Takes

Joel Embiid is the worst player in the entire Olympics

[Joel Embiid] is the worst player on the fucking team, probably in the whole Olympics.

The Celtics will be the most motivated championship team ever because of the Olympic snubs

The Celtics are gonna be the most motivated championship winning team of all time coming into next year. It's gonna be great for Jason Tatum to be back on a team in an organization that actually appreciates him.

Jason Tatum's clip of him chewing gum on the bench is an Aura clip

The clip of [Jason Tatum] shaking his head and chewing the gum on the bench is like, that's an Aura clip. When he fucking drops 60 on Steve Kerr's dumbass face next year. Aura.

Jayson Tatum's aura rating is currently -650

If you were to do like statistics on Jayson Tatum's Aura? I'd say he is like negative six 50.

The WNBA's momentum will be killed by its four-week Olympic break

My Hot Seat, coincidentally... The WNBA. They won't be playing basketball for four weeks. So imagine if, like the 1988 dunk contest. It was incredible. And then the NBA just didn't happen for four weeks. All the momentum they've gained, just nothing's gonna happen.

Joel Embiid believes the current LeBron James is not the same as the dominant version from years ago

The LeBron now is not the LeBron that was a couple of years ago. So it's a big difference. Everybody would also tell you, and you can see for yourself, the athletic LeBron dominant that he was a couple years ago is not the same that he is now.

LeBron James is only the 10th best basketball player in the world right now

We're gonna start with number 10. The old man himself. The man who's done it before and he'll do it again. LeBron James.

Kyrie Irving is the best ball handler in the world

Number eight, a guy who arguably maybe shouldn't be on this list... but he's probably the best ball handler in the world. Magical. Some say Kyrie Irving.

Victor Wembanyama will be the best player in the world by the time he is 25

By the time this man can rent a vehicle, he will be the best player in the world. [At age 25]. So we got like four years. I mean, to me the sky is nothing but a limit.

A'ja Wilson is as much better than the second best WNBA player as Patrick Mahomes is compared to other QBs in the playoffs

The gap [between A'ja Wilson and the second best woman] is as long as, as strong as, as big as Patrick Mahomes to the second best quarterback in football during the playoffs. Specifically the playoffs.

LeBron James only brought Bronny into the NBA to bolster his GOAT case against Michael Jordan

Some people could argue that LeBron, when he realized that he wasn't going to win six titles and match MJ, he's like, 'what else can I try to get that will, they'll say in my GOAT conversation' and having Bronny—playing with Bronny—will be there. MJ's son never played in the league.

Jalen Brunson taking a massive pay cut is the coolest move possible for a fan

Pretty much the coolest move you can do if you're a fan of the Knicks. I don't think players, I think players should get what they're worth, but I wouldn't complain if our were Knicks fan right now that he just left 113 million on the table to make his team better and hope and deliver a championship to the Knicks.

Team USA basketball winning gold isn't enough; they must dominate by 10+ points every game

I will not be celebrating a gold medal if we win the semi-finals—if the semi-finals or the finals games are within 10 points. Either of them. I will not be celebrating this gold medal. I want to see domination.

Nike is likely behind Jalen Brown and Kyrie Irving being left off Team USA

And I do think there is probably some truth to the Nike thing where Kyrie is also, you know, if Jalen Brown's a snub, Kyrie's a snub... They're both very outspoken against Nike. Coincidence? Probably not. I think not.

Kyrie Irving and Jalen Brown are clearly better basketball players than Derrick White

If we're talking on pure talent, Kyrie and Jalen Brown are better than Derrick White.

I do not want a championship ring from the 2024 Boston Celtics

I greatly appreciate that sentiment, but I am truly so happy for those guys and you know, they deserved it. And again, did your part though... but I don't want the ring. I think that that equals no ring.

Kevin Durant is unhappy and wants to be traded

Kevin Durant is unhappy and request a trade... I think he will. Oh, he will. I think Kevin Durant is unhappy. We, we've been talking to some league sources.

Cooper Flagg is going to be a massive problem in the NBA

Cooper Flagg is he might be a problem... the tanking this year is gonna be off the charts. Off the charts. Yeah. As it should be. Yeah. It's gonna rule. I'm gonna say it right now. He's good.

