- 5/28/2025
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00:00Again, we're your home of Golden State Warriors basketball, 95-7 the game and Valkyries basketball
00:05as well. Tim, we're on the call. That date, nine, no, no, 26 and then, nine years ago?
00:12Nine? Nine years ago? That's insane. Oh my God, next year's going to be 10. That's scary.
00:19It seems like yesterday, Joe. Game six, Western Conference Finals, 2016, Clay Thompson, 11
00:27of 18 from beyond the arc. He had 31 field goal attempts, 41 points in that one. Steph
00:35dropped 31. He had Day Day with 12. He had Iggy off the bench with eight. I know he doesn't
00:40like Iggy. Going up against KD. Russell Westbrook is the guy you want this offseason. A young
00:45Steven Adams was doing it then. Getting the start. Andre Robertson. That's a name I haven't
00:51heard or thought about in a minute. Serge Ibaka, obviously. Anthony Morrow, another Warriors
00:58legend. Dion Waiters coming off the bench there for OKC. 108-101 the final as the Warriors themselves
01:05down 3-1, come all the way back, force a game seven. They win that and then obviously advance
01:10to the NBA Finals. But game six, Clay, was born nine years ago today.
01:15I'll never forget where I was. You guys know. What is my Memorial Day weekend?
01:19Uh, Russian River. Exactly. I was at the Porter Cabin with my, at the time she was 90
01:26years old. Not the Porter Potty, the Porter Cabin. 90-year-old grandmother, Frances, sitting
01:32there. She was having her cocktail. My Uncle Jeff's birthday is always during Memorial Day
01:37weekend. Uh, essentially. This was the Saturday, I believe, before Memorial Day. So we're all
01:42up at the cabin on a tube TV. I mean, we are talking old school heavy. I mean, this thing
01:48was like a bowling ball to even just move it on the rollers. Right. And we were huddled
01:52around this tiny little tube TV in standard definition. All right. Watching that game.
01:57Warriors were down five at the break, I believe. Uh, I want to see three 48. Look at you.
02:06There you go. Down five. And every single shot felt like the season was on the line. And I'll
02:12never forget the entire family as we were barbecuing in the backyard was huddled around the television
02:17in the front room. Watching the games. One of the greatest games of all time. The Warriors
02:20down eight heading into the fourth quarter. And what do they do? Outscore OKC 33 to 18.
02:27Klay Thompson goes nuclear and Fuego again. Game six, Klay 41 points. Again, we're talking
02:34about the greatest shooter of all time, Stephen Curry. Yeah. For my money, what he is. But when
02:41they're on fire, who do I fear more? It might be Klay when they're both on fire. He took
02:46because he does it in a way that is just so just the net doesn't move, Joe. He doesn't
02:52take a dribble. It just bam, bam. He took some heat checks from the logo that were. And
02:57again, you got to go back nine years ago. Logo shots aren't what they are today. No, they're
03:01not. You know, call it any towns out here throwing up logo shots. Yes, I know. And like
03:05Klay taking those shots at that time a decade ago was not even like that. It was absurd.
03:12You know, a guy that likes to shoot from the logo. It's Nick Friedle. And he joins us now
03:15on the River Islands guest line. And he's our Odyssey NBA sports insider. And insider calls
03:21are brought to you by Hyundai. We put your safety, that is yours, mine, Carter's, everyone's
03:26and everything else. Second, learn more at HyundaiUSA.com. Nick, good morning. Were you
03:35there that day in Oklahoma City?
03:39Predates my time, buddy. Although I'm like Mr. Shasky here in that I know exactly where
03:46I was and Carter can get the drip machine ready as always. But I was actually at Sarah Spain's
03:53wedding.
03:54Sarah Spain, there you go. Wow.
03:56I'm watching this thing unfold and I'm like, he's going to hit another one. He's going to
04:02hit another one. And he just kept knocking them down. And, you know, there's that famous
04:06clip of Lake bowing to Klay in the hallway in OKC. But guys, as we think about it, it was
04:14historical and it was an unbelievable performance. But part of the reason that Joe Lake had to
04:21be so happy in that moment, think about the money that Klay made for the organization just
04:27by extending the series and then getting them to the point that they got with the extra
04:33game. So there was there was a lot of different stuff on the line right there. But the fact
04:41that he went off the way he did is a reminder why he will always, always be so beloved out in
04:49the bay. So you're saying not only did the Warriors have a bonus title at one point in their
04:54run, they had a bonus series that benefited Joe Lake.
