Nightcap Hour 1: USA is LOCKED in at the WORLD CUP + Zlatan Ibrahimovic says USA has Chance to WIN World Cup + Spurs Remain COMMITTED to De’Aaron Fox

14:21Shannon Sharpe:You want to go, hey, Ocho on the road in Seattle. You want to go, you want to go see Ocho in Seattle, see what he doing? He can take you to the fish market. What you think? You go to the fish market, catch some fish. You like fish, don't you? Say, not really.

14:37Chad Johnson:That's a, that boy big, boy.

14:41Shannon Sharpe:He said, y 'all, they see a bit of a bit, but I don't care. He hungry. He just ate.

14:52Shannon Sharpe:You want a snack? You want a treat?

14:54Chad Johnson:Yeah, man. Hey, I'm out here in Minnesota, man. We got the Nationals out here, man. My daughter and them out here doing their thing, doing their one-two. You feel me? Yeah. Hey, how they doing? Yeah, it's the tournament. We're doing pretty good. They finna play again at 8 o 'clock. So, they doing all right, man. They holding it down. They holding it down, bro. They holding it down.

15:19Joe Johnson:Okay. Joe, you know I used to play volleyball, too, in high school. What position you play? A little bit of everything, Joe. You know it's a rotation now. You know that, Joe. Were you an outside hitter? You a blocker? No, I could dig with the best of them, huh? You a center? Well, everybody have to dig, Ocho. I mean, yeah, I'm one of the better setters because I had a nice little touch. Oh, you were setter.

15:45Shannon Sharpe:I had a nice little touch.

15:47Joe Johnson:Oh, okay.

15:47Chad Johnson:And I could jump out of the gym, so my spike team would like that too. Yeah, hey, hey, hey, my daughter play in the middle, boy. I'm talking about she had about six blocks. I'm talking about whipping it. You hear me? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, she's doing her thing out there.

16:01Joe Johnson:I like that.

16:03Shannon Sharpe:Man, that's awesome. That's awesome. I mean, look, the only time I watch volleyball is when the Olympics come around. I watch the men and the women. And we normally have a very good men's and women's team, along with the Brazilians normally have a great women's volleyball team. So do the Chinese, the Russians, the Ukrainians. Same with the men. Croatia have a good team. Obviously the Brazilians. So I always watch it. I remember when they had – the U.S. team had Destiny Hooker and Logan Tom. They were really, really good. You talking about these – And Karch Karai was the coach. I think Karch is still the coach.

16:47Chad Johnson:I think Karch Karai is still the latest national volleyball coach. Hey, you talking about professional, boy. They don't be playing. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, them folks had their head over the neck.

16:57Shannon Sharpe:You hear me? Real deal. Oh, yeah. And I watched, you know, beach volleyball. The only time I watched that, obviously. You watched the girls beach volleyball? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

17:07Chad Johnson:I figured you'd like that. I figured you'd like that. Yeah.

17:09Shannon Sharpe:Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Misty May and her partner.

17:15Joe Johnson:You know who's good in volleyball? Huh? You know who's really good in volleyball? Who? That played with me when I went to Cincinnati as a rookie, went to UCLA. Remember Danny Farmer? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I do. Danny Farmer was a hell of a volleyball player, boy.

17:28Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, Carrie Walsh. That's her name. Carrie Walsh. I think she got married. Carrie Walsh Jennings. I think that's her name. Misty May trained. I think they won three Olympics together. Yeah, they had a real good team. Yeah. And who was it? It was Ken Stephens and Dane Blanton. I think they won the inaugural in 96 in Atlanta. Yeah. I think Ken Stephens, because him and what you call him used to be, I think Ken Stephens and Karch Karai used to be partners. But for the Olympics, Dane Blanton, he and I used to work out in the same gym. And I think he's the USC women's coach now, Dane is. but I forgot happy Juneteenth everyone if you're celebrating hopefully you're doing something fun Juneteenth when they actually they had been freed years earlier but when they finally got the news they're like hold on wait a minute we were free for three years y 'all just not bringing us this dude what kind of bull jive is that so everybody out there is a celebrating Happy Juneteenth.

18:38Shannon Sharpe:Pulisic, he missed the game, Ocho, with an injury, left without the most dangerous attacking threat. Ocho, I thought they looked good, even though Pulisic did not play. And that's what you have to do, obviously. You like for all your best players to play. But sometimes that might not be the case. And when your best players don't play, other guys will have an opportunity to step up. And that's what we saw today on the U.S. team.

18:59Joe Johnson:Yeah, they look really good, Uncle Joe. Really, really good. But in transition, you know, moving the ball really well. Everybody was very comfortable on the ball. Wes McKinney and Tyler Adams really dominated, you know, the midfield, really controlled the pace and being able to dictate what we wanted to do. But, I mean, we played well. Obviously, you know, and Freeman getting his header, you know, young dude. I used to train with him. He was at Inter-Miami, at Inter-Miami when he was young, young, young. And I used to go out and play with them boys. So to see how far he's come and doing really well, you know, at the biggest stage at the World Cup and getting his first World Cup goal, that got to be a great feeling, man.

19:35Joe Johnson:That got to be a great feeling, especially as a father.

19:38Shannon Sharpe:When does the U.S. play again, Ocho? You know what?

19:44Joe Johnson:Oh, that's a great one. Thursday. Yeah, against Turkey, right? Copenhagen's spit-free pouches are packed full of American-grown tobacco. Made for welders. Stuck behind masks. More mechanics.

20:19Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything.

21:03It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. If we got clear facts, maybe we can calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News, reporting for America. Who doesn't love warm, carby comfort? Satisfying sandwiches, loaded bagels, rich mac and cheese. Crave-worthy and smart, Hero Bread's loaves, bagels, and noodles have just 0-5 gram snack carbs, 0 gram sugar, and up to 19 grams of protein and 32 grams of fiber per serving. Hero Bread bakes with heart-healthy olive oil and delivers a soft, fluffy, flavorful experience you love.

