Latest / Fanatically Speaking with Kent / The NBA’s New Order: OKC’s Dominance, Detroit’s Resurrection, and LeBron’s Last Ride

Transcript

The NBA’s New Order: OKC’s Dominance, Detroit’s Resurrection, and LeBron’s Last Ride · Fanatically Speaking with Kent

0:00
what's up everybody welcome to fanatically speaking
0:02
i'm kent i'm log off i'm the log off legend and
0:05
uh we're here to say everything that every fan
0:07
is thinking but louder and probably a little
0:09
crazier get ready this is fanatically speaking
0:12
with kent and log off you know what's funny like
0:15
i don't hate i don't i'm not a social media hater
0:18
i'm a social media I don't want people to think
0:25
that I get on the internet and start hating people
0:27
on social media. That's not what I do. The first
0:29
half was absolutely, absolutely horrible. You
0:33
know, just inept offense, inept defense, special
0:37
teams, you name it. I'm going to turn into Oprah.
0:40
Why were you so angry? He sucks this season.
0:45
This game, whatever, whatever's going on, right?
0:47
And then in the very next pitch, guess what?
0:50
They double Homer. And he's like, told you that.
0:53
Why are you always knocking down people? Listen,
0:55
you got the highs and the lows. Yeah, so I knew
0:58
that. You need the highs and the lows. So I do
1:01
that, yeah. I'm trying to be the voice of reason
1:04
here. I am what I am. What's up everybody welcome
1:18
to another episode of fanatically speaking I
1:20
am Kent the co -host and promoter. I am log off
1:23
the log off legend the hater of social media
1:25
I'm the co -host and producer of the show. All
1:27
right, what do we have on tap for today's episode?
1:30
So today we're gonna go over all the top teams
1:33
in the NBA Obligatory, we just kind of pick the
1:37
top in each conference So the top three teams
1:40
in each conference Eastern and Western conference
1:42
in the NBA We're just going to kind of do a breakdown.
1:45
The NBA season just started, but there's some
1:48
quite a few surprises, you know, in the NBA schedule
1:52
that I kind of wanted to go over and just look
1:54
to see whether or not we think these teams have
1:56
a legitimate shot at a championship. I know it's
1:59
early, but I think there's going to be some surprises
2:01
and then there's going to be some things that
2:03
we expect. Let's get to the hardwood. And I'm
2:13
going to start with what I think is the funner
2:16
conference to talk about, which is actually probably
2:20
the worst conference. Let's talk about the Eastern
2:21
conference. We're going to go through the three
2:23
top teams in that conference. So we've got Detroit,
2:25
Toronto and Cleveland. We're going to switch
2:27
this up from how we do the NFL one. So let's
2:30
start with the Detroit Pistons came out of the
2:34
came out of the season blazing. Highest winning
2:39
percentage in the league behind OKC They have
2:43
you know, a lot of young players on their team
2:45
a lot of young stars Obviously the biggest name
2:48
on that team is Kate Cunningham and then honestly
2:52
a lot of got some veterans on that roster But
2:54
a lot of guys that you don't really have a lot
2:55
of confidence in but they're out here winning
2:58
games How do you feel about Detroit Pistons kind
3:01
of winning running through the East right now?
3:04
Man Kate Cunningham last year made a huge jump
3:08
Right. We knew he had talent. We knew again top
3:11
pick all this waiting for because I kept saying,
3:13
okay I know he can play but like has he done
3:16
anything man? He made the jump last year and
3:19
he's killing it again this year Averaging to
3:22
what 27 points a game. Obviously that said they're
3:24
they're off to a hot start and Then you add in
3:28
you know, I'm looking at them too. And I'm like,
3:30
you know Jalen during it's like the Hornets drafted
3:33
that dude and traded them on draft night So add
3:36
that to that Charlotte Hornet history Not gonna
3:39
go into that, but just saying, add that name
3:41
to the Charlotte Hornets history of draft fumbles.
3:46
Dude is averaging, what, 20 points, 11 boards
3:48
right now. The Pistons do have some veterans.
3:54
Right now they're playing well. As we know, the
3:57
regular season. So it's one of those situations
4:01
where I say, I could see them, maybe, but regular
4:06
season doesn't really matter. JB bigger stats
4:09
their head coach He also was the head coach previously
4:11
in Cleveland and he had a stack roster and they
4:15
didn't win so Okay, yeah, and I and I think this
4:19
is the classic NBA basketball perspective young
4:25
team Surprising everyone coming out of nowhere
4:28
are they playoff proven? I think this is a bigger
4:31
detriment to a team having a hot start more so
4:35
than in any other sport Because playoff experience
4:38
matters, just not one and done like it is in
4:40
the NFL. In the NBA, you get seven games. So
4:45
there's more chances for injury. There's more
4:47
chances for changes in lineups, more changes
4:49
in matchups. And it gives you a chance to kind
4:52
of figure a team out. Maybe a team gets exposed
4:55
in the first round. And then in the second round,
4:58
that team takes advantage of that and then eliminates
5:00
them. So I like it. I think it's fun. I think
5:03
it's a great story. better than anything. To
5:05
have Detroit have some success as a flailing
5:09
franchise, you know, since the, you know, Chauncey
5:11
Billups, Taishan Prince, you know, Rip Hamilton
5:15
type days. It's good to kind of see them, you
5:18
know, have a moment. So I'm pulling for them
5:20
in that way, just because I think it'd be a nice
5:23
thing to kind of shake up in the Eastern Conference.
5:25
There's not a lot of dominant teams anyway. so
5:28
I like the way that they look and I like the
5:30
way that they're playing and I hope that they
5:31
can continue it into the second half of the season
5:34
and and Hopefully have a playoff run that that
5:37
makes some sense for them Yeah, they had a little
5:39
you know, I think they look good last year in
5:41
the playoffs and I'm not knocking bickerstaff
5:43
I won't only get that I just know that like say
5:45
he was the coach of the Cavs and You know, they
5:48
got rid of him. He couldn't win with that roster
5:50
But whatever he's doing in Detroit is working
5:53
and it is a you know I got to give props to Detroit.
