Transcript of Alley Oop 163: Cade Cunningham: Superstar Leap or Empty Hype? | Zach Harper + Spurs, Luka & Olympics New

Oh, oh, Magicity Mindy. Hey, Magicity Mindy. We come for the wings, we come for the wings. We stay for the ass, we stay for the ass. Saving everybody. Welcome back to the Alley-oop. I am Juju Godi, joined by my sister as always, Trista Crick. How you doing, sis?

It was pretty good, right, Zack?

It was dead on. It was dead on pre-show. She did an impeccable juju impersonation.

Come on, man. And to say the least, the man, not the myth, Zack Harper is joining us today. How you been, my brother?

60% man, 40% myth, so pretty good.

Man, that's not what I hear from the ladies. Moving on. We got a lot of stuff going on in the NBA. Let's go right into it, man. Kade Cunningham, MVP candidate. Is it a lot?

I need you to adjudicate this, Zach. I believe if Cade Cunningham messes around and wins the MVP, he should give the award back. He is not a true creator for himself. You go into synergy. Every offensive metric is good to average to below average. He does not generate space. He is an excellent He's an excellent defender. He is an excellent passer. He is a terrible three-point shooter. For a guard, I want somebody to do better in that regard. Is it valid, yes or no, to have this besmirching play the beat of Kate him.

I hope it just starts playing over and over because he pushed the button so much.

Right. Threw out.

Yeah. That's a lot of besmirching. I do not think there's any world in which he should be the MVP. So I'll say that.

Say it with your chest, What are we doing?

This is- Say it again. Yorkert's award or SGA's award. If it's Jalen Brown or Cade Cunningham or Victor Wembenyama, no, thank you. That is strictly, we now have a 65 game rule, and those dudes didn't become eligible because of that, which is stupid. It's a stupid rule, especially for the MVP. That's an MVP by default. You cannot have an MVP by default. We often have someone coming out of the East by default, but you can't have an MVP That's not okay.

You're right. I feel you.

Back to Kade. We're not about to allow you this.

He just did it like this. He's a professional bullshit. Man, by the way, if you don't know, now you know. My boy Zack is a professional Houdini. You just saw it. He didn't answer a damn thing right.

He was like, a Euro, step out of a damn question.

He was like an EO soaked in oil. He slipped right out of that thing. Absolutely.

No did he?

I'll Definitely no did he? I do think, yeah, he's a horrible three-point shooter, especially if what you want is a guard. I wonder how much of not creating space is because they literally have one shooter on that team. I do think that matters. You have so much that is just paint-focused. I don't know. I don't know that you're worried about too much of swinging the pass or whatever. I think he's someone I've been highly critical of the past. I do think he's become a really good clutch player, right? And I think that matters. I think that matters, not three-point shooting, but everything else. He creates a great mid-range shot for himself. He knocks it down. He gets a free-to-line. I think Kate is… For me, he's on the MVP ballot. He's just not the MVP. Paul George wants to finish third on an MVP ballot. He wasn't close to the MVP. That's where I think Kate is this year. For me, he's first-team all-MBA, but I don't know that he's overrated. I think he's just overstated at this point for this season because people are hedging their bets going, Well, if SGA doesn't qualify and Jokuj doesn't qualify, it's got to go to somebody.

Your guy, Stan Van Gunde, a week and a half ago doing a Pistons-Nicks game, and he starts going off on how Cade Cunningham needs to be in the MVP conversation. You know what that means? I don't believe he's the MVP, but I do think he should be on the ballot, which is a nothing thing. When people talk about the MVP conversation, that's a cowardice of, I will not pick this guy. I just want you to know I've been watching him.

Does Cade have a bag, yes or no?

No. What is happening, right?

What is happening? But he's quick enough and has good enough size of the point guard position. I don't think he needs a real bag.

He's very strong.

He just has to be able to turn the corner.

Yeah, he's super strong. He is very strong. He can get to the mid-range for a guard.

He can go left enough.

He can go left. See, here we go. He can go left enough. We're doing a lot of hooping and hollering for Kade because this is... Let's be honest. Push the button again, Dylan.

Listen, Detroit's a cute story.

We're very happy that they got out of the basement in their 14-win season, most consecutive losses in NBA history. I'm not acknowledging that flag. But this team has vastly now been swung in a very high position, and Kade is a part of that hype, in my opinion. I like Kade-ish, but I don't even think he's in the MVP discussion.

No, because who are the other... Who are the five in the ballot then, if he's not in there?

