The WNBA Power Shift

We sit down with Lamont, the “WNBA guy” from TikTok, and debate the biggest WNBA storylines driving the season right now, from rookie impact to contender flaws. We also zoom out to league growth, money, media coverage, and then pivot into NBA offseason chaos with major trades and LeBron’s looming decision. 
• fantasy league injuries and how they reshape lineups 
• Olivia Miles’ early MVP-level impact and rookie expectations 
• why some teams should have drafted more paint help 
• how returning stars change roles for scorers and creators 
• Las Vegas Aces depth concerns beyond A’ja Wilson 
• Caitlin Clark spotlight, on-court physicality, and public narratives 
• Angel Reese’s winning value through rebounding and effort 
• Indiana Fever ceiling and why defense decides contention 
• 2027 draft talk with JuJu Watkins versus a rare 7'4 center 
• predicting Finals contenders and dark horse teams 
• WNBA expansion benefits for talent, marketing, and long-term growth 
• million dollar contracts, TV exposure, and brand-building ideas like a televised orange carpet 
Go ahead, like, subscribe, leave a comment in the comment section. Let us know who you think will win the WNBA championship this year. Please thank you. Go ahead and hit that link in the bio for merch. 

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Transcript

Welcome And Merch Plug

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome, welcome, welcome to another episode of From My Perspective. I'm your boy Dion coming to you with another episode. Thank you guys for joining us. Go ahead, like, go ahead, subscribe, go ahead and hit that link in the bio because we got merch. Like you has respectfully your wrong shirt on, and you can have yourself one of those as well. But I mentioned his name already. Captain Hader, how you doing today? The man, the myth, the legend.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Man, what it do, what it is. You're another advice. It's your boy, Mr. Bell. Aka AK say your name up on the spot. Might not with you the mom.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

What's going on, D, huh? What's going good? We actually got a guest in the house. Uh, I'm gonna let you go ahead and introduce him, but before you do, I'm just gonna let him know. Hey, when you come in the house, uh kitchens down there on the left, bathrooms on the right. Take your shoes off when you come in. If you want something to drink, just ask us. We don't mind. But go ahead, Q, go ahead and uh introduce our guests.

Meeting The WNBA Guy

SPEAKER_02 0:59

Well, man, I found him on TikTok, and he, you know, he does a great job talking about the WNBA. And he created the Fantasy League, and I was like, man, I'm gonna I'm gonna hop in this. Matter of fact, the name of the name of my team is actually from my perspective. I hope Dion don't you know be mad at the picks I made. I probably should have sent it to him. But me is saying, Man, what's going on, Lamont?

SPEAKER_00 1:22

What's going on, Mr. Bell and Dion? I appreciate y'all having me here again. My name is Lamont. Uh, I go by your WNBA guy on TikTok. And like Mr. Bell mentioned, we connected on TikTok uh based off my WNBA content. I've been a fan for such a very long time. As you can probably see here, my Houston Commons jersey. Um, they got that back in '96. Uh, I'm a huge fan of the WNBA. And uh, think Mr. Bell, I think you took me out uh in the in the fantasy league last week.

SPEAKER_02 1:54

Look, it's been a struggle because I got a bunch of injuries, and I'm looking at this bitch like I I can't cut nobody because they all coming back, but I ain't got no bitch.

SPEAKER_00 2:03

So I'm I was right with you. I had so many, I had to let I just had to let people go. It was so bad. I had four four people out at one time, and I'm like, I can't do it anymore.

SPEAKER_02 2:13

Well, I got fee, and then I got I get fee's supposed to be coming back. Well, the report said fee was already gonna be back.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

She should have been back. I don't think because Olivia Miles is doing so well, I don't think they're gonna bring her back in the time because Olivia's absolutely we'll talk about that.

SPEAKER_02 2:29

You know what?

Olivia Miles And The Top Pick

SPEAKER_02 2:30

Since you brought it up, let's throw in there because we talked about it.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

What was it? DI last week or something. Yeah, we talked about it a couple episodes ago. We well, I pretty much said me and Q was like, hey, FedEx already got that rookie of the year trophy, head to a crib, sheen and got worried about it. Now the question is, will FedEx be carrying an MVP trophy? Probably not, because Asia Wilson is still Asia Wilson. But give us your thoughts on how Olivia Miles is basically doing her thing, and like that was some conversation of being the first overall pick. Now, uh obviously AZ Fud was the first overall pick. Me and Kim thought it should have been a film that the lady that got with the.

SPEAKER_00 3:05

I thought our fam should have been number one pick as well.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

I'm glad I'm not tripping.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Yeah. Uh with the Dallas Wings having number one pick. Um, I thought that they needed a lot of help in the paint. Uh, they did get Jessica Shepard and Alina Smith from Minnesota, but um, they were role players. You know, you you want somebody that's going to be prolific down there in the paint, especially that's a big advantage in a WNBA. Girls are a little bit smaller in a WNBA. Um 6'2 to 6'4 might be your center, right? You get somebody that's a little bit taller than that, that's a that's a huge advantage. Um, so getting someone like Of Fam, I thought would have been um change like league changing for, well, you know, franchise changing for the Dallas Wings, but it didn't happen. Um, they got AZ FUD. And a lot of people, you know, AZ FUD, Dating Page Beckers, that whole dynamic. And was that the case or not? It could be. It could not be. I'm not in locker rooms or in those uh war rooms to say yes or no. But what I could can say is AZ FUD is looking okay. She started off a little rough, but she's starting to look, she's starting to come into her own. And not every player is going to come into the league doing what Olivia Miles is doing, right? So, uh, or or what Paige Beckers did when she first came into the league. So it may take her a little bit, but I think she's going to be, you know, worth the pick.