5:58
They sucked for a long time. They hit their draft
6:01
picks right. They put the right veterans in place
6:04
with their cap space. And you see the benefit
6:08
of that. I just wish that also could happen with
6:12
some other team called the Charlotte Hornets.
6:15
Yeah, well, totally different everything. Different
6:18
organization, different owner. Yeah. I have to
6:21
throw that in there that I just. you see a team
6:24
going from so bad to now be playing so well.
6:28
Maybe there's a reason for it. Maybe it's the
6:33
environment. The Toronto Raptors. Toronto Raptors
6:38
second seed currently. They're playing well too.
6:42
A lot of similarities to the Pistons. Very young
6:45
team. Young team with I would say a nice top
6:54
15 to 30 player kind of roster if that makes
6:59
any sense you got Scotty Barnes you got RJ Barrett
7:02
you got Brandon Ingram like they've got a they've
7:05
got guys that you know can play okay so we can
7:08
start there and then I think everything else
7:10
just surrounds the the cohesion of a team and
7:16
everyone knowing their role If right now, and
7:20
this is just off the top of your head, who's
7:21
the star of the Toronto Raptors? Who's the one
7:24
star? The biggest name is Brandon Ingram. Would
7:30
you say that he's their best player? I'd say
7:33
Scotty Barnes is their best player. That's my
7:36
point. That's a flexibility. So even with Brandon
7:40
Ingram, and we know that he's talented, he's
7:42
moved around quite a bit too as a player that
7:45
we know can play basketball. and he's not horrible
7:50
at anything like he's a nice well -rounded long
7:53
athletic you know forward they've got it as a
7:57
forward i've always seen them as a as a two three
8:00
type player yes but but scotty barnes he was
8:04
a you know he came out he had a lot of hype after
8:08
his first and second season you know he was rated
8:11
very very high just for a lot of his intangibles
8:13
and things that he that he's able to do on the
8:15
court i like the way their team is structured
8:18
And I think that I don't know a lot about their
8:21
bench. And a lot of these names aren't even that
8:24
familiar, which makes me think that their wins
8:27
could be a little fraudulent. But a win is a
8:31
win. And if they can get out in front and keep
8:34
a decent lead and stay at the top of the Eastern
8:36
Conference and host some playoff series, I think
8:40
that'll be beneficial for them. But what are
8:42
your thoughts on the Raptors? Yeah, I told you
8:44
early when we were doing predictions that They're
8:48
just they're one of those teams that are that
8:49
are pretty they got a really good roster Like
8:52
they're gonna be I think right in the mix for
8:54
a playoff spot. I don't think they stay at the
8:57
top. I Just don't You know, like I said, you
9:02
gotta have depth I don't think they have the
9:05
depth for like a playoff run. I think they get
9:07
into the playoffs because You know when you look
9:10
at this they're in the east. Yeah, yeah because
9:12
you're in the east I mean, you know again you
9:14
look at the bottom and you're Those bottom teams
9:16
you expected to be at the bottom. So the Raptors
9:20
are taking advantage. I think of a down year
9:22
for the Pacers down year for the Celtics. And
9:26
again, with all the injuries in the NBA, I think
9:28
they're taking advantage of that too in the East,
9:30
so it'll shift. Like you said, it's really early.
9:34
I do not expect them to stay at the top, but
9:37
I could see them. Maybe being like a 6 -7 seed.
9:43
OK. All right, no, and that's fair. That would
9:46
probably be their ceiling. And that wouldn't
9:48
surprise me either. Yeah, I think that would
9:49
be their ceiling of that high of a seed. I don't
9:52
know if they have home court advantage. But again,
9:57
good players, decent, like you said, pretty good
10:01
roster of that core of their starters. And then
10:05
after that, it kind of drops. But again, Toronto
10:08
does a really good job, man. Don't, you know,
10:10
don't make moves. If they're in the hunt, don't
10:12
make moves to improve that roster at the deadline
10:15
next year. And they always find a way to stay
10:19
relevant somehow. Very good, very well run organization.
10:23
Gotcha. Yeah, no, and I agree with that. And
10:29
let's close out the Easter conference. Let's
10:30
go to the Cleveland Cavs. We saw what they did
10:33
last year. So Cleveland Cavs were the one seed
10:35
going into the playoffs last year and then got
10:37
hit with the injury bug of all injury bugs. It
10:41
felt like they were injured the entire postseason
10:43
from, you know, from Donovan Mitchell. Um, I
10:46
think Jared Allen actually missed some time.
10:48
Like everybody was just kind of in and out of
10:49
their lineup and looking at their season so far,
10:54
they're at a three seed right now. They've still
10:57
had the injury bug hit them. Um, Some, I mean,
11:00
this will be a shock to no one. Lonzo Ball being
11:03
out with injuries. Jared Allen out with some
11:05
injuries. Max Struse, who's a really, really
11:08
good role player. Come off the bench and give
11:10
your team some offense type player. But I think
11:14
when the key is going to come down to Donovan
11:16
Mitchell, he's an undersized guard. He's not
11:18
going to be able to carry that team the way that
11:21
a guard typically could have, you know, in past
11:24
generations. The league is just too competitive
11:27
now. So they'll need a nice well rounded team
11:30
to be able to advance throughout the Eastern
11:33
Conference. I think they'll have a, I think they're
11:37
going to learn some things from last year. Where
11:40
last year they just wanted to keep that one seed
11:42
and hope that it propelled them through the playoffs.
11:46
So hopefully they can make Eastern Conference
11:48
Championship and maybe make it to the finals.
11:50
By playing so much and trying to keep that record
11:53
intact. They ended up suffering those injuries
11:55
So I think they're gonna try to coast a little
11:58
bit I wouldn't be surprised if they fall anywhere
12:00
between like four four five six seven Yeah, and
12:03
then and then say hey, okay now we're just we
12:05
know that we're a good team Let's turn it on
12:08
and and see if we can win some matchups in advance.
