Vladdy Shines In Cleveland With Dan Shulman + Clippers In Shambles

0:00Yeah. What's going on? Yeah. Good morning shows for seven five nine. And then I stand yelling French. Yesterday felt like a monster win for the Blue J's. They had the race on the hill after losing game one of the Guardians wanted. I don't know. Can you have back to back? Yeah. We're about to find out. I feel like another much to win. Let's go to the arbiter. Let's go to the arbiter of must win games. Dan Showman is today a must win. Pretty close. Yeah. I mean, again, we said on the air last night and good morning guys. Nothing is a must win until the standings tell you that if you lose your eliminated. But I mean, I always felt they kind of had to win two out of three in this series. Because that means they'd be half a game out instead of two and a half. Plus they would win the season series. So, you know, on paper, they lost the one you figured they would lose and they've won the one you figured they would win.

1:02And today not that it's a toss up, but Tanner Bible is pretty good and Jose Sariano is pretty good. And this is the most even match on paper that there is. So, yeah, big picture. I think this is an enormous game just as big as last night. I mean, in my mind, the whole goal was win the series and to do that, you got to win two out of three and to do that. You got to win today. Yeah. Absolutely. And now they've got Vladimir Carrero Jr. coming off his best offensive game of the season. That one's not debatable. He doesn't have a five RBI game to put next to this one this season. And besides the five RBI's and the three run home run was the way the home run looked. And I haven't been able to track down the distances and the expected home runs on all the eight home runs that he's hit this season. Yeah, that one felt different. The Vladimir Carrero Jr. no doubt home runs. He was admiring it so much. I did think like, oh, is it does he think it's foul? No, he was just and that's his right to admire that home run.

2:03That one felt I don't want to do the thing that we've tried to do a couple of times where it's like, oh, that's the moment. But if ever there was a moment, that might be it. Yeah, it felt big to me because one of the reasons is there were two men on base. And he came up in a spot and he delivered in the spot and to me that is huge. I mean, the guardians defense should have been off the field at one to nothing, right? Like, spring or hit a ground ball to short and they don't make the play that makes it three to nothing and then bam. Last night was measured at 406 and I'm not questioning the math or the science because. There are very smart people with very cool toys who figure this stuff out, but it sure looked and felt like more than 406. Either way, it was a no doubt or and it was different than a lot of Ladi home runs in that it was a moonshot by his standards. Most of his or rockets are two irons, whatever you want to say, but. You know, I'm not willing to say, hey, he's back because both of the big hits came off slow curve balls. And I don't know, but I believe he was probably sitting on a curve ball.

3:06We knew so definitely he knew when they knew that can tell of his been throwing his curve ball and insane amount of the time recently, like almost 50%. Doesn't throw his fastball very much and I think Ladi just wanted to be on time instead of out in front and chopping it to third and he was on time on both of those swings. I thought the double was as important as the home run and in the first inning. I thought that was just as good looking as a swing, but you know, we'll see it's a different kind of picture today in Tanner Bible. It's a better picture. It's a righty who can, you know, sink her in and then breaking stuff away the kind of guy who's given Ladi trouble. So we'll see, but for one night at least he looked like peak Ladi and if peak Ladi surround for the next 22 games, don't make the playoffs. I definitely want to give him credit his flowers. Those first two being on curve balls. One, it's the best pitch that Joey Cantillo features. Dan as you guys alluded to yesterday on the broadcast and he uses it so frequently. But in addition to that of Ladi's numbers against that specific pitch this year have not been very good.

4:07He's in 207 or at least that was the metric going into the game last night. So for him to do damage, whether that's, you know, sort of just kind of it feels like, yeah, it's probably predictable because he's used it so frequently you can sit on it. Still to see him execute is obviously immensely important and I'm glad you brought up the first inning double because one of the thoughts I had, not just directly related to Vlad, but the idea of early offense first inning offense. It's something that the blue jays of you struggled with this season. They're dead last in baseball and run scoring in the first inning and they also don't get ahead. They're not the first team to score generally speaking. It's only happened, you know, 50 odd times over the course of 130 plus games now. So when we're sitting and we're talking about those things, just how important is it to have that early strike and last night in particular where now you can exhale as a team? Like it felt like it was a really disarming for all of those guys in a huge boost of confidence. Yeah, I think it's huge. I mean, they only got the one in the first inning. So Guerrero brings in Bateman. It's one and nothing. Guerrero's out at second with only one out. They don't add on actually.

