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00:00But right now we're going out to the River Islands guest line for one of our favorites
00:03and it's been a minute since we've had him on, so it's great to have him today.
00:06ESPN's Dave McMenamin on the NBA.
00:09Hey Dave, what's going on, man?
00:10Hey Mark, happy birthday, man, that's a big deal, 50.
00:14I mean, yeah, I was like, you know, they're like, what do you want for your birthday?
00:19And I'm like, I want to talk to Dave McMenamin, that's what I want.
00:22Yeah, there you go.
00:23Wow.
00:24So that's what we're doing.
00:25But yeah, to that end, we do want to talk to you and I guess I'll just start with this.
00:32What do you think the Warriors are going to do at the deadline?
00:37You know, based on what Steph Curry said where I don't want us to make a move out of desperation,
00:45it wouldn't shock me if they have the blessing of Steph to not look at it as this trade deadline
00:54is the urgent moment, but this trade deadline into the off season into next trade deadline
01:00where it's like, we recognize that major moves need to occur with this team, but it's about
01:06trying to find one last championship push and let's not lock ourselves into over the
01:13next three weeks if the right deal doesn't present itself, but certainly be of the mindset
01:18that we know that this team needs to upgrade to give you and Draymond Green and Steve Kerr
01:25one last chance of glory.
01:27So to me, I'm not saying they're going to stand pat, but maybe another move along the
01:33lines of the Dennis Schroeder move that they already made and saving the major tectonic
01:40plate shifting type of deal for either the off season or as late as next year's trade
01:46deadline.
01:47Great call, Dave.
01:48Dan Dibley here.
01:49Not my birthday.
01:50Over 50, sadly, but that's kind of what I've been advocating all along, which I've been
01:56calling an incremental move, and if we think about it in terms of a smaller incremental
02:02move, is there a player out there that you think about?
02:04Is it Cam Johnson or a younger player where you could maybe shuffle off an expiring and
02:11get a younger controllable asset that can incrementally make them better?
02:16Yeah, it's interesting.
02:17Cam, I think is, while I understand he's not like a multi-time all-star or as a household
02:24name like a Jimmy Butler, Cam is considered to be really kind of at the top tier of guys
02:30who are going to be on the market over the next couple of weeks if Brooklyn was to move
02:34him.
02:35So I would probably put him a little bit outside the incremental category.
02:37I think he would be a great acquisition, especially if you get Kyle Anderson healthy
02:46at some point, another guy who could kind of do so many things on the court like a Kyle
02:53Anderson.
02:54And so he would be someone that certainly, if Dunleavy could pull off that, that would
03:00be wonderful.
03:01Yeah, but I think there's, you look at Utah, you look at Portland, you look at Chicago,
03:07we look at Washington, these are the teams included with Brooklyn that are considered
03:12to be the sellers coming up.
03:14And quite frankly, on those rosters, there's a lot of talent to be had.
03:19It doesn't just have to be thinking in terms of a Zach Levine or a Jimmy Butler or a Brandon
03:25Ingram at the all-star level.
03:28There's talented players.
03:29And quite frankly, those players are going to be moved from those teams because people
03:33are going to try to position themselves for Cooper Flagg, not just because he's a dynamic
03:38two-way talent, but he's a guy who you can build your business around.
03:43He's going to put butts in seats for some of these small markets.
03:46Dave McManaman, ESPN, is with us.
03:49Dave, I want to ask you this too, because I know that it's probably just fun stuff coming
03:54up on debate shows, but ever since the Warriors called about LeBron James exactly a year ago
04:00that's never really gone away, but I also look at the Lakers playing really well and
04:05they're now the five seed.
04:08Is LeBron James a name that should even be uttered right now, and what are the Lakers
04:11planning right now?
04:12Yeah, it went away when LeBron signed the extension this offseason.
04:17There's just not a way for it to happen.
04:22The money won't line up.
04:24The assets aren't there.
04:27If LeBron was to opt out this summer and then sign for mid-level with Golden State, that's
04:33really the only way it could occur.
04:35Listen, LeBron James recognizes that this multi-billion dollar television extension
04:41that was just agreed upon by the NBA, adding in new TV partners and NBC and Amazon to add
04:46with what they already had going with ESPN, that was largely built on the back of LeBron
04:54James being the subject of the Truman Show for the last 22 seasons for this league.
05:02He recognizes he's not going to give a pay cut at this point.
05:06He's generated too much revenue.
05:09If Steph Curry wants to break his streak of playing the Golden State Warriors his entire
05:13career and do the opposite and come down to LA and take a discount, sure, but one, Steph's
05:19not going to be able to get out of his contract this summer, and I think Steph, we all believe
05:24he's going to retire a Warrior.
05:26Again, debate shows it's a fun topic.
05:28They looked so great together in Paris this past summer.
05:31That's going to be our lasting memory of them together.
05:36What happened in Paris stays in Paris.
05:38It's not coming back to the NBA.
05:39Maybe someday in the big three, if the two of them in their mid-40s want to rack that
05:45back, maybe at that point Bronny wants to do it as well.