Building A Young Seattle Core

SPEAKER_01 4:24

Uh, I I just wanted to add more on Ms. Phil, our film. My biggest thing when I was because I I watched literally, I watched her highlights 30 seconds in, I was like, that's the first overall pick. But the biggest thing, she just turned 20 on the 17th. So she is very, very young and still has more to mature in her body and learn and get better. So she's already averaging 12 points a game, five rebounds, and two assists with like a half a steal. So she's the sky's the limit. So I'm glad you said that made me feel like I wasn't tripping with some ball.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

I was like, yeah, she's in the Seattle Storm, they're a young team all around. You know, with Dominique Malanga, she's only been in the league, I don't want, like maybe two, three years. Not probably two years. I think two years. I think she was a rookie last year. Yeah. So you got Dominique Malanga, who could be a defensive player of the year type of player. I mean, she's an absolute beast that won the defensive end. You got Iowa Fam who can play inside and out. She's dropping threes and bodying people in the paint. Um, and then you just got Flauser, who I want a little bit more from Flauser. Uh, she's she's showing me that she has potential, but she should have the green light to just throw shots up like Latisha Heideman is doing. I want more than 15 shot attempts from Flogier per game. She's not giving me that right now. Um, she showed her last game out, she had 25 points. She can do it. I just want her to do that day in and day out, uh, getting up those type of shots. But that's a very young team. Um, and I think they got a lot of potential.

SPEAKER_02 5:53

Let me

What Happens When Collier Returns

SPEAKER_02 5:54

ask. I won't go back to Olivia Miles for just one question.

SPEAKER_00 5:57

Oh, we can talk about Olivia all day.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

We know Fee is out, and but we know she's projected to come back. Like I said, we thought she was coming back. It would help if she she came back sooner for my fantasy team. I'll be doing a lot better. But that being said, do you think Olivia's numbers is gonna take that big of a step back? Or will Fee come in and be like, nah, you got it. Go ahead, do your thing. Because we see what you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

You know whose numbers I think take a step back? Courtney Williams. I think Courtney Williams takes a step back, and Olivia Miles starts to move into the spotlight with Nafisa Collier. You can have a two-star system. Um, a three-star system is kind of scarce. And uh, though Courtney Williams can can, she's a mid-range sniper. Girl can put up points, she can throw up assists, she can hit from you know anywhere from inside that three-point range and down. I trust Courtney Williams. Um and I think she may need to alter her game a little bit and maybe be more of a three-point shooter and let Olivia Miles kind of take the range there with that mid-range game and just facilitating the the game in general and uh letting the Fisa Calier own that paint. Um, I think Courtney Williams is even though she's a million-dollar woman with the new contracts, she may need to take a backseat to Olivia Miles because Olivia Miles has shown that she could be an MVP type of player. Courtney Williams is great, but I don't think Courtney Williams is an MVP type of player. So she might that she might need to take the back seat and let uh Olivia Miles run that with Nafisa Collier.

SPEAKER_01 7:27

Well, I think she is is a sniper, though. She's shooting 40% from the three, so yeah, throwing some more up there.

SPEAKER_00 7:33

So yep, exactly. She might need to throw some more up, and and and Olivia Miles becomes that 20-point to 25-point player along with Nafisa Collier down there.

Aces Concerns Beyond A’ja Wilson

SPEAKER_02 7:46

Well, let's talk about the aces. Defending champs, we know what uh we know what Asia Wilson brings to the table. How you feel about how they looking this year?

SPEAKER_00 7:59

Is that is that um Kennedy Carter has shown that she could be a great piece coming off the bench, but she's been injured dealing with you know other illnesses and other issues. Um, can she be reliable down the stretch? Is going to be key because Jewel Lloyd is not has not been the Hall of Famer that Jewel Lloyd, as Jewel Low we're used to seeing. Um she she's barely, barely getting eight points a game. Um two threes is pretty much consistent for her, but that's all she's offering. And they're gonna need more from her, especially in their with and then with their bigs, they really don't have much depth there. With Asia Wilson out, it's Nelissa Smith trying to hold it down by herself. And I am a huge Nelissa Smith fan. I think she's extremely efficient in the paint. She gets her back to the room, that's a bucket every time. Um, and she's her numbers have moved up, but is that the Asia Wilson effect, or is she really getting that much better? Um, I think it may be the Asia Wilson effect, but numbers are numbers nonetheless. She's playing very well. Um Tobert, not gonna be able to get it done down there with her helping out. I'm I'm sorry. Let's be honest, I respect it. Not helping out. And then Cheyenne, she's she's I don't think she's that serviceable either. Um she I think they need they need help with their depth. And I think that's where the issue comes. And Jackie Young has not been what we need Jackie Young to be. She's a million-dollar player. She needs to be more prolific and in and show up on the stat sheet more than what she's been doing. Though she's been dealing with some personal issues to start the season. Um, now that she that's kind of passed, she's still, even tonight, last time I checked during the commissioner cut that's happening right now, she's got six points. With no Asia Wilson, you should be putting up numbers with no Asia. Um, that's a little bit concerning. Uh, given that they don't have much depth on the bench, Jackie Young should really be taking the range and putting it down. And I'm not seeing it from her right now as a million-dollar woman. And I need her to be better.