05:00Everything was coming up Lake of
05:01during that stretch, that bonus title, bonus games, the money that was pouring in. Guys,
05:10the reality is it was such a special time. And for Klay to go and do what he did
05:16just is another reminder of how unbelievable that stretch is. And I know is, as we look
05:26forward here and you guys talk about it all the time because I still click on the app and
05:31I'm listening, but it's like, OK, is it really, really over? You know, what is the ceiling now
05:39looking ahead into the next year, the next two years with Steph still there? I think a day like
05:48today is just another reminder for everybody to take a deep breath and remember how many great
05:55times there have been. And that's tough to do in the moment. And it's certainly tough to do when you
06:00still think that there's a little more left in the tank. But some of those games and that Klay game,
06:07game six being really at the forefront, as far as an individual performance, they're just
06:13incredible. So everybody should celebrate them because you don't know when you're going to see
06:18them again. But when I started seeing some of the highlights and Mr. Loveman was telling me what
06:25was going on, I just went, gosh, to see that and to have him do that in that moment is some pretty
06:34special stuff. Talking with our Odyssey NBA insider, Nick Friedle. And it's a good point,
06:38Nick, because this is a team that's won four titles. But the fact that we remember a conference,
06:42not an NBA finals, but a conference finals game the way we do. And let's be honest, a season that
06:49a lot of Warriors fans want to forget because of what happened after that and blowing. Not only did
06:54they come back from a 3-1 deficit, they themselves blew a 3-1 deficit after that. But we remember that
07:00whole run because of game six Klay. And obviously it's an all-timer, 11 of 18 from beyond the arc,
07:0641 points for him. Again, this date in Warriors history, nine years ago, pretty crazy, right?
07:11Nine years ago now. And fast forward, Klay Thompson is a Dallas Maverick and he's going to be playing
07:17with maybe Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis next year, which is insane. And we'll get to the craziest,
07:23that is the NBA offseason. Just reeling it back to right now, Nick, are you surprised by anything
07:30that's taken place just in the NBA playoffs? I mean, we're looking at a Thunder Pacers NBA
07:36finals. If everything, if they take care of business, they're both up 3-1 now, barring
07:40any miracles. Is that surprising to you at all?
07:44I mean, nobody's weeping harder than Adam Silver does because the league can try to spin
07:50it any way they want with, well, these are two young teams and they have star players, SGA,
07:57Halliburton, assuming that both teams can finish things off here. But these two teams just aren't
08:03interesting. I mean, that is the saddest part of all. So is there a surprise, Spadone? I'm still
08:12shocked that Tatum got hurt and Boston just didn't get to that level that everybody thought they were
08:24going to as a back-to-back champ because all things being equal, everyone being healthy. I still
08:30thought they would find a way to win. They, they beat OKC and they would be the next in the dynasty
08:39conversation. As we all know, an injury happens and it can change the course of everything
08:44in an instant. And that's what happened again with the Celtics in this case. But as far as the potential,
08:53and it's looking more and more likely by the second here of Thunder Pacers, I think the
08:59basketball itself is actually going to be a lot of fun. You've got two different styles. You've got
09:06an indie team that loves to race up and down the court. You've got a Thunder team that can defend
09:10all over the place and they're deep as hell. And for my money, I would still think the Thunder just a
09:17little bit better and they'll finally get over the hump and win here. But what concerns me just as a
09:22fan and as somebody who makes their living in part off the game, there's so much talk about who's the
09:29next face and, and SGA and all this different stuff. I'm here to tell you if these companies thought
09:36that the Thunder and Pacers were interesting enough, they would have had people like me writing
09:43stories all over the place and, and pumping them out through time. That, that is what is a scary
09:51thought for the league. It's, and we've had the conversation about the Warriors. And frankly,
09:55this ties right into Golden State and Steph and the reason why so many people are still hoping they
10:01have that one more push in them. People just don't follow the Thunder and the Pacers the same way.
10:07They're popular locally. And certainly people nationally are learning a little bit more about
10:14them now, but those are not teams that are in the conversation by any stretch on a daily basis.
