In the recent episode of the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast featuring Gary Tanguay, Jeff and Gary discuss Boston hiring former coach and analyst Jeff Van Gundy into a leadership role, reflecting on Brad Stevens as a GM, and other news around the NBA.
0:00 Teaser
0:30 Intro
2:10 Celtics reportedly hire Jeff Van Gundy as senior consultant
6:24 What are the Celtics expectations this year?
9:12 FanDuel Sportsbook
9:55 Reflecting on Brad Stevens going from coach to GM
15:41 If Celtics win a title, how does that change Stevens' legacy?
18:37 Victor Wembanyama returns to action
20:34 What's happening with James Harden, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers?
22:33 Outro
This episode of the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS Media Network. NEW customers can bet $5 and get $200 in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED. Now is the best time to join FanDuel! The app is easy to use and you can be on everything from spreads to player props and more! So, visit https://FanDuel.com/BOSTON and kick off the NFL season with an offer you won’t wanna miss.
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0:00 Teaser
0:30 Intro
2:10 Celtics reportedly hire Jeff Van Gundy as senior consultant
6:24 What are the Celtics expectations this year?
9:12 FanDuel Sportsbook
9:55 Reflecting on Brad Stevens going from coach to GM
15:41 If Celtics win a title, how does that change Stevens' legacy?
18:37 Victor Wembanyama returns to action
20:34 What's happening with James Harden, Daryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers?
22:33 Outro
This episode of the Bob Ryan & Jeff Goodman Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS Media Network. NEW customers can bet $5 and get $200 in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED. Now is the best time to join FanDuel! The app is easy to use and you can be on everything from spreads to player props and more! So, visit https://FanDuel.com/BOSTON and kick off the NFL season with an offer you won’t wanna miss.
21+ and present in MA. Hope is here. First online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets that expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. GamblingHelpLineMa.org or call (800)-327-5050 for 24/7 support. Play it smart from the start! GameSenseMA.com or call 1-800-GAM-1234.
If a comprehensive solution is what you need from your supplement routine, then try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase. Go to https://drinkAG1.com/GARDEN
ODDS-R! Ever wished you could navigate the betting field with the confidence of a pro? Enter OddsR. They're not a sportsbook, but they're the sports betting advisor you've always needed. It's like having a playbook for smarter bets right in your pocket. Elevate your game day and join the smart betting revolution! Go get it at https://oddsr.com/celtics
Visit https://factormeals.com/NEWSFEED50 to get 50% off your first box! Factor is America’s #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit, can help you fuel up fast with ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door.
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SportsTranscript
00:00 To me, Kissel and Lee are more important.
00:02 They're more important than Van Gundy.
00:04 Van Gundy's gonna get the headlines
00:05 'cause he's Jeff Van Gundy,
00:07 and he's back semi in coaching right now.
00:10 But ultimately, those other guys are the ones
00:12 that are dealing with the players every single day.
00:14 And I think it's, again,
00:17 you need a strong locker room here.
00:19 As much as anything,
00:21 I don't think it was fractured last year.
00:23 I just don't think they were as together
00:25 as they probably could have been,
00:26 because again, you had certain guys
00:27 that weren't all in on the hire of Joe Mozilla.
00:31 - The Ryan Goodman and Tangway podcast
00:33 is brought to you by FanDuel,
00:35 the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNX Media Network.
00:39 - Okay, welcome, everybody.
00:40 We're gonna do the same thing we did last week,
00:42 because these two guys are both very busy.
00:44 We're doing Jeff Goodman on one Zoom and pod,
00:47 and then we got Bob later in the week,
00:49 because quite frankly, they're both in demand,
00:51 and I can't get 'em in the room at the same time.
00:53 Of course, we could start-- - I missed Bob,
00:54 but I missed Bob already.
00:55 - I understand.
00:56 I mean, I like the energy between the two of you,
00:58 but I mean, I'd rather do this than lose one of you.
01:02 Of course, we could start a rumor
01:03 that there's a feud going on between Goodman and Ryan.
01:05 Let's see how that would go.
