- 2 days ago
Former Miami Heat point guard Miami Chalmers shares his thoughts on the Heat trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Plus, his take on where LeBron will end his career.
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00:00By the way, Mario Chalmers right now, the two-time NBA champion,
00:03also won a national championship with Kansas,
00:06joins us on the Toyota of Hollywood hotline.
00:07Shop over 2,000 Toyotas on sale at one location, Toyota of Hollywood,
00:11on 441 between Hollywood and Sheridan, toyotofhollywood.com.
00:15And let me remind you that Mario Chalmers is now a player captain
00:18of the Miami 305 team for the Big 3
00:20and the premier global professional three-on-three basketball league
00:23that began its ninth season last Saturday at the Intuit Dome in L.A.
00:28And tickets, by the way, for the Big 3 event coming up
00:31in Emmer and Bank Arena on July 5th are currently on sale.
00:34Visit big3.com to purchase tickets.
00:36Mario Chalmers, appreciate the time. How are you?
00:39No problem, man. How you doing?
00:41Well, we're doing great, and we appreciate you joining us here on WQAM.
00:45Let's get your reaction.
00:46You being a heat legend, a two-time champion here with the organization,
00:50Giannis Antetokounmpo, unofficially coming to Miami
00:53when you saw the trade the other day, what was your reaction to the deal?
00:58I liked it. I think it's a good pickup.
01:00You know, Pat is always going to do something to make a splash in Miami.
01:04He's always did that his whole career.
01:06So, bringing Giannis down, partnering him with BAM,
01:09I think that's a very good partnership, very good duo.
01:13And then you got Wiggs still there.
01:16So, they're developing a nice little defensive team that, you know,
01:21that's what the heat culture is.
01:22They're based on defense.
01:23So, they add shooting.
01:24They're going to be a tough team to beat in the East.
01:27You got anything left in the tank, Rio?
01:28You can come run the pick and roll with Giannis and BAM Adebayo.
01:33Spot up three.
01:34I mean, that's what they need.
01:35That's exactly what they need.
01:36I'm not going to lie.
01:37I got up this morning and ran three miles.
01:39So, I'm going to send a text message to Pat Riley.
01:40See, like, still.
01:42Get in there a little bit and see what's happening.
01:44Do you understand, like, you were talking to Alejandro Solana,
01:49who works for the Heat Radio Network.
01:51He is a sycophant of yours.
01:53Like, if you ever thought you had a stalker, it was probably Solana.
01:56He wants your number in the rafters, and he actually thinks they should hang six
02:00in the rafters because he says you're the greatest six in the history of the
02:03Heat organization.
02:04Six and 15, Rio.
02:05I mean, let's do it.
02:06I'm championing that effort, man, on your behalf, just so you know.
02:10Hey, I will never tell you no, and I will never disagree with that.
02:13I'd definitely like to see 15 up there for sure.
02:15But, you know, it's all good love.
02:17So, you wore six before LeBron got here, and then you gave him the number six.
02:22What do you recall, you know, watching the decision when you found out LeBron
02:26was taking his talents to South Beach?
02:30I just remember that summer I had popped two ligaments in my ankle,
02:33so I was actually on crutches laid up in the bed and with my foot up
02:37when he was making his decision, and I just thought about, you know,
02:40just me being, that was, what, my third year in the league
02:43and having a chance to, you know, fight for the finals,
02:46knowing on paper seeing that team with D-Wade and LeBron at first
02:51before CB had made his decision.
02:53I was just ready to go.
02:54My main focus was just get healthy and try to figure out how I could be a part
02:58of this team and help this team out.
03:00Mario Chalmers here with us.
03:01You know how this sport works.
03:03Once a move is made, people try to figure out the next move.
03:06Giannis coming to Miami.
03:08Now everyone's wondering what could be next that Pat Riley has up his sleeve.
03:12There's been some speculation about maybe LeBron making a triumphant return
03:16to the 305.
03:17Can you see maybe LeBron coming on back and ending his career with the Heat?
03:23I can see him coming back.
03:25It would definitely be a good opportunity just because the players he has around
03:31with Giannis and Bam, you can actually get Bronny some real good minutes
03:35at the point guard and keep developing him and let him learn from other guys.
