Spurs Insider Podcast, 2026-09-30 04:53:00
专栏作家迈克·芬格 (Mike Finger) 与随队记者杰夫·麦克唐纳 (Jeff McDonald)、汤姆·奥斯本 (Tom Orsborn) 探讨马刺媒体日的重点收获，包括NBA总决赛留下的“挥之不去”的阴影，以及一个迫在眉睫的问题：迪伦·哈珀何时才能进入首发阵容。
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以下是播客的文字实录：
迈克·芬格：从遍布南德克萨斯、高度保密的绝密地点网络中传来的，是《马刺内幕》训练营特辑。我是迈克·芬格，一如既往地与《圣安东尼奥快报》马刺随队记者汤姆·奥斯本和杰夫·麦克唐纳一同出镜。我们是在拉坎特拉之岩（The Rock at La Cantera）那场盛大的媒体盛会次日录制的这期节目，圣安东尼奥马刺在那里重返聚光灯下、重新集结，开启他们打进NBA总决赛之后的第一个赛季。杰夫，我记得那场盛会大约是上午9点33分开始的。本地球员们都很兴奋。至于本地播客主播们嘛，我不确定他们撑没撑到上午11点01分才开始抓狂。呃，你撑住了吗？你现在还精神抖擞、神清气爽吗，还是——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：你只能代表你自己。我度过了美好的一天。[笑声]
迈克·芬格：是吗？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：美好的一天。他们11点半就让我们收工了，离截稿时间还富余一大截，之后甚至还有时间去折扣轮胎店——呃，好吧，我不该提具体商家，去我家附近的轮胎店补了个胎[笑声]，然后还能赶回家接孩子放学。真是美好的一天。
迈克·芬格：汤姆·奥斯本，汤姆·奥斯本，你——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：非常高效。这就是我对今年马刺的评价。他们非常高效。
迈克·芬格：汤姆，你在这种媒体日、在跑职业体育口、乃至做新闻工作方面的一个强项，就是能嗅出一点年轻人所说的“胡扯”。我想知道你信不信杰夫刚才那套说辞。[笑声]我想知道杰夫说自己昨天一整天有多开心，你能买账几成。
汤姆·奥斯本：我觉得他是真开心。我真的这么认为。是的。
迈克·芬格：好吧。
汤姆·奥斯本：我觉得他是真开心。你知道，回到他说的，那是一场非常高效的媒体日。平均每位发言人9分钟。
迈克·芬格：嗯哼。
汤姆·奥斯本：一共七位发言人。
迈克·芬格：你还算过账了。
汤姆·奥斯本：是的。呃，米奇——米奇和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔说得最久，大约12分钟。文班也上了两位数，10分钟。
迈克·芬格：不过这里有个星号要标注一下，汤姆。我不想显得迂腐——虽然我从不迂腐，杰夫知道的。[笑声]但是——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，昨天可没人指责你迂腐，完全没有。[笑声]我没有，谁都没有。
迈克·芬格：昨天也没人在去轮胎店的路上骂我什么的。那确实——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：瞧瞧，汤姆这就开始嗅出“胡扯”了。[笑声]
汤姆·奥斯本：那个星号是什么？
迈克·芬格：星号就是，你只统计了一种语言。
汤姆·奥斯本：呃，不，不。文班一开始说法语，我就停了。
迈克·芬格：所以我的意思是，他说的不止10分钟。
汤姆·奥斯本：[叹气]不，第一个法语提问开始时我就停了。
迈克·芬格：对。但如果把英语和法语加在一起，这就是那个迂腐的——
汤姆·奥斯本：对对对对。行吧行吧。行吧行吧。不，你说得对。你说得对。不，那是个好——
迈克·芬格：我通常都是对的，汤姆。
汤姆·奥斯本：是啊，你是。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：总之，我们了解到了什么？[笑声]
迈克·芬格：你提的问题，你来回答。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：呃，不，这档节目可不是这么运作的。[笑声]我提问，别人来回答。
汤姆·奥斯本：呃，
迈克·芬格：来吧，汤姆。
汤姆·奥斯本：我们了解到了什么？他们传递出了正确的基调。呃，达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox) 的态度是，翻篇向前看。呃，但他们都谈到了总决赛失利让他们多么受折磨，情感上付出了多大代价，以及这将如何驱动他们前行。
迈克·芬格：回答杰夫的问题，有一点让我印象深刻。我不确定这算不算“学到的东西”，但我觉得这是当天的一个 overarching 主题，它让你不得不退后一步，回想一年前的媒体日。我是说，300多天，还是364天来着，管它呢。想想看，一年之内，他们就要回来参加另一场媒体日，谈论一个赛季让他们多么失望、崩溃、痛苦、备受煎熬——而那个赛季里，他们[笑声]距离NBA总冠军只差三场胜利。这太疯狂了。呃，去年我们在播客上周复周、月复月、季后赛一轮接一轮地聊过，期望是如何逐渐变化的：从一年前文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 说如果球队能拿到西部第六就算成功赛季，到突然之间，如果拿不到总冠军就会是毁灭性的打击。呃，我觉得，尽管正如汤姆所说，有一个共同的主旋律——那个夏天的煎熬性质，那是文班的原话——失眠的夜晚、各种“如果当初”、还有米奇·约翰逊 (Mitch Johnson) 所说的，对自己本可以做得不同的地方感到不安。但这一年的跨度依然令人难以置信。这算是句“废话式”评论，明摆着的事。但在新赛季开启之际，这仍然值得回味。
汤姆·奥斯本：如果他们不是每场比赛都曾领先10分——包括第四场29分的崩盘——我想他们才会往那个方向想。但没错，他们觉得，本来能拿下的。
迈克·芬格：是啊。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我觉得昨天真是一种强烈的对比，一边是你们俩刚才聊的，输球方式的煎熬性质将如何激励他们、推动他们进入新赛季；另一边是，既然他们已经打进了总决赛，证明了自己能做到，向全世界、向NBA其他球队证明了自己能做到，现在那些期望就已经固化了。所以他们进入的是一个所有人都认为他们是争冠球队的赛季。而去年这个时候可不是这样。所以，不言而喻，你不可能再偷袭任何人了。要拿到西部第一或第二种子所需的82场比赛，每一场都会更难。呃，这话说得很俗套，但俗套是有原因的：他们带着“众矢之的”进入新赛季。很多球队想复仇。所以，如果你问马刺今年如何重返总决赛，很大程度上取决于他们应对这种局面的能力——每晚都要挨对手的最强一击。其实早在上赛季之前，他们就已经尝到一点这种滋味了，因为人人都想对文班亚马下手，都想挑战维克托·文班亚马。他是状元秀，带着所有光环。球队最喜欢扳倒这种人物。但呃，我想在上赛季之前，或者上赛季这个时候，马刺给人的印象还挺讨喜、挺可爱的，是个好故事的雏形，但不像俄克拉荷马城雷霆那样让人真正忌惮。呃，而现在他们不再是那样了。他们去年像一头可爱的小狮子，而这头小狮子长大了，如今凶猛无比。再没有人敢轻视他们了。
迈克·芬格：你这是在模仿文斯·沃恩吗？[笑声]呃，[笑声]这里有个问题，我想你们都知道答案：上赛季在NBA总决赛之前，马刺最长的连败纪录是多少场？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我不记得了，但我记得是两场？
汤姆·奥斯本：两场。
迈克·芬格：他们从没连输三场。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的。
汤姆·奥斯本：是的。