05:48The other big name that we're starting to think more about here with the Warriors is
05:52Draymond Green, and might he be somebody who could be on the move here in 13 days with
05:58his contract where it is and his ability to help a team that might be a feisty defender
06:04away?
06:05What do you think, Dave, about the idea of a Draymond Green move here at the deadline
06:09or in the offseason?
06:10Well, certainly before he got his most recent extension with the Warriors there was some
06:15thought that he could be moving on after spending his entire career with Golden State and obviously
06:21being such a linchpin for the dynasty that they built.
06:25That wouldn't...
06:26Listen, I would say I would still be mildly surprised if it occurred, but I wouldn't be
06:31shocked.
06:33And to me, if that does occur, that's a signal that there is some plan that the Warriors
06:40front office have subsequent to that to rebuild this team on the fly around Steph.
06:46So if I'm a Warriors fan, of course it'd be tough to see Draymond Green go because he's
06:51been so involved with winning.
06:53But the whole coming back to the Warriors, I imagine, would be with a plan in place to
07:01even add further pieces in the offseason, maybe next year's trade deadline, to re-envision
07:08the team around Steph.
07:11Now, part of Draymond's problem is he hasn't been able to be on the court as much over
07:14the last couple of years because of the situations that he wrought upon himself, the infractions
07:21Obviously, the suspensions, we're all aware of that.
07:25He though, is in a spot where if he is brought in to a veteran group and just asked to bring
07:33his competitive fire, his smarts, and really just push his body for 40 games of regular
07:41season plus a playoff run, he could be a game changer along the lines of Derek White going
07:48to Boston midseason, Rashid Wallace back in the day going to the Detroit Pistons, and
07:54all of a sudden, a group that was thinking about maybe being able to make a run in the
07:59playoffs now finds themselves in the conference finals or the finals.
08:02Wait, Dave, I want you to reiterate that to everybody listening.
08:07You would not be shocked if Draymond Green gets traded in the next 13 days?
08:12Incorrect.
08:13I said I would not be surprised, but I would be shocked.
08:16You would be shocked.
08:17Not surprised, but shocked.
08:19Got it.
08:20Got it.
08:21Okay.
08:22Okay.
08:23Yeah.
08:24What I wonder, and I don't know how much you've been following.
08:25Actually, no.
08:26You got me right.
08:27Yeah.
08:28I said I would not be shocked, but I would be surprised.
08:29Okay.
08:30Yeah.
08:31Like a mild surprise, but you think that that is like there is potentially an avenue there?
08:36Yeah.
08:37I mean, certainly it would have to get the, you know, Draymond would have to most likely,
08:43you know, introduce the conversation.
08:45You know, clearly they as an organization have done right by him, stood by him at every
08:51turn.
08:52So I don't think it would be a unilateral move where the Warriors just said, Oh, we
08:55found something out there.
08:57Let's send Draymond off.
08:58It's not like he has a no trade clause.
09:00So I mean, it would, in my estimation, both Draymond and Steph Curry, considering their
09:05close relationship would be conceptually okay with it, right?
09:11At this time though, however, I haven't heard anything along the lines of Draymond being
09:17shocked.
09:18I'm not saying that whatsoever.
09:19I know though, if I'm in opposing team that sees myself just a piece or two away from
09:27vaulting into that, that true championship contender status, that's a call you like to
09:33make about Draymond Green, because I really think he could help a team with all those,
09:39you know, obviously obvious skills and experience that he would bring.
09:43Yeah, Dave.
09:44And here's like, maybe the other reason we're kind of picking at this a little bit is just
09:49over even the last 24, 48, 72 hours, not that we're necessarily all in on these young players
09:56who are suddenly having a few good games, Guy Santos and there's their second round
10:01stretch five Quentin post who hit five threes last night.
10:05It's not so much that you're going to buy in on one game.
10:08But I do think there's something to be said for the skillset that they bring and it looks
10:13like something the Warriors are missing.
10:15So if I ask you in today's NBA, are the Warriors misconstructed?
10:21Do they have too many non-shooters on the court too often?
10:24What would you say?
10:25Non-shooters slash non-creators, uh, Steph Curry is having an off year because the Warriors
10:33offense ranks 20th in the league.
10:36I mean, that sounds crazy to say.
10:38I mean, you're talking about a borderline top 10 player of all time, a guy who revolutionized
10:42this league offensively, but there's not enough consistency around him.
10:48You know, the, the, the same cast carriers, characters that were fans have been lamenting
10:53for the last couple of years, you know, when is coming and going to make the leap and,
10:57uh, can be Jetski stay consistent and, um, you know, Moses booty, uh, Andrew Wiggins,
11:04et cetera, et cetera.
11:05Uh, Steph Curry would benefit from a, another true offensive threat.
11:11Those other players that we just mentioned, Dennis Schreier thrown on the list.
11:15They have parts of their game that are counted offensively, but there's not a guy who commands
11:21two on the ball when he has it, which then opens up swing, swing opportunities for the
11:27role players that they have.