03:41So I think it's a great move.
03:42And I think that would be a good move, but it won't be the best move
03:47as far as like with the team that's already based.
03:49Y'all need more shooting.
03:51Names that I've been hearing is like a Klay Thompson.
03:54I really like that name of Buddy Hill.
03:56Just guys that can help keep the defense honest and not crap to pay with Giannis and Bam.
04:03Rio, you obviously spent a lot of time with Coach Spoh down here.
04:06You saw him when he was a rookie head coach and then kind of saw him transform
04:11into one of the more well-respected coaches in the NBA.
04:15What do you think his week has been like since the Miami Heat got word
04:20that Giannis Antetokounmpo is being traded to Miami?
04:24He's probably just been in the film room, right?
04:26Just looking up different ways that he can start scheming Giannis and Bam together
04:30on the floor?
04:31He definitely probably already did that since the beginning of summer started.
04:35So I'm sure Spoh's always a worker.
04:37He's going to figure out things just like he came back with our spread offense.
04:41He created more space for Brown and D-Wade and kind of get them in post.
04:44So Spoh's always going to figure out something to recreate the offense
04:47and make them guys show the best of their abilities in the offense.
04:52And, you know, Spoh's been great at that.
04:53He's got better since my rookie year.
04:56So it's great to see that all the years that he's been in the coaching
05:01and all the good players he's had, he's still learning different things
05:04and he's still willing to get better.
05:06We haven't talked to you this, or we didn't talk to you this season on this show, Rio.
05:11What was your take on Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points?
05:15I don't know if you watched the game live or if you ended up watching the highlights
05:18or whatever, but were there any strong takeaways from you watching, you know,
05:23what was one of the craziest nights ever in that building?
05:27It was definitely a crazy night.
05:28I've seen the highlights of that game.
05:30And, you know, regardless of anything, you can't take anything away from a player
05:34scoring 83 points, especially Bam.
05:37To get 83 points, you've got to do something 20 to 30 times in a game.
05:41And he was able to do that.
05:43Whether the fans like it or where people like it or not, you've got to respect it.
05:47I definitely take my hat off and respect the way that he came out and played that day.
05:52Mario Chalmers here with us.
05:53You understand the business side of it.
05:55You know what that relationship is like as a player to Pat Riley.
05:58Pat was getting a lot of criticism the last few years for swinging and missing
06:02on bringing big stars in.
06:04Now getting Giannis, was that like a little extra special to you to see Pat
06:08now getting talked about the way that he should be getting talked about
06:11with all he's done for the game?
06:13I definitely was happy to see that Pat get that.
06:16You know, even my words got misconstrued when I did the thing with Chandler Parsons
06:20and them saying that Pat should let go to Rays.
06:22I wasn't saying that.
06:23I was just saying, like, he's got to loosen up a little bit
06:25and kind of realize that, you know, the generation is changing and is evolving
06:30and players have more say so.
06:32And he proved that, you know, he's one of the greatest GM,
06:36the greatest presidents out here and another superstar in Giannis.
06:39So he's doing, he's proving everybody wrong once again.
06:42And that's what he's been known for throughout his time.
06:45You know, heat culture is such a big thing, but you're right.
06:49Like, you got to eventually advance that and the league is now so different
06:52than what it was 10 years ago.
06:55Do you still think the principles of heat culture still exist in this organization?
06:59Or is it just totally a different era than what you guys did all those years ago?
07:05No, I think the structure is still there.
07:07That's one thing about the heat structure, the heat organization.
07:10It's like they're never going to veer away from the structure.
07:11That's what got us there. That's what's been successful for all these years.
07:15So, you know, it works. You know, the game plan works.
07:18You just got to find players that are willing to adapt to that game plan
07:22and be a part of that game plan.
07:24And with Giannis, I think that's a perfect start.
07:26I mean, I think you got them.
07:27I think Giannis is the perfect newcomer to start that heat tradition,
07:30that heat culture backed up.
07:32Hey, Rio, you just mentioned, you know, some of your words got misconstrued
07:36when you were doing that other show.