迈克·芬格：呃，而这种情况不会再发生了。这算是条突发新闻吧，我觉得。[笑声]是的。总会有低谷时刻的。不可思议的是，他们在那个突破之年——当时他们还只希望拿到西部第六——从未经历过一段诸事不顺的时期。一切都太顺了。不只是说他们在正确的时间达到巅峰。他们从来没有糟糕过。从来没有陷入过“联盟摸透我们了，我们该怎么调整，下一步怎么办”的境地。这种情况即便是最好的球队也终将遇到。我，我不知道，呃，如果你看看老迈克尔·乔丹那支势不可挡的公牛队，也许72胜10负那年他们没连输过三场。但我敢打赌——我本该做做功课，但我敢打赌——在那六个冠军中的某些年份，那些球队肯定在某个阶段连输过三场。呃，我提这个的原因是，呃，昨天我们在媒体日聊到这支球队可能面临的一些潜在问题时，头号问题——用迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 的话说是个“幸福的烦恼”——就是迪伦·哈珀、达龙·福克斯和斯蒂芬·卡斯尔这三个人，个个都有首发实力，却很可能无法同时首发。呃，如果你六七个月里从不连输三场，这个问题很好处理。呃，一旦连败出现，问题就来了。这也是为什么我们现在很难就此写文章、做讨论、做分析——因为我们不知道当事情开始变糟时，这些人的性格会作何反应。我觉得这就是我新赛季最想观察的东西：当那一刻来临时会发生什么。而这在2026年9月底的此刻，真的很难预测、很难预判。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，所以我想，除了NBA总决赛，我们从来没见过，比如说，迪伦·哈珀经历三连败。他会如何应对三连败？我们完全不知道，因为我们从未见过。
迈克·芬格：隆尼·巴赫，超凡脱俗的制作人，
汤姆·奥斯本：超凡脱俗。
迈克·芬格：插话说，95-96赛季的公牛只连续输过两场一次。所以，呃，你知道，确实有球队经历过马刺去年那种不可思议的赛季，那种事就是从不发生。但我觉得大多数冠军球队都得时不时熬过一个残酷的星期，而马刺真的没有过残酷的星期。汤姆，你怎么看，呃，从这个角度看：我们采访了米奇·约翰逊，采访了达龙·福克斯，采访了斯蒂芬·卡斯尔，采访了迪伦·哈珀，这个潜在故事的所有主角。呃，先从这里说起，他们昨天是不是都说得滴水不漏？他们，你，你喜欢从他们那里听到的内容吗？
汤姆·奥斯本：是的，我想焦点主要还是在那三人组中的迪伦身上。你知道，他说了，是的，这是竞争，但归根结底，无论他扮演什么角色，他都会保持高效、保持快乐，呃，他会做对球队最有利的事。呃，这我预料到了，而且我相信他。所以，呃，是的，我不觉得这会，呃，斯蒂芬说那都是外界噪音，这一点我也相信他。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：训练营里说这种话当然容易。正如芬格所说，难的是当事情开始出问题时再说这话。然后你开始，是啊，想：“也许我该首发，”或者“也许别人该首发”，又或者被移到替补席的人会想：“为什么我不首发了——”一旦输球，各种破事就全来了。
迈克·芬格：而且，我是说，我们正在给当今互联网体育报道中那台荒谬机器添柴加火，去制造一个还不存在的问题。但我觉得我们多少是……是的。我觉得讨论这个的原因只是想看看会发生什么。仅此而已。
迈克·芬格：没错，我们就是想看看会发生什么。我还想说，呃，我们写过这个，我写过关于米奇·约翰逊的一个优点。我觉得这在去年冲总决赛的过程中就发挥了作用，从他的第一次训练营开始，就是他的同事、球员们所说的那种“清晰感”——他希望队里每个球员都具备的。他非常透明。他对阵容中每个人的期望都非常坦诚直白。我觉得呃，这很利于他应对眼下这种局面。当我们问起——我想昨天可能是唐·哈里斯第一个提出这个话题的，一个确实需要提出的话题——关于他将如何处理这三个人，以及更广义地说，一支拥有11名重要轮换、人人都期待上场时间的球员的阵容，该如何管理。你怎么管理？我觉得米奇给出了正确的态度：首先是坦诚相待，这就是他想做的——坦诚说明对每个人的期望，而他的首要目标是争取赢球，无论最终如何排兵布阵。再说一遍，在9月28号——对吧——说这些很容易。呃，我们拭目以待这能维持多久。但我觉得在这种情况下，这是唯一可行的做法。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，我，我问过他，你知道，“你有七八个能首发的人。这显然是个数学难题，因为首发只能上五个，作为教练你在队内要怎么处理？”呃，[清嗓]结果就是你说的那样。你知道，“我会努力赢球。我会对每个人坦诚，然后就在这个框架里过日子，无论那意味着什么。”
迈克·芬格：是啊。是啊。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：替补的部分也在里面吗？
迈克·芬格：还有，呃，很抱歉我刚才把提问的人搞错了。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：哦，不，我不是那个意思。我是，我是在伟大的唐·哈里斯的基础上接着问的，所以。
迈克·芬格：我知道别人把你问的问题安到别人头上有多烦人。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：明白了。确实如此。[笑声]明白了。真是个搅事精啊。[笑声]
迈克·芬格：呃，那个，我刚说到哪了？哦，呃，再说一遍，一个显而易见的观点，迪伦·哈珀提过的观点，被反复提及的观点：这个联盟里有多少教练愿意拿自己的难题去换米奇·约翰逊的难题？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，对对对。
迈克·芬格：25个，26个吧。呃，我们忽略了一个事实：这是一支非常优秀的球队，会赢下很多比赛。呃，即便有问题，那也是很多球队求之不得的问题，所以。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：还有一点，如果你能挥一挥魔法棒，把所有的人性、所有的自我都从方程式中剔除，我倒挺喜欢从替补席上派一个纯粹的“大杀器”的主意，无论是迪伦·哈珀还是其他人。我喜欢不让他们三个同时首发的思路。我觉得去年那招效果很好，是的，让迪伦·哈珀打替补，让他去蹂躏对方的第二阵容。然后如果局势顺利，你也可以在关键时刻用他收尾。但我理解这里面牵涉到自尊心，而迪伦·哈珀迟早会成为这个联盟的首发，无论是今年，还是他再等一年、明年首发，但他终将是首发。不过单就理论而言，我是说，马刺——呃，新闻快讯——他们对马努·吉诺比利就是这么用的。那，就差一点，就差一点。[轻笑]就是精髓所在。从替补席上派一个纯粹的大杀器，就能搅乱整场比赛。我非常喜欢去年那个轮换调整。呃，但你要面对的是有自尊心的人，这是教练需要管理的东西。这对米奇·约翰逊来说会是个挑战，他毕竟还是这个联盟里的年轻教练。
汤姆·奥斯本：但目前没有任何证据表明这三个人被自尊心驱使到了损害球队利益的程度。没有这种证据。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：没错。
汤姆·奥斯本：好的。
迈克·芬格：但我想说的是，他们去年连败从没超过两场。问题就出在，我们，我们在绕圈子了。[笑声]
杰夫·麦克唐纳：对，对。那招管用。管用了。
迈克·芬格：我们在绕圈子。呃，问题是——
汤姆·奥斯本：效果拔群。
迈克·芬格：还有一点让我觉得好笑，这不是要负面评价或者针对谁，但我们在这儿聊无欲无求的球员之类的。[笑声]杰夫，你跑了20年马刺媒体日——昨天是你的第20个季前媒体日吗？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的，是我的第20个。是的。
迈克·芬格：你能想到有一天会出现“哪个球员的GQ封面最好看”这种问题吗？[笑声]这支球队就是这么变的。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我，我，我无法相信的是，蒂姆·邓肯居然从来没上过《绅士季刊》的封面。
迈克·芬格：是啊。[笑声]
杰夫·麦克唐纳：真的无法相信。你看看他18年职业生涯里的着装品味，怎么可能从没上过《绅士季刊》？
迈克·芬格：我觉得他只是时机不对，因为我听说宽松风又回来了。那种宽松的穿搭风格，据我所知，正在回潮。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：还有一点有意思的是，退役后再见到蒂姆，他现在的穿着比打球时更GQ了。
迈克·芬格：而且——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：比打球时。
迈克·芬格：呃，你可能是对的。你可能是对的。呃，是的，我觉得蒂姆错过了那班车。蒂姆本该上GQ的。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊。
迈克·芬格：呃，
杰夫·麦克唐纳：总之，是的，我没想到昨天我们会聊到《绅士季刊》。
迈克·芬格：但这确实是，我是说，这是整件事的又一个侧面：马刺虽然还是那支“凿石”理念的球队，仍然建立在格雷格·波波维奇 (Gregg Popovich) 和他的同伴们很久很久以前奠定的原则之上，但时代不同了。我是说，球员们都上GQ了。[笑声]呃，他们在接受我们聊过的那些采访，比如迪伦·哈珀得站出来说“是啊，我本来不想首发，后来我改主意了”，全国的人都在关注，全世界的人都在关注。而不只是南德克萨斯的听众在乎他们说什么。他们是拥有全国关注度的全国性故事，而这带来了一整套潜在的雷区。呃，再说一遍，正如汤姆所说，目前没有任何迹象表明自尊心、好胜心或类似的东西会在这个更衣室里制造问题。只是，一旦事情开始变糟，土壤是存在的。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：在这个马刺新时代，我的问题是：谁会成为第一个像德雷蒙德·格林那样开自己播客的球员？[叹气]
迈克·芬格：哇。[停顿]
汤姆·奥斯本：我不知道。
迈克·芬格：丹尼·格林——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：丹尼·格林得去了多伦多才开起自己的播客。在格雷格·波波维奇治下的圣安东尼奥，他是不可能被允许这么干的。如今换了新官上任了。
迈克·芬格：那得看播客的主题是什么。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：嗯，
迈克·芬格：因为像哈里森·巴恩斯这样博学多识、见多识广的人，什么都能聊。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：他可以聊银行业。
迈克·芬格：他可以聊银行业。[笑声]
杰夫·麦克唐纳：他可以做个银行主题的播客。
迈克·芬格：呃，如果你想要一个纯粹娱乐性强、适合剪成短视频的，就是那种口无遮拦、能引发讨论、让人转发转推的，我觉得那可能是卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 的菜，对吧？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：哦，对。不过我的问题更像是：谁会被允许开？
迈克·芬格：哦。呃，我是说——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：答案是维克托·文班亚马，只要他想。
迈克·芬格：是啊。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：他们不会对他说不，但我不确定那是不是他的兴趣所在。
迈克·芬格：嗯，我是说，他确实用法语就选举发表过看法，所以他确实，他，他对各种话题都有敏锐的触觉。呃，所以我不知道。我不预计马刺更衣室很快会冒出什么播客，但是，呃，谁说得准呢？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：因为他们不想和这档节目竞争。没错。我是说，我们，我们把他们都吓跑了。
迈克·芬格：说到维克托·文班亚马——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：说起这个，我们在聊，我们聊，等等，我们得聊聊另一个首发阵容的决定。因为呃，此外，昨天我们见到了所有熟悉的面孔，还认识了一位新面孔——
迈克·芬格：哦，对。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：托拜厄斯·哈里斯 (Tobias Harris)，呃，我觉得，对吧，我们是否同意他会是首发？我今天查了一下，他连续首发了大约538场比赛。所以我会默认你把他预填进首发名单，如果是这样，那就会自动把某个人挤到替补席。我是说，我们是不是要——
迈克·芬格：我，我觉得你的假设可能，呃，我觉得你对此的把握比我大。我觉得呃，我觉得可能性比较大。从你最近的说法来看，我觉得你的把握大概在80%以上，对吧？这么说公平吗？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的，差不多在那个区间。我，呃——
迈克·芬格：但我，我觉得他更可能打首发四号位，而朱利安·尚帕尼 (Julian Champagnie) 回到替补席。我觉得这是显而易见的调整，因为朱利安·尚帕尼并不是你在韦氏词典里查“大前锋”时会想到的那种天生或典型的大前锋。呃，但我觉得这套首发阵容有很多种走向。汤姆，你怎么看？
汤姆·奥斯本：是的，我看了托拜厄斯的话，他说：“我以球队化学反应为傲，以让全队明白我们若不团结就寸步难行为傲。”再说一遍，这不是问题。他会，[笑声]他会照球队说的做，但我预计他会首发。呃，而且，是的，我不觉得这会，我不觉得这是个问题。
迈克·芬格：他，他即将进入联盟第16个赛季。他，他阅历足够丰富，知道在被问到“你预计自己会首发吗”之类的问题时不能说得太具体。但呃，当你以自由球员身份签约时，你会和总经理、和马刺的代表进行那些谈话。他不是签了约才问“你们想让我干什么”的。那些谈话是提前进行的。无论马刺对他的计划是什么，我觉得他们已经坦诚相告了。而且我觉得——
汤姆·奥斯本：第15个。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊。
迈克·芬格：你先说。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：这让我有点想起哈里森·巴恩斯刚来的时候。他带着长长的首发纪录来到这里，等等，他从报到第一天起就是首发，一直首发到不再合理为止。但最终，他，他被移到了替补席，我觉得托拜厄斯可能也会经历同样的过程。先那样开始，看看效果如何，如果有一天看起来需要调整，那就进行那次谈话，然后把他移到替补。但我，我觉得，如果揭幕战首晚托拜厄斯·哈珀斯——托拜厄斯·哈里斯不在首发阵容里，我会相当惊讶。
迈克·芬格：我同意，我还要说，呃，我非常怀疑托拜厄斯·哈里斯签约前与马刺的谈话内容是：是的，大前锋位置、四号位有个空缺，你来了很有机会首发。呃，但也有很大可能，在你的合同期内某个阶段，你最终会被用作替补，我们有各种不同的组合可以用，有各种不同的方式使用你，你应该预期到自己可能不会在这里的整个时期都首发。而我，我，我相当确信那就是当时所说的话，也相当确信那就是托拜厄斯·哈里斯所同意的。所以——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：而且他，他在维克身边打球会帮到他。他会在篮板上帮忙。呃，即便他自己抢不到很多篮板，他也会顶住一个对手，让维克抢到更多篮板。他会在防守端帮忙，那个位置上多了一副更大的身板。而当你想想呃，去年真正给他们制造麻烦的那些球队，包括他们在总决赛面对的那支球队，都是拥有托拜厄斯·哈里斯这种体型球员的球队。是的，所以，所以，是的，他肯定会，呃，我不想用“升级”这个词，但他让球队在那个位置上看起来大概更具威慑力。然后随着比赛推进、面对不同对位，那个位置上你可以有各种不同的打法。而且，你知道，尚帕尼在这支球队仍将有重要角色，德文·瓦塞尔 (Devin Vassell) 仍将有重要角色。呃，但这会是一件有意思的事。他们带回了去年的前10号人物，又加了一个第11人，而且这个人会打很多时间。所以，管理出场时间、阵容和轮换会很有意思，因为有很多球员理应比去年打更多时间，但我不知道时间从哪来。而现在你又把哈里斯加进了这个方程。
汤姆·奥斯本：福克斯，福克斯提到，你知道，季后赛最大的收获就是要更强硬，呃，你知道，哈里斯在这方面肯定有帮助。
迈克·芬格：嗯，呃，尽管新晋喜剧天才杰伦·布伦森在那届NBA总决赛里表现如此出色，但整个季后赛里，唯一一个马刺真正对不上位的球员是谁？呃，在我看来，那是OG·阿努诺比。他们需要自己的，是的，需要有人去打那个位置。不是说托拜厄斯·哈里斯像OG·阿努诺比，但正如杰夫所说，他们确实没有人能真正对上那个位置。就像赛季最关键的那个回合，是的，没人卡位挡人。[笑声]是的。而且，我，我知道我这是在简化问题，是的，这确实是以偏概全，但这，这，这实在是过于简化了。[笑声]比如，如果托拜厄斯·哈里斯当时在麦迪逊广场花园的球场上，我不是说托拜厄斯·哈里斯就能卡住OG·阿努诺比。[笑声]但那就是那种球员，那种大前锋型的球员，而马刺就是没有。朱利安·尚帕尼拼尽全力，打得很棒，在客串一个，他们仍然需要他。他们给他钱了。不属于他天然位置的，挣到钱了。位置上，而且干得非常出色。但我觉得，当你有机会引进一个能更自然地打那个位置的人时，这就是显而易见的升级，是管理层干得漂亮的一笔。关于媒体日或即将在我们录完这期节目后马上开始的训练营，还有其他重要收获吗？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，我们得赶紧去训练馆了。
