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Evan & