Are Russ & PG Gone? Clipper Beat Writer Law Murray Joins Show To Give Latest

Are Russ & PG Gone? Clipper Beat Writer Law Murray Joins Show To Give Latest

on today’s show a special bonus episode La Murray from the athletic will be joining us or is joining us to talk the latest with Paul George Russell Westbrook gonna be talking about it all on today’s lock down offseason Clippers you are locked on Clippers your daily Los Angeles Clippers podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day yes sir you were locking in with the clips thank you for making lock on Clippers the first listen of your day your team every day I’m your host Darian vizeri born and raised in LA and just finished my 19th season as a Clipper fan you can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram at dim dropper pod And subscribe to my own YouTube channel dime dropper for even more LA Clipper and NBA content throughout the offseason and locked on Clippers free and available wherever you get your podcast including YouTube hit the notification Bell and leave a comment about all your thoughts on the things we’re going to talk about Paul George Russell Westbrook the latest with the Clippers draft pick in cam Christie and uh Trenton flowers who they also acquired uh and this episode is brought to you by Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase game time is the best place to get great deals on last minute tickets and joining me today for the second time you guys said he should be a regular so we’re going to try our best to make that that as possible uh as as humanly possible law Murray from the athletic Clipper beat Rider joining us on this Friday thanks for joining me man hey thank you for having me so let’s get right to it Paul George I mean how hectic has this been covering it all for you right now because it’s tough for me but I know it’s even tougher for you the toughest thing about free agency is that the process doesn’t start like when the season is over and when you know you’re nearing these dead lines for the option and the new league year this is something that really begins when the fresh the previous contract gets signed and in Paul’s case that was right before the 2021 uh 2020 2021 season and I I had joined the athletic like days after that extension um was signed or or um some weeks afterwards you know the next month I was writing for the first time for that site covering the team so uh we knew that there was a timeline established with his deal and we were talking about kawh Leonard what was he going to do he was the one entering free agency that year and obviously he would have wanted to have like a one plus one to maximize his earnings but he tore the ACL didn’t want the questions lined his deal up perfectly with Paul that’s early in the tenure or really the middle of it um so we knew we were coming up on this for years right when the season started one of the first things we asked Paul in Hawaii was the state of those extension talks and he just felt uneasy about talking about it even then now Kawai gets his deal in the winter and we’re like okay Paul’s going to be next right and now we’re here so that’s the that’s the exhausting part when you’re entering an era you know especially when you’re getting to the end of that said era and you just know that okay what’s going to be the case this time what’s different now compared to then and if you’re playing catchup it gets that that gets overwhelming but for me it’s been a long-term approach every year you’re like okay what’s the years looking like if if they need a you know what’s the relationship looking like between the primary stakeholders when it comes to the negotiations and so we’re here deadlines for Action Saturday is going to be a big day I thought it could be Friday because I was around in 2017 when Chris Paul gave the Clippers a solid opted in and helped the bridge era establish itself I think people were really happy with how that turned out um things are things are a little bit more complicated this time around definitely I mean so the stuff that we know or have been told is that obviously as you said they wanna the Clippers want to align Paul George and kawi’s Deals and at the same time Kawai has three years on his deal starting in 2024 Paul George wants four years or more from what we’ve been told there are people talking about that Paul George has been offered the same as Kawai but I have not heard anything concrete about that from what I can just this is just my guess is that they’re offering a little bit less because it’s been established that look Kawai is the number one you even said Kawai was the number one and kawai’s signed for three years 152 million do you by any chance know if the Clippers have gone have matched and said Paul this is we’re offering you this as well or is it something slightly lower than kawhai I don’t think that the money um the the money is is right along and the years I think that it’s basically around the same deal uh for Paul as it was for Kawai I think Paul’s primary thing is that extra year that extra year is going to give you first of all that much more money right and then you’re talking about like Paul’s Paul is what 34 years old now so the Clippers are able to offer offer more uh just for the fact