01:07 - You know, hey, the only way you can get Bob,
01:09 that I've gotten Bob upset, all right,
01:11 in our years of doing this podcast,
01:13 is when I challenge him,
01:15 when he says how many college arenas he's been to,
01:18 and he counts a college arena that he's been to
01:22 if it's for like an NCAA tournament game
01:26 or something different, instead of an actual college game.
01:29 If you really wanna get under his skin,
01:32 tell him his actual official tally of college arenas
01:35 that he's been to is flawed.
01:38 - It's inaccurate.
01:39 It's either that or that winning time is very good
01:41 and he has no taste.
01:42 - Oh, that'll get him upset.
01:43 - That'll get him going too.
01:45 Anyways, the podcast is Zoom with Jeff Goodman.
01:47 Bob's gonna join us later in the week.
01:49 It's driven by FanDuel,
01:51 the official partner of the CLNS Media Network.
01:53 Snap into action this NFL season with FanDuel,
01:56 America's number one sports book.
01:58 Right now, new customers get $200 in bonus bets guaranteed
02:01 when you place a $5 bet.
02:03 Okay, so here we go.
02:04 We're gonna start with the Celtics,
02:05 and this dropped yesterday
02:08 at the time that we're recording this,
02:10 and Jeff Van Gundy is going to be,
02:12 now, I've lost track.
02:15 He had stopped doing ESPN, right?
02:17 - They fired him.
02:18 They let him go.
02:19 - They let him go.
02:20 - Let him go, which was shocking.
02:21 - Well, he was part of the cutoffs.
02:23 He was the cutoffs.
02:24 - Yeah, he was one of the cuts,
02:25 and I'm sure he made a good amount of money,
02:28 but he was really good on TV.
02:31 He was entertaining,
02:32 and after he got cut, Gary,
02:36 I had heard several college coaches actually asked me,
02:41 like Duke had an opening
02:43 because Emile Jefferson went to the Celtics from Duke.
02:47 They had an opening,
02:48 and I know Van Gundy inquired
02:50 about being on Duke,
02:52 John Shire's staff at Duke.
02:53 He was looking for something to do,
02:56 looking for a job.
02:58 It's funny because I think a few years ago,
03:01 there was a thought that he was gonna be able
03:02 to get another NBA head coaching job,
03:04 and it never materialized,
03:07 and it's almost like maybe that window has passed him by
03:10 of getting another one.
03:12 I thought he was gonna be able to get another one,
03:14 and now it's almost like,
03:16 all right, how does he reinvent himself?
03:19 Well, now he's gonna be a special advisor with the Celtics,
03:22 so I think it's a great move by Boston.
03:25 I think it's a great move for him.
03:27 I think it's a great move for the young coaching staff.
03:29 I thought Sam Cassell was gonna be that advisor,
03:32 but there's strength in numbers, obviously,
03:35 and also, and this is the way I think,
03:38 if things don't work out for Joe,
03:41 the current Celtic head coach,
03:43 Van Gundy could step right in.
03:45 - Yeah, I just don't know exactly
03:47 what Van Gundy's role's gonna look like.
03:49 My guess is it's more of a macro-type role,
03:52 where obviously, Cassell is gonna be there every day,
03:54 every practice.
03:56 Same thing with Charles Lee,
03:57 who I think would be potentially the next head coach,
04:01 to be honest.
04:01 I think Charles Lee, coming over from the Bucs,
04:03 would be the next head coach
04:05 if something were to happen to Joe Mizzoula
04:07 in the middle of the season,
04:08 and they're not playing well.
04:10 But what Van Gundy can do is, again,
04:14 he can be watching film from home,
04:16 he can be watching the games,
04:17 he can come in for three or four days here,
04:20 three or four days there,
04:21 join him on a road trip, whatever.
04:24 He's got time on his hands, and he wants to do it.
04:28 So I think that that's part of the appeal right now
04:31 for Jeff Van Gundy, is to be involved,
04:35 to be back in it in some capacity,
04:37 but not there every single day,
04:41 and kinda see how that goes,
04:42 and give, again, give Mizzoula and this staff
04:45 another set of eyes.
04:47 Will it work?
04:49 Yeah, I mean, why wouldn't it?
04:50 Again, why wouldn't it?