Caitlin Clark Heat And Angel Reese Impact

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Uh so I I want to move on to, you know, I wouldn't say the two faces, but probably the two most popular ladies on the WMA, Angel Reese, who's a walking double-double, and Caitlin Clark, who's she's hurt right now, but especially Caitlin Clark, she's been, I wouldn't say, dealing with a lot of off-the-court issues, but it seems like she gets the spotlight. It seems like maybe some of the other players still don't like her for whatever reason. I don't know. She did well, what is why she did help them get paid? If you know, they some of them might say, like, no, she didn't help, but she did help. But what are your whole thoughts about, you know, the Caleb Clark issues with the players get seemingly flagrant foul there and Alyssa Thomas Thomas? She got a one-game suspension for it. She just kind of hit her in the neck a little bit, timing the ball. But what's your whole whole thing about this whole thing with it seems like a rivalry between Caleb Clark and the rest of the team?

SPEAKER_00 11:00

So um, Caitlin Clark would do herself a huge favor if she just came out and denounced this rhetoric that's behind her that's very divisive racially. Uh, if she would just come out and denounce that, I think that would do volumes for her pre her image in the WNBA. You look at Paige Becker's and how when she made her speech for the Espies, how she honored the black woman that paved the way for her to have a league to play in today. And you look at Caitlin Clark, and she's this, she's an antagonistic personality. She has a very gold personality. And that doesn't sit well with a lot of people. You know, they came in here saying that she's going to own and run and be the face of the WNBA, and there's so many people that's better than her. I think if she learned how to humble herself, it would do the WNBA a just uh a justice, it would do the players a justice. But right now, that she's doing them an injustice. Is she a good player? Absolutely. Caitlin Clark is a great player. Her ability to shoot from beyond the arc, her fill, her ability to facilitate, I think is her biggest attribute. You know, she can she can she can throw, she can help somebody score the ball, you know. Um, she could be a 10 assist or more night player. Uh she she has talent, but her lack of defense is kind of giving us James Harden. You know, you know, I kind of compare Caitlin Clark right now to like a Russell Westbrook. She's gonna fill the stat sheet, she's gonna give you highlights, but she's not gonna win you games. Um and uh Angel Reese is the opposite of that. I think Angel Reese is the player who's not gonna give you highlights. Um, she's not gonna give you crazy stat lines, right? But what she is gonna do is she's gonna get you wins due to her rebound. You know, you're giving your team second, third, fourth chances. Um, you're bound to score. Now I will say uh um Alicia Gray has kind of been holding that team back a little bit recently with her scoring. She's there to score the basketball, and she hasn't been doing that. But I do like Atlanta to be in the finals this year.

SPEAKER_01 13:08

Oh, uh also, shout out before I let you go. Shout out to uh Sophia Cunningham for having meme of early uh meme of the year candidate. Huge meme of the year candidates.

SPEAKER_02 13:20

The point, we all seen the point, right? Yeah, go ahead, kid.

Are The Indiana Fever Contenders

SPEAKER_02 13:24

All right, so you as Dion. I'm an Indiana Fever fan. Like I said, we we close to Louva. And I well, I grew up as an Indiana Pacers fan, then obviously I just migrated it over to being a fever fan. Let me ask you, how do you feel about my team's potential? Because for me, when uh when Kaitlin, as Deion talked about how great her the ability to set up the other scores, whether it's Aaliy Boston or Kelsey Mitchell, when she plays that role, we are very successful. But when she's taking too many shots, we we tend to fall back. That's just from my perspective. What do you think? Do you do you think we are a title contender? Contender?

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Um I don't think you're a title contender yet. You have the ability to be. I think Indiana, Indiana Fever have the ability to be title contenders. They have way too much talent on that team to not be title contenders. But it all relies on what it all lies on Caitlin Clark. Is she going to play defense? Because just like like I like I compared her to James Harden, the Cleveland Cavaliers, they had a lot of talent, but defense shows that you you need that defense. And you like you said, you she's shooting you out of game sometimes. If she can just be a facilitator, that's it. Shoot when you're open, just be a facilitator, they will win games. They need to run that office through Kelsey Mitchell. And until that happens, they won't win a championship.

SPEAKER_02 15:05

Yeah, no, you. I mean, you're right. I say that every game. It hurts, it hurts to hear people talking bad about my team, but you're right when you're right, so I gotta ride with it.

SPEAKER_01 15:14

I just got two more questions for you, Lamato.

2027 Draft Debate JuJu Vs Size

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Uh, basically, top of the league stuff and bottom of the league. First, we're gonna start with the bottom of the league and the upcoming draft in 2027 knows a long way away. But there's two stars that potentially are number one overall picks. You got Juju Watkins, we know who she is from USC 6'2. She's coming off in the ATL, but you see, between her and forgive me if I bet you her name, uh Zhang Zai, uh 7'4 center from China. Nil. Juju's great, excellent player. Now, projected, she's projected to go number one. But 7'4. You don't find that. So, what are your thoughts on like, because it looks like it's gonna be between one of them two. Who do you feel like should be the number one overall pick?