21:45Shop now on Hero.co. Use code IHEART for 10 % off. That's Hero.co. Per serving, not a low-calorie food. Some products contain allulose. See nutrition info on Hero.co for sodium and sugar content. Discover a spectacular island destination with crystal blue seas, endless sunshine, and the cool Bahamian breeze. Bahamar, located in Nassau, Bahamas, offers your choice of three luxury hotels. The richly refined Rosewood, the playfully hip SLS, and the stylishly modern Grand Hyatt. With over 45 restaurants, bars, and lounges, Bahamar serves up delicious dining from world-renowned chefs like Daniel Bouloud and Marcus Samuelson.

22:23nightlife venues like the new Jean Batiste Jazz Club, and the Caribbean's most luxurious casino. At Baja Mar, you'll find every pleasure under the sun and one-of-a-kind experiences for the entire family, like Baja Bay, our 15-acre lush tropical water park, interactive wildlife experiences, including our daily flamingo parade, world-class golf, tennis, spa, and so much more. Visit BajaMar.com today and discover a vacation destination where memories are made for a lifetime. Bahamar. Life spectacular.

22:55Shannon Sharpe:What would that be, Ocho? Fried turkey. Fried turkey, everybody. Hey, anybody that's in attendance, when we win, free hair transplant.

23:09Joe Johnson:And veneers. You know what? That's a good thing, too, because we might sweep the group. Yeah, that's the goal. We're probably going to sweep the group. We're going to go 3-0. and then, you know, we get ready for the round of 32. Now it gets a little bit more difficult. Now we're going to get this round of 32. As some of the teams taper off, you know, the level of competition and the quality of players is higher.

23:31Chad Johnson:It's a good thing they gave us a little soft group play too, boy. Hey, so we can get on about it and get our confidence, Joe. There you go. That's what I'm talking about. Yeah.

23:41Shannon Sharpe:We going to need it. Yeah, that's all we need. Hey, get that momentum. Hey, we on home. Hey, watch. I don't know. Ocho, is it me? Or it seems like the team that score first has a decided advantage in soccer.

23:57Joe Johnson:In a sense, but there's a saying, a two-goal lead is the worst thing to have in the game of soccer. A two-goal lead is the worst thing to have because not only you relax, it's just the level of talent. And when the momentum shifts, it's weird how it's so – it's much easier for the other team to score at some point. But they're going to get a goal. But right now you're seeing discrepancies because the playing field, the level of quality is not even. It's lopsided. It's top heavy. So that's one of the reasons why we look as good as we do the past two weeks. We play in Australia. We play in Paraguay.

24:36Joe Johnson:But, I mean, you'll see the difference as it gets closer and the margin for error becomes very, very small.

24:42Shannon Sharpe:Well, you know, normally, as long as they kept us out of that group of death, you know, because there was one year they put us in the group of death and they already do. what's going to happen. After the first game, like, yeah, we go ahead and pack our bag. We ain't doing nothing. It's tough, man. Yeah, absolutely. So hopefully, having a couple of weeks, Ocho, hopefully Pulisic is back. You know, he missed this game. He got hurt last Friday. He missed this game. So two weeks he should be back. Obviously, as you go further, you want your best players to play, to be able to play. And so hopefully that'll be the case with him.

25:20Joe Johnson:I mean, listen, the part, I mean, starting in Pulisic's place was Ricardo Pepe, who's really good. He's really good. You know, being able to attack Joe. He play out there on the wing, Joe. Oh, yeah, he moves. He moves. He aggressive. He's going to push the pace. He's going to attack and open things up for other people. He's not Pulisic, but he's good. Can you tell me something?

25:43Chad Johnson:What's up with all this flopping out there in soccer, bro? So, I don't know what you're going to say. It's worse than damn basketball the way they out there flopping, man. Oh, yeah. That's where they got it from.

25:54Joe Johnson:Hey, it's a little tactic at times to give players a break, to let your players, let your teammates get a rest. But sometimes it ain't flopping. You get kicked, you step on with them studs. Hey, I'm starting using them seven studs because the grass wet, right?

26:09Shannon Sharpe:Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, I saw them doing the intermission. I think they had a break or something. They was watering down the field. Yeah, hydration break. Yeah. Yeah. Well, hydration. That's what they call a hydration break, right?

26:20Chad Johnson:I got a huge admiration for those guys. Because, boy, just like boxers and soccer, man, you got to be in some damn shape.

26:31Joe Johnson:Crazy shape, Joe. You're running 45 minutes straight. The only time you get the rest, maybe if the ball is on the other side of the field. But when the ball is on the other side of the field, your off the ball movement still has to be on point. Just in case it rotate back to you. So you really never get a chance. The only person who rests and legitimately walk probably eight, not only the goalie, but when you watch Messi play. Joe, when you watch Messi play, he literally is just standing still. He's slowly moving. Once he gets the ball out.

27:02Chad Johnson:He out of now. Man. Boy got a handle like Kyrie with his feet on him, man. And listen, he got the ball on the yo-yo. Like a string. I already know. I'm checking him out. Mm-hmm.

27:14Shannon Sharpe:Zolatan Ibrahimovic said he thinks the United States men's national team has a chance to win the World Cup. Ibrahimovic, one word reply. Yes, when former Sweden star asked on Fox post game show if the U.S. had a chance to go all the way this tournament. Defender Chris Richards doesn't think it's a wild idea either. I don't think it's ridiculous to say that we want to win it. Obviously, we have a lot more games before we get to that moment, but you know we take one game at a time we want to lift a trophy by the yes sir

27:47Joe Johnson:hey the funny the great thing about this right is chris richards he's supposed to say that he's supposed to say that now to hear from a sweden legend you know the icon ibrahimovic zlatan to say that obviously maybe you're working for fox how you pronounce his name zolatan Zlatan? No, Zlatan. Zlatan? Zlatan. Ibrahimovic. Yeah, to hear Ibrahimovic say something like that.

28:12Shannon Sharpe:When I've heard him say Ibrahimovic so many times, I know that one.

