- 17 hours ago
David Aldridge talks Anthony Davis, Brandon Aiyuk, and why he can never enjoy the Fourth Of July.
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00:00Joining us via the Rude Guest Hotline, the Hall of Famer, Legend, and our friend, Mr. David Aldridge.
00:06Hello, DA. What's up?
00:07How are you, bud?
00:08What's up, gentlemen? What's happening?
00:10You got good plans for the 4th, sir?
00:13No.
00:14Will you be going downtown for the fireworks?
00:17You don't have plans on the 4th because people get signed and traded on the 4th.
00:21Oh, that's true. Are you just swamped right now?
00:26Yeah. Like everybody else.
00:28Yeah.
00:28Everybody else that covers the league.
00:30I remember the last time I did this, I took the kids, the family out.
00:33We were going to go to watch the Nats because, you know, the Nats play on the 4th at 11
00:36a.m.
00:36And I'm like, hey, this is great.
00:38Hang out with the kids. They were little then.
00:40See some baseball.
00:41That was the morning.
00:43And then that's when Kevin Durant announced he was going to the Warriors.
00:45And I'm like, really? Really?
00:49I can't, like, take my kids out to a baseball game?
00:51So I spent the last eight innings of that game on the phone in the hallway, not watching the game.
01:00So, no, I don't make any plans for the 4th anymore because something always happens.
01:04I think Steve Nash signed with the Lakers on the 4th of July.
01:06It always happens.
01:07So, you know, it is what it is.
01:10So I want to get into hoops.
01:11I also want to ask you about IU, but I know how big of a Nats fan you are.
01:16And last night, to me, was baseball stuff and not much more than that.
01:21But I think there are people that are trying to generate controversy at all times, and they're trying to do
01:26that with last night.
01:27What did you make of, one, Cavalli dealing, but, two, the, you know, the brouhaha with he and Contreras?
01:34Yeah, it was funny because I was thinking about that after that happened because I've only talked to Cade a
01:39couple times.
01:39But the time I spent the most time talking to him was right after he found out he needed Tommy
01:45John.
01:46And I think it was 2023, so I was down with them at spring training, and he sat down with,
01:54you know, with the local reporters who were there covering the team for, you know, covering the Nats for their
01:58media.
02:00And I remember thinking, like, you know, this kid's like, this is a really tough day for this kid, but
02:06he had the, you know, the guts to come out and answer questions about it and talk about, you know,
02:12how scared he was.
02:13Because, you know, when you're a pitcher and they say you need Tommy John, that's some scary stuff, you know?
02:17Like, so I remember thinking, like, I kind of like this guy.
02:21You know, I don't know him, but I kind of like him.
02:23So then you juxtapose that with last night, and you're like, well, I hope he understands that if he said
02:30that, even though I'm sure he probably didn't mean it that way, and he probably says it to everybody, like,
02:34you can't say that to people of color.
02:36You can't.
02:37Like, you just can't.
02:38Like, you got to know the history of this, you know?
02:41You just got to be more careful with that stuff.
02:43Because it has connotations.
02:45Even though you may not mean that that way.
02:48That's how they interpret it.
02:49And so I hope that, I don't think he meant it that way.
02:54I hope he understands that, you know, like, people aren't going to take that well, you know, going forward.
03:01So you got to kind of watch that, maybe keep that to yourself a little bit.
03:05But you can separate that from the fact that he was dealing last night and looked like a number one
03:11ace guy, you know, and I know the Red Sox aren't very good this year, but they still got guys
03:16that can rate in that lineup.
03:18And he looked dominant, and that's good news for the Nats.
03:22But I hope he comes.
03:23I just hope he will say, look, I understand that people will be upset by it.
03:28That's not what I meant by it, but I know I got to watch that going forward.
03:31And then it's squashed.
03:32And then we can move on.
03:35I think I'm with you.
03:37It's just got to move forward.
03:39It's a misstep, but Contreras is also a pretty big agitator.
03:43Absolutely.
03:43You know what I mean?
03:44Sure, sure, sure.
03:45All right, let's get – do you want to do football or hoops first?
03:48Whatever.
03:49Your show, man.
03:50Let's go hoops.
03:52I'm going hoops, Dave.
03:53The question of – we're not trying to trade Anthony Davis.
03:57Does that just mean nobody hasn't offered us the proper haul yet?
04:01No, no, no.
04:01No, no, they're not going to trade Anthony Davis.
04:04There was never – this is part, again, of why I hate dealing with this stuff
04:10on the 4th of July rather than barbecuing with my family like everybody else
04:15because people just – some narrative just gets created out of whole cloth,
04:20and then you spend three days talking about it.