5:13And I didn't say anything on the air because they got one, but like they had two shots to bring Guerrero home with the base hit and weren't able to do it. But then, you know, what happened in the in the second and the focus is on the air and the home run. Obviously, but they did a lot of good things setting up that inning like the bottom of the order got on. Straw took a big walk. I think the seven eight guys both got hits to kind of set the table there. So I think it's huge. You're exactly right, Danielle, that they have played from behind way, way, way too much. And, you know, they know they're not a great offensive team. And if you're down one or nothing, two to nothing, three to nothing, something like that. It must feel like more than that. So not only to take the lead, but to have the beginning and they even added another run in the third inning, right? Made it seven to nothing and just it kind of took the pressure off. Like you never know, but after the five run second, it kind of felt like, OK, now John Schneider complain is pitching and not have to use Dylan sees two mods and all. And there were still seven and a half innings to play, but it kind of felt like it was over in a weird way. So I think it was huge.

6:14Just kind of a giant collective exhale for this group for one night, but again, they got to, you know, wake up and get caffeinated today and go do it again because today is just as important again. Yeah. And only 83 pitches for Dylan sees despite the six scoreless innings, not a walk in there as well. And obviously this team's ace. There's no debate about that. And he's been other teams aces before his postseason numbers aren't very good. And that's not the only indication of big game moments. But yeah, like you talked to fans of some of the teams that he's played for and not all of them have been in contention. But yeah, the contending teams, there has been some question about him in big moments. That's not the only big spot that he started as last start against the Mariners is there that looked at and did sweep that series. But yeah, how much are we learning about Dylan sees as far as being a man for the moment? That was the biggest start of his blue chase career yesterday, who was nails.

7:17I mean, he's been fantastic. And sometimes I check myself between his starts or maybe even a little bit during one of the starts on the air and saying, am I, you know, giving him his flowers to the extent of the season he's having here. I'm just as a guy who if he was when the side on is going to finish that doesn't happen every day every year. He's got a one thirty six year rain as last 11 starts one thirty six and there have been some good teams and some big games in there. How about this one? He's given up one earned run in his last seven road starts. So I mean, he's checking every box. And last night he had better velocity than he's had in some of his other starts. But he didn't really have his change up or that front hip to see him or like he was kind of fastball slider Dylan sees again. But in the Guardians are on a great offensive team, but with two pitches basically, he managed to get through six innings and didn't give up run. And as you said, didn't walk about it, which is always very important for him.

8:20I think he's been phenomenal. I think he's been everything that they could have hoped for and more. I don't have any concerns about him in big moments. I think he's a big boy and he'll do just fine. And sometimes you win sometimes you lose, but I don't think he's going to be bothered by the big moments and one of the best things about last night was that they were able to keep him to 83 pitches because I think they've got it laid out through the end of the regular season. I don't want to use him right now. And I kind of did it just for fun. You might have seen the we put the calendar up a couple of maybe during his last started. You know, they can get him into the Baltimore series and the Texas series and the other Baltimore series by kind of fiddling around when they give him an extra day and when they don't and that sort of thing. I think he's on board with the plan and to throw 92 and 83 over his last pitches over his last two starts like he's going to have a little bit more in the tank. I think and hopefully he handles the weirdness of Sacramento. Well, that'll be his next one and weird stuff happens out there, but he's been great. A plus plus.

9:21Yeah, even in even after those last two starts last night and obviously the one previous where he didn't throw 100 pitches. He's still averaging more than 100 pitches per start this season. So it obviously illustrates just how much he's been leaned upon. I think actually on the subject of velocity. I didn't want to ask you about this because I one thing that stood out and it's not just Dylan sees the velocity was better last night. But across the board, all these guys are coming out and just throwing gas in this series. Like what is it? Is it a weather thing, Dan? Like what's the actual? Is there an explanation even for it as to why we're seeing. Hey, Gavin Williams is pumping triple digits, Spencer miles is featuring triple digits. Obviously, cease was able to benefit from it and even Joey Cantillo, who's not the hardest throwing lefty. He was up there in the mid 90s yesterday. I would guess it's the humidity and like it's been really hot like it was a 30 3 34 Celsius at game time last night at 640. And we kept the window closed until about 15 minutes for the game. We opened it up and it felt like a you know, like at the end of the car wash where the giant drier comes down and gets your car.