28:16Joe Johnson:Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, but to hear somebody like him say that who knows what it takes to win a World Cup, even though he might not have won one, but he understands the level of talent and the outlet of countries we have to go through to actually get there, and he's one that don't lie. He definitely ain't lying.

28:31Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, he very matter of fact. And you guess what, Ocho? We ain't got to go through all of them. Some of them countries are going to have to play each other and knock their damn self out. They make it seem like we got to play Morocco and Portugal and Argentina and all these hard-ass, Mexico, all these. No, no, no, no. They're going to play. Some of these teams are going to play each other.

28:49Joe Johnson:Knock each other out. Hey, the Netherlands, it's the same team, Joe, every year. Spain, Netherlands, England, Argentina, Portugal going to be in there. Who I'm missing? Who I'm missing? Who I'm missing? There's going to be a dark horse that's going to surprise everybody. We might possibly be that dark horse this year. That's us.

29:10Shannon Sharpe:We the dark horse, Ocho.

29:12Joe Johnson:It may be. Like, you know, in football, every year we have a team that surprises us and comes out of nowhere and has a great season and end up in a – we could be the dark horse this year at the World Cup. I'm hoping so. I hope so, too. Man, that thing going to be – oh, you forgot friends. Oh, friends. Oh, hey, Joe. Hey, Joe. Boy, France is like, I'm trying to think the equivalent of France in basketball terms, of a team that's really stacked from top to bottom. Remember how well OKC looked? Yeah. Just structured. Whether Shea played or not, they still were afloat and were really good. That's exactly what France is like.

29:54Joe Johnson:Every position, from the midfield to the back line to the attacking three, you take the attacking three out and you put the subs in even that though joe it's ridiculous the

30:05Chad Johnson:the quality hey listen i i know we all want usa to win but realistically who who ocho when you look at it who do you think who you think really has a real shot at this all right my heart i would

30:20Joe Johnson:love cristiano to win a world cup it ain't happening no joe listen you ain't got to tell me But the way they plan, as far as Portugal, everybody in there is playing hero ball. They play basketball. They're not doing things or playing the game the right way. I think France might win it again. They won it in 2018 when Mbappe was young. He was young as hell. Argentina is going to be in the mix again. But for some reason, I think France might win it this year.

30:49Shannon Sharpe:Yeah.

30:52Shannon Sharpe:If we get anything like what we got last year in the finals with Mbappe and Messi going head-to-head, that was as good a World Cup match as you're going to see. You got the two big guns, and they going at it.

31:04Joe Johnson:Yeah. Remember what I just told you? A two-goal lead is the worst lead they have in soccer. Remember Argentina was winning 2-0? Six minutes later, Joe, the game tied 6-6 because of Mbappe. I mean, the game tied 2-2 because of Mbappe. Yep. It wasn't even six minutes. Mbappe scored one. And he got another one a few minutes later.

31:25Shannon Sharpe:Right back to back.

31:26Joe Johnson:Boom, game time.

31:28Shannon Sharpe:It's that fast. So we're going to get that trophy. According to ESPN's Mike Wright, the Spurs are committed to De 'Aaron Fox. The Spurs remain committed to Fox as their franchise starting point guard. One rough series essentially playing on one leg doesn't change that. the four-year$229 million contract extension Fox signed last summer, kicks in next summer. So he goes from 37.1 to 49.8. He's scheduled to make$61 million in the final year of the deal in 2930. He'll be just 32 years of age. It's expected that calls for Harper's camp for his part in the starting lineup will grow louder and louder going into the next season.

32:12Shannon Sharpe:But it's not an issue San Antonio needs to address right now. Fox contract won't become a potential eyesore until Wemby's upcoming rookie extension kicks in. And when the Spurs are looking the next summer to extend Castle, what should be a max deal? Joe, it's a great thing to have young talent. We saw this with OKC. They get Shea done. You get J-Dub done. You get Chet done. But damn, and okay, you just gave Fox his money. Wimmy going to want his money. Castle going to want his money. Something you have to do with Harper. You can't have four guys on the max contract. I don't give a damn how many you win it.

32:55Joe Johnson:How many can you have?

32:57Chad Johnson:Probably three at the most. Three. Yeah, three at the most. And then you're going to end up having to get off one of them. But at the same time, if I'm saying Antonio, you know, you kind of ride it to, you know, Fox. for the next couple years, because you're going to be able to pay Wimby, you'll be able to pay Castle, but when Harper come up, somebody else got to go. Somebody got to go. It's just period point blank. I'm saying. Hold on. You're going to have to pay him max dollars. You can't have four max guys on your team, Mocho.

33:30Shannon Sharpe:You'll be in the second tier. You'll be paying more in bonus and penalties than you will in salaries. But that means Fox would be gone by that time. Yeah, well, I mean, you got to – but that's what I'm saying. They would have to move off one of them. That's what Joe is saying. You can't have four. The max you can have is three. And then when you have three, because I think OKC is going to lose Wallace. Wallace is going to want big bucks. Somebody is going to pay Wallace big bucks. A guy that can shoot the three, a guy that can defend like that, Joe, they can't take him. I think they're probably going to lose Dork versus – I think they're going to try to keep Wallace on.

34:07Shannon Sharpe:How you going to keep him? Joe, he going to want$25 million a year.

34:11Chad Johnson:Man, if I'm OKC, it's going to be hard to let Wallace go, bro.

34:15Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, how you got a choice, Joe? You remember now, you still got those three first-round picks that you need to do something with. You have to let them go. You have to trade them. Oh, yeah, you got one. And you got Caruso on big bucks and no whammy. I think. And you got Harden.

34:29Chad Johnson:What you going to do? You going to let Hardenstein go? Hey, listen. At some point, man, some of them got. I think the most disheartening thing with OKC is that they were hampered with injuries throughout this whole postseason. So you never really got to see what they were like at full strength. So I don't count them out. I still think, you know, they got a chance if they're healthy. If J-Dub can stay healthy, but damn, to lose Wallace and Dort, those are your blue-collar hardworking guys, bro. If you lose them two hell, damn.