12:10
But how do you feel about Cleveland? I'm not
12:14
a big fan But I think this would be the season
12:17
that they could sneak You know sneak into the
12:21
finals But watch out for the you know, watch
12:24
out for the Miami Heat. I Underestimated the
12:28
Miami Heat They're right there with Cleveland
12:31
and I know we're not talking about the Miami
12:32
Heat, but I just want to say that I underestimated
12:34
them Even without Tyler Hero and some injuries
12:38
on their side too. They're right there with Cleveland.
12:40
They're right in the mix but I would You know
12:45
New York Philly Think Orlando will get better.
12:51
So with Cleveland Again, I'm not a huge fan But
12:57
but again in a season like this in the East with
13:00
the the main teams having down years I'll give
13:04
them a shot like I could I mean I wouldn't be
13:06
shocked if they made it Yeah, and you know and
13:10
I said it the East is gonna be more competitive
13:12
than the West and I can understand what you're
13:14
saying there'll be some flip -flopping in this
13:17
and the standings, but You know, when teams get
13:19
to a five, six lead, five, six game lead in the
13:23
NBA, it's really hard to overcome. And specifically
13:27
when you get to the next topic, the Western conference,
13:31
it gets really tough. I mean, I think it was
13:33
one season. I want to say it was the top six
13:37
seeds were all like three and a half games apart,
13:40
just based on where the seedings were. It was
13:42
that competitive just based on where the standings
13:45
are. And for the Western Conference, we're going
13:51
to have to start with, you know, the juggernaut,
13:53
man. OKC, the Oklahoma City Thunder look like
13:58
world killers. Another team, very young, very
14:04
well coached, very well run organization, top
14:07
to bottom. They know how to do it all. They have
14:11
put together the perfect core unit of the super
14:18
unselfish superstar and Shea Gilgis Alexander,
14:21
you know, Chet Holgram as a, as a, as a high
14:24
draft pick coming in, taking, I mean, he may
14:27
be their third best player. Like if you had to
14:31
pick right now, you know, so, so just think about
14:33
that level of talent and everyone understands
14:36
that this is about team basketball and going
14:40
out, playing your part. getting a win and they've
14:44
been beating teams asses so bad that That their
14:47
starters really don't even have to play the fourth
14:49
quarter So that's where like the the advantages
14:53
that Cleveland are trying to get now when trying
14:55
to stay healthy This is where OKC is gonna shine
14:57
and not only that they got young guys That's
15:00
got young legs who love to get these regular
15:02
season minutes get their stats up you know hopefully
15:05
get you know advance at some point get themselves
15:07
a nice contract so you know alice haruso uh...
15:11
you know as a heartstein you know like they've
15:14
got nice jaylen williams excuse me jaylen williams
15:19
and then the other jaylen williams they'd there's
15:23
such a good team and i think the the culture
15:26
within that locker room and everybody kinda understands
15:28
that this is more big picture luke dork They
15:31
got good a good nice solid foundation and I think
15:36
it's their championship to lose Yes It's it's
15:41
not only there. I mean they've been doing this
15:43
without Jalen Williams, right? He was hurt. He's
15:45
been hurt the first part of the season Yeah,
15:50
the Thunder are the favorite they showed it last
15:53
year they proved it It doesn't matter. We talked
15:56
about the East. It doesn't matter who comes out
15:58
of the East They're not winning the finals The
16:03
Thunder are the favorite and if any team in the
16:05
West happened to beat the Thunder They're gonna
16:07
be whatever team comes out of these And I don't
16:11
know if you've heard this, you know I found this
16:13
out if maybe like a week or so ago But just looking
16:15
at it the Thunder are already stacked and loaded
16:18
another maybe the best run organization in the
16:22
NBA They could possibly have two lottery picks
16:26
because of trades this year yes because the clippers
16:30
are bad the jazz they also own a philadelphia
16:34
picket i'm seeing here too so they could have
16:37
five picks in this upcoming draft i mean think
16:42
about think about think about this what they
16:45
could do with those they could either draft guys
16:47
they could trade i mean they've got so many options
16:49
they are so deep i think we could this is when
16:54
you talk about dynasty This is the start of a
16:58
dynasty Well, and here's the thing and I I can
17:03
agree with that I think the thing that that that
17:07
lends to it being a dynastic type of transition
17:11
for OKC Is not necessarily all the capital that
17:16
they have It's what they've done with it. They've
17:21
drafted well They've traded well They've developed
17:26
their talent. They've allowed their players to
17:30
flourish They were given guys opportunities that
17:33
at one point you were like Why are they playing
17:35
this guy so many minutes? And then any you know,
17:37
like I said like a guy like like Heartenstein
17:39
like you saw him get better like like you like
17:41
you watched, you know, Alex Caruso embrace being
17:45
You know the defensive stopper that we knew we
17:48
knew he could play. Yeah, but it's like no No,
17:50
we're just gonna let that guy go out there and
17:51
be our killer They've allowed guys to actually
17:54
play within the structure that they set that
17:57
fits for winning basketball. And I think that
18:00
that is a bigger being able to get talent always
18:04
helps. But outside of SGA, none of these guys
18:08
were world beaters to you. Chet Holmgren was,
18:12
you know, the skinny kid that was going to be
18:13
drafted. I thought that dude was going to break
18:15
in half, man. I didn't think he was going to
18:16
be. I mean, and he hasn't even reached his best
18:20
potential. he's not even as good as he's gonna
18:22
get yet and they're ready and this is how the
18:27
NBA goes it's a salary cap sport they're gonna
18:29
have to trade some of these guys they can't pay
18:31
them all that's where that's where it's going
18:34
to be beneficial to them because they've got
18:36
guys that would say you know we can trade this
18:38
guy because we can't pay him forty million a
18:40
year and we got somebody on the base that's just
18:43
as good then we can go draft someone and then
18:46
bring them in and develop them to maybe taken
18:49
a spot you know for another starter in the next
18:51
you know two or three seasons so that's where
18:53
the benefit is it's not just about the capital
18:55
and and in the picks and and all that all that's
18:58
great to have i i agree with you but we see teams
19:00
to get great picks all the time and they blow
19:02
you see guys to get to we see teams to get good
19:05
talent and don't develop them And it's only as
19:09
beneficial to you as you make it. And OKC with
19:12
a bullet has made the best of what they've had
19:14
available to them. Yeah, and that's what I'm
19:16
saying. They're very well run. So you're exactly
19:19
right. They make it count when they have these
19:21
picks. And again, and make these trades. They've
19:26
done a great job. I mean, again, the trade for
19:29
Caruso made the difference in winning that NBA
19:31
championship. and again, have a great trade.
19:35
Yeah, like I was saying, yeah, not just having
19:36
that capital but like you said, yeah, they make
19:38
it count. So, I'm not, yeah, that's what I'm
19:40
saying. That is still an advantage to a team
19:43
who doesn't need anybody. Like, they don't need
19:46
anyone. But they're probably gonna gain two lottery
19:50
picks. And God help the NBA if they get the number
19:53
one and they get Cameron Boozer from Duke. You
19:58
can, everybody else can just quit. They can just
20:02
stop. I mean, listen, let them get the first
20:06
big guy. Let those, let those lottery balls behind
20:10
closed doors get the thunder. You know what I
20:13
mean? Like that's, yeah. Yeah. I mean, like I
20:15
said, I'm super impressed. And, and yeah, they're
20:17
the favorite. And again, the East is, is playing
20:21
for second place. Got it. And I'll say this out
20:25
of, and I'll just, I'll leave it here out of
20:27
all the teams in the NBA. that have a winning
20:31
record right now. All the teams that have a winning
20:35
record above 500, the OKC Thunder are the youngest.
20:39
Yeah. I mean, they're so good. You have to appreciate
20:42
it. Yeah. I love it, man. It's great to see.
20:47
And their basketball is good to watch. I enjoy
20:49
watching them play. It really is. It really is.
20:56
So let's go ahead and move to the next team.
20:59
Let's talk about the Denver Nuggets. So we know
21:02
they've got, uh, my, my favorite nickname for
21:05
an NBA player. It, uh, I don't know if you've
21:09
heard this name. I know. So when it comes to,
21:11
you know, the joker, I know you heard of, you
21:13
know, him called the joker. Have you heard anyone
21:16
call him big honey? No. Big honey is a translation
21:20
of a name that he was called, you know, back
21:22
in his, in his home country. It translates to
21:25
big honey. And it's just because like his game
21:27
is so sweet and smooth. I love that name. The
21:31
Denver Nuggets, we know that they're a formidable
21:36
team. We know that Aaron Gordon has had a tremendous
21:40
year alongside Nikolaj Jokic, but what are your
21:45
thoughts on Denver? How do you feel about them
21:48
advancing? Not necessarily advancing, but how
21:53
do you think the regular season is going to play
21:55
out for them? Think they're gonna give the they're
21:58
gonna give the Thunder their best shot come come
22:01
playoff time if it comes down to these two Like
22:04
you say yoga cheese. He's averaging a triple
22:06
double He might be the best player in the world
22:10
They added they added some pieces they made some
22:15
deals so, you know adding Tim Hardaway jr. Cam
22:22
Johnson They brought back Bruce Brown. They got
22:27
the depth that they were missing the last few
22:29
seasons. I agree. So they're not, it's not all,
22:33
hey, you know, Murray Jokic, go do it. Christian
22:36
Brown's gotten better. Aaron Gordon's playing
22:39
great. So they will be dangerous. And again,
22:43
they've been there. So as much as we said, we
22:46
love the Thunder and we do. the Nuggets are right
22:50
there. They have been champion as well. And again,
22:52
they have arguably the best player in the world.
22:54
Like we mentioned a previous podcast, it's SGA,
22:59
it's Jokic, and it's Luka and Janis, right? I
23:03
mean, there's like four. Yeah, there's four.
23:06
And we picked Janis kinda like saying, who would
23:08
you take right now? I mean, it's hard to say.
23:11
I might have changed my pick. I would take Janis.
23:13
Anybody would take Janis, but. obviously he's
23:19
right there, multiple time MVP. Average of triple
23:23
double is a big man, the way he plays. But the
23:26
Nugget team in itself, like I said, I like their
23:28
depth. I like their experience. I think they'll
23:33
be right there. I agree with you on the Nuggets.
23:36
I'll make mine short and sweet. I think that
23:39
they are doing their best OKC Thunder impersonation.
23:45
The only difference is that they went with veterans
23:47
as opposed to young talent, which I don't mind.
23:51
You mentioned Tim Hardaway Jr. Cam Johnson is
23:54
a sneaky 29 years old, man. Okay. And the one
24:00
thing that I'll say more than more than Cam Johnson
24:06
being 29 years old, the thing that shocks me
24:10
the most about their roster is the fact that
24:13
Jamal Murray is actually younger than him. Wow.
24:17
Jamal Murray is 28 and I think and this is not
24:21
a shot at Jamal Murray. I think that he is kind
24:25
of their Achilles heel in a lot of ways because
24:28
through a lot of their playoff rungs, he gets
24:29
he gets he gets hurt and you need someone that
24:32
can step up and fill those those shoes. He's
24:35
such a dominant ball, dominant player, facilitator,
24:38
scorer. and he plays so well with with Jokic
24:41
but at the same time when he got hurt it's like
24:44
ah do we really have enough of enough group of
24:47
guys i could feel that i think now that i think
24:50
now they do and i do think it's a lot of addition
24:55
by subtraction because getting michael porter
24:58
jr out of there i think was a great benefit for
25:00
them as well This allows that office to flow
25:03
the way that it's designed to without guys taking
25:06
bad shots. Yeah. So, um, I'm going to agree with
25:09
you on that. And I do like Denver, man. They,
25:12
I think they're a strong contender to OKC. Definitely.