that he’s already here they they’ve had him um but the Clippers aren’t really taking advantage of that so Paul’s looking elsewhere for that extra year uh to see who’s going to give him that fourth year I think that matters as much to him um as whatever Max there is I think whatever contract Paul winds up signing I don’t think it’s like he’s going to max out as much as he’s looking for that that that fourth year and I think that’s going to be what gets tricky um the opt-in situation would be tricky just because you’re looking at a trade there um I don’t think Paul George is opting in to give some give give leverage to anybody else here but um I really want to see what it would look like as far as who is going to want to giving up that year uh for Paul I think the Paul wants his money but I don’t think the I I I don’t think this is like oh you’re giving me less than Kawai I think he wants I think Paul wants more more security than that and when Kawai got that extension was Paul’s shocked that it h that it happened so quick that that kawh only went for three years or did he not think it was going to be a problem if he wanted more years you know when that deal happened cuz it was right before a game cuz of course it was um Kawai obviously sat down and the biggest thing kawhai said was that he discussed it with Paul and James so I don’t think there was any shock because Kawai specific contract kawhai don’t say a whole lot you um I mean the team broke the news on the contract um but Kawai was in communication with the guys that he needed to be closest to in terms of the communication with the contract you know all those guys were possible 2024 free agents so there was a conversation as far as the team and there was a conversation among the players themselves uh there’s there was no shock and I even asked Paul that night I it’s like look guys want to break you up that’s been a conversation for years disension is a big part of other teams ability to build teams it’s very interesting how that works out so I asked them was like why do y’all you know want to stay together like why hasn’t why haven’t y’all working up and Paul says it’s like me and kawhai we genuinely like each other um the success on the court is one thing but this ain’t Ben Ben Simmons and Joel embiid you know these guys hell for that matter it’s not Ben Simmons or Joel embiid and James Harden right or James Harden or any Superstar he’s been with like like there’s been a genuine level of care um unfortunately that’s played out on national TV with Paul George having to defend Kawai even in the midst of these negotiations that he’s having right so um that level of dissension has not happened and and that’s a credit to those guys as people it’s a credit to the success that they’ve had on the court it’s a credit to the organization that they’ve had the coach that they’ve had like that’s not going to be the reason they leave each other but I don’t think there was any level of shock if if anything Paul said a month later I want to focus on the season uh I want to not worry about these conversations when it comes to the contract let’s save it for after the season and I guarantee you they thought they were going to be playing a lot later than than they wind up playing but I don’t think there is any level of shock or surprise as far as the deal that kawhai might have taken because there’s been a lot of open collaboration and communication between the player as well as the team so in that case Paul George probably suspected that he would be able to still get what he wanted now my question is do you think the Clippers are being a little bit too comfortable by you know playing this game of chicken of with P because I mean if he does leave and you let him walk for nothing is that something that they’re comfortable with because they’re really banking on the fact that he wants to be here he came with kawhai he’s in LA with his family you get to see his parents all the time at every game are they a little bit too comfortable because like as of this episode being recorded Friday Brian windhorse came and said that he’s surprised that the Clippers are so comfortable with this are you surprised because we watch them every night yeah there’s a lot of there’s a lot of noise I mean respectable ran that’s my guy um as far as like the negotiations go um I’m not surprised because the Clippers hinted a year ago that they were going to one have to be in a position to do things that were difficult and hard um they they communicated that at the 2023 NBA draft and then I think you have to look this era of Clipper basketball was not as successful as they thought it would be um for reasons both out of their control as well as reasons to say uh The Vibes aren’t as good as they should be uh like this isn’t 2021 where you could be like well our coach just got promoted we did things that we hadn’t done before as a franchise um our our guy got hurt like that sucks but we’re going to keep trying this thing um that’s not the case anymore these guys are older their bodies have been through more T is still there um like it’s just things are things are just different now so I think Steve balber is going to be in a position where he’s going to support his front office and part of supporting your