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00:00Let's go out to the River Island's guest line because on the line is another healthy man.
00:05It's Odyssey Sports NBA insider Nick Friedle.
00:07And insider calls are brought to you by Hyundai and the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
00:13Nick, you feeling healthy? You doing okay?
00:15I'm ready for this trip to be over.
00:17You are? Why? This is not even that long of a trip. What's wrong?
00:22Yeah, but it's a long trip at the end of a long year.
00:26And when you have those combo packs, Mark, when the East Coast swing that is the longest trip of the
00:33year and bounces all over the place coming, you get ready.
00:37But, you know, it's like we've talked about for years at this point.
00:39The job is still awesome. I love doing what I'm doing.
00:42But you start getting into these three-game trips that go back and forth all over the place and you
00:47go, okay, let's see what happens.
00:51Well, how about this? The Warriors will take care of your dinner tomorrow night.
00:54You don't have to cook. Is that okay when you get back from the trip?
00:57Yeah, well, I steer clear of that dinner.
01:01Oh, okay. I don't, but that's me.
01:05But anyway, all right, Nick, let's fire this thing up.
01:09Why does Kristaps now think he's – now we're good. Now he's going to be healthy.
01:16Mark, you said the same thing after the trade went down in that press conference in L.A.
01:22So, at this point, I understand why Kristaps is saying what he's saying publicly, but he's got to prove it.
01:27He's got to go out on the floor night to night or taking these gap nights like tonight and playing
01:35tomorrow as long as he's feeling all right.
01:37And he's just got to keep playing.
01:39I thought he played all right in OKC the other night, and I think he's in good spirits, but he's
01:46got to show it.
01:47So, I'm not really putting anything into what he said a few weeks ago, into what he said on Saturday
01:53night.
01:53He's got to show it.
01:55If he shows it, the Warriors will be in pretty good shape because I think the rust will shake off.
02:00But given what's happened the last couple of years and the fact that he's only played 61 games in two
02:05seasons,
02:06that speaks louder than anything you could say right now.
02:09Is it impossible for him to, quote, show it enough to where they would want to keep him at a
02:14decent number?
02:15In other words, the only real question is, can he show up and play on the regular?
02:20Is that something that can't be proven the rest of this year?
02:24I think it can, Dibs, but it would have to start now.
02:29He takes his gap night tonight, and maybe he doesn't play him back-to-backs.
02:33So long as he's feeling all right, though, he's got to play in the rest of the games.
02:37So if he does that, then we can have that conversation in another two months or so
02:43because I absolutely think he fits.
02:46I mean, you watch even that game Saturday night.
02:48He stretches the hell out of the floor.
02:50Guys, if you put poor Zingas when he is healthy on a court with Steph Curry,
02:55the space that will be created for everybody else is all over the place,
03:00and he's a really good rim protector.
03:02I mean, his track record is what it is,
03:05but part of that track record right now is he can't stay out there because of these health issues.
03:09So, Dibs, if from right now at the beginning of March to the end of the year
03:15that there is a consistent rhythm of him playing,
03:18yes, I think he would show the organization and himself that he can be out there.
03:24But unless that happens, if it's me,
03:27no way am I staying in business on that front.
03:31We're hanging out with Nick Friedle and Insider Calls are brought to you by Hyundai
03:35and by the all-new Hyundai Palisade Hybrid.
03:38Learn how it makes everyday epic at HyundaiUSA.com.
03:43Some interesting comments that we're going to play for everybody a little bit later
03:46came from Draymond Green over the last 24, 48 hours.
03:50He was on the Unguarded podcast and essentially said he's very aware that everybody's watching his minutes
03:56and sort of making too much about it because he states,
03:59and I'm paraphrasing, that he and Steve Kerr are completely on the same page
04:04in terms of when he should go in and when not.
04:07In fact, he often decides when he should go in and when not,
04:12and he's not worried about it at all.
04:14Is it all that copacetic?
04:16Is that how you're seeing it right now, Nick?
04:19Mark, I think with Draymond and Steve, their relationship is pretty solid,
04:23and I go back to that moment in time just before Christmas where they had that gigantic blow-up,
04:29and then you've got Draymond leaving the bench, not coming back for a little while,
04:35Steve apologizing a day or two later on Christmas Eve.
04:39From that point on, I think they've been in a really good place,
04:43and if you take both guys at their words, which I do specific to this,
04:49I think they have been for a while because they know they're kind of in it together.
04:53With Steph, and before that, with Klay before he left.
04:56So I think their relationship is fine.
05:00The question to me is, can Draymond show?
05:04I mean, Dibs, we were talking about Porzingis being able to show consistently
05:08he can stay on one level.
05:09Draymond has been really good these last few games, especially defensively.
05:13He's re-engaged.
