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NBA TRADE DEADLINE MADNESS ! + Super Bowl Predictions (Be Humble :) )
14 Plays3 months ago
- Trade Deadline Reactions !
- Luka to the Lakers?!?! - WTH Happened ??
- Butler to the Warriors - Does this move the needle for Golden State ?
- Fox to the Spurs - Is this Wemby's future running mate ?
- Best of the rest - Lavine, Ingram, Hunter, Middleton
- Game Of The Week - Superbowl: Chiefs vs. Eagles
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:10
Chino Onwuka
Hello and welcome to episode 15 of the love of the game. And you know before we get right into it, I just want to say, you know and think I'm speaking on behalf of the three of us here that we are really humbled to be able to be able to to be with you on a platform like this where we can share you know I love of the game, the sports, the teams that we like and we love with you all.
Humility, Meditation, and Sports Reflection
00:00:37
Chino Onwuka
It is such a humbling experience, you know, and yeah, that's all I want to say. You know, what we're really, really, really humbled. So yeah, now that we've got the humility out of the way, I'm here as usual with my boys and I can say what's up to the fam.
00:00:54
Emeka
you know I got to say, Chino, quick question. Who the F are you to come out here and not you know run your mouth on this podcast as a story? I think we all need to take some meditation in our life.
00:01:07
Emeka
Sit down, surround ourselves with people who support us, and really just think about, namaste.
00:01:11
Chino Onwuka
You know what? You know what? You write. You write. You write. I need to be more humble. You write. Who am I? Who am I really?
00:01:18
Emeka
Who are you?
00:01:19
Chino Onwuka
Who are who are you? Who is anyone?
00:01:22
Emeka
Oh, who is anyone?
00:01:24
Chino Onwuka
Who is anyone?
00:01:24
Emeka
We all have to meditate and stay humble and move forward in these in these trying
Trade Deadline Excitement
00:01:30
Emeka
times. But man, i forget being humble because we got a banger episode coming your way with the craziest trade deadline week I've ever had in my life.
00:01:36
Chino Onwuka
We do.
00:01:40
Emeka
I can't wait to dive into it, everybody.
00:01:44
Chino Onwuka
Honestly, I don't even think I think the words you use are not even enough to describe what we've seen occur over the last week Chuku, how are you? How's your week been? You ready for tonight?
00:01:56
Chuku
Be humble. I think that's the theme of today's episode. But yeah, like my ah my brothers have said, man, today's gonna be a banking episode. There's just a lot to unpack. I'm looking forward to it. I'm sure we're gonna have some interesting takes, guys. And yeah, I'm just ready to give another banking episode, man. Let's do it.
00:02:16
Chino Onwuka
Okay, okay, so we are gonna jump right into
Luka Doncic Trade Shock
00:02:19
Chino Onwuka
it. This is going to be an NBA trade deadline special So there's only one place we can start with this episode guys What on earth happened last weekend?
00:02:35
Emeka
but What indeed happened
00:02:35
Chuku
Holy what didn't happen last week? Oh my magic
00:02:39
Chino Onwuka
Is this real life because somebody must have been hacked somebody must still be hacked This must be AI, this must be chat GPT, this must be Grok, because apparently are you telling me that Luca Doncic, five times all NBA, Luca Magic, UGM, the guy who took his team as an underdog to the finals last year, then we got traded?
00:02:51
Emeka
Luka Magic!
00:03:10
Chino Onwuka
Okay, so he told me he got traded. He got traded for 10 first-round draft picks. He got traded to the teams with assets. He got traded to the ok Oklahoma City or Houston or something.
00:03:22
Chino Onwuka
Wait, no. Wait, am I reading this? He got traded to the Lakers.
00:03:25
Emeka
to the late How do they keep getting away with this?
00:03:26
Chino Onwuka
The Lakers.
00:03:26
Chuku
to the Lakers. How do they keep doing this?
00:03:30
Chino Onwuka
aund v And draft pick. Look, look. I think we're still, we're still digesting everything.
00:03:37
Emeka
Doesn't seem real.
00:03:38
Chino Onwuka
yeah
00:03:38
Chuku
Man.
00:03:39
Chino Onwuka
What with this? What on earth happened? What on earth happened? What is this?
Dallas's Trade Strategy and Analysis
00:03:44
Chuku
I can tell you.
00:03:44
Chino Onwuka
Really, what is that us thinking?
00:03:47
Chuku
I can tell you what Dallas is thinking. Dallas is clearly high on something that I need to get my hands on because yo, listen, let's I've had some time to like, obviously we've had some we've all had some time to sit down and digest. I don't think he's gonna fully hit the way he's supposed to hit until we see Luca on the court doing some magic, doing some things that we all know he's capable of doing. But initially I was thinking, you know no what?
00:04:16
Chuku
Maybe the maybe the mouse went onto something, you know, maybe, you know, you get the ED and then, you know, maybe, again, again obviously I've gone through different stages now, right?
00:04:20
Emeka
Hm.
00:04:26
Chuku
But I was trying to just try, I was trying to see what the mouse were seeing in terms of trading this guy and what they're getting in the ED. Okay, you got some defense. You got a guy that can play both sides and, but yada, yada, yada, yada.
00:04:38
Chuku
And I'm just thinking to myself, wait, wait, wait, okay. At some point, man, Shaq made a comment the other day and I was just like, something about, you know, one of his peeps, you know, I think, I don't know if you guys were watching the TNT halftime or something, all of those lines, but the guy was just, he just hit me like, yo, no matter what reason you have for Lucan, bro, you can call him overweight, you can call him, you know, ki mc ki not no not not in the best shape, yada, yada, yada, all this and that, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. but
00:05:10
Chuku
Look at out of shape, look at 260, 270, whatever you want to call them, weight wise. It's still the top, you can make a case, it's still a, for the sake of argument here, just to be safe, it's still a top three player in the NBA as we're talking right now. And that dude, that's who you got to, who you trade away.
00:05:33
Chuku
to the Lakers for I love AD but man like AD I'm sorry for you man this isn't a good situation isn't a good franchise man like look I still think the Mavs are going to be a decent club right they're gonna like but again I'm still here I'm still on the impression that I still think Mavs as presently constructed
00:05:39
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, it's not even about AD. That's the problem. I feel bad for him. It's not even about AD.
00:05:43
Emeka
I'm about to say I feel bad for AD man.
00:05:46
Chino Onwuka
That's a great video. but no
00:06:03
Chuku
with their current squad, they're gonna be in the playoffs. They might win the first round. I don't know if they know they're going to be good enough to win a second round, but I still think they're going to be good enough to sneak their way in into the playoffs if AD can stay healthy. They still got Kyrie. Clay Thompson, I know he's not been playing the best ball, but you know maybe now that Luca's not there, he go he's going to be taking more shots. He's going to be asked to do more. You know you still got guys like Derek Lively, Gafford, PJ Washington. like They got pieces. Their team is not.
00:06:36
Chuku
as bad as you you know as as some people may think. And I i really do think AD can definitely help add a different dimension with him and Kyrie doing a 1-2 combo combination.
Lakers' Benefits from Luka Trade
00:06:50
Chuku
But the story has to come back to the Lakers and the player that they got in Luca, don't you?
00:06:56
Chuku
Do you guys understand that the Lakers, since AD has not been playing, I don't know what the record was exactly, but I believe they're like five and one are or something ridiculous, like they have been playing, they have been without, before the Luca trade, without AD, they have been whooping teams.
00:07:05
Emeka
Yeah, they ain't killin' it. Whoop the Knicks. They have the Luka trade without AD. Whoop the Knicks.
00:07:14
Chuku
You now trade a guy who was hurt in the sidelines, you get, you're gonna add this Luca to this team. And the more I just digest and think about it, I'm like, bro, This is unfair.
00:07:26
Emeka
Nah, this has been on, I don't know what you mean.
00:07:27
Chuku
This is actually unfair. Though, look obviously, I knew there's levels of this. like got Obviously, from the beginning, we all understand long-term. Like, Luca is like, you don't trade the better player unless you think something is going on.
00:07:42
Chuku
Like, I guess all we have all I can conclude is that the maps must think that Somewhere down the road like Lucas game is not going to translate long-term I don't know what else that they're thinking is is is going on because that's the only way you can justify From their side of things why they're making this deal is for some reason they just don't think his game is gonna translate long-term I don't know
00:08:02
Chino Onwuka
Okay.
00:08:06
Chino Onwuka
So yeah, there's so many different elements to this trade, this transaction now. Let's take it in later. So I think let's just focus on everyone's initial reaction. First, before we get into the layers, what does this mean for the mass? What does this mean for the Lakers? What does this mean for Luca? What does this mean for AD? So let's just focus on everyone's reaction right now. And Michael, what was your reaction?
00:08:30
Chino Onwuka
What ended up floating through your head when you first saw that tweet from Shams and, as subsequent reports and in quotation marks, reasons for the trade started floating through?
00:08:43
Emeka
it I mean, it's this is peel back the curtain a little bit. We're all three longtime friends when the group chat together. So it was Saturday, right? Saturday night? Yeah, Saturday night.
00:08:52
Chino Onwuka
On a late Saturday night, about 10, 12 Mountain Time, 12, 12 Eastern Time.
00:08:55
Emeka
Yeah.
00:08:58
Emeka
so like i just like i mentioned in passing i just saw the lakers on national tv whoop the nicks without ad so i'm thinking man the lakers i remember i was texting my buddy i was like man blinker gotta just trade this pic for some help because this is a good team you gotta make some moves and then around like that time 10 o'clock my co-guests on this podcast, Jukku, posting in a group chat. Yo! And I'm thinking, hey man, Jimmy Barlow just got traded or something like, oh, this is crazy. what's the What's the news? And then we go on Twitter and I see Sham saying, Luca got traded to the Lakers and my initial reaction was, this is fake.
00:09:36
Emeka
This is fake. Someone hacked Shams account. I checked the, uh, first of all, make sure I didn't get ball sack sports. Check the account. Shams with the blue check mark. I fair. Hey man, Shams gotta check your, your passwords would be better, bro. You can't be getting hacked to trade the last season. It wasn't until Shams tweeted, nah, this is not a hack. I still didn't believe it. I had to wait until yeah ESPN, the ah ah the account itself tweeted it. And that's when I actually believed.
00:10:02
Emeka
How could the Mavs trade Luca, but then I start thinking aye aye Let me actually look at this trade and I feel bad for AD not because he's going to the map i like like you said you could Mavs are actually not a bad team I feel bad for AD because my initial reaction everyone's initial weather every reaction subsequently has been this is the Luca daunches trade Lakers fleece them all that kind of stuff ad has to be the best ever player that got traded and everyone thinks it wasn't even an asset like people are disrespecting my man ad and they're doing it because when you get traded for luka oh i don't understand bro how how could you and then the reasons start coming out he's fat he's out of shape we oh we don't know all these things i don't want to name any names from other athletes that get sued but
00:10:53
Emeka
You know, chi know you raise the point and ah for the first 24 hours, I believed it. You were like, it has to come out. Luca likes weird massages. Like something has to come out. I was waiting for this bombshell story. Like, is it going to come out? Luca's an alcoholic. Or is it going to come out? Luca grabbed the titty in the locker room. Like, something has to happen for this trait to happen. That was my initial reaction. And it still doesn't make sense to me why you give up Luca. I just, I don't understand it, man.
00:11:20
Chino Onwuka
you You did a great job of really trying to to to to detail the shock that went through all of our collective minds when all of that was occurring. like it is It is gonna be one of those moments where we will, probably for the rest of our lives, remember, where were you when the Luca Daunton Street happened? And you know just pointing, like you said, like for me,
00:11:49
Chino Onwuka
Hey, I wasn't the one that said Luca had anything to do with the massage tables.
00:11:54
Emeka
i just possible
00:11:54
Chino Onwuka
If anybody looked me out, that was not But I will say this, I will say this. The only reason you trade Luca is
Luka's Potential and Trade Confusion
00:12:02
Chino Onwuka
if, like not even, I didn't even say he caught a charge.
00:12:07
Chino Onwuka
Like we see what what happened in sports. Like a lot of things get brushed over. Only thing you trade Luca for is if he caught some sort of domestic situation. That's really harsh to say, but that's the only thing that you'd be like, Oh, okay. I see why they did it. Not whether it's right or wrong, but because when you look at this trade, like I sort of, you know, articulated earlier, look, dungeon is 25 years old. There are only three people who have been first team, all NBA at 25 years of age and under. I was talking to my dad about this and I was telling him that he's done something that LeBron hasn't done.
00:12:47
Chino Onwuka
And he didn't believe me. Only three players. That is Luca. That is Tim Duncan. And I can't remember who the third player is.
00:13:00
Chino Onwuka
Y'all might have to help out. But only three players. So this is something that LeBron didn't do.
00:13:03
Emeka
Luke has a third.
00:13:06
Chino Onwuka
Who's the first?
00:13:07
Emeka
Luke has a third, you named them all.
00:13:09
Chino Onwuka
No, Luca Tim Duncan and the others. It's not LeBron.
00:13:11
Emeka
Oh, it's not Lebron yet. Wait, you sure about Lebron?
00:13:14
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
00:13:14
Emeka
Continue though, I'll figure it out, continue.
00:13:16
Chino Onwuka
little boy yeah This is something LeBron hasn't done. This is something Michael Jordan hasn't done. And it's not just empty calories. He has taken his team as underdogs to the Western Conference Finals and to the NBA Finals.
00:13:32
Chino Onwuka
So for you to let this guy go, especially when reports have come up that he, you know, I thought maybe, Oh, did he, did he indicate that he wanted to trade? Did he decide he wanted out? Was there some falling out with the front office? Don't look at him funny. No, he is not the one that wanted out. So you do not trade a 25 year old mega superstar.
00:13:51
Chino Onwuka
If he doesn't want out, know if if if someone's not putting a gun to your head to force his way out, you do not do it. Now, when you look at, you know what they're getting back in return. AD is a great, great player, but two things.
00:14:05
Chino Onwuka
One, he is not Luca.
00:14:08
Emeka
No, you fox.
00:14:08
Chino Onwuka
There's very few players that are Luca. Two, but I think what makes us, if Anthony Davis was 27, let me put 27, I could be like, fool okay, you know, you he's 31.
00:14:23
Chino Onwuka
He's 31 with injury history, so you have just traded having 10 years of potential. With Lupe, you always have a chance. He's already shown you that he can take you.
00:14:35
Emeka
Straight up.
00:14:37
Chino Onwuka
He can take you places that you wouldn't expect. You always have a chance now. With AD, you have the clock is ticking down because you only have so many years left.
00:14:49
Chino Onwuka
And Kyrie is also 32, 33. So with that core, you only have so many years to make this work. Meanwhile, you're looking at a a conference rival who now gets to enjoy him for the next 10 years. And the other thing I don't understand is usually in this situation, you know you try to do things so at the very least, maybe the fans are on your side. you know In San Antonio,
00:15:18
Chino Onwuka
as much where everything Kawhi did for us. We hate that guy. Maybe not hate, but like he's he' he's easy's he's not welcome. He's not welcome to the cookout. Him and Uncle Dennis, right? Smirks didn't even have to say anything. You let him act. of and Everyone in Dallas, I have people who are maths fans, not like fake fans, saying like their love for the team is gone.
00:15:47
Emeka
bra Coughins at the arena.
00:15:48
Chino Onwuka
not just because of damage, but because of the way it happened. So like, it just goes beyond on on so many things. And the fact that, no I know they tried to keep it in a close circle, the fact that nobody came and tapped him like, hey bro, do you maybe wanna give this a second to think about it?
00:16:04
Chino Onwuka
It's just wild to me, wild to me.
00:16:07
Emeka
man investigations need to happen investigations
00:16:08
Chino Onwuka
So now the other aspect, yes. So what do you think about the whole theory, the whole aspect of him, you know, keeping this negotiation a secret that even if you did decide you want to trade Luca for whatever reason, that you did not canvas the league to try and get as much as you could. They only talked to one team and we'llll we we'll focus on the Lakers in a little bit. When you could have probably gotten a historic haul,
00:16:36
Chino Onwuka
for Luca Doncic. Yes, he has to sign, his contract is up in in a year and a half, but again, this is Luca Doncic. What do you guys think about that aspect? Because I know and know for a fact, apart from the fact that he got traded, is the fact that they only talk to one team that is really, really perplexing people.
00:16:59
Emeka
I'm gonna caveat all what I'm about to say next with, it's obvious I would not trade Luca for this, all right? I i love fucking Luca. Luca is amazing. I'm gonna caveat this. I will say,
00:17:13
Emeka
Nico Williams for all the faults and there are many faults. I'll give him credit for, for once a GM was a real a real man about it and was open. He said, I don't care about seven to 10 years from now, the future is three to four years. AKA, I ain't trying to trade Luca for picks and I'm not going to be around to draft for it. Yes, he didn't canvas the league, but this is why I say I feel bad for AD. He, in his mind, got our Top 10 at worst top 15 player back ad's last game before you got traded was 42 and 23. All right This is not they didn't trade Luca for pennies on the dollar. They traded Luca for 70 cents on the dollar Now like you mentioned a 31 year old 70 cents on the dollar so you can have some depreciation there But for this year like my brother mentioned you can make a real good argument Dallas are a legit team in the play making noise in the playoffs ad is great
00:18:09
Emeka
So i the thing about how he only talked to one team, he talked to one team because he wanted, I think there's reports that have come out. He's an 80s and Nike guy. They have a relationship relationship, blah, blah, blah. Like he wanted AD.
00:18:20
Emeka
Now.
00:18:20
Chino Onwuka
But do you, and I get that, do you know what my problem is with that statement though?
00:18:21
Emeka
yeah
00:18:24
Chino Onwuka
Like, I get it. Like, we'll'll talk we'll also touch on Dallas and I think we discussed, I actually think Dallas probably, well, up until what we've been seeing from the Lakers, really, I thought maybe Dallas probably has a better team for this season, but like, okay, they can be a good playoff team with AD, right?
00:18:40
Chino Onwuka
That's what you just said, right?
00:18:42
Emeka
yeah Yeah.
00:18:43
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, they were probably going to be a really good playoff team with Luca as well because they won the finals.
00:18:48
Emeka
100%.
00:18:50
Chino Onwuka
That is what is combusting my day.
00:18:51
Emeka
They made the finals. But like what what I was going to say though, Rook, is that even if you like, all right, we want AD, we locked on AD, how do you, how does all the reporting has come out?
00:19:02
Emeka
It's made it sound like Nico was the one who called to Lincoln was begging. Like my guy, speak with some chest. How do you not get both restaurant picks? How do you not get Connect how do you not get Reeves my guy if I was doing that trade and I was Nico I'm saying you get Luca we get I mean you got Luca we get ad connect Ronnie Reeves every pick you own pick swaps the Taylor Swift banner in the arena in staples like I'm coming out with everything from that trade That's what I'm saying, so how was he scared I don't understand that I Don't understand how he's the one begging polka
00:19:30
Chino Onwuka
and the thing is the liquids where it still done it that's the that's the wars would have done it you don't what to look up
00:19:39
Chino Onwuka
I've heard some some theories that you know, he like you said he's he doesn't plan on being there long not because of but because Once he finishes this job once he gets fired. He's just gonna go back to being head of Nike and now that Luca is in the Lakers, then that's just going to uplift the Nike brand, Jordan Brand, and he's going to reap the benefits of that, not as the Dallas GM, but in his executive position at Nike.
00:20:01
Emeka
yeah how as an owner do you not hear your GM pitch that trade and then immediately fire him that's what I want to know like yeah I know the Nico part of it but as an owner
00:20:10
Chino Onwuka
And I'm like, oh, that is spicy because that makes a lot of sense.
00:20:25
Emeka
Lucas on all the we if you watch the hard knock series in a New York Giants offseason Which I highly recommend fantastic when they wanted to didn't want to resign Saquon the owner was in the room like my guys Saquon drives the merch Saquon's the most popular player like Saquon is a big deal that go double for Luca Like how do you come to me and say trade the fish is the franchise? He's in all the on all the marketing like he's the guy. What are you talking about? Oh It makes no sense to me, man My guy Chuka, what do you think about this, man?
Ownership and Negotiation Speculation
00:20:55
Emeka
What do you think about this?
00:20:57
Chuku
You're not saying all this, man. Has it comes as ever, like, came to your thoughts, process, that maybe the owners were the ones that actually wanted to get rid of Luca? Maybe the owners didn't want to actually pay Luca this super max deal that we're talking about? Because let me tell you this. i I'm just going to tell you all right now, bruh. There is no way in hell I am going to believe. You all can believe what you all want to believe, but I'm telling you all, there's just no way I'm going to believe.
00:21:26
Chuku
The owners didn't have some sort of a say in this decision made by the GM. ni cools There's no way.
00:21:33
Chino Onwuka
I don't think they have reported that they had to get approval for it.
00:21:35
Chuku
There's no way. I don't believe it.
00:21:38
Chino Onwuka
But I think what I've heard reported is that they leave the basketball decisions, the basketball people, but they did approve the deal. I don't think they had a say. I don't think it came from them. Speaking like ame I said, Nico came out and spoke with his chest.
00:21:51
Chino Onwuka
This was an idea that he iterated for sure.
00:21:55
Chuku
Hey look, I must say that Nico didn't lead the charge or lead the way in making this move. All I'm just trying to say is there's just no way the owners didn't cosign and I'm of the opinion that, you know,
00:22:07
Chuku
The owners had to have been in alignment with this decision for it to happen. Look, at the end of the day, I don't think either of us, I think all three of us can agree that if we're the GM of Dallas, we ain't trading Luca. And if we are trading Luca, we're definitely not trading Luca for what was given or gotten back in return.
00:22:33
Chuku
I would expect a lot more and the part I just don't understand that you can i understand that you know you want to target this particular player because clearly Nico was definitely targeting AD specifically but why wouldn't you at least entertain Offers like that's the part that I get like looking back and you know My brother make it made a good point initially the first time this that no this trade came came about I'm like, you know what? That's it was a very glad. Oh, I didn't think I Just did it was just deepening like what do you have to lose to hear? what people Are offering you like it doesn't make sense like what why would you keep something like this on the deal? Oh
00:23:18
Chino Onwuka
So the reasoning I've heard on that is because once you started talking to more people, it would leak and then Luca would become aware of that and then he would not try to protect himself by saying that, oh, I'm only going to re resign with this team or the other, which I mean, the logic makes sense.
00:23:18
Chuku
and doesn mix
00:23:39
Chino Onwuka
The deal doesn't make sense, but the logic makes sense. So that is the reasoning apparently as to why he didn't even talk to people. And I know a lot of people are speculating, oh, did LeBron know about this? I believe he didn't, but even to add on to this, you know, who's LeBron's agent?
00:23:57
Emeka
Rich Paul, baby. Mr. Adele.
00:24:00
Chino Onwuka
Okay, and who is Anthony Davis' agent?
00:24:04
Emeka
Sports.
00:24:05
Chino Onwuka
Also, the second you tell LeBron, LeBron tells his boy, his boy tells A.D. So you can't have that happening. So LeBron did not know about this deal.
00:24:15
Emeka
Listen, if anyone watched the Lakers game and you saw the LeBron interview, there's no way in hell LeBron knew they traded AD.
00:24:16
Chino Onwuka
So just.
00:24:22
Emeka
That's all I'm going to say. I support you 100%. LeBron did not know. Did not know at all.
00:24:28
Chino Onwuka
So now we're going to talk into we're going to go into what this means for the Lakers now and going forward. But before we do that, I just want to canvas your opinions on who are the maybe one or two or three or four few players who if you call and you offer them look a dunch for one of the players you say no I think there's only like four or five players who could be a debate but I want to i only get you guys thoughts which players
00:24:58
Emeka
Okay. Are we doing cold blooded or like emotional logic? No emotions is no emotions included. Just logic. You call me or is it like I have to think about.
00:25:09
Chino Onwuka
Emotion because I see what you're saying Yeah,
00:25:10
Emeka
Yeah. Cause then it gets techy. It gets techy when you add emotions and logic into it, but I'm going to let you get the wildest things.
00:25:15
Chino Onwuka
yeah
00:25:17
Emeka
I'm going to let you go start.
00:25:20
Chuku
What I just name name a player that I wouldn't trade but my you know I mean, I think we feel like we can all just chip in with the fire around but you gotta start with from SGA I would never do it.
00:25:23
Emeka
Yeah. Who are the plays? You wouldn't trade Luca Donches for. You get that call from Nico.
00:25:34
Emeka
All right, here we go, go.
00:25:38
Chuku
I've much to prefer SGA.
00:25:39
Emeka
Oh, never.
00:25:41
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I'm with that.
00:25:41
Chuku
I don't yeah, I prefer as you I must be I'm on SGA Wendy can't do it
00:25:42
Emeka
He's on a list too.
00:25:43
Chino Onwuka
I'm with that.
00:25:43
Emeka
I have SGA as well too. Yeah, I agree.
00:25:47
Emeka
Yep. That's number one.
00:25:48
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:25:48
Chuku
and the
00:25:48
Emeka
That's number one.
00:25:51
Chuku
funny enough, yo, I'm gonna tell you right now. This might be on people's list, but I'll tell you who I would do it for. I would trade it with Giannis. I would trade it with Giannis.
00:26:00
Emeka
See, that's why I said about emotions.
00:26:01
Chuku
I would do it.
00:26:02
Emeka
Because logically, I would trade you honest, but emotions, I wouldn't.
00:26:03
Chuku
I would trade it with Giannis.
00:26:04
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, logically, yeah, but emotionally, they wouldn't do it, yeah.
00:26:08
Emeka
Exactly, that's why I kept, i it was emotions, you know.
00:26:09
Chuku
Yeah, I get it. But hey, motions aside, I would trade Giannis. I'll do that. I'll do that.
00:26:15
Chino Onwuka
So I think the three complete untouchables, like you said, SGA, Wembley, and Jokic, that's it. That's one tier.
00:26:22
Emeka
I agree, I agree.
00:26:23
Chuku
There we go, yep, that's, that's, I think that's the point of the three.
00:26:24
Emeka
Although, I will say, borderline, I know this is gonna be a hot take, but like, It's got emotions into it. Tatum, even though I wouldn't, rationally, oh man, I wouldn't even i but i blink, I'd trade him in a heartbeat. Emotionally, the guy you draft, it's like the Luca thing, when you trade him for the guy you draft, they grew up with, you saw him win a title, would you trade Tatum for Luca?
00:26:46
Chino Onwuka
in boston they were not yeah yeah yeah we would so i think the first tier is is uh sga wenby yokich not in any order just the other tier where you have some pause whether emotionally is yannis and tatum and probably sixth even though minnesota would probably do it but sixth is probably ant and that's it yeah and that's it all
00:26:47
Chuku
I will trade, I would, if Boston wouldn't, me personally, I would.
00:27:10
Emeka
Yeah, I have Anthony that second tier as well where it's like rationally, probably emotionally now.
00:27:16
Chino Onwuka
Everybody else I'm not even I'm not even letting you finish finishing the sentence before I say accept because he got this gift in the horse's mouth and he had the nerve
00:27:22
Emeka
who but What? look Well, I wish they could get a camera in Polinka's face the first time.
00:27:24
Chuku
yeah
00:27:29
Emeka
Nico, let's let it slip out that look is available because they were talking for weeks and he said, just slipped out of one time like, you know, y'all shouldn't look up.
00:27:41
Emeka
Huh.
00:27:44
Chino Onwuka
The audacity to actually try to negotiate down.
00:27:46
Emeka
so keep broie negotiat I can't believe, I can't believe it man.
00:27:48
Chuku
Yo balls of that is just balls
00:27:49
Chino Onwuka
Well, that is rude. That is rude.
00:27:51
Emeka
I can't believe it.
00:27:52
Chino Onwuka
They're supposed to be best friends. That is rude, man.
00:27:55
Emeka
Cause the reporting came out.
00:27:55
Chino Onwuka
Polinka is not a good dude.
00:27:57
Emeka
It was connected in the 2020 and the 20 31st pick were in the trade and then Polica called back and said, nah, that's a little too pricey for me, man. I need to have guys in my team still.
00:28:04
Chino Onwuka
That is not.
00:28:05
Emeka
I can't believe it.
00:28:06
Chino Onwuka
That is bad.
00:28:06
Chuku
what it was he was really thinking about dude he was really thinking i'm gonna use i need this guy as a as a piece if i'm gonna get luca i need these guys as pieces to to reinvent my team because losing ad obviously he must he must like politically must have understood like losing ad right like fuck that politically is like fuck that man you he called me
00:28:07
Chino Onwuka
that
00:28:13
Emeka
No, for sure, yeah.
00:28:24
Chino Onwuka
that's what i'm saying even if you didn't have the pieces to trade for anybody else my problem is you still do that deal because people well
00:28:31
Emeka
Facts!
00:28:36
Chuku
He want he must really want ad so if he really wants ad he's gonna have to abide by you know What what I want?
00:28:37
Emeka
yeah Exactly!
00:28:43
Chino Onwuka
that is that is ballsy though is what i would have done
00:28:46
Chuku
And that's the one and we agree we agree Yeah,
00:28:50
Chino Onwuka
What I would have done is accept right there for the fear that maybe tomorrow this guy is going to wake up and come to the senses.
00:28:56
Emeka
You know I'm saying No, I'm sure you know that the audacity to call back and negotiate is crazy to me the audacity, huh?
00:28:56
Chino Onwuka
That's what I'm saying.
00:28:57
Chuku
no I get it son I get it
00:29:04
Chino Onwuka
That's Alright, so let's focus on the Lakers here. You know, we keep hearing about Lakers exceptionalism and it is a
Lakers' Star Acquisition History
00:29:12
Chino Onwuka
thing. It is a real tangible thing.
00:29:15
Chino Onwuka
We make fun of Lakers fans all the time for any star, photoshopping them into a Lakers jersey, throwing out the wildest, unrealistic yeah ESPN trade.
00:29:21
Emeka
The photo shops.
00:29:30
Emeka
Trade machine.
00:29:30
Chino Onwuka
What do they call that thing? Trade, trade machine, laughing at them. And there's a reason they do it because it happened again.
00:29:40
Emeka
Oh, my.
00:29:40
Chino Onwuka
They have gotten, they got, they got wilt to a trade. They got Kareem to a trade. They got Shaq, essentially, as a sign and trade.
00:29:50
Chuku
<unk> man boy
00:29:50
Chino Onwuka
They got O'Dowd through agency.
00:29:50
Emeka
They got Kobe through a trade.
00:29:52
Chino Onwuka
They got Kobe through a trade. And these are all the guys that worked out.
00:29:56
Emeka
They got AD through a trade. and Look what they turned AD into.
00:29:58
Chino Onwuka
They got O'Dowd. We're not even talking about the ones where it didn't work out.
00:30:00
Emeka
oh
00:30:02
Chino Onwuka
They got Dwight Howard in what was supposed to be his prime. They got stgo Gary Payton.
00:30:06
Emeka
Steve Nash.
00:30:08
Chino Onwuka
They got Steve Nash. Every every time, man. Every time. And they did it again.
00:30:15
Emeka
We're gonna get Chris Paul until David Stern have to step in and I kind of wish Adam Silver stepped in and said nah, bruh Vito this trade Commissioner Commissioner DeVito My brother posted a mean Oh,
00:30:16
Chuku
Preagency, man.
00:30:18
Chino Onwuka
yeah Yes. Yes.
00:30:24
Chuku
Video, video, video.
00:30:26
Chino Onwuka
I looked into that. I looked into that and now I understand the real reason why they vetoed it. If yeah they own the team at the time, because yeah, it's cause I was like, so you can.
00:30:31
Emeka
yeah, because they own the league they own the team at the time It was ever a time to make up some rule it was this trade to make up a rule and just be like nah, man We can't be doing that
00:30:40
Chino Onwuka
Yeah. Power.
00:30:44
Emeka
Yeah. hu Like my brother Chuku mentioned earlier this week, you can't even do this trade on 2K.
00:30:45
Chino Onwuka
how
00:30:50
Emeka
If you put this trade into 2K, 2K is like, bro, what are you talking about? This trade doesn't make sense.
00:30:55
Chino Onwuka
Rejection, reject rejection, rejection.
00:30:56
Emeka
We do it in real life. But like like you mentioned though, the Lakers, I got, i you know, was we gotta start off this with just big question. I'm curious what you guys thought. um know you guys thoughts, but I'm curious and on the pod.
Luka and LeBron's On-Court Synergy
00:31:07
Emeka
On a scale of one being lu trey young and dizante murray and ten b kobe and sha How would you rate the fit between Luca and LeBron?
00:31:20
Chuku
of pro ball a is a fu yeah treeje worry That funny as hell.
00:31:26
Emeka
I mean.
00:31:29
Chino Onwuka
Man, they just catch it straight, man.
00:31:29
Chuku
That is funny.
00:31:31
Chino Onwuka
They just catch it straight.
00:31:33
Chuku
That is a serious trick. but I got to be more on the Kobe and Shaq side of of of of that skill. because look i get I get the very similar players, but at this stage of Lebronc's career, 40 years old, asking him to be the ball handler, scoring 20 plus points at night. Not that he can't do it, but like man, you gotta have a guy like Dontchich who can easily by far create his own shot and on top of that is also a facilitator to the same level of Lebron and Lebron at this stage of his career can steal one of the best drivers of the ball that we've ever seen and now Legit, I don't know what anyone was talking about but Legit has a jump shot like like his he is pure as a shooter like pure
00:32:25
Emeka
sniper
00:32:28
Chuku
I gotta, no, I gotta believe, yeah, listen. Yeah, I'm on the, I'm on the, I'm on the, I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be, okay.
00:32:33
Emeka
Now what'd you say? you Give it a score. Give it a score.
00:32:38
Chuku
So, one being bad, 10 being good, right?
00:32:41
Emeka
Yeah.
00:32:43
Chuku
Yeah, I'll give it, I'll give it a nine. I'll give it a nine.
00:32:46
Emeka
Ooh.
00:32:48
Chuku
I'm telling you, it's gonna Like, it's gonna slap.
00:32:51
Emeka
Hey, that's facts.
00:32:53
Chuku
Yeah, I ain't gonna do a nine.
00:32:53
Chino Onwuka
My answer is, I'm just going to be a bit of a cop out is, it doesn't even matter.
00:33:04
Emeka
I mean, more.
00:33:04
Chino Onwuka
It doesn't even matter.
00:33:04
Chuku
Fair enough.
00:33:06
Chino Onwuka
Like LeBron, we love you. Like do your thing. You've got one year, two years. It's all about makeup.
00:33:12
Chuku
You said one year, two years. I'm telling you right now, this might make Lebron stay like another three years, bro.
00:33:18
Chino Onwuka
It might.
00:33:18
Chuku
Another three, four. Three, four.
00:33:19
Chino Onwuka
It might.
00:33:19
Emeka
but But you are right.
00:33:20
Chino Onwuka
It might.
00:33:21
Chuku
But hey, go ahead.
00:33:21
Emeka
It's about Luca. It's Luca's team for the first time in LeBron's career.
00:33:22
Chino Onwuka
But that's the bonus, right?
00:33:25
Emeka
It's Luca's team.
00:33:25
Chino Onwuka
It's you just do it now. And so the question is not ah his question is, how does LeBron fit with Luca going forward?
00:33:32
Emeka
Right here?
00:33:32
Chino Onwuka
Because I think if we think about it offensively, like they're both such smart, cerebral, brilliant players that they will find a way to make it work. Now, how long does that take?
00:33:44
Chino Onwuka
you know It's a question they got half a season in the playoffs to figure it out. My issue with the two of them and we'll talk to subsequent trade that Lakers have made maybe in a second is defensively is is really ugly.
00:33:59
Chino Onwuka
like LeBron is 40-year-old, playing on 40-year-old knees, and he does his best. I don't even know if he does his best. He's organizing. He's the orchestrator. Go here, go there. And Luca is, I think, third last in the whole league in terms of global percentage. So Luca is a trend style for all his, which is why Yes, they're great players, but LeBron at his age now, you have to build a team to sort of maximize his strengths and sort of, you know, hide his fault.
00:34:35
Chino Onwuka
So that's why they're always looking for shooters who can defend on the perimeter because LeBron, he can turn it on and turn it off. But, you know, I get at 40.
00:34:43
Chuku
like counter to out here's my counteror to that points you know here's
00:34:45
Chino Onwuka
let let me finish me finish
00:34:47
Chuku
you' i feelate weather
00:34:49
Chino Onwuka
and then Luca unless he I think he can even give effort there's times he's given effort right but probably because he was the man like Luca is 90% of the time disgusting defensively so that is my that is my only worry because it's not like the
00:35:03
Emeka
Blow by percentage, hi.
00:35:07
Chino Onwuka
The Lakers were looking for perimeter help even before this trade because Austin Reeves, again, he's not that guy.
00:35:10
Chuku
Here's my counter to that. Here's my counter to that point.
00:35:15
Chino Onwuka
Connect was definitely not that guy. So it's a bit of a sieve there. And you know when you had teams like this, you know Utah Jazz back in the day, at least they had Rudy Goldberg there to clean this clean things up.
00:35:30
Chino Onwuka
And you saw in the p playoffs how that just got destroyed.
00:35:32
Emeka
o
00:35:33
Chino Onwuka
And then, you know, Lakers had Anthony Davis to some extent, but that only still took them so far with LeBron at 40. So the question is, can they now get enough help defensively? You know, even the piece they added, yes, offensively, he's got all the, all the measurables that you need, but still, do they have what it takes defensively to hold up in the playoffs? Can they figure out a way to?
00:35:58
Chino Onwuka
to find that bright balance between the two of them. I think they can, but to me, like this year is an experiment. Do what you can do. They have the talent to do it, but really next year is where I see them really launching off.
00:36:14
Emeka
I mean, I get what you're saying, I get it, but, okay.
00:36:15
Chino Onwuka
like I don't know what else Chico and Michael are about to say something.
00:36:20
Emeka
I'll just go cook, but I just gotta, you know, real quick, like, I appreciate people's point too. you're You're holding, you know, LeBron's defensive effort and we joke about it, but that was when he had to carry the team's offense.
00:36:31
Emeka
I love AD, but AD can't create. So they were relying on LeBron to, you know, initiate and do all that.
00:36:36
Chuku
Thank you.
00:36:38
Emeka
You're gonna get Luca doing all that heavy lifting bra can be Engaged now gonna be diving. Also, I just this week post train for it. Look I even came on the team I'm seeing LeBron dive on those ball on those balls locking up Kawhi like LeBron is still guys it in him And now he has a young bull like Luca carrying the offensive load You're gonna have time for LeBron to do all that stuff and I'll give political credit He has already on the roster Vando and DFS, those are two defensive wings.
00:37:06
Emeka
Perfect to put next to Luca and LeBron.
00:37:06
Chuku
Thank you.
00:37:09
Emeka
They gonna guard the team's best players most of the games.
00:37:13
Chuku
You're making my point, like you're making my points exactly.
00:37:15
Emeka
I got you, don't worry.
00:37:16
Chuku
Look, look, I love AD. I love AD. Okay, let me just make a couple of counters to your point, you know, okay? One, the length of the team is insane. If you have a chance to put a lineup out there of Luca at the one, Austin Reeves to...
