First thing you'd do if your star player demanded a trade? Is it public or private? Privately, I'd work hard to change their mind and walk them through why we still have the right plan. If it's public, it gets harder but I'd still have the meeting where I'm trying to change their mind but if we convinced them we're still the right team, we'd have to have some sort of PR we get out there that he's happy again. First to win a best-of-7: this year's Houston Rockets or the 1994-95 Houston Rockets? I'd go with our team this year. Last year, our team was better than either of the championship teams. Just again numerically. I'm not trying to minimize Hakeem Olajuwon, who's amazing but we were deeper, we won more, bigger point...almost every team as good as us last year wins a title. We didn't. We were facing Golden State. This year, when healthy, we're just as good as last year so I say this year's team. Damn Daryl! Daryl gonna upset 99ers everywhere.
Build your all-time historical lineup ($15) $5: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar $4: Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Karl Malone $3: Steve Nash, John Stockton, Julius Erving, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen $2: Jerry West, Reggie Miller, Clyde Drexler, Dennis Rodman, Bill Walton $1: Kevin Hart, Justin Bieber, Master P, Quavo, Will Ferrell Step one of building a team is always get the best player possible so that's easy - Michael Jordan. Is he the GOAT? I have him number two. (LeBron) Next step? I'm gonna be playing modern basketball. Olajuwon would be even better today. I'm gonna take Clyde so we'll dominate in transition. Reggie to have shooting. Then I'll take Jerry West, who is underrated. I dare any future GM on your show to beat my team. No chance. I challenge Danny Ainge to this game.
What as you see as being the next NBA trend? If I knew for sure, we'd be already doing it. Defenses haven't caught up to offenses. It's still evolving how to defend. Pat Riley, a lot of the defensive concepts that slowed down the offenses in 80s and 90s came from him/his coaching tree. We haven't seen the defensive guru who will stop these offenses. Stat or trend this season that blew you away? 3-pointers have gone through the roof again. Milwaukee's transformation has really blown us away. Especially for a team that didn't have shooters. Coach Bud has done a good job adding talent & changing their system to be the top team in the East. Do you do statistical analysis on refs? We look at them closely. We're not the only team. Right after this, I have a meeting with the league office on refs. We track everything. What calls they make, don't make, what type of calls. Some of it is to gain an advantage on the court. Some of it's to work with the league. "Hey, when James does this, they're missing he's getting fouled from these angles." Making sure the league is aware of it.
First thing you said or did when you got the call that OKC agreed to trade Harden? I screamed in my car because I was watching my son play soccer. I was in the car, banned from being on the sidelines. Favorite trade of all time? Oh for sure. First team you were afraid of getting a deal done with the Thunder for Harden before you did? Golden State & Wizards were very close as far as I can tell. Sam Presti would know for sure. First thing you'd change about the NBA lottery? Make it go back to the lottery. Flat odds across all 14. First thing you tell people about Small Ball (the musical)? If it's a NBA person, I'd tell them there's an evil Machiavellian assistant coach that is plotting the entire time. That's Coach D'Antoni's favorite part. First reason why you turned down being one of the original investors in Hamilton? I didn't turn it down. I was desperately trying to get in. Jeff, the lead producer, already had enough money. My money was no good. First thing fans should know about Sam Hinkie's legacy as GM of the Sixers? If you enjoy the team now, Sam is a big part of it. First thing you'd say to those who don't think gamers are athletes? What's an athlete? These are very fit guys. Top chess players are also super fit as well. You're not good in your mind unless you're physically fit.