迈克·芬格：汤姆，还有什么我们漏掉的吗？
汤姆·奥斯本：凯尔登·约翰逊 (Keldon Johnson) 的大嗓门已经进入赛季中期状态了。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊，我还没准备好，我没准备好这么快就听到那吼声。
汤姆·奥斯本：斯蒂芬，斯蒂夫新闻发布会开到一半，我们就听到了凯尔登的声音，他可能，我不知道，他可能人在休布纳路上，我们都能听见。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我不知道，戴着他的牛仔帽、蓄着新蓄的小胡子，他看起来像是在准备OK牧场枪战什么的。[笑声]
迈克·芬格：这里还有一件事，关于时代变化之快，呃，还记得去年去媒体日吗，才52周之前，凯尔登·约翰逊和德文·瓦塞尔都是以荣誉元老的身份到场的，他们俩，杰夫，他们是不是说过，我第六年了，凯尔登第七年了？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的，五月。是的，是的。
迈克·芬格：而且，尽管维克托·文班亚马是明星，他们才是讲述“一切如何改变”的代言人。呃，你知道，因为他们待得最久，而且两人都打出了非常高效的赛季。而昨天回到媒体日，这并非怠慢。我觉得那里的公关团队是为球员服务的，问你想什么时候发言，你知道，他们不想冷落任何人，我觉得凯尔登和德文都很乐意说“嘿，我们等到本周晚些时候再接受采访”之类的话，但这再次说明变化之快：你参加完一整场媒体日，采访了马刺的七名球员，而凯尔登和德文却没有登上官方讲台发布会。再说一遍，别把这段剪成“他们被怠慢了”之类的标题。我觉得他们完全接受这种安排，呃，只是说，现在有七位有新闻价值、值得关注、举足轻重的人物可以采访，而他们不是德文·瓦塞尔和凯尔登·约翰逊。太疯狂了。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我是说，如果他们要求发言，他们会被允许发言的，但我很高兴他们没有，因为我们一天能承受的这种采访也就那么多。[笑声]
迈克·芬格：有些地方，到第七个人，我们基本就榨干了，该，你得说，你知道，总得有人周二发言，总得有人周三发言。所以把剩下的人分散开是好事。但如果他们是第八和第九个——不过感谢上帝，他们没有强求。我想我们今天晚些时候还能采访到他们。
迈克·芬格：我同意。我的观点还是关于本地球员的一个积极观点：现在有七名球员可以采访，他们有实质性的话要说，是重要的贡献者，而且都不是队里资历最长的两人。呃，他们真的组建起了一支像样的队伍。而我们还没听到卡特·布莱恩特的声音。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的。
迈克·芬格：还有谁？卢克·科内特 (Luke Kornet) 昨天接受了一些电视采访，但没跟大伙儿聊。是的。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：电台，是的。没聊。哦，呃，是的。
迈克·芬格：呃，J-麦克（J-Mac）之后会聊吗？J-麦克，重要的签约。呃，第15个名额他们打算怎么办，杰夫？有什么内幕吗？
杰夫·麦克唐纳：[呼气]没有。我猜就先空着，看看有谁冒出来。
汤姆·奥斯本：把比斯马克签回来。[笑声]
迈克·芬格：我们确实想念比斯马克。大比兹。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我刚才顺带查了些托拜厄斯·哈里斯的资料，他在联盟待得太久了，2011年选秀日当天他就在一笔涉及斯蒂芬·杰克逊
迈克·芬格：嗯。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：和贝诺·尤德里的大规模三方交易中被交易了。
迈克·芬格：哇。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：而且其中还有比斯马克·比永博等一众球员。科里·马盖蒂也在名单上。
汤姆·奥斯本：天哪。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：还有一大堆其他人。这就是托拜厄斯在联盟待了多久。
汤姆·奥斯本：好料啊。是的。
迈克·芬格：顺着这个话题，昨晚有一场周一橄榄球之夜的比赛，迈克·门罗的芝加哥熊队对阵费城老鹰队。芝加哥熊队的四分卫，呃，叫一个叫卡斯·基纳姆的家伙。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是的。没错。
迈克·芬格：呃，关于卡斯·基纳姆的讨论都是他多老了、在联盟待了多久、待了 forever。呃，呃，他2011年进入联盟。那是他成为NFL球员的年份。有人，就像托拜厄斯·哈里斯。我不想，托拜厄斯也是个老、老家伙了。有人，可能是J.A.阿丹德，在社交媒体上，如果我记错了人我先道歉。但，我记得是J，呃，他指出，2011年是，在他的第二座城市、已在联盟多年、顶着“永远拿不了冠军”的名声之后，勒布朗·詹姆斯第一次随热火打进总决赛的年份。[笑声]也就是说，勒布朗·詹姆斯已经走完了在克利夫兰骑士的整个生涯阶段，才第一次随热火打总决赛，而这时老家伙们比斯马克·比永博、托拜厄斯·哈里斯和卡斯·基纳姆才刚进联盟。勒布朗·詹姆斯干这行已经很久很久了，勒布朗·詹姆斯干这行比杰夫·麦克唐纳还久。太离谱了。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：没错。没错。但是，呃，凯文·杜兰特还没有。
迈克·芬格：凯文·杜兰特还没有，凯文，因为你在大学时就报道过凯文。呃，
汤姆·奥斯本：我昨晚还看到安迪·道尔顿了。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：安迪·道尔顿还在，[笑声]
汤姆·奥斯本：2011年进入联盟，38岁了。
迈克·芬格：还好还有一些相对老将仍在驰骋。呃，
杰夫·麦克唐纳：是啊。
迈克·芬格：接下来几周我们有很多内容要聊。大家都很兴奋能回归吗？我刚才调侃了——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我很兴奋能回归。
迈克·芬格：调侃了昨天开始的那些抓狂，但呃，看起来——
杰夫·麦克唐纳：我一点都不抓狂。我觉得太棒了。我蓄势待发。
迈克·芬格：杰夫·麦克唐纳今年的演技进步了很多。[笑声]我们聊聊球员们夏天都练了什么。你知道，以前伦纳德在的时候，总会有那种话题：他每年夏天往武器库里添了什么新东西，比如一个新的后撤步。
杰夫·麦克唐纳：现在还开不了这个头。你得先——
迈克·芬格：眼神交流？是啊。呃，杰夫·麦克唐纳在过去几个月里一直在练他的演技。我觉得挺好。呃，一周之后，经过一周的训练和采访，以及杰夫和汤姆带来的更多洞见，我们会再和大家见面。在那之前，请确保每天以多于期望的感恩开启新的一天。彼此照顾。保持真实。[音乐]
由生成式 AI 翻译，翻译内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
查看原文：As Spurs return, the Dylan Harper question lingers
As Spurs return, the Dylan Harper question lingers
Columnist Mike Finger and beat reporters Jeff McDonald and Tom Orsborn discuss the big takeaways from Spurs media day, including the “haunting” aftermath of the NBA Finals, and a looming question about when Dylan Harper cracks the starting lineup.
