The Herd with Colin CowherdJason McIntyre fills in for Colin previewing the NBA Finals matchup between the Thunder and the Pacers and why the era of super teams has come to an end. He defends 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy for his struggles late in games but admits it's starting to become an unfortunate trend. JMac reacts to the BREAKING NBA NEWS: The Knicks have fired head coach Tom Thibodeau following their run to the Eastern Conference Finals
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This is the Best of the Herd with Colin cowher on Fox Sports Radio.
Oh, it's a beautiful Tuesday out here in Los Angeles.
It's me Jason mcintick.
Back for Tuesday. Colin Coward on vacation. I'm joined today by Alex Curry. Alex, it's a great week in sports. We got the NBA Finals coming up. Major League Baseball had another thriller last night.
That was good fun. That was fine.
I stayed up a little too late watching the Dodgers try to make that comeback, but it's okay.
I woke up a little early.
I was workshopping some takes about four thirty am. In my head, you know, I felt like yesterday's show was so good.
Your takes wake you up. Sometimes I do that.
I keep a little notepad by the side of the bed, and I'll like write things down when I wake up random my mill the night.
You look next morning, I'm like, what I made a mistake. It's like a Seinfeld episode.
I made a mistake of going in my phone in my notes section and banging out some stuff.
Then the light gets in your head. Good stuff.
We got a several great guests today. Obviously we're talking NBA Finals, a little NFL. I don't want to concern any Niners fans, but about seven minutes from now, I got some bad news. But let's start with the NBA Finals. Did you guys know I'm a big hoophead right I'm in multiple men's leagues. I won't talk about last night's game. It was phenomenal.
I was terrific.
But listen, you know, okay, c Indiana.
I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm not that excited for these NBA finals. You know, I joked that Colin is the elitist here on the show, but maybe it's me. Cause you know, if I were the NBA, I would have changed its motto to give me super teams or me death, because that's what I like. I like superstars in the NBA finals, and we don't really have that. We don't have dynasties. We got debuts, and that just isn't as sexy as what we've had here in the last I don't know, quarter century, folks.
Let's be real.
When the NBA had super teams this century, it was at the height of its popularity. I mean, come on, you put Lebron, Kevin Love, and Kyrie in the finals.
That's a lot of pop that's juice.
I mean, Kyrie Irving, he had a movie, Okay, Kevin Love was ascending in Minnesota. Lebron changed teams and became the villain in Miami. But you look at those super teams in Cleveland, Miami. Hell, the greatest team ever assembled in NBA history. Yes, that's true, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. Do you know how much excitement that was leading up to the finals when.
You had all those stars gathered together.
Hell, you could even go back to the Boston Celtics with our guy here, Paul Pierce, when he got Kevin Garnett gifted to him and Ray and going up against Kobe and Gutsaul in the finals, folks, that was star wattage. Those finals were incredible, and I don't know about you, But I know the NBA loves Hey, We're about to have our seventh champion in seven years. Hooray, hooray for socialism in the NBA.
Folks.
I'm sorry, but think back to that Denver Miami Heat series.
You remember anything from that one? I had to ask the staff this one. Hey, how many games did that go? I don't remember it?
Five game series? It was not great, even Phoenix Milwaukee. You know, you had a sending Yannis, a sending Devin Booker. That series didn't have any pop. I think Gianni's dropping fifty in the decisive game was about it. But like those weren't great memorable series. Again, the super teams they provided that, and I like Tyrese Haliburton as much as the next guy. You guys know, I've been a big Indiana Pacers fan. In the finals, I don't I just don't really see it. And you know, I kinda I'm gonna bash Adam Silver here a little bit because you're the reason we've got this.
You wanted it.
I know you're doing the bidding of the owners, but going away from super teams and pushing toward hey, everybody's got a chance. I don't know that that's the answer. And you guys can push back and say, no, the NBA didn't want Indiana, okay see, yes they did because the small markets were upset that all the stars were going and joining forces.
They don't want that.
So what you've got is Adam Silver saying, hey, we're gonna reward teams that draft a superstar number one or two or.
Whatever it is.
Hey, you know what, if you stay with the team that drafted you, you could.
Get the Supermax.
Who the hell's turning down three hundred million dollars, you know, And now if you're drafted by a small market team, you're incentivized to stay there because guess what. Everybody saw Lebron Bolt from Cleveland and Kadie Bolt from okay see, and they said that's not fair. We need to keep our stars at home. Well, Adam Silver, I'm sorry, but you know, fairness isn't really sexy or exciting.
Exciting is player movement.
That's what gives the league the pop and super teams being created is awesome. And so besides just the super Max and incentivizing everybody's stay, all of a sudden, it's like, hey, there, we're gonna institute this thing called an apron and a second apron. And oh, by the way, if you want.
To get all these stars together, you're gonna have.
To dip into the double apron and pay I don't know, seventy million dollars. You got to write a check for that as a penalty. And wouldn't you know it. But all of a sudden, we're hearing chatter, Hey, this summer, Yannis could be on the move because the super team they tried to build in Milwaukee didn't quite work out, and the super team Kevin Durant and Phoenix had didn't quite pan out. So now all of a sudden, Janis and KD are gonna hit the mark. And to me, that's exciting player movement, exciting stars joining forces. Yes, give me more of that. I like this Pacer story.
It's fun. OKC was built.
I mean, hey, Sam Presty, tremendous job putting this team together. And all I hear is they're not going anywhere. But is anybody fired up about watching OKCE Indiana? Like, there's a world where we'll talk about it tomorrow. Probably I think Indiana can maybe be competitive, But there's also a world where OKC smokes them in four, and we're snoozing our way through the NBA Finals. So I don't know, guys, it seems like we're it's time to pour some out for the Super Team era. My problem is, I'm not gonna smile because it happened. I'm gonna cry because it's over. I already miss it. All right, It's time to pivot to the NFL. And I got some news last night.
You know.
Obviously, I'm texting with the staff and Zach sends me something, Hey, I got some bad news for your guy, Brock Purdy in the Niners. And I look at the numbers that I'm like, well, yeah, I'm a Rock Purty guy. Listen, don't tell me what I don't want to hear. And so I say, why don't you strip out last year's numbers from Rock Purdy and then come back to me and I'll take a look at it. And so Zach did that, and folks, rock party. When tied or trailing in the second half.
Not good. It's not just last season. There's a theme here. Now.
I do want to say, you know me, I love a good underdog, Rock Purty. Last pick in the draft. I've been championing this guy for a couple of years, folks, when facing a big deficit in his career. It's not just last season. He hasn't been great now. Obviously context is needed here. Yes, I'm a brock Purty guy. Guy goes five to zero in his first season in the league, Boom goes right to the conference championship, gets hurt against Philly, comes back the next year. People were doubting him, not me. Jay back all in on rock Purty and what did you know when he went to the super Bowl lost in over time. Okay, Rock Purty has shown a lot. We got Chris Sims here talking about brock Purty's growth, and I'm gonna get it positive before I get negative.
So here's Chris Sims talking Brock Party.
I was encouraged with a lot of stuff I saw from brock Party last year. I do feel like he did more off schedule, more wow plays, more wow throws, making some more happen when it wasn't there to be had. Maybe that he had the two years previous to that. That's where I saw growth in his game. He can't lose the surgicality that he had and running the paw offense and being just an absolute machine with making the right decisions play after play after play.
So we're seeing positive growth from brock Purty.
And I will add again context always necessary. Go back to that Super Bowl run. They trailed Green Bay, came back and got the dub. Rock Purty with the fourth quarter comeback. Next week in a memorable game against Detroit, they trailed big down twenty four seven at the half.
Brock Purty engineers an awesome comeback.
Yes, some of that was Dan Campbell fumbling the bag, Josh Reynolds a brutal drop, some luck with the face mask catch by the Niners, but San Francisco and brock Perty came back to get the dub. So he has had some comebacks. But by and large, Rock Purty is great on the script and when that wears off, it don't look good. Now, you can't just kill rock Party because it takes two to tango. And we know Kyle Shanahan has had some failures. Okay, Kyle Shanahan, the head coach of the Niners, was the OC in Atlanta when he had Matt Ryan the MVP, and they gagged away a twenty eight to three lead in the.
Super Bowl against the Patriots.