SPEAKER_00 16:02

The number one overall pick, hands down, goes to Juju Watkins. She reminds me of a Kobe Bryant. If you want to compare WNBA to NBA, she is a competitor, she is she's got that mamba mentality. There was a game, I don't know which game it was, but she it she shot terribly. She, after that game, stayed in the gym for hours and put up over a hundred shots. And that next game, she broke a record for points in the game. Like that's that, that's a beast mentality right there, you know, and that's that mamba mentality. And I think that's that's what's gonna separate her from everyone else. 7-4 is great, but there's a Sean, who is it, Sean Bradley, who was in the NBA, who was seven foot something, you know, just because you're tall don't mean you're gonna be good. And um, I actually think the second best player in this draft, if she declares for the draft, which I think she will, is Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame. Um she's a beast defensively, and her offensive game is starting to improve. I think she's the number two pick, and maybe um Jiang goes number three. But um, like I said, having a big like that in the paint is a huge advantage. But if you can't move um and you can't shoot, it really doesn't do you much other than just you know a room protector, just somebody who's standing there, kind of protected the room and grabbing rebounds. Um, so I think that Hannah Hidalgo is the second best player in this draft. Will Jang could Jang be drafted higher than her just due to her size? There's a possibility because that's a huge advantage at 7-4. I don't think there's anybody. I think um Han Zhu is the tallest player in the WNBA right now. Um, and that's severely taller than her. So uh I think uh that's a huge advantage for any team to have her, but the right team needs to have her in order for her to be successful.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Gotcha. So let's go ahead and let's move back to

Finals Predictions And Dark Horses

SPEAKER_01 17:56

the top of the league. Uh obviously, the Commissioner Cup is happening right now. The New York Liberty is up on the aces by three points at the end of the third quarter. But let's talk about who's gonna win the whole thing. Obviously, the dream, they are 12-7. The Liberty is right behind them in the Eastern Conference. The Lynx is dominating the West. Also the Aces. Those are the four teams I feel like have big contenders. Absolutely. Cut Fever, they they they not too far behind. But those are the those are the those four teams that I see winning it all. How do you see it?

SPEAKER_00 18:27

Uh I see it the same way. Even though going state Valkyries, last time I checked, were third in the rankings. Yeah. Um, they uh they could be a dark horse there. But I do like Minnesota Lynx versus Atlanta Dream in the finals. Um, it could be Las Vegas in Atlanta Dream in the finals, but I do see Atlanta Dream as the best team on the East, and I do see them in the finals this year. Um, I think Caitlin, I mean, I think Angel Reese gets her championship this year. It's a huge possibility I put $100 in them to win it all this year. That's how confident that I am that Atlanta Dream has a chance to win that championship. Will I cash out if they make it to the finals? Possibly. Possibly. But um, I do like Minnesota right now with Olivia Miles. Like you said, she's an MVP candidate as a rookie. That says that that speaks volumes for them. Um, Minnesota, they still don't even have the Fisa Calier back. I could see Minnesota versus Atlanta Dream in the finals there. New York is always a contender, but they have been looking lackluster, very inconsistent this year. Sabrina Yoneski was having a great game tonight, but prior to tonight, she's done absolutely nothing coming back for her ankle injury. Um, without her being out there being this successful as she is tonight, I don't see New York being contenders for um a finals. So uh I think it's for I think it's Atlanta's dreams to take, and we'll see if they can get it done.

SPEAKER_02 19:53

Do you got anything else? Okay, yeah, I do.

Why WNBA Expansion Matters

SPEAKER_02 19:56

You talked about the Valkyries and they're third place right now. But I want to take a look at all the expansion. How do you feel about expansion so far in the WNBA? Has it hurt or has it helped?

SPEAKER_00 20:05

I love it. It's helped tremendously. There's so many good players uh in in women's basketball, and we're getting to see more of them with the expansion. Uh whereas this Philly team will come faster than 2030. But, you know, by the time by the time we get a team in Philly, it's probably gonna cost you $1,000 to sit courtside, like an NBA game, you know. But um, I am very excited for the expansion. You get to see players that you wouldn't normally see in the WNBA, and you also see players uh take over teams that you generally wouldn't see in the WNBA. Look at Marina Mabry. She put up 50 plus points in a game just a few nights ago. Um, Brittany Sykes, before her injury, was putting up 20 to 30 points. You wouldn't have seen things like that without this expansion. So it's great for the league because you're showing more talent in the league with the expansion. Now, does it hurt maybe financially? Because it costs a lot of money, which we know the league doesn't really have, to bring these teams on. It may hurt in the short run, but in the long run, it's going to pay dividends.

SPEAKER_02 21:13

Another one of my injured players. I feel like I was doing good. You brought up another one of my injured players. Yeah, I just can't cancel a break in this medicine.