Ant, Wemby, Jalen Brown, Shay, Yokey.

Yokey. Yeah. Ant's my guy. I can't put him in there yet. They've given away too many dumb games, although Ant has been spectacular this year. I do think Cade... But also this might be conference dependent. Now that I'm thinking about it- Move Minnesota to the east. Move to the east and see what it is. They'd be the number one seed. They'd be the best team in the number one seed. Detroit, I'm going to say I don't want to take away from their accomplishment as I'm about to take away from their accomplishment. Detroit is the one to see by default. There it is. The Knicks are supposed to be better, right?

There it is. Let them know.

Give me that besmircher drop. I feel like I've- I know he deserves it.

I'll take it, yeah.

Bro, both of you all, I got one message for both of you all, just because I love you all. Stay off the weed. You guys got to be kidding me talking about, does K have a bag? Are you kidding?

What are we doing? Do we have a bag highlight?

Find me the highlight. He has a bag highlight. He got a bag highlight. Wake up. Second of all- Does he have a layout package? Second of all, Second of all, I don't like the tuck rule.

Does he have an in and out? Does he have a hezzy?

Does he have a cross twee? You're line stepping right now. Trista, you're line stepping, and I will not approve it. I'm sorry. I'm going to flag on you. You already got two in the challenge. So I'm saying, seeing out and lost my track of the damn thinking. I'm saying, Kedrick, no matter what, I don't like the tuck rule. I don't like that a man just says, The point went out right here. I'm just standing here. Here's where it goes. I don't like none of that, but that's how it goes. Unfortunately, the Joker and Shay might be ineligible. And so if that actually happens, who are we going to give it to, you feel?

Wemby.

Then we have an MVP by default.

And then who gets it? Oh, we're getting came back work.

Here we go. Let's see it. All right. This is going to be funny.

This shows off an empty stomach.

Then he said, They fouled more than anyone.

Come on.

It wasn't horrible, but it was so stiff. I didn't put Why Leonard as a deeper bang.

Remember when all of a sudden everyone flicked out because Blake Griffin was going between his legs up, but he didn't really go anywhere with it? Yes, this is what I'm saying. Yeah. I think Kade's a year away from using that to really get somewhere. He's showing like, Hey, I do the dribble.

I can dribble. I got it. Can you create space with the dribble?

I feel like I'm watching Beavis and Butt hair right now. Watch a R-E-MPlay the Kade bag video again. Don't play it again. No, we got to move on. We got another one. You answered a damn question the whole time because it was-Wemby. Joker, exactly. I said Wemby. Exactly. Long story short for me, though, I agree that the team is a little ahead of time. The problem is, Kade can't have a bad game for the Detroit Pistons, for them to even win, unlike how Shay and them happen. So as good as they are, they're only as good as Shay, Kade takes them. I think they're a year away. They should have made a move at the break.

Should have made a move at the break, for sure.

You feel me? Because Malik Beazley and what, Tim Hardaway Jr. Provided something that Duncan Robertson just doesn't. He a head fake and dribble maybe once. Tim Hardaway, head fake, dunk on your ass. Same with my boy, Malik Beazley. Get well soon. Moving on, though.

Get well soon.

If you don't know, but now you know.

Dmp, allegedly- It's got that allegationitis right now.

Look, you all mentioned one of the MVP candidates as well, Victor Wimbayama, who has his team right now, I think has, if not a brighter, just as bright as a future as OKC right now, in my opinion. As K. You did. See, look, you raged bait. She's pushing it too far with this K. You see what I'm saying? This is a Black History Month, Trista. First and second most. Don't get me to third most. But Wimbayama had a latluster game against with Toronto Riders the other night. You did. And that team still finds a way to find a way. You did. Because no matter what's going on on the offensive end, you got to maneuver through the trees that are victory Wemby. My boy had a no-look, non-jump block the other night. What is this? Are the Spurs the scariest team in the West, not named the Thunder?

No.

The Smurcher, again. God damn.

I think yes, just because I don't trust Aaron Gordon's ham string coming back. We've been dealing with his hammie, having problems since the playoffs last year. We've had two incidents this year. I think Aaron Gordon, outside of Jokich, is the most important role player in the West. I think he's the most important player besides Jokić on the Denver Nuggets. Without him, I think they're cooked. I think Minnesota has danger qualities because they've been to the Western Conference two times in a row. Western Conference Finals, excuse me, two times in a row. But it just feels... They should have beat the hell out of the Blazers the other night. 6. 5 point favorites, only win by three, giving up double-digit leads multiple times against teams. That's what they do, though. I think they should blow out. They love doing that. I don't trust Houston offensively. They're a little like the Detroit Pistons of the West to me. Like, whoa, where's the buckets go? A couple of Thompson twins, I think, are a key piece of that element.