35:01Shannon Sharpe:Well, you're going to lose Dort. You're not going to pay Dort. I think you're not going to pay Dort. he's going to be looking for 20-something million. You're not paying him that there. And Wallace is going to be wanting 20, 25 million. I don't see them paying him that there, especially when you got Caruso on the number that you got him on. I see you, bro. I see you.

35:17Chad Johnson:I think when you look at it, if I'm casing Wallace, you know, because, man, it ain't always a given that when you go to another team, bro, that you're going to shine like you think you are. You know what I mean? Like, would they pay me my money? Would they pay me that$5 ,000,$125 million, Joe?

35:35Shannon Sharpe:Okay, that's what it is. Yeah, it look good to me. Hey, hey, because I know a guy named Joe Johnson say, hey, man, you know, hey, Phoenix don't match this. Don't match this once over here because there's something over there. I don't know if we're going to win in Atlanta like we do in Phoenix. But, man, look here.

35:51Chad Johnson:I came up with a single-payer home. I didn't go into that. I knew we weren't going to win like that. But, see, here's the thing. When you are unrestricted or when you're a restricted free agent, it's like they'll tell all the teams, oh, man, y 'all might not want to pay Joe because we're going to match anything that y 'all going to give him. So that's to scare off. That's to scare the other teams off so they can come in and lowball you. You know what I mean? Yeah, of course you. So it's times where you do. Like me during my negotiation period, I had to get on the phone. Me and my agent aren't telling me we on the phone with Robert Salva.

36:22Chad Johnson:And I had to tell him, hey, look, bro, don't match, bro. Just let me go, bro. You know what I mean? So Joe, where is this new at, Joe? Don't you tell that girl.

36:32Shannon Sharpe:Oh, he ain't going to do what I do for you. We do that all the time. Oh, you think that man going to take you on trips? You think he going to buy you flour and buy these nice-ass persons like me?

36:45Chad Johnson:Listen, listen. I'm going to be honest with you. I didn't really want to have to do it, but my agent was like, man, you're going to have to get on the phone with him and tell him not to match because they scaring teams off. You feel what I'm saying? So in Kaysom Wallace's situation, we don't really know what he's really thinking. Do guys want to get paid? Yes. But I think situation matters too. You know what I mean? To some degree.

37:11Shannon Sharpe:Joe, let me ask you a question. Had you won a ring already in Phoenix, it would have been a no-brainer, wouldn't it? You would have even thought twice because you already got a championship. How many more championships do I need? Is that going to change the way people look at me? Kaysen Wallace says if I win two championships in OKC, are people looking at me like they look at Shae? No, no. Are there people looking at me like they look at Jalen Brunson if he get two? Absolutely not. Let me go ahead and take this one and go get this three.

37:37Chad Johnson:Yeah, I understand what you're saying, and I respect that too. But I think the chemistry and continuity that some of these guys have with each other and these teams, bro, I think some of these guys, you know, they don't necessarily want to leave, Uncle Ocho, but if the money is too good, hey, I mean, you ain't got no choice.

37:56Shannon Sharpe:Joe, they're going to pay that man$25. Look at what Caruso made. I think Caruso made down near$30 million a year. They're going to give him a comparable. Somebody's going to give him five years,$125,$150, Joe. OKC got to make some changes now.

38:09Chad Johnson:They got to make some changes. Yeah.

38:12Shannon Sharpe:Oh, Caruso made$19.5? So if Caruso made$19.5 on a deal that he got paid, Caruso, he just redid that deal, right? Four years, 81. What is Wallace going to get? Wallace is younger.

38:26Chad Johnson:He getting by the Hyundai.

38:29Shannon Sharpe:Yes, sir. So you're going to have two guys coming off the bench making damn near$100 million, huh, Joe?

38:34Chad Johnson:That's going to be tough, man. That's going to be tough. But hey, look, when you look at it, in San Antonio's situation, you can afford to pay Fox these next couple years. is hopefully you win a title out of it. And then you have a situation. I see you have a situation where you're like, damn, we done won a title, so we can't let Harper get out of here. Got to pay Castle. Hell, when we going to break the bank? You going to be a team full of G-leaguers.

39:05Shannon Sharpe:Yeah.

39:05Chad Johnson:Yeah.

39:07Shannon Sharpe:But it's a blessing and a curse because you're like, okay, the guys that we drafted, they're really, really good, and they're paying off. But guess what? We got to pay them in order to keep them. And that's what OKC. Okay, he's like, hey, when they trade for trade, they knock it out of the park with J-Dub. They get Chet. They get Wallace. They make great trades. And they get Hartenstein. And they get a Caruso. You get Isaiah Joe. You get all those guys. You're like, well, damn. Boy, we doing okay. I want to call you up. Call you up. Clay Bennett call you. Hey, bro, look at this. This is what's going on.

39:42Shannon Sharpe:This is what's coming in. Now, either you find another way to make some more come in, or guess what's going to go out?

39:50Chad Johnson:Yeah, and when you look at it, it's just like football, Uncle Ocho. The quarterback, when he on that rookie contract, you got to maximize. You got to pay them guys around him, hopefully, and he can get you that. Same thing with San Antonio. You got Wimby and Harper on these rookie deals, and you ain't got to pay them right now. So you got to try to maximize what you can get from or put the right pieces around them so you can try and win a title. because when you have to start paying these dudes, things start to get different, bro.

40:22Shannon Sharpe:Because Castle about to get on a match field.

40:27Chad Johnson:After that, boy, he going to get by$250? Yeah. Yeah. Wimby going to get by$350.

40:35Shannon Sharpe:By$300. That would get Wimby by$320. And then Harper coming behind him, so that's going to be a 10 % increase, so that would be about$330. Harper going to make more than Wimby? No, Wimby, because Wimby has been an all-NBA selection and a DPOY. You need to get one of those titles. You need to be an all-NBA or you need to be an all-defensive player. Now you get to be into that Supermax, Jalen Durant. Remember, he made 13 all-NBA, so now he's eligible for a Supermax. Now, without that, he's probably 250. With that, now you're talking 293-10. it. Woo.