Suggested reading:
Why Wemby bears the brunt of the Spurs’ ramped-up expectations
How the Spurs will deal with the NBA Finals ghosts that still haunt them
Dylan Harper plans to “stay positive” no matter how Spurs use him
Here is the transcript of the podcast:
Mike Finger: From a highly secure network of top-secret locations across South Texas, this is the Spurs Insider training camp edition. I am Mike Finger, joined as always by San Antonio Express-News Spurs beat writers Tom Orsborn and Jeff McDonald. We’re recording this the day after the grand media extravaganza at The Rock at La Cantera, where the San Antonio Spurs returned, reconvened to open their first season after making the NBA Finals. The extravaganza got going, Jeff, I believe at 9:33 in the a.m. or or thereabouts. And the the local cagers were excited. And as for the local podcasters, I’m not sure they made it to 11:01 in the a.m. before exasperation set in. Uh is did you make it? Are are are you still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed or—
Jeff McDonald: You can speak for yourself. I had a I had a wonderful day. [laughter]
Mike Finger: Did you?
Jeff McDonald: Wonderful day. They had us out of there by 11:30, made deadline by a mile and a half, even had time uh afterwards to go to Discount Tire and—well, I shouldn’t not mention a uh business, but go to my local tire shop and get a a flat fixed [laughter] after that, and and still be home in time to pick up kids from school. It was a it was a great day.
Mike Finger: Tom Orsborn Tom Orsborn, you—
Jeff McDonald: Very efficient. That’s what I would say about the Spurs this year. They’re very efficient.
Mike Finger: One thing that uh one of your strengths, Tom, at these media days and covering a a a pro sports beat, just doing journalism in general, is being able to detect a little bit of uh of what the kids call BS. I’m wondering if you believe uh Jeff’s version of events there. [laughter] I wonder if you I wonder if you how much you’re buying of what Jeff said about how hap- happy he was all day yesterday.
Tom Orsborn: I think he was. I I really do. Yeah.
Mike Finger: Okay.
Tom Orsborn: I think he was. You know, uh and and going back to what he said, it was a highly efficient media day. It was an average of uh 9 minutes per speaker.
Mike Finger: Uh-huh.
Tom Orsborn: Uh seven speakers.
Mike Finger: You’ve done the math.
Tom Orsborn: Yeah. Uh Mitch—Mitch and Steph Castle went the longest, approximately 12 minutes. Wemby also in double figures with 10.
Mike Finger: Well, there’s an asterisk there, Tom. I hate to be pedantic, which I never am, as Jeff knows. [laughter] But—
Jeff McDonald: Yes, you are not accused of being pedantic yesterday, not at all. [laughter] Not by me or anyone else.
Mike Finger: No one cursed at me yesterday on their way to the local tire shop or anything like that. That That did—
Jeff McDonald: Now Now Tom is detecting the BS. [laughter]
Tom Orsborn: What’s the What’s the asterisk?
Mike Finger: The asterisk is you cut off you’re you’re counting only one language.
Tom Orsborn: Uh no, no. I cut Wemby off after when they began French uh began speaking in French.
Mike Finger: So, my point is he went longer than 10 minutes.
Tom Orsborn: [sighs] No, I stopped when the first French question began.
Mike Finger: Right. But if you put English and French together, here’s here’s the pedantic—
Tom Orsborn: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. There you go. There you go. No, you’re right. You’re right. No, that that’s a good uh—
Mike Finger: I usually am, Tom.
Tom Orsborn: Yeah, you are.
Jeff McDonald: Anyway, what did we learn? [laughter]
Mike Finger: You You asked the question, you can answer the question.
Jeff McDonald: Well, no, that’s not how this works at all. [laughter] I asked the question, other people answer it.
Tom Orsborn: Um,
Mike Finger: Go ahead, Tom.
Tom Orsborn: What did we learn? They they they struck the right tones. Um, De’Aaron Fox, let’s move on from his perspective. Uh, but they all talked about, you know, how much uh they were haunted uh by the Finals loss, how much it the emotional toll it took and how much it’s going to drive them going forward.
Mike Finger: One thing that struck me to answer Jeff’s question, I’m not sure if it’s something that we learned, but it’s just something I think uh of an overarching theme of the day, um, that kind of required you to step back and think about media day a year ago. I mean, 300 and what? 64 days, whatever it was. Um, to think that within a year they’d be coming back for another media day and talking about how disappointed and crushed and miserable and haunted they were by a season in which they made they [laughter] they were three victories away from an NBA championship. Like it’s it’s That’s crazy. Um, it it We talked about it a lot on the podcast last year week by week, month by month, round of the playoffs by round of the playoffs about how that gradually the expectations changed from Victor Wembanyama saying a year ago that it would be a successful season if they were the sixth seed in the West, to all of a sudden how crushing it was going to be if they didn’t win the whole thing. And uh, I I think even though there was this common chord of just like like Tom said, the the haunting nature of the summer, that that was Wemby’s word, of of sleepless nights, what-ifs, uh insecurities, as Mitch uh Johnson said, about what they could have done differently. This still is just an unbelievable uh jump from one year to the next. And that’s like a no no no-kidding comment there, like that that’s obvious. But it’s still worth reflecting on um as they start the next season.
Tom Orsborn: If they didn’t lead by 10 in every game, including the 29-point collapse in Game 4, I think they’d go in that direction. But yeah, they they felt like, you know, they could have had it.
Mike Finger: Yeah.
Jeff McDonald: It was really a juxtaposition of things I thought yesterday between what you just talked about or you two just talked about, the haunting nature of the way they lost and how that’s going to fuel them and propel them and motivate them uh going to this season. And also now that they’ve gotten to the Finals and shown they can do it, and shown the world they can do it, and shown the rest of the NBA they can do it, now those expectations are are fixed. And so, they’re coming into this season where everybody thinks they’re a title contender. And that wasn’t the case last year at this time. And so, I mean, it goes without saying you’re not going to sneak up on anybody. Those 82 game 82 games that it takes to get the first or second seed in the West and all that are just all going to be harder. Um, they’re they’re, I mean, it’s it’s clichéd, but it’s clichéd for a reason. They’re coming into this season with a target on their back. A lot of teams wanting to get payback. And so, a lot of this season, you know, if you ask how can the Spurs get back to the Finals this year, it’s going to be about their ability to handle that situation, where every night is going to be um getting everyone’s best shot. And they got a little bit out of of that along the way even before last season because everyone wanted to take a Victor Wembanyama, but I shot at Victor Wembanyama, you know. He’s the number one draft pick, has all the uh the hype. Teams love to to try to take down those kind of guys. But um, I think before last season or at this time last season, I think the Spurs were kind of viewed as kind of cute, adorable, a good story in the making, but um not anyone that super-scared you the way the Oklahoma City Thunder did. Um, and and they’re not that anymore. They were like a little cute little lion cub last year, and that lion club club cub grew up and is now ferocious. And nobody’s nobody’s taking them lightly anymore.
Mike Finger: Are you doing Vince Vaughn there? [laughter] Um, what [laughter] Here Here Here’s a question, which I think you guys know the answer to: what was the the Spurs’ longest losing streak last season before the NBA Finals?
Jeff McDonald: I don’t remember, but I think it was two?
Tom Orsborn: Two.
Mike Finger: They did not lose three games in a row.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah.
Tom Orsborn: Yeah.
