INSANE NBA Debate Over NBA Finals 65 Game Rule & More!!

We argue about the NBA’s 65-game rule until it turns into a full-on fight over what fans are actually buying. We land on the messy truth that load management, award voting, and player incentives are all tangled together, then pivot to Wemby and the Knicks vs Spurs Finals.

• Fan-first case for a 65-game minimum tied to All-NBA and MVP eligibility 
• Legacy and NBA history as something fans care about and argue over forever 
• Luka’s 64-game season as the clearest edge case for fairness 
• How load management changed across eras and why the post-pandemic dip matters 
• Whether injuries should be treated differently than rest nights 
• Why media voting and narratives helped force the league into a hard rule 
• Wembanyama, health risk, and what “availability” should mean for awards 
• Knicks vs Spurs Finals swing points and why Game 4 feels pivotal 
• Spurs future-building with young talent and draft assets 
• What we’re watching this summer: the draft, free agency, and Lakers rumors

Please check out their channels and subscribe if you can. If you want to subscribe to mine, that's fun.

Transcript

Welcome Back Gerald Glassford

SPEAKER_01 0:08

All right, guys, thank you so much and welcome. This is Stefan Piscano with the Stefan Piscano podcast. Got my main man Gerald Glassford back with us again here today from Lakers Fast Break, host of the Lakers latest and founder and host of Pop Culture Cosmos, which I've really enjoyed watching lately. Some fun stuff on that channel as well. It took me a while to get into watching YouTube. He's one of the best. So if you're a subscriber to me and you haven't subscribed to Lakers Fast Break or what Gerald's doing, please go and do so.

SPEAKER_02 0:37

Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 0:38

So, Gerald, I missed you last week. We were going to do an interview for your show, and I suck, so I missed it. And then I just texted you and you were kind enough to because you're just always ready. You're like Cody. I wouldn't say that you're always ready to go.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

You caught me at a good time. I had just finished a conversation with a one of my regular writers that I speak to on MBA observations, and it just got off the connection with him and was able to go ahead and speak to you today. So it's always it's always good to go ahead and and you know what? I'm undefeated in our conversation. I feel like you know you lost on that. You never I love I love because your your idea of winning is like, okay, Gerald, I see your point, and I'm gonna change the subject. That's what you do. You consider that a win. You never came up with an you kept never came up with a good argument because for history of five games. You can't you can't say to the consumer, you never found a way to go ahead and say, Gerald, here's my alternative that's gonna go ahead and help the consumer. You you never found a way. You never did. You were on history, you're all blah blah blah. History doesn't pay your bills. History, history doesn't pay your bills. Gerald is for history,

Fans Pay When Stars Sit

SPEAKER_02 2:05

history doesn't pay the bills. History, you know, your name in the record books doesn't mean squat. Your your legacy, your legacy doesn't pay for the average fan to go into and watch these games. And if they're their player that they came all the way from another state or miles away, or the one game a year that they go ahead and go ahead and watch, and they're out resting. You never came up with a good argument for it. My argument is my argument is the fans. My argument is for the fans.

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Your argument is purely an emotional argument. No, it's a financial one.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

It's a financial one, it's a financial one. You you you get your wallet, you pay money, and now we're talking about oh by the way, do you have a hundred and twenty thousand dollars for seats at the I heard I heard 180, was what I heard. Uh uh 120 is what I saw on yes, Stub Hub was the one.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

I just I was on the scap attack thing last night, and they were saying 180, but I haven't looked it up.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

So I'm selling the night before, two tickets uh in the section right next to midcourt, right next to first row those guys. Yes, 120,000 for two seats. That's what I that's what I was able to come up with on Stub Hub the night before.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

So again, you know what, Gerald, I'm starting to see how you're like my wife here, not in a weird way. But this is what when we have an argument, this is what she does. She accuses me of the thing that she I'm just telling you.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

I'm telling you, you change the subject. I you you no, you've not won an argument yet. You've not won. I am undefeated. It's always great to come on the show because I am undefeated. Because you can't you can't win when I bring logic to the conversation. You're not bringing Gerald, you're bringing emotional. You're bringing this legacy and all this stuff. Oh, that's great legacy. It's not, it's not legacy and emotion. You're not. I'm bringing hard facts that let me let me ask you this. Yeah, you bring your emotion to a fan that says, Okay, that was great. Then my favorite player.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

I'm a fan, right?

SPEAKER_02 4:13

Okay, and so so I'm I'm great. Well, okay, so you're a fan, and you go to a game, and your favorite players that you pay good hard money to see are resting. I'm sure you're gonna be driving home with your legacies right there in the back seat on the way home.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

You and your legacies can go ahead and have two things, two things. Here's what it comes

Kobe Legacy And Award History

SPEAKER_01 4:30

down to. Number one, the legacies are for us fans, too. No, no, no, because I love Kobe Bryant. You know, I love Kobe Bryant.

SPEAKER_02 4:40

Well, you can see I have a certain affinity for him too.

SPEAKER_01 4:44

It's pretty obvious. I'm not saying you don't, but my point is Kobe being slided by the media.

SPEAKER_02 4:52

How is he being slided by the media? He's considered one of the greatest to ever play the game. He's legendary. The fact, the fact you're going to see him in about a hundred years on somebody's t-shirt or somebody's well, so you and I all so I've got Kobe number two all the time.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

I think you told me you have number four off the top of my head. Is that right?

SPEAKER_02 5:10

I I don't remember. He's in the top five for me.

SPEAKER_01 5:12

Top five, so that's good. You got him in the top five. I have respect, but there's idiots and media entities trying to put him out of the top ten, which is respectfully insane.

SPEAKER_02 5:24

And again, again, it's here's what it's somebody's opinion. It's somebody's opinion. Just like you thought Luca was the MVP, the yet the NBA voters didn't think so.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

So again, you're you're fired up today. I'm glad I bugged you. I'm just telling you when I send you the text, I'm like, he's probably not gonna reply.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

I'm just telling you how it is. Again, on your show, I always got to tell you how it is because I'm undefeated.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

I'm just trying to impress a search and destroy because he said I beat you in the uh he's just being nice to you.

SPEAKER_02 5:52

He knows where his bread is buttered. So he's just he's unfortunate. He knows team Piscado. He he's not he knows the truth. He knows the truth that you can't you don't have an argument for 65 games because you can say that to the consumer. I am for the consumer that pays their that pays their hard-earning money for these players to see these players.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

Well, so that's where I was going with that before you rudely interrupted me. You know, here the legacies matter to the fans, and if Kobe had not been accurately so Kobe, I think off this is uh this might probably is wrong because off the top of my head, I think combined all NBA defensive teams and NBA teams. I think he has 27, which is probably wrong because it's off the top of my head, but that would be tied for the most in history. So you can look at fact check me if you want while I'm talking about it because I know it's okay, it's it's a roundabout. Let's just go it's definitely a roundabout because he had 12 defensive, and I think he had 15 just all NBA. So I think it's around 27, it might be more. Either way, the point is that's a key argument I have as a Kobe fan when I'm listening to these idiots that try to put LeBron or others ahead of Kobe that I can point to. If there was some weird rule that, based on some anomaly for an injury he had when he broke his eye socket or you know, whatever it may be, that he didn't make three or four of those all NBA teams, he wouldn't have that and it wouldn't be an accurate depictation of NBA history. It isn't for him, it's for me. I care about it more than he does. I'm the fan.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

It's weak again. If you've got a player that plays 50 games, that's not that's 30 games missed. So you don't care, you don't care. I care about the consumer, I care about the fan and what then how they go ahead and be have the ability to see games. You don't care about the consumer, it's clear in your mind. I am the consumer. You are then you need to care, then you need to realize that the 65 game rule it's not perfect, but it sure is better than your alternative. Well, and live on the legacies, live off live on live on Kobe and his memory and whatnot. That's your that's what you're saying, and that's the weak part about it because of however great Kobe is, and however great a career, Kobe doesn't matter how many all-star teams, how many MVPs, he is always going to be considered one of the greatest greatest to ever play the game because you watch the game by everybody because you watch the game, but in every year, there should be a standard by which these athletes have to go ahead and maintain, and a 65-game rule, or if it's a 60-game rule, needs to be, or whatever the rule kind of rule it needs to be said, needs to be set for because the fact is if you don't have it in today's, and you're talking about Kobe. See, this is where you're wrong, and again, I get you every time in Kobe's days, they had a different mindset and ideal about when they should rest and when they not, and when they do not. Now, with the advent of what, of course, what they did with the Spurs and the and the you know, as far as resting and after Kobe's time has come and gone, there's a different mentality in today's. And you're not uh, and you we both admit that, and you'll admit that there's a different mentality since Kobe's left about how they approach the and of course, see, that's why you have to have checks and balances so that the consumer gets the product they rightly deserve. And that's again, you don't have an argument for it. You live off the past, I'm just gonna be able to do that. I live off I am based in the present, and what I see, and again, what I see is the fact is I see a lot of players that if they were not did not have this rule in place, would be playing in a lot less games, and the fans and the consumer would be less beneficial for it.

SPEAKER_01 9:36

In the product, you've had a soft ass weak generation for the last 10 years. Oh, here we go. Here we go. No, that's what you're saying. I'm agreeing with you. You're right.

SPEAKER_02 9:45

I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm just telling you the facts. No, you just said generations or a larger argument or anything. Let me know when you're ready to be cooked. I've got ready to cook. You haven't cooked yet. You haven't even started in any of our shows. You've got you haven't even turned on the oven. You haven't even turned the pan is still in the the pan's still in the cupboard. You can't oh my gosh, you can't even cook if you had a microwave in front of you. But anyway, speaking of that, speaking of that, again, you have not found a way to tell the consumers paying their own.

SPEAKER_01 10:20

You went on you went on a diet tribe on it's coming, you know what's coming.

SPEAKER_02 10:24

You went on a diet tribe on Kobe. Yeah, you're using Kobe's name as it's like it's this again. Kobe was the one of the greatest of all time.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Whether he played and we didn't have to worry about this rule with Kobe because you didn't because it's a different mindset.

SPEAKER_02 10:39

This is for today's game, this is for now. Yes, so you admit it. You admit I'm right that you need some checks and balances. I'm telling you that we needed it.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

I'll give you one too. Here's a hug. You never take my hugs.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

I can't give you, I give you one on. No, don't give me. I gave you one on air. I gave me one on there. You gave me one. I and I say I appreciate yes. Well, okay, so Joe Joe gets uncomfortable around man hugs, you know how he gets. So, yes. Well, Joe, yeah, no, yeah, because he gives you that look.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

So he has a lot of good looks, he has a lot of funny looks. So I agree with you that we did need it, and I told you this when we debated it on your show. Then initially, I was excited about it initially when it came. I'm not excited, I'm not thrilled that you have to implement this. I know, but I was like, Oh, good, make these idiots play because, like I said, on your show, the season's uh right after the pandemic, LeBron made all NBA second team playing 45 games for a team that missed the play in. That's insane. Jimmy Butler, like I said on your show before, made all NBA third team playing 55 games for a mediocre team in the regular season. So, yes, they needed it. What you had is you had Cob yet. Obviously, we don't even need to talk about the 80s and the 90s where everybody played 77, 82, 81 games all the time. But Kobe's generation, yes, agreed, was the last generation that just played no matter what. Broken ice, like you had to pull them off the court. There's not now that this is what

Load Management Then And Now

SPEAKER_01 12:15

I'm getting to. There's this weak little period, which is about 10 years. Ironically, I don't think it really has anything to do with it. Weird coincidence, though. Right after Kobe retired from about 2018 onward, which by the way, the first time, do you know when the first time that the word load management, the term load management was used on an injury port was? I'm assuming it's with the Spurs because they initiated that's what everybody thinks. The first time the term load management was used was when LeBron his first season playing with us with the Lakers, he came back after that groin injury after missing like 17 games. He played the first team game, I think, against like the Utah Jazz, and then he set out the next game against the Kevin Durant, Steph Curry Warriors for load management. That was the first time it was ever used. This little LeBron, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Steph Curry, load management generation from 2017, 2025. And honestly, to give them a little credit, Gerald, if you look at the stats, look at how the game's play numbers tank right after the pandemic. Honestly, if we want to give them a little bit of credit, like even people like Giannis that was playing 75 plus games every year after the pandemic, it's all 50s and 60s. So that had something to do with it.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

So we didn't it's funny though, because when you Google it, it still gives credit to the Spurs in 2012. So Google, because I've checked, I've fact-checked myself on this. Yeah, I'm just right here. It's right here. First, load management in the MBA. I already did it. It's right there, it's right there. But all right, go ahead. Google load management.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

I just did Ron James, Golden State Warriors, 2018.

SPEAKER_02 13:57

First time load management used in the NBA, and it comes up right there. That's again give me a date in a game. It says because I can give you a game in 2012 when Greg Popich and the San Antonio's first sat out there three stars labeled as during a regular season game against the Miami Heat. So no, that was just widely known as again. Well, you I'm telling you, I'm talking about okay. Go to Seattle. This is just for us. I'm not even gonna air this.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Go talk to go talk to Google on that one. Hold on, I'm gonna show you right now because I've got a screenshot of it.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Well, I've got I've got this right here. I mean, I can send you the link that what in the search link right here as well.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

Oh, I I don't doubt that a generic article says that.

SPEAKER_02 14:38

But you're still again, you know what are you relating all this, and you still haven't found a way to go ahead and talk to the fans about how is is there a better way for the fans to go ahead and ensure they see the players they they would they came to see, and you you haven't you haven't figured out a way to round that. You haven't been able to walk or dance around that that prospect. And it it you you can't rely on Kobe's legacy or the legacies before, it's a different word, it's a different age. You just you just can't you you can't find a many.

SPEAKER_01 15:13

I'm jumping back in on you here. I'm jumping back in on you here, Jar. Let me ask you a question. When Luca got traded to us, you were happy, right?

SPEAKER_02 15:22

Uh I mean, I have a video relating to that, so I mean, I'm happy. You were happy. I was on the air. I mean, I have actual proof of how I felt on that.

SPEAKER_01 15:33

I know, I mean, we were all happy. Yes. Did you hear ad nauseum, which is nothing wrong with it, but did you hear constantly the media ESPN Fox Sports One, probably you guys, maybe I don't know, Bill Simmons talking about when the trade happened. I'm allergic to Bill Simmons. So I'm kind of starting to not like him too, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_02 15:54

He's a Celtics lover, and I'm sorry, I can't get with Clippers lover. So yes, yeah. He loves the Celtics and the Clippers. So I'll let you know. Yeah, he is like your kryptonite, isn't he? I didn't even think about that, but you're right.

SPEAKER_01 16:04

He's both those are two, those are two places. Yes. When I want to hear something like that. Do you hate Pearl Jam too? He he loves Pearl Jam. You're probably answering.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

Oh no, Pearl Jam, they created Seattle Seattle Rock. Although Soundgarden is a little bit more my jam.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

So Soundgarden, I got some stories about SoundGarden, but anyway. Yes, uh Black Hole Sun. Yes, that's it. Yeah. Now you got me sides. This is what you do is you sidetrack when I'm about to make a point. But anyway, when Luca got traded to us, how many times do you think that you heard he's one of only three players in NBA history or whatever the number is to make first team all NBA five times in their first six seasons? You heard that sound a lot, right?

SPEAKER_02 16:44

I'm sure that yes, yes. I'm sure we all have. Okay, so trying to get to a point.

Luka’s 64 Games And Eligibility

SPEAKER_01 16:50

Okay. My point is this season. We agree. You and I agree. Luca was one of the I think he was top two or three best in the NBA. You definitively think top four, right?

SPEAKER_02 17:03

Oh, I think he was number three. I think uh personally slightly ahead of Jokic. I think it's a little bit of down, although Jokic had a triple-double. But again, it's if you base it off of sheer win percentage, and who was Denver finished ahead of the Lakers. So again, 3-4, 4-3. It doesn't, it it's really is nominal. We're we're really talking about nominal when it comes right down to it. Well, the the top four players in the MVP finished exactly where they finished in the Western Conference standard.

SPEAKER_01 17:30

Well, by the way, when we can we can get to all that if you ever let me get off of the 65 game stuff. But well, I'm just I'm just telling you, this season, Luca played 64 freaking games. He gets injured. This was none of or I don't know if any of it was due to rest. He had the two games for the child. He did have some rest.