10:29It felt like where is that. Yeah, yeah, it is cool. Yeah, they should just like you like sit there and not do the other part. But and it and it was like where is that coming from that's not coming from anywhere that's that's outside right now. So. So and Spencer miles talked about it after the game a couple of nights ago that he has more elasticity when there's a lot of heat and humidity, which I thought was a cool sentence for a baseball player to put together or anybody to put together. So. So I'm guessing that's it because you're right like every single picture has had elite velocity and it wouldn't bother me at all if Jose Sariano came up throwing 98 today, but that might mean Santa Bob is throwing 97 so we'll see that's the only thing I can imagine. Maybe we'll either that or they're for their fudging the numbers with the gun here in Cleveland's got to be one of the two I can't think of any other explanation. But the mid 30s doesn't work for me because I perspire way too much. Yeah, yeah, it's too much sweat. I'm not like Caleb Joseph who loves it despite wearing all the catching gear. Okay, so speaking of catching gear, lot of players removed from that game late in the going with with the being out of hand in the day game today, but not Alejandro Kirk.

11:44I think it's a great to you that he will not do day game after night game. I mean, he could be in there as a DH, but do you think how do you think the blue J's play it with Kirk who's been their best hitter for the last two weeks? Yeah, my guess is he doesn't played doesn't start today and whether they had taken him out for ending last night or not. I think we talked about it pretty early like middle of the game when it was seven and nothing saying, hey, now. You know, we'll see how John Schneider plays it, but he's got tomorrow, meaning today is very interesting. We both guest valance wala with catch day game after night game. It is kind of a tricky road trip. Night night day travel, night night day travel, night night day. So I think valance wala probably starts three of the nine games on this trip. They prefer valance wala to hit from the left side. I think he's going to start for to start him against a righty and Kirk started against the lefty. So in terms of who D H is like it could be springer. Obviously, or if they give springer a day off, it could be keys or gladi could D H and keys can play first.

12:47Or maybe they give a commoto a day in keys plays third or keys could be be in the left and hasu Sanchez could D H or hasu Sanchez could be in left and keys could D H. These are the kinds of things I think about it night. So I'm really like yesterday's lineup didn't really intrigue me going in. And but today's lineup really intrigues me because I want to see Sean keys get some of that. I think he deserves that and he gives them a power threat. But you know, the last Sanchez hasn't been in there a ton and hasn't been in there in left field very much at all. So I'm really curious what the lineup is like miles from started 10 out of 12 games. I don't know people realize that he's been in there a lot. Some of that is they faced a lot of lefties, which they want today. Some of that is increased emphasis on defense. I don't think miles plays today. But I'm really curious who the D H is if keys is in there where he is. Like can you give springer and Kirk a day off on the same day or is that too much. Do you need one of them in there and if one of them is in there, he's the D H and then you got to figure out.

13:51You know, then somebody else is not in there, whether it's Oklahoma or keys or Sanchez or something like that. So I'm really intrigued to see what the lineup looks like today. Likewise, definitely entry. I think I would submit. I feel like you want to have at least one of those two guys Kirk or springer in the lineup today. It's a very important game and you know, maybe give one of them a blow is sufficient on a day like this. But actually, you know, you ran through all the various permutations and thoughts of how could they construct the lineup? I think I feel like Dan, there was a point this year where it was a little bit more clear cut and and I mean that perhaps in a sense that for John Schneider, there just weren't as many options and they've reached a point where the lineup does in the roster feels extremely functional. Like a year ago, one of the, one of the elements that I think made them really successful and and dynamic was the idea that depending on whoever the starter was on any given day, they would be able to have an answer for how to configure their lineup. And we haven't necessarily had that conversation a ton this year, but it does feel like slowly, especially as they've gotten through this period post trade deadline, they've kind of gotten back to that and they do have some guys that are able to lean into more of the identity of what they historically have done when it comes to lineup construction.

15:06I think so and even though he's like if this guy's playing, he's always in the same position and always in the same spot in the batting order, I think Brett Bateman is a part of that like you can just write in Bateman center field hitting first right ear lefty. I don't. Doesn't matter to me at all he's done great against lefties like if he's hitting. I think he's hitting like 375 or something limited to bats obviously, but he's hitting very, very well against lefties. So I think he gives you know you've got to lead off hitter. A guy with speed a guy who's going to get on base a lot of great defense and all that, but yeah, it is more versatile now and I think you know, straw has played well that has helped. I think we all feel comfortable when Charles Maccadu was in the game and it's not all that often, but you know he could be a third or second hit against a right ear lefty hit at the top, hit at the bottom. I think we all feel pretty good there. He has helped them with versatility and I think and this is you know, maybe not a guy we talk about we haven't mentioned his name yet, but Josh Smith has really helped in his limited bats. He's got three home runs now as a blue J and as an aside, I wouldn't be surprised that I think he's going to be in there today by these splits, by these splits are noticeable.