00:37:35
Chuku
What was the DFS, Doran Fionnay-Smith? Vanderbilt, Orla Braun, and then Mark Williams. like the The interchangeability of the team now, with the length that they have, everybody's six, five, and above, basically, on the floor. There's a lot of height, there's a lot of people they can they can switch. They're gonna be able to you know basically defend multiple positions at a given time. Not only that, again, to the point of what what my bro was saying,
00:38:08
Chuku
LeBron i mean a d for all a d you know ability in terms of scoring the ball and also chipping on the defensive side look eighty s one hell of a defensive player no question about that but the thing is you this the team has been asking LeBron to do a lot when it comes to creating and making shots with dauntage Now, Lebron has somebody who can literally drop 50, 60, 70. We thought AD jumping 40 and 20. Okay, that's cute. That's nice. Good job. A lot of that, you know again, very very off. They're not as consistent as you would you would like. And on top of that, like again, you need to give the ball to AD in certain positions for him to cook and and really get off know the way he needs to get off type of thing.
Lakers' Roster Additions and Impact
00:38:53
Chuku
Luca with the ball on his hands, you're really seeing what this guy can do. He can create his own shots at a higher clip at a higher percentage with so much more efficiency than AD ever wish he could in bringing the ball up the floor. like This is going to allow LeBron to actually sit back, pick and choose where he can know chip in his energy. This is LeBron and we all know how good LeBron is in terms of Keeping his body in shape and like you know being able to to, obviously I get it, look, the guy's still 40 years old. He still has, I understand, he's still on old knees and father time is undefeated, I get all that. But if there's ever been a player a couple a player know up to you know similar to Tom Brady who has found a way to always extend that clock,
00:39:47
Chuku
It's LeBron James and LeBron having ah ah and a a co-star like a Luca next to him now who does pretty much similar a lot of similar things that he already does but can you know it's younger you don't have the energy to create more an offense obviously we're not asking Luca to come and play you know a mess defense you just need to basically try and chip in here where where you can with you know team defensive wise but It's going to allow LeBron to really be able to, again, like main point is pick and choose when to expand expand that his energy on on both sides of the court. And I think that's going to really also allow LeBron let's just say LeBron was going to retire in a year's time.
00:40:31
Chuku
This edition of Luca adds another year to whatever we thought LeBron was going to retire, if he chooses.
00:40:36
Emeka
That's two years to me.
00:40:38
Chuku
Oh, there you go, two years. Either way, the point is, it's only going to add more to LeBron being able to stay on the court longer than what we previously had thought before.
00:40:53
Chuku
So I just think, and again, we're sleeping on the edition of the Mark Williams kid. but i'm not
00:40:59
Chino Onwuka
I was going to say again, the Lakers didn't make an additional trade with some of the assets that you would have thought would go for Luca, particularly Dalton Connect and that 2031 first round pick to Charlotte. Maybe there's some other things involved and Mark Williams, you know, previously before this trade, we'd said, oh, this is nice. This is for the future.
00:41:22
Chino Onwuka
they need to get a center. And it's really funny because, you know, LeBron and A.D. had been begging, or actually, you know what, I'm gonna let you get this joke because this is yours.
00:41:34
Emeka
Thank you. I want to say my s little my joke I said Look for years LeBron has been begging the Lakers to trade this dusty 2031st pick and Even more ad has been begging my guy even even went on shams TV show openly and said get me a center I need a center
00:41:37
Chuku
but to get little bit
00:41:55
Emeka
and the play guys like chill my guys we can't we gotta build for the future we gotta think about the franchise Lou GM comes in and in four days he says my brother I didn't come here to play with Jackson Hayes and they shipped off that first round pick and they got his center Dalton connect Westside connect they call him yeah Lucas said connect me to a center get your ass out of here like bruh is crazy out here man the power of like you know said
00:41:59
Chuku
But to get in there...
00:42:23
Emeka
You know what? and All my life, I've been saying, how does, you know, person X fit next to LeBron?
00:42:24
Chuku
Love to you.
00:42:28
Emeka
But for the first time, I got to start saying, how does LeBron and and other things fit next to Luca? Because this is Luca's team now.
00:42:34
Chino Onwuka
Because that that that is part of the whole calculus because of the Lakers. They're saying, look, LeBron is 40, 80 is 32. Maybe we can catch lightning in a bottle, but we are not going to mortgage the future for, you know, we don't know how long this thing can go.
00:42:51
Chino Onwuka
With Luca, that changes everything. You can take more risks because this is not just a thing where you're wasting away assets. This is something that you're pairing to someone that's twenty a 25 year old superstar. So when he asks for something, you're more willing to be like, okay, yeah, you know this this is this is worth doing it. So Mark Williams, let me give my take on Mark Williams because probably not ah not a a lot of people know who he is. He's a seven foot two center who played at the University of Duke.
00:43:18
Chino Onwuka
He's in his third year in the league. He has, I think officially the longest standing reach in the NBA, but I think that's just because Wembley didn't get his measured at nine foot nine. And he is an athletic, big presence at the center spot, very vertical. So what Luca loves to do on offense, Mark Williams is good for that. He's been on a tier lately, averaging 20 and 10.
00:43:46
Chino Onwuka
He does have a little bit of injury history, has played 43 games his first season, 19 his second season, and just came back this year. You know, back injury for a man of that size is a little bit risky. But now here's the kavit. He has come up in a probably not optimal environment in Charlotte where winning has not been top of mind where, you know, the leader of your team is Lamello. And for as fun as Lamello is, I think there are questions as to how serious he is. Now, I'm not going to lie and act like I watch Charlotte Hornets games, but he is a guy I followed from the draft. So I do sort of pay attention when he came back, when he won this run. And, you know, I was really focused on what he was doing offensively, seeing the stats. But the report is from
00:44:40
Chino Onwuka
people on the hornet side is the reason why they were motivated to do this trade, because apparently another situation of traders accepting was it was the Charles GM that called and said, Hey, I know you're looking for a center. We got this guy. Do you want it? Which is just wild to me because I'm sure a lot of people would have been interested in that as well. The problem is my dad does not gave a lot of effort on defense. It's very lackadaisical. Sometimes the focus is not there. He's really just focused on the stats and not fundamental. Good basketball defensively. Now here's what I think. I think he's going to go into the Lakers where. This is a serious team. You've got LeBron there. You got Luca there. They're not going to take. Nonsense. I think.
00:45:33
Chino Onwuka
This is now an environment where he can now start to put together all his talents and be the player that he can be. They're gonna tell him, bro, you're not coming here to get 20 and 10. You're here to do certain things. Protect the rim, set good screens, and catch loves. That is all you do. Leave the rest to us. So I think there's potential there. My thing is though, I still need to see him do it. I still need to see Lupa defend. I still need to see like, okay, you guys said LeBron can pick and choose that. We still need to see it.
00:46:07
Emeka
I'm seeing it right now in this current game I'm watching, but to to your point though, I've agreed everything you said. I need to echo you a little bit more. good People don't watch the Charlotte Hornets, but it's not even reports about his effort.
00:46:19
Emeka
Earlier this week before he got traded, which is why the trading surprise me that much, because earlier this week, halftime of the game, the local Starters Hornets announcer literally spent their entire halftime segment personally calling out Mark Williams and saying some stuff that you never hear teams local broadcast say about their players. Lazy, lack of efforts that it is my all my life. I've never seen such atrocious basketball, blah, blah, blah. That's the type of guy he is. Like Chino mentioned,
00:46:45
Emeka
He has been playing on, and I love Lamello, but on an unserious franchise, losing games left and right. Chino tried to be nice and say he has a little bit of of an injury history. Chino saying he has a little bit of an injury history is like me saying I have a little bit of an all-star vertical. It ain't the truth. It's a massive understatement to say the least.
00:47:05
Emeka
He has played in less than half of his games since he's been drafted to the league. And like he said, he has back injuries, man. Back injuries for a seven foot two guy. I don't like that at all. In my opinion, as you know, listen, the Luka trade is a 10 out of 10, one you do it all the time.
00:47:24
Emeka
I kinda think the Mark Williams trade can get looked at in the future as kind of a fleece of the Lakers. And I get why you do it. You need to get Luca a lob. You need to. Lou GM, he's expiring in a year and a half. People let letting that part of the story slide. Luca's gonna be expiring soon. Lakers have to prove their worth to him. But trading connect and the first, I gotta trade one or the other, man. I gotta trade one or the other. I can't trade both for Mark Williams. My personal opinion at least.
00:47:53
Chino Onwuka
I think they're just desperate. And this is the thing where I said, hey, I know you said the market is dry. You can't find a center. You can't just wish for it to happen. but Hey, I got one for you. But this is what it's going to take. Luca goes into the office and says, hey, yeah, I'm glad to be here. But I need a locker. And they decided, you know what? At his age, you know we're hoping that we can come here and get him right. If we can get hit get him right, then this is a home run. And they decided, you know what?
00:48:22
Chino Onwuka
Let's, you know, Charlotte called their terms and and they decided to do it. But yeah, I think it's a risk, a good calculated risk for the Lakers. And I think it's a good trade for Charlotte. This is one where it's a potential win-win.
00:48:40
Chuku
Yeah, no doubt about it. It's definitely a gamble, man. But look, if you're going to gamble on someone, man, dude, let's not act like Mark Williams didn't have hype coming out of Duke, man. Like this guy was a lottery pick for a reason. And look, injuries, I understand it. They're scary. Back injuries as a big guy. Scary, but You know, the market is tough, man.
00:49:00
Chuku
There isn't too many options out there that, you know, the Leaguers could have gone for in terms of, you know, which big... Let me put it to you this way. I would rather have taken the gamble on a guy like Mark Williams, than settled for a big, like, a Yucca Portal, Kelly Olenek type.
00:49:19
Chuku
That's just me. So, personally speaking, I'm on that.
00:49:21
Chino Onwuka
and I agree with you. report The report said that Lucas said, I don't want no slow, maybe he didn't say white, but he might've been there.
00:49:34
Chino Onwuka
don't I don't want no slow white bigs. That doesn't work for me. I need a vertical threat. And they went out and got it because he got offered to them.
00:49:45
Chuku
There you go.
00:49:47
Chino Onwuka
Okay.
00:49:47
Emeka
Hey, man. Keep the boy happy.
00:49:48
Chino Onwuka
so
Lakers' Season Predictions
00:49:49
Emeka
What you gonna do?
00:49:50
Chino Onwuka
Alright, so next question I'm going to ask, who do you think will have a better season this year? Dallas or the Lakers?
00:50:00
Emeka
My guy signed like it's a hard question. to me it's This is an easy question, but...
00:50:05
Chino Onwuka
I think the reason science he signs is he's about to change his mind.
00:50:08
Chuku
yeah that's you know spot on man i think i'm about to change my mind man it has to be the Lakers man it has to be the Lakers man i'm seeing i'm seeing what they're doing without Luca and
00:50:08
Emeka
This is a...
00:50:09
Chino Onwuka
That's why.
00:50:22
Chuku
Like, Mark Williams? Yeah, it has to be. It has to be the Lakers, man. It's not fair. It's not fair what they're doing. It's not fair like how they are the the they're able to to add Luca and ah Mark Williams to this team. And yeah, I just got to think, although i do a do I still see the Mavs making a run and making it to the playoffs,
00:50:46
Chuku
I just think I'm really liking the moves that... if See, i'm I'm saying this now because of the addition of Mark Williams. Because if they add that center piece, I could be looking differently because I'll have a lot of questions about going to the rest of the season with some of the Jackson Hays.
00:50:55
Chino Onwuka
fa yeah
00:51:05
Chuku
Or who knows? we may and I think because the Lakers are, I think, above the second name print, they can't really do too much in the buyout market, is that correct? or am i
00:51:15
Emeka
Yeah, they can't get guys who make over the league.
00:51:18
Chuku
the minimum?
00:51:19
Chino Onwuka
Fair enough.
00:51:19
Emeka
I don't have the minimums like the talk middle of the exception, $12 million.
00:51:23
Chuku
middle sub
00:51:23
Emeka
It's all the big name guys like Brogson.
00:51:24
Chuku
okay yeah well look i guess all i'll say is man um either way it doesn't matter because at this point in time you know they they managed to pull pull this move off and uh i'm i'm on the camp that i just think yeah the the what the moves they made i think they'll have a better
00:51:27
Emeka
They can't get.
00:51:46
Chuku
ah better year yeah this year oh hell no oh hell no this guy don't do it
00:51:50
Emeka
You know, I get the backup music ready because I got to take.
00:51:50
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I'm... Oh, ok okay, okay,
00:51:57
Emeka
You know, i' i'm I'm committed to it. The Los Angeles Lakers are making the NBA Finals this year.
00:52:06
Emeka
I don't understand what we're talking about here.
00:52:07
Chino Onwuka
Oh...
00:52:10
Emeka
Luca Doncet and LeBron James? No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
00:52:14
Chuku
This guy don't do it.
00:52:15
Emeka
The Los Angeles Lakers are making the NBA Finals this year.
00:52:15
Chuku
This guy don't do it, man.
00:52:18
Emeka
Yes. Book it.
00:52:21
Chino Onwuka
You know what, like, like i'm I'm with Chuku before they traded for Mark Williams. I still thought Dallas had a more complete team. You know, you still have, you know, a primary creator who has shown in the playoffs in AD. I have a team that's pretty good defensively. You got Anthony Davis. You still got PJ Washington. You got Daniel Gafford.
