In this episode of the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green interviews former NBA player Kentavious Caldwell‑Pope to dissect the controversial rumors that members of the 2020 Los Angeles Clippers wanted to quit the NBA bubble. They discuss the lack of concrete names, acknowledging that while some Clippers players expressed a desire to leave, the exact individuals remain unidentified. The conversation shifts to Udonis Haslem’s impassioned speech, which reportedly swayed many players to stay, highlighting concerns about rookie earnings and the broader financial ramifications of halting the season. Green and Caldwell‑Pope explore the potential fallout of a season shutdown, including the need to renegotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, a possible two‑year league hiatus, and the jeopardy to a $76 billion TV rights deal. They then debate whether the Lakers’ 2020 championship, won under these extraordinary circumstances, should carry an asterisk, ultimately concluding that it remains a legitimate title. The dialogue also touches on the unique bubble experience—players appreciating the quiet, focus‑driven environment without crowds. The segment ends with a brief DraftKings Sportsbook advertisement. The episode blends conversational recollection, speculative analysis, and personal anecdotes to provide insight into the bubble’s behind‑the‑scenes dynamics.
Chapters
Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. There was reports that came out during that time where y'all was like having the meetings in the bubble and the season stopped. There was reports that came out that most of that, like the season stopping and people not wanting to play, was from the Clippers team at that time. Is there any truth to that? Because by the way, by the way that they went out, it kind of looked like it was true.
By the way, that was one of my favorite series of the bubble, that Nuggets-Clippers series. It was just like, man, how in the hell? You up 3-1. Even if you talked about leaving, "You up 3-1." Finish the job. Finish the job, man.
Lose the next round.
Facts. You knew everybody wanted to see Lakers-Clippers that year. Just finish the job. And like, "Man, we can sweep y'all. Then you can go home." I'm gonna do it now. And then we just sitting there waiting. Like I said, that's one of the favorite series I watched. 'Cause we had to sit there and watch, you know what I'm saying? This whole series.
So who was in the meeting quitting?
Who was in the meet?
From the Clippers team, who was in there quitting? Man. Because what I heard, that there was some guys from the Clippers team in there like, "Man, I don't wanna play. I wanna go home." Is that true? Who was in there quitting? I just wanna know because by the way, if you ask me, they left a championship sitting on the table. Whether they would've beat y'all or not, we'll never know.
It would've been one of the best series, you know what I'm saying, that year, you know what I'm saying? For the play, you know what I'm saying? Like, so like everybody wanted it, you know what I'm saying? And we wanted it as well. Like we wanted that opportunity. Like, all right, we gonna put this shit to bed. Like Lakers versus Clippers, like here it is, you know? And they just, they just shit the bed, man. But I like, like you said, back to that conversation, like, I've heard it. Yeah, it did come from they team, but I don't know who said it. You know what I'm saying?
Them boys was quitting.
Them boys was like, they was ready to go. It was first team ready to go. And then like, I forget who, OG Miami, what's his name? Udonis. Udonis Haslem. He stood up and he was like, man, he just talked about more for like it being for the younger guys and the, like the guys ain't gonna, be able to have no money, you know what I'm saying? If we do stop this, like, right now, like, what about these guys, man? They just getting drafted, you know what I'm saying? But year 2, 3 guys, uh, like, what are they supposed to do about money, you know? Like, are you, are you older guys gonna help them out? You know what I'm saying? Some of your vets and your rookies, I mean, you know, some of your younger guys. So I think that, like, kind of shifted when he's, like, he stood up and said all that, um, and I think it changed a lot of guys' mind. But, like, They were the first team ready to go for sure.
That's crazy. Them boys left, they left a golden opportunity sitting right there on the table and they never got it again.
That's why I told you like, when like a lot of stuff, the stopping and starting and stopping, like it had a lot of people's mindset change. Like, nah, all right, I've been here long enough, man. All right, you wanna stop? All right, I'm done. You know, so appreciate the 2020 Lakers team, you know, for having that mindset. —of winning that championship.
Absolutely. I think it's crazy what hearing UD stood up and said that, because the reality is I remember sitting with Rich when y'all were in the bubble.
Yeah.
And like when all those conversations was going on, Rich was literally getting calls as it's going on.
Yeah.
As it's ending, what's next? We got another meeting later. And I remember sitting there with him and one of the things that he was saying, which no one was thinking about is, and to Udonis' point, but even to take it a step further, if we stop now, not only does those young guys not make money, but you're actually going to have to negotiate an entirely new collective bargaining agreement.
Yes.
Which could take up to a year or two. To actually negotiate that agreement. And so the league was stopped for 2 years.
2 years.
Now today, you're not closing a $76 billion TV deal if that stops.
True.
Right? So when you look at all of those factors and the effect that it had on the league, now how can you say the championship that was won through all of those factors have an asterisk by it?
Oh, wow. That's why I stopped listening to people when they say that, man. I just like, man, all right. It's a championship. They, we won.
And I got my ring.
Right.
We were still able to celebrate, you know what I'm saying? Like on the property, you know, in Orlando. But I mean, we had a great time and we would not have, like in the finals, I think, or like a second, in the conference finals and then finals, we was able to have the family there. You know, which was great. You know, our family was able to like see us win the championship. We got the confetti coming down. It still was a, you know, a championship, whatever. But you know, everybody would've loved for the fans to be there.
Yeah.
You know, to be able to celebrate with the fans. But you know, at that time, unfortunately we didn't get the opportunity, but we won.
Adam pulling that bubble off is still one of the greatest things I've ever seen in sports.
Come on, man. Like, how you do that? And with that amount of time you have, you know what I'm saying? You get this done. I was able to come here, you know, play and not have to worry about, you know what I'm saying? And with like, going back to like the bubble, like, but like it was so much like just so much basketball. I could hear everything, you know, play calls, you know what I'm saying? Teammate, they calling everything out. Like, that was like, Much more important to me, man, I could focus just on basketball. And you couldn't even like, they might pump the crowd, you know what I'm saying? But it's just like them cheering. So now you can't, you don't hear nobody talking to you, throwing off your game. So like that, I enjoyed that, man. I could play basketball. That's why I turned up. You know what I'm saying? So.
Nah, it was definitely, I had fun watching it in LA outside. It was great. The weather was amazing. I had a beautiful time watching it. But then moving on, you know, you win a championship with the Lakers, you eventually end up moving on to the Denver Nuggets.
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