16:11So I think they're going to maybe not load up on lefties, but where it's an easy, I think they'll try to get a left handed bat in there and it wouldn't surprise me if either Clemente or Komodo got a day off and Smith played second or third. And that gets another left handed bat in there. So I do think they have more versatility guys who can play multiple positions. It's still not quite the perfect fit it was last year like each of us and everybody listening could have in your head before game last year said, OK, if they get the lead, then in the seventh inning, this guy's going to do that and that guy's going to go in and this guy's going to come out and and it's, but it is coming out. It's a very good point. They do have more flexibility versatility and listen, they've got four or five guys swinging a pretty good right now too and that makes everything look better also. Yeah, and they have the great Milestraw social convener yesterday who may have introductions between Brad Bateman and Stephen Quan who yeah, it's hard not to look at their games and see the similarities with the limited power, but the great bat to ball ability and the ability to take a walk and the great defense and the speed.

17:19Yeah, we're just straw fit into this as far as being at the middle of introductions and obviously that knowing of Stephen Quan from his time in Cleveland, AIDS to that, but yeah, Milestraw, it feels like the social convener. He's, you know, all jokes side, he's very important in that room. You guys will remember I think that we during the playoffs. Maybe it was just before when somebody interviewed Boba, and asked him, you know, what's the secret sauce of this team? Like what makes this group so close and bow, who as we know, never, you know, he kept everything almost everything, you know, inside, he said, Ernie Clement and Milestraw. And I've been in that clubhouse a lot and Milestraw is a big part of that clubhouse. If if somebody is laughing, Milest is either the one laughing or the one being laughed at. If somebody is yelling at somebody, he's, he's in the middle of it. Whether it's the card games or the anything like that. So now he knew, Quan, he knows, Bateman obviously, and he was very excited to make the introduction. It was all he was talking about the first day of the series.

18:29But they've gotten, they've gotten their money's worth out of Milestraw and find me one person who thought that would have happened two years ago when they in the offseason when they, when they made that deal. And I, I know he's got a whatever 630 OPS, I get it, but there's more value to him than that with it. He made another good slide and catch yesterday, like when he's in there, there's almost a catch a game where you can in your head, say, I don't know if anybody else catches that or I don't know if a certain or I'm pretty sure a certain somebody doesn't catch that. But yeah, social convener and like he doesn't force it. It's just kind of who he is. And I think it's important. They've had a lot of turnover in the last year and they don't have quite that same one through 26. These are my best friends for life. They don't have quite the same vibe that they had last year, but I think the what they do have straws a part of it. And I think it's better since the break. I think there was a lot of doom and gloom going out there, not the break of trade deadline. Excuse me. I think there was some doom and gloom going into it. And to be honest with you, I thought strong I get traded. I thought some contender might see value in a fifth outfield or pinch runner defensive replacement guy.

19:40I was pretty sure he was going to be gone and hindsight. It's a good thing that he's still here. Yeah, absolutely. And over his one and almost two seasons as a blue J providing three and a half wins of war according to baseball reference. Rocky Sasaki in his two years with the Dodgers 0.7. It's just for reference. Anyways, not everything. Interesting. Curious. All right. Dan enjoy the game today. Thanks. Thanks guys. Have a good one. Thanks, Dan. You too. Dan Schoeman on the call of this afternoon's rubber match between the Guardians and blue J's. Yeah, who would who to thunk. Milestraw would be just a becoming a beloved blue J and maybe it continues for next year is an eight million dollar team options. A lot to pay. A guy who you don't want starting every game and is best as a defensive replacement pinch runner type. But holy cow has he been just a revelation since he showed up. Yeah, he's not he's not Barry bonds out there. It had a 680 OPS last year, but was still almost a three win player in 137 games with the blue J's the season ago 0.7.

20:44War this year with the 640 OPS. He's just I described those guys as winning players. He's a winning player. Yes, I think that's the perfect word for it. And Dan brought up an interesting point. I hadn't fully necessarily considered, but you know, how how could you as a team that is perhaps. And if we rewind the reround the clock a few weeks and we're sitting at the trade deadline. If you're a team that is in the contending window and you feel like you have an opportunity to make a deep run in October. Win a World Series compete for a world series. I mean, I I feel like there is a lot of value when it comes to having a recent point of reference for how a certain guy can fit into a club that is chasing a championship or chasing playoff success. And Maustra, you know, Dan mentioned it last year, you could almost to a tee essentially script out if if you're in the seventh inning. This is what happens. This is how they would go about their business. And Maustra was a part of that equation because he was generally the defensive replacement to play center field.