10:21And they're just a pure afterthought. So they deserve the credit that they've gotten,
10:26but it is going to be tough for the league. If they both finish the series off to try and sell this
10:32thing and get the casual people invested because they just don't know a lot about these teams.
10:39And there's a reason why these teams haven't been pushed to the forefront over the last couple of
10:45seasons. All four teams left have a big center and a, an offensive power forward or some version
10:53of that. Um, and I know, you know, OKC has got a dynamic situation in terms of their front court,
11:00but I look at the Warriors and they don't have that. Um, they don't have a dynamic center,
11:05a shot blocker, and they don't have a scoring power forward and they don't have perimeter defense.
11:10How should they attack this off season to acquire those two things?
11:16I don't know what the hell they're going to do because all your points are well taken.
11:22And as beloved as, as loony is, I mean, he's certainly not that guy. So it goes back to the
11:30talk of what do you do with Draymond? You put him at the center. When you have spent at the level
11:36that they've spent and the contracts are in place, they're already there. It's not that there's not
11:43somebody that they can bring in and get more athleticism, uh, especially down on the blocks and,
11:50and on the perimeter. But Joe, I, I, out of all the times that we sat here and tried to break down
11:57what are the Warriors going to do? The biggest issue that I would have, if you're Mike Dunleavy and
12:04that staff and, and the Lake of this, I'm not sure who the pieces are that are going to fit around the
12:11big money pieces that you already have in place that are going to take you to some next level. Uh,
12:18I, you have Steph, he's still awesome, but he's at an advanced stage of his career. Can he stay
12:25healthy? Uh, we already saw what happened when he went down, you know, it's over Jimmy, same thing.
12:31He wasn't the same after that fall in Houston, but he's a year older now. These guys are all very proud.
12:37They still have a lot of talent, but those, those pieces on the margins, I'm just not sure who they're
12:45going to bring in that is going to make that big of a difference, which is why when they went down
12:51to Minnesota, uh, in that series, you kind of go, uh, Oh, I mean, I guess it all centers around
12:59Kaminga and everybody knows the story there. What happens? There's some kind of sign and trade.
13:04My point as we sit here right now, though, before free agency really gets rolling is I'm not sure who
13:12you're bringing in that is going to make what you have look that much better. So let me, I don't
13:20think they have a shot, but I don't feel like it's a very good one with the pieces in play.
13:26I do that too. I do the process of elimination. Okay. If we get rid of Kaminga, what can I reasonably
13:31get back? And, and I keep coming back to this. I feel like the only way to dramatically get better
13:36would be to be open to breaking up Jimmy, Dre and Steph. Would you be open to that? If the not,
13:44if the Warriors came to you and asked you that, Hey, Nick, you know, if we can upgrade, do you,
13:49would you break up the Jimmy, Steph and Draymond trio? What would your answer to them be?
13:55I think you'd have to be, but I think Jimmy was the best piece that was readily available for them
14:03in the moment, which is why Dunlady made the deal that he made at this point, Joe. And this is why
14:09it's got to be so frustrating, not only in that front office, but for such a rabid fan base that's
14:16so into the day to day of that team. Like, okay, if you moved Draymond at this stage of his career,
14:25even if everybody was like, all right, you know, we have to do something, we have to improve.
14:29What are you realistically getting back? I mean, that's, that's where I keep coming back to is
14:36if you're trying, if you're saying, all right, we've got to break up the core. Okay. You're,
14:41you're moving on from Draymond for what for, for all the ups and downs. I still think he gives you
14:47your best chance to, to win on top of the fact that Jimmy's trade market wasn't all that robust
14:56because if it was, the heat would have gotten back a better package than they did from the
15:02Warriors. So there are all kinds of variables in play. I know that there, there's going to be a lot
15:08of discussion about what they might be able to do, what they could do. But as far as from where I'm
15:15sitting, I just don't see those next moves that are going to, to make that much of a difference.
15:24And what scares me now, guys, is that these guys are just older. I mean, that's, that is the reality.