But smart to the Thompson twins.

I love them. I love them so much, but they are really offensively limited from a shooting perspective.

Okay, I was about to pick the yellow up.

From a shooting perspective. Anyway, so for me, it is the Spurs. I think they're upside and their health, and Victor, when I'm on the team, makes them the most dangerous outside of OKC. Zack, who is it for you?

It's Big Honey. It's Jokuj. I'm with you. But Aaron Gordon hamstrung is super concerning. This is a year of this, and That's super concerning. He took an elite, historic Thunder team to seven with a not very good team. They do need Aaron Gordon, but Jamal Murray finally had a good regular season where he got to be an All-Star. Tim Hardaway Jr. Came in. Bruce Brown came back. They brought in Balanchunas, who hasn't solved the non-Yokehch minutes, but they also were 8: 05 when he was out, which you would have never thought they'd go 8: 05 in that stretch.

Can we bitch Merch for a second?

Yeah. I love Jamal Murray.

He's one of my favorite players. Is Jamal Murray an all-star if Yokeh doesn't go down with that knee?

Probably not, but this is the best he's played in the regular season.

It is. In his career. Yeah.

He's been awesome. And he's usually-Unnecessary but smerch.

Unnecessary but smerch. He's usually-I'm just tallying them. I'm tallying them.

It's not like we brought up like, scary Team Canada who didn't even medal in the Olympics, but we got to worry about the world. We can get to that. We can smerch the world next if you want to, because I'm not worried about them in 2028 at all. Team USA all the way. But this Nuggets team, they don't need much, but they do need some Aaron Gordon. They do need some Aaron Gordon. What I'm saying Canada is the new Australia where it's like, Oh, my God, they got all this talent. Look out for them, and then they don't meddle.

When I woke up this morning- He didn't know. We can besmirch the world. It's not a sentence I expected to hear today.

Let me clarify this. Just talk about basketball, okay? We're not going that side of the aisle. This is just about basketball. I'm not worried about- I don't even got that aisle.

I don't even got that aisle.

I don't even got that aisle. I don't even got that aisle. Basketball. By the way, the world's going to fix the They went 0-2. Get them out of here. Usa all the way when it comes to basketball.

Hold on. There was no Jogesh, there was no Luka, there was no Shay. That was an all-star game. You put all of these European teams together, including Canada, and they beat the hell out of the USA.

No way. Not a child.

Luka, Wemby, Jogesh. First of all, those three right there, it's a wrap. Shay, Yannis.

It's a wrap You know what we're not doing in the Olympics? Hey, the world gets to team up.

No.

Team Canada, take your Dylan Brooks and get out of here. You don't get to go to the Bronze medal. You don't get on the podium.

So we're besmirching Canada and not the world.

All I heard about for years was, Uh-oh, look out for team Canada. Didn't see him on the podium.

You see how besmirching is a sickness, dog. Where did they go? It's so fun when you just give somebody the opening to besmirch. Look out for France. Why?

Because Yaboo's on the team? Get out of here.

You got another flat, Trish, just by the way, within that for the listening audience, because she besmirched the USA. I don't care what you assemble. We're going to win. We're going to win. It's over.

We almost lost to France, but Steph Curry had to go nuclear.

France was trying to come back, and Steph put them to bed.

Steph Curry saved the world.

Serbia It was sketchy. How about that loss we had to Nigeria?

Yeah, a get-right game. We're just warming up. Steph Curry saved the world. That's what he did. Joel Embi helped save the world. That's what he did. I'm so sorry. Everybody who played for Team USA- He doesn't want to be associated with the world.

He's like, Let me go to Team USA.

Come on, man. Return coat. We love him.

We love a turn coat. We love a turn coat. We love a turn coat.

French turn coat.

Moving on, Man, look, I can't believe we done got this far in the show with two damn topics, and we're going to smerch Earth, USA, and the damn Monstars. But the legend right now in just the world, I guess, is that the East is so much more weaker than the West, man. But I'm starting to see a little bit different, in my opinion. I don't think the West just running away with no down better than the East. So let's go see heat by seed, and let's dissect this as fast as we can. We don't have to besmirch every single person on each team as we go through these lists, guys.