25:14
And at the end of it, I think it does come down
25:16
to them, to those two teams. Lastly, let's go
25:23
ahead and talk about your Los Angeles Lakers.
25:26
I know you ain't talking to me. Your Los Angeles.
25:31
who who just got lebron back and i'd like i like
25:35
the way they're going to work him in they're
25:37
going to give him some time they're going to
25:39
allow him to kind of he's is a forty forty one
25:41
-year -old body into the season which is the
25:44
proper way to go they're sitting comfortably
25:47
they're going to be sitting company net three
25:49
to five spot you know probably for the next you
25:52
know for the next couple of months how do you
25:55
feel about the lakers as it is we know they've
25:57
got talent we know they're getting lebron back
25:59
but Do you think it's real what we're seeing
26:02
from him? I do. I mean, Luca, we knew Luca was
26:08
a baller. We knew he was a killer. He showed
26:11
it in Dallas. His motivation and his diet was
26:17
bad, right? So he did the work in the off season.
26:21
He showed it. He took it serious. He's coming
26:23
out, averaging damn near 35 points a game. And
26:28
then - Was you banking on Austin Reeves to come
26:31
out and play as well as he's playing? He hadn't
26:34
been like that, right? Was it 26? What do I got
26:38
here? 28 points a game. You know what I mean?
26:42
Yeah. Yeah, you talk about the Eagles, Cooper,
26:46
Dejean, and Reid Blankenship. The Lakers have
26:48
their exciting whites, and Luca, and Austin Reeves.
26:57
Yes, they do. They've got listen and they and
26:59
they are and they all and I'm gonna give them
27:01
credit man They ball it they are like don't connect
27:05
don't connect is a Hooper. Oh don't even Reeves
27:09
is a baller and And we talked about this before
27:12
in a previous episode man. They're all on generous
27:15
contracts You kind of have to when you got Luca
27:17
and LeBron making top down. Yeah, right You know,
27:20
they got Deandre Ayton on the cheap for eight
27:22
million a year and this is just me kinda going
27:24
into my my sports business out of stuff i i i
27:27
love looking at the contracts just out teams
27:28
are structured rule is making i think a very
27:32
modest for his talent is skillset i feel like
27:35
really could be i feel like really could be a
27:39
number two any other team in the league that's
27:44
just my belief in it he's making eighteen million
27:46
a year they've got some room obviously we know
27:50
that when lebron retires who knows when that
27:53
money will come off the books of the free things
27:54
up they also got marcus smart really cheap you
27:59
know former whether you believe it was warranted
28:01
or not defensive player of the year five million
28:04
a year so they've got some flexibility and and
28:07
i love something that you said about How OKC
28:11
could make a you know things kind of if they
28:14
know that they can make a move They've got the
28:16
capital be able to make a move. So do the Lakers.
28:19
Yes. I don't know if they're smart enough to
28:21
I don't know if that front office is savvy enough
28:25
to do it But to make a championship run With
28:31
LeBron and Luca it would be wise for them to
28:34
do so I don't know who you go with or what you
28:36
try to do but Their core is solid. LeBron, Luka,
28:42
Rui, Ayton, Connect, Reeves, Marcus Smart. If
28:48
they traded for a killer, which with that core,
28:53
they'll be able to do, I think it propels them
28:56
into that category with OKC and Denver. I just
28:59
don't trust them to do it. I do trust them because
29:03
as dumb as Dallas was to trade Luka, They were
29:07
smart enough to trade for him. And this is what's
29:11
gotta happen with the Lakers, I believe. Some
29:14
of the numbers are inflated, right? LeBron's
29:15
been out. And we know LeBron can produce, and
29:20
we know he can still play. LeBron's gonna have
29:24
to be like Shaq in Miami. Is that a good comparison,
29:30
maybe? Or if we go back to your Peyton Manning
29:37
with the Broncos in that diva like LeBron I don't
29:39
think LeBron has to be the star I think again,
29:41
this is the transition we've seen coming They
29:45
got Luca for a reason. He's the guy. He's the
29:47
next guy Let them keep doing what they're doing
29:51
and Let LeBron be a piece. I know that's crazy
29:55
to say because he's arguably the best player
29:58
ever Depending on who you ask But we all know
30:03
again. He is LeBron James. He is one of the greatest
30:06
players to ever step foot on the court Even at
30:10
his age. He can still put up and do whatever
30:12
he wants, but I think he doesn't have to be the
30:16
man He doesn't have to be the guy He can be a
30:19
piece and he's a smart enough basketball player
30:21
to do that But I said the eight numbers the Rui
30:25
number Hajimeira They're gonna go down and Reeves
30:28
will go down Luca again. You gotta let LeBron
30:30
get in get his Yeah, and when you talk about
30:34
making moves, I don't think they gotta go get
30:36
a killer I think I think they just if they go
30:39
get a shooter if they go get another defender
30:42
Marcus smart obviously is a great defender and
30:45
that's gonna help LeBron's a great defender But
30:49
yeah, I would say go get that go get another
30:51
piece But not like a killer I just think another
30:56
piece You know what I mean? Just go, go get it.
30:58
I'll have to, I'll have to see it. Yeah. I'll,
31:00
and I've, I laughed. I didn't, I didn't want
31:03
to throw you off where you were basically taking,
31:05
you were saying how they were smart enough to
31:06
trade for Luca. I think any, I think any manager
31:10
at a Burger King would be smart enough to trade
31:12
for Luca to get AD out of here. You know, like,
31:16
like it wasn't, it wasn't some brilliant move,
31:18
you know, that they made, you know, so they didn't
31:22
make it. I mean, if you want to give them credit
31:25
for that, sure, right? They picked up the phone
31:29
and answered. Yeah, and signed the paperwork
31:33
and sent the facts over. And I get it. They got
31:36
it notarized. They answered Nico's phone call.