04:23The Wizards never have talked to the Lakers or to the Warriors about Anthony Davis.
04:29It never came up.
04:30It's never been a possibility.
04:32It was just, you know, somebody trying to create momentum for a trade.
04:38And then, of course, it goes into the ESPN, you know, wood chipper,
04:42and they spend 12 hours talking about it, so now everybody else has to talk about it.
04:46So, no, it was never a thing.
04:49Nothing has changed in terms of their hopes that Davis will play for them next year.
04:56And I do think that after next season that, you know, anything could happen.
05:01I've never said, and I do not believe that Anthony Davis is going to be here
05:05for the rest of his career, but I think the Wizards, you know, again,
05:10the whole point of trading for him was let's see how good we can be
05:13with Anthony Davis and Trey Young helping this young group,
05:18which now includes A.J. DeBansa, get better.
05:21Like, they don't know yet.
05:22They haven't played a game yet.
05:24So, they would like to, they need the data from that
05:27before they can decide what they're going to do with Anthony Davis.
05:30So, I don't think, so from that standpoint, nothing's changed.
05:34So, do you think they're going to be forced, I guess, to extend him, though?
05:40No.
05:40No, I don't think so.
05:42And, again, I understand.
05:43I like Rich Paul.
05:44He's a very good agent.
05:45He's very good at getting his clients paid.
05:48And he has to try to get that to happen.
05:52But, he does not have any leverage in this situation.
05:56Again, I will say this again.
05:58The only team that can give Anthony Davis an extension is the Wizards.
06:03Okay?
06:05So, I mean, an extension at the number he wants is the Wizards.
06:09Because if he decides to opt out after next season,
06:11and he's got a player option for 27-28,
06:14he can opt out of it and become a free agent.
06:17But then you have to sign for the room that's available to the other teams.
06:22Like, you no longer have the ability to get an extension off of your existing contract,
06:28which is the whole point.
06:30Right?
06:30Like, so, yeah, you could become a free agent in the summer of 2027
06:34and try to find a team that will give you $60 million in cap room.
06:38Good luck with that.
06:41I don't see it.
06:42But maybe there's a team that has $60 million in cap room waiting next year
06:45that's going to give it all to Anthony Davis.
06:47If so, hey, have a nice life, man.
06:49But that's not reality.
06:52So, again, the only team that can give him an extension is the Wizards.
06:57And they're not going to give him one at that number.
07:00Like, I just don't think that's going to happen.
07:03It's certainly not going to happen after they made the deal for Trey Young.
07:06Who, again, is six years younger than Anthony Davis.
07:09Right.
07:09So, I don't see it.
07:12I think they'd be willing to talk extension at a much lower number going forward,
07:16but certainly not at, you know, I think it's $62 million would be the starting point
07:21for an extension if you did it off the existing contract.
07:25They're not going to do that.
07:27I would be stunned if they did that.
07:29All right.
07:30I am excited to see Trey, AJ, AD, Keyshawn.
07:35Like, I'm excited to see the team they built on the floor.
07:38Yeah.
07:38I don't, however, want an extension for AD.
07:42Like, he's 33.
07:44He's missed a lot of time.
07:46Like, you can't be paying this dude 70 million a year, whatever the number is.
07:49I think everybody's in agreement on that.
07:51Okay.
07:54Now, I'm just going to point out the easiest path to something.
08:01If LeBron wants to play with Anthony Davis, as has been reported,
08:04maybe incorrectly, but as has been reported,
08:06the easiest path for LeBron to play with Anthony Davis, LeBron's a free agent.
08:11Davis is under contract with the Wizards.
08:14And I laugh saying this, but LeBron could just sign here.
08:17Is there any remote possibility that occurs?
08:21I would say no, just because I don't think, you know, I think even the most optimistic Wizards fan would
08:27say they're not a contender as it currently constituted.
08:32Right?
08:32Like, they're hoping to maybe make the playoffs next year, which is not the same as being a contender.
08:37So, they're not anywhere close to being a contender.
08:40I don't think that they would be, well, they'd be slightly closer if LeBron signed, but not certainly still not
08:46a contender in my view.
08:48He wants to go someplace where he has a chance to at least compete for a chip.
08:52So, I think that kind of precludes the Wizards.
08:56You know, I think Cleveland certainly would make sense for a final third go-round with the Cavs.
09:03You know, they're kind of, I wouldn't say they're in flux, but certainly they are at a kind of point.
09:08Crossroads.
09:09At a point, yeah, with their current, you know, nucleus, like they've had that group together, that Donovan Mitchell and
09:16Evan Mobley and Jared Allen group that they've had together for a few years now, you know, they kind of
09:22petered out.
09:23I would say petered out.
09:24They kind of plateaued, right?
09:25Like, so, you know, they might need a little push now.
09:29And so, that certainly, look, I think from the nostalgia piece, everybody would love for that to be the way
09:34LeBron goes out, like going back home.
09:36Like, everybody understands that, right?
09:38So, I think that's possible.
09:40I don't think Miami's possible.
09:42Like, I'll never say never, but he burned a lot of bridges, and Miami burned a lot of bridges back
09:51when he left, when he went back to Cleveland.
09:54There was a lot of kind of animosity between him and the organization.
09:58Now, again, there was animosity between him and the Cavs, and he went back to the Cavs.
10:02So, it is, I'm not going to say it's not possible.
10:04And Miami, certainly now with Giannis, is a team that has a chance to compete.
10:11But I'd be surprised if he did that.
10:14I think Golden State, certainly from the fun perspective, they wouldn't contend for a title.
10:18But he and Steph have a really good relationship.
10:23You know, they both played for Steve Kerr on the Olympic team in 2024.
10:26They won the gold medal.
10:29So, I think it's maybe a longer shot without Anthony Davis there, but it's not a total non-shot that
10:36he would go to the Warriors.
10:38But, yeah, I mean, I think, to me, it's all pointing back to him going back to Cleveland.
10:44Like, that just is the move that would, I just think it makes sense for him and for that team.
10:51They're both kind of in the same spot.
10:53Like, they need a home.
10:55Yeah.
10:55They need something to kind of juice up their chances of really competing again.
11:00And we'll see, because, you know, Harden holds all the cards there, because if Harden takes the max that he
11:06can take on a new deal, they can't.
11:07They can only offer LeBron, like, $6 million.
11:10Yeah.
11:10But if he leaves some money on the table, they can offer him, like, the equivalent of the mid-level,
11:14which would be, like, $15, $16 million, which would be a lot better.
11:18So, I think, like, to me, it's like Cleveland, probably 70-30 Cleveland with the 30 being, hey, let me
11:25just go enjoy myself, stay on the West Coast and play with Steph at Golden State.
11:31It's going to be wild.
11:32We're talking with our friend David Aldridge here on the Rude Guest Hotline.
11:35You can read all of DA's work in The Athletic.
11:38You can give him a follow at DavidAldridgeDC.
11:42Another set of initials with ties to San Francisco.
11:45Brandon Ayuk.
11:47I don't know that you and I have talked about this, really.
11:52He's posted a ton of social media videos.
11:55And I think the last couple were, for the first time, somewhere on the informative scale.
12:03At least he kind of laid out some of his reasons why he has kind of gone nuclear from the
12:08Niners.
12:09Yeah.
12:10But I think there was a time where it was pretty much a done deal that B.A. would come
12:16to Washington eventually when he got released.
12:18I don't necessarily feel that way now.
12:21Where are you at on all this?
12:23I mean, you know, once the calendar hits July, I ain't really trying to talk about anything but, is the
12:31dude ready to play football?
12:32Totally.
12:34You know what I mean?
12:34Like, that's all I care about, fellas.
12:37Like, is the dude, and he ain't played football in two years.
12:41Are you ready to get on the field and play football?
12:44You know, because if not, then we need to go in another direction if I'm the commanders.
12:49Like, I can't.
12:50This year is too important to them to have 53 guys that have been here for four months working together
12:57and this dude on the side that's trying to get back up to speed that I'm going to put on
13:01the field for 40 snaps.
13:03Like, no.
13:04I mean, and it has nothing to do with the social media.
13:06I don't care about that stuff.
13:07That's nonsense.
13:08Like, people to get worked up over that are fools and idiots.
13:14It's about football.
13:15Can you do the stuff that this team needs to win next year?
13:20Because I look at the other dude who's a free agent who's from here, and his video is him working
13:26out.
13:26Yeah, 100%.
13:28His video is him doing patterns and catching football.
13:33So, to me, like, we're getting to the point now, like, if you like your receiver room, cool.
13:40Go to war with that receiver room.
13:42But if you're like, hey, we need one more, and we got one spot, I'm going to go for the
13:48dude that played last year,
13:49that played at a pretty good level last year.
13:52That's a local guy that would love to come back here.
13:55And is working out playing football right now.
13:59Because that's what this is about now.
14:02The offseason is the offseason.
14:04But we're getting to – you're going to have training camp in a couple of weeks now.
14:08Like, this is get serious time now.
14:10And so, if you want to be here, then get here.
14:16If you can't get here, then we got to – I'm sorry.
14:19We got – the train's leaving the station.
14:21You know what I'm saying?