21:48One of the corner outfield spots, depending on depending on where they were in the time and situation, but that that to me holds tons of value for a team that is in a position to legitimately win something, especially if you also have the knowledge. If you were able to get the intel that he's a great clubhouse guy to begin with like that that is there's there's value there. Sure. We we laughed and we joked about the trade at the time because it was all with the explicit purpose of obviously positioning the blue jays positioning themselves for an opportunity to court, Roki Sasaki to sign him and bring him over from Japan and nobody expected anything from Maustra and ultimately he's been a the best word. I think the greatest compliment you can pay like you said, Ben is he's been a winning player for this baseball team and and it's and he's he's a very important piece of things when it comes to behind the scenes and also of course the defense travels no matter what. So he's he's got value man he's got value in baseball major league baseball.

22:48Yeah, and Roki Sasaki's only 24 I'm sure it's going to be fine, but so far not so good for him as a member of the Dodgers so and so far so good for Maustra. He's been been great last thing. Did you know that the four seam fastball is actually not been an issue for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I know this yeah, okay, so it's it's very bizarre because yeah, you would think I test wise like all will he just he's not he's not getting to those fastballs like that's the problem is the fastball you can just blow them away with 99 no he's got a plus six run value against fastballs he's hitting 347 with the 485 slug against fastballs this season which puts him like not quite in line with last year but like it's in the same ballpark where he's getting blasted like that. He's getting blasted like sinkers he had his most success of any pitch last year he saw 500 nates sinkers and hit 360 with the 528 slug this year he's still hitting 328 but a 437 slug not the same slug in sliders and cutters he's just getting abused by them and the curveball hasn't seen a ton of them this year but yeah it hasn't had great success there but it's the sliders and cutters that have just befuddled him this season surprising though that he's just not getting annihilated by four seamers it's just not the same.

24:06It's just not been the case. Harden, soft away, harden, soft away and I mean I do feel like this has been a little bit of a theme over the course of Lads career where the I test doesn't necessarily meet what the numbers suggest against forcing fastballs and hard stuff in general because I think the sort of primary theme and you'll be and we've watched him for years now. You always you get the sense he's just he's late he's not getting to that pitch right it's either it's it ends up being an out or he's missing a mistake that he should be doing doing damage on or he's fouling off pitches to the first base side into foul territory which indicates he's late and missing those swings on on the hard stuff the heaters that you want to obviously capitalize on number one thing you have to do as a hitter is not going to be a hitter. As a as a hitter is is hunt the heater and once you do that then it opens everything else up for you as a hitter but it is it is interesting that the numbers I feel are sort of deceiving with what they tell you about how he's performed against fastball the fastballs this year when in reality to the naked eye it feels like timing has been a big problem and he's been laid on that pitch and you can single out boy oh boy so many instances where you know fastball middle middle fastball up and in and he's not going to be able to do that.

25:22And he's just he's just not getting there and yet for whatever reason and maybe it's I don't know if the what the Babbit Babbit would say excuse me when it comes to fastballs but I would have to guess that's maybe part of it's when he is putting the fastball in play it's finding grass it's finding open space out on the diamond and that's maybe why he's having a little bit more success actually I have one other nugget to on Vlad then you want to take a guess he's got eight homers how many of those you think have come with runners on base. I think actually I look this up as well I think he only has three solo homeruns he's got four solo homers so it's half so half half have been solo homers two of them have had one runner on and then last I was his second three run homer of the season but it's still pretty jarring when you're considering thinking about it do that's hitting third in the line up essentially every single day totally last thing for me on Vlad is this one matches the I test he's been a minus 11 run value on pitches over the heart of the plate right that's

26:23yeah yeah that's he's not hitting the pitches over the heart of the plate that he should be anyways all right when we come back Steve Balmer is in a glass case of emotion right now five first round picks removed from the clippers 30 million dollar fine and quite Leonard about to be a raptor yet again we'll talk to Michael Grange next as the fan morning show continues Ben Ns Denielle Franceschi sports net 590 the fan. So that was a large news dump yesterday we got as the punishment for the coi Leonard salary cap circumvention scene scheme coming down on the clippers five first round picks 30 million dollars year long suspension for Steve Balmer and others wild wacky stuff oh yeah and coi has to pay $700,000 fine which he's fine with as a statement