You can't put that fully on Shanahan obviously, However, play calling has been suspect in big spots Kyle Shanahan. Fast forward to when he had Jimmy Garoppolo in the Super super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. I remember this vividly because I had the Niners in that one. They led twenty to ten in the fourth quarter and they ended up losing and not covering. Now, again, can't put it all on Shanahan, but it's a pattern. Blows the lead as the OC in the fourth quarter, second half against the Patriots, blows the lead in the fourth quarter against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. And oh, by the way, they had a double digit lead in the second quarter when they lost the Super Bowl to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid just a couple of years ago. So there is a pattern of Shanahan struggling late and my guy brock Perty. However, I'm still positive on rock Perty in the Niners for this season. The schedule is extremely favorable. I joke to a buddy that me, who has never coached football at any level, I could get the Niners to five hundred this season. That's how easy the schedule is, and I'm not buying this hole. The rosters depleted are going to be very good folks. The quarterbacks they're facing right out of the gate, Sam Darnold.
In a new spot.
Who the hell knows who the Saints are starting at quarterback, Kyler Murray.
Come on, we're not concerned there.
Trevor Lawrence and the Jags, by the way, they got some problems dirty with Travis Hunter.
Will talk about that later. The Rams game's gonna be tough.
But again, Michael Pennix, whatever the Giants trot out at quarterback Carolina, you know, I don't know if Bryce Young's gonna be starting then Cleveland. If you got four quarterbacks battling, you got zero Tennessee rookie quarterback colts at that stage in the game, I don't know what's going on there. So the schedule screams ten eleven, twelve wins, maybe thirteen for the Niners and probably a number one seed. But I'm the commander in truth, as I said yesterday, and I gotta come clean. These brock perty win trailing numbers kind of sort of scare me. I'm not absolutely terrified, but the numbers should scare you because listen, the first time brought Perty's trailing, Well, this is what he can't do.
He doesn't do comebacks. Kyle Shanahan, what are you gonna do? And I think that's the kind of thing that can seep into your head.
And not only as a fan, but as a coordinator, a coach, a running back, a receiver. You start to wonder, can this guy get it done when the chips are down?
So Brock Perty, there's some pressure this season. For sure. You're now a fifty million dollar man. You gotta act like one.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Easter non am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio FS one and the iHeartRadio app.
All right, let's welcome in.
Jovon Buha covers the NBA and the Lakers for the Athletic. All right, I just wanted to rant, you're laughing here. You saw this Oklahoma City team. You were in ok See when the Lakers smacked him by seventy five or whatever, and then the next night they're winning in the fourth and Luca gets that dumb ejection or the Lakers beat.
Him back to back.
Come on, it's gonna given them a better series, and the Timberwolves thank you. But yeah, I mean they're they're putting up historic numbers, so I want to give them their respect for the season that they're having. But I agree with you that if they win the championship, which I think they will, if you look at some of the recent title winners, I would pick the twenty twenty four Celtics ahead of them. I think the twenty twenty Lakers would give them the real Lakers that would give them a real series.
Forgot about them? Yeah, that team had KCP Kuzma.
I mean, Lebron and ad were arguably two of the top three or four players in the league.
Were they the number one seed?
They were the number one seed? They were on a sixty one pace.
Huh, we forgot about the bubble Lakers?
Yeah, what do you think of the goofballs who were like, ah, that title doesn't really count.
I mean, look, so I was covering the Clippers at the time, so I was on the opposite end of watching a team who did not want to be there and who crumbled under the pressure of the bubble and being away from their families and obviously some real world stuff going on at the time, but like I mean, I think that was one of the tougher championships in NBA.
History, undeniably. All Right, So Lebron has his podcast.
He's now partnering with Steve Nash and Luca donc was on it.
I'm assuming you listened and all that fun stuff.
Any takeaways, any tea leaves to read from their podcast together.
So one thing I think is worth noting with this is this was filmed actually in Oklahoma City during that road trip, So this is from early April, so that they were sitting on this that they filmed several episodes of Mind the Game in Oklahoma City because the producer, Jason lives out there, So this is like a couple months old, so I want to make note of that. That's why they're talking about the Oklahoma City road trip when they're talking. So that's why I don't think we're going to see anything about like Luca and his extension or Lebron and his free agency and like part two. But I thought the interesting thing was just seeing how those two interacted, because we haven't really seen them interact much, just based on how postgame goes. Lebron to talk at his locker, he goes a little bit earlier, Luca goes for treatment, and then he goes to the podium. So sometimes like they're kind of passing by each other despite having their lockers next to each other. So we haven't really seen them interact for extended periods outside of like cracking jokes in the locker or maybe there's a conversation one of them will pop into. So I think just seeing those two interact for about thirty minutes or so what was interesting, But no real takeaways. Obviously, it was a lot of like how they developed, and a little bit about their tenure with the Lakers and kind of where things are out at that time.
I'm curious.
So Lebron partnered with Wade, who he was tight with, and then Kyrie, who there was like a mutual respect, and then ad he really wanted this is the first one he didn't. I don't think he asked for Luca. But Luca really respects him. How are we supposed to infer that?
I think Lebron really respects Luca, though he said multiple times that he's his favorite player in the league, because really, Luca is Lebron minus the athleticism, and you know, he's got some heart in it. It's like, you know, I think he's a hybrid of Lebron and Harden with you without the maybe with like the Paul Pierce athleticism, right or something like that, or maybe a little bit more than her. I don't know, but he's so I think there's a mutual admiration because of the size and because of the way that he sees the game.
They are very similar in that regard. So I think Lebron respects him and is someone that he's trying to take under his wing.
So it's interesting.
I was I'm sure you saw the video of Luca at like a real Madrid game. He stood up in the front row, and of course you know the body language experts are like he's skinny.
Oh my gosh, he's losing weight. I don't did you take away anything. I couldn't really tell.
He looked a little slimmer, but I wouldn't take away too much from it. I mean, I think that is going to be his point of emphasis for this offseason is getting in better shape. As JJ Redick said at his exit interview Championship shape yea, And I think that was a comment pointed toward Luca and then a couple other players. Is last time I was on here, we kind of talked about that, so I think that is going to be a point of emphasis for him. But he is playing with Slovenia and EuroBasket, which I think is going to be good for him to keep him in game shape throughout the summer. So I think we might see a slimmer Luca going into training kick.
But he did play last summer and then he got injured, Like, is there any concern like with that?
I means with calf injuries, there is always some concern with just reinjury and those can nag a little bit. But if I just go back and look at that was the most serious injury he's dealt with at the NBA level. It was the longest injury at since he had of his career. Then he gets traded and he's clearly shell shocked. There's an emotional element to it, and within the aftermath of all that, I don't think he was ever quite himself physically. Despite that, he was still putting up twenty eight, eight and seven still. I mean, all the Lakers big statement wins, Luca was the primary guy hitting big shots, making big plays in the fourth, So I think he put his imprint on that team and their second half turnaround, but he still has way more.
To improve in terms of getting back to who he was before.
I'm forgetting where the report came from, but yesterday Alex and I talked about Bronnie James.
There was a report he's going to be in the rotation next.
Year, and don't I don't know if this is an overreaction to seeing like Indiana and Okay see having like big benches where they're playing.
You know TJ McConnell much better, obviously, but can.
Bronnie be a poor man's TJ McConnell for ten minutes a game next year?
I think he can crack maybe like the fringes of the rotation. He showed a lot of growth, Like I think if you go back and watch where he was in the G League in November compared to where he was in the G League in March, two totally different players. And it's not just like a confidence thing, Like he tangibly improved his skill and is off the dribble, pick and role play, passing, decision making, all that stuff really improved. So I think he's shown some on the dribble or off the dribble, on the ball chops that he didn't really show in Summer League or at USC.
That I think is encouraging.
But I come back to the defensive end, where for me, if he's going to get minutes, he has to be that ninety four feet test pressuring the ball. You know, the pitbull who you put on an opposing ball handler, and he's wont to be disruptive and making that player uncomfortable. So I would like to see a little bit more of that from him. But I think going in the next season, could he be the eleventh or twelfth guy in the rotation. Maybe depending on how things shake out, they make a trade where they trade three guys for one and all of a sudden you have some depth issues. Perhaps he cracks the back end of the rotation, But I don't think he's going to be top eight, top nine.
I think that's probably premature.
Okay, so you mentioned the word trade, So obviously the buzz out there is this is going to be the busiest offseason since twenty nineteen. I don't are the Lakers going to be involved in a lot of it, because it seems like they're in a position where they can't do a ton Was that fair?