SPEAKER_02 17:48

He had the one for the tech, and then he had the injuries. He they did have some rest games.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

He had it, he probably had one or two that were maybe let's call it three tops for rest. We agree. So he played 64 games.

SPEAKER_02 18:00

There was one particular one against the Oklahoma City Thunder. We were kind of, I believe, I agree. San Antonio gets the Spurs. It was a clear rest of the whole time. Yes. Yes, that's the day we almost went to the bottom. That's what I told you.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Two hour black. Yes. So yes, one day. Yes. I stand by that. That would I actually think you might get some decent. Well, you remember the one time just by accident, I think John Costor or Joe or somebody, your it was just on after it was done for like six hours.

SPEAKER_02 18:28

Oh, yeah, yeah. That's what happens when you let let the uh let the guys run the asylum. But I was not there, but yeah, it did.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

But it just was streaming, and I was on, and we were like, hey, this and we people still were noticed that.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

I and I made the I yeah, I I I I I I know of as what you speak, yes.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

But anyway, my point is, Gerald, our team, our guy now, Luca, he missed this threshold by one game. You know, I know, everybody knows he deserves to be. He is a factual player, and they they let him in, but what if they didn't? Then he's not even an all-NBA third team player. That's not an actual depictation of what happened in his career, and that doesn't just hurt him, that hurts the fans. That hurts me.

SPEAKER_02 19:15

How does that hurt how does it how does it hurt you?

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Because I want my guys to be so.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Is he still gonna head to the fan? Is he still gonna head to the hall of fame if he had not been well?

SPEAKER_00 19:28

Chris Bosch is in the hall of fame, pal gas something.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

So that the answer is yes, there. Did he get a world title out of it this season? No, he didn't get it.

SPEAKER_01 19:37

Well, and and that's okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:39

So let's transition. Let's just again I'm winning I won this argument. Let's just accept that you lost, I won. I how could I I did lose? You'd never you never gave me a good answer. Yeah, I I've I've won all the arguments.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Let's make the fans happy. That's your only again.

SPEAKER_02 19:54

Rob Palenka is an average GM and you know very inconsistent, and the 65 game rule, unless you could find something better. I just I just gave hey, you know you gave a poor excuse.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

It's like it's like it's an excuse for you don't care. You you just you're telling me that all that matters is what's the fans watching with our eyes at that moment is the fans is well.

SPEAKER_02 20:19

I all that matters to me, all that matters. No, you're not in your don't put words in my mouth. I said all that matters to me is what the fans are able to see as a product, and I want and expect to see the greatest players in the world play as many times as they're how do you know who the greatest? So what if what if the t the if I'm gonna take time out of my day to commit to through two hours and two and a half hours for a game and two and maybe up to two and a half hours to talk about that game, I expect the Lakers to have their best foot forward in every possible fashion in possible. This season, right here, 25.

SPEAKER_01 21:00

No, you just not a walk-off, big dog.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

I'm I've dropped that mic, it's already dropped. No, I picked it up, I'm handing up. You can pick it up. I've already gone. I've already left to a standing oh.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

So there you go. I'm just telling you, this season, 25-26, Luca, Jokic, Wimby, Cade, SGA who won MVP, Edwards, who got he's one of the only ones who didn't get on in because he missed it by three, four. All of these players, six or seven, Giannis, seven of eight of the top players in the NBA were either not eligible for all NBA of any award of any kind, or they barely squeaked by by a couple of games. Jokic and Wimby were both uh in jeopardy right up to the final game of the season. Luca missed it by one game, SGA made it by I think three games off the top of my head. Edwards missed it outright, Cade missed it, but they accepted his appeal. So if We go that far deep. Do you want players like freaking? I mean, do you want Donovan Mitchell to be the MVP? Do you want him to be the MVP?

SPEAKER_02 22:13

First off, there was no danger of that happening.

SPEAKER_01 22:15

Well, no, there was because I just told you the top seven guys.

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Again, first of all, there's no there was no danger of that happening. Second of all, you just answered my question. You just answered my question for me because you indicated all those players had to play or made a great effort to try and get as close to or over the 65 game limit. Some of them got to the game. And had there not been a 65, and had there not been a 65 game in a rule in place, most of those players would have probably played considerably less games, which means a lot of those fans again. Yeah, see, that's true. That's a good point. That's why again you've not found a way around 65 points. I can acknowledge it because I and it isn't that's why you can't win this argument. I didn't say it's the perfect rule. But that's what it is. Yeah, because you just don't have an answer. I need to get some.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

If you can find an alternate rule for for this league that will make or uh encourage or force these players to punishing people that aren't the ones who created the problem, the people who created the problem is the LeBron, Jimmy Butler, Curry generation from about 2015 to 2023, 24.

Incentives, Injuries, And Voter Blame

SPEAKER_01 23:30

All of them are now aging out. These young players, Jokic, Luca, Wimby, Giannis, none of them were in jeopardy of the 65 game rule because of rest or load management. It was all legitimate injuries. So they're gonna be a good thing.

SPEAKER_02 23:51

Well, I mean 31. They're not they're not considered, they're both 10 years in the league. They're 10 years in the league. Is that a young player?

SPEAKER_01 23:59

Well, they're 10 years younger than LeBron and eight years younger than Steph. And five years younger than Jimmy Butler.