15:32And it's a reality that's harder to stomach than it was three, four years ago, because they put the
15:38right pieces around Steph and Draymond, and they won that one more time. You throw in Clay as he was
15:45coming back from rehab. They don't have the type of age that, that you're, you're feeling really
15:52comfortable about now though. You're tapped in. You've got friends in high places, whether it's
15:58Tim McMahon of ESPN, Brian Windhorse, you've got sources all around the league. Shams, a boy can
16:03dream, can't he? Okay. Giannis Warriors. Does it have any legs? First of all, McMahon being in a high
16:12place is a horrifying thought because I mean, like friends in low places was made for my boy,
16:19McMahon. Uh, but yeah, Joe, uh, as far as Giannis, the only way the Giannis thing happens in my mind
16:29is if Giannis goes to the Bucks front office and says, I want to go to the Warriors, make this happen.
16:36That's it. Because, uh, not just on, uh, on the surface or on paper, we're just don't have what
16:43some of these other teams have to offer. I mean, it's, it's not even close again. Where are the
16:50assets? That is what I keep coming back to. Like his coming a solid player. Absolutely. Like, can he get
16:58better? Of course he can. He's still young, but what are you getting back, uh, in, in return? And,
17:06and what else are you throwing in? That's going to make any team, uh, Milwaukee in this case feel
17:12like, yeah, okay. We're getting close to the value of whomever we're, we're swapping with. So I,
17:19all the honest thing only, only makes sense. If Giannis goes to John Horst and that front office,
17:28and says, there's only one place I want to be, there's only one person I want to play with.
17:32And that's Steph. And I don't know that I know, uh, through time, they've seemed to build up,
17:38uh, a nice little friendship, but I'm not sure exactly how far that extends. And the other part
17:44guys is, uh, and the thing that would worry me again for the Warriors that God is trying to make
17:50this pairing work. Giannis is at a different stage of his career as well. I think we'd all agree
17:56that while the Warriors certainly still have a chance, that window is just about to close.
18:03And that's what happens when Steph reaches the age that he's at. So if you're Giannis,
18:08do you really want to come into a situation where, uh, yes, you're still an incredible player.
18:14And yes, you absolutely would give the Warriors better chance to win a title, but there's a very
18:20good chance in the next couple of years, all these guys that you're coming into play with are gone.
18:25And then what do you do? So, uh, as always in the NBA, there's intrigue, but specific to the
18:31Warriors, uh, that superstar parent only happens if Giannis pushes for it, uh, from now until the
18:41time that something were to go down. Talk with our odyssey sports, NBA insider, Nick Fridell
18:46insider calls are brought to you by Hyundai. Hyundai helps protect you and your family on the road.
18:50We put your safety first and everything else. Second, one more for you, Nick. We appreciate
18:55your time this morning. Um, all right. You said it, the honest stuff right there. Kaminga is
19:00obviously the big talking point here. So what's more likely game one, a couple months from now,
19:07regular season. Kaminga is a golden state warrior still, or Giannis Antetokounmpo is a golden state
19:15warrior. Which one's more likely? I would take Kaminga every time in that situation, sadly,
19:23Spadone, because, uh, and I'm not saying that Kaminga is long for the Warriors world, but
19:28I think the chances of Giannis pairing up with Steph are really, really small. We've all been around
19:36the NBA long enough to know that anything really is possible when you have people who want to get
19:42something done. But, uh, for all the uncertainty that surrounds Kaminga's future in the Bay,
19:49I am much, much less certain of a possibility where Giannis actually gets there one, because we're still
19:59not sure if he actually wants to go and leave Milwaukee. But two, again, what are the Warriors
20:07giving back that's going to make Milwaukee go, yes, this makes sense for us? Uh, I, I don't see
20:17the assets, uh, that it would take. Uh, so give me Kaminga in that scenario, even though I'm still
20:25not sure that he's a long-term fit either. Hey, Nick, we appreciate the time, buddy. We forgot to
20:31hear intro. I feel so bad. I didn't hit the intro next time. That's my bad, Carter. It's okay.
20:37You're off the hook there. It's my bad, Nick. We just love hearing your voice though, this morning.
20:41He's bringing a smile to my face. When are you coming out to the Bay? Come on.
20:44For done, I'll get out there in the next couple of months at some point. And when I do, we'll,
20:49we'll all reconvene somewhere. But yeah, anytime we can get those Kelly Oubre drops in there is a good
20:56time. So we'll get it next time for sure. Appreciate it, buddy. All right. Love you guys.
21:01There he goes. That was Odyssey Sports NBA insider Nick Friedel. In center calls are brought to you
21:06by Hyundai. We put your safety first and everything else. Second, learn more at HyundaiUSA.com.
21:12Giannis.
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