41:18Chad Johnson:Hey, boy. Hey, it's good, boy. Hey, when it's good, it's good. You hear me?

41:23Shannon Sharpe:But here's the thing, though. How long? Because they say Harper's in his camp now. Hey, this is what's being reported. Of all the things they could have put out there, he said he going to want to report him that he going to want a spot, and that's starting to line up.

41:39Chad Johnson:Yeah.

41:39Shannon Sharpe:That's what's being reported.

41:41Chad Johnson:Go, hey, hey, hey.

41:43Shannon Sharpe:Where do you report it coming from?

41:45Chad Johnson:You already know it Inside the house

41:47Joe Johnson:Inside the house But hold on Even with the report Joe Uncle you just said What did the Spurs say We are committed to keeping who

41:57Shannon Sharpe:Okay And guess what You keep putting your foot down These guys leave your ass It ain't like it used to be Joe Before like that group Before you got there These players are loyal These players are not loyal to these teams now. They'll leave your ass in a minute. They'll take that four-year deal, and in three years, they're back, and they're able to sign a five-year deal. So you keep on A. And that's what makes it so tough to coach in the game's time. You've got to handle these guys with kit gloves. You actually think they're holding the hope down or something. Because if you don't, I don't know.

42:36Chad Johnson:Hey, and think about it. For San Antonio, here are two key guys on their team. Vassell and Champagne you want to keep them guys but it's going to be hard to keep them

42:49Shannon Sharpe:hard it's going to be hard because Vassell's a 3 and D guy

42:55Joe Johnson:that's a good problem to have though it's a good problem to have early but see the thing is

43:01Chad Johnson:you still get a chance to run it back next year and not have to worry about all that so hopefully they can get back to the promised land and have different results but it's tough man You have to maximize when you got great players on them rookie contracts, bro. You got to do whatever you can to maximize that and put great pieces around those guys.

43:21Shannon Sharpe:And I think that's why it was imperative. You look at what Kansas City did with the homeboys, Ochoa. Think about it. They got a couple of years when he's on that rookie contract. And so now I can go out and get a Sammy Watkins. I can go out and get pieces and add around him. because next year that salary kicks in. It's going to be$64 million a year for the next four years. You know what they're going to do.

43:46Joe Johnson:They're going to play games and manipulate the cap. Oh, yeah.

43:50Shannon Sharpe:He got$238 guaranteed. Damn. He already made about two something. He done made two. Hey, Joe, big salary. He worked it, though. He worked it. Absolutely. He worked me. They keep advancing the ball. They're going to have to do something with, what do you call them? Who that? With this this bears watching. Bissell offered some information that he didn't have to. That's what let the cat out of the bag, yo. But he said that at different points in time this season he was upset with the role that he was given. Copenhagen spit-free packs American-grown tobacco into pouches. Made from when your elbow's deep in an engine block.

44:41They're masked up, torching deep cuts into stubborn pipes. Her helmet's on, riding deep into backcountry. When there's no time or space to spit, grab Copenhagen's spit-free pouches. Find them in stores today. Not all varieties available in all geographies. Warning, this product can cause mouth cancer. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snore loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA.

45:21OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at dontsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lily, a medicine company. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people. We got clear facts. Maybe we can calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News, reporting for America. Who doesn't love warm, carby comfort?

46:10Satisfying sandwiches, loaded bagels, rich mac and cheese. Crave-worthy and smart, Hero Bread's loaves, bagels and noodles have just 0-5 gram snack carbs, 0 gram sugar and up to 19 grams of protein and 32 grams of fiber per serving. Hero Bread bakes with heart-healthy olive oil and delivers a soft, fluffy, flavorful experience you love. Shop now on Hero.co. Use code IHEART for 10 % off. That's Hero.co. Per serving, not a low-calorie food. Some products contain allulose. See nutrition info on Hero.co for sodium and sugar content. Discover a spectacular island destination with crystal blue seas, endless sunshine, and the cool Bahamian breeze.

46:46Bahamar, located in Nassau, Bahamas, offers your choice of three luxury hotels. The richly refined Rosewood, the playfully hip SLS, and the stylishly modern Grand Hyatt. With over 45 restaurants, bars, and lounges, Baja Mar serves up delicious dining from world-renowned chefs like Daniel Bouloud and Marcus Samuelson, nightlife venues like the new Jean Batiste Jazz Club, and the Caribbean's most luxurious casino. At Baja Mar, you'll find every pleasure under the sun and one-of-a-kind experiences for the entire family, like Baja Bay, our 15-acre lush tropical water park, interactive wildlife experiences, including our daily flamingo parade, world-class golf tennis spa and so much more visit bahamar.com today and discover a vacation destination where memories are made for a lifetime bahamar life spectacular he didn't have to say

47:38Joe Johnson:that but we know that even he didn't say it yes yes right but most of the time you don't hear players voice their displeasure about the role that they're doing right and so now he's like hold

47:50Shannon Sharpe:on. I can make a case throughout the five games I was the second best player and there were some nights I was the best player on the Spurs and I'm coming off the bench and guys are gagging left and right and I'm still sitting on the bench and guys are still playing more games than me?

48:08Chad Johnson:Hey, when you think about it, if I'm Harper, I don't want the James Harden effect. Meaning like, you know, when James was in OKC yeah, he was a hell of a player, but he came off the bench his entire tenure and OKC. And obviously, when he went to Houston, he turned into somebody who probably nobody even seen. You know what I mean? I think Harper... No. I think Harper has the exact same type of talent, bro.

48:33Joe Johnson:Hold on. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Joe, hold on, Joe. Hold on, Joe. Now, let's understand how great James Harden was at his apex when he was in Houston. Are you saying Harper had that same potential to do the same thing if he goes to another team? Yeah, I think he got

48:45Chad Johnson:that same type of potential, Joe. Yeah.