11:28So it's, it's basically the only step doing that without another guy putting that type
11:33of pressure on the defense, which obviously they had in prime clay Thompson.
11:37But you know, uh, you know, that, that situation has come and gone.
11:42You're not going to be able to maximize Steph Curry.
11:43And if you're unable to maximize Steph Curry, you are basically just putting butts in seats
11:50and having as many opportunities as you can to have reunion night celebrating those four
11:55titles that they already want.
11:56Yeah.
11:57And there's a lot of those nights that are happening and, and more of those to come and
12:00the fans are still putting their butts in the seats.
12:03You mentioned Jonathan Kaminga, Dave, and I wonder what you think from the outside looking
12:08in because here the fan base is split between he's amazing.
12:12He's the future and he doesn't fit and he's overrated.
12:16When you watch Kaminga from the outside, what's your take?
12:20He is a guy that looks like he was made in the lab when it comes to what you would want
12:25from a, a wing position player in 2025 and the NBA, uh, the skills are there, the athleticism
12:33is there, the consistency is not there.
12:36And you know, think about a young player like that.
12:39It can't really come unless opportunity remains.
12:44And then when there's a overwhelming amount of opportunity, then you can kind of decide
12:49whether they have the ability to maximize it or you want to sell on the potential, uh,
12:56because you'd rather get someone that's already established, even if they are older and you'll
13:01risk the chance of coming up blossoming into a multi-time all-star, uh, because you feel
13:07like you might be able to reach that, but he's not going to reach it in a timeline that
13:13will coincide with what's remaining of Steph Curry's prime.
13:17And so, you know, listen, I am more, and you know, I've covered a lot of veteran teams
13:22that have won championships.
13:23I've been fortunate to cover the Lakers with Kobe and Powell in championships, obviously,
13:28uh, LeBron James and, uh, you know, some veterans on that, that Cavs team, you know, very important
13:34veteran guys like, you know, Kevin Love was becoming a veteran and Richard Jefferson and
13:39Channing Frye, J.R. Smith, certainly a veteran at that point, them winning in 2016.
13:43And then LeBron and Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo and Danny Green, all veterans winning
13:50in 2020.
13:51I am more of the opinion that if you have a star, a true star, a monumental star, one
13:57of the greatest players ever to play the game in a diminishing prime, you're better served
14:04putting him next to veterans versus younger players.
14:08It's just the way things are.
14:10It's hard to be a young player and perform at the level that you need to, uh, in order
14:17to get the most out of a diminishing window for a veteran star.
14:22Uh, Dave McManaman, ESPN, Dave, real quick, uh, 13 days from now, Jimmy Butler's situation
14:27is what?
14:28He's not going to Miami Heat, uh, and I would say he's going to be on three teams.
14:34One of three teams, I should say, it's going to be Phoenix, Memphis, or Milwaukee.
14:38And, uh, we're all kind of just waiting to see how that thing plays out.
14:41Okay.
14:42Um, and then other than that, I expect that we'll talk to you before then, but nine months
14:47from Sunday when you turn 43, just in case, just in case we don't talk to you, happy birthday.
14:53I appreciate it.
14:54Yeah.
14:55Yeah.
14:56I'm not a big birthday guy personally, though.
14:57I'm more of like, I don't really celebrate it.
14:58It's just one step closer to death.
14:59So we'll just say the birthday greetings for you.
15:00That got dark, David.
15:01I want to let you know that I am a big birthday guy, and now that we are radio friends, August
15:1415th, mark it on your calendar and beat the rush, get to the stores now for a gift for
15:19your boy.
15:20Yeah.
15:21I mean, perhaps we can get you a plot at the cemetery.
15:24Wow.
15:25Second time that the word plot has already come up on this radio show.
15:30We haven't talked about movies at all.
15:32Something about a 50th birthday is making people think about death, which is unfortunate.
15:36Dave, one more real quick, because we had Nick Friedel in studio last week.
15:41Yes.
15:42And he mentioned that he gave a speech at your wedding and I want you to, to rank it
15:47on the scale of one to 10, the Nick Friedel speech at the biggest day of your life.
15:54Honestly, and you know, I would not say this unless it was very true, because part of our
16:01friendship was me ripping apart the stories that he wrote for years and telling me they
16:05could have been better.
16:06It was a 10 out of 10.
16:07He nailed it.
16:08Yeah.
16:0910 out of 10.
16:10Not surprising.
16:11Yeah.
16:12With that voice, I mean, he can read Dr. Seuss with that voice.
16:15You give that guy a handheld mic and it's a good time.
16:18Yeah.
16:19Yeah.
16:20It was fantastic.
16:21All right.
16:22Hey, Dave, good to catch up, man.
16:23We need a headstone too, Dave.
16:24Not just a plot, we need a headstone too.
16:26Thank you, brother.
16:27All right.
16:28Appreciate it, guys.
16:29All right.
16:30There he is.
16:31Dave McManaman, ESPN.
16:32He's 42 years old.
16:33Yeah.
16:34And he's one day closer to death.
16:35He's not the only one.
16:36No!
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