07:38And I remember during March Madness, you said something when you were on,
07:43I think, Bleacher Report, and you said that winning the NBA Finals
07:47was easier than winning the NCAA Tournament.
07:50And, man, you got crushed for that.
07:53And I just wonder, a couple of months later, if you had a change of heart over that.
07:58Because I think I understood what you were saying.
08:00Like, NCAA Tournament, you lose one game, you're done.
08:02Right, and the NBA Finals, you get that best-of-seven series multiple times to get there.
08:09Were you shocked at kind of the pushback that, you know,
08:12the Twitter and Instagram comments were giving you?
08:17Kind of, but I'm never shocked about somebody's opinion that's never been there before.
08:23So that's where it's kind of like, okay, as fans, I understand what y'all think,
08:26what y'all think.
08:27But if you think of the reality of it, you go play one game, and if you lose that game,
08:32the other 33 games that you played before that, it doesn't matter.
08:35You're going home.
08:36And the NBA, you play game one of the first round.
08:39You lose, game run, okay, now we got to win four more, they got to win three more.
08:43Like, it's still an opportunity, still a chance.
08:46So the reality of it is it's not easier, per se, it's more chances.
08:51None of them ever tied the game at 63 with 2.1 seconds left to go in the championship game,
08:58right, Rio?
08:58None of them ever done that.
09:01Wrapping up with Mario Chalmers, talking about the big three in just a second.
09:04What's your relationship like to this day?
09:07Like, I saw LeBron got back with all of his old Cavs teammates,
09:10but you being a Heat guy, LeBron being here for four years,
09:14just what's your relationship like with LeBron to this day?
09:16Just curious.
09:18Honestly, I haven't talked to LeBron in forever.
09:24I mean, there's no bad blood between us.
09:26It's just we don't really cross paths.
09:28We haven't seen each other.
09:29So I'm pretty sure we see each other, we'll speak, reminisce about old times.
09:33But, I mean, there's definitely no bad blood between us.
09:35You ultimately think he wraps up his career in L.A.?
09:39You know, I know we threw out the Heat.
09:41The Cavs reunion for one final dance has been talked about.
09:45Like, how do you see this actually envisioning how it plays out, how he ends his career?
09:51I see him, I would like to see him do probably a farewell tour with Cleveland.
10:01Just because of what he's meant to that city, what he's done for that city,
10:04that's kind of his hometown pretty much basically.
10:08But it's hard to say.
10:10I mean, he's won a championship at all three organizations.
10:12He's did tremendous things at all three places.
10:15So I think you've got to kind of look at it like who can give him the best farewell.
10:21And I think that would probably be Cleveland.
10:24Speaking of farewells, Rio, I don't know if going back a couple years ago,
10:28you watched like the last dance with Michael Jordan.
10:30I know you've said many times, LeBron's the greatest player ever, but Michael Jordan's your goat.
10:36If, you know, we're approaching now over a decade, well over a decade,
10:42that the big three, you were part of that entire run here in Miami.
10:45It was something special, something unique.
10:46It was something that the NBA had really never seen before.
10:49Do you think there will be a documentary made on the big three?
10:53And if there was, would you want to take part in it to kind of tell your side of those
10:59four years
10:59and just the chaos of it all?
11:02Oh, definitely.
11:03I definitely think we're going to have a, I always call it a 30 for 30 moment.
11:06So I think we'll have ours, and I would definitely want to be a part of it.
11:09You know, just reliving those good times, reliving the bad times of losing to Mavericks
11:14and just be around those old teammates and getting those old guys
11:16that you don't really get to see on an everyday basis.
11:18So it'd definitely be a lot of fun to reminisce and be around those guys again.
11:22Ultimately, why do you think LeBron left Miami?
11:26Like, there's obviously so much speculation about him and Pat
11:28and all that stuff that's been talked about through the years,
11:30but LeBron went back to Cleveland for what reason in your mind?
11:37In my mind, I know LeBron's ultimate goal was to win a championship in Cleveland.
11:43I think he originally left Cleveland to learn what it really takes
11:51to win a championship and how it comes together to win a championship.