48:48Shannon Sharpe:Okay. But you have to understand, Ocho, he wasn't allowed to play like that in the KC. He went to Houston where he was the dog. And so they gave him the ball, and you got an opportunity to see what he can do as the lead dog, and he can get as many shots as he wants. And they had guys around him that would defend and rebound and get the ball.

49:10Joe Johnson:I mean, for Joe to say he sees similarities and thinking that he can do that if he wasn't on the Spurs, that's a whole thing.

49:17Chad Johnson:Ocho, Ocho, you put Dylan Harper in that role Cooper flag got in Dallas to where he the man. Oh, yeah, for sure, for sure. That boy's going to put up at least a dub a night, 22, 23 a night. As a rookie, I think, I just think he has that type of talent. See, it's different when you go out there and play and you know you can shoot whenever versus, damn, I'll come out here, I got, I feel like I got to, every shot I take, I feel like I got to make. It's got to be official. It's got to be official. There you go. Right, right. I ain't got no time. If I turn it over once or twice, they're taking me out.

49:52Chad Johnson:You know what I mean? You ain't got to worry about that. Come on over here and sit by me.

49:57Shannon Sharpe:Just remember, Ocho, how it was with you when you didn't have to worry about if you made a mistake, the coach is yelling and screaming, or they're bringing you out for a play to say, hey, son, that ain't what we do. When you know I can just go play football. Yes. If I made a mistake, I made a mistake. If I dropped a pass, I dropped a pass. You were free. You're mind free, and you could just move.

50:17Chad Johnson:Nothing like that, bro. Nothing like that freedom. You know what I mean? Because now you can go out there and play kind of loosey-goosey versus when you're on a star-studded team, a team with expectations of winning a title, and you're playing with arguably one of the best players in the league. It's a little different, bro. It's a little different.

50:41Shannon Sharpe:Very, very, very different. Also, for Mike Wright's article, So multiple NBA big men reportedly trying to find a way to play alongside Wemby on the Spurs. San Antonio could use a backup stretch big as it reloads for next season. And a combo stretch big man who could start and possibly play alongside Rui in bigger matchups such as Rui Hachimuri. The opportunity to play alongside Wemby, the franchise success, its culture, its collective youth, makes San Antonio a preferred destination and no tax in Texas. adding that multiple big men are already trying to get to South Texas. Joe, do you like Wimby playing along?

51:23Shannon Sharpe:Excuse me. Do you like Rui playing alongside Wimby?

51:26Chad Johnson:If you got Rui, then that mean you got to move what? Vassell or Champagny?

51:31Shannon Sharpe:You're going to move probably Champagny. But he's a big guy. He's a big guy. He can guard bigger guys. He can shoot the three. Rui? Rui don't want to go back to L.A.? Man, L.A. ain't going to have no money if they're looking at potentially Kessler or you hear rumblings about Durant and Officer Reeves.

51:57Chad Johnson:Hey, look, listen. I was very pleased with how Rui played in the postseason this year for the Lakers. I thought he was probably the most consistent player on the Lakers team, being honest, you know, outside of LeBron. I think he was the most consistent. And when it came to shooting at a high efficiency rate, you know, playing the right way, I think he'll fit right in with the Spurs, honestly. You know what I mean? But I think the Spurs need a dog. They need an animal coming off that bench to help Wimby, too, Arkan Ocho. Meaning they definitely need a big that can give him some minutes on the bench.

52:31Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, maybe. Because his thing is the problem with Wimby, Joe, is that we talked about it. Only playing 30, 32 minutes. and now we get to the postseason, it's harder, and I need you to play 36, 38, 40.

52:45Chad Johnson:Yeah, yeah. Now what? Yeah, I get that. I think even if you look at Detroit's situation, because I think they're going to really go with Paul Reed because of the way he played in the postseason, and you might get off a big steward, you know, a dog like that. Maybe he go over to San Antonio to help. Because you need that muscle, that intimidating factor. You know what I mean? I just don't think, yeah, I don't think San Antonio had that, bro. The way they were whooping Wimby ass out there. Like, you need somebody who can come in, throw some elbows, you know. You know, for real, Ocho, put somebody on the ground a few times, bro.

53:22Chad Johnson:You need that.

53:25Joe Johnson:Set the tone a little bit.

53:26Shannon Sharpe:I definitely think that because Cornette did give up. Look, Cornette was great in the regular season. Cornette made one good play. He did that block on Hardenstein, and I think he was content with that. But in that series, that five-game series, Cornette was. He was, bro. And he was off for the majority of the time against the Thunder. He did make that play. Kudos to that. But more times than not, Cornette was terrible.

53:49Chad Johnson:It was Ole. It was Ole when he came in the game, boy. Yep.

53:58Shannon Sharpe:It'd be interesting to see because, you know, the Nuggets got to do something with Aaron Gordon. Now, Aaron Gordon is a phenomenal player. He's turned himself into a hamstring, Joe, every year. For the last couple of years, Joe, what we've seen, hamstrings. Puts him down in significant periods of time. It happened until the playoffs the year before last. It happened again this year. He missed a large chunk of the season with that hamstring. He got to the postseason. He got nicked again. That is concerning if I'm going to have to dump out$35,$40 million for a guy over three days. And he a free agent?

54:32Shannon Sharpe:Right.

54:33Chad Johnson:I think he has one year left. He's going to want a deal. It's hard, though, if you the Nuggets to let him go. Obviously, I know he hasn't been healthy, but when he is healthy.

54:42Shannon Sharpe:And you know who else got one year left and he going to want a deal? Who that? The big fella, Yoke. Oh, shit.

54:50Chad Johnson:Are you up already? What are we talking about? Hey, give him a blank check. Hell, what you want? I'm mad at Aaron and a triple-double, bro. If they'd have gave him MVP. Back-to-back years. Wouldn't nobody have been mad if they'd have gave him MVP.

55:02Shannon Sharpe:Led the league in assists and rebounds. The first time it's ever been done. We've seen guys lead the league in assists and scoring. We've never seen a guy lead the league in rebounds and assists. I think the last time. Hey, Joe, what does that look like, Joe?

