Stephen A. WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED if the NBA SUSPENDED Wemby for Game 5 🤯 | First Take

It was a situation last night.We got to get to the Wolves were led by Anthony Edwards.They evened up their series against the Spurs last night, but the story was still Victor Wembenyama, who was ejected in the second quarter after throwing an elbow at the job Nas Reed.Wemby was flagged for a flagrant two -file.He was ejected at that point when he was ejected.The Wolves were up by two.

They went on to win the game.The series is now tied up at two games apiece.Here was Mitch Johnson on Wemby.

Every single play on every single part of the floor.People are trying to impose their physicality on him.I get it.We get it.That's part of the game.He's gotten chucked.

He's gotten pushed down in transition, running freely, all the stuff.He doesn't complain one time.We don't complain because we're just going to play.We don't really give a ****, excuse my language.But at some stage, he should be protected.And if not, he's going to have to protect himself.

And unfortunately, stuff like that happens.It's starting to get actually disgusting just in terms of when he tries to fight through things and be professional and mature and deal with some of that stuff.I'm glad he took matters into his own hands.Again, not in terms of hitting Nas Reed, but I'll be very clear about that.I'm glad Nas Reed was okay, but he's gonna have to protect himself if they're not, and I think it's disgusting.

Does Mitch Johnson have a point, Jay?

Yeah, yeah, he has a point.Look, maybe it's because I'm cut from an old school cloth in basketball.I've had over 28 stitches in my face.I've gotten bowed before from bigs and from guards.And granted, it hasn't come in playoff basketball, KP.But you know what happened when I got bowed in the face one time by Shaq?

My ass never went down there no more.I thought twice about every time I went down there.I'm not condoning Wimby's actions.But I do think that sometimes we forget, because of how sensitive our society is, and how everything has to be catered to, and extra delicate, and, you know, it's difficult.thing for him to do because he jeopardized his team.Yeah, he did.

They got it.They got to win.They were up to one and now Minnesota believes they can get a win, even though Minnesota had a chance to lose that game down the stretch without Wimby on the court.But at some point as a grown man or as a player, you got to draw a line for yourself.And I'm not saying that it's automatically going to lead to Nasri not continuing to do that.But you know, Shaq did stuff like this.

Michael Jordan did stuff like this.Isaiah Thomas did stuff like this.We had some of the best players in the game who had a nasty side to them because sometimes the moment called for it.So I'm not going to sit up here on national TV and tell y 'all that, yeah, Miss Johnson's wrong.because honestly, I believe he's right.Now, I don't want to see Wimby do that again and subject himself to being suspended from a game or multiple games.

He has to be smart.But at some point, when you're getting pushed around all the time and you're getting punked, you're going to stand up for yourself.And I'm damn right happy he stood up for himself in the moment.

He's right.He's right.J House, he's right.Give me a time throughout the course of this series Did have we witnessed when Binyamba give a flagrant foul?Meaning somebody hit him hard enough where they had to go review it.Name me one time.

Name me one time.You can't.Don't even think.No, no, no.Hold on.Are you asking me a question?

Because if you ask me a question, I can engage back with you, brother.Okay, well engage.I'm trying to.Just because people don't call flagrant fouls doesn't mean that the game isn't physical.or there aren't things.KP, you've done a lot of things.

I watched you play basketball.I studied tape of you.You've done a lot of things that weren't called for flagrant fouls.That's fine.But it doesn't mean that things weren't physical or you didn't see things inside the reins of fire that other teams didn't.What do you mean?

Okay.So, okay.so Jay, let me ask you something.If Whitby is a center, right?He is a center, right?Mm -hmm.

So, so you expect inside the paint that it's going to be some level of physicality.It's going to be some level of ruffling and getting your feet hot.You're going to tangle up with guys.Smaller guys are going to sit on your legs when they switch out.It's part of the game.I didn't know that was against the rules.

I didn't know when you go for a layup, you try to, you know, give a person a nice hard foul.Wimpy hasn't been a saint.Let's not act like Wimpy don't initiate a lot of contact when he's running and he's still in for low post position.I mean, come on now, what are we talking about?Like, when this is poured up and you're 7 '7", you don't think that you're not gonna get hit?How many times we witness a LeBron James or Dwyane Wade get hit?