SPEAKER_02 24:06

Just five. Is Jimmy Butler 36 now? He's 35. I'm gonna have to figure out. 35 or 36. He's still again, it's not that far off from young Snit Kumpo, who's 31. So my point is this if you don't have if you don't have something in place for this league to go abide by, then it's going to go back to what it is, especially with the mentality that these teams have these days. It's not just the players you're talking about, it's the teams that allow these things to happen or are overprotective or whatever it is that you're the soft tissue injury prevention or whatever you want to go ahead and say and put into it. There are certain there are teams now. There's a certain mentality now to make sure that you don't put the player out there unless it's uh you know absolutely possible if there's anything conceivably wrong on a Tuesday night in February against a random game against Indiana.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

Honestly, honestly, do you think that the Sawimby played exactly 65 games this year, Victor Wiman? He would not have played 65 games. So you tell that's what I'm saying. I agree, but that's not what I'm asking you. Okay. Of the 17 games that he missed, how many of those 17 games do you think he missed for load management arrest? Uh, I think more than more than more than one, I could tell you. I know I know there's two that I can think of, but how many do you okay?

SPEAKER_02 25:37

So then again, that's right. And you would have had more load management days if not a 65-game rule in place. You would have had more. You just admitted that that Wemby would have missed more games, most likely for load management.

SPEAKER_01 25:50

Is that good that we've got a young superstar player that could be the face of the league now and certainly for the future of the NBA? That he risked injury coming back off the bench, playing a 25-minute, just this weird crap he had to do. Just and he said it himself. I posted video. You're talking about the is that good? So you want to risk this guy's career? You want to risk the future. He's not risking his.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

Oh, give me a break. He's not risking his career.

SPEAKER_01 26:18

You don't think that he came back early? You just said blood clots. Blood, no, you're risking his career. No, again, you're incorrect.

SPEAKER_02 26:25

You're incorrect again. You're blood clots are an issue that could affect the rest of his career. Okay, if he gets a hamstring pool, that's not affecting the rest of his career. You're you're you're equating one with the other when then that's when it shouldn't be the case. You're again trying to find reasons around something that's in place that helps the consumer. So you honestly don't care if we I care about the consumer. If you care if we have to do that, now listen to me. One one thing I'll tell you right now, it's gonna end your argument, Jalen Brown and this is gonna end your argument. Uh this is your obvious. You're good with it. If this is if this is gonna end your argument right here, and this is again another mic drop because again, I'm doing it to another scanning over as I'm doing it, and I keep throwing it right back in your face. So, one right now, I'm telling you right now, if all these guys care about is being eligible for the MVP and the 65 games it's good. They at least care about that, then they then they are putting it on themselves. They are also going in and say, you know what? I'm good enough to go. I'm good enough to go. So don't tell me they're risking injury and all that stuff. They want that MVP because they want all and everything that comes with it. So don't tell me that. Don't tell me that they are risking, don't make it like a sob story, like you're trying to put it. You're you're not it's not working again. The 65 if they couldn't make if they were too injured to not make the 65 games, then they wouldn't make the 65 games.

SPEAKER_01 27:56

So I've got a fairly newer podcast here, but you've got a lot of tape here. So I want to go back to 2022 and I want to see what you said when Braun James made the all NBA second team when he played 45 games. Were you happy about that? I didn't care.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Well, of course, see, why weren't you outraged? Because I didn't care, because I want a title. That's what I want. I want to miss the play-in tournament, he missed the playoffs.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

Then again, world team and he made second team all NBA. We were more worried about on that show. Where was the outrage then?

SPEAKER_02 28:27

We weren't caring about at all about whether or not he made an all-star team and all MBA. He cares about it.

SPEAKER_01 28:33

Clutch sports cares about it.

SPEAKER_02 28:34

I don't care, I'm not clutch sports. I know last time I checked my chip paycheck, it doesn't say clutch sports. I know.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

I just told the on the scap I said, hey, if clutch wants to give me five million bucks, I'll say whatever they want me to say about it.

SPEAKER_02 28:44

Okay, well, they're not paying me, and I will say this I couldn't care less. And you can go back to 22 and you could probably say I didn't care less. I couldn't care less because again, it's not a world title. I am here for an 18th world title. That's what I'm here for. I've these accolades and whatnot, that's nice. It's well done. I know you guys uh talk about it back and forth. You are it put it on for comments, things of that nature. That's nice.

SPEAKER_01 29:08

I'm here for world titles, and that is you are consistent with that, and you personally, I will give that. I've kind of learned that about you. I think and this is I'm here for the fans, and I'm here for the world title. I think that you are here for the team, right? I think I think the only difference between those two is a slight difference. I think you are a Lakers. You correct me if I'm wrong, but this is my perception. I think you are a Lakers fan first, and a player, whatever player comes and goes, it makes no difference. You're a team guy first. I am a that's my tattoo sets. Yeah, it's I'm a Kobe guy first and a magic guy. I like the player, I like the legacies, and then the Lakers to me are secondary. The reason I love the Lakers is because of those individual players. You're just a player.

SPEAKER_02 30:00

I was born in Inglewood and I will live and die, purple and gold. So that's what it is.

SPEAKER_01 30:05

That's okay. All right, fine.

SPEAKER_02 30:06

That's that's what I am. I'm a true Lakers fan, if you want to say that, and that's the case because I again it's not an insult, and that's again, you you still not found a way to explain away 65 games. I again, if you found me a better way to go ahead and ensure that these players are going to go ahead and and play a certain amount of games so that it takes care of the fan spending in some cases hundreds of dollars to go see these games, then you go ahead and let me know. You come up with it, but you have not been able to come up with it. You're you're talking about legacies and the panels.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

That's okay. You've got an emotional.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

I win, I win this argument every time, and you just have not been able to find an excuse for it. You you can't again I just dropped the mic on you right there. I'm already gone, I'm out the building, I'm in my limo, and I'm already gone. I don't even know that you you dropped it to an empty arena. That's what you did, okay? Because I have won this argument. You've never found a good defense for Rob Palenka, and you've never found a good defense for the 65 game rule. And the search knows it, and search and I've talked about it.

