NBA Coaches on the Hot Seat: Mosley, Rivers, Donovan, Keefe, Borrego & Christie

​[00:00:00] thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Alright, it's time to talk basketball. I'm Jose Salviati, Editor at thePeachBasket.net. He is Steve Purciello, longtime educator, vice-principal, high school basketball coach, athletic director, and also the host of Celtic Chalk Talk. Celtic Chalk Talk is a pod dedicated to the latest news and opinions surrounding the Boston Celtics Conference. Favorite. Lifelong fan Steve. The pod will drop in new episodes every Monday, but this is the Shock Clock Pod, the best 24 minutes of random NBA Thoughts Online Anywhere. This podcast was born outta the content in Steve's searching rules random NBA thoughts articles which he publishes weekly. Steve and I have exactly 24 minutes to discuss what's on his mind around the NBA today. We'll discuss his latest searching rules, random MB thoughts, NBA thoughts article where he shares his random thoughts after week number 24. Of the 20 25, 26 NBA season. Now, if you're listening to this show, we want you to know that this is an independent, fan driven show that is [00:01:00] a part of the Peach Basket podcast network. We're not owned by a big media company, which means what you hear comes straight from real fans like Steve and I who live this game every day in half for. Decades. If you believe voices like this should be heard, the best way to support us, it's simple. Keep listening. Tell a friend when this episode ends. Head to the Peach basket podcast network.com. Check out more fan run podcasts and help this independent network grow the way it's started or organically one hoops fan at a time. We really thoroughly appreciate your support. Alright, Steve, are you ready? Let's go. Clock is running lots to talk about today. Now in this article, this week you did something a little different, so we're gonna do something a little different. You listed some coaches that are on the hot seat. Now we're gonna go and take those coaches one by one and as we discuss why they're on the hot seat, we're gonna put them in order. Alright? So a little different approach than what we normally do and [00:02:00] hopefully we have time to talk about some random thoughts around the Lakers. That you called out as well as the Knicks. And a little bit of bonus content if we can get to it. But let's start with the coaches. Unfortunately things didn't go as well or as planned for several NBA teams this season. We're gonna start with and we'll do these in order. We're gonna start with the Orlando Magic. Now, the magic of not had a bad season. This has been pretty good, but when you think about expectations for the magic going into the season. It hasn't been great. And coach Jamal Mosley is on the hot seat. Tell us why. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: First of all, I think the cardinal rule in any coach from. Eighth grade to a professional. You get along with your best player. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: have been going back and forth. Paulo talked about adjustments and Mosley responded to it, and so did you know that there's not things that are real good? In fact, MOS it's been said Ben Carro during timeouts is looking somewhere else and not paying. He's lost thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: [00:03:00] Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: That's one piece. The other piece, a couple weeks ago, they gave up, they went on a, I guess it was Toronto, went on a 31 to nothing run. Now when you give up 31 points in a row and your team can't score, tells me something about that they quit. And are they quitting On, on, on Mosley? the, those are some of the things that I've seen now they also in the off season, went all in by acquiring Desmond Bain. Was, they couldn't shoot threes. Bain can shoot them and Bain's a good player, they haven't gotten better. So in fact they're probably doing just about what they did last year. So you take all that, not getting along with your best player is the biggest thing, but you take all that, you realize if Mosley has anything, he's gotta win a series or two. And I don't think the odds are real good. And I think Orlando, who's not known to spend money. He's trying to spend some money [00:04:00] and it didn't work out, so somebody's gonna pay for it and I would think it's gonna be Mosley, especially. You wanna keep Paulo happy, thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: one more thing to think about. Would Milwaukee do Paulo and a draft picker two for Giannis? thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Would Milwaukee do that? Of course Milwaukee does that. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Okay. Just something to just put out because if you're going to stick around with Mosley and if you use the answer, you gotta do one or the other, thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: And if you take Giannis, you're playing for one season or two seasons. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. Now it's interesting you mentioned Giannis because his coach is on, on your list. And I think if you were to switch Bon Carro for Giannis, that might change things a little bit for Doc Rivers. 'cause let's jump to Doc. We do this a little outta order, right? Which is fine. [00:05:00] You said Doc is on the hot seat. Obviously the Milwaukee Bucks have been home. Really bad this season, but if they blow it up, dock Rivers does not wanna be around for a rebuild. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: That's thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: and you call that out and that's absolutely true. Now, if they were to get ban carro, it's not a rebuild anymore. It's a retool. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: it's a thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: that change? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: It's a thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: It's still a rebuild. Okay. Go ahead. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: not much there. There's not much there. Turner is probably one of the biggest disappointments. As a free agent making $25 million a year. Would think Portis would want out because he wants to, and they would do that because Portis has rewarded Milwaukee the bucks over thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: For sure. Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: COO Mill will go. So what? I don't think anybody, I don't know if anybody wants Uzma, but the point being, they got Rollins, who's a pretty good point guard, not great or nothing that's knocking you over, but he's pretty good. other assets does Milwaukee have? If they have bank car, they don't have a lot around that, I don't, it'd be nice, but I don't think so. And I [00:06:00] think the thought being, if they're going to rebuild, that's not the guy. Not just 'cause he doesn't want to be there. He's better with veterans. There's a whole bunch of things and I think by mutual mutually they would move on. That's my take on it. I, unless Doc is clinging, 'cause he wants a million, win, not a million, but, it's to set the record with wins and all thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: even that, what's he gonna get next year? 25, 30 wins. No. So thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Okay. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: my take on it. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Okay, so now let's rank 'em, who is most likely to get fired? Moseley or Rivers? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Mosley Rivers Mosley. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Moseley. Boom. All right. Let's go. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I, like I said though you gotta qualify that Rivers would be a mutual agreement more thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah, and you that out. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: fire Doc because he's been around forever. He is a hall of fame coach, all that stuff. You don't want, just go away. Don't, let's, make it a nice mutual parting.[00:07:00] thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: I got it. All right, very good. Let's jump to the next coach on the hot seat. And this is a bit of a surprising one I think a little bit because this is the number six team in the east, and this is a team that honestly, I had no expectations that they would be this good. So if you deal just with expectations, I think they probably have exceeded those expectations. But why then is Darco ra squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: First of all, there's a thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: On your list? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: involved. There's a lot of money involved and they made a mistake with quickly. So somebody's gonna pay for that. They're paying him a lot of money over 30, I believe, and there somebody's gonna pay for it. Ingram's getting 40, I believe Barnes is getting 40. So you're over the cap when you pay that much money, you want better than six plays. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: been there for a couple years. There's one piece too. have not done well against top teams. They've been, their record is not real good against the good teams. So that says something there, there's, there's just some issues [00:08:00] here that need to be fixed and start looking at it, and I don't think Daros done a bad job or a horrible job or any of that, but you thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: at it and say we can't get rid of contracts. It's gonna be difficult to get, dealing quickly would be next to impossible. So what else do we do? We get rid of him. And don't forget, Bobby Webster, who's the GM, just got hired and he's gonna, you always cover your, you know what, and also Darko wasn't his hire. It was the previous person who, I can't think of his name. Anyway, it was a previous person who made the hire and. Sometimes they want their own person coming in, Gonna be there. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: of course. All right. Yeah. But you did call out what, another thing that helps Darco is he's well liked, right? And that's right. And that's what you called out in, in, may not be happening in Orlando. So that's gonna work to his benefit. [00:09:00] Let's talk about another guy who is generally well liked and generally pretty successful, but just has not been able to get the Chicago Bulls over the hump. And that's Billy Donovan. So what's going well? And before we get to Billy, I forgot, let's rank 'em. We got Mosley first between Rivers and Rajkovich, who's second most likely to lose his job? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Probably rivers, probably. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: so go Mosley Rivers Darco. Go ahead. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Yeah, that would probably be it. Now who are we just asking about? Who are you thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Billy Donovan, why is he on your list? This is a well-liked guy. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: you see there, there's a lot there. First of all, does North Carolina come a calling if they And I think he want to because he can win. Where to? The bulls are in rebuild. The next thing on that is the word is him in carists. Don't get along Great. waiting to see what the bulls do with him, with Carve the season. So there, there's little factors in this. [00:10:00] If Carves stays and North Carolina offers he's head, he's headed to North Carolina. There's no doubt if goes, there's a couple factors. Does Billy Donovan, he's getting older, I believe he's near 60. Does he want to become, go move into the front office? Does he wanna continue to coach? if he wants to go to the front office, it might be his, so then there's gotta be, do you wanna continue to coach or do you wanna try to make something out of a, a mess, which what the bulls are right now, thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: him play. They don't defend, they don't do anything. Everybody's looking at their own contract on the team. So whoever gets the bull shoots it's just a horrible thing to watch and they're giving up ridiculous amounts of points every night. So I would think the bulls, if they're gonna cut their losses carn, this, they would get rid of before Billy Donovan. Billy Donovan's a good coach, he's just got Work with. So that I think is something that might be more of a mutual. Type situation. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Fair enough. [00:11:00] Now you softballed me a perfect segue. Speaking of giving up ridiculous amounts of points, we're gonna talk about the Washington Wizards next. How's that for a segue? That is an a plus segue, but before we do, I wanna order these, right? So we got Mosley first and Rivers, then Darko. Where does Billy Donovan fit in that list? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I think Billy's ahead of Darko because thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Okay. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: could, because it's more of a mutual again, and if the bulls don't do what I think Billy Donovan wants. I think he's just gonna walk. He was gonna try to walk because he does have a contract and sometimes you can't go somewhere else because of that. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Sure. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: there's quite a few NBA teams that would love to take him. Now, I didn't mention in the article, but just think about this. The Nicks wanted him last year. What happens if the Knicks flame out in the playoffs? thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Ooh. Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: it just it's thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: It's feasible because thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: I, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: 10 guys, the Nicks wanted before they ended up on Mike Brown thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Donovan was one of them. But then [00:12:00] you're talking about the Nicks would have to give a draft choice up to get Billy Donovan. It gets complicated. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Sure. Alright let again stay in the east. We'll talk about the wizards the horrible defensive team through, some of it, through no fault of their own, they brought in some players. Trey Young and Anthony Davis would certainly help on the defensive side. But, they're not playing right now and they're not they're likely not gonna play they're definitely not gonna play this season. So Keith was hired to develop a young team. Is it working? Is he on the hot seat? Is he going to, are they going to stay with him when they bring in those veterans next season? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: This is just my thought. If you have a coach and you're starting to build something, generally you start on the defensive end. How many points did BAM get a couple weeks ago against them? And then I think last night or two nights ago, the heat lit 'em up for another 150. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: and I, they're giving up ridiculous amounts. They have the worst defense in the NBA.[00:13:00] thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: True. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: And I'm not saying Keith has got buy-in or doesn't, as much as that's not a good, if you're building, if you're rebuilding, that's not good. So that makes a problem. The other problem would be you got two guys all stars at one time or another in their career coming in. What do you think the buy-in on Brian Keefe will be among those two guys? thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I think, you shake his hand, say, thanks, you, you were the steward of two bad team, two year, a couple years of bad teams. now we're going in a different direction. That's my sense and I think that chance is pretty good. I think that would be 'cause we got the two mutuals we talked about that it might be a mutual decision doc and Billy Donovan. I think that would be the second after Jamal Mosley most likely because of, just being fired. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Got it. Perfect. You feel for the guy, I think he was put in a, in, in, in a situation that [00:14:00] nobody really could have done any better. This is, it was just a bad team going through a, a bad run. And really prepping for this year. They, they kicked this year playing for next year. They kicked this year to the curb a while ago. So it's a difficult situation. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Don't forget the new GM who's been their president. Winger, the president of the organization. He's been there two, three years now. You want something better than 25 wins. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: he's gotta, he's gotta step it up. That's why Davis and Trey Young are there. And so that's my sense that, they're gonna make a move. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yep. All right. The order so far, Mosley, Keef Rivers, Donovan, and Darko. Let's talk and we'll stay in the East. We do have some West teams though. Let's talk about the Pelicans, James Borrego interim tag. But it, sometimes some folks excel in that, in with that interim tag and sometimes they don't. The pelicans have been. Just a weird team. No identity. And this is just me talking now, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: You thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: but what do you think about [00:15:00] Borrego? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: First of all, think the pelicans have more talent than what they've shown, and I think there's a Of problems just getting it together. Zion has played a lot this year, but you never know with him. And Deonte Murray is coming back now and So there's thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Okay. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I think the biggest question here is Joe Dumar has been the president for a year. He walked in, he kept Willy Green for the first couple weeks of the season, and then he fired him and he put Borrego in. generally GMs want their own person as a coach. I think Borrego was the first assistant and he became the coach, the question is somebody Dumars thinks can do a good job in the long haul and he owns him, or does he want to go out and try to find something better? he can own because he's putting his neck on the line if he does go with him and they don't get better. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: that I [00:16:00] think is the whole crux for the thing. And generally owner general managers or presidents, whatever they might be, will want their own guy in this situation. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: sure. Okay. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: got some issues. The only way he could have saved himself. Is if they came on and competed and were close to getting to the play in after that horrible start. And they're not even near that. So I don't think he's gonna save himself. And I think you put him, with Keefe in that area with Brian Keefe. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yep. Yeah, let's just stop him. Third. But yeah, I think it's a bit of a toss up between those two. So squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Yeah. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: a quick, yeah, quick update, right? We got Mosley, Keef, Borrego Rivers, Donovan, and Darko has the most security amongst this this rough group, but it's not great. All right, let's take a look and see who is next on the list. As we go down now, yeah, we're going to stay in the West now. Odd, Colleen, the Pelicans west, but this is true West, right? And this is a team that I just feel so, so [00:17:00] bad for. It's like I want them to succeed because they've just been so bad for so long and they've got such a loyal fan base. And that's the Sacramento kinks. This is just a hodgepodge. They're, again, no, no identity. What are they trying to do? And when Doug Christie came in, if you remember. This was a guy who's beloved by the team. This was by the franchise, by the city. This was a guy who was on the last really good team that the Kings had and did some good energized the city. They looked, they lit the beam. There was some fun going on in Sacramento, but it just is, hasn't been sustainable and they've got a quirky owner. What do you think Doug Christie's future is? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I think he's gonna, they're gonna keep him, but you never know what the cl what the kinks. 'cause they do things that are crazy. Reive, Vivek Reive likes Christie, so that's very important 'cause he's got his fingers in everything on that team. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yep. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: So that's part of it. The GM Perry just came into the job and does he want his own? Does he wanna clean it? And [00:18:00] I don't know if Vivek Reive would allow that for him to fire him. I think safe enough because he'll get another year to figure this out. The problem becomes, and it just, I think Zach Levine just said he was taking, which he'd be crazy not to, was taking his contract option next year for 46 million. 'cause he's not getting 46 million anywhere. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: No doubt. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: already you got a problem. There's a lot of money going out. Nobody want. If you can get rid of Levine, God bless you. So you know right away you have a problem. you also have, a center that's been hurt all year hurt them. And they've got the kid Reno who's a center and he's played well. So you are thinking, you might wanna move on from that, but then again, what are you gonna get? And so it's just a hodgepodge of players that the Rosen's a free agents. So at least they'll get, I believe they'll get that money off the books, but it's just a hodgepodge of a bunch of [00:19:00] people that all are decent players. But it just doesn't work. And think thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: two years ago, I believe Mike Brown was there and they got in the playoffs and they were, what, the fifth, third seat or so, and they did get beat in the first round, but they went from that to just being a circus. And thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: the Sacramento Kings. As long as Vivek has owned them, it's a circus. So for me to sit there and say, Christie's in or out, I'm gonna bet in. But. Who knows if VVE oatmeal's a little cold, he might fire 'em. It's just it's a sad situation for the for, for the Sacramento fans because it's a good thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Right, a hundred percent agreed. And I wish the team nothing but success. There is our list. We've got Mosley most likely to go. Then Keith Borrego Rivers Donovan Christie. Darco is the safest among the the list. But it's iffy. Not a list you wanna be on for sure. Outstanding. Well [00:20:00] done. We do have a little bit of time and there's two topics that I'd like to go a little bit of time. We wanna talk quickly if we could, about you, you wrote about the Knicks, which is also, again we can never talk about everything. 'cause you write a lot of good stuff and make sure to read it. We'll link it wherever you, wherever you're watching or listening to this today, but we, let's talk briefly and just give a couple minutes to, to the Los Angeles Lakers. This was a team you wrote about that was a dark horse in the West undeniably. This was a team that was just firing on all cylinders and then one game changed everything for them. What do you see for the Lakers now? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: First of all, if, and Reeves is gonna. Be out for a while, while Luca's thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: in the first round. they would probably either play Houston or Minnesota First round. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yep. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: I thought those two teams would be the first two out. of the good teams of the six good teams, but I think whoever gets the Lakers are gonna win because LeBron, unless [00:21:00] LeBron goes back to being 25 again, because you just don't have enough points there. You, Unless eight and all of a sudden decides he can score. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: but it's just not there. But here's the interesting thing. Thursday night, I believe it was Thursday, but anyway, everything changed. Everything changed. The thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: going into the game thought they had a shot, a dark horse shot at upsetting some people. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: true. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: and second quarter. They were getting bought out of the building thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yep. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: reports. Say Luca, the trainers checked him out and put him back in 'cause he felt something going on there with his hamstring. But they put him thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: I. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: in. Now if you watch the game and I. Saw Reeves in the first quarter was holding himself his stomach and his back. Didn't pick it up while I was watching it, but I'm saying to myself, something's wrong here. He went down. He, here's the piece. If the Lakers decide to run this back with [00:22:00] LeBron and pay him, they have to know they aren't good enough to win it. So that was what was the most telling. You could talk about the injuries for this year, but when you getting smoked by Oklahoma, by 30 with those guys on the court, you got a problem. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: they have to sit and say, I don't know if we can compete with this team. And to win it, you gotta go through a team like Oklahoma and San Antonio and so on. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: No doubt. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: The issue becomes. Bigger than the injuries. Yeah, okay. If they were healthy, they might get through the first round and so on and so forth in the playoffs. But, and maybe they will anyway, but bigger issue is the Lakers are always talking about they wanna win the whole thing. Do they have enough to win the whole thing? My answer is obviously, no, they're not close and that was very apparent in that game against Oklahoma. Do. Do you [00:23:00] think the Lakers, you're the Laker fan, do you think the Lakers could beat Oklahoma with full health four times? thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: No. I, I think it'd be a good game, but I don't think they win it. And just because I'm in LA does not mean I'm a Laker fan. There are just fans of the game here in la. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: And then the next question becomes next year, if you run it back with that team, will it get better or thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: No, it's gonna say the same. It's not gonna get better or worse. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: worse because Marcus Smart, who's hurt quite often right now be a year older and more injuries will, LeBron will be a year older, this is the first time he's still great. He's still an close thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Sure. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: player. But this is the first time now you're starting to see a little bit of slippage on LeBron thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: Unless he defies everything and is better next year, he's going to, he's not gonna be as good. So where are we going here? And so they've got, the Lakers have probably will be the most [00:24:00] interesting team in the off season to see how they try to retool. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Yeah. And I think that's gonna be the key. Even if they do, run it back. I think some of those peripheral pieces and I hate to say Marcus Smart is a peripheral piece, but in those, this liker team at this ca stage of his career, he is, they're gonna swap those out. But you're right about LeBron. But we've been saying the same thing about LeBron for the last 10 years, and it's never been true. At some point it will be. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: now you're seeing like, like a little slippage. Where in the last, for the last eight, up until about a year ago, a year and a half, you didn't see the slippage. Saw him as being a dominant player thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: yeah, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: you're starting to see the slippage. It's not great. He's still a good player, a real good thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: but, and then the Lakers have to think, you think he's gonna take less than 50 million? thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: Ego will not allow you, you said it. Yeah. squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: is gonna be interesting. He's probably a $25 million player now, but, and by the way, the rumors, I dunno if you hear it out there. [00:25:00] Rumor is he's going to the clippers. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: yeah. The rumors are, yeah, but, rumors are belly buttons, man. Everybody's got 'em. Who, who cares? squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: It really it breaks my heart to see the Lakers like in this tough situation. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: No, of course. No we appreciate the sincere concern that you have out here in la squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: franchise in NBA history. I. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: and on that note, you didn't hear it, but the buzzer went off. There is one more topic I would like to chat about, but we don't have time today. We'll do it next week. When the season ends or at least when the last full season ends though week number 25. And it's a very interesting conversation around someone who has picked correctly the last two NBA champions based on analytics. And I, squadcaster-76ic_1_04-05-2026_115612: you just briefly just go into it briefly. thepeachbasket_1_04-05-2026_085613: I I'll tease it, but we're not gonna talk about it. But this guy has picked five statistics that the last 95% of the last NBA champions, the [00:26:00] last few NBA champions have had. There's always, one outlier, one team that doesn't meet or check every box. Not gonna tell you all of them, but I'll get, I'll tell you some of 'em, they makes sense. Number one, you have to have a top 10 points per game or rebounds per game person on your team. 28 of the last 30 champions have had. That makes sense. Okay let's go with number four, top 12 in defensive ranking. 38 of the last 40 champions have had that defense wins champions. Really solid list. This one's the only one that's subjective, and I'll leave you with this one. This is number three of five. A debatable top 10 player on your team. So you have to have one of the best top 10 players on your team. 29 of 30 NBA champions have had that. The only outlier there, of course, being the oh six Detroit Pistons who didn't. Okay, so that's a strong list, but it's a bit subjective 'cause what does Top 10 really mean? [00:27:00] And there's two others. You take all of those together, you give 'em to the computer and it spits out a winner. And he has been right every single time he has tried this. And the I'll be straight with you. The pick this year will shock you. I'm not much of a of a teaser thing. That's not what we do, but we will discuss that next week with a special shout out to at Step Up Sports on TikTok. He is the that account is the one who came up with this. So we'll talk about it and we'll discuss it next week In addition. Steve's random thoughts. Alright, that is it. You heard you didn't hear the shot clock go off, but I promise you it did. Thank you for listening. Thank you for watching. Make sure to read Steve's entire 13 rules random NBA thoughts article, which he publishes weekly. We will link it below wherever you are watching or seen this show. And then again. Of course, join us next week when we discuss who's gonna win and we'll give it all away. Who's gonna win the NBA championship this season according to math? And we will, of course recap week number 25, the last full [00:28:00] week of the 20 25 26 NBA season. Steve, we'll talk next week. Thank you.