What are we talking about, Jay?I think that was a very What's up?

You've had over 100 technical fouls in your career, brother.I would think if there's a person who was used to living in the trenches, if there's a person who sometimes felt slighted, if there was a person who sometimes did what he had to do that called for the moment, out of all the people on this show, I thought you would understand.

Understand what?I understand the level of physicality.Jay, let me tell you something.It was a moment where it was myself, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace on the same squad.We led the damn league in technical fouls.It ranked one, two, and three.

And Doc Rivers, they asked Doc Rivers about, hey, Doc, can you stop Perkin, KG, and Rasheed from getting technical fouls?And you know what Doc said?No.That's who the hell they are.That's their identity.And it ain't coming out of my pocket when they get fined.

I don't like those comments at that moment from Ms. Johnson.I do not agree with that.Wimby has to know that this is going to come.He's 7 '7".The only way teams could try to get into him is by frustrating him and getting physical with him.No other way around it.

Go ahead, Steven.

Go ahead, I say.

was making a valid point as a head coach for Victor Wimiyama coaching in the NBA playoffs.His timing was awful.You can't say that after what happened yesterday.Wimiyama had no business doing what he's doing.Quite honestly, if the NBA suspended him for Game 5, we wouldn't be surprised.You can't put yourself in that position.

It's just that simple.I get what you're saying, Jay, and it makes total sense from a macro perspective.And Mitch, Miss Johnson, the coach, who I think is outstanding, said what he said.I got it from a macro perspective.No, that's micro.That happened yesterday.

In the immediate aftermath of the game, you can't be talking like that.You should have said it beforehand.And that's not to say he didn't.Maybe we didn't see it.And maybe he said it to numerous, on numerous occasions, and maybe it wasn't aired.I don't know.

But I do know this, you have not, you don't have that argument yesterday.Wimby winded up and flailed his right elbow.It was clearly a flagrant two.It was an automatic ejection.Everybody knows he had no business doing that.And in this heart of hearts, he knows he had no business doing that.

You seven feet five and you're that skinny.People are going to try to chop you down.That is true, Jay, because there's no other way to deal with it because you're so damn tall.And in his case, so damn skilled.It's like, my God, the one thing.that they do have to their advantage is a level of physicality because of how slim he is compared to the rest of the guys.

But in the end, there's no getting around that.You can't do something like that.The coach knows it.The players know it.He knows it.which is why he walked up in a classy way.

He didn't sit up there and resisted or anything like that.He walked off the court, but you're the coach in the aftermath of that and you're going off about the officiating.You know what?That's that's that's tone deafness.As far as far as I'm concerned, if you're the officials, you're not trying to give them any breaks even more.So now because that's not the time to make that argument, you know, presentation matters.

Timing matters with presentation.You got to know when to say, some of the things that you want to say and went to refrain.Maybe when they come down with the ruling and they say it's a fine instead of a suspension.It would have been nice for Mitch Johnson to say it then but to say it in the immediate aftermath of a playoff game in which your player was ejected and he's on potentially is looking at a suspension for him to open his mouth and say it like that.We all know the only reason if women Yama doesn't get suspended, we all know The reason for that will be in because he's Victor Wiminyama and everybody in the world wants to see him play.That might save him, but the play itself warrants not just an ejection, but a suspension for Game 5.

So the Xfinity Mobile Arena got loud for Game 4 in Philadelphia, but it wasn't because of their home crowd.Because much like on the court and the products we saw there, New York just dominated the stands in Philly.Very good sweeping.In Philadelphia, After the Sixers players, including Joel Embiid, pleaded with Philly fans to not sell their tickets pre -series, the New York support in Philly for this week was strong enough to draw the attention of players on both teams.Listen to this.Shots fired Stephen A. Are you buying Josh Hart's comments that Philly is no longer a sports town?

No, I'm certainly not going to say that.New York Knick fans travel.That is what they do.And it's right down in New Jersey.Turnpike, please.That's an easy one.