They are limited with their resources both in free agency they probably will only have the five point seven million taxpayer exception and Les Lebron takes a fifteen to twenty million dollar bacup, which it's not happening, So like probably a five point seven million unless they can salary dump someone into a team with cap space or with some cap flexibility. However, well maybe like a Maxi Kleibo or a gay Vincent, because those guys are are lower expiring figures. Okay, the problem is to do that, you typically have to attach an asset or two right, and they only have one pick to trade. So when looking at their options, I think they have to make a trade to make any notable improvement, and that's likely going to come with some combination of Ruy Hachimura twenty thirty one twenty thirty two for shund pick Dalton connect and some combination of the maybe a gay Vincent, a Maxi kleb But like it's hard to you know, only trade out expiring contracts that know, like people don't want like Rui's a guy who can start or be a key bench piece for you depending on your roster.
The best player, you're you're in good shape, right, yeah, I.
Would say probably fifth.
I would want fifth or Sick because he was the lakers fourth best player and they lost.
On the first show.
Oh yeah, I'm trying to think like the Yeah, I think he needs a certain infrastructure where like if you put him on Minnesota or okay, see like take Chat out or take Julius Randall out and you have a bunch of good defenders around him and he's just more of like a spot up, catch and shoot guy around that I think he fits. But if like he was the Lakers primary wing stoppers sometimes and it's like that, that's not going to cut it.
But Dorian Finney Smith is going to be back with the Lakers, I think.
So.
Yeah, he's got a great relationship with Luca too, which you can't.
He's it back to Dallas, right yeah, yeah, all right, So let's talk about Austin Reeves again.
For some reason, people don't like the guy. He's polarizing series against Anthony Edwards.
What do you want to you know?
I would even contend his series was not as bad as people are making it out to be. Like his his isolation defense against Ant, the numbers were actually good if you look at that. There was certain not not to get too nerdy on you, but there were some you know, isolation possessions where they're tracking points for possession for certain offenders. In the first round, he was I think top five against like him individually against Aunt, and he had the best defensive rating of any of the five starters by a wide margin. So you can't really point to like they were much worse defensively with him on the floor. And then even his numbers, like I went through for a recent podcast I did and looked at all sixteen playoff teams their number three score.
He was right there with.
Aaron Gordon, Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley and that like sixteen to seventeen point per game range. So it's like his percentages were bad and there were some bad possessions where he switched on to Julius Randall and Wan's or Jaden McDaniel's scored on him.
Whatever. Yeah, but he wasn't. It wasn't D'Angel Russell from the Denver.
There was no zero points on zero for seven shooting performance, right, So any I think defensively he held up on guards he's fine. It's one he has to guard bigger guys. That's where it's a mismatch.
So it's weird.
I keep hearing and again, I'm not blasting the finals. I'm just not that excited about him that. Oh, okay, See's set up for the next five years. Oh they're going to be unstoppable.
We heard this about Denver with Yokichen Murray.
They're in their prime and they have been able to get back to the finals Boston last year.
Boston set up, they're perfect.
Tatum's down done, They're going to be apparently Holidays on the way out.
Is this doing that over again or is there wait a minute.
They're younger, they have more cap space, they got a bunch of draft picks.
That's the big one for Mixicill it's the draft picks. So I mean, they're the second youngest team to make the finals in NBA history by average age, So that I think is a factor in their favor. A lot of these guys are extension eligible that they're still in their rookie deals. So a lot of times like basically whoever you get drafted by, like they can control your contract with the way restricted freegency works.
For like seven to eight years.
So a lot of these guys, if the Thunder are willing to go into the luxury tax, are going to be okac Thunder for the foreseeable future. And then I look at the draft picks of they got, I think something like twenty something first round picks over the next six seven years. So even if they lose, it's high. It's a big not Now, they're not all good, they're not all good picks. But if they want to get into the honest sweepstakes, let's say they lose or somehow Indiana pushes them to like seven and it's a concerning series, they could go get y honest, they could go get They could bring KD back and he could add to his resume as a THUNDERA yes, So like they or let's say, like Cason Wallace is someone I really like off their bench. I think he's a guy who can start for a lot of teams moving forward. If he grows into that caliber player and they lose him in free agency or they have to trade him because of his contract, well they could go draft another version of him, a younger, cheaper version.
So like they're really set up.
We haven't seen a team be this set up because like even going back to Denver for example, right like, they made several trades and gave up all their first round picks or a lot of them, and they did a poor job drafting, They did a poor job signing minimum guys and stuff like, ok see has nailed the draft, They've replenished their cupboard, and there will set up. So I think this can be an exception here where like we haven't really seen a team have this much draft equity, have this much young talent, and right now a wide open league.
So the Pacers are kind of in that.