00:52:47
Chino Onwuka
live I don't know if they're going to be as good as without Luca, but even then they were still doing pretty good in the West without Luca. But with this trade now, now that they have a center, it might not look pretty to start with, but yeah, I think the Lakers are going to do.
00:53:01
Chino Onwuka
better this season. Now, the thing is, do I think they're going to make the finals like Ameka just said? I don't know. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to when we do playoff predictions for the NBA, especially for the West because the West is just a bloodbath right now.
Western Conference Playoff Outlook
00:53:17
Chino Onwuka
I keep looking at the findings to see who and who won't make the playoffs or even the play in.
00:53:17
Emeka
Oh, my goodness.
00:53:23
Chino Onwuka
Everybody, every team in the West that is struggling, made a trade, the teams at the top sort of, you know, laid on their laurels because they are that good because I think what could happen is, you know, OKC, Houston and Memphis, you know, right now those are the top three seeds.
00:53:44
Chino Onwuka
Think about doing all that and then at the bottom of the West, some of the teams you might have to face in the first and second round. And it might be a thing where experienced is Trump's talent and youth. So I don't know about the finals. I'm not ready to make any prediction right now. Ask me again at the end of the season, but, but yeah, the West is, the West is something else. And maybe that this is a good segue to talk about some other major deals that happen in the and NBA.
00:54:14
Chino Onwuka
you know It started off with Doncic and I think you know that just gingered everybody else up because the next trade we're going to talk about is Jimmy Butler.
00:54:24
Chino Onwuka
He finally got his wish after throwing a tantrum for the last how many months, know walking out of practice, mailing it in games, giving press conferences.
00:54:29
Emeka
legendary tattoo legendary performance
00:54:36
Chino Onwuka
This man, he pulled out every card, every trick in the box. and he got his wish. Reports had come out to say he didn't want to he wasn't going to sign with the Warriors, but I don't know whether you know the deadline was coming.
00:54:49
Chino Onwuka
So he's like, I just need up out of here.
00:54:51
Emeka
the warrior set here's 120 million
00:54:52
Chino Onwuka
Jimmy Butler,
00:54:54
Emeka
He changed his mind.
00:54:54
Chino Onwuka
regard to you jimmy butler two Warriors for Andrew Wiggins and some other stuff. like no No disrespect to the other stuff, but add some other stuff.
00:55:10
Chino Onwuka
The big news here is Jimmy Butler to the Warriors. What do we think? Does this move the needle
Jimmy Butler Trade to Warriors
00:55:18
Chino Onwuka
for the Warriors?
00:55:18
Chuku
ass ass and more ass man i am not i i don't know about y'all man but i'm just gonna just see my piece and y'all come along with this but i am in no way shape or form moved by this deal whatsoever i'm on record go go to say where is it done they're not making no playoffs they're not making they'll be lucky if they make the playing i I think the more interesting move to talk about is what your your Spurs did there. As far as this particular move, well done getting a 35-year-old who's been a disgruntled mess for the last how many couple years now. i just I just don't see the appeal with this at all whatsoever. Obviously, this is Golden State's way of trying to give their superstar a chance, but in my opinion, no put that
00:56:10
Chuku
Put it in the bag, man. Y'all are done. It was a nice run. Well done, Golden State Warriors. You were one of the best teams or one of the, you know, you had one of the night best runs in a minute, you know, since the, the you know, Kobe Lakers and Michael Jordan Bulls. But yeah, is is that that ship has sailed. And y'all need to start thinking about what life's going to look like without Curry, you know what I'm saying? Because at this point,
00:56:40
Chuku
know I am not moved whatsoever with this but with this edition in fact I'm more excited to see what Miami gonna look like now with I don't know Wiggins and those other other you know so shall not be named pieces that they they got over there because at this point we already talked about how stacked the West is and I'm sorry, but Jimmy is not moving the needle over there in that, in that deep West for the Golden State Warriors.
00:57:09
Chuku
And, um, um, you know, congrats to him though, cause he's a big winner of the, of the, of the, you know, uh, trade deadline. He got paid, he got his extension has been looking for probably going to be his last big extension in my opinion.
00:57:21
Chuku
Cause by the time you what, by the time that extension is done, it's going to be what, 37 probably on his way out to the league 38 or even better.
00:57:25
Emeka
thirty eight
00:57:28
Chuku
Okay. Yeah.
00:57:28
Emeka
38.
00:57:28
Chuku
Tells me I need to know. Well done getting an extension and yeah, that's it I'm not interested or move at all by this move, but Chris here what you guys gonna say about it, you know good
00:57:40
Chino Onwuka
Ameka.
00:57:42
Emeka
I'm about to say, I say with a heavy heart because I love Steph Curry and he's one of my favorite players, especially now that KD is gone and we're going to talk about how you almost tried to trade for KD, but Now that Steph is separating from KD, I can say this openly, like I love Steph. If they made this trade the exact same roster, and this was Steph of three years ago, I'd be sick and praised. I think this is the trade they needed to make. Give Steph some help. They're gonna make some noise in the playoffs. It's sad to say, I'm not gonna use the word wash, because he's not washed, but he's taken a step back to the point where
00:58:19
Emeka
I kind of have to agree with my guy juku is not really going to move the needle just because step missing that guy anymore step will give you a step game he'll come out and you'll have a game where he but he'll follow up that next game with a game where he has 12 Bill Simmons calls them once a week players and that's what Steph Curry is right now He's a once a week guy who'll have a great game, an average game, a bad game. And to be fair, he's 35 years old. Like that's what 35 year olds do. The Lebron's and the Brady's break our brain about what aging looks like. That being said, and much as I, so I, I, I agree with you in the sense that he's not going to move the needle. I will say though, I really appreciate the warriors.
00:59:02
Emeka
Committing to Steph Curry you owe it to him to try to keep swinging I'm always tired of teams, you know hoarding picks and not trying to cash in you when you have a a trans ah ah trans Or a superstar once you have a transcend every one looking for a trans stringent
00:59:22
Chino Onwuka
who what who what we going
00:59:25
Emeka
yeah but you have a transcendent star like curry you owe it as long as it's on the roster to commit to winning and that's what this trade was so i respect it i do agree though juku i'm curious the miami side of it a lot too because you know butler playoff Jimmy Butler if he's playoff Jimmy and he's on the Warriors that's a spicy mix but the bright like the bright silver lining of this year and his tantrums is that it has now allowed Tyler Hero to take a step forward become an all-star and become that guy
00:59:48
Chino Onwuka
I was like, what was, what was, what was, what was we doing with it?
01:00:00
Emeka
So when you get hero now and BAM who have now become that guy a piece like Wiggins in the heat culture system That's a nice piece right there. I'm kind of curious how it plays out The issue though is that they don't have that alpha dog there unless hero takes a massive step forward I don't know if he has that in them. I Love this trade for both teams and I don't like it for I don't like it for The Warriors so much is that they're not going to win the chip off it. The Heat getting a first-round pick in Andrew Wiggins for a guy who openly is beefing with your GM. Hey, that's a nice return. And for the Warriors, good luck paying 37-year-old Curry and Jimmy Butler 120 million in next year's time. That's going to look hard on the salary cap. And hey, man, the Warriors print money. Steph Curry, I read all those reports all the time.
01:00:50
Emeka
the Laker bought the franchise for 500 million. Now, it's worth 5 billion. Hey, that's all Steph Curry and if Curry's going to do that to you, the least you can do is go into the tax and commit to winning around him. I respect that about the Warriors even though I kind of do agree with my brother. If you tell me right now, what's more likely? Warriors miss the playoffs or Warriors finish top six succeed. I pick Warriors miss the playoffs. That kind of just shows the limits of their team but I still respect them going for the swing on it.
01:01:18
Chino Onwuka
wait hold up Steph is 36 turning 37 no he's 36 turning 30 I thought he was like 34 turning 35 oh my goodness
01:01:23
Emeka
I think he's 35, 30, 36. Steph is old like that. Oh. Oh, you're right. yeah You're right. He's 36, 30, 37 this year and in March.
01:01:34
Emeka
In a month's time. He's 37. Yeah, I know. He's old. He's old.
01:01:38
Chuku
Y'all think I'm playing.
01:01:38
Emeka
He's old.
01:01:39
Chuku
I'm telling y'all they need to pack this up. It's a wrap. I don't know what else is telling y'all, man. like Curry like is done. It's done.
01:01:51
Chuku
Curry cannot carry a team on his back on alone.
01:01:51
Chino Onwuka
so So here are my thoughts.
01:01:54
Chuku
but Go ahead, sorry.
01:01:54
Emeka
That's back.
01:01:54
Chuku
Go ahead.
01:01:56
Chino Onwuka
You guys have said a lot of my sentiments. you know and I'm just going to touch on some things I really want to get out there. One, I think it's a little too little too late, like Ameka alluded to.
01:02:10
Chino Onwuka
If they had done this a couple of years ago, they tried to be cute with it. I wouldn't even say they tried to be cute. I get what they were trying to do. They were trying to marry the present with the future because of the luck they had in all the assets that they had, and suffice to say they blew it. They had a second overall pick, lots of lottery picks, and they, you know, I think some teams don't understand that some teams just get... Lucky is the word. They tried to do what San Antonio did where they had an aging team,
01:02:43
Chino Onwuka
They made the trade for Kauai. Nobody thought Kauai was going to turn into what Kauai did and they got another championship. Warriors thought they could do the same thing and it blew up in their face. This move is too little too late. They should have packaged all those assets at the height of that their their value.
01:03:04
Chino Onwuka
A year ago, two years ago, three years ago and traded for something else because it is too little too late. This does not move the needle in the West. Teams are just too tough. This is going to perhaps make them better to be able to make seventh or eighth seed or make the play play and that's all this does. Here's my other thing and this is a little bit spicy. And I think I've shared this with you guys a lot before.
01:03:33
Chino Onwuka
Steph is 36, turning 37 years old. My thing with Steph is he's a really weird player. It's a little bit of a juxtaposition because I still have Steph in definitely my top 15 of all time. One of the guys on Mount Rushmore changing the game, you know, the era we see now with with the with the pace and spaces is because of Steph. I just questioned though, like,
01:04:03
Chino Onwuka
I think Steph is more of an amplifier than a carrier. I don't know because even before this, every single time he didn't have great talent around him, when it was just him, you that year where you know Clay was hurt and Dreamland was hurt, they were horrible with Steph.
01:04:26
Chino Onwuka
And so I don't know what it is about him, whether it's because of his size, whether because when he, when he, when, when is the thing where he has to carry the team all by himself, then the whole piece doesn't work together. But I don't think Steph has ever, like he's been the best player on the team, he's let them. I've not seen him do what some of these other guys have done where they've just carried a suboptimal team to greatness.
01:04:55
Emeka
Okay. All right. All right. All right. I'm about to finish cooking, but I got to step in for my boy stuff here. The 2022.
01:05:02
Chino Onwuka
I actually want to understand this.
01:05:05
Emeka
I a.
01:05:05
Chino Onwuka
I mentioned it that period where I said, okay, Clay is down. Jaymond is down. Steph is still younger. I want to see what Steph can do. Let me see if he can. We keep talking about him like he is in a two-time MVP.
01:05:18
Chino Onwuka
Up until that point, he never won a finals MVP. It was always someone else. I'm ready to see Steph do. I was excited. Steph was getting his points, but they were still losing.
01:05:28
Chino Onwuka
So that all that just blows down.
01:05:29
Emeka
I not care you.
01:05:31
Chino Onwuka
You can come in and play your defense to say is that definitely at this age, Steph doesn't have enough around him to be able to carry that team further than you know first round excitement.
01:05:44
Emeka
Okay. Again, I'm going to let you cook, but I, I got to defend him or just, I got, I got, you know, let me, let me defend my, the voice step here.
01:05:45
Chino Onwuka
My love, Steph.
01:05:52
Emeka
The 2022 warriors won the championship and you cannot tell me that roster was optimal. Yeah. They had great defenders. He's second best player was Andrew Wiggins. And I love Andrew Wiggins, but how many guys are winning chips with their second best player being Andrew Wiggins.
01:06:07
Emeka
And my guy put the Cape on in the finals and carried them against Boston. That's all I'm gonna say about step.
01:06:12
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, yes, Andrew Wiggins was good. Dreamon, like, it's weird for me to, like, I i struggle with it. Anytime Dreamon is not there, the Warriors suck.
01:06:27
Chino Onwuka
So explain that to me.
01:06:27
Emeka
Jamon's good. Jamon is good. Very good.
01:06:30
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
01:06:30
Emeka
that He's a player of the year, playmaker. So to what you're essentially what you're saying, and I agree with it, is that Steph isn't a ball dominant, heliocentric star. He's not Luka, he's not LeBron.
01:06:42
Emeka
He's not the guy you give the ball to and you run 100 pick and rolls. He is the greatest ever off-ball player. But that obviously comes with the caveat that, well, you need someone to get him the ball or he's running off the screens.
01:06:54
Emeka
That's where Dreamon comes in. Dreamon's a fantastic guy, a great defender and a great passer. They mixed together amazingly. All I'm saying is that Steph has carried teams. He carried the 2022 team to a chip.