05:15When you watch him on the floor, you don't see a guy who's kind of searching for his own answers.
05:20He's playing really well.
05:22And, Mark, I don't think there's any question.
05:24He sees and hears what people are saying.
05:27I mean, he's human like everybody else.
05:29He knows that there are people that just don't think he should be out there,
05:33certainly at the same level anymore.
05:35I think it is motivating him.
05:36But he's got to show that night after night to win back that faction of the fan base
05:44that has already said, all right, we don't want this anymore.
05:47But as he also pointed out, and I'm sure you guys will get into that later as well,
05:50he's sitting there saying, well, those people really don't love me anyway
05:54because they weren't following a good team before Steph and I got here with Klay.
05:58So there are a lot of layers in play, but I actually think Draymond right now
06:02is in a really good place mentally with his game, and he's playing well.
06:09And we should note that given how many times it's noted when he's not.
06:13Yeah, he's playing especially well when he has a challenge.
06:16And I wonder about tonight where, you know, Utah, it's going to be a who's who
06:20as opposed to a who's who when you face an actually good team.
06:24Is it pretty clear to you that, you know, when Draymond has a tough challenge
06:29ahead of him that night that he's going to be much better?
06:32There's no doubt.
06:33He gets up for those games when he knows it's Kevin Durant on the other side.
06:38It's Wemby.
06:39The other night it was the defending champs.
06:42He's well aware.
06:44And, Debs, I think it is a good point because when you look at this game tonight,
06:47oh boy, there are not a lot of motivational challenges to be had.
06:52But I would say this, so often in the last couple months when we've had our
06:58conversations in time, we're talking about a mess, basically, that the Warriors are
07:04kind of just going through a funk and you're not sure what's going on off the
07:08floor.
07:09Guys, in the last couple weeks, no matter who has been out there, this team is
07:14playing really hard.
07:16I'm watching it night to night.
07:18I'm around them and seeing a group that knows that the greater basketball world has
07:25written them off completely.
07:27But it was Draymond, actually, the other night who made a really good point in saying
07:30there are guys on this team with a lot to prove.
07:33There are guys that want to stay in the league.
07:35There are guys that want to get the next contract.
07:37There are guys like him who know that fans, at least a portion of them, are saying,
07:42And I don't know if we want this guy anymore, and he wants to show everybody he's still
07:47capable of playing at the level he's played at for so long.
07:50So in all my years covering the league, this is one of the most interesting teams I've come
07:56across on a day-to-day basis.
07:57And I think we absolutely should note when they are playing as hard as they can in a season
08:06where we know they're not going to win a title.
08:07And I think there's a lot of pride that goes into that, for sure.
08:12So Nick, where does the organization stand on moral victories?
08:16In other words, when they win in Houston last week, we're told that that was the happiest
08:22the locker room has maybe been all year long.
08:25How was the locker room after a near miss in Oklahoma City?
08:29Nobody was happy that they lost, Mark.
08:32But again, as it so often does, I'd go back to what Draymond said.
08:36But Draymond is sitting there saying, and he said it in Houston as well, there is a standard
08:44within this organization that we have put up through the years.
08:48And what I would say to you is, I don't think they're happy that they're losing.
08:53And I don't think that there is that moral victory when you go, eh, we were really close,
08:59but we didn't make it.
09:00I do think there is some solace in that they're leaving everything they can out there, and
09:08they're getting everybody to still play hard, even though they don't have Steph Curry, and
09:12they haven't had Porzingis, aside from these couple of spot games over the last month.
09:18They're doing the best that they can.
09:20And in that regard, I think there is a lot of guys in that room that are going back into
09:27the locker room, win or lose, and going, okay, I did everything I could today.
09:32Let's see what tomorrow brings.
09:34And as Draymond and Kura both said, you just got to keep it afloat and hope that Steph comes
09:38back.
09:39And of course, that's the biggest question remaining in the rest of the year.
09:43Can he come back?
09:44And nobody's really been clear in the messaging other than he's still not doing much.
09:49And we'll get an update here in another couple of days.
09:52But if he does, you give yourselves a chance to play in some really meaningful games, maybe
09:57in the end.
09:58But on the whole, this is a group that is playing for each other.
10:02And when you have that, the players deserve the credit always the most.
10:06But I give a lot of credit to Kura and the coaching staff because they're getting these
10:10guys focused night to night in a league where we have very clearly seen there are plenty
10:15of teams that aren't doing that.
10:17Yeah, including tonight's opponent, 19 and 45.
10:20And I wonder about Brandon Pajemski and what you've seen from him, not only on this trip,
10:25but of late where it seems like he's been asked to do a lot more than normal.
10:29And he has kind of been up to the task.
10:32Dibs, he's played very, very well recently, especially rebounding.