I saw a number that said something like they haven't paid the luxury tax since two thousand and four.
Yeah, that's insanity.
And somehow they've always been like decent too.
They've never really tanked that they don't like, they're always like thirty plus wins.
Let me ask, just macro zoom out. Is this finals good for the league?
I think so?
I mean, I think we're in this new era of parody seemingly. And while I, as you teased, am pro super team and pro big market you know, give them, I don't mind if.
The stars combine in a big market in a small mar shirt. Sure, I just need stars together, but I'm super team, you know, pro big market. But I think this is good for the league and showing you can build in different ways. And I think it is sort of like a palette cleanse for the league after having there's been a concentration of the California teams the Texas teams, and I think we're having a little bit of a reset. But I think these are two rabid fan bases, two of the better fan bases in the league that have not had titles. Indiana and then okay See now obviously more recently. So one of these two teams is going to, you know, have their their first title.
And I think it's that Part's awesome. You got young talent. A lot of people doubting both teams frankly, like okay See talking to players. We talked about it before, like players were not afraid of the thunder. I don't know if they are still afraid of the thunder or not. But Indiana we had to pull out the athletic. We talked to players anonymously. They voted him the most overrated players.
Is your outlet. Oh god.
So it's like, yeah, you know, I think both of these teams have had to overcome some doubt.
I just can't.
I keep coming back to, like, you you have a bunch of buddies, I'm assuming who aren't hardcore NBIA fans.
Are they fired up about this?
No?
Exactly. That's the problem.
That's kind of an issue. Like there's nobody polarizing in this series. I mean maybe SGA.
Star Halliburton's a little I think Haliburton's a little polarized. I mean, if you're ANIX, who Haliburton is?
No, does she know who SGA is?
Yeah?
Oh okay, but I covered him with the clippers, so oh yeah, so it doesn't that it's a little different.
But yeah, yeah, like Halliburton, I mean, my mom has no clue who that guy?
Yeah, you know.
And like I think if you got Kyrie and Lebron, Kurry and KD you know, even like Kobe and Gasol, like everybody knows those guys. And I know, the argument could be, well, these guys will be back here. Maybe Denver's hasn't been back, Milwaukee hasn't been back.
I think, okay, see, we'll be back Indiana, We'll see I mean maybe maybe okay, Okay, See's pretty again, we'll set up we'll see I'm.
A little doubt on okay, so we'll see if you could tell all.
Right, So we'll get a couple of quick ones. Big picture League.
There's a report coming out last I guess in the last hour about Kevin Durant and Phoenix and Houston are perhaps working on something.
But is that because maybe Milwaukee asked for.
Amen Thompson in any honest deal, hoping that Amen Thompson could be there SGA.
Maybe Well, that same report said that there's some uncertainty with how available Jannis is because I think any team going for Kevin Durant should be trying to go for you honest, because it's like, why not get the younger, currently better superstar player. Right, He's about what five six years younger than Katie, So why not get that guy who can be set up for the next half decade or so. So I think if I'm Houston, my priority number one has to be throwing the kitchen sink to try to get Yannest Thompson. That's the one guy I would try to keep.
You look like a potential major STA.
And the interesting thing is like, if you ask the casual fan they would probably say like Alprin Shangoun or Jalen Green, like Jaalen Green. I think is that's kind of my my test for like your perception of basketball is how you feel about Jalen Green.
And I don't think many people know, but you know.
So I think Alman Thompson is the guy that I would try to keep if I'm Houston.
Everybody else's on the table.
And then so what does this Janis may not be available? Is that he.
Hasn't formally asked out technically, but I mean it's I think he's gonna get traded this summer.
Yeah, there's no point you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.
Yeah, And I will ask is there a world where he gets shipped to a small market team?
Uh?
And san Antoni? I mean in San Antonio.
I think San Antonio is maybe the exception, depending on what they're willing to put on the table.
Would you put Castle in a deal?
I would?
So, then what what do you mean to me?
Jannis is a top three player in the league, So it's like, who are your other two guys? I would say, Shane Jokic, Well, Jokic, I came on here and broke my m v P pick. So Jokic to me is and look, I mean, especially if okay See disposes of Indiana in a four or five game series, that's going to make the Jokic is the best player in the league case even stronger because the fact that he took was five and a half guys, and he took okay See the seven games and they just ran out of gas, Like game four, Game five, they could have won either of those games. In the fourth they double digit leads. Like, I think that makes the yokich is the best player in the league.