Bronny James should be required to use 'LeBron James Jr.' in the box score instead of 'B. James'

I really don't like the fact that [Bronny] is going by Bronny. Why not? His name's LeBron James Jr. Just go LeBron James Jr. I don't like calling like it's even in the box score. It's B James. Yeah. I don't like that, bro. I agree with you. The name is LeBron James Jr.

DeMar DeRozan is the 'working man's Steph Curry'

DeMar DeRozan is the working man Steph Curry. [He does it] old fashioned [with twos not threes].

Paul George to the Sixers is destined to end in tragic heartbreak

Paul George is the big ticket in the NBA free agency and this is going to be so, so good when they flame out of the playoffs. I just don't see how this is gonna end in anything but tragic heartbreak for Max.

The Sixers must make the NBA Finals or beat the Celtics within the next two years for the Paul George signing to be a success

It's a two year window to at least make we have to at least make a finals. Make a finals play for. NBA finals beat the Celtics NBA finals. We have to beat the Celtics one of these next two years.

The Denver Nuggets will struggle mid-season because they let Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk

Stan Kroenke strikes again, KCP going to the Magic and Stan Kroenke unwilling to pay luxury tax and build. I feel like that was a huge, that's one of those ones that we're gonna look at somewhere mid-season and be like, oh shit, the Nuggets just, they're kind of missing a guy. And it's KCP.

Klay Thompson will be rejuvenated and excel in Dallas

I'm buying Klay Thompson stock. I think he's gonna be, I think you're gonna get like a rejuvenated Klay Thompson hitting wide open threes because Luka's gonna take all the pressure off him. I'm buying Klay Thompson. I don't think this is the end of Klay Thompson.

The Jordan Poole contract is the worst in sports history because it destroyed the Warriors' chemistry

I think you could make the argument that the Jordan Poole contract was the worst contract ever given out in all of sports. Not just because of the money given to Jordan Poole, but what it did to the rest of the team. Because that was like Klay watching that. Draymond watching that. It like screwed up the whole vibes of everything.

I could have played D1 basketball for Auburn if I had focused on it

I would like to think just my competitive nature that I could have gone and played D1 basketball. If I put as much time and effort as I did into baseball, into basketball, I felt like I had a really good chance at doing that. And being an Auburn fan, I would've loved to go to the Auburn Tigers and play basketball there.

The NBA needs to fix how they announce draft-day trades

Do your fucking trades like a normal league. Correct. Do your trades normally don't... Announce them normally... Via, via via. No. Just put a different logo on there. I'm dumb. I can't understand. I I see the first team and then I'm like, oh, there logos everywhere. That must be who this player is getting picked by. Do it normally.

The NBA should not have a two-day draft because they aren't the NFL

NBA I like it. I I love basketball. I I love the NBA. You're not the NFL. You don't get two days. Okay. Like the, the, the first round was already a bunch of French guys and people that we didn't watch play basketball last year. And now you're gonna make us do two days of this.

Jared McCain is the best shooter in the draft, better than Reed Sheppard

He's the best shooter in the draft. He's the best shooter since Steph Curry... There have been two freshmen in NCA history with a 0.611 plus true shooting percentage. Two, two hundred ten three point attempts and 150 plus rebounds. And that's Jared McCain and Steph Curry.

The Lakers shouldn't draft Bronny James just for the novelty

I just don't wanna be the team that drafts Bronny just for the novelty... I know, but you know, and it's, it'll be cool for like a game and then it's like, well fuck, did we just ruin our future just to have Bronny?

Jason Tatum has no 'aura'

I have no aura. Perfect. Exa—great. Find it. That's, I have no aura... If you see it, you can tell, you can use, you don't have to know the definition... KG has a shit load... [Tatum] has no aura. No. Like Big Cat doesn't even, literally doesn't know what the definition of or is. He just knows... you can tell.

JJ Redick used his podcast with LeBron James as a 4-month job interview for the Lakers

He used podcasting... it's a stepping stone job... LeBron, you can have conversations with people and be like, I think this guy would be a good coach... just say what it was. Yeah. We decided, we realized that podcasting is the greatest loophole ever. And we did a podcast about the philosophies of basketball... I was essentially interviewing him for the job and then we hired him.

The Boston Celtics championship parade was the biggest in NBA history

Biggest, biggest parade in NBA championship history. Is that a fact? 1.5 million people.