04:51 If you're Joe Mizzoula, you know,
04:53 you want all the help you can get from experienced guys.
04:56 You now have an experienced coaching staff,
04:58 again, with Cassell and Charles Lee.
05:01 Last year, they were young, and they weren't his guys.
05:04 So now they're kinda,
05:05 I don't know if they're his guys, so to speak,
05:07 because I don't know if he's got any great relationship
05:10 with Cassell or Charles Lee, but he brought 'em in.
05:13 They came in knowing what the deal was,
05:15 where a year ago, all those guys were signed up,
05:18 obviously, for EMA.
05:20 So, you know, yeah, I think there's no reason
05:25 it shouldn't work with Jeff Van Gundy.
05:27 You know, again, I don't think he's gonna be there
05:29 every practice, every day.
05:31 So I think he'll give his thoughts,
05:34 and it will be up to Mizzoula to either utilize those,
05:38 or say, you know what, I'm gonna do my own thing.
05:40 Yeah, I mean, should Mizzoula feel threatened by any of,
05:42 by Van Gundy, by Cassell, by these other guys at all,
05:45 or I guess as long as he's Tatum's guy, that's fine.
05:48 - Well, no, as long as he wins games, he's fine.
05:50 - Wow, okay, wins games, he's fine.
05:51 - You can be Tatum's guy all you want.
05:52 If you're 20 and 20 to start the season,
05:56 you're gonna be gone, let's face it.
05:57 Like, you can't, and again, as much as it is,
06:02 you can't be 20 and 20 to start the season,
06:05 and then you can't get knocked out, honestly,
06:07 in the first couple rounds and playoffs.
06:08 - Well, no, I mean, it's gotta be
06:10 an Eastern Conference final, neck and neck,
06:13 down to the wire, or at least an Eastern,
06:15 or a finals appearance.
06:16 I mean, if they even go into the Eastern Conference final
06:19 and they get blown out, that would not be adequate.
06:21 - Yeah, I would think he'd be done.
06:23 You know, I guess-- - This team's loaded.
06:24 - There's no problems to this.
06:25 - I mean, this team, you know how I feel about this team.
06:27 I mean-- - Yeah, they should
06:30 have a chance to win it all.
06:31 - Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
06:33 - They should be playing in the NBA finals,
06:36 or at least, you know, in game seven with Milwaukee, right?
06:39 Like, if you lose to Milwaukee in game seven,
06:43 I don't think anybody's gonna fault Joe Mazzulla
06:45 for getting that far in the Eastern Conference finals.
06:48 But you can't, again, you can't start out awful,
06:52 or mediocre, in the regular season,
06:55 and then you can't get knocked out early in the playoffs,
06:57 or else, yeah, that's probably, it's probably, you know,
07:00 early exit for Joe Mazzulla
07:04 and his coaching career in Boston.
07:05 - I love Van Gundy as an analyst.
07:07 I also loved him as a coach.
07:08 I mean, it didn't work out really in Houston,
07:11 if memory serves me correct.
07:12 He was successful with the Knicks.
07:14 What was the Knicks, didn't he bite somebody's leg?
07:17 Was that it?
07:18 In a fight on the floor? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
07:19 Part of a fight, yeah, part of the fight.
07:21 - What is your personal relationship with Van Gundy,
07:23 and what do you think of him?
07:25 - I don't know him well at all.
07:26 - Did you work with him a little bit?
07:28 - No, no, never worked with Van Gundy,
07:30 never did games with Van Gundy.
07:31 - Oh, okay.
07:32 - But I like him.
07:34 I mean, I like him, I think he's entertaining.
07:37 Again, he'll say how he feels,
07:40 which is what I think Joe Mizzoula needs.
07:43 And I don't think he's gonna be the only one.
07:45 Again, I think Cassell and Charles Lee
07:46 are two older guys who have been doing this,
07:49 who hopefully aren't gonna be yes men,
07:52 'cause that's not what Joe Mizzoula needs right now.
07:54 - No, it does not.
07:55 - He needs, and he needs these guys to come in.
07:58 Again, to me, Cassell and Lee are more important.
08:02 They're more important than Van Gundy.