Okay, that's a good point that you make. That's thank you for telling me.

Can you feel me? Come on, guy.

You're trying to condense this besmirchment.

Yeah. Exactly. Number 8, man. Miami Heat versus the Golden State Warriors. Who you got?

West.

Yeah.

West. Okay. Well, that was anticlimate.

Steph Curry versus Tyler here. I'm good.

I forgot. He has been ass lately. Number 7, Orlando versus Phoenix.

Phoenix. Well, wait. Is Devon Booker and Dylan Brooks, are they healthy?

Are we taking- That's the problem. I don't know that part because I feel you. But as of right now, they're not available.

As of now, Magic.

Is Orlando still Orlando?

Yeah. They still got Epcot Center.

Phoenix. You show me one easy bucket that they get, and I'll start believing. Everything's a damn grind on all this.

See, it is. It's a grind. I always say, Kate Cunningham, the Rich man's Palo Banquero.

Damn. Okay, this is unnecessary.

Where's my flag? There we go. Thank you, Zaz. Here we go.

Yes, that is.

Number 5. That's 15 yards. That's about 70 yards. That's 15 yards. Goodness. Exactly. Okay. But also to, salute the Jonathan Isaac Mohawk. This is a word of advice, Jonathan Isaac. The Mohawk, young LA, ain't I? Days are over. Let the Mohawk go. Number 6, Philly versus LA.

Philly.

Yeah, that Lakers team stinks.

Right, bro. That Luka non-shot at the buzzer the other night. What the hell was that? Then my boy, glitch.

Let me say this. Everyone's I was like, Yeah, but the Lakers haven't been healthy this year. You know what their numbers are when Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reeves are on the floor together? They're minus 8. 4 per 100 possessions. That team stinks.

Stinks. Damn. Out loud. Stinks to high hell.

And now, DeAndre Ayton is mad because he wanted to be Clint Capella. See?

Don't see that. Go ahead. Go ahead. Unleash her. Unleash, Ms. Mercer. Go ahead.

They have turned our boy DeAndre Aiton into a blonde Clint Capella. He's going through a midlife crisis right now because they've turned him into only a law threat. He's got a deeper bag than that.

I like that. That bag is a travel bag for when mid-April hits, and he gets to go on vacation. That's what that bag is.

After or before the gather.

Look, Dianre Ani, it got his damn mind because, bro, you are not Clint Capella news flash. The Lakers wish they had- They would love it. Exactly. Absolutely. The Lakers wish they had anybody that I have any dog, and I'm bigger than your dog. Neither here nor there. Number five, Minnesota versus Cleveland.

Minnesota.

No question. Wait, no. Minnesota versus- Cleveland.

. My bad. Toronto. Sorry about that.

Either one is Minnesota. It doesn't matter.

I mean, yeah, Toronto.

Trista is choking. I didn't know she was the Cavs in the playoff. This is...

Toronto. You're five.

Number 4. Cleveland versus Denver. Come on.

Denver.

I heard that. Aaron Gordon can retire. I'm taking Denver there.

The Knicks versus the Rockets.

I'll I'll go Knicks.

I'll go Knicks.

Yeah. I don't know what the Rockets do at the end of the games.

Me neither, bro. Neither does Reid Sheppard. The Celtics versus the Spurs.

Oh, a flag on yourself. That was unnecessary.

This one's tight. I think I go Celtics.

Number one, the Thunder versus the Pistons.

Thunder.

Damn near took the blue, the G League team last night over the Pistons. I'll go with the Thunder.

Yeah, this is-Look, and if you keep in score at home, the West is better than the East. What was I thinking? This shouldn't have been a topic.

No, it's a great topic. This is a great topic.

If the Cavs were a four seed, it would have changed everything. I mean, or five seed. If they were a five seed, it would have changed everything.

Oh, no, I still think that. Oh, my God. Dibble has actually done something in the playoffs.

Ms. Rebecca, let's get to some videos, man. Let's move on to a segment we like to call Boy Stop. Here's my MVP, K. C. K. Cunningham. Kade Cunningham. Pushed the hell out of K. C. Cunningham. Pushing the hell out of K. C. C. C. C. He had my boy in the clamps, man. That's the true sign of a clamp. When you got an unnecessary sign of aggression that makes no sense to nobody except the aggressor, he clamped, man.

It makes sense to me. He can't Euro step around them because he doesn't have the footwork.