Mike Finger: Um, and that’s not going to happen again. Like a the breaking news, I think. [laughter] Yeah. There’s going to be moments. It’s unbelievable that they got through their breakthrough year uh where they were hoping to finish sixth in the West, and never had a period of just things going wrong. Like so much went right. Not just I mean, they didn’t just peak at the right time. They were never bad. They were never in a situation where they’re like, what’s How can we adjust to the league figuring us out, and what are we going to do next? That’s going to come even to the best teams. I I think they’re I don’t know if if um uh you look at like the old Michael Jordan juggernaut Bulls teams, maybe the 72 and 10 year they didn’t lose three games in a row. But a lot of those years, I’m willing to wager, and I should do my research, but I’m willing to wager that those teams lost three games in a row at some point during that that those six titles. And uh I think the reason I bring that up is um when when we were talking yesterday at media day about some of the potential issues that this team might face, um number one with a bullet is the the good problem to have, as Dylan Harper said, of the three guys, Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox, and Stephon Castle, who all are good enough to start and probably will not start together. Um, it’s easy to navigate that when you never lose three games in a row over 6 months, 7 months. Um, when that becomes an issue, and that’s why you we can’t really it’s hard to write about, talk about, analyze now because we don’t know how the the personalities react when things start to go bad. And I think that that is um kind of the thing that I am most interested in watching this season is what happens when that happens. And it’s just really difficult to um to prognosticate, to anticipate here at at the end of September 2026.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, so I I guess like except for the NBA Finals, we’ve never seen like for for entrance uh for instance, Dylan Harper have a three-game losing streak. And how will he handle a three-game losing streak? We have no idea, because we’ve never seen it.
Mike Finger: Lonnie Bach, producer extraordinaire,
Tom Orsborn: Extraordinaire.
Mike Finger: chimes in that the '95-'96 Bulls lost back-to-back games only once. So, um, you know, there there have been teams that have gone through those those incredible seasons like the Spurs had last year where the where that just never happens. But I think most championship teams have to overcome a a a brutal week every now and then, and the Spurs really didn’t have a brutal week. Tom, what do you think about um I guess look at it from this angle. We talked to Mitch Johnson, we talked to De’Aaron Fox, we talked to Stephon Castle, we talked to Dylan Harper, all the principals in this potential story. Um, just starting here, what did they all say the right things yesterday? Did they all Did Would Did Did you like what what you heard from them?
Tom Orsborn: Yeah, I guess the the focus most of all is on Dylan in that trio, and, you know, he said, yeah, it’s a competitive deal, but bottom line for him is, you know, he’s going to be productive and and happy no matter what role he’s in, and um he’ll do what’s best for the team. Um, which, you know, I expected him to say that, and and I believe him. So, um yeah, I I don’t think it’s Well, what did uh uh Steph said it’s outside noise, and and I believe him on this.
Jeff McDonald: It’s easy to say that in training camp, too. It’s to to to Finger’s point, it’s harder to say that when you get to the point where things are going wrong. And then you start Yeah. think, “Well, maybe I should be starting,” or, “Maybe somebody else should be starting,” or maybe somebody you’ve moved to the bench has been like, “Well, why am I not starting any—” Like, it becomes a whole lot of stuff when you lose.
Mike Finger: And and it’s just I mean, we’re we’re feeding the the kind of um machine of ridiculous that exists in internet sports coverage these days is creating a problem that’s not there yet. But I think we’re sort of Yeah. I think the reason to discuss this is just to get people It’s It’s more that we’re interested to see what happens. That’s all.
Mike Finger: We’re interested to see what happens, exactly. I I will say, too, um we’ve we’ve written this, I’ve written this about uh one of Mitch Johnson’s strengths. I think this this came into play during the run to the Finals last year, beginning with his first training camp, was something that he said that uh his his fellow staffers said, the players said, is is this uh sense of clarity that he wants every player on the team to have. He’s very uh transparent. He’s very upfront with what he expects from each guy on the roster. I think um that suits him well in a situation like this. When we asked him about the I think Don Harris might have been the first to broach the subject yesterday, which a subject that needed to be broached, about how he was going to handle the situation with these three guys, and with a in a broader sense, a a roster of of 11 guys who are important contributors and all expect to play. How do you How do you manage that? And I think Mitch had the right approach there, where the first thing is to be honest with everybody, and that’s what he wants to do is is to be honest about what he expects from each guy, and that uh his his main goal is to try to win, and however that uh however that unfolds. And again, that’s easy to say on September the 20 Yeah. 8th, whatever that was. Um, we’ll see how that lasts. But I think that’s the only approach you can take in this situation.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, I I I asked him, you know, “You have seven or eight guys that can that can start. That’s an obvious math problem because you can only start five, and how do you handle handle that as a coach just um, [clears throat] you know, within the team?” And that’s It’s It’s what you said. You know, “I’ll I’m I’m going to try to win. I’ll try to be honest with everybody, and I’ll just live within that space, whatever that means.”
Mike Finger: Yeah. Yeah.
Jeff McDonald: Was the bench part there?
Mike Finger: And if Well, that and I apologize for misattributing uh the uh the the the question.
Jeff McDonald: Oh, no. I didn’t mean that. I I pig- I piggybacked on the on the back of the great Don Harris, so.
Mike Finger: I know how annoying it is when people attribute uh things that you’ve asked to other people.
Jeff McDonald: I see. That’s true. [laughter] I see. What a rabble-rouser. [laughter]
Mike Finger: Um, the um What was I What was I going? Oh, um again, obvious point, a point that was made by Dylan Harper, a point that’s been made over and over again, but how many coaches in this league would trade their problem for Mitch Johnson’s problem?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, right, right, right.
Mike Finger: Like 25, 26. Um, it’s that This is We lose sight of the fact that this is a really good team that’s going to win a lot of games. And uh uh if there are issues, they’re issues that a lot of teams would like to have, so.
Jeff McDonald: And another thing, like if you could if you could just magically wave a magic wand and take all human nature, all ego out of the equation, I kind of like the idea of bringing just a complete butt-kicker off the bench, whether it’s Dylan Harper or one of the other guys. Like, I like the idea of not starting them all three together. I thought that worked really well last year Yeah. to bring Dylan Harper off the bench and let him just kick butt, you know, against second units. And then if things are going well, you can you can close with him as well. But I understand that there’s egos involved in that, and and Dylan Harper is going to be a starter in this league at some point, whether it’s this year or if he’s got to bide his time one more year and he’s starting next, but he’s going to be a starter. But just in a vacuum, I mean, and the Spurs I mean, like newsflash, that’s what they did with Manu Ginóbili. Like, that was the So close, so close. [chuckles] whole point. You just bring in a total butt-kicker off the bench, and it wreaks havoc on the whole game. Like, I loved that that rotational tweak last year. Um, but you’re dealing with human beings with egos, and that’s going to be something to manage um for a coach to manage. And that it’s going to be a challenge for for Mitch Johnson, who’s still a a young coach in this league.
Tom Orsborn: But there’s no evidence that these that those three guys are driven by ego to the point of being to the detriment of the team. There’s no evidence of that.
Jeff McDonald: Right.
Tom Orsborn: All right.
Mike Finger: But the point But But the point I was making is that they did not lose more than two games in a row last year. That’s when it’s We’re We’re going in circles here. [laughter]
Jeff McDonald: Right, right. It worked. It worked.
Mike Finger: We’re going in circles. Um, the question is—
Tom Orsborn: It worked fabulously.
Mike Finger: What It’s also funny to me, and this is not um meant to be a negative or a a shot at anybody, but we’re talking about egoless and uh egoless guys and all this kind type of stuff. [laughter] Did you ever Did you ever think you’d come to the point in your 20 years of covering Spurs media day, Jeff—was yesterday your 20th preseason media day?
Jeff McDonald: It was my 20th, yes. Yes.
Mike Finger: That uh that there’d be questions about which player had the best GQ cover? [laughter] That’s where That’s how this team has changed.
Jeff McDonald: What What I What I cannot believe is that Tim Duncan was never on the cover of Gentlemen’s Quarterly magazine.