01:07:07
Emeka
And I'm um i'm not going to say he carried the 72 win Warriors because he had Clay and obviously Dreamon, but he was the primary driving force behind the greatest regular season team of all time.
01:07:14
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, he was he was. For me, he's led teams. I don't think he's ever carried a team. I don't know why I feel that way, but I'm sorry.
01:07:22
Emeka
He carried the 2022 Warriors. That's why I jumped in. The 2022 Warriors, that was a carry job to me.
01:07:27
Chino Onwuka
You can't be a...
01:07:27
Emeka
That was a carry job to me.
01:07:28
Chino Onwuka
For me, I don't know why. like What I'll always hold against him is being a star in your prime and your team finishes in the lottery. i i For some reason, I just can't accept that. As long as you're there, the team can't be in the lottery.
01:07:39
Emeka
Hey.
01:07:42
Chino Onwuka
I don't know. that just
01:07:44
Emeka
He missed half that season, but you're right. Listen, you're not wrong there. And like you mentioned it, Warriors lucked out, and man,
01:07:48
Chino Onwuka
yeah got hurt They were still in the lottery, that's the thing.
01:07:53
Emeka
It's some alternate timeline where the Warriors didn't blow that number two overall pick. Can you imagine they drafted like Halliburton or Omello? What a timeline we'd be living in right now. Thank goodness they blocked that pick.
01:08:03
Chino Onwuka
I even traded all those lottery picks for something else.
01:08:08
Emeka
You know, it is what it is. But again, unless you cook, i so I have to defend Steph on that point. 2022 to me was a carry job.
01:08:16
Chino Onwuka
we because I want to talk to people about it because it's just such a weird juxtaposition for me because I'm not saying he's not but I think he's one of the greatest ever but that that thing still is always in the back
01:08:27
Emeka
Cause like I said, he's the greatest ever off ball player, which is a very unique thing to have. But it is, it comes with his weaknesses too. Like he, it's rare current lets him cook and just has for possession or running pick and roll balls in your hand. Cause also and it hurts that he's small. So teams just double him and he gives the ball up. Whereas a guy like Luca, you can double him up because he's so big. He can see over the double pass over it. He does stuff like that.
01:08:54
Emeka
Whereas with Curry, you double him, he just gives the ball up. And that's where J-Mon makes his money on those four and threes. How many times do you see the Warriors go? J-Mon drives down, a team helps up, lob to Looney, or you so the pass to someone in the corner.
01:09:06
Emeka
That's the Warriors offense for you. And, yeah, Steph's not getting any assists. He's not getting any stats. But that play happens because the team just doubles Steph and lets J-Mon cook on the four and three. So that's all I'm saying about Steph. I'm just depending on that way.
01:09:17
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, yeah, yeah, not fair enough. I don't know a lot. That's always been a nagging thing. And just, you know, I'm sure we're all monitoring this. Warriors are coming back in this game. So let's see. Let's see if Mr.
01:09:27
Emeka
Although, as the president of the Wiggins fan club though, I'm curious about, what are what are your thoughts about him going to Miami?
01:09:27
Chino Onwuka
Wardell has something to say. oh
01:09:33
Emeka
You think he's gonna be good for him?
01:09:35
Chino Onwuka
Who's the president or what now?
01:09:37
Emeka
ah ah You, you're the president of the Wiggins fan club. What am I, am I?
01:09:40
Chino Onwuka
I thought you said you were okay.
01:09:42
Emeka
No, I said you, as a problem I'm asking you.
01:09:42
Chino Onwuka
I was like, I've been watching this guy since he was at Huntington Prep for somebody to come and take the title for me.
01:09:44
Emeka
but
01:09:49
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, you know what?
01:09:49
Emeka
That's what I'm asking you. do
01:09:51
Chino Onwuka
I feel, I don't know, you know, Wiggins for me is a little bit more emotional. I thought he was going to be the next, the next one. He didn't end up, but I'm happy to see he's had a good career, happy to see he's bounced back from a tough season.
01:10:04
Chino Onwuka
My thing for Wiggins is, you know, we all know that he doesn't have that alpha dog mentality, you know, We seen how, you know, things that are happening back home affected him last year. ah You know, he's come back to bounce back this year. So what I'm thinking is, i I think he's a great player. I think, you know, Miami's, they'll really maximize him. It's just, where's his head space going to be at? Because I think, I don't want to say too much. I think his his dad is still in a precarious position. And I think he just had a daughter, like literally a couple of days ago. So,
01:10:41
Chino Onwuka
If he can get past all that, because that's always been the issue with Wiggs, I think Miami is a really good system for him. You know, a strong coach team that preaches team principles. They're not going to force him to be what he's not. So I think he will fit in really there. They get a younger player.
01:10:57
Chino Onwuka
who can play defensively is a better shooter. And when do they need him to do something, he'll do it as long as you don't you know force him to bear all the responsibilities. So i think I think Miami is a good spot for him. He can still enjoy some nice weather.
01:11:15
Emeka
Chuka really said his piece at the beginning had nothing else to add. I respect that. He really called this stuff.
01:11:19
Chuku
What more do I got to add, man? i' I've told you my piece, bro. the All this talk is just, man, I'm ready to move on to the Darren Fox, bro, because this is Jimmy Butler is, like, bro.
01:11:27
Emeka
I respect him, man.
01:11:29
Chino Onwuka
but
01:11:31
Chuku
i This is crazy.
01:11:32
Emeka
Tech tools on that piece.
01:11:34
Chuku
Like, for me, this has, like, I couldn't mean i could't even believe the Warriors did this deal. But obviously, I understand they got to do something.
01:11:40
Chino Onwuka
You're desperate. And like I might have said, shout out to them at least.
01:11:41
Chuku
They got to do something desperate. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:11:43
Chino Onwuka
It might be a little too late, but they're giving it a shot.
De'Aaron Fox Trade to Spurs
01:11:45
Chuku
They're giving a shot.
01:11:46
Emeka
You have to with stuff, man.
01:11:46
Chuku
Yeah, they're giving a shot.
01:11:47
Chino Onwuka
You're giving it a shot.
01:11:47
Emeka
You have to with stuff.
01:11:48
Chino Onwuka
Okay, all right. We'll move on then to, you know, a really exciting trade for me. De'Aaron Fox from Sacramento to the San Antonio Spurs.
01:12:01
Chino Onwuka
And we didn't have to give up. Stefano Castle, which was a no-no, that was never happening. We didn't have to give up Devin Vassil. We didn't have to give up.
01:12:10
Emeka
That's crazy. And Keldin.
01:12:12
Chino Onwuka
Kelvin Johnson, who I thought all three would make sense.
01:12:14
Emeka
That's crazy.
01:12:15
Chino Onwuka
We didn't have to give up Jeremy Sohan. We didn't have to give up any of the Atlanta picks.
01:12:17
Chuku
Crazy.
01:12:20
Emeka
Crazy.
01:12:21
Chino Onwuka
So I think, you know, I'll probably just start off because this is my team. You know, if you don't know, I'm a San Antonio Spurs fan, big Spurs fan, five time champs. What's up?
01:12:32
Chino Onwuka
I think this is good because everyone was always wondering, when are the Spurs going to cash in their chips? When are they going to get somebody to pair with Wembley? And the issue is, you know, coming from the San Antonio side is we didn't want to not even just mortgage the future, but just make a bad deal and be stuck with it because you've seen numerous examples of teams rightly trying to, okay,
01:12:58
Chino Onwuka
You have a superstar, you know, they're growing faster than you thought. All right, let's bring in a piece to sort of accelerate this and it sort of backfires and you're kind of stuck for a bit. You know, give the example of Anthony Davis and the guys they brought in in New Orleans. Didn't work out. He ended up asking out. Luca with Christoph Sporzingis, they brought him in. It didn't work out. And it looked like it was dying. You know, that year that they ended up in the lottery where they had the tank to get in the lottery to keep their pick.
01:13:28
Chino Onwuka
People, that's when people were worried about Luca wanting out and they locked into Derek Lively and the rest is history, but the rest is still history. And so San Antonio was really cognizant of that and trying not to wait for the right deal, the right player to come in the market because what we've always heard is players are trying to get themselves to San Antonio to play with Wembley, which is something that has never happened to this franchise in its history.
01:13:57
Chino Onwuka
And so who was that player going to be? you know For the last couple of years, you know the player everyone's been wanting was Trae Young, but I was really not that hyped about it for as as much as a good player Trae Young is, as much as I could see how deadly that pairing would be. There was the questions of you know the defense, though you could say Wembley could erase some of that.
01:14:21
Chino Onwuka
and the questions of you know the contract. The guy I really wanted was Darius Garland, but and know I thought maybe after the last season in Cleveland, if they decided they wanted to break up him and Mitchell, which was looking like me at the time, I was, that's the guy, I think I mentioned, that's the guy I really wanted. But obviously this year is a different story and they made the smart move in keeping them together. I'd never thought about Fox.
01:14:48
Chino Onwuka
But I think it is a perfect pairing because, okay, what those guys bring in shooting, fuck doesn't necessarily have, but his speed and being able to get to the hole, I think will just open things up for the team. Because I watched every single San Antonio Spurs game and you know people wonder, oh, why doesn't Wendy play inside and he could? But I've never seen a guy get focused on that much in the paint like he does.
01:15:18
Chino Onwuka
Like there is literally no space for that man. Chris Paul has come in and really done a great job in leading the team, you know, raising the floor of the team. But, you know, when he goes on a pick and roll, Chris Paul, if he can do something, do something, but we're not letting one be scored. Now with Fox, okay, you go if you're going to do that and say we're going to double up and put all our attention on one beat,
01:15:45
Chino Onwuka
Fox is going to get to that hole every single time. Most of the time he doesn't even need Wendy, but you don't pay attention to him. He's going to get to that hole every single time. And now what I like is if they do realize the calculus has changed, now we have another threat that we have to deal with.
01:16:02
Chino Onwuka
Now, hopefully what we see is that opened up more free, easy opportunities for Webby because I watch other teams. I'm like, man, I'm seeing all these dump off passes and all these alley-oops. How does that not happen to the guy that's seven foot six? Like we talked about old point guard situation last year. Webby is getting less alley-oops with Chris Paul, less dump offs.
01:16:27
Chino Onwuka
in the middle that he did last year because teams are like, all right, this guy, he's not a big threat. He's a massive threat. So there's no space. So now I'm hoping that that opens up more space for him. And what I love about Jaren Fox is he's also good defensively. So that can, as the team grows, that can now be the strength of the team. Fox is only 27. So you do have a runway, you know, I think You know, we still have, because we kept all our assets, we still have the ability to go big game hunting for someone even better. But I think this was a good market opportunity with him saying this is the only team he wanted to go to. This allowed us to to get him at a decent price, elevate the team. And I love this deal. You know, I'm hoping we can make the the play in this year. is The West is just tough. If we do, I think we can be a threat in the playoffs. But I think for the next couple of years, you know, the Spurs are arising.
01:17:22
Chino Onwuka
I have a lot more thoughts, but I'll just pause there for now for you guys to share.
01:17:28
Chuku
I'll just tell you this right now. I think I don't know about you, but I much prefer Darren Fox for y'all than I do Darius Garland on some of the names you were mentioning there earlier. But saw one who was a big D Fox fan and watched him a lot oh playing from my favorite college team in Kentucky and wanted them to come to a very jealous fan here wanting to come to Orlando.
01:17:51
Chuku
been praying for a point girl like a Darion Fox to be in my club. I mean I just think yeah this this all this is doing is accelerating the the Spurs trajectory and like the fact that y'all didn't even give up any of your alcohol major assets to get them too is just mind-boggling. Like I know but guys talk about Luca and like you know how the Lakers leased But in my opinion, man, I think this is right next to it in terms of fleecing.
01:18:19
Chuku
Like, ah ah please, can you just reiterate again, who did y'all give up for this guy again? Who exactly, what exactly did y'all give up for Darren Fox?
01:18:28
Chino Onwuka
Really, it's about the picks that we get like, okay. Yeah, the players Zach Collins who's a guy who we were trying to get rid of and his contract trade owns a decent backup point guard, you know, good servant, but you're not not a needle mover cities to so-called, you know, he was there for would me to to speak French to somebody, you know, nothing there so it's all about the picks we gave and again,
01:18:35
Chuku
Meh. Meh. Meh.
01:18:46
Chuku
Oh, man.
01:18:51
Chuku
Man.
01:18:56
Chino Onwuka
We didn't give up any of that.
01:18:57
Chuku
How many pics did you even give? How many pics did y'all give?
01:19:00
Chino Onwuka
So we traded four picks in total. Technically, three went to Sacramento, and one of them is a fake first round pick because it was never going to come back.
01:19:07
Emeka
Not to say the fakest pick in the world, but continue.
01:19:10
Chino Onwuka
So we gave them two first round pick, only one of San Antonio's and one.
01:19:12
Chuku
Oh, God.
01:19:14
Chino Onwuka
So I think a 2027 San Antonio first round pick and a 2031 Minnesota pick that we got by trading Rob Dillingham.
01:19:18
Chuku
Oh, brother.
01:19:24
Chino Onwuka
which there may be a lot of questions about.
01:19:25
Chuku
Man, listen.