55:16Chad Johnson:When? What you mean? Oh, you're talking about his contract? Yeah. What will Yoki do the line for? It going to be about three something. Probably about 320, 340. four year three four year three something they're going to give him a five year deal about 340 he's going to probably reset the market

55:43Shannon Sharpe:293 over four years which is about a little over 70 a year that's how high you can get yeah four years over 70 yeah hey

55:55Joe Johnson:what if he was

55:56Shannon Sharpe:That's about 72 million a year. Damn. If he was to go somewhere else here and get Mojo? No. Because they can see the thing is your team, because they have your rights, they can offer you more than a new team. So that's how they try to get you. It's the same thing with the franchise tag, Ocho. I can pay you more if you stay here than if you go somewhere else. So the home team can add an extra year where the other team that you're going to, they can't.

56:25Chad Johnson:Yeah, and knowing Denver, it ain't no way in hell, Ocho. They letting that man get out the door. They going to see him whenever.

56:33Joe Johnson:Oh, yeah. I mean, obviously not being that he's obviously the face of the franchise, but I was just curious, number one, because, you know, if an NFL player get away from a team that he's on and you the star, you're getting way more elsewhere than opposed to what they're going to be. Yes.

56:49Shannon Sharpe:That's 73-293 would be like 73-5 a year. 72, 73, something like that. 72, 250. 293, 73, 250. Look at old Ash with a calculator over there. It's 73, 250, Ash, 293. Damn.

57:16Shannon Sharpe:Yeah, but this San Antonio thing, Joe, you know how that can cause some problems.

57:26Shannon Sharpe:because his agent said, hold on, we need numbers because we're going to want a max deal because what y 'all are going to come to say when it comes time to the contract, you only average this. You only play this many minutes. You use everything you say and you're going to use that against me. You're not going to say, well, you know what, Dylan? You was a good soldier. You came off the bench. You didn't complain. We're going to give you the max anyway. That's not what you're going to do. So what I'm not going to allow y 'all to do is to go ahead and hold me back.

57:56Chad Johnson:Yeah, and as great as he is, you know, being 20 years old, bro, he's only going to get better, Arka Ochoa. He's only going to get better, bro. He's only going to get better.

58:10Shannon Sharpe:Isaiah Thomas questions why the league continues to push Wimby over Jalen Brunson as face of the NBA. That was the question I was asking in Detroit when we beat Bird, Magic, and Jordan. but they made Jordan the face of the league. Here in Detroit, they're saying, why can't I be the face of the league? Why is there anyone elevated when you see him three, four years in a row beating your face of the league? When you ask that question, it's a much deeper question in terms of who they want to be the face of the league. Who's the best? The small guy, we always have to take a step back because we realize that small people, and that's a 6 '6 and above category.

58:50Shannon Sharpe:Man, I didn't want to let that. Man, I'm going to call Zeke. Zeke, you got to come over here and explain.

58:55Chad Johnson:Hey, Zeke, say damn that. I'm the only one. I'm one of the only ones who has a winning record against Michael Jordan. I'm going to tell y 'all how I really feel.

59:05Shannon Sharpe:Against Bird, against Magic and Kareem. He's like, look, I beat Larry Bird. I beat Magic and Kareem. I beat Michael Jordan. I'm the only one that can say that. Nobody else can say they beat all three of them. Absolutely. And they're crying.

59:19Joe Johnson:I did. Yeah, but Uncle Joe, listen to me. I think players, people need to understand, you beating certain individuals, you know, when you're playing, okay, it's a great thing, but it takes more than just beating people to be the face of a league. What did you say? It's more to it than just that.

59:35Shannon Sharpe:He said, what is it about? I thought you said winning championships. Well, I beat those guys to win the championship.

59:41Joe Johnson:You know that's not what it is.

59:44Chad Johnson:Yeah, I mean, you look at the upside that Wimby has, bro, being only 22 years old. I just, I can see why the NBA wants him to be the face. You know what I mean? And he global. Yeah.

59:58Joe Johnson:You know what? You got a lot of players too, Unc. Like, you know, Isaiah. Was Isaiah quiet? Was he quiet? He just seemed like a quiet person. Man, Isaiah stated some stuff.

1:00:07Shannon Sharpe:He did. I bet Isaiah was fighting bad. Y 'all better go pull them tapes and look at Isaiah swinging on people left and right.

1:00:14Joe Johnson:Yeah, he just doesn't seem like that type of polarizing figure that could be the thing. Oh, he was very polarizing because Isaiah was stadiums.

1:00:21Chad Johnson:Ocho, Ocho, I ain't going to lie now. The boy had plenty of game now. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:00:27Joe Johnson:I know he could play, Joe, but it's a lot of people in the NBA that can play that just don't fit the criteria to be in the face of the league. Remember, we were talking about Jason Tatum being the face of the league. He just doesn't have that. There's a certain it factor. I don't even know how to explain it. I don't even know how to put it into words where it just doesn't fit because he didn't have that, you know what, Anthony Edwards. Now I can see him being the face of the league, but it's something he don't want. It's just something about him that's polarizing that it fits him.

1:00:56Chad Johnson:It's having that media savvy. When you talk to the media, how you captivate everybody, everybody just really listen and hone in on what it is that you're saying. I think Ant-Man has that. And he has that. I don't give a damn. You know what I mean? Like I'll say, he come to the game and it slides with his wife beat on. He ain't talking about that fashion stuff all y 'all on, bro. That man just out. He come to who? That's it.

1:01:23Shannon Sharpe:And remember, Isaiah was president of the union. So he going back and forth. We want this. We need that. And David Stern probably said, nah, you know what? You know what? because I did I said I did I said I won at every level I said I won at 81 national championship I said what I said what they beat North Carolina and North Carolina had a really good team a really really good team but I said team uh um with him I think Randy Whitman Rolando Turner they beat James Worthy uh Jimmy Black not Jimmy Black uh Al Wood that was the guy Al Wood I think Matt Dougherty and I think Sam Perkins was on that team.