Mike Finger: Yes. [laughter]
Jeff McDonald: Like, I can’t believe it. You saw his sartorial flair throughout his 18-year career. How was he never on the cover of Gentlemen’s Quarterly?
Mike Finger: I think he just timed it wrong, cuz I think like baggy is back. The the the baggy look, that’s what I’ve heard is is like it’s it’s coming back.
Jeff McDonald: What’s also interesting when you’ve seen Tim after post-retirement, he dresses much uh more GQ now
Mike Finger: And—
Jeff McDonald: than when he was playing.
Mike Finger: I mean, you might be right. You might be right. Um, yeah, I think Tim missed the boat on that. Tim should have been on GQ.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah.
Mike Finger: Uh,
Jeff McDonald: anyway, yeah, I didn’t think we’d be asking about Gentlemen’s Quarterly yesterday.
Mike Finger: But it is, I mean, that’s that is another um just wrinkle in this whole thing um to how the Spurs, even though they’re still the same pound-the-rock um uh franchise, they still are based on the same principles that Gregg Popovich and and company started a long, long, long time ago, it’s a different era. I mean, the the guys are on GQ. [laughter] Um, they’re giving interviews about what we talked about, about that like Dylan Harper has to go come out and say, “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to start, and then I changed my mind,” and people around the country are interested, and people around the world are interested. And it’s not just the the the the listeners across South Texas who care about what they have to say. They’re a national story with national interest, and that brings about a whole set of um just potential landmines when um Again, as to Tom’s point, there has been nothing that suggests that ego or um competitiveness or anything like that is going to create an issue in this locker room. It’s just that the um the the the the the landscape is there for it to happen if things start to go bad.
Jeff McDonald: Here Here’s my question in this new Spurs era: who’s going to be the first player to start their own podcast like Draymond Green? [sighs]
Mike Finger: Wow. [pause]
Tom Orsborn: I don’t know.
Mike Finger: Danny Green—
Jeff McDonald: Danny Green had to go to Toronto to start his his podcast. He was not going to be allowed to do that under under the Gregg Popovich regime in San Antonio. There’s a new sheriff in town.
Mike Finger: It depends on what what the um podcast topic would be.
Jeff McDonald: Well,
Mike Finger: Because like Harrison Barnes is an erudite man of the world, and he could talk about all kinds of things.
Jeff McDonald: He could talk about banking.
Mike Finger: He could talk about banking. [laughter]
Jeff McDonald: He could do a banking podcast.
Mike Finger: Um, if you just want one that’s just going to be entertaining and and uh and and clippable like for the social media, where the where there’s just outrageous things said, and and uh and would get people talking, get people retweeting and and reposting and whatnot, like I think that could be a Carter Bryant thing maybe, right?
Jeff McDonald: Oh, yeah. I guess my question was more like who’s going to be allowed to?
Mike Finger: Oh. Uh, I mean—
Jeff McDonald: And the answer to that is uh Victor Wembanyama, if he wants.
Mike Finger: Yeah.
Jeff McDonald: Like, they’re not going to tell him no, but I’m not sure that’s his his cup of tea, exactly.
Mike Finger: Well, I mean, he did weigh in uh in French on the uh on on the election, so he does have uh He he is He does have his finger on the pulse of all kinds of topics. Um, so I don’t know. I don’t anticipate any Spurs locker room podcasts coming up soon, but but uh Who can say?
Jeff McDonald: Cuz they don’t want to compete with this. That’s true. I mean, we’re just We scare them off.
Mike Finger: On the subject of Victor Wembanyama—
Jeff McDonald: Speaking of uh, we’re talking about we’re talking Wait, we gotta talk about the other lineup decision. Because the uh, in addition, yesterday, we saw all the uh familiar faces, we got to meet a a new guy—
Mike Finger: Oh, yeah.
Jeff McDonald: Tobias Harris, um who I think is, right, do we agree he’s going to be a starter? I looked it up today. He started something like 538 consecutive appearances. So, I would assume you have him penciled in as a starter coming in, and if so, that’s going to that’s going to bump someone to the bench automatically. Am I Are we going to Are we going to—
Mike Finger: I I think you I think your assumption might be um I think you have a higher percentage of confidence in that than I do. I think uh I think it’s more likely than not. The way you’ve talked about it recently, I think you you have it probably in the 80s, don’t you? Is that fair to say?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, somewhere in there. I uh—
Mike Finger: But I I think it’s more likely than not that he starts at the four and and Julian Champagnie goes back to the bench. I think that’s the obvious change there because Julian Champagnie is not really a natural or a classic power forward that you think of when you look up power forward in the dictionary, in the in the Merriam-Webster. Um, but I think that there are all kinds of directions this lineup can go. Tom, what do you think?
Tom Orsborn: Yeah, just looking over Tobias says, “I pride myself on team chemistry, on making sure the group understands that we can’t go anywhere if we’re not together.” Again, it’s not an issue. He’ll do [laughter] he’ll do whatever they say, and but I expect him to start. Um, and um yeah, but I I don’t think it’s I don’t think it’s an issue.
Mike Finger: He’s He’s gone into his 16th season in the league. He’s He’s been around long enough to know not to say anything too specific in the answer to those questions about do you expect to start and whatnot. But um when you sign as a free agent, you have those conversations with the general manager, with the the representatives of the Spurs. Like it’s not like he agreed to sign and then asked, “What do you want for me?” That Those conversations were had beforehand. Whatever the Spurs planned for him, I think they were they were upfront with what it is. And I think that—
Tom Orsborn: 14th.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah.
Mike Finger: Go ahead.
Jeff McDonald: It reminds me a little of Harrison Barnes coming in here. Like, he had come in here with this long streak of starting and and and whatnot, and and he was a starter from day one once he showed up, and he was a starter until it didn’t make sense anymore. But eventually, he he got moved to the bench, and I think you might see the same with Tobias. You start out that way, see how it works, and if the day comes where it looks like you need to tweak it, then you have that conversation and and you move him. But I I think I I would I would be pretty surprised if day one opening night Tobias Harris is not in the starting lineup.
Mike Finger: I would agree, and I would also say that um I highly suspect that the conversations that Tobias Harris had with the Spurs before he signed were that, yeah, there’s a spot at power forward, at at the four spot that you could come in and have a good chance to start at. Um, but there’s also a good chance that you will be used off the bench eventually at some point during your contract, and that we have all kinds of different combinations that we can use, and we have all different kind of ways that we can use you, and that you should anticipate that you might not start the whole time that you’re here. And I I I I’m pretty confident that that’s that’s what was said, and I’m pretty confident that’s what Tobias Harris agreed to. So—
Jeff McDonald: And he’s going to he’s going to help him playing next to Vic. Like, he’s going to help him with rebounding. Um, even if he doesn’t grab a bunch of rebounds, he’s going to occupy a guy that’s going to allow Vic to get more rebounds. He’s going to help them defensive, just a bigger body in that spot. And when you think about um the types of teams that really gave them trouble last year, including the team they faced in the Finals, it’s teams with guys that are Tobias Harris-shaped. Yeah, and so so Yeah, so he will definitely um I don’t want to use the term upgrade, but he gives them a a probably a more formidable look at that situation or at that position. And then you have, as games go along with different matchups, you have different things you can do with that spot. And and, you know, Champagnie’s still going to have a big role on this team, Devin Vassell’s still going to have a big role. Um, but it is going to be an interesting thing. They brought they brought back their top 10 guys from last year, and then added an 11th who’s going to play a lot. So, the the managing of minutes and lineups and rotations is going to be interesting because there’s a lot of guys that deserve more minutes than they played last year, but I don’t know where they come from. And now you’ve added Harris to the mix.
Tom Orsborn: Fox Fox mentioned, you know, the big takeaway was from from the playoffs was just to get more physical, and um, you know, that Harris certainly helps in that regard.