front office is we’re not going to overextend and bring back a player who has had a chance to do something here just to say that we’re retaining you got to do it in a way that works for the the team and player I think the team has established what’s going to work for them Paul has to get to a point where it’s going to work for him and he’s not there yet he might not get there but if he’s back it’s something where the team won and the player maybe he didn’t get everything he wanted but the market also showed him that that wasn’t going to be the case anyway coming up GNA talk even more about Paul George and his situation and also a little bit of Russell Westbrook I got to tell you a little something about game time game time is the best place to get great deals on last minute tickets game time is an authorized ticket Marketplace of Major League Baseball which makes getting tickets faster and easier prices on the game time app actually go down closer it gets to the first pitch last minute tickets Flash Deals Zone deals everything is easy to find at game time save even more when you choose a section and let game time choose the seats with Zone deals and get a panoramic view from your seat in the app before you buy so you get a feel of where you’re going to be sitting take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again create an account and redeem code l o c k e d o n NBA for $20 off download game time today last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed all right back here with LA Marie Clipper beat rider for the athletic talking about the current situation uh in the off season so Paul George just answered that the Clippers are sticking to their guns here’s the thing if Paul George leaves for free let’s say say right now it’s looking like the market is not showing that he’s going to be able to get what he wants in free agency I mean do have you already heard anything about the Philly front or Orlando any of those teams that are potentially willing to pay him all that money if he opts out I’m not I’m not confident that Orlando’s in the mix I think they should be but that’s that’s uh it it just doesn’t seem like Orlando is a serious player here Orlando makes a lot of logis iCal sense and basketball sense as far as what Paul wants you want something different from a basketball standpoint Orlando’s not an ISO team they’re not a point guard dominated team they’re a big young team that needs a shooter in a warm weather tax-free environment compared to these other states in the nation um but I don’t think they it just doesn’t sound like they were a legitimate uh player in this um again there is what I would do if I was a free agent and I was like really serious about changing up how I’m talking about my options and then there’s I just want my money and the I just want my money it sounds like comes down to Golden State in Philadelphia and the only way you’re getting to Golden State is if you opt in the only way you’re getting to Philadelphia a team with uh no contracts I mean I guess you could opt in and make something work but Philly doesn’t have like assets to really give the Clipper they literally don’t have the contracts right um you can give them draft picks I think you can open up an exception I think if if Paul opts out decides he’s going to Phil they can work something out but I mean they’re a cap space team and so Philadelphia doesn’t need to do that to get Paul George Philadelphia’s issue is the and this is coming from someone who is from Philadelphia Philadelphia’s issue is the city of Philadelphia like Paul’s been very comfortable media wise his entire career Indian for nearly a decade goes to Oklahoma City for two years where they were thrilled to get him um for that first year and thrilled to keep him for that second year and you had Russell Westbrook there the whole time Russell takes bullets one two and three there before you even got to worry about anything if you’re Paul George and Paul was awesome especially in his second year where he was a top three guy in both the MVP and the defense player the year voting he didn’t have to face that kind of media scrutiny you go to the Clippers and yeah there’s some media scrutiny but you’re it’s the Clippers as someone who’s been covering the clippers for a decade I can tell you the heat is never on the LA Clippers like it is for the Los Angeles Lakers again Russell Westbrook can give you a good example of how that Dynamic works right so you go to Philly all bets are off they don’t care if you’re guy one guy two guy three you can ask Tobias Harris you can ask Andrea Gala you can ask former LA Clipper Elton BR what happened when he tried to come back from atorn Achilles with a big money deal to go to Philly even though he left Baron Davis twisting in the win uh you underperform there you gonna hear from it five directions All Points it’s going to be something that I’m not sure Paul George want to wake up in the middle of one of them you know situations in January where it’s blustering snow and you got to warm your legs up a little more and deal with that BS especially if Joel’s body ain’t gonna make it through a regular season like we’ve seen last year so um I’m not wishing ill on any of these things not on Paul’s decision not on Paul’s