Oh, goodness. Goodness gracious of that. Goodness, yeah. You'll see it. This is also a game where they just kept hitting Wemby in the smallest back as much as possible. But then they're going to complain, we don't get any whistles. I'm good.

I love Jalen Duren, though. I like how physical this Detroit team is. It is. It is.

Volleyball, It worked until when he had enough.

When Isaiah Stuart was bleeding from his face, come in for LeBron, I was like, This is a man after my own heart.

Oh, yeah. No, I'm not messing with Isaiah.

Beef. Come on, man. Exactly. You all see him besmirching Kate like, Isaiah Stuart, don't listen to this. You all know my boy listen to this every episode. You're being me? What we got next, Ms. Rebecca? The Luca, man. Come on, bro. We talked about it earlier. Luca Donchez, Trigger Shy, Trigger, Unhappy. Then my boy, Wide Open Head Shot. I'm talking about, Bro, what you doing? Shouts out to everybody who out there needed just one and a half more point from Luka, my dear boy, to come home. I'm going to send you all to the group chat. It's not even a lie. I'm being dead serious. Bro, Luca.

Open? And grenade. I don't think he was that open. Open enough for him to get a shot off.

Definitely. I think DraftKings will be sending an email.

To see if he hear me, Pablo Torres will be sending an email, too, by the way. Luka Donchik. Enjoy this week.

How do you force LeBron into a post-up turnaround jump shot at the three-point wing? At the break there on the wing. That's a grenade.

The whole way back, he did this the whole way back to the locker room. Lebron did something to it. Spaghetti lasagna. Like, Luca, boy, stop, man. Shooting a damn ball, man. I don't care if you shooting over the goal. Shoot it over the goal. Shoot it. When we got last to last video, man, we're moving over to the unrival lead, man. We got Kelsey Plum, man. Shouts of Kelsey Plum. Showing Alia Boston exactly how the world perceives Alia Boston, if you can dig it. Kelsino Plum. Lean out. Look at her. Bows, bows, ludicrous, bows.

Pivot, pivot, pivot.

Look, she might have been generous with her pivots at two.

It's not wrong. Right. Boom, boom. Yeah, this is...

That's my dog.

Yeah.

What do you think, Trissa? Is that my dog in the post? Is that how she-That's our dog in the post.

I love Alita Boston. She's incredible. She really is one of the most elbow-laden post players I've ever seen. And she She'll swing them like this, too. Let me create some space like a Buda Chris.

Come on, man. We always root for Alia Boster, but girl, don't act like this is good news to you.

She's like, What?

She's looking like, What? Me? Who are you doing right now?

She said you're the reason that people think that. No. There's Reddit threads already made about this. Girl, stop.

She said, I haven't elbowed anybody this season. There's no way. That's true. Unless the season just started. No, I guarantee she's been elbowing people. There's no way.

Right, man. But that's going to do it for the Ali Ups show, man. Thank you all so much for joining us. Also, side note, get well soon to a Rick Patino in St. John's. Eighteen minutes without no damn Bucky. Run, everybody. Everybody get on the line. Everybody get on the line and run until I blow the whistle. You did. Thank you so much for joining us, Zack. Oh, my goodness, bro. I always wanted to put this on wax whenever we have you on. Bro, you're one of the people that made me originally believe that I make it do this damn podcast and shit.

Crazy you didn't think you could. Crazy you didn't think you could.

Confidence is a mother effort, you dig? Sometimes we need our friends, and you have been that friend to me, and I want to always salute you and commend you for being that way for me, bro. I wish you nothing but success, right?

Great show. Honestly, just a phenomenally funny show. Zack, your perfect compliment.

Look, I'm happy to besmirch anytime. This is my love language right here. Social media, who cares? But check out the Bounce free newsletter that I do every day from The Athletic, theathletic. Com/thebounce. You can catch me on NBA radio every day from 1: 00 to 2: 00 Eastern with Mark Stein or Chris Haynes or Emina Elhassen. And then check out Cinefo podcast, We Break Down Movies, You're Afraid to Meet Your Love.

What the hell is that? As always, I'm so Mr. Rebecca. We love you. It's my new text tone.

That's what that is.

And Distinguished Dylan, thank you as always for your service. Trista, you know exactly how I feel about you, too. Same way I talk about Zet, you already know that. That's how we even got here. You dig it? And catch us next Tuesday. Same bad time, same bad channel. From Miami. Hey, in the M-I-A-O, where they cook up. Lock in. Lock in.

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