1:02:11Shannon Sharpe:If I'm not mistaken, that was also the night they thought about canceling because Ronald Reagan got a assassination attempt. John Hinckley almost took Reagan out. Don't quote me on that, but you can quote me. Quote me. Quote me. I'm almost certain. That was 1981. Chad, am I right, Chad?

1:02:30Chad Johnson:Damn, that's the year I was born.

1:02:33Shannon Sharpe:1981. John Hinckley. Assassination attempt and that was on that Monday and they almost canceled the game. They ended up playing that Monday night. And Rolando Turner, that offseason, he ended up getting in a car accident and getting paralyzed.

1:02:46Chad Johnson:Ah. Damn, the irony. Yeah.

1:02:55Shannon Sharpe:I think that was... Was that the year? Oh, you ain't looking okay. But I think that was the year. So I remember Isaiah. It was March 30th, 19th. Yeah. It was March 30, 1981? Who's on Isaiah's team? Give me Isaiah's lineup. If I'm not mistaken, I know Isaiah and Randy Whitman or Rolando Turner. I don't remember the other two guys. I know Al Wood, Jimmy Black, if I'm not mistaken, came off the bench for Carolina. James Worthy, Perkins.

1:03:22Chad Johnson:Are you talking about when he was in Indiana?

1:03:25Shannon Sharpe:Yes, because Isaiah left. Isaiah turned pro. Mark Aguilar was the first. If I'm not mistaken, I think Mark Aguilar was the first pick in that draft out of DePaul.

1:03:35Chad Johnson:Mark had some game too, boy.

1:03:38Shannon Sharpe:Yeah!

1:03:38Chad Johnson:And when you think about it, you know, Isaiah Thomas was a little fiery, little feisty. Landon Turtle. What did I say? Landon Turtle. Was a fiery, little feisty little joker, Ocho. I think he took, obviously coming from Chicago, you know, it's probably how he was raised. But playing under that damn Bobby Knight. Shh.

1:04:02Joe Johnson:Bobby Knight. Bobby Knight is a legend, boy.

1:04:04Chad Johnson:I can only imagine what that's like, bro. Yeah.

1:04:10Shannon Sharpe:But like I said, and then Isaiah came in the league, and, you know, it took him a while to get over beating Boston. Right. Because it's like every year it was either Boston, it was – in the beginning it was the Sixers and the Celtics. Every year it was the Sixers and the Celtics. Dr. J, Darrell Dawkins, Caldwell Jones, Bobby Jones, the Boston Strangler, Andrew Tony. He used to light him up so they gave him the nickname the Boston Strangler.

1:04:43Shannon Sharpe:And then Isaiah and them came along. Because it was like Lakers, it was like Lakers, Lakers, Rockets, Lakers, Lakers, Rockets, Lakers, Lakers, Lakers in the West. Because you got to realize Magic went to the finals nine times in 12 years. Jesus. and so once they broke that stranglehold Isaiah and them broke that stranglehold with Boston now Magic and them had to deal with Detroit and it was Detroit they lost in 88 to Magic and them then they came back and got Magic and them in 89 and then Portland beat them and then Portland got to the finals and then Isaiah and them beat them in 90 and then oh lord that guy out of Wilmington 6 '6", from Chapel Hill.

1:05:35Shannon Sharpe:And that was it.

1:05:36Chad Johnson:Yeah.

1:05:37Shannon Sharpe:Yeah. That was it.

1:05:43Chad Johnson:Good time.

1:05:45Shannon Sharpe:But like you said, Ocho, you got little guys. I mean, maybe you can make the case for a small guy. Maybe the closest we've had, or you say the place in the league, has been Steph Curry. but most of the time it's a Jordan, it's a Kobe, it's a LeBron. Yeah. I don't know. Could it be somebody as small as Jalen Brunson? I'm sure it could be. But for the most part, if you go back and study, it hasn't been.

1:06:16Chad Johnson:Outside of probably AI. AI was so polarized. Yeah, okay.

1:06:21Shannon Sharpe:I'll give you that. He changed. But the problem was when Jordan came back, Jordan was the face of the league again. You got to realize when AI came in the league, Jordan was in the league. That was 96. AI got in 96. And so Jordan, 96, 97, 98, they won the championship. Wasn't nobody supplanting Jordan. So maybe that period when Jordan left, 99, 2000, something like that. But then probably like 2001. That's Kobe and shit. Now here's Kobe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Copenhagen spit-free pouches are packed full of American-grown tobacco. Made for welders. Stuck behind masks. More mechanics. Stuck on a fused spark plug.

1:07:07The long-haul trucker is stuck in gridlock. Performing. Working late at the field office. Or anytime there's no time or space to spit, there's Copenhagen spit-free pouches. Find them in stores today. Not all varieties available in all geographies. Warning, this product can cause mouth cancer.

1:07:24Joe Johnson:I'm U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. We all seem to be in a rush these days. But when you're behind the wheel, please do not speed. So follow the speed limit. A few minutes saved by going faster is never worth the risk. Paid for by NHTSA. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability, and concentration issues, it may be due to OSA. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation.

1:08:08Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com. This information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company. when you're a maintenance engineer in a beverage manufacturing plant you keep production lines moving and quality on track because there is no room for slowdowns with granger's vast selection of high quality motors sensors belts and hard to find parts you can get what you need fast and all in one place so nothing gets in the way of getting the job done call 1-800-GRANGER click granger.com or just stop by granger for the ones who get it done When Kohler, global design leader in luxurious kitchen and bath products, asked me to be their ambassador for timeless, elegant, durable cast iron, I said, I'm in.

1:08:56Soon after, I was in their Kohler, Wisconsin foundry, watching molten iron poured, enamel applied by hand, and the beautiful finished pieces ready to ship. Since 1883, Kohler cast iron has been crafted by incredible artisans, and seeing it firsthand gave me a whole new appreciation for their craftsmanship. Now, I am proud to lend my stamp of approval to my favorite Kohler cast iron products for their durability, beauty, and enduring style. Shop my curated picks at Kohler.com. As the Kohler cast iron ambassador, I say, long live cast iron. Thank you.