people don't guard Nas the same way
they guard Cat Biggs. Are more willing to let to
let to let the ten points per game score shooters
of the twenty two point per dude they guard nasried,
you don't know what you're talking about. If you think
they are significantly worse the Minnesota Timberwolves, you don't you know.
I'm sorry you haven't watched how they have played already.

(50:56):
As Nasrie is the sixth Man of the Year winner,
and I thought he should have won it last season,
even though I love Norm. He should have been top three.
But I thought nas Reed should have won it. He
just got forty one percent from the outside. They weren't
all open shots. If you think Minnesota is significantly worse
with one of the best players in the league, Anthony Edwards,
who is getting better better, He's twenty three, guys, He's

(51:22):
not gonna be worse. Jamal Murray posted it, posted what
I'm gonna check it out a lot? Murray, then you
love him? Uh? I don't know what'd he post? Something

(51:43):
Kawhi related, not seeing it being derailed. Andy Ate one
two nine three said, I just hate all the Clippers
go about it, acting like fans wanting to know Kawhi's
health is none of our business, but then asking us
to pay top dollar to watch this team. Can't have
it both ways. What would you like to know about
his health? What can they tell you other than the inflammation?

(52:06):
And I have to see How's new response? Who can
know more than that? Sergio Gutierrez said, Adam, I've been
waiting for the Clippers content like yours for years. I
just hope you don't get burnt out. Not gonna happen.
Keep up the fantastic work. Also, Fred Rogan is a boob.

(52:26):
I love Fred. It's a love hate relationships sometimes, but
mostly love red and blue, mostly blue. Old Dirty Dashers said,
stick a fork and us were cooked. Old dirty Dashers
and old dumer on here Jackson snow said, never said
they were much worse. Then stop. There's still a top
four team in the West, So what is your point?

(52:49):
Nas had the benefit of Cat being with him on
the Floorida help space. He played a lot without Cat.
Your nuts, man, you didn't watch Minnesota. I don't think
you guys understand Minnesota's defense being the number one defense
by a wide margin. That's not gonna fall off because
they lost Carl Anthony Towns. They're not going to be

(53:10):
outside of a top five defense, Evil Bot said, Johnston
and and Koompo will be a Clipper. Thanks or nothing?
Easy Oh said, what does this Kawhi injury mean for
this season? Less competitive trade for someone? Rewind all right,
I'm out. Maybe I'll have something even before the game,

(53:30):
even before six point thirty, even before a pregame, depending
on how early I get to into it DOM. I
might do a live stream from the parking lot for
the doors open for media. I love y'all. Try to
stay as positive as possible. Again, this is a lot
of a non story with Kawhi letter today. I appreciate
you guys being in here. This is the norm for me.

(53:53):
There's breaking news. I'll do my best to go live
for you until next time. At worst, you'll see me
at six point thirty pregame show Clippers Countdown, Clippers taken
on the Sacramento Kings some preseason game number five. I
met Amslin and we will talk to you then