31:39
That's all they had to do was pick up. I got
31:43
a two -year -old that I can have answer that
31:45
same phone call to make that trade. But we'll
31:49
have to see. And the other thing is, and I'll
31:53
end it on this, we're still talking about LeBron.
31:59
And I don't think that LeBron has conceded the,
32:05
I want a say in what's going on in this organization
32:09
type thing. And the one thing LeBron's really,
32:12
really good at is the sneak dissing and the being
32:17
subtle, you know, subtle, whiny NBA superstar
32:23
who has it all, but he's still going to whine
32:24
and complain because he doesn't get his way.
32:26
Yeah. And if they trade and if they trade someone
32:29
or move someone that he just happens to like
32:31
on their team to get a better player, I could
32:34
see, I'm not going to say I could see him ruining
32:37
the chemistry or sabotaging things, but I could
32:40
absolutely see it becoming a talking point. Even
32:42
if it's after the season, it's like, yeah, they
32:44
made that move. It didn't work out for the Lakers
32:46
and LeBron didn't want them to make that trade,
32:48
but they did it anyway. That's just something
32:50
else. We've heard it about LeBron his entire
32:53
career. If something like that happened, it would
32:55
not shock you. No, it would not at all. He's
32:58
he's got an ego for sure. So yes, he does. That
33:02
is the one thing we can talk about LeBron. You
33:05
know, he does like that spotlight. But again,
33:08
it will take him again, taking a role on this
33:11
team and not be the guy on this team for them
33:13
to to go. Got it. Yeah, no, I agree with that.
33:23
Alright, so our last topic for this NBA Heavy
33:26
episode is we're going to go ahead and talk about
33:28
LaMelo Ball again. Now, it's going to be different
33:31
than the previous conversations that we had.
33:34
Recently, there had been rumblings and reports,
33:37
anonymous reports that have come out about how
33:39
LaMelo Ball wanted to be traded from the Hornets.
33:43
Since those reports have come out, LaMelo Ball
33:45
has said on social media and in other outlets
33:48
that, nope, that's not what he's looking for,
33:50
that he loves the city of Charlotte, he likes
33:51
playing for the Hornets, and he is not currently
33:53
seeking a trade. Now, the interesting thing about
33:57
this is I've never been a big fan of the anonymous
34:00
reports, especially when it comes to something
34:02
that is so sensitive about a player requesting
34:06
a trade. That can cause contention. Amongst a
34:09
player in the front office, you know their agents
34:12
other teams reaching out trying to make trade
34:15
deals You never know how it's gonna go and you
34:17
never really know what someone's thinking So
34:20
I don't know if this was just some BS report
34:23
by someone who just wanted to make a headline
34:25
It was like, you know what flashy name hornets
34:28
are struggling Let's see what we can put out
34:30
there and see what can come of it. But when you
34:32
heard the news What kind of came to your mind
34:35
surrounding? the rumblings of LaMelo wanting
34:40
a trade? Yeah, so first off, I got mad, right?
34:45
As a fan and a fan of Mello being on the Hornets
34:48
before he came out and said, no, this guy's a
34:51
clown. It's not me. It's false info. I got mad
34:55
because I'm like, how can you be frustrated?
34:57
Because it said he was frustrated with the Hornets.
35:01
And I'm like, how can you be frustrated? You
35:04
never play. How can someone be frustrated with
35:08
losing when you're not on the court to help and
35:12
I'm a mellow fan But I am honest about that.
35:14
He like we talked he does stay injured a lot
35:18
I'm but again, I'm like I can't I can't put those
35:21
two in that that one that was the one was like
35:23
that doesn't make sense to me that you could
35:26
be frustrated with the team and Again, you're
35:30
not really on the court So how can you be like
35:33
that doesn't make sense that doesn't compute?
35:37
So luckily like say he did come out Clown emoji
35:41
did the interview and say nah wasn't me like
35:45
I love it here. I want to be here That didn't
35:48
come from me. So that source is wrong. So like
35:51
you said, I don't know what the source was You
35:53
know, whoever this person was I mean put them
35:55
in the category of media just saying stuff to
35:58
say stuff without any proof Or maybe there is
36:02
proof we never know in sports right stuff said
36:04
all the time and honestly out of locker rooms
36:06
things like that The other thing that got me
36:09
about this and we go back to the media this was
36:13
You know how verified was this? You know this
36:18
report because when horse is on ESPN talking
36:21
about it Yahoo is posting it CBS Sports is doing
36:26
trade ideas now that me you know it it you said
36:30
it was reported it was just out there like a
36:33
rumor happens and now it's story story story
36:36
story everywhere bleach report everywhere so
36:38
i'm like how do you do that it's always fun to
36:41
talk trades like yeah go for it no no and i and
36:45
i want to do it because i've my my position on
36:49
this is objective because i've been saying trade
36:51
lamello before the season started okay so objectivity
36:56
oozing out of my pores right now on this topic
36:59
alone I feel like I have exclusivity to speak
37:03
on this intelligently for two reasons. One, because
37:07
I said, get Lamello's ass out of here before
37:09
the season started. Yeah. And two, I'm not on
37:12
social media. Yeah. And I hate social media.
37:14
And this is a reason why. Because something is
37:17
just said and it spreads like wildfire. And everyone
37:20
just says it. And in my prior life, and I use
37:25
that term specifically, the spread like wildfire.
37:28
In my prior life, I was a firefighter and I think
37:32
people are amazed at how quickly, while you use
37:36
that terminology, how quickly a fire can spread.
37:39
It is destructive. It is fast. You can't think.
37:44
You panic. And I think that's what happened when
37:47
you heard it. It was as if everything was on
37:51
fire. It's like, no, what are you talking about?
37:53
And the first thing you did by default, and I
37:55
can't knock you for this, you got defensive.