01:19:26
Chino Onwuka
so And so the one thing I do want to point out is what is brilliant about this is because we kept the Atlanta pick, we start wearing the position where, like I said, we could trade it for a superstar.
01:19:27
Chuku
You give away.
01:19:38
Chino Onwuka
Or I don't know about 2027, but in the 2025 and 2026 draft, there are some superstars, like not like good first round pick like.
01:19:52
Chino Onwuka
Probably and I wouldn't say generational because that words overused but some transcendent potential stars Cooper flag in this draft and a consolation of you know, Dylan Harper ace Bailey still good and then stuff some good decent lottery picks 2026 you got AJ de Bonsa cam boozer and Darren Peterson so if you could somehow lottery gods San Antonio finds way to scam and and get one of those guys on the next two drafts, then it is, then if people come and tell me, this is not fair, honestly, I will agree with you because it it is not fair.
01:20:32
Chuku
Hey man, all I know is like y'all, y'all, basically to summarize man, y'all gave away three meh players and a couple first round picks, okay, that again, like my brother alluded there, one of them really is a short charade of a first-round pick and like another two okay great deal okay some for other decent first-round picks that I think that are a couple of years you know like what very in the future picks like man y'all fleece in my opinion I think y'all fleece obviously part of this reason is to do with Darren Fox wanting to only go to the San Antonio Spurs can't say I blame him because you know when you have when you get a chance to play with a
01:21:20
Chuku
a once-in-a-generational player like 1B. I mean, I get it. I understand. It makes sense. I just think this move definitely is going to help you all. At least you have a much better chance this year in terms of, you know, getting to the play-in and potentially making it to the playoffs. The fact that you still have those picks that you mentioned that you still have, as well as certain players like Kelton Johnson, you know,
01:21:47
Chuku
castle like these are players that in the future you can package to get it an even bigger name and who knows who you never know how the ship may fall and you know like I said the next two years I mean I've definitely keep my eyes out on that Bailey Harper flag that's coming out this year draft and the next year after Boozer and AJ like these are names that for sure can change you know the trajectory of one's franchise and if you guys get lucky and manage to get one of those guys, I have to agree, that is just not right. It's just not fair. I can't imagine a team with AJ, Wembley and Fox. like That is just disgusting. I don't want to even picture that happening. Fingers crossed that doesn't happen.
01:22:33
Chuku
but
01:22:33
Chino Onwuka
do i do these man I don't know if like I was I just you just messaging those three needs.
01:22:34
Chuku
yeah
01:22:38
Chino Onwuka
I just got a little bit aroused.
01:22:40
Chuku
I can't say I blame you man. I can't say I blame you, but either way Yeah, no, I really I really really like this deal Like I said, I think this is the deal we should be talking about not the Jimmy Butler one because like I said Dead move in my opinion, but Darren Fox still look still pretty young You know what?
01:22:57
Chuku
How old is Darren Fox? is He's even like 27 maybe 27 Brian the peak of his entering his peak
01:23:00
Chino Onwuka
27 is 27.
01:23:05
Chuku
1B, you don't even need 1B to, 1B just started, but the fact that 1B is as good as he is as of right now, like we need to talk about how good 1B, like what I'm seeing from 1B, year two, crazy stuff, like crazy stuff. So, yeah man, I think you know Spurs, they still got a couple moves in them and and in in the near future, obviously trade the lines over.
01:23:27
Chuku
I'll be just interested to see it how things come, you know, when they finish this year and how things come up, you know, in terms of their offseason. but Definitely a team to watch now with this deal and I'm excited to see the combination of ah ah Fox and 1BM and see where that can flourish. you know and I've always been a huge Fox fan and I just i'm just i think so highly of Fox. I think him playing and on the Kings. I mean, not that Spurs are a big big market team or anything of that nature, but the fact is they have more history when it comes to
01:24:00
Chuku
what that franchise has done in the league compared to the Kings. And hopefully this can only help but add to Fox's general notoriety and hopefully no playing with a guy like what next to a guy like Wembley is going to help hope hopefully you know give him some love in terms of national media and like seeing what this guy can do because I just think Fox is so underrated. He's been like by far ah ah I can make a case, he's been a top five guard, top five point guard in the league for for the last couple of years now and no one just, no one's been paying attention because he's doing the Kings and Kings ain't doing much these days or haven't been doing much.
Spurs' Strategic Trade Planning
01:24:45
Chuku
But I just think, you know, he's going to give a chance for hopefully the Fox to make a playoff run, put some playoff runs in the next couple of upper seasons and
01:24:56
Chuku
when be, you know, I guess the point guard that can help create him more shots, make things easier for him, you know, in terms of scoring and putting them in a better position to score. So I just think it's going to be a good addition long-term and I'm excited to see what that one-two punch is going to look like, you know, in the coming future.
01:25:16
Emeka
I mean, y'all have set up everything. It's a great trade, because I will touch on the other sides of this after the Spurs part. but I don't, we'll get there when we get there. It's a great trade for the Spurs because they didn't really give up anything substantial like I mentioned. One of the things they gave up is a twenty this year's Charlotte Hornets first round pick quote unquote lottery protected. And unless half the league disappears in a Thanos snap, the Hornets aren't making the playoffs this year. It's not a first. So they really didn't give up anything crazy. What I have, and it's probably a question for Chino,
01:25:54
Emeka
As you know, you watch a lot more Spurs than I do, obviously. But when I watch the Spurs and I think of what's an ideal running mate for Wembley, the two things I'd want would be a guy who can hit open threes and a guy who's a great playmaker and passer.
01:26:09
Emeka
and Fox is a lot of things, but those are two of the things I don't think he's that great at. He's always been a below average, average to below average three point shooter. That's not his game. And I might just might age terribly considering his debut. We have 13 assists, but I feel like in his career, he's never really been asked to be that guy to lead the playmaking for a lot of it. So bonuses carry that load.
01:26:32
Emeka
he's He's a score great score downhill slasher, and I'm just kind of curious how that I mean look what I mean He's a guy who can score the ball in his hands, so that's a good fit But I'm just a lot of guys are the Spurs team maybe Castle might take this step But even he I'm not sure he's that kind of playmaker like that's the type of guy would wanted like you said Garland Trey like someone on that nature would have been a way better fit for me But at the price you got Fox from I can't be mad at it
01:27:02
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, because I think that's part of the equation of the calculus, right? You have to consider the price, because even if they did want to go for Trae Young, Atlanta, rightly would have demanded their own picks back. And that was too valuable. So that's why and I and probably the Spurs never wanted it, didn't go down that path, even though, you know, I think Chris Haines reported to today that we had We had been interested in in in in Trey and I think reporting had showed up, but I think that the issue there was that we never wanted to give them those picks back. And that's why I really wanted Garland because Garland brought you a lot of the same things as Trey did, but he's a little bit younger. And I thought at the time, you know, his value was depressed and he wasn't a big name like Trey. So I agree with you.
01:27:49
Chino Onwuka
a guy like that would really enhance Wembley. With Wembley, you need spacing. You know need a playmaker, you need need spacing and a playmaker. But watching the team this year, what has been clear to me, and and thanks for asking, is that having a guy that is a shooter, it's not going to benefit Wembley that much. Because again, based off what I've seen,
01:28:15
Chino Onwuka
they would rather let Trey or Garland or anybody else bomb away from three than let Wembley dunk all over your heads. That is pretty much what I've seen. So that would have been good for Trey, wouldn't really have helped Wembley and you know defensively there's an issue there. What Fox can do though is in that pick and roll, if they shade towards him at all on that drive,
01:28:46
Chino Onwuka
It's a dump off pass for a lob to Lemby. Or if they let him go?
01:28:54
Chino Onwuka
it's straight to the cup and at least you're getting paint touches and probably a foul there because there's two different ways to create space for wind view. One is being a threat on the outside or one's being a threat enough that they have defenders have to shade towards you when you come into the bucket. So I think that is the value that Fox brings and you know on the playmaking side of things we don't really I mean we have a guy that is a crazy playmaker. And, you know, we're still seeing congestion in the middle for Wembley. I think the way this person envisioned it is not one guy that creates, but everybody that can create. So you have Darren Fox that can create. You have Chris Paul that can create while he's here. You have Stephen Castle that can create. You have Devon Fissell that can create a bit. Jeremy Sohan, that that point guard experiment, he can create a little bit. Wembley can create. He will bring the ball up.
01:29:49
Chino Onwuka
and run the pick and roll. The only reason he's not doing it right now is because of Chris Bobb but they really experimented with it a lot at the end of last season and that's when he started to blow up. So I think that's the way the Spurs envision it is not just one primary ball handler, but everybody can handle the ball. Everybody can create for one another, which is sort of what you can do when you have somebody that's as versatile as, as Wembley is. So, you know, I think someone like Trey Young in Darlin, someone in that mode would have been great, but someone in the gear in Fox mode, who is a downhill slasher, who you have to account for.
01:30:29
Chino Onwuka
He's not a great shooter, but he's he's not someone you're just gonna leave alone out there anyway. I think, especially at the cost, I think it's still it still really works. And again, the big thing with me is he's not a turnstile on defense.
01:30:46
Emeka
Hey all very fair all very true like I'm happy it's like goes back to my my curry thing like when you have a Transcendent player you have it to me an oblique ethical obligation to constantly make moves to get better So I'm happy regardless that the the Spurs took a step to help when be out You're gonna be a national TV all the time. Let me watch some good basketball. So I always say it So I'm happy they did this trade. I'm tired. I'm talking about the Spurs forget the Spurs y'all get your moment in the Sun Can someone please explain to me? How the Chicago Bulls? Traded Zach Levine and got back nothing like we're talking about what the Kings got back for Fox and person But the Bulls gave up the second bet You know, I'm gonna go on limits even might be the best player in this trade and I love to hear Fox But look up exactly these numbers this year and see what he's been doing
01:31:38
Emeka
The Bulls gave up at worst the second best player in this trade and came back with nothing.
Trade Reflections and Strategies
01:31:44
Emeka
Same with the Caruso trade. How do the Bulls give up Caruso and get another first back?
01:31:46
Chino Onwuka
Yeah.
01:31:50
Emeka
What is this GM doing? I don't understand.
01:31:52
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I'm going to let you continue cooking. Because what I want to say was a great trade for the Spurs. It was a honestly a good salvaging trade for Sacramento. Because again, when when a player puts you in that position where you lose all leverage, all you can do is get a solo player back and a pick which is what Sacramento did. And I can sympathize with Sacramento because we were in the same position with Kawhi. I was dreaming of all of it. I was like, oh, we're going to get Brandon Ingram back when he just exploded and a boat would have picks. We were going to get, you know, Jaylen Brown or Jason Tatum in a bullet of pickics and And Kawhi's like, yeah, I'm not resigning any of those places.
01:32:33
Chino Onwuka
I want to go to LA and we said, I screw you. We're sending you to Toronto. We're still worked out for him, but they decided, I let's get a player that can just keep us taking, get a first round pick. You know, we've got the Rosen and you know, a pick, I think portal and a pick. And I think Sacramento, you know, employ the same playbook and no credit to them. Zach Levine, I don't know why they poo pooed his name so much. He's been having a great season. I think you'll really, really do well in Sacramento. So.
01:33:01
Chino Onwuka
Honestly, decent salvage job by Sacramento there. Sorry I caught you off.
01:33:05
Emeka
No, it's literally my point, though, is that like... Everyone's acting like, oh man, I feel for Sacramento, but I feel like Sacramento came out with this pretty good, in my opinion. They came out of it with Zach Levine, three I mean, two first round pick. I'm not counting that horn as big. A bunch of second round picks. like That's not the worst thing in the world. If I turn Fox into Zach Levine in two firsts, I'm okay with that. And that Minnesota first, 2031, who knows what's gonna happen six years from now.
01:33:35
Emeka
I can't get over the Bulls. They both lost Caruso, DeRozan, and Levine. And they haven't gotten back a single first round pick for any of these guys. It just doesn't make... What are the Bulls doing? How do you...
01:33:51
Emeka
you People act like Zach Levine is a negative player like I know his contract is huge But like worse guys have gotten something back you got it You can't give up this guy and get back Zach Collins Trey Jones and hurt her like this can't be it It's just it blows my mind how the Bulls operate and the Bulls are a huge Chicago's a huge market that's also nothing that annoys me Chicago's a huge market Chicago is should be up there with the with the big name franchise the Lakers the Knicks you know the Celtics it should be up there with them and yet they operate like this I just don't get it I feel for Bulls fans I hope that finally they commit to a tank but
01:34:32
Emeka
They'll still be winning 35 games a year for the next four years, pick 12th in a lottery, and just be mediocre. like it's it'ss It's crazy. The Kings have Levine and DeRozan from the Bulls, and the Bulls got nothing back from them. like it just It blows my mind how they operate, but you know it is what it is.
01:34:55
Chino Onwuka
OK, so think that there's just so much to talk about. I think we're going to have to rapid fire some of the other trades that happen. So the way I'm going to do it is I'm going to ask each of us to pick one other, whether it's significant or fairly significant trade that happened this week and give our quick thoughts on it.
01:35:15
Chino Onwuka
And Mecha, I'm going to cheat a little bit. Since this is your team, I'm going to give you the Brandon Ingram trade and then
01:35:20
Emeka
Oh, I was gonna pick it either way.