This is an indictment against the Sixers organization because you don't really have much to believe in.You've got Tyrese Maxey, who's an absolute stud, and VJ Edgecomb.That young backcourt is something to be excited about.But the figurative face, not the literal face, the legitimate face, but the figurative face of the franchise is a guy in Joel Embiid who has played 40 games or less the last three years.He's missed almost 50 % of his games.He's almost never there.

And so when Philadelphia knows that you don't really have a chance, they got better things to do with their time.It's just that simple.And I think that when you look at when Allen Iverson was there, remember that brother was box office outside of Michael Jordan.He might have been the biggest star in the NBA for a year or two, if not longer.So, you know you and he was a warrior.So even when Nick fans would show up, it wasn't like this.

But the problem is you don't believe in the Sixers.That's what this really comes down to which is why change needs to happen upstairs and I'll get to that in a second.Y 'all go ahead.

I say just real quick on that.The Flyers lost 4 -0.Yeah to the Hurricanes.And if you watch that game in Philly, they got a standing ovation.from the Philly crowd.So just to add on to your point essay on how the fans have quit on the organization, that is a sign of that.

Because Philly sports is still live and loud.

Is it though?The Phillies just fired their manager.You have the Flyers that just lost in a sweep.I'm talking about the way they show up though.The 76ers just lost in a sweep.The Eagles are coming off a real down year.

They lost in the first round of the playoffs.Philadelphia sports is in a little bit of hurt right now.They got to get things right.But I hear what you're more talking about organizationally than the 76ers.Let's go to the 76ers.Go ahead, Perk.

Okay, Perk, hold on.Hold your thoughts.We're going to go to the 76ers here.We're going to zoom in a little bit, because they were swept by the Knicks, as we just talked about, but now they've got bigger problems than just that.Joel Embiid was eliminated before the conference finals again, and he remains the only former MVP to not reach a conference finals in their career.The Sixers big man spoke post -game on how he viewed the season, though, and listen to this.

It might surprise you.

I know we lost, you know, and I know that's not the right mentality to have.But, you know, for me, this was a success.We came into this season thinking that, you know, that there was not much left, you know, based on the last few years.And now I'm sitting here, you know, not even worrying about my knee.I feel like I still played as hard as I could.I fall hard.

I try to give us a better chance to win.I don't know who's going to be here.I don't even know if I'm going to be here.But whatever happens, happens.But for me, I'm excited about really getting back to myself.

All right.So question marks, obviously, surrounding the 76ers.Where do they go from here, Perk?

Yeah, they gotta have a coming to Jesus meeting.And the only three people that should be untouchable is VJ Edgecombe, Tyrese Maxey, and Nick Nurse.And by the way, it's time for Darryl Morey to go.Bob Myers just left our network.By the way, he done an outstanding job because he's basically overseeing a lot of that stuff or overseeing what's going on with the 76ers.And when you think about what's going on, Paul George is owed $54 million next year.

Joel and B is owed about 55 to $56 million last year.What's gonna have to happen is, is that you're probably gonna have to tie a first round pick to each one of those guys in order to trade them for a team to take them on.For Joel and B, this relationship has run its course.It's time for both parties to separate.I think it would be in the best interest for the organization, and it would also be in the best interest for Joel and Bede.I believe Joel and Bede needs a change of scenery.

I believe Joe Allen B needs a breath of fresh air to go to another place and play to be under another organization, to be under a different leadership.At this point in time, listening to his post -game interview, I think he believes that the time has passed for him being one of those guys, a franchise guy, to help this organization get to where they're trying to go and ultimately win the championship.

K .P., I agree with you that the three untouchables around Nick Nurse and Tyrese Maxey and B .J.Higgum, the problem is you have an extension starting next year for Joel Embiid at $193 ,000.million.

And we all know and love basketball.If you are a GM of a team right now, are you going to trade for that?I'm not.Yeah.With a pick.With a pick.

He said if you attach a first round pick to it, then would you trade for it?

I still don't know if I want that.That's $60 million a year from somebody that played.Look, The conversation is another thing.I mean, he played 38 games this season.He played 38 games this season, right?So when you look at how many games he's played over the totality of his career, I don't know if I would just want to take that and a pick.