Clutch Sports trying to nitpick Michael Jordan's 1988 stats is a desperate admission of defeat in the GOAT debate

I don't understand how you can look at this and not be like, this is the pettiest saddest thing possible. If you have to try to tear down MJ to elevate LeBron, you've already lost in my opinion. If you have to go back in time and trying to nitpick stats, you're essentially admitting that you've lost.

Chris Paul will never win a championship

Second pick is gonna be Chris Paul. Chris Paul can't win the big one. Just can't do it. He's never gonna win the big one.

Caitlin Clark is on the 'can't win the big one' list because she never won a title at Iowa

Caitlin Clark can't win the big one. She has not been able to win the big one. She lost... she literally college cannot win the big one and like, I don't know what else you could say about it.

The Detroit Pistons job is the American Dream because you get paid $60 million not to work

I think that this makes the job opening in Detroit way more attractive. Yeah. Because you can go there for a year, get fired and still get paid for the remaining four or five years that you have on your contract... getting paid money not to work is the American dream. And so that's ultimately the best thing that you wanna be looking for when you're a head coach.

The Bulls traded a winning player in Alex Caruso for a losing player in Josh Giddey

I am mad. I continue to be mad at this franchise. They fucking suck Jerry Reinsdorf. All he wants to do is win 40 games... Giddy Caruso. I love Caruso. He's a friend of the show. I love Caruso. This comes down to you traded a winning player in Alex Caruso for a losing player in Josh Giddey.

The 2024 Celtics are one of the all-time great NBA teams

I mean you, you think about it, you're like, I mean we're one of the all time teams. I'm obviously, I'm biased and so I'm gonna say it, but just you, you think about it like you are just enjoying it... I do think like we are one of those teams and it's the best run.

Sam Hauser will be the sneaky drunkest person at the Celtics championship parade

So my dad said he is like, I just seen a Reddit post and I was one of the top vote getters [for drunkest at parade]... I mean I could see that. So yeah, I'll probably be up there... And I could see Sam Houser as the sneaky drunkest one. Sam Houser. That's my dark horse.

I wasn't going to fake a celebration for the cameras just because the Celtics won the championship

I just don't know really. Like I was thinking that what should I do? And I kind of knew that that was gonna be the reaction, but I also wasn't gonna fake it. Like I wasn't gonna drop to my knees and be like, you guys knew you were gonna win after game three.

Brad Stevens is in the conversation for the greatest GM of all time

Brad Stevens is, you know, the greatest GM of all time. I think he's gotta be. He's in all time in this conversation.

The Celtics are set up for a dynasty

I mean the team is set up for a great, great run, which is the most exciting part. We win a championship now and we're set up, we're set up for the future. Maybe a real [dynasty].

Luka Doncic will definitely win an NBA title

I think Luka just needs to get in better shape. I think Luka's gonna be, the path that Luka's on. He's going to win a title. I would put I'd, I'd bet it right now. Luka will win a title.

Jason Tatum has negative aura

Hank, would you like to speak at all about the fact that Jason Tatum has negative aura? It just didn't feel authentic, which again, this is very nitpicky because they just won the title. He just kind of speaks in memes and thinks in memes.

Tearing my meniscus was one of the best things that happened to me this season

I'll tell you what, it almost, it was one of the best things that happened to me for the rest of the season. 'Cause it put me in like this fight or flight mentality to where like I could just not relax... I've been thinking about maybe getting hurt every All-Star break.

The Celtics will win Game 5 by a lot

Celtics I think are six and a half point favorites on Monday night. I believe they're gonna win by a lot.

There is no way the Celtics blow a 3-1 lead with two home games left

When you have a three oh cushion though, I mean there's no way. There's just no way. They have two home games. Oh, no way. Worst case way, worst case scenario. But it's not scenario they have.

Jayson Tatum's poor shooting in the Finals needs to be a bigger story

Tatum won 15 five and three on four of 10 shooting. He is now shooting 36% from the field and 29% from three. This series. I just like thought that we should have talked. We should talk about that.

The Celtics will win the NBA title on Friday night

I'm gonna say right now, the [Celtics] are gonna win on Friday night. I don't know if that's a fact, but I feel like they're the better team. Well, that's a fact. They are the better team. And the Mavs have quit.