27:47as a statement that said it not appealing very much pleased with the outcome for him clippers though holy cow it's talked to Michael Grange Michael thanks for doing this I think we were wrong I was wrong and I think you agreed with me that you know the ESPN story comes out that there's no credible evidence there's no smoking gun and maybe the NBA is just going to have to say while something probably happened here there's nothing we can do without hard evidence nope that's as as harsh a punishment has ever been levied in the history of this sport. Yeah I was definitely surprised wrong I guess the other way to put it yeah because exactly as you point out I kind of looked at this whole thing and the length of time it was taking who was on the other side of the investigation Steve Balmer who's you know kind of a you know maybe the NBA is leading owner arguably and the fact that who was going to lose in this scenario I mean who was the victim here it's questionable and so I think I thought I really

28:57believed that the NBA was going to find a way to save face with the word I used in other words sort of appear to have control over the discipline levers the discipline of the league and its owners while not kind of crossing paths with crossing swords I guess with Balmer and I never you know I didn't think that Leonard was going to get nailed in this so I guess I was half right but yeah clearly you know the evidence you know that report I encourage people to read it it's spectacular you know it's you can't read that and just as as you're listening to we all listen to to public authorities a podcast series on this stuff you couldn't hear those or read this report and come to any other conclusion that you know the clippers knowingly cheated and did it over and over again multiple times multiple companies to the benefit of Leonard and you know the punishment as you point out is absolutely consistent with the punishment the league handed out under David Stern back when they found the Minnesota Timberwolves guilty of similar violations in that case they had you know written contract that they were the two parties were agreeing to circumvent the cap and they hit the Timberwolves hard then and then Adam Silver who was mentored by David Stern

30:26at the clippers as hard as you could now. Yeah definitely a lot of parallels between those two you know sort of instances and examples of cap circumvention in the NBA and you know the investigations that then followed the only the difference obviously why I have to pay $700,000 fine Joe Smith's contract was voided at that time and I I struggle with this a little bit because you know the NBA came down hard on the clippers clearly they were you know very much complicit complicit in all this and driving the bus and you know brokering deals essentially for Kauai and to his benefit to help funnel money there but with Kauai Leonard it feels like range one that the rationale or the explanation here is Kauai's getting fine $700,000 because maybe he didn't know the full extent of what was actually going on like there's there's it it almost feels like his perspective on it at least as I read it is there's plausible deniability and that's the central argument as to why Kauai's not sitting here and it doesn't even have to incur any type of suspension never mind a contract being voided that would be the

31:31extreme outcome but no suspension and a fine of $700,000 which is if you do the math it's about it's less than 1% of his career earnings and NBA salary like does that does that argument or that perspective hold the lot of water does it doesn't make sense to believe that Kauai Leonard was maybe just not fully in the loop with what was actually going on well the NBA could improve it I guess would be okay all right and do I believe it no I don't believe it I'm pretty sure that Kauai Leonard as millions of dollars look you know on paper you know aspiration is sort of the headline or at the company that that went into these deals but when you read through the support there were four other companies sorry a total of four companies and probably a value of approaching $60 million maybe more closer to $70 million arguably in no show endorsement money and he didn't get all of that because aspiration went went bankrupt and the rest of that

32:34but he certainly got 21 million from them and you know somewhere between you know one other companies indicated there were six million so if that's the rate times two other companies maybe there's a total of 18 million regardless we're talking so we're doing $40 million that went into these limited you know these LLCs these limited liability companies that Leonard was part of with his uncle so there's only two ways to interpret that one either you know he really didn't pay attention to his finances which is you know that's not great for two you know he's come out well at this is this is the greatest thing that ever could have happened Kauai Leonard you got you know I actually throw the million box and you know it's a pretty good return on a $700 thousand fine which if I was to guess is the amount that the clippers forwarded to provided him and his family and improper benefits so flight gifts travel that kind of thing that you know we're

33:45expensive that we're supposed to pay back and they didn't seek you know they didn't ask to get paid back so yeah I mean it's it's Kauai Leonard the boardman gets paid yeah he sure does so there's so I'm sorry just a finish in Daniela as you point out like like there wasn't really a provision you know we talked about this a few weeks ago Ben and I and there wasn't really a provision that that he would be suspended through this because that's not one of the penalties available to the remedy this in the CBA so it would have been you know avoided contract and you know that would have been monstrous right that would have been 50 million this year more significantly he wouldn't have bird rights which men means he wouldn't be able to sign this 123 or 24 million dollar extension Raptors are likely going to sign them to you know so he'd be on you know an NBA minimum this year and you know it would have amounted to kind of like about a hundred and fifty million dollar penalty yeah arguably that's a little too steep given you know the clip is