10:37And I think that is a key difference in Pod's game.
10:41If you have a player who's got the talent that Pod's has, and we know he can score.
10:45But when you're setting up other guys and you're going to the basket and helping out
10:50with the rebounding numbers, I think that says a lot about his ability to pivot and turn
10:57into a guy who can help in a lot of areas in the box score.
11:01And I asked him about it the other night.
11:04And he said, actually, it was people in his family that were saying, hey, Brandon, we know
11:09you can rebound.
11:10You've done it earlier in your career.
11:12You don't see him as focused in doing it right now.
11:15And when you look at those numbers, at least in the last month or so, they have been really
11:19good in that area.
11:22I think you'd like to see a little more consistent shooting numbers.
11:26And he's had some really good games recently offensively.
11:30But if he can string some games together, Dibs, and this goes back to guys always want to
11:35play for something and they want to prove a point.
11:37Pod's has a new deal on the line.
11:39Now, whether that gets done at some point before next season or whether he waits out
11:43through next year, he wants to get paid, as he should.
11:47And if you keep putting big games together, no matter who's out there, you're going to
11:51get the attention not only of Dunleavy and that front office, but people all across the
11:55league.
11:55So, Nick, I think it was early January or so that we learned a little something about you.
12:02We've all, I think, as a collective Bay Area sports society, we've known for a while that
12:07Steph Curry is a very big fan of the Carolina Panthers.
12:11What we learned at that time is that our buddy Nick Friedle is quite the Tampa Bay Buccaneer
12:18fan.
12:18So, I just want to speak for the entire city when we collectively, Nick, say, thank you.
12:26Thank you, Nick.
12:27Thank you for letting us have Mike Evans.
12:30Thank you, Nick.
12:31Mark, that is a first ballot Hall of Famer, in my opinion.
12:37The fact that the Niners have put an organization together where that guy wants to go play, I
12:45mean, that's a credit to Lynch and Shanahan and the whole nine yards because at this stage
12:51in his career, he's not going somewhere other than to win the title.
12:54So, that's why you go where you go.
12:56But just as a fan, to see Mike Evans develop the way he has over the years and to see
13:03the
13:03consistent professional performance he put out year after year after year, and the numbers
13:09obviously back that up.
13:10But when you saw him on the field, you knew you were watching one of the best.
13:15And I wish him nothing but the best of luck.
13:18I actually saw him.
13:19He was sitting courtside at that Houston game the other night.
13:23Oh, wow.
13:25And it was cool.
13:26I was going to say, like, hey, thanks.
13:28I don't know what's going to happen, but all hell broke loose at the end of that game
13:32because the Warriors actually won and people were celebrating all over.
13:36So, maybe I'll see him somewhere in the Bay over the next year or so.
13:40But that is a true pro.
13:42And when you have true pros that want to come play for your team, in a lot of ways, guys,
13:47it reminds me of the Horford signing.
13:51And Mike Evans is a cut above where Horford is.
13:53I just mean Al Horford has played all over the place.
13:56He's won titles.
13:58He knows how to be on the floor and be a difference maker.
14:02And he's widely respected within the league.
14:06That is Mike Evans on an even higher plane because he's a Hall of Fame receiver.
14:11So, I'm excited to watch him play.
14:13I wish he was still in Tampa, but you can be for sure that at some point, I'll get out
14:17to Levi's this year.
14:19Love it.
14:19Love it.
14:19I keep telling Steph and Draymond fans, too, like, man, after a long future Hall of Fame
14:25career in one jersey, don't worry.
14:27Guys never leave at the end of their career to go to another place.
14:30Such a thing would never happen.
14:32Right, Nick?
14:35Steph, if Steph ever left market, it would shock me.
14:39I think Draymond, with what occurred leading into the deadline and what may happen, may
14:46not happen this summer, I think he is more aware that it's possible that he doesn't finish
14:52as a Warrior.
14:53But he wants to.
14:55I know Don Levy has said as much publicly recently.
14:57He wants Draymond, too, as well.
15:00Either way, and this is the same part of the Mike Evans conversation, no matter what Mike
15:05Evans does from now until the end of time, he's a buck.
15:08No matter what Draymond and Steph do, from now until the end of their careers, they are
15:13warriors for life.
15:15And those fan bases will cherish and remember what they did all the time.
15:20And I know there aren't a ton of Bucs fans out there, but there are plenty of diehards,
15:24and they know that when Mike Evans was out there, he gave everything he had to the team.
15:30And I think as a pro athlete, that's as good as you can expect for anybody.
15:34Okay.
15:35All right, Nick.
15:36Great stuff.
15:36And we'll call you when we steal Rashad White next.
15:42I miss you guys, too.
15:43I'll talk to you later.
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