08:03 Van Gundy's gonna get the headlines
08:05 'cause he's Jeff Van Gundy,
08:06 and he's back semi in coaching right now.
08:09 But ultimately, those other guys are the ones
08:11 that are dealing with the players every single day.
08:14 And I think it's, again,
08:16 you need a strong locker room here.
08:19 As much as anything,
08:20 I don't think it was fractured last year.
08:22 I just don't think they were as together
08:24 as they probably could have been,
08:25 because again, you had certain guys
08:27 that weren't all in on the hire of Joe Mizzoula.
08:30 - That's correct.
08:31 Yeah, and we know what that situation is,
08:34 and that situation is now gone.
08:36 I wanna talk about-- - Yeah, they got rid
08:37 of the guys, again, we've talked about it,
08:39 they got rid of the guys that probably
08:40 were the most difficult for Mizzoula to coach.
08:44 Obviously, Grant Williams wasn't a Mizzoula fan
08:47 'cause he wasn't playing football a lot.
08:48 Marcus wanted Emei, we knew that publicly,
08:52 he kinda knew that.
08:53 And then Brogdon, I think,
08:55 I don't think a lot of people kinda knew,
08:57 'cause Malcolm doesn't say a ton,
09:00 but you could kinda see it
09:01 even after they got knocked out of the playoffs last year.
09:05 He was pretty vocal, I think,
09:07 and then when they tried to trade him,
09:09 obviously, that was kinda the final straw.
09:11 - Right.
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09:51 But I do wanna talk about Brad Stevens a little bit,
09:57 'cause I was thinking about this this morning.
10:00 How, I reflected a little bit, Jeff.
10:05 Give a little meditation, reflecting.
10:07 And I said, I remember when Brad was hired as the GM.
10:12 And some of the thoughts that we threw out,
10:15 he moves to the front office because they owe him money.
10:17 He feels he can't relate to the players
10:19 on a social situation.
10:20 His X's and O's were fine,
10:22 but he never tried to insert himself
10:25 into the players' lives,
10:27 which he may obviously did very well,
10:29 and you have to do as an NBA coach,
10:31 and Brad never felt comfortable with that.
10:32 He moves to the front office.
10:34 I'm thinking in a year or two, he's back in college.
10:36 This was a money save.
10:37 I'm really pleasantly surprised
10:42 how impactful this guy has been,
10:44 because we've seen it.
10:46 It's rare that you go,
10:48 okay, it's rare you go from college to the NBA
10:50 and be successful.
10:51 And overall, you have to say he was successful, I think.
10:54 - Sure, sure.
10:55 - As a coach, I mean, he was successful.
10:57 - Yeah, early in his career, he maximized their talent
11:01 and made them relevant enough, honestly,
11:05 so they could get to the point they are now, in a way.
11:08 - Right, so there's that.
11:10 Then he goes in as a GM,
11:11 and generally, for a coach to become a GM
11:15 and make the moves he's made,
11:16 I'm really pleasantly surprised.
11:19 You?
11:20 - Yeah, I'm very surprised.
11:22 I mean, again, I didn't know how long it would be.
11:26 I thought it might be a year or two,
11:28 but again, here's the deal with Brad.
11:30 I think part of the reason he loves us, too,
11:32 is 'cause he gets to watch his kids grow up.
11:34 You know? - Right.
11:35 - And when you're a coach, you're in it every day, right?
11:38 I mean, somebody's pulling at you.
11:40 Now, it's not like it was in college,
11:43 where he's on the phone recruiting all the time, right?
11:46 He would tell me, when he got to the NBA,
11:49 he'd be like, "Yeah, I'm driving home from practice,
11:50 "and I gotta look for people to call.
11:53 "Nobody's calling me."
11:54 But they're on the road all the time.
11:56 That's the difference.
11:58 You know, these road trips,
11:59 you're not seeing your family for a week at a time,
12:03 maybe even longer.
12:05 You know, you're gone a lot.
12:07 You're gone a lot during the season,
12:09 because of the length of the season,
12:11 as compared to the college season.
12:13 But, you know, again, this gives him the opportunity
12:17 to pick and choose when he wants to go out
12:19 and evaluate players.