37:58
You started to insult him you started to call
38:03
him into question For an anonymous an anonymous
38:07
report that came out and again, that's not on
38:08
you it came out It was being spoken about so
38:11
we had to give it some level of seriousness Until
38:15
he came out and were in, you know had a rebuttal
38:18
to the reports They know this is not it but this
38:21
what happens. It's it stokes the flames to use
38:23
another fire analogy people see and hear the
38:27
things that they want to hear. And then they
38:32
make their assumptions, they make their judgments
38:33
and their criticisms from that. And so anybody
38:37
who was looking for a glimmer of light to trash
38:40
LaMelo ball, there it was. Now I can bash them.
38:44
The people who had been LaMelo ball supporters,
38:46
much like you, you've been a LaMelo fan since
38:49
he was drafted. you bet you've you've been supporting
38:53
this guy as a as a horny even through his injuries
38:55
you're like a man i just wish he'd he'd stay
38:57
healthy still in the court but the second you
38:59
thought that he had a little bit of saltiness
39:03
toward the organization you kind of flipped on
39:05
them so that you know log off legend man hater
39:10
of social media This is why I hate social media,
39:12
because these things just take on a life of their
39:15
own. And honestly, it's outside of our hands.
39:18
It's outside of the Hornet's hands. It's outside
39:19
of the NBA's hands. It's outside of the Mello's
39:22
hands. People start talking, and then offers
39:25
get made. And people start looking at contracts.
39:29
And people start having the first take segments
39:31
about it. And then it just keeps it going and
39:34
getting bigger and bigger. So I don't knock you
39:36
for your position on that. I understand how you
39:38
feel. you were against the lamello trade. I tried
39:42
to make, you know, we had conversations about
39:45
it. So I know that you were against it, but when
39:50
when that news came out we texted each other
39:53
instantly and Immediately you showed your fangs
39:57
and I think that's what the anonymous report
39:59
was intended to do I hate social media I'm gonna
40:03
suggest that everybody logs off much like myself
40:06
and stop reading this nonsense Because a lot
40:09
of it's not real. It doesn't mean anything You're
40:13
right, I would say this People like me like I
40:18
said, we call this fanatically speaking for a
40:20
reason because I were fans and I am a I would
40:23
say I'm a fanatic When it comes definitely more
40:27
a fanatic fanatic than I am I'll give you that.
40:29
Yeah, so the report Not only like social media,
40:32
but like I just said me. I mean it was on every
40:35
major outlet Like it was bleacher report. It
40:39
was Yahoo then ESPN. So you have to kind of say,
40:43
okay, maybe this is true And again, hold on.
40:46
Do you want to let's have this real, let's have
40:48
this conversation. There's one reason why it's
40:51
because it grabs the headlines. It's because
40:54
it gives the reaction that you had. Now take
40:58
that and multiply it by millions. True. That's
41:01
what that's, that's why they're, you know, like
41:04
you said, wind horse talking about it on ESPN
41:06
as if it's a legitimate topic. They ran with
41:08
it. They were like, Whoa, this is Blazing the
41:11
internet right now. We have to talk about it
41:13
so that we can get our clicks, too Yeah, and
41:16
here's why because like you said there there's
41:20
I think it's split probably in Charlotte, right?
41:24
Half the people won't mellow gone half don't
41:27
Maybe maybe less than half when I'm going but
41:30
I read comments and we know these people and
41:32
again I get mad like it like I said I explained
41:34
I get mad because once again, it made no sense
41:38
like Know athletes I would be upset regardless
41:42
because athletes request trades all the time
41:44
and whenever your top players as A fan of those
41:48
teams and those players you do take it. You know
41:51
you get you get upset But I think it made big
41:57
news because It's something that I think a lot
42:01
of league and fans have waited on they think
42:04
that that's the trade They're waiting for lamello
42:08
ball You know again, we know his daddy. So we've
42:11
been they've been waiting for him to say get
42:13
me out of this small market Put me on a major.
42:17
He's a hot. He's a hot commodity Yeah, exactly.
42:20
So he's incredibly popular with young people
42:24
if he gets trade I don't care where he gets traded.
42:27
I don't care he could get traded to Okay, see
42:31
he can get traded to the Lakers. He's gonna sell
42:33
more jerseys than SGA Yeah, he's gonna sell more
42:36
jerseys than Luca and LeBron. Yeah The dude moves
42:40
units. And this is the thing, I don't think he's
42:46
a star level, I don't think he's an all star
42:49
level talent just yet. He's there. He can get
42:53
there. But he has a star personality in the league.
42:58
And that's why the story was so big, even though
43:03
it does turn out to be some bullshit. But yeah,
43:07
like you say, yeah, it's big because of that
43:09
It's the trade rumor that everyone's been waiting
43:12
on like I said, they've been waiting on something
43:14
from him Not necessarily the Hornets to say we're
43:18
gonna trade mellow, but it's from him. So that
43:21
made it big Yeah, I don't I Just you know, and
43:26
I told you all this and I'm now I go back and
43:28
forth I said the one person the one trade that
43:30
I would sign off on as a fan would be LaMelo
43:34
for John Marant. And that was on a night where
43:36
I was frustrated from watching the Hornets lose
43:39
another game. They don't, so I don't know. But
43:45
here's the thing. I mean, honestly, I think that's
43:48
five and one, six in one hand, half dozen in
43:50
the other. Do you really want John Moran? Look
43:52
at all the issues. Not now. Issues that the issues
43:55
that John Moran has. You don't have with LaMelo.
43:58
I mean, other than the injuries, everything externally.
44:01
So, I mean, yeah. And I do think and I do think
44:03
Jaws, a player is a bigger name. But at the same
44:05
time, it's like, like, what do you what do you
44:07
really you're going to have to give something
44:09
up to get John and and his career is what it
44:14
is. I think they're comparable. in terms of being
44:16
basketball talents, but I don't think that makes
44:19
the Hornets any better. It was a sad situation.
44:24
I hate it when things like this come out. And
44:27
now someone who has nothing to do with the accusations
44:31
and the rumors has to come out and defend himself.