Million Dollar Contracts And TV Exposure

SPEAKER_02 21:22

But last thing I want to ask you, because you said it a multi multitude of times in this, and we were talking on the podcast, a million-dollar woman. With the new revenue and all the things that's going on, when they are making a million dollars now. The contracts is bigger. There is more TV exposure. Of course, they're going to more games next year. But with the new money, how do you think that's going to help the women expand their brands or what they got going on? Because like you said, we made like Kelsey Mitchell just the same with Puma.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

Yeah, the the the final the finals got seven games now, I believe, this season, starting this season, right?

SPEAKER_00 22:01

I think I think that the league has they're at a at a a crossroad here and they could um severely take this league in one direction versus another. And um I think that they need to spread the love when it comes to their TV deals. The Indiana Fever has all 44 of their games televised, and they're not playing that well this year, um given their wins, losses. So that's a tough basket to put all your eggs. The new viewership are watching, you know, teams that aren't winning. Um, because it's not just Indiana Fever. Newark Liberty has a ton of ton of games this year televised, and they haven't looked the best. They did go on a nine-game winning streak. I want to put that out there. They did go on a nine-game winning streak, but they do look very inconsistent. Um, and the teams that are up there in TV, you know, in TV uh contracts are Indiana Fever, Dallas Wings. Dallas Wings are living up to their TV deal. I'll give them that. I wasn't too sure to start, but yes, they are living up to it. Um, LA Sparks, top five in TV deal. LA Sparks aren't even a playoff team uh at this point. Um, so they need to spread the love to the teams that it needs to be spread to. The Washington Mystics are a fan favorite. They have a lot of fan favorite players, very young team. I think these are the teams that need to be invested in moving forward, and that will take this league to another level. And I've also mentioned it on my TikTok. I don't know if you've caught these, Mr. Bell, but they need to have an orange carpet, okay, that's televised before the game. These girls can dress. You partner, you partner with some of these, with some of these houses, coach, you know, Versace. You know, you you you you partner with some of these brands. You do these tunnel fits, you know, have a show about this prior to the game. That's gonna break the that's gonna break the bank right there. That's gonna get you some money, you know. So these girls are already wearing the brands. Angel Reese, already wearing the brands. You bring these brands into the WNBA, it's an untapped market. They're making bank.

SPEAKER_02 24:18

So you need to express themselves more, more money for them. You know, I lined you up. I seen the TikTok.

SPEAKER_00 24:24

Yeah, so um, I think what the new contract is doing great for them to be able to promote the league a little bit more with them having more money. Um, but uh there's more to be done, and I think there's still there's still more markets to be tapped into. They did partner with the parent company of Coach prior to the draft, so that was huge. Uh that would that that was really big, and it it gave them gave lots of dividends there. Um, but I need them to be more inclusive with all the teams, and I think that would take them to new heights.

SPEAKER_01 24:55

So thank you a lot for you know smartness up with the WNBA.

Giannis To Miami And Fit Questions

SPEAKER_01 24:59

But you might be the WNBA guy, but you know a little something about NBA. We gotta talk about a little NBA, and it's the off-season draft is happening. Free agency just opened today, and a lot of trades has happened. Uh me and Q have talked about it in the past episode, but I would love to hear your thoughts on Giannis getting moved from Milwaukee to Miami. I'm not necessarily a Miami Heat fan, I grew up away fan, but so I call myself a pseudo-Heat fan. So I want to see how the Heat, how you feel like the Heat is going to improve with Giannis on the roster.

SPEAKER_00 25:31

Absolutely historic having Giannis and Bam in the paint. I mean, remember, Bam just put up the second most points scored in the game of all time, right? So um, you partner Giannis with Bam down there? That's tough. But also they gave up a lot, right? So can Norman Powell be that uh that shooter, that consistent shooter for them that's gonna, and then Davion Mitchell, can he run a team? Can he facilitate? You know, that's gonna be their starting point now, you know. So can Davion facilitate? Is Norman Powell gonna be that shooter that we need? Because we saw Giannis win a championship with just role players. He just had role players, right? People who can shoot. Miami just got Tim Hardaway today, I believe. So, you know, you're adding shooters around them. They could win a championship. They could win a championship with this team. I like it. Andrew Wiggins, though, I need a little bit more from Andrew Wiggins. Some consistency, but I think this could be a championship team.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

Emphasis on

Ja To Portland Kawhi Back North

SPEAKER_01 26:35

the consistency. Uh, Q, we're gonna slide you in on these, but I think these teams are probably not gonna necessarily win a championship, but we gotta talk about them because they got some traded, the Portland Trailblazers traded for Ja Moran, and then Toronto. They got their king back as uh Kawhi is going back to Toronto. Uh Q, I'm gonna let you go first. Talk about Ja Moran going to Portland and Kawhi going to Toronto. I don't think it doesn't, for me, from my perspective, it don't move the needle. I don't think that makes them championship contended, especially not Portland. Maybe Toronto can you know make a little noise, maybe they can flirt with the second round. But outside of that, I don't think these are just big moves for real.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Cool. So Kawhi to Toronto, I think that makes them an Eastern Conference, a finalist team. Like they could they could make the conference finals. They, if everything falls right, they could potentially make the finals. But I see them as the Eastern Conference Finals contender because of the simple fact. Scotty Barnes, we don't see it a lot because they up in Toronto. Scottie Barnes balls out. Emmanuel Killickley, he has his days, he has his moments, you know what I'm saying, where he could he helps the team. But you add Kawhi to that, and then you also got RJ Burr playing for his home country. I think I think that's going to help push them up a tier because you we talk about, we're gonna get to it. Lamelo got traded. Charlotte's gonna take a step back. So that's that's gonna be another team that's not gonna be in those playoffs contenders. And Kawhi played 60-something games last year. If he plays another 60 games in the Eastern Conference, in the Eastern Conference with Scotty Barnes, I feel like they have potential to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Portland, uh got too many point guards. Um, I don't know what y'all go with.