12:21 You know, if he needs to see a certain player at Kentucky,
12:23 well, he doesn't have to go for a certain game.
12:26 He can pretty much make sure he's around
12:29 for anything big that happens with his son or his daughter.
12:32 And his son's going off to college next year at Notre Dame.
12:35 Daughter's a little bit younger.
12:37 So I think that has provided him
12:39 with a little bit more time with his family,
12:41 which is very, very important to him.
12:43 And I give him credit.
12:44 Like, the one thing I always worried about, Gary,
12:47 was like, is Brad Stevens too nice to be a GM?
12:50 Is he too nice to trade away Marcus Smart
12:52 at the end of the day?
12:53 Or, you know, somebody, Grant Williams, whoever it is.
12:58 But I think, you know, there's the business side
13:00 for Brad Stevens, and there's the human side
13:02 for Brad Stevens.
13:03 And the business side, you know, he's got both.
13:07 I mean, I was told, listen, when he made the trade,
13:11 the most recent trade, yeah, he felt,
13:13 obviously he felt bad, you know, trading those guys away.
13:18 But again, not bad enough that he didn't make the deal
13:22 that he thought would help the Celtics.
13:23 So I think he's done a really good job.
13:25 I don't know when he gets back to being a coach.
13:28 I think he will at some point in his career.
13:31 - Yeah, when everybody's out of the house.
13:34 - Yeah, I think so too.
13:35 I could see that.
13:36 The other thing about Brad is like,
13:38 he's so about everybody else.
13:40 Like, I asked him, I don't know if I told you this,
13:42 but I asked him, I want to do a story on him
13:46 about the transition and what it's like,
13:48 and some of the things we're talking about now.
13:50 And he responded with, hey, Jeff, I'm boring.
13:53 You don't want to do a story on me.
13:55 - Right, right, right, right.
13:56 - You know, and he genuinely,
13:58 like the only way I'm going to be able to do that story
14:00 is talking to everybody around Brad Stevens,
14:02 'cause he does not want to talk about himself.
14:04 He never has been comfortable really talking about himself.
14:07 He's fine talking about the players,
14:10 all the other people in his life,
14:11 but just, yeah, deflects the attention for good or bad.
14:16 - Well, he's smart because generally front office people,
14:19 they don't want to bring attention to themselves.
14:23 It's about the players, you know, it's about the players.
14:26 - Daryl Morey, Daryl Morey could be the exception.
14:28 - He is the exception to the rule.
14:30 The other one I was going to say
14:30 was Jerry Jones of the Cowboys, you know,
14:32 where we're kind of like, you know,
14:36 like I got to be honest with you,
14:37 I don't even know what Sam Presti looks like.
14:39 You know what I mean?
14:40 - Yeah, he looks like, here's who he looks like.
14:43 You ever see the show Rent?
14:45 - Yeah.
14:47 - Yeah, he looks like Mark from Rent, one of the--
14:49 - That kid with the glasses?
14:50 - Yes.
14:51 - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
14:52 So, but my point is great front office people
14:56 don't want the attention.
14:59 That's generally the way it goes.
15:00 It's like, it's not about me, it's about the team,
15:03 you know, and it's about the players.
15:04 So, good job by Brad so far.
15:06 I was told by a former coach and a member of the media
15:10 that when he took the job as the Celtics,
15:12 this person said to me, they go, he said,
15:14 "Brad Stevens is tougher on players than you think."
15:17 He goes, "He can separate the work
15:20 "from the personal relationship.
15:22 "He's in a practice situation when the doors are closed.
15:27 "He will not hesitate to be a tough coach.
15:29 "He will not hesitate to sit people down."
15:31 And we've seen it, you know?
15:33 We've seen what he's been able to do.
15:35 I mean, I think it's, you know, I'm prone to hyperbole,
15:40 but I mean, if they pull off a championship here,
15:43 I mean, I can't think, I mean, I'm just thinking of like,
15:46 I was just thinking this morning,
15:47 like guys who have gone from coaching to front office
15:51 and had that success.
15:54 - I mean, Pat Riley's had pretty good success, right?
15:57 - Pat Riley, I was thinking in all sports,
15:58 Pat Riley's the only, I mean, Jerry West.