SPEAKER_01 31:12

So it really just comes down to be honestly, in my mindset, I don't need a defense because it's common sense, it just comes down. I said this on your show before, I gave you the perfect solution. It's about honor, it's about respect for the game, and it shouldn't have to be enforced. Like I said to you before, like I said to you today, I agree with you. There was a seven to ten year period where sadly, because of this pathetic, soft little generation we had with these bizarre, and still have then, if that's the case. We still have some of them. We're weeding them out, they're all retiring slowly. In five years, they'll mostly all be gone. But because of that, we had to put in this sissy soft rule. But this generation, Wimby, Luca, SGA, his games missed were due to injury.

SPEAKER_02 32:09

I still set out games. No, they're still load managing games. SGA was still load managing.

SPEAKER_01 32:14

Wimby wants to be out there every time. You can't tell me that Wimby's requesting to see. They still they still I know they are, but he's fighting it. Well, that's right. And there you go.

SPEAKER_02 32:24

There's you just you just said you said oh, that the mentality of the players want it's the teams as well. These teams guarding is guarding their investment. But you talked to you, no, no, you can't go back. You just said this generation of players that are retiring. Yeah, I said it was them that that the seven.

SPEAKER_01 32:44

Okay, now it's the players and the team, but it's these teams primarily that echelons that knew that they could make an extra one to three hundred million dollars by prolonging their career, and they get paid the same, whether they played 45 games like LeBron in 2022.

SPEAKER_02 33:02

And we gotta remember that the 65-game rule also applies to them as far as ability to make maxes, fun maxes, and super maxes, terrority compensation that could be involved too when players meet that criteria. And again, if you find a better way around it, let me know. But my better way around it is that the people going off the honor system. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 33:26

The people that created this problem is not the NBA, and it's not even the players, it's the people that pretended like the Bill Simmons, like the all the ESPN crowd, Kendrick Perkins, that voted Mike freaking Greenberg that voted for LeBron and Jimmy Butler and others and staff. I think Steph made one All-NBA team with like 57 games played, too. It's them voting for these guys and rewarding them for load managing previously that forced the league to have to come in and put this stupid rule in. If we could all use common sense as voters and say, hey, you know what? Luca played 64 games. I had him as number two MVP before this injury. I'm not gonna kick him off of the ballot entirely because he missed one extra game. That's dumb. That's stupid. So if we can just use common sense and say, okay, well, Joel Embiid played 34 games and you know, he's not eligible for anything, why would I vote for that? But they do it off of this media bias narrative that is bias, like I said, or like the name says, and it's idiotic and it has no factual data and common sense to it. So it the NBA had to babysit them and come in and say, okay, well, you can't figure this out for yourselves, we're gonna do it for you.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

But is it just for them or is it for the fan? Do you it at any part of your conversation?

SPEAKER_01 34:52

So are you telling me that no fan cares at all except for me who makes all NBA? Does that not matter to you at all?

SPEAKER_02 34:59

Doesn't matter to me at all, but uh matters to me that that matters to me that that player that that fans have the ability to see their favorite players as many times as possible because they spend their hard-earned money and hard-earned time. Uh and hard-earned time when we sit down and watch, or we pay for whatever cable system or Spectrum Sportsnet, or you know, because they charge like 10 million dollars in the Southern California area. So, again, when you go as a as a consumer want to go ahead and see the Lakers, you are hoping, and as far as that's concerned, that the the league and the teams are doing the best they can to put the best product out there possible each and every time. So Jake and maybe without into without instituting, and like you said, you yourself said, you know, because of these players, because of this. Well,

Wemby, Risk, And Hard Cutoffs

SPEAKER_02 35:50

what are your thoughts about uh Greg Popovich? Is he as a is he a hall of fame coach? I'm actually not a Popovich guy, but is he a Hall of Fame coach? He obviously is Hall of Fame, yeah. And he's the one that's instituted this load management.

SPEAKER_01 36:06

So well, that's part of why I'm not ever a fan of his.

SPEAKER_02 36:09

Okay, well, then again, you can have a different opinion on it, and and that's great, and that then your world of conference and all that stuff. No, not not. You're a Popovich guy. No, I'm not well. Popovich is one of the greatest coaches of all time. Yeah, you can't argue with it, but I mean, but he's not my number one, my number one is is Phil Jackson. But anyways, I'm leaning. What does that red hour back? Just curious. Um, probably two or three. I would probably put two or three. Yeah, you can't argue, you can't argue with success. You can't argue with success because as a GM as a coach, you can't how can you argue with the with the lineup he put out there every day? All right. Well, my five but again, it's also different eras, and you know, when you go into like Kobe versus Wilt or Shaq versus the you you have, you know, when you're talking about different eras and different playing times, as far as they're concerned, you you have to go, but uh be that as it may, as you turned off your camera.

SPEAKER_01 37:00

I'm still here, I'm just letting you cook for a second while I quote this thing.

SPEAKER_02 37:03

Again, as I'll say, you you know, you're you even admit that this time these times are different right now, and the way they treat athletes are different, and in doing so, you've got to have a plan in place to ensure that the public is able to see get the best product they can, and you can't find a way around it. As if you hate the 65 game rule, you can hate it all you want. But again, it's right there, it's right there. Again, it's meant for the consumer.