He strung. But yeah, I.
Would say, y'ah, Like with Castle, right, you're hoping he can become a top three player. I don't think he's going to become a top three player, So like, why not get the guy who's still in his prime?
Yeah, I just don't know. If you have enough around Wemby and Giannis is at enough.
Fox Fox two, you keep fun. I think that's a pretty good But as your third best.
Player, he playoff series wins for deer and five zero, But.
As your third best player, you could do worse.
Yeah, all right, so this is unfair, But just listening to where you put Sga.
Third, you would put I would put him third.
Do you think Sga is a better player than Luca right now?
I think, right right now, yes, wow, But I think it's I mean, we're talking, but I think I think Luca's ceiling is higher. So like, if we go back to like twenty twenty four Luca, I think that player is better than this current version ship. I just don't think he was at that level. So like I think his like there's a little bit more variance with Luca, but just because of the conditioning and people, the injury and.
People listening and watching, it'd be like, oh, Luca didn't play defense. Sga is surrounded by great defense.
He's the worst defender in the starting GEK Now, he's not a bad defense. He's still in above like he's an above average to good defender, but he's the guy that if you're going to target someone in their starting group you have, it's no shade at him, because again you're not going to target lou Dort, You're not gonna target chet right, Luca might, Luca might, Luca will target anybody. But I would say right now, I would say Shay's better. But I think if I was going into next season, depending on how things play out the rest of the series, and maybe if we get some Luca update.
Pictures going in the next year.
If I was doing like a twenty twenty five twenty six ranking, I might put Luca ahead.
All right, So I'll end with a hot take. I kind of pitched it to the staff. I don't know if we're gonna do it this week. I think SGA is basically James Harden two point zero. I don't I don't want to hear any of this Kobe nonsense and all this Like, he's James Harden, really good player who has kind of an unstoppable run here getting to the basket, drawing fouls.
No, he's not the three point shooter, but he's traded that for the mid range.
I mean, some of the stats about him in the half court, drives to the basket, dribbles, whatever they are, they're similar to what Harden was doing.
Is that in Is that a ding on SGA?
I think it is just because.
Because of the playoff track record at this point we've seen with Harden. When you look at some of his notable playoff performances, especially in games five to seven, game six performances, Game seven performances, like he shrinks from the moment, And so I think with Shay already, I mean, Harden's been to the finals, but he was in the finals as a sixth man. He hasn't been to the finals as the guy. He hasn't gotten over that hump yet. So I mean, I know it's a bit reductive, and I don't but like we have the track record, right, like people have written and gone through I.
Guess the counter wash case. He's been favored in every series. Yeah, Harden usually when he was the guy in Houston, was the dog and he did push things, except.
For the one year they won his MVP.
That was the year what twenty nineteen sixty five wins, I mean them versus the Warriors was like.
Chris Paul goes.
Down and they're up three, They're up three to two in that series.
Then Chris Paul goes down and then so.
Shimmy and Steph Curry.
But still it's like, I mean, at some point you think he would have broken through, And I don't know, I mean in Brooklyn and in Philly, like it's just his his track record is is at this point, like he is who he is, so I think negative to call a hard I think Shay has a ways to go to catch him as a regular season player like that, Harden's legacy is largely carried by his regular season performances, the consistency, the longevity, like he he's put up some monster seasons, the playoff track record. I think if Shae wins the title already best player negative. Yeah, I mean, I think you could argue some of those Houston teams were just as like similar talent profile to these Thunder teams, right, like Thunder or deeper, but like.
Trevor Reason, it's like their third best player, Eric Gordon.
I mean, I mean that's fair.
Clin Capella, who clink Capella?
Is he gonna be a Laker?
Maybe?
I think that the five point seven might be a little low for him, but depending on how the market places.
Can they get Nikaile Alexander Walker for five point seven, No shot.
He's getting at least a full taxpayer league. It's like fourteen millions.
Over fine, go out on one name, Give me one fun name for the Laker guy I really liken've been out there or a lot.
Well, the guy I really like is Nick Claxton. I think that's the guy that checks all the boxes. I know he's slight, right, and that's like the one knock on him, I guess would be. But like they had the league's best defense with Jackson Hayes as their starting center for a quarter of the season.
You get me that guy.
He can switch, A good rim protector, really good finisher, lob threat. Like, that's a guy. He's twenty six. I want twenty five to twenty.