14:23Like, at some point, you got to get on the field.
14:26And a guy that hasn't been on the field in a couple of years, as we saw, you know,
14:30even with Terry, who was the Spartan at keeping himself in shape, but he wasn't there for camp.
14:37And what happened?
14:38Yep.
14:38Lower body injury.
14:39Lower body injury.
14:41Dave, I've been saying that the whole time.
14:42And my thing is, I've seen all these little videos, and I know all these fans get all up in
14:46the tizzy.
14:47Yeah.
14:48The one I was waiting to see was him running some damn routes to working out.
14:52Exactly.
14:53And I haven't seen one of those yet.
14:55No.
14:56No.
14:57And this is not personal.
14:58I don't know the dude.
14:59You know, so I'm not – I don't care about what he puts on Instagram or none of that garbage.
15:05What does he do on the football field?
15:08Okay?
15:08Because that's where everybody's attention should be now, and that's all I care about.
15:13And, again, I don't – if the commanders think their room is good enough and they don't need another guy,
15:21okay, we'll find out.
15:23But if you think, hey, we need one more, we need somebody to help Terry a little bit, you know,
15:29because our other guys are young and they're developing and they're not quite ready.
15:32Oh, that's fine.
15:34I'm just saying, you asking David what David would do?
15:37Well, I'm bringing Stephon Diggs in here, and I ain't thinking twice about it.
15:41Well, I think –
15:42That's me.
15:43It's such a good point, right?
15:45Like, Steph Diggs went for 1,000 yards last year on a team that went to the Super Bowl.
15:50Right.
15:51And, DA, I'm guessing you checked.
15:52I checked with people in New England.
15:54Zero problems.
15:55He came to work, did his thing.
15:58Whatever happened with the chef got thrown out of court kind of immediately, I believe.
16:02Right.
16:03There are different rules for different people in pro sports, and if you can play, that's what matters.
16:08And Steph Diggs can play.
16:09Yes, 100%.
16:10That's right.
16:11And I – look, you can say – look, you don't want to sign him because you think, hey, off
16:15the field, we can't rock with that.
16:16Okay, that's cool.
16:18Just have that standard for everybody.
16:20You know, and this team doesn't have – as Indy has shown you, they don't have that standard for everybody
16:26the last couple of years.
16:29So, what's the difference now with this?
16:32You don't say that.
16:33Like, it's so hard to separate the IU videos, which are by and large meaningless, from what is actually meaningful
16:45in that, do they need to add a receiver?
16:48Whether it's IU, whether it's Diggs, do you feel there's a need to add at that position?
16:55Yeah, I do.
16:56I do.
16:57I don't think there's – I just don't – that opposite receiver, just – I don't see it.
17:03Like, if you're telling me, like, you think you've got it in-house, I would disagree.
17:12I don't think so.
17:13I think they've got good receivers in the room, and I don't mind them keeping a couple of those guys,
17:20you know, Burks and guys like that, that are good vets, that can come in if you need them, or
17:24if you're playing four wide, that they're the fourth?
17:27Cool.
17:27So, I just don't think they put enough pressure on the opposition to cover people, you know what I'm saying?
17:36They're like, I think you need one more.
17:41And Steph Diggs is not a – like, at this point of his career, he's not going to run past
17:47a lot of people.
17:48But he knows how to run routes, and he knows how to get open.
17:52And I think we've all seen that five don't need a whole lot of room to get it to you.
17:57Like, he just needs time.
17:59But if you give him time, he's going to get the ball to the right guy.
18:03And I think that Diggs would be, to me, the guy that I would put my attention to now.
18:10And it has nothing to do with the off-field stuff.
18:13I just don't know how you can feel good about bringing in a guy that hasn't played in almost two
18:20years.
18:22Like, that to me is – that to me is the bottom line with this.
18:26That's why I would just go – I get it, but I don't – like, I don't – I can't
18:32– not this year.
18:33Like, if they're coming off a Super Bowl, they won the Super Bowl last year, you want to take a
18:37shot on a guy?
18:37Okay.
18:38But this is a year where people's jobs are on the line.
18:41Okay.
18:43Hell yeah.
18:44Yeah, I don't think they're going to be all sanguine about, oh, let's just bring him in and see what
18:48happens.
18:48No, no, not this year.
18:49No, no, not this year.
18:52DA, I know you're going to have to work a ton, but I hope you have a little bit of
18:56fun, maybe a barbecue.
18:58Watch that 11 a.m. Nats game.
18:59Thank you for the time, sir.
19:00Appreciate it, Dave.
19:01Appreciate it, guys.
19:02Happy Fourth of July, DA.
19:03Yep.
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