16:01 - Yeah. - Jerry West, maybe.
16:03 You know, but I guess I could go Dallas Green.
16:08 Didn't he win a World Series?
16:10 - You know who's done a good job?
16:11 John Lynch has done a good job.
16:13 - But he was never a coach.
16:14 - Oh, he was never a coach, player.
16:15 - And that's what I'm saying,
16:16 is like going from a coach to the front office
16:18 is usually really hard.
16:19 - It is.
16:20 - Now, Brad, I think Brad has used it to his advantage
16:23 because again, the knowledge that he gained.
16:25 - Right. - And you think
16:26 it would be good, you think it would be a major advantage,
16:29 again, because you've coached against all these players.
16:32 It's different.
16:33 You know, you're down there in the trenches,
16:35 plus you're hearing other players talk about those players.
16:37 So you're hearing, honestly, a lot of information
16:41 that some GMs never hear about like what the character,
16:44 the intangible stories, things of that nature.
16:47 So I think Brad has used it to his advantage.
16:51 - Yeah, I think so too.
16:51 You know, I also think about like Belichick,
16:53 to me, who's arguably the greatest football coach
16:56 of all time, I think he's one of the greatest coaches
16:57 of all time, but you know, his front office work
17:00 will always be questioned.
17:01 - Right. - You know, it's very,
17:02 and obviously it's not at the same time,
17:05 but you know, Riley's probably the guy.
17:08 Robert, Riley is probably the standard in all this.
17:10 - I think it's easier to,
17:12 I think it's a little easier to do in NBA than--
17:16 - Oh, sure, of course it is.
17:18 - You have fewer players, you know, you have fewer players.
17:21 And again, if you do that, you gotta rely
17:24 on your scouting department as well.
17:26 I mean, again, if you're Bill Belichick,
17:29 you shouldn't be making a lot of these decisions
17:31 because you have-- - Yeah, but as we know,
17:33 as we know from our friend Michael Holley's book,
17:35 sometimes he's overruled his scouting department,
17:37 it's come back to haunt him.
17:39 The other thing too is you have to let go
17:42 of the coaching range, which he has done.
17:44 It seems that he has let Joe, you know,
17:46 learn, make mistakes.
17:48 I mean, that's the thing, like I'll use Belichick
17:50 as an example, I can't imagine being the coach
17:53 and Belichick being the GM.
17:55 I mean, I just-- - No, it would be awful.
17:56 - It would be terrible.
17:57 I mean, just the, just the persona of Bill,
18:01 and I'm not even saying Bill would be bad at it.
18:04 It's just the persona of Belichick,
18:06 like being up in the booth, looking down at you coaching,
18:08 you know, Brad has that ability
18:10 to not put that kind of pressure on Joe.
18:13 Yeah, he's very understated, you know,
18:15 for again, for better and worse, or worse,
18:17 because as a coach, we wanted him
18:19 to be more of an MF-er, right?
18:22 Well, as a GM, he's good, because again,
18:25 he'll be there for Missoula when he needs him,
18:27 but he's not gonna be there all the time,
18:30 sitting in practice, watching every practice.
18:32 - No, you probably learned from Danny,
18:33 Ainge was really good at that, actually.
18:35 - He's been great. - Ainge was really good
18:36 at that.
18:37 Okay, moving on.
18:38 Wabinyama, early returns, what do you think on the big guy?
18:41 (laughing)
18:42 - I mean, ridiculous.
18:43 Some of the things he's doing are just absolutely ridiculous,
18:47 whether it's, you know, taking the ball off the glass,
18:49 defensively, taking it all the way up the court,
18:52 and then driving the basket.
18:53 He looks, I mean, honestly, he moves like a guard.
18:57 - Right. - And then, you know,
18:59 the play that Trey Jones threw in the ball
19:01 that he dunked right over 6'10" Thomas Bryant,
19:06 and Thomas Bryant, the look on his face after,
19:10 like, it was like, it would have been like,
19:14 you or me dunking on like a four-year-old kid.
19:17 That's kind of the look on the face of Thomas Bryant,
19:20 was like, what the hell just happened there?