SPEAKER_00 28:22

They do have way too many point guards. That's what I that that was gonna be my take. Too many guards and not enough defense. No, no, not enough defense.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

Um at all. You gotta, but somebody drew out of those guards, Drew Hotelay plays defense. But Drew Holiday's the most out, dude. He's gonna be gonna have to go.

SPEAKER_00 28:41

He's definitely gonna get he gotta go. Or you you don't bring Drew off the bench, he has more value than that. He's bringing you something back if you trade him.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

So but you don't want to hurt Scoot Henderson's development.

SPEAKER_00 28:52

I think that's that's like I don't think Scoop, I don't think Scoot can develop.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

Okay, I mean you said it. I mean, I thought I saw something, I saw something in game one and two. After that, I ain't seen much from him, but game one and two, he looked all right.

SPEAKER_02 29:08

I think I I think Scoop's on the way out, too. I think uh I can see that you you can only you only read to keep three of those guards. You know you keep a job because you just got him. You know more than likely you keep a dame.

SPEAKER_00 29:23

Yeah, because he gotta keep Dane. That's his city. That's his city. You gotta keep Dane.

SPEAKER_02 29:28

Especially with I saw that the ownership, the new ownership is looking outside of Portland for a place to stay. You need Dane for good faith with the uh with the fans and everybody. So Dame ain't going nowhere. So that leaves you with Drew, um Henderson and Shaden Sharp. Who's their big um uh Klingon?

SPEAKER_00 29:51

Clingen, yes. I knew they had a young big Klingon.

SPEAKER_02 29:53

I think he's on. I think he's a restrict. I think he's a restricted. It's either this year or next year.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

He'll be a restriction. He gotta be next year, because I feel like he just got to the league.

SPEAKER_02 30:00

So and then you got um Danny Ognier.

SPEAKER_00 30:06

Dud.

SPEAKER_01 30:07

Dud, he's dud. He ain't showing.

SPEAKER_00 30:09

But no, he feels like he said no defense.

SPEAKER_01 30:10

He showed me a lot in that uh San Antonio series. He fought me.

SPEAKER_00 30:14

He fought, he had dog, but it wasn't enough.

SPEAKER_02 30:17

Do you trade? I saw this on Twitter. You know what I'm saying? Y'all can tell me what y'all think. That job morant trade looked like it was a setup to get Jalen Brand.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

I I saw I also saw that they since they got job morant, they nailed out, but I saw that to the price is dipping on Jalen Brown because we know y'all want to get rid of him. Why would I why would I give you a dollar for a dollar when you want to get rid of them? Give me you can give 40 cents on a dollar because you don't want him, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_00 30:45

Why would you not? I mean, maybe Jalen Brown doesn't want to be there anymore. Um I mean, if you keep talking putting me in trade talks, I don't want to be there and keep it. Yeah, because I think I think he's Batman on that team. I think he's Batman on that team. And Jason Tatum dropping. I I think he is uh a way better player than you make him out to be.

SPEAKER_01 31:05

Especially after JT coming from Achilles, you should keep Jalen Brown.

SPEAKER_00 31:09

That's your insurance policy, right? If something happens to Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown is your insurance policy. I think the bouncing around, these superstars bouncing around from team to team every year, is doing a league of disjustice. Um it's it's it Jalen Brown going to Portland still doesn't, I don't think, move the needle for them. Um I don't I don't I don't know if it's coaching, I don't know if it's just identity. I don't see Portland as a championship team. Um, they need something way more than a Jalen Brown, they need like a Giannis or something like that in order for that team to be um a championship team, my thing with Jalen, if Jalen won't Jalen probably won't sell because let's think about it.

SPEAKER_02 31:51

He's been going, he's been in every trade talk he's in it, whether it was Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, now with uh uh Giannis. He's been in trade talks since he got drafted. And then you telling me again, everybody tells me that Jason Tatum is so much better than me. Why would I want to stick around on this team? I saw when y'all said this was gonna be a gap year last year, and you saw what I did, you saw what I was capable of of getting us to the playoffs. Even though Jason Tatum came back towards the end of the season, he rushed back, but then he still had to miss time in the playoffs. So Jalen Brown, I feel disrespected and I won't out. You can't be mad at him, you can't be mad at him for won't out.

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Not unless they're trying to put that exit against Philly on his shoulders, but Derek White didn't show up for that team in the in the playoffs. Um, I don't think you could put that solely on his shoulders, but given the the severe trade talks post you know uh that last season, um it seems to be that maybe that's the case, that they're putting that loss against Philly on Jalen Brown's shoulders and now they want him out.