34:53only a billion times thirty million but uh seven hundred grand is is a pretty good deal no and also his player contract is on the up and up unlike the Joe Smith contract which that was the whole thing was the contract was against the the salary cap that's why it had to be boyded but yeah uh kawaii coming out ahead for sure so what's next man holy cow um and not even talking about the trade which I I assume is just going to go through businesses usual there because obviously there's nothing that's going to come down the pipeline beyond this for kawaii he he's already said in a statement no appeal we've agreed to this this punishment that's that's fine the I can't get Steve Balmer out of my mind because this guy is obviously going down swinging and there is no there is no mechanism apparently in the cba for him to to fight this through league means but he that doesn't mean he's not going to fifty million bucks for the for the walk to lipped in report he's that's going to be chump change considering what he's going to spend on the lawyers going forward this feels like it's not going

35:55away anytime soon great i mean we'll see right he wouldn't be okay to threaten the sue and get a chest all puffed up and then you know kind of have think the better of it um he might certainly he's got all the resources in the world to do it um but you know I and I look I suspect you will like unless this is all just the calculator posturing but um it's it's going to be a hard case to win I would think yeah uh you know there there's some there is some interesting language regarding you know because there is a if we don't get too far into the weeds but there is again you know if i'm a player or if i'm in a team that does business with the raptors and i want to connect with a player on an endorsement opportunity i can reach out to the raptors the raptors can in turn provide you know provide contact

36:56information kind of facilitate that that meeting that's all allowed and then whatever happens is out of the raptor's hands but what's and that's what the clip is saying that that's all their guilty of but the evidence shows and there's plenty of documentation in that report to shows that that you know not only did they kind of affirmatively like they they were the ones that led the led that the the companies are doing business with two co-eyed Leonard they subsequently kind of managed the whole process in multiple instances and so it's it's going to be hard for them to and this is after it's got to be known that that they were investigated warned and went through a kind of like corporate training about doing this kind of stuff in 2019 and after they did a similar type deal with Yandre Jordan in 2015

37:56so this is kind of like there's there's third time through it so it's going to be hard that's why the league was I think quite sensitive to this so yeah i mean Steve Palmer i'm sure he'll mount a robust defense and it's hard to imagine he'll win i think it's pretty clear grain job. Obviously this is this is damaging to Steve Palmer's reputation it's going to hurt the clippers over the next certainly that you know half decade if not beyond that because they're going to be in a very difficult spot it's going to be you know you look at the timber wolves right who until anthead was arrived were kind of like a they were dormant yeah they were just dormant yeah I mean they had they had some opportunities there with with Kevin Garnett but you know once Kevin Garnett left they were they were non-entity and a big reason was they were you know they were down five eventually it was produced at three third time picks but yeah the clippers are going to be in a real tough situation for at least a decade I would say. So I and this is never mind just from

39:01even a roster management standpoint because they're going to they're going to be in a position where they just don't have draft capital and it's going to be difficult to replenish the roster and and and and the acquisition of talent is going to be a challenge but because now this is hanging over them and you know it's done irreparable damage to the reputation of the owner even if the clippers because they're in LA it's a wonderful market they have this unbelievable stadium that they can flaunt and they spend a lot of money on still though when it comes to even trying to expedite the process of getting back to relevancy and contendership getting into that contention period. How do you even convince a free agent to now take that to to to to take that chance of of joining the LA clippers when there's just such uncertainty when it comes to the health of the basketball operation side of things on account of what has transpired with this particular investigation and all the penalties that are associated with it. Yeah they're in a they're in a pickle and especially

40:05now because they you know they can't offer any off-quarted off-quarted I would hope they stay good they stay away from that yeah but yeah that was with salary I could say that's not an option anymore but look I mean they have advantages and you know they are in LA the ownership is like all of this aside you know the clippers are one of the best and best organized best owned teams in the NBA so maybe they bounce back sooner than later they were pivoting to a rebuild anyway but the reality is the picks they do have among them the Raptors 31 to 33 unprotected they're going to have to get really lucky on some of those and in the meantime they're going to have to maybe this reminds me a little bit of completely different circumstances but you look at what Brooklyn had to do after Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett you know they kind of aged out and you know