19:23 And Thomas Bryant, again, is 6'10", 250 pounds.
19:27 (laughing)
19:29 This dude, what he can do, we've never seen before.
19:32 I feel comfortable saying that now.
19:34 We've never seen this before in the NBA, obviously,
19:37 with somebody 7'3" who can move and do the--
19:41 - Well, Durant's the only one, right?
19:42 I mean-- - Yeah, and Kevin's 7'.
19:45 But this kid, what he can do going up for the ball,
19:49 and defensively, how he can, honestly,
19:52 how he can close out on guys
19:54 shooting the ball from the perimeter, it's insane.
19:57 It's absolutely insane.
19:59 So I think he's gonna be as good as advertised.
20:02 Again, the key for me, just like it is for Chad Holmgren,
20:05 same thing, just staying healthy.
20:07 - Yeah, this kid's more,
20:09 I think he's more prepared to stay healthy,
20:12 if that makes sense.
20:13 I think he's always had somebody there with him
20:16 worrying about stretching and things of that nature.
20:21 I just, I think at a younger age,
20:23 he's been told what to do in order to give him
20:29 the best opportunity to stay healthy
20:31 for that game and long-term.
20:34 - Cool.
20:34 All right, Jeff, I know this is something
20:36 we never wanna talk about 'cause we're both sick of it,
20:38 but just in the effort of pleasing the audience,
20:40 30 seconds on "Philadelphia" and the drama with Harden
20:43 and what's going on with Maury and all that stuff.
20:47 - I mean, it's just incredible to me
20:48 how vocal Harden continues to be, calling out Maury.
20:53 You know, liar this, liar that.
20:55 And my take is, first of all,
20:57 you knew what you signed up for, okay?
21:00 You knew.
21:01 You've been with Daryl Maury for a long time now.
21:03 - Right. - You're with him in Houston.
21:05 Like, again, and I'm not the biggest,
21:08 I'm not a part of the Daryl Maury fan club at all, okay?
21:11 At all.
21:12 I don't know where I wanna side with this one.
21:15 I think I wanna side with neither
21:16 because James Harden, we've seen him in Houston.
21:19 And what did he do?
21:20 He quit.
21:21 He quit to be traded.
21:22 What's he basically gonna do here?
21:24 He's gonna quit to be traded.
21:26 Like, that's awful.
21:27 And oh, by the way, you opted into a deal,
21:30 a final year of 35 million.
21:32 - I know. - Nobody feels sorry for you.
21:34 Nobody feels sorry for you, James Harden.
21:36 - No, they do not.
21:37 - So like, I don't know.
21:39 I honestly, I wish that both of 'em,
21:43 we sent 'em both to a deserted island together.
21:46 - Yeah, you both-- - I do.
21:47 I think they should both deal with one another
21:49 and not affect anybody else
21:51 and send 'em to a damn deserted island
21:53 and let them deal with each other for the next year
21:55 and then you can come off.
21:56 - You know, I've never been a Philadelphia Sixer fan at all.
21:59 As a matter of fact, I have hated him
22:01 as much as the Yankees or the Lakers,
22:03 but I do feel bad for the Sixers
22:05 because they should be in the hunt.
22:07 - You feel bad for Joel.
22:09 That's who you feel bad for. - Oh, totally.
22:10 I mean, I love the kid.
22:11 I love the kid.
22:12 I think he should be the Sixers, the Bucs, and the Celtics.
22:16 That's what it should be.
22:17 With a player like Joel Embiid,
22:18 that's what we should be seeing
22:19 and we don't because of this crap show.
22:22 - And now the bottom line is like,
22:24 what are you gonna get for--
22:25 - Oh, nothing, you're screwed.
22:26 - What are you gonna get?
22:27 You're gonna get maybe 50 cents on the dollar
22:30 if you're lucky.
22:31 - Yeah, if you're lucky, who wants it?
22:33 Jeffrey, always a pleasure, my friend.
22:34 I know you're very busy.
22:36 We will talk to Bob later in the week.
22:38 The Jeff Goodman, Bob Ryan,
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22:55 All right, Jeff, safe travels this week.
22:57 - You got it.
22:58 Thanks, Gary.
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