44:35
And I think that's the thing that bothers me
44:37
the most. It's kind of like someone you know
44:39
who was accused of cheating and has never cheated
44:42
a day in their life but someone brands them as
44:44
a cheater and then I got to come out and clean
44:47
their name up like those are the things that
44:49
upset me and he said that right he was like they
44:52
were like why didn't you comment immediately
44:53
he's like well you know I normally don't take
44:55
this stuff serious and then he said you know
44:57
it got out to other outlets and then it got popular
44:59
he's like I gotta talk about it yeah I would
45:02
not I rethought that Text that I sent about the
45:06
job around especially after jaws yapping at clay
45:09
Thompson Yeah, I would not make that trade I
45:14
still I'm gonna stick to my guns and not trade
45:18
lamello ball And I apologize for the things I
45:24
said in my text But at the time it was coming
45:32
off of again my view like I said is about You're
45:36
not on the court enough to be frustrated with
45:39
the team and the organization and that was coming
45:42
off a night where he shot five for 21 and They
45:46
lost Yeah, they got blown out. So yeah, I'm not
45:49
That's where I was coming from But yeah these
45:53
reports I said these I told you man these media
45:55
members. I think anybody could be in the media
45:58
Just say things, you know, maybe that's what
46:01
we should start doing maybe we'll become you
46:04
know i mean well maybe we'll become popular i
46:06
would never say some random crazy stuff no and
46:09
we said we're not going to do that for a hot
46:11
take or a or a view or a click or whatever no
46:14
i mean and there and there's the there's the
46:16
the the twitter accounts that i know exist there's
46:20
the fake sports center account yeah there's the
46:22
fake um Uh, Adam Schefter account. There's the
46:25
fake, uh, remember the fake, uh, Odell Beckham
46:27
junior account. Like it's again, uh, here it
46:31
goes. I complain about the internet. This is
46:34
what it is. This is the type of stuff that happens.
46:35
And it has real consequences and it has real
46:37
effects. And unfortunately it happened across
46:41
a sport that you love and a team that you're
46:45
loyal to and a player that you want to keep.
46:48
But I'll close everything by saying this. I meant
46:52
what I said. trade lamello's ass, get him out
46:55
of here. And I said that at the beginning of
46:57
the year before all of that came out. So I don't
47:00
have a problem with somebody having to take out,
47:01
but I would never, I would have never, as much
47:04
as I wanted lamello to get traded, I would have
47:07
never put out some nonsense like that saying
47:09
that he's requesting a trade just to get him
47:12
moved out of here. I was saying for the hornets
47:13
to do it because I feel like it's in their and
47:16
their organization's best interests. So I'm not
47:18
moving off that. I'm fine. If you want to change
47:21
your position and say, Hey, you know what? I
47:23
didn't mean the things that I said about LaMelo
47:25
and I do want to keep him here. That's fine.
47:27
It's just another place where we're going to
47:29
differ in opinion. We will. And I just want to
47:31
give you homework for another episode. You want
47:35
Melo gone, come back with some trade ideas. No,
47:40
no, no, no, no, no. We're not doing that. We're
47:42
not doing that. Cause here's the thing. I look,
47:46
I've, and I've told, I've told you this for years,
47:49
Kent. It's the one thing that I love about you.
47:52
You are, you are the sports fan I could never
47:57
be. You want the moon. You want the moon and
48:04
you know what? You want some stars too. And maybe
48:07
the sun. You just don't want to trade. You want
48:10
it all. And I don't, I don't think that there's
48:14
a package. I don't let me put it like this. I
48:15
don't think there's a realistic package that
48:17
I could put together that I don't think there's
48:22
a realistic package that I could put together
48:24
that you would accept for a LaMelo ball trade.
48:26
And that's just my opinion. If you want me to
48:29
make an attempt, maybe we'll have some fun the
48:30
next time. I'll try. That's right. I'll try.
48:33
But here's the thing. It's got to be reasonable.
48:37
Oh, for sure. I get that. I understand that.
48:39
You can't get all the picks and a star and future
48:42
first picks and you know, it's not going to happen.
48:45
So I can't get Yanis and five first rounders.
48:48
You cannot get Yanis and five first rounds, you
48:51
know, and and and their first round. Yeah. And
48:53
the rookie that they draft. Yeah. It's not going
48:55
to happen. No, yeah, it's not. No, you can't
49:02
have all of them. No, it's not going to happen.
49:06
Alright, that's another episode of Fanatically
49:08
Speaking. Again, I am Kent, the co -host and
49:10
promoter. I am Log Off, the Log Off legend, the
49:13
hater of social media. I've already told y 'all
49:15
why I hate social media. Now you can see it clear
49:18
as day. I'm the co -host and producer of the
49:21
show. Thanks for another listening to another
49:24
episode of Fanatically Speaking. We are on all
49:27
the platforms, anywhere you can get podcasts,
49:29
Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, I Heart Radio,
49:34
anywhere about YouTube, any podcast platforms
49:36
we're available. Kent, do you want to rattle
49:39
off the socials? Yeah, it's Instagram, Facebook,
49:44
TikTok. Again, go to those just just to stay
49:47
up to date. But again, yeah, go listen. Like
49:51
follow share download all that stuff won't to
49:55
grow we cannot grow if you don't share it if
49:58
you don't listen and That's what we need man
50:02
Yes, yeah interact ask questions comments Direct
50:07
message doesn't matter. Yeah, just interact with
50:09
us and Chances are Whatever you give to us, we'll
50:14
be able to mention on the show. Always looking
50:16
for ideas. We got ideas for days, but you know,
50:19
just kind of hear what people are interested
50:21
in, what they like, what they don't like. Give
50:23
me the criticisms. I don't care. I ain't scared
50:25
of none of you people. All right, man, that's
50:30
it. That's all I got. You good? Yeah, let's kill
50:32
it. All right, let's go ahead and kill it.