SPEAKER_01 37:30

What I like about this is we're we're developing a nice long-term fun argument here.

SPEAKER_02 37:35

So you that I'm winning, and I win every time we're out.

SPEAKER_01 37:39

I win. Again, this is the difference between I like facts, you like narratives, but I like the fact that I gave you a win. I gave you one.

SPEAKER_02 37:46

You've got you've got the narrative, you've got your yours is a narrative that you want and you hold to believe for as far as so.

SPEAKER_01 37:53

Jake La Ravia played 82 games this season. Should he be rewarded for that with a first team all NBA? You're good with that, I guess. Because we got to see him play every night.

SPEAKER_02 38:01

I again you're you're asking a ridiculous question. I'm not gonna answer because the fact is you that's what it comes eventually. If you he actually deserves a pay cut, but he's doing you're at Jake La Ravia deserves a pay cut, and and no, again, because you're talking about 300. I mean, for six million bucks, I think Jake La Ravia uh it was a rip-off, unfortunately. You as we proved it in the second half of the calendar year, he was awful. He didn't even play in the last couple of games. Uh, for this is what you do, Gerald, because we're like, how long are we gonna do? I break it down, but I we break it down. I call like this. Wasn't even a topic I'll add on the agenda today. Jake LaVia is a Jake LaVia is is another bad deal for Rob Plinka. And again, the 65 game rule, it's there in place for the fans, for the consumers, and the incentives uh based on it. And if the players didn't really like it, or if they don't really want to, they don't have to play 65 games. That's up to them.

SPEAKER_01 38:59

So Wimby, Victor Wimanyama, has a heart condition or blood clot, whatever plays 46 games last year. Still universally, you can't find a human being that thinks that he's not the best defensive player in the NBA last season as a few. But he didn't qualify. He doesn't win, he not only does he not win defensive player of the year, he didn't even make all a defensive sets.

SPEAKER_02 39:21

He didn't, and he didn't deserve it because he didn't play 65 games. I'm good with that. I'm fine, absolutely okay. A okay. Okay, well, of course, and that's that's what I'm telling you on my cellular phone as I'm driving in the limo, and I've already walked away while you're talking to an empty audience. So, yeah, it's an empty auditorium there. It's right as we dropped.

SPEAKER_01 39:40

I'm just checking here. Yeah, you're in the microwave over here.

SPEAKER_02 39:43

No, you you're you're you dropped that mic, made a loud echo because there's everybody's gone. They already left it. Yeah, because you're by yourself in the limo, they all came back to me. I dropped that mic 20 minutes ago. They're all gone, they're all having a beer at the bar, so they're done. Stephen out. Uh the reference. You say, yeah, that you you and the janitor, that's cleaning up after the mess.

SPEAKER_01 40:06

Well, I'm I'm for the people. Me and the janitor can party if you're rich at least. You're in your limbo. You are me and the janitor.

SPEAKER_02 40:12

Okay, you just said you just said you are for the people. If you are truly for the people, you would go ahead and say the 65 game rule is for the fans. There you go. If you're truly for the people, common sense and your your great way of thinking is nice, back, but it's not 2015. It's no longer 2015. We're in 2026. All right.

NBA Finals Knicks Vs Spurs

SPEAKER_01 40:34

Can we talk NBA finals now? Are you done with all this? Just a few minutes.

SPEAKER_02 40:38

Yes, yes, we can. All right.

SPEAKER_01 40:40

What do you did it to me again? So, what do you think about what's going on with the Knicks? So we got the Knicks are up to one. Wimby comes back. I mean, where do you stand to me personally? Wimby is my favorite non-Laker player in the NBA now, officially. I've made that decision for myself, but I'm rooting for the Knicks. I guess I've decided. So, where where do you stand on what's going on with the NBA finals right now?

SPEAKER_02 41:06

Well, again, we're seeing a case where San Antonio is gaining this experience before our very eyes. And enjoy why you have them now because they're only gaining experience and are only getting better as a young unit. And again, they are making mistakes, but they are learning from them. And I don't think they're out of the series yet. I think if if we'll see what happens in game four, I just spoke to Caleb Poncey. He had stated himself that he thinks game four is pivotal for what the Lakers are are going to be doing. Obviously, not Lakers, excuse me, the Knicks and the Spurs as far as how the rest of that series will be run. So, with that, again, it's going to be very important. We'll see. But San Antonio has only themselves to blame for the reason why they're not leading in the series. I mean, Wemby put it on himself, and rightly so, for the mistakes he made in that fight. He did. And he any, you know what? As as the you know, we we always talking about how Wembiyama, you know, a little bit brash, a little bit arrogant, a little bit of moxie. But you know what? When he doesn't get it done, he calls himself out on it. And in game one, they blew themselves a double-digit lead as well. So, again, San Antonio is the more talented team, but that experience with New York has allowed them to get the two-one lead on them. We'll see what happens in game four. If this goes back to San Antonio tied, we've got ourselves a whole new series, yeah. And again, uh and the future, we we we, you know, we we always you and I argue back and forth, Sam Preste. This and Sam, you know, we might watch out because San Antonio is also in a situation where they have youth, talent, and a myriad of assets in draft picks as well. So, again, they can continue to go ahead as they get more expensive, they can continue to get creative, and they have a great front office in place themselves. Now, mind you, they were benefited by the draft, and people all say, Yeah, they were gifted, all this blah blah blah. You still had to make the pick at second with Dylan Harper.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