ability to play not on the six ability to play even you know the hometown shout out to the to to all my people on the east side of things I just know being realistic you got to choose to be there and you got to be ready to deal with any level of disappointment and it’s it’s it’s a little tougher and I and I wonder if Paul’s considered that part of that uh in in his decision yeah I personally don’t think he’s going to Philly for all those reasons you named and then also I don’t know if the Philadelphia 76ers should pay Paul George that much money especially with the concerns to embiid already you know Paul did just play 74 games this season but it was it was between 72 to 74 I always forget the exact number but that was his most healthy season as a Clipper he has had his fair share of injury concerns as well and he’s on the older side you’re paying a 34 yearold that much money it’s it’s a little concerning for the Sixers now the thing is do the Clippers feel okay with L let’s just say that was out there let’s say they do lose Paul George to Philly are the Clippers okay with Kawai James Harden and then I mean who else could they really get like how much you know we’re we’d still be in a in a tough situation financially and I mean are they keeping James Harden at that point I think the expectations is James going to be here one way or the other um I don’t think the expectation is that that deal gets done quickly I think that it’s going to be something where because you need to compete next year this team is not going to quotequote Pivot towards a tank they ain’t the Brooklyn Nets um like you’re James is going to be back kawai’s going to be back and uh that’s my expectation obviously Kawai signed and he’s healthier now than he was two months ago so I guess that’s cool um I think James his contract probably depends on what happens with with Paul um and but I think all signs are that James is going to be back I think James and the Clippers have been in lock step ever since he got here really before he got here if you really think about it like it was actually this Friday last year last Friday of June and free agency started on this Friday but it was it was at this time where we’re looking at the clock and being like are they going to get this done before the league year is over you know because the night before we knew that James had interest in in in being with the Clippers so uh I think that when it comes down to it um are they okay no they want to bring Paul back they’re not going to be as good of a team without him period like we can we can cut that part of the conversation off now but I don’t see a blow it up pivot happening either again this isn’t the Nets this isn’t KD walking into ARA while he’s injured and Kyrie got traded and getting himself a flight to Phoenix you know before that before that week was out I don’t think you’re I don’t think that’s what’s going to going to wind up happening I think the Clippers they’re not going to be as good um but they’re going to compete if they have James and kawhai and I think that that’s again they’re not going to be comfortable with that they’re not gonna be happy with that but I think that is going to be a realistic possibility for what they look like next year now let me ask the last thing on Paul before we move on to Russ the option that has gotten a lot of picked up a lot of steam the last few days is that sign well not sign and trade they opt in and then trade to Golden State because you look at it from both sides the Warriors really need to get a second guy for Steph if they want to you know get that Championship window open again but they’re going to need to trade some things and also it’s not crazy travel for Paul George he still stays in California even though he does have to go up North but it’s a solid basketball situation could be a solid life situation if it does happen and what kind of return do you expect people are talking kuminga Wiggins and How likely is this the most likely option if he goes to another team in your opinion I think it’s the only option okay honestly I I really believe that either Paul opson and and and the Clippers are able to get as much from the Warriors as they’re asking for or Paul’s going to opt out and he’s going to have to be like well what am I going to do you know I and I do see a scenario where Paul wants to go to Golden State he gets you looted to it uh when you get to stay on the west coast and you get to kind of do your basketball business Upstate and come down state to do whatever you know be a family man do the Pod um do everything else that La has you know uh like because being a family man means more to Paul you know it’s two sides of the family it’s your it’s it’s your given family and your chosen family you know Paul uh is present in his parents’ life he is present in his uh in his wife and his children’s life that is a factor when you’re in the NBA uh there are NBA players that don’t have their their their parents or they don’t have the people that they that that rais them um or they’re not in their lives as as heavy like I see Paul’s parents at every game so that is a factor um and then there’s you know there’s single NBA players there’s players who don’t have uh the same responsibilities uh at at home that’s not