01:35:22
Chino Onwuka
Chuku and I will well we'll pick another one to discuss. So we'll start with you.
01:35:25
Emeka
i I was gonna, come on, man. The Raptors! Let's go! One season of low ticket sales and the MLSE said, get some shaking, beside, and he had to. I mean, there's not much to say here besides,
01:35:40
Emeka
Like my mansion I'll mention it was a time when Brandon Ingram was talked about like the next KD he was talked about in breaths of getting traded like Traded for big day. He got traded for he was the centerpiece of the original Anthony Davis trade like he was a huge prospect and now he's getting traded for Bruce Brown and a mediocre first-round pick NBA comes at you fast. For the Raptors, it blows my mind how everyone's like, wow, the Raptors do this. They should be tanking. First of all, look at the lottery odds. You can finish last or you can finish fifth last. It's the exact same thing. Doesn't really matter. But really what matters is the Raptors never get free agents. Never get free agents. The best free agents the Raptors have ever signed, either Hito Turkleu or Demari Carroll. This doesn't happen. The only way you get talent is by buying low. This was to to quote a ah ah term that triggered a lot of Arsenal fans.
01:36:30
Emeka
a market opportunity. This was ah ah a chance to get a young prospect. Yeah, he's had some injury concerns. yeah He hasn't taken the step people expect him to take for Bruce Brown and a first round pick for Siakam, essentially. And like, why not do it? There's no downside to this. If he comes in, he's a terrible fit. He walks a man, no harm, no foul. You give up Bruce Brown in the first, like it's not the end of the world. He clicks.
01:36:55
Emeka
Now we got Scottie, a running mate, and we got something not cooking, IQ, Grady, RJ, you know, we got something growing up there. And it's funny, a lot of people on the internet always say, like, it's so easy to say, just tank, just tank, just tank. Well, as a Raptor fan, let me tell you.
01:37:13
Emeka
I like when the Raptors are good. I like when I put on TSN and the Raptors are playing, I think, let me watch this game. It's gonna be interesting. I don't like when I put on the Raptors games and they're down by 50 at halftime. So yeah, maybe ideally we tank and we get Cooper flag or a all those names you mentioned.
01:37:30
Emeka
we can get them by also being a decent team. And if next season comes and the Raptors are a six or seven seed, I'd rather have that than the last two years when I'm just seeing them get slapped by teams left and right. And finally, I feel it is a disconnect between Raptor fans and the general public on Masai. I feel like a lot of people still give Masai the reputation he has from the Kawhi trade.
01:37:53
Emeka
When Raptor fans, one of these ones I speak to, I'm kind of getting tired of the man. And I feel like this trade is an admission that he kind of feels the the the pressure a little bit. He's sweating on his collar. He's like, I gave up OG and Siakam. I didn't really get much back.
01:38:08
Emeka
I gotta do something. So I respect them taking the swing. I'm all four teams taking swings. I hope it works out. I hope Ingram's re-signs of the Raptors. We're gonna pay him probably 50 million a year. I'm gonna hate it. But no one else comes to Toronto regardless. And if next season all those guys are healthy, I'm curious to see how the Raptors look.
01:38:27
Chino Onwuka
Yeah, I just, I just hope that they, you know, I think this is, this is my my size fetish, you know, having a bunch of six foot six to six foot nine guys at at every single position. This has been his dream for a long time. You know, ah ah really interesting to see how RJ, Scotty and Brandon Ingram fit together. I hope they can make it work because I like all these players individually. Now do they do it together?
01:38:57
Chino Onwuka
To me, it's like, first of all, I'm selfishly, I'm glad Atlanta didn't win the deal because it helps the Atlanta picks that the Spurs have, but tag this year, Raptors, tag this year, try and get flagged, tag next year, and then try and build. So I just hope You know, they've been, so I think they're confused. They don't know whether they're stripping assets or buying assets. So just pick a lane and go for it. That's the only one thing I'll say about the wraps. Okay, Chuku, pick a trade.
01:39:30
Chuku
Yeah, for me, my trade is very, I think, very easy. There's gotta be Dungeon Hunter to the cops, man. I think, wow, what an amazing move. I don't know, I feel any more as I'm one of the Magic fans.
01:39:45
Chuku
I think at some point earlier in the year, they had asked me, I would have said, you know, I feel pretty good about our chances in terms of the East and being able to, you know, take on a team like the Cavs. But when an addition like the Andre Hunter, you know, you you get a come off of the agent, you know once pretty decent player but you know part of the time like we as we know is undefeated and Kyress Laverde has not been the same player you know that he used to be uh kind of i think is you know age plays a part injuries you know have those to play the parts but to be able to treat to get off of him and get a guy like Hunter who i think is so underrated he's been
01:40:26
Chuku
one of the better role, you know, role or above average role players I think could really help this kind of team. I added, put him next to a guy, you know, the front, sorry, backcourt of Mitchell and Garland and in front court of him, Hunter and Mobley and he got a center like Like Jared Allen, I'm starting to fear man. I'm starting to fear the Cavs. The Cavs seem legit, are looking more and more legit and a strong team has gone stronger. So I don't think this bodes well for my magic. It doesn't bode well for the East in general. Cavs looking like they're gonna
01:41:03
Chuku
looking like the real deal and are in position to give the Boston Celtics a run for the money, even though Celtics beat them last couple of minutes. I just think that danger hunter move, yeah, that's a solid addition. And I think, you know, it's gonna only make the Cavs better. So that's, I just might take on it.
01:41:26
Chino Onwuka
I mean, yeah, you've said it all. That's like the perfect 3 and D player to fit into your lineup. that just as that that that is a ah I don't get it from Atlanta's point of view with everything else configured, but that is an amazing deal for Cleveland. They are a definitely a threat to watch. Who would who would have seen this coming? I guess the deal I'll pick then is I'll phrase it as Chris Middleton being traded away from the Bucks. Look, I just want to use this time to shout out Chris Middleton, undrafted player, been there for 12 years, you know, made it to the All-Star team, was a big part of their their their championship team. So what a great servant. I think one day he'll have his jersey hung up in the rafters. You know, unfortunately, his his his his his his body his his has betrayed him.
01:42:19
Chino Onwuka
you know if you know looking at the Milwaukee point of view like Ameka touched on earlier when you have a a ah superstar you have to give them every single shot and credit the bucks they're also doing that traded away Drew for Dame now trading away Chris Middleton and you know unfortunately I think it might be the best thing in the long run because you know, that they just couldn't count on Middleton anymore. Like when he's there, he's there, but you know, how often has that been? And so I think Kuzma, now that he's away from that cesspool in Washington, you know, he'll probably try and become a serious player again. You know, he'll be, you know, run second fiddle two to, to Giannis. He's like going to be able to play around. He brings size. He brings spot up shooting. He brings spacing for Giannis. So that's good, you know,
01:43:12
Chino Onwuka
I'm fortunate that Middleton's going to have to go into Washington. And honestly, that just might be but at the end of his story as we know it. But shout out Chris Middleton. What a great servant to Milwaukee Bucks. You know you you served your time, but but now your watch has ended.
01:43:29
Chuku
yeah I actually think they're going to buy him out and he's going to end up in a channel he's gonna end up in a in a better situation.
01:43:29
Emeka
yeah
01:43:36
Chuku
But time will tell.
01:43:37
Chino Onwuka
Possibly.
01:43:39
Chuku
I just don't see him. I don't see his chapter ending in The Wizards, man. I just the best way i i just don't see it. So we're going to find out.
01:43:46
Chino Onwuka
Okay. We will find out. And yeah, I think so much happening, so much more we could touch on, but you know we only have so much time. Thanks for sticking with us. we we'll We'll wrap up our trade discourse, at least for today's episode here. you know who know Who knows what else will come down in the next couple of weeks in terms of maybe more and more news, more insight coming out to why some of these things happened. And I guess one deal, one story in terms of a deal that didn't happen is KD is still on the Suns,
Super Bowl Predictions and Analysis
01:44:17
Emeka
I'm glad you said that.
01:44:18
Chino Onwuka
you know you know half the league tried to get him, but you know he ended up staying.
01:44:22
Chino Onwuka
So let's see what happens there. Okay, think we're gonna have to move on. So we're gonna end this episode. you know Something's always happening in the world of sports and we love it because this weekend is the big one.
01:44:35
Chino Onwuka
It is the Super Bowl, a clash of Titans, a rematch. You have the defending two-time champions. the Kansas City Chiefs versus Chikumas, Philadelphia Eagles.
01:44:52
Chuku
Fly, Eagle Fly.
01:44:54
Chino Onwuka
It is going to be hopefully as good as a game as it was last time where it came down to the very end. I still remember the look of hurt and loss in my brother's eyes as he realized that the inevitable was happening. So we're just gonna do this really quickly.
01:45:14
Chino Onwuka
Let's get everyone's predictions, thoughts on the game as we wrap this episode up. So Chuka, we're going to start with you as the one most vested in this game.
01:45:25
Chuku
I'll keep it short and sweet. I expect a competitive game. I expect points to be scored. I expect, you know, the refs trying to, you know, give favor, favor my homies, you know.
01:45:40
Chino Onwuka
up its
01:45:41
Chuku
I expect, these are things I expect.
01:45:41
Chino Onwuka
up
01:45:45
Chuku
but on top of everything on top of without a doubt, even with all of these things taking place, I still got my Eagles coming up away with this victory. And I think we're going to, we're just going to do it. We're going to have enough to beat these guys. 24 to 27, 24 Eagles up.
01:46:05
Chuku
going to get that Super Bowl, Barkley is going to be the difference. And yeah, man, I think we're find wait this is this is our year, man. This is the time. We got that addition. Barkley has been the truth all year. And what a better way to end off the season with Barkley leading us, you know, my Super Bowl MVP pick. And I think going to have a performance of a lifetime. You know, I expect, I expect Nothing short of 100 plus total yards. couple reap a Couple touchdowns. And yeah, I expect a big game for Barkley. So yeah, he goes all the way. That's that's my that's my take.
01:46:48
Chino Onwuka
Amicus.
01:46:49
Emeka
Oof. This is hard because I feel like, how do I go about this? I see a lot of the advantages the Eagles have. I feel like the Eagles, the defense at the worst you can say is it's the same level as the Kansas City defense. And I can easily make an argument that it's better. Their offensive line is dominant. They have the most informed player in the league, home run hitter, Saquon Barkley, as I joke about,
01:47:18
Emeka
hits more post-season home runs than Aaron Judge. That's the type of guy they have at running back. They have weapons at receiver, even though Jalen Hurts can't break 200 yards. They still got them out there and if it if it breaks out, they got them. Even with all that being said, I can't pick against my homes. I just can't.
01:47:40
Emeka
I just um I want to I really want to let someone else win for a change my homes and big Andy Reid with spags calling some defense I Can't pick against them. So I'm gonna keep it a little wholesome Chiefs Give me a low score game. I feel as though Chiefs 20 20 27 Eagles 20 You know you go 24 closer than that and just gonna be typical my homes magic at the end But I'm going a little bit of a limb and I'm going to say this is going to be an all time throwback game. Super Bowl MVP is going to be Travis Kelsey. He's going to come out, roll back the clock, the classic 9-8 catch, 100 yard touchdown game. He's going to win the Super Bowl MVP and when the confetti's falling, jump on the knee and propose to Taylor Swift. That's my big prediction for the Super Bowl.
01:48:35
Chino Onwuka
man like you guys have said this is a tough one to call it is indeed a clash of titans i think philadelphia philadelphia is the better team the deeper team the more complete team honestly i've said that multiple times on this pod but as we've seen throughout the whole season somehow i don't know how chiefs will find a way to win it it is most likely going to come down to a game winning field goal with the clock running down or a key conversion to ice the game as the clock runs out as Jalen hurts Saquon Barkley, stares into the horizon in disbelief as to how this keeps happening as the Chiefs will three repeat
01:49:26
Chino Onwuka
further entrench themselves in lore and history as one of the greatest dynasties of all time Mahomes regardless of his performance I don't think it's going to be a pretty performance but quarterbacks get all the credit will entrench themselves and put himself firmly beside Tom Grady in the gold discussion with a lot of runway ahead of him my prediction is 2320 Kansas City Chiefs, not because of any statistic, not because of any game plan, not because of insight, but just because sometimes, sometimes fate is inevitable.
01:50:14
Emeka
They got the boogeyman, as they call him.
01:50:16
Chuku
Oh, brother.
01:50:16
Emeka
They got the boogeyman.
01:50:18
Chuku
Oh, brother. Well, we're going to find out, isn't it? Yeah, we're going to find out.
01:50:22
Chino Onwuka
We will find out this Sunday, this Sunday. so With that, guys, this was a marathon of an episode. Trust me, trust me.
01:50:32
Chino Onwuka
There's so much more we have to say, but we're trying to keep this mountain ti nice and tidy for y'all.
01:50:35
Emeka
This could be three hours.
01:50:38
Chino Onwuka
So thanks for again for sticking with us. Again, we we're really really humbled and honored to that you guys are even listening to us. So shout out our listeners. A, if you if you like this, if you like us, please you know share this with other people as well.
01:50:54
Chino Onwuka
Drop us a like, drop us a comment. and we will see you next week for another episode of The Love of the Game.