11:56I think once he learned that from Pat Riley and being around D-Wade
12:00and that team that we had, it kind of made him a better leader
12:04and more prepared to go lead a team to win a championship.
12:08And I think it was just a goal of his that he wanted to fulfill.
12:11Like, we all have childhood dreams.
12:14Of course, making it to the NBA is one, winning the championship,
12:17winning two championships, winning a national championship.
12:19But being able to have a chance to win a championship in your hometown,
12:22a city that had a lot of drought, a lot of losses when it came to championships
12:27in sports.
12:28So it was just the ultimate time to give back,
12:30the ultimate chance to give back, I should say.
12:32And by the way, go ahead.
12:34I just want to follow up on that, Gil, because, Rio,
12:36one thing we hear a lot down here, and again, like I work with the broadcast,
12:40it's that first year you guys lose to Dallas.
12:45One thing we hear a lot is, oh, not you, but the team needed to lose that one
12:51to learn how to win as a unit.
12:54Do you buy into that narrative that losing that first one
12:59was why you guys went off to rattle off two NBA titles back-to-back?
13:04Or was that just an overall series that you guys probably could have won
13:08and you could have won three straight?
13:13I'll give you the real.
13:14I think it was needed, not per se for us to learn,
13:18but to define more roles.
13:21As far as, like, when you bring in that many new guys together,
13:26that good of a nucleus led by Bron, D-Wade, CB,
13:30who are all all-stars and predominant players coming from their teams.
13:34Then you had people like Mike Miller, who was a great player at Memphis,
13:37a great player wherever he came from.
13:39Shane, who's at Houston.
13:41You had me, who's still a young guy in the league,
13:43still trying to find his way.
13:45And then you had Spoh, who was still a young coach,
13:47who was still trying to figure out how to get the best of his players
13:50and the most of his players.
13:51So I think that loss gave everybody a reality check of what can they do
13:56to make themselves better in the team situation.
13:59And it just made everybody look at individuals
14:01and then come back better together as a whole.
14:03Well, my take, Rio, is you should have been starting
14:05that entire NBA Finals series.
14:07Real ones remember who scored 18 points in Game 6 in Miami.
14:11That's all.
14:12Real ones remember, Rio.
14:14I remember that, too.
14:15But, you know, Mike Bibby was the leading point guard at that time.
14:18I learned a lot from Bibby at that.
14:20So, you know, you got to take your chances and learn.
14:23It worked out perfectly.
14:24I started the next year, and we won.
14:26So, hey, you got to wait your turn sometimes.
14:29By the way, I know this is like asking someone, like a dad,
14:33who's their favorite child.
14:34But who was your favorite teammate when you played here in Miami?
14:41During the championship run or just period?
14:44You can go period.
14:47Overall period, I'd probably say between Jermaine O'Neal, UD, and Duke D-Wade.
14:54By the way, you could buy tickets for the Big 3's July 5th event
14:57at Emmer Bank Arena, and they're currently on sale.
14:59Visit Big3.com to purchase tickets.
15:01That was some fight the other weekend in the Big 3.
15:04What did you make of that?
15:08It's been a long winter.
15:10A lot of people are anxious to play some basketball,
15:13and I think emotions just got too carried away.
15:16Yeah, and I'll say this.
15:19I've been to a Big 3 event before.
15:21They're awesome.
15:21It's been a fun little adventure that you guys have been on, right?
15:25Oh, it's definitely been a lot of fun.
15:26Don't let one game last Sunday kind of deter you away from watching the Big 3.
15:30It's always a lot of fun.
15:31It's very competitive.
15:33And you get to see some of your favorite players that you got to see back in the day play
15:36now
15:36and see what they can do still.
15:37How are you going to up the ante?
15:38Are you going to punch someone next?
15:41No, I'm good.
15:42I just want to shoot me a couple threes and wait for the game winner.
15:45That's what I'm talking about.
15:46I'm going to try to get more game winners this year.
15:49Well, good to hear from you.
15:50We appreciate you giving us a few minutes.
15:52Enjoy the rest of the week and enjoy the rest of the Big 3 schedule.
15:54Thanks so much for doing that.
15:57I appreciate it.
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