Mike Finger: Well, um, as as brilliant as new comedy sensation Jalen Brunson was in those NBA Finals, what’s the one guy that in in the whole playoff run, the one player that the Spurs couldn’t really match up with? Um, to me, that’s OG Anunoby. Like they they needed their version of Yeah. somebody to play that position. And not that not that Tobias Harris is like OG Anunoby, but to Jeff’s point, they did not have anybody really to to fit that spot. And like on the biggest play of the season, Yep. nobody nobody blocked him out. [laughter] Yeah. And and again, I’m I’m reducing this Yeah, it’s reductive, but it’s to It’s It’s It’s absurdly reductive. [laughter] Like, if Tobias Harris was on the floor at that moment They win the title. in Madison Square Garden, I’m not saying that Tobias Harris blocks out OG Anunoby. [laughter] But that’s the type of player, that that that power forward-type guy that the Spurs just didn’t have. And Julian Champagnie played his heart out, and played great, and did a wonderful job And they still need him. They gave him money. filling in at a position— Made made money. and and did a wonderful job of filling in at a position that’s not his natural position. But I think when you have the chance to go out and get somebody who can play that position more naturally, it’s an obvious upgrade there and a job well done by the front office. Any other big takeaways from from media day or the uh or the beginning of training camp, which will get going right uh right after we record this uh this podcast?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, we gotta scoot out there to the practice site pretty soon.
Mike Finger: Tom, anything else what that we missed?
Tom Orsborn: Keldon Johnson’s in uh midseason form as far as his bellowing goes.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, I wasn’t ready for the That’s the one I wasn’t ready for the bellowing yet so soon.
Tom Orsborn: Steph Steph was in the midst of his presser when we when we heard from Keldon, who might have been uh I don’t know, he might have been out there on Huebner Road, and we still heard him.
Jeff McDonald: I don’t know with his uh with his cowboy hat and his new mustache, he looked like he was preparing for like a gunfight at the O.K. Corral or something. [laughter]
Mike Finger: Here Here’s another Here’s another thing about just uh kind of times have changed so quickly um deal is remember going to media day last year, again, just 52 weeks ago, and you have both Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell coming in as kind of the honorary elder statesmen, and both of them, well, didn’t they say, Jeff, about sixth one for me, seventh one for Keldon?
Jeff McDonald: Yeah, May. Yeah, yeah.
Mike Finger: And and they were the um as much as Victor Wembanyama was the star, they were the spokesmen for the the how things had changed. And uh you know, cuz they’d been here the longest and both had really productive seasons. And you come back to media day yesterday, and this wasn’t an insult. I think the player I think the PR staff there works for the players on when do you want to talk and, you know, they don’t want to slight anybody, and I think Keldon and Devin were both fine with saying, “Hey, we’ll wait till later in the week to talk to the media,” and whatnot, but it’s it’s another sign of just how quickly things change that you get through an entire media day talking to what? Seven players from the Spurs, and uh and you don’t really Kevin uh Keldon and Devin don’t do the official podium press conference thing. And and again, don’t clip this into something about how they were slighted. I think that they were fully on board with that, and uh it it’s just that more that there are seven newsworthy, noteworthy, important people to talk to who aren’t Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson. It’s crazy.
Jeff McDonald: I mean, if they had if they had demanded to talk, they would have been allowed to talk, but I’m glad they didn’t because you we can only handle so many of those in one day. [laughter]
Mike Finger: Some places By by by seven, we were we were pretty much tapped out, and it was it’s time to and you got to say, you know, somebody’s got to talk today, Tuesday, someone’s got to talk Wednesday. So, it’s good to spread out the rest of them. But if they’d been number eight and nine, but God bless them, they did not demand that. We get to talk to them later today, I think.
Mike Finger: I agree. At my point again, is a positive point about the local cagers, in that there are there are now seven players to talk to who have meaningful things to say and are and are important contributors who aren’t the two longest-tenured players on the team. Um, they’ve really put something together. And we haven’t heard from Carter Bryant.
Jeff McDonald: Yep.
Mike Finger: Uh, who else? Luke Kornet did some TV interviews yesterday, but he didn’t talk to the group. Yeah.
Jeff McDonald: Radio, yeah. Didn’t talk to him. Oh uh yeah.
Mike Finger: Um, will J-Mac at some point? J-Mac, important signing. Uh what are the what are they going to do with the uh 15th spot, Jeff? Any insight there?
Jeff McDonald: [exhales] No. I I I suspect to just leave it open and see who comes up.
Tom Orsborn: Bring Bring back Bismack. [laughter]
Mike Finger: We do miss Bismack. Big Biz.
Jeff McDonald: I was just uh as an aside, I was looking up some stuff on Tobias Harris today, and he’s been in the league so long, he was traded on his draft day in 2011 in a massive three-team deal that included Stephen Jackson
Mike Finger: Mhm.
Jeff McDonald: and Beno Udrih.
Mike Finger: Wow.
Jeff McDonald: And uh also Bismack Biyombo among a host of others. Corey Maggette was on that list.
Tom Orsborn: Man.
Jeff McDonald: It’s a host of others. That’s how long Tobias has been around.
Tom Orsborn: That’s good stuff. Yeah.
Mike Finger: Along those lines, last night there was a uh a Monday Night Football game involving Mike Monroe’s Chicago Bears against the Philadelphia Eagles. And the the quarterback of the Chicago Bears uh was named uh a fellow called Case Keenum.
Jeff McDonald: Yeah. Correct.
Mike Finger: And uh and and the discussion about Case Keenum was what an old man he is and how long he’d been in the league, and been in the league forever. And uh um he started in the league in 2011. That’s when he became an NFL player. And someone It’s like Tobias Harris. I don’t want to and Tobias an old, old man. Someone it might have been J.A. Adande um on the social media, who who I I’m sorry if I’m crediting the wrong person. But, I think it was J, but um uh pointed out that 2011 was the year that in his second city, well into the league, after having this reputation of never winning a title, LeBron James played in his first Finals with the with the Heat. [laughter] Like, LeBron James had already been through an entire career or an entire tenure with the Cleveland Cavaliers and was playing in his first title with the Heat when this old when old men Bismack Biyombo and Tobias Harris and Case Keenum just started in the league. Like, LeBron James has been at this a long, long LeBron James has been at this longer than Jeff McDonald. It’s wild.
Jeff McDonald: That’s true. That’s true. But uh, Kevin Durant hasn’t.
Mike Finger: Kevin Durant hasn’t, Kevin, cuz you covered Kevin in in college. Um,
Tom Orsborn: I also saw Andy Dalton last night.
Jeff McDonald: Andy Dalton’s still [laughter]
Tom Orsborn: Started in 2011, 38 years old.
Mike Finger: It’s good that there are some relatively old guys still kicking. Um,
Jeff McDonald: Yeah.
Mike Finger: we got a lot to get to in the weeks ahead. Is everybody excited to be back? I joked about the—
Jeff McDonald: I’m excited to be back.
Mike Finger: about the exasperation that started yesterday, but uh it seems like—
Jeff McDonald: I’m not exasperated at all. I think it’s amazing. I’m ready to go.
Mike Finger: Jeff McDonald’s acting has got a lot better this year. [laughter] We talked about what We talk about what uh what players work on the summer. You know, there was always like that when Kawhi was around, what he added to his repertoire every summer, you know, a new step-back.
Jeff McDonald: Can’t even start it yet. You have to start—
Mike Finger: Eye contact? Yeah. Uh, Jeff Jeff McDonald in in the past few months has been working on his uh his his acting. I think that’s good. Um, we will catch up with everybody a week from now after a week of practices and interviews and more insights from Jeff and Tom, and until we see you then, make sure that you uh start every day with more gratitude than expectations. Take care of each other. Keep it real. [music]