Six, So we have the best defense with Jackson Hayes for a.
Twenty four that twenty four game stretch, they want twenty and four league's best defense.
Jackson Hayes was the primary center.
It feels like tex And Hayes is probably playing in China next year, right.
I think we got a contract, but he costs himself a lot of money over the final month of that season.
If you can't work with Lebron and Luca like anyway, all right.
Jovon Buha, senior NBA reporter at the Athletic knows everything.
He has a podcast. Dude, you've worked everywhere. He's on the ride.
What are you like thirty thirty two?
Yeah, she's what a lucky guy?
All right?
Man, be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays and Noone Eastern nan am Pacific.
Hey, Steve Covino and I'm Rich David and together We're Covino and Rich on Fox Sports Radio. You could catch us weekdays from five to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and of course the iHeartRadio app. Why should you listen to Covino and Rich. We talk about everything life, sports, relationships, what's going on in the world. We have a lot of fun talking about the stories behind the stories in the world of sports and pop culture, stories that well other shows don't seem to have the time to discuss. And the fact that we've been friends for the last twenty years and still work together. I mean that says something, right. So check us out. We like to get you involved, to take your phone calls, chop it up. As they say, I'd say the most interactive show on Fox Sports Radio, maybe the most interactive show on planetar. Be sure to check out Cavino and Rich live on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app from five to seven pm Eastern, two to four Pacific, And if you miss any of the live show, just search Covin on Rich wherever you get your podcasts, and of course on social media, that's Covino and Rich.
Huge NBA news. A couple days after the.
Knicks had their best season this century, they just fired their head coach Tom Thibodeau.
He has been relieved of his duties.
According to a report, team president Leon Rose is sitting on this grenade clearly for owner James Dolan, who got intoxicated, This is my guess, obviously intoxicated by their best season in decades. Celebrity row filled up great TV ratings, Nicks are a huge story around the league. They're back, baby, let's fire the coach. I mean, that's just the of insanity.
Listen.
I know I was. This was like a month ago when things.
Were sputtering before the Celtics, I was like, hey, listen, maybe we gotta go get Michael Malone. Tibbs isn't working. And then Timms found his groove. How Tom got his groove back? You know, takes down Detroit, takes down the defending champion Celtics, and then I know they lost to the Pacers and they were favored, but still really firing Thibodeaux. So I'm gonna be honest, guys, this puts a lot of stuff in jeopardy because Thibodeau was just offended by Jalen Brunson in the exit interview.
He's like, is that a real question? Fiing Thibodaux?
So that's Brunson's guy. What is this future hole for Karl Anthony Towns, Mikhale Bridges. We just talked with Alex. Is he going to get an extension? Oh my gosh. He let's play the Brunson sound real quick. When asked about Thibodeau's future with the Knicks.
I's so like, nobody takes more criticism than Tom and this team obviously has turned around during his tenure, so you kind of feel that going forward he's the same guylift you guys, the rest of the life at next level?
Is that a real question right now? I mean end the center. He just asked me if I believe that if he's the right guy. Yes, thanks guys. Kwadny.
I mean we have multiple guests on the show since then, one like thirty minutes ago, Christian uh from the New York Daily News. It's like, you know what, they just had an amazing season. They keep accelerating around here, conference finals and you fire the coach. I don't know, guys, I mean again, it just happened literally three minutes ago. So I'm a little shook and embarrassed that yesterday I said, hey, let's do nothing. Kind of a whiff there by j Mac. But holy hell, the New York next fire they're coaching. You know, I guess Michael Malone's going to be on deck. Maybe they go out of pocket. You know, I'm.
Just gonna put this out there.
Lebron got did a podcas asked with JJ Reddick, and next thing you know, JJ Reddick is the head coach of the Lakers. So you know who Lebron's doing a podcast with now, right, Steve Nash. And I know Nash sometimes lives in my area, but his family really likes it in New York because he was the Brooklyn Nets coach and Steve Nash was run out by Kyrie Irving, who was an absolute jerk to him.
Steve Nash next coach of the Knicks. I don't know, we'll see, Oh my.
Gosh, that would take you out of the running for Kevin Durant.
I don't know.
I mean, this is exciting Hey, Coward's on vacation. We'll do a lot of knicks for the rest of the week. Tom Thibodeau out as the knixt coach,