41:08they were sort of in nowhere land for a while and they were able to get you know they clear enough cap space and you know they all of a sudden they had James Harden and Kevin Durant and Kyrie were in the team so things can happen in this league but you know I would say that it's going to be a uphill battle what's your read on the trade now it's just what was reported is what is going to happen and that the trade just goes through I mean Kauai has already said my return to Toronto so he's pretty convinced the trade is going to go through but is that your perspective? Yeah I've heard nothing different the Raptors have kind of remained really confident on that all the way along even when there was talk about the stuff getting arbitrated and appealed and all of that that you know it was pointed out to me that even in that scenario that wouldn't affect Leonard Savailabooly on the floor really all that left here is this pure basketball of it and before any

42:12of this was an issue or while you know before anybody had been resolved on one hand this is an unbelievable deal Kauai Leonard's one of the top four five six seven you know certainly no worse than seven best player in the NBA and for any given game maybe the best and he's still doing it at age 35 like last season's already the best of his career so there's that then the other side of this is he's 35 he's going to be under contract this year and likely two more at a big number the Raptors give up two unprotected first and if you go back to his last season in San Antonio in Tony also has nine years he's only played 56% of the available games so you know the rap you know here in Toronto we have a certain view of Kauai Leonard because he delivered it was

43:13magic it was incredible and but that view is probably a little skewed right because the seven years since haven't been all that great and certainly last year in San Antonio was not great so like I'm not sure just like if this guy's healthy and on the floor the Raptors are a very dangerous team in the east I think that there's a giant potential for auxiliary benefits in terms of Scotty Barnes and column Murray Boyle's getting to work alongside this guy and see how he does is go see why what makes him so good and how that could benefit in ways we can't predict but you know flipside is he could step on the floor like him I would say like any other player but in this case maybe more likely than any other player and his knee could you know dissolve into multiple pieces and this would all look very different very quickly. Strange very quickly I didn't want to ask about the contracts you know you sort of alluded to it

44:17did would you expect that whenever this trade is finalized will also it'll sort of go hand in hand we'll get some sort of clarity and an announcement regarding the extension or do these sides still have to like discuss that what what is the actual process here. I would suspect that the trade will go through and shortly after that there'll be confirmation of an extension there is a some benefits a Leonard if he waits until I think January to you know the terms of extension of his extension could be a little different a little more lucrative but you know given his situation I'd be hey I'm not sure the Raptors would want to would want to be paying more than the one twenty four they're probably going to pay and be I'm sure in Leonard's case you know he probably wants to get that money before he steps on the floor. Yeah yeah he likes money who doesn't know um Michael appreciate the time is always thank you.

45:18Thanks guys take care. You too Michael Grange sportsnet sportsnet.ca yeah I guess there is that that while Steve bomber maybe he's just so mad that he doesn't care if he has any chance of winning this thing he just wants to embarrass the league he wants to he wants to enact his fury on Adam silver and the entire NBA but this is this punishment is enacted after a report that does have actual smoking gun evidence not from the clippers necessarily but I saw some stuff there that has you know clippers text in it as well but yeah you got you got leaders of these companies talking about how their deals with the clippers don't go through unless we give Kauai Leonard right like that's what we're talking about here and you've got one company in Dakotronics that's going to have to appear in front of the SEC yeah and talk about their stock how they were on the

46:19verge of bankruptcy and then weren't because they got this huge deal with the clippers as a result of giving Kauai Leonard thirty million dollars right like it it does feel it the NBA feels like it it's it's on pretty good footing to meet out this punishment and if that's the case doesn't seem like it's a winnable court battle for Steve bomber. No it doesn't I think range at the nail on the head it's just all about what the tolerance will be for Steve bomber to just pump money into it for the sake of doing it and trying to drag it out and and maybe you know for whatever reason I mean I think all you know range said it best it's about winning in the court of public opinion you know he doesn't have to win anything back but the idea of if if there's any ounce of it that can help his reputation I suppose that's what he would be chasing in all this especially because Ben you're going this story for surface what happened he went on ESPN and you know he professed the innocence of him in the franchise and now that just looks like a it's looks terrible on him the optics of brutal oh yeah there you go yeah yeah well yeah it's also brutal low for the NBA

47:24because this is a a franchise in a huge market with a brand new building that is going to stink for the foreseeable future it's bad not that the NBA ever does this but I can easily see a scenario where it's like okay we did that we got that out of the way everybody saw how big and strong and and tough we are okay here's two of the picks back and also like we're going to facilitate the next big free agent yeah to your team like honestly like because that's you can't have the clippers be irrelevant for a decade I'm sorry like that's that's not tenable yeah that's funny as it would be yeah especially Los Angeles yeah and that ownership situation no doubt yep all right we'll be back tomorrow with another edition of the fan morning show Ben and it's Danielle a French SK sports set 590 the fan good morning I'm not trying to be who I don't know