I'm absorbing a lot of my cap.And then how am I going to be able to use a talent like that, that he's being paid as if he's a superstar?But, Perk, if there's anything that we've seen in the game of basketball right now, how fast and what style of play do the Knicks play?How fast and what style of play does Detroit play?How does Oklahoma City play?How does San Antonio play?

Everything is speed.It's pace and space.Where does Joel Embiid fit in, in the new style of basketball?I don't know.And just to add to your point about the indictment on the franchise, I'm just going to give you three names.All right, number one, Julian Champagny.

Where's he, Perk?Where's he, Perk?San Antonio.With the Spurs, right?You know he was on the roster.for the 76ers.

And then, you know, Matt McClung, they want to see him in the slam dunk contest.Right?All right, Jerry McCain.He's only shooting 80 plus percent from the three -point line.Yep, against the Lakers.And then I'll give you another one, Perk.

Isaiah Joe.Where's Isaiah Joe, Perk?All these dudes were on the roster, KB.And what's the state we're seeing?Like, where did they get their points from the bench?So, just to add to your point, the fans can take and come to whatever determination they want, SA.

A.You just start looking at all these other pieces that are on different teams, and then you talk about this team not having a bench, and then what you're seeing, the money tied up to this contract, it feels like they're stuck in purgatory.

So, essentially, what you're telling me is, Champeny, Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, and others, these are all assets that the Philadelphia 76ers had at their disposal.They are gone.contributing to championship contenders.Yes.And the Philadelphia 76ers are home, courtesy of a sweep.Joel Embiid is about to start, not finish, start a three -year $193 million extension.

Ladies and gentlemen, that is over $64 million a year over the next three years.Paul George is at $54 .1 million and $56 .6 million.over the next two years.And of course, you got Maxie.We don't even need to talk about his numbers because he deserves it.The point is, if you had those assets and you know what the hell you're doing, why do you need to go out and get Paul George and give him $212 million over four years?

See, this is why, as much as it pains for me to say it, Perk is right and Daryl Morey has to go.But that is not the biggest reason that Daryl Morey has to go.Here's the biggest reason.Philadelphia, the city of Philadelphia has lost faith in this franchise.It doesn't believe in it.It doesn't respect it.

It tries to support it, but it doesn't respect it.They don't respect the visionary that is Daryl Morey for the city of Philadelphia.I appreciate what he did in Houston, even though he didn't win a championship.They don't appreciate that in Philadelphia.They don't view him as an asset to this organization.And Josh Harris, the owner for the Philadelphia 76ers, he needs to hear me and hear me good.

And Bob Myers, who's not gonna like what I'm about to say, he needs to get the hell over it.I love him.We love him.We're happy to work for him.That's my man.But damn it, get over it.

I ain't here to be his friend right now.I'm here to tell him, you're a four -time champion.A four -time champion executive.As Austin Rivers said the other day, a Hall of Fame executive.And somebody else is making the basketball decisions?Make it make sense.

Philadelphia don't go for that.I worked in that city for 17 years.They don't want to hear that.If you are a Hall of Fame executive in a particular sport, they don't give a damn about what you can do for the Washington Commanders as the guy working under Josh Harris.They don't give a damn about all of that.They care about the 76ers in Philadelphia.

And what they want is to make sure that they have the very best available to make the necessary noise and make the necessary decisions.Now, Bob Myers may not want the job, And the reason he may not want the job is because of the hole that Darryl Morey has put him in with some of these situations.They've got seven first -round picks over the next seven years.That much is true.But in the same breath, you're looking at Darryl Morey and the Philadelphia 76ers.No, Philadelphia is done.

Philadelphia, the fan base, sent a message.We don't believe in this team.We don't believe in them organizationally.And if the Philadelphia 76ers don't get their act together and make a change up top, The fans are going to come up with more innovative conspicuous ways to make their presence felt even more with their absence.with their vitriol.This is Philadelphia I'm not asking you.

I'm telling you.I know this city.Okay.I know the pulse of this city.I worked there for 17 years I ain't asking a damn soul.I'm telling you what.

I know they're gonna turn their sights again in their ire against Philadelphia if Philadelphia's if the 76ers stand pat and and they keep things status quo and they just come back with the same bunch next year.It's going to be a problem.Bob Myers needs to take over this franchise.Plain and simple.