SPEAKER_02 32:59

Jalen Brown ain't helping himself by going on stream saying this is my favorite year either. He ain't helping himself in the situation, yeah. Yeah, that's true too.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Yeah, he's not that's true too. Now I I wouldn't be mad at him coming to Philly, though. I think JB in Philly. We need help.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

But but uh speaking of trades that may have possibly moved the needle, you know, Q brought it up a

LaMelo To Minnesota And Roster Holes

SPEAKER_01 33:22

little bit. Lamella balls going from the Charlotte Hornets, he's going to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The memes and Twitter stuff has been hilarious because they basically said the PR person's gonna have their hands full of whatever. But it's gonna be a crazy backcourt, gonna be an exciting backcourt. Minnesota also did get rid of uh Jalen uh Julius Randle. They send him off to uh what what I like to call we just try to get rid of your salary cap to Brooklyn Nets.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:52

But I'm gonna start out with you, Lamar. How do you feel Lamelo ball going to the Minnesota uh Timberwolves year? Do you think that it's it's the West now? The West is tough. You think this can maybe push them over OKC or San Antonio?

SPEAKER_00 34:05

Not with them getting rid of Nas Reed, too.

SPEAKER_01 34:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:08

Um, you got rid of Julius and Nas. I mean, you know what Lamelo does. He assists the basketball. He's gonna give you some threes. Um, he can put the team on his back offensively, but that's what Anthony Edwards is there for. Um, I think you're you're cutting LaMelo off at the knees there, getting rid of Julius Randle and Nas Reed. Um Jaden McDaniels is a good power forward, but is he good enough? I don't I don't think that to be true. Rudy Gobert is clumsy, lazy, and a little bit toxic.

SPEAKER_02 34:39

Umxic, too. I mean, he is a great defender, though.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

I do what he is a great defender, though, but that's not helping Lamelo ball, you know? So um I don't think he's in a situation for him to do what we're used to watching him do. Um, he had Brandon Miller over in Charlotte, he had Kobe White over in Charlotte. I mean, those are two really great players for them. Um I uh not having Julius Randle and Nazareth, I just think hurts him a little bit too much. I hope the best for Lamello. He could be in a in a good situation, but um I don't see it. I'm not gonna be able to see it until I see it. Um with them losing those two players.

SPEAKER_02 35:28

What's your thoughts? Jaden McDaniels is small four. He can't he don't have the build to play power four. He got the height to play body power four, but he ain't got the size to play power four. So it's not you need to keep him at small four. Uh especially also it helps because LaMelo ain't gonna play no defense.

SPEAKER_00 35:47

Nah.

SPEAKER_02 35:48

We talked about Caitlin Clark out earlier.

SPEAKER_00 35:50

You're absolutely right. Great.

SPEAKER_02 35:51

Lamelo ain't gonna play no defense. And he's six, he's six seven, he's tall, but he ain't playing no defense.

SPEAKER_01 35:56

Anthony. And that's just because of his wingspan.

SPEAKER_02 36:03

It ain't because he actually be you you get a wing, if you if your wingspan long enough, you might tap a ball or two here and there because of the fact you your arm there. Uh they do need they're gonna have to get a actual power forward. If they get an actual power forward, I ain't Rui from the Lakers. That could work. That Rui would be that's a great.

SPEAKER_00 36:23

I love that. Rui in Minnesota is a perfect fit. Perfect fit. And with LeBron leaving, that could possibly happen.

SPEAKER_02 36:33

Well, we got to get there too.

SPEAKER_00 36:35

Yeah, well, I'm sorry, it might have jumped the gun a little bit, mentioned. Yeah, no, perfect, but time, but you mentioned Rui. It made me think that Rui would be a great actor in Minnesota.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

That's actually perfect time, LeBron, because we do got to talk about King James

LeBron’s Next Team And Legacy Talk

SPEAKER_01 36:48

LeBron. Oh, he'll be 42 next season, but he's he said he's going to play this year, but it won't be with the Law Centers or Lakers. The Lakers didn't put out a thank you note. So he's done. LeBron apparently told Rich Paul, his agent, all options is on the table. Uh you know, scour the land high or far. So basically all teams is open, but a lot of people just think it's between the Golden State Warriors, the Kevin Cavaliers, and the Mommy Heat. That's what most people think. But hey, apparently all teams are optional Lamont. Who you who do you think he's gonna go and who do you think he should go to?

SPEAKER_00 37:25

So I don't really talk about the NBA too much on uh on my my my TikTok, but uh you would I was I'm not a huge LeBron. I I I I think that LeBron, what he does with his longevity and being the successful, he might be one of the aliens that the government's talking about. The fact that he's doing this at 42 is absolutely insane. Um I don't I don't know what he's gonna provide at age 42. Uh he didn't get it done. He got it done once in eight years with the Lakers, and that was in the bubble. Um I I don't know what he's gonna give to a team. He would probably, you thought he's going to a big, a big organization, right? And maybe one he hasn't played in before. Going to Golden State would be would do a disservice to his legacy. I don't think he should go to Golden State and play with Steph Curry at all. Um, going back to Cleveland is a possibility. Retirement tour in his hometown, possibility. Miami just got Giannis and they got bam. They got more things to worry about than getting um LeBron James right now. They got a good core, they don't need to mix things up by putting somebody who wants to be captain on that team. Let Giannis be captain on that team. I do think, though, I'm being a little bit biased, even though I'm not the biggest LeBron fan, maybe Philly. You gotta think about big organizations, right? That's where he's gonna go to. Philly's a sports town. You know, New York, I would say, is a sports town too, but they just won a championship, so maybe not New York. So I really think it might come down to Cleveland or Philly.