as much of a consideration um it is for Paul Paul is very much um very much a family man and and that is a consideration for him uh but I think this is going to come down to this weekend um you know you opt in it means that the Clippers are ready to take what they can get from Golden State I think that kaminga has to be the centerpiece um we we can get to breaking down players later I’m not I don’t think either one of us have the time or will to even want to go there so we’re not going to do that it’s it’s got to be players it’s got to be picks it’s got to be multipositional players as well um Golden State they’ve already given up on one of their lottery picks from 20 from being a terrible team um Golden State’s not even that good like they didn’t win a they they not survived the playin round uh two times in the last four years they had a survive a game seven with the Kings only lose to the Lakers a seven seed um that was their most successful season outside winning the championship since Kevin Durant left it’s it’s very interesting how we talk about the Warriors but that doesn’t matter all that matters is what Paul wants what the Clippers W and what the Warriors W yep and coming up we’re going to talk a little bit more about Russell Westbrook man every time you start talking about Paul George I keep thinking of new questions about Paul so maybe I’ll have one more coming up I got to tell you a little something about eBay Motors passion drive and patience the formula for winning championships is also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors has everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you’re into speed power or style eBay Motors has you covered with over 122 million parts for your number one ride or die you’ll always find exactly what you’re looking for and with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you’re burning rubber not cash with all the parts you need at the prices you want it’s easy to make your car the MVP and bring home huge wins keep your ride or die alive at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusions apply eBay guaranteed fit only available to us customers all right back here for this emergency Friday free agency special here with clipp beat riter law Murray of the athletic now my last question that I remembered when you were talking about Paul was what was your take on the podcast Pete comment about I just want to play the right style of basketball like is that something like I want to play in a movement offense with golden state like I I I don’t know how else to take it I think the the way I took it because I wrote about it last week because I mean I don’t I’m not really big on writing on these public comments like that like I I just don’t really prefer to do that obviously um you know if y’all paying to have me right then I’m sure y’all want me to get comments on my own and not be like you know so and so said this here’s what I think about it or whatever um when it comes down to it it’s a public negotiation that’s really how I took it I think that’s how the Clippers are taking it right now they’re not overreacting to it um I wrote last night that you know Lawrence Frank didn’t pull the Pat Riley card and tell Paul to keep his mouth shut Like Pat Ry told Jimmy Butler um so that’s not that’s not happening I think that this goes back to the quotequote identity questions from March when they hit a wall and the identity questions that are ironic to me is that those questions started to pop up more when tonu tried to give Paul George the ball more to get him ready for the postseason and so you know when it comes to Paul I think you’ve discussed this plenty um he’s asked for a lot of things and the Clippers have done really well to actually go the lent to you know acquest to what Paul wants Paul wants more touches you got it Paul wants less touches less responsibility you got it Paul doesn’t want to guard the main guy don’t want to bang the biggest bodies they’ve tried I think this year they they didn’t um achieve what they wanted to but you know they’ve always tried to kind of address what Paul’s wanted so uh when it comes to quotequote playing the right style of basketball again you’re not not getting that in Philadelphia when Tyrese and Joel need the ball as much as they do those guys are not nearly the same threats Orlando a little different Golden State remarkably different right um but guess what Golden State doesn’t run pick and roll relatives to the rest of the league at all they’re doing so your style of basketball it can be different but does it fit you the best I think he obviously is great off the ball he’s learned how to cut really well um Paul fits any offense Paul is Paul is that kind of player and get into what Paul kenon can’t do it’s always about what he wants to do right and chances are if he’s back here we’re going to look at those comments a little differently okay uh interesting so go Golden State or Bust it sounds like or Golden State or Clippers it sounds like it sounds like he’s staying in California um we’re going to be really ready to see you mentioned already that there’s no way the Clippers pivot into something else in terms of the long-term vision of the team if they do get someone like kaming against and picks does that maybe push them to potentially or do you think it’s still just you don’t have enough no because those guys aren’t good enough respectfully those guys aren’t good enough what you’re going to do is you’re going to load up and you’re you’re you’re going to want to try and repat again and and and that’s that but I also don’t think the Clippers really want those dudes which is why you drive up a high price and basically like the Clippers are preparing for Paul to opt out that’s what it’s been it’s been that way for several weeks so I’d be I will tell you I will be surprised if Paul opson goes the Chris Paul route from 2017 and forces his way Upstate or somewhere that we’re not thinking of I would be Sur not saying it’s not going to happen but what I expect to happen is that Paul reaches the open market I think that’s what the Clippers expect I don’t think the Clippers are expecting to reach some kind of contract extension I think this is going to be Paul what I expect Paul George to opt out and Paul George to really see if he can get that fourth year in a good situation and once he doesn’t which I predict he won’t he’s coming back that that’s my overall prediction that’s that’s what I’m going with I’m taking it the bank um I also think though just if if the Clippers can get kaming and Andrew Wiggins we get some athleticism on the wings though that’s not the worst thing in the world it’s not Paul George but it’s not the worst thing in the world for what we want to do if you want to go out Clippers said Lawrence Frank said we want to get younger athletic obviously Wiggins is kind of like in a prime age but kaminga and Wiggins will add to your athleticism for sure and then someone who could guard the point of attack does give you some things I worry a little about Andrew um Andrew is going to be 30 in February and I loved Andrew Wiggins Allstar season which he got in part because Paul uh wasn’t able to stay healthy that year um again I wouldn’t be able to take a 290 pound dude falling on my arm either so um there there’s that but I think the it it would be Andrew is not a dynamic player anymore and and that and and that would be scary but again we’re getting into players man you getting me into a rabbit you know I love discussing the players man yeah I mean yeah it would just it would just be good to have somebody that can guard the best players and will be doing that but you’re definitely not getting better uh losing Paul George and then it just makes kawhai and James Harden’s life a lot tougher offensively to create and I don’t know if you want to put more strain on them at this age and after all they’ve been through but last one is we’re not going to get the draft stuff in this episode we’ll just save that for the next one but uh that I I’ll talk about but Russell Westbrook you know our our friend to had an article earlier and a lot of people are talking about it and aggregate sites are reposting it that Russell Westbrook is likely on his way out uh anything on that and if so it’s talking about yeah he we clearly know he wasn’t stoked about his role but like where else could he go that he’s getting a better role than that is there any team in the NBA that’d be willing to start Russell Westbrook at this point that’s a tough one for me um I mean the T leaves have been with Russ for a long time as far as his level of Happiness his satisfaction with his role and everything um I think it really just comes down to the playoffs like he started the playoffs really well game three was a real shift yeah because after that flagrant foul and the ejection and everything that happened there I just felt like things just weren’t the same um like you know and so we we all knew that like if Russ was going to come back like he wanted to won I think ideally he would have opted out so that he could do what Nicholas patum did when he was going through his you know sign opt that after your year get your option opt out again so you can get your raise that’s how Nico went from a minimum to the contract that is expiring now for him uh which is more than 10 mil Russ is not even making half that um but the option are like not great out there that’s what that that’s what you know this comes down to for Russ is can he be the starting point guard again last time we saw that dude start a game what happened damn near what 15 15 15 triple with a 30 with a what 35 to four lead or something like that and CRA everything up just crazy it’s the same player we’re talking about like it’s like the confidence and Russ is such an interesting player because you give him this these kind of roles and sometimes you get your horrible games but then you’ll also get games like that but I guess maybe he feels like in this role he’s like confined to couple minutes and he has to really show himself right away and he ends up just really forcing the issue that’s just how I see it and I’m a big Russell Westbrook fan as everybody knows right but yeah it just feels as though I think he’s one of those guys that he loves to kind of put his fingerprints on the energy of a game from the get-go you know he’s got his whole routine before a game he runs over the crowd like this is this is all he’s known and these last two years I think it’s been it’s been a tough adjustment for him uh and it it kind of can limit all the good stuff he does and also might reduce a lot of the the negative stuff he does but I think that ratio is is definitely not as good when he’s coming off the bench so I guess that’s what he’s looking for so I was having an argument with somebody in a comment thread they were talking about Denver getting him I was like dude is he gonna really get that much more of an increased role playing with those guys Denver is a tough a tough fit I think for Russ because if you if you start him um let’s say they lose kavus Co Pope you bring in Russ to start that’s still Nicole leic having the ball in his hand to ton Jamal Murray having the ball in his hand to ton um that is a that is a cut heavy team that strange it I could see it working um I just I just don’t know about having Russ and Jamal start together um that that would be the tricky thing there Phoenix would be funny as hell because of the history of obviously of certain things but I mean Frank vogle is not there anymore and Mike buen hoser is and the one thing I feel like the st’s need you saw Eric Gordon decline his option um and he’s going to be a free agent Eric Gordon was nominally to me their backup point guard we know that they’re going to start book and Beal in their back court um and but like now that it’s a new coach the relationships are just different so instead of being like well he’s not going there vote the head coach there now you could be like okay well you know things aren’t as Frosty between him and Katie as they once were he played with be and Washington they got along great and there’s a need there and you know they they need a point of attack Defender just like the Clippers need a point of attack Defender uh but in in terms of starting in terms of like Hey we’re going to give the ball to Russell Westbrook and let him go because the issue wasn’t just playing time for Russ it like look at the playoffs James Harden played 40 minutes a game so you don’t even have to look at how many minutes Russ averag in the playoffs I’ll give you a hint it was the low lowest by far of his postseason career but it was when he’s on the court there’s maximum eight minutes because math you know maximum eight minutes he could play period with harden off the floor and we know he played a ton with Harden he played more in the playoffs with Harden than he played without him what does that mean it means that James has the ball it means Russ is in the corner and it means Russ is playing against a team that is already packed the paint protect the rim we if you want to beat us with your shot go ahead Russ didn’t do that Russ is not equipped to really do that um that’s frustrating that’s frustrating and he fed into it he fed into it with the crowd got to him he was just he was shooting threes uh and man it it was it was rough to watch he was like losing his cool he was losing his confidence in real time Russ wants to be in LA but not at the role that you know especially with the way things went down in the in in the playoffs you’re already missing a guy you still play James a ton he didn’t get the ball in his hands I think we all knew that he it was it was heading in this direction what we still don’t know is how you either opt in and protect your your spot and you force a trade or force a Clippers to trade you because that’s the bigger story is the fact that the Clippers have given him the feedback that hey you know we’re looking at Alternatives or if you’re Russ you opt out and you take the gamble that there is a chair Still Standing while the music is playing I don’t know where that leads to I think that there’s a lot of people who want to see Russ get the best opportunity to go to a good team where he can get the ball in his hands I don’t know where that mix will be uh cleanly yeah and I mean who knows in terms of we talked about Paul George not knowing or what Market is out there for him and being like damn maybe it’s not what I thought could happen for Russ in terms of what he wants um but we’ll see uh great stuff again man thanks so much for joining let people know where they can find all your work yeah we at the athletic you know so we are we are working post draft right into free agency we getting it there and then I’m on all the socials La Murray V and so um Don it’s always good to talk to you about hoop man hopefully we can talk more about hoop we we talking about we talking about money on this show yeah yeah absolutely we can we can make that happen uh you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram at dim dropper pod subscribe to my own channel dime dropper for more and of course subscribe to locked on clippers for all the latest news oh man tomorrow I probably should have an episode out again I mean this this is this is happening right now so we shall see everybody have a good one theel prer continues go Clippers

In this episode, die hard LA Clippers fan and Host Darian Vaziri is joined by Clipper Beat Writer Law Murray of The Athletic to break down the latest with Paul George, Russell Westbrook, & the LA Clippers direction.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOClippers?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

#Clippers #LosAngelesClippers #NBA #KawhiLeonard #PaulGeorge