That looks like a beautiful pick. And Dylan Harper has a little bit of Kobe DNA, I think. I mean, he reminds me a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 43:15

He's got, I think was is he or the count is Stefan Castle the one with the Kobe tattoo? I forget which one. Oh, I didn't know he had a tattoo, but I like that. One of them has one of them, if you can see you see, has 24 on it. Yeah, but anyways, Stephon Castle, they still had to make the pick at five for Stefan Castle, who is clearly looked like he's going to be a good player, great player for a long time to come. And again, Victor Wembiyama, Victor Wembiyama's the no-brainer in the deal. And again, the draft did help them, and the new draft rules in place, however, convoluted and confusing they are, are supposed to prevent things like that going forward in the future. But I can just tell you right now that San Antonio, like OKC, has a lot of options for them going for themselves going forward, and as an NBA observer. I can tell you that okay, you may beat them this year with the Knicks and have that great story, but again, to be in the place where you're at, I would rather be in the place where they're at with San Antonio and OKC to just have those options for yourself going forward.

SPEAKER_01 44:17

So do you have you made I I haven't heard have you made an official finals pick then?

SPEAKER_02 44:22

Well, I I picked the I picked San Antonio and six originally. So that's what I that's why I uh that's what I said originally, and I'm just gonna you know I'll stick to it. Whether or not they win or lose, it doesn't matter to me again.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

Yeah, but uh very they're like other than the fact we have to compete against the Spurs, they're two pretty likable teams, I have to say. You agree?

SPEAKER_02 44:42

Yeah, they're not they're not doing too anything too egregious, too dirty, or anything like that. Wembyama gets a little bit angry sometimes about little guys like all over him, whatnot, and he'll throw an elbow now and then, but he's not too not too bad on that. And again, Wembyama, I can see why you like him. He is gonna be the face of this league going forward, barring any health issues. I know Joe is not convinced he'll stay upright uh, but yeah, I don't think anybody is because we've not seen it before. From I mean, last time we saw an individual that looked anywhere like this, you could say Ralph Sampson a little bit, but his knees went shot, and that was all she wrote. Once his knees uh knees went shot. So, again, we'll have to wait and see how it looks with Victor Wemiyama, but again, I'm right now I'm enjoying what I'm seeing, and I'm just I just want again, you do whatever process there is for this league, you just want these kids, these these young men to go ahead and be healthy to attain that level of success. You don't like to see series decided by like with the the OKC Lakers uh thing, both had major players that were out. J Dub was out, and also was while Luca was out for for you don't want to see these series end in the way that in that fashion, you don't want to see future careers end in that fashion. But yes, it is it is just the fact that you know, barring any injury, we should see Wemby as the face of this league going forward, and uh you know I'm here for that as well.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

You are

Summer Plans And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_01 46:12

the man, you jumped on last second with me. We didn't plan this. Tell me what you've got going on for the summer here, Gerald, because I know all of your fans, which I'm one of, all of us are missing you guys. I I know you you've done a couple of live streams with the Lakers fast break, and you're on every day with uh Lakers latest, but what have you got coming up for the summer here?

SPEAKER_02 46:33

Oh, we'll have more live shows. Obviously, we get a little bit of a bump up during the NBA draft and also as well the start of free agency. So we'll be on a little more frequently around those times, but we've just learned that unless you're one of the higher on the food chain, it's just hard to you know, when you put out daily shows, we've learned that when you put out daily shows during the summer, and it just the audience is just not there. The the appetite from the fans, casual fans, it does not come back until later in the year. It's just that simple. So, in doing so, we just take time off and come on maybe once a week as far as for our live shows. But I still again have two or three NBA observations I throw out at people each and every week that provides content on the channel. But for live shows, we'll definitely be back, of course, during the NBA draft, and of course, later this this month as the speculation grows. What will happen with Austin Reeves, what will happen with free agency, any possible trades for Giannis and Tekumpo and whatnot, yeah, on our channel as well.

SPEAKER_01 47:39

And I I will save that one for next time, but I guess we can all agree that once Rob gets Giannis, that he is top two GM in the NBA. So we'll close on that. You heard the first Gerald Glasford said it.

SPEAKER_02 47:52

I didn't say it, I said that ain't gonna happen. He has indicated that he wants to stay on the East Coast, so it's closer to Greece. He has not indicated he wants to play for the Lakers, and right now, again, the Lakers just don't have a myriad of assets because Rob Palenka has depleted quite a bit of them. Austin Austin Reeves and a first round pick ain't gonna cut it.

SPEAKER_01 48:15

All right, he is uh the greatest voice in Lakers media, in my humble opinion, and I mean that sincerely. Gerald Glassford, Lakers Fast Break, Lakers Latest, and Pop Cultures Cosmo. Please check out their channels and subscribe if you can. If you want to subscribe to mine, that's fun. Gerald, thank you for doing this, my friend.

SPEAKER_02 48:34

I appreciate the time, as always. I love cooking you. It hasn't happened yet, so I don't know. Oh no, mic drop that my mic drop is gone. I'm not gonna go. Your mic drop's impressive.

SPEAKER_01 48:44

I'll give you the mic drop, but you're in my microwave over there.

SPEAKER_02 48:46

You don't realize what microwave that microwave has been broken the last two time.

SPEAKER_01 48:50

It is, but there's two hot pockets and you in that microwave over there.

SPEAKER_02 48:53

Then they're still they're getting they're they're just thawing out because they haven't worked for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 48:59

Have a good day, my friend.

SPEAKER_02 49:01

You too. Wishing you all the best. Appreciate it.