I didn't think it was directed at anyone in particular, but it does sound like they're a little bit more connected, this group.

Well, I think that usually happens in teams like this where there is no clear-cut superstar who, when he says, give me the ball, gets the ball, gets every play drawn up for him, is the primary playmaker for teams like that necessarily.

I don't think that's necessarily there.

I think Darius can turn into that.

Um, but I think he has a lot to prove himself, um, you know, when it comes to his health and, and whether you can actually contribute to, to, to winning basketball consistently.

So, um, you know, I think we'll see what, uh, what he's able to do, but I don't know if that necessarily shot anyone.

And I, I do think that to Derek's point, um, you know, there.

I heard that today.

Just could you summarize, I guess, a little bit of what you're getting from fan sentiment right now surrounding this Clippers team and what fans overall are looking for from the Clippers?

Um, it, it, it's a mix.

I think, I think from, from one hand, on one hand, you know, it's been, it's been over a week and, and, uh, nearly two weeks now and they haven't heard anything and, and I think that, you know, um, when you look at those end of season emails that, you know, "Sorry we let you down.

We couldn't get our ultimate goal," that's usually sent by Gillian or whoever, who, you know, writes those emails up for her and then she sends it, you know, with her name on it.

So, um, I, I think, you know, any kind of message right now i- is, is lacking, but I think there's also, um, an understanding, at least fr- from, from some of the guy- people that I've talked to, that this is gonna take a little bit to, um, you know, a- a- a- align the house so to speak and, and get everyone on the same page and see who's gonna be, you know, the, the, the spokesman and, and for, for, for the basketball operations, spokesman for the business operations.

Um, who's gonna be the acting governor in the meantime while, you know, if it was, if it wasn't Steve, it was Gillian, and now both of them are gone, so will it be Dennis Wong? Will it be someone else? So, I think there's, there's just a level of, um, things, you know, that need to be set in order here, uh, as far as the Clippers go.

But I think the Clippers fans mostly are just, just disappointed.

Uh, since we've been talking about Clippers fans right now, somebody put in the comment section of one of my latest videos, question, "How does one become a Clippers fan?" And I replied saying, "They prefer the road less traveled and understand it will be more rewarding in the end." I know this is a team that you cover, but in your own experience or by talking to Clippers fans, what do you think is the makeup of a Clipper fan and why they have chosen this team here in Los Angeles?

Tell me about how that day was, and then just, you know, what are you kinda, what is your, like, hierarchy of worries now moving forward?

That- that day was, uh, I believe it was Wednesday.

Um, [laughs] I- I told my girlfriend when she came back from workout class we were gonna go get lunch, and, uh, in the middle of that workout class the news broke, and I was like, "Time out.

We're-- Everything's on hold.

We gotta, we gotta get to work." So, uh, no, it was just, it was a lot of, you know, just reaching out, trying to see what the exact, um...

You know, one, if- if the Clippers had any statements to release, which they had multiple, um, but also just to kinda get the feel around the league of- of what, uh, this punishment, a historic punishment, uh, really, really, uh, h- how was received by the rest of the NBA.

I think, um, you know, in some circles, I think Ballmer's peers, for example, fellow owners, wanted him, you know, wanted to believe him, a- a- and the Clippers were very adamant that they were innocent in all this.

But just given the injury, you know, I've got, uh, I got my eyebrows raised at this one.

But again, How much time do you think the Clippers are okay with, given Steve Ballmer wants to compete all the time, with letting things naturally and organically build with a younger squad here? And we'll get to Kawhi and the trade being on pause and all that coming up, and I know that could affect his answer, but just how content are they with letting things play out a little bit in your mind?

yeah so i i asked lawrence basically if if the sga trade and seeing how that played out um would would get him to be a little more fearful of making a trade if they were to land the top pick or if they you know do have a really good prospect and they trade them away uh that was before they landed the number five figure before they got the pick from the pacers so um yeah look i i think they'll be patient but but i think that they also you know it was very apparent in their press conferences that they understood by you know mid-season once harden requested out this was time for them to retool and and start to look at the future um this is a team that before james harden before the james harden trade had no real young players no real draft compensation like there was not really much there and so i think when you look at team building you got an aging roster you don't have future draft picks you're not up there with the spurs and the thunder um apparent to a lot of us.

And I think apparently apparent to them to just how much they needed to to retool.

And so now you've got a 10 year two time also 10 years younger than James Harden and Darius Garland.

Health is a big thing.

But if you can stay healthy, he's shown that he's a very, very effective and impactful player.

You know, you trade zoo and you instead of getting was a 29 and 31, I think you get just 29 now and you get the fifth overall pick this year.

Are those things related?

But Rui Hachimura, Keaton Wagler, what are your thoughts on this new-look Clipper team and kind of this acceptance that we're not going all in for a title anymore?

Yeah, I mean, I think, um, it, it's about time they rip the Band-Aid off.

I, uh, you know, I think, uh, it, the, the, the Kawhi Leonard, the two and three era with Paul George and Kawhi felt like it was over probably after the '23, '24 season, or, or, or maybe, maybe even, even after James Harden's first year when they, when they lost, um, against the Mavericks.

It really felt like that was, that was it.

I- in my opinion, it really felt like they, they really weren't going to be able to, to make noise as contenders.

Uh, and so I think, you know, uh, it was good they ripped the Band-Aid off.

They, they were able to sell on some of their players, um, and, and, and acquire talent, um, or acquire draft picks.

Okay, give me a couple then.

Do you think there's any chance, because we got some other big news in Los Angeles today, that LeBron James would pursue a move to the Clippers on the cheap to stay in L.A.?

As much as I would love to say yes, because that would be so interesting for us to cover, I simply don't see that happening.

I think, you know, Golden State is probably the one team that – Golden State and Cleveland, I would say, are probably the two teams that are the frontrunners for him.

I think the Cavs offer obviously home and a chance to contender where he, you know, probably won't be under pressure to be the number one or number two guy with Donovan Mitchell and James Harden there.

And then Golden State.

I mean, look, I think he and Seth Curry have talked about teaming up and then we saw glimpses of that in Team USA and how much fun that was.

You know, I don't know if they'll, win that many games in the NBA, on the NBA level, but it might be just as fun, if not more fun, to watch them, you know, play together after battling it out for, what, eight straight NBA finals, I believe.

Is that a good sign for the Clippers? What do you think?