SPEAKER_02 39:06

Okay. So you took you took exactly what I was gonna say. Great man's thing alike. I know the everybody just assumes he's going to go to the state. So I'm gonna assume he's going to go to state, but it does hurt his legacy. Because it reminds me of Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler and all of them going down to Houston at the end of their careers. And they they just to be honest, they didn't get it done. Or more recently, Gary Payton, my dog, the glove, and Carl Malone going to join up with Shaq McKobe. It they didn't get it done. If LeBron goes to teams with Steph, especially the way that they wanted to get it done, LeBron comes in and then they do this somehow to get this magical trade for Anthony Davis, even though the Washington Wizards is like, we're not trading Anthony Davis. But if they get this magical trade, it's all the OGs, all the O heads becoming on the same team. I'm not 100% sure that's going to win them championship. And it, like I said, it hurts his legacy because in fact it's going to be like everybody's gonna say, well, Isaiah Thomas never played with uh Michael Jordan, Larry Bird never played with magic.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

You know, it's gonna people gonna talk, but the same way they talked about Kevin Durant when he lost 3-1 to Golden State and then went and played with Golden State, it's the same tarnish. The same tarnish.

SPEAKER_02 40:21

It's gonna regardless. I wouldn't be mad, I wouldn't be mad at Minnesota. I know that's crazy, and I don't know if they have the month, the bread for it. But what LeBron at this stage, he can just focus on being a dude in the corner shooting threes and playing defense. I wouldn't be mad at Minnesota. I would, I think Cleveland makes the most sense. Let's just be honest. In the last year, you go back home. The team, they he will fit there. He'll slide right in and be able to give them a perimeter somebody who, if he wants to, because he is 42, if he wants to, play for him the defense.

SPEAKER_00 40:58

You have to take a massive pay cut, though.

SPEAKER_02 41:00

I and I think at this point he don't care about the money. I mean, if you I would think so.

SPEAKER_00 41:04

He don't care about the money.

SPEAKER_01 41:06

He shouldn't have to care about the money, but hey, maybe he does. But his legacy, to me, his legacy is stamped. They're not gonna think no more of him. They might think less him if he do, but they definitely not. He he cannot. So if some people that don't have him above Michael Jordan, no matter what he does, these next season or two that he plays, they're not gonna have him above Michael Jordan. Or if there's people that have above Michael Jordan, does not like he can't go no further than Michael Jordan. He can, he's already got the most points in NBA history, so that's not much he can do. I know retirement's probably on the table, but I would be shocked if Adam Silver was like, I need this, uh, I need this uh last dance tour, man, because that's that money. That's a lot of money.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

But we need a solid retirement tour. It was like speculation of a retirement tour last year. Yeah, right. He comes out and says, This is my last year. That's doing numbers for the league. But they they need that. Um, so yeah, I hope he doesn't retire like this, but um I would like to see him retire on top with the with the fixers because we need. I feel like we're cursed. Ever since we traded Iverson, I feel like Philly's been cursed. So y'all have some good seasons.

SPEAKER_01 42:16

Y'all need to go back to them uh the black uniforms. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 42:21

Them black uniforms are tough. I've always been a fan of the black uniforms. I got a couple, couple uniforms, you know, up in the attic uh from the good old days with the Sixers. But um yeah, just we we do bad contracts, you know, like giving Tobias Harris 24 million a year, um, giving Joel Embiid ridiculous amounts of money, paying Ben Simmons, not using, you know, um Tyrese Maxie early on in the in his career, uh, getting terrible coaches. Uh it's just we go after names in Philly rather than talent. And we and when we do get talent, we trade them away. So, i.e. Jared McCain. But you know, uh it's it's tough in Philly.

SPEAKER_01 43:05

Yeah.

Guest Plug And Listener Question

SPEAKER_01 43:06

But uh thank you, Lamont, for joining us for from my perspective. Uh, you call yourself the WNBA guy on TikTok. Is there anything else you would like to plug?

SPEAKER_00 43:15

Uh no, nothing else that I would like to plug. Just uh follow if you want to follow your boy on TikTok, your WNBA guy. Um, I love talking about the NBA. I don't bring to you just the usual names. I'll talk about so many people people in the WBA. I bring you player matchups, game matchups, stats, perspectives, my perspective on what's going to happen in these games. Um, so if you're if you're looking to get into the WNBA or if you're into the WNBA, give me a follow. I'd appreciate it. And uh thank you so much, Dion and uh Mr. Bell for bringing me on. Uh, I've had a great time talking with you guys tonight.

SPEAKER_01 43:50

Thank you again. We'll love to have you back. But go ahead, guys, like, subscribe, leave a comment in the comment section. Let us know who you think will win the WNBA championship this year. Please thank you. Go ahead and hit that link in the bio for merch. I'm your boy Dion. Q, go ahead and take us home.

SPEAKER_02 44:05

Man, you already know the vibes show boy. Mr. Bell, aka say your name up on this pie. Might not with you tomorrow. We're gonna get y'all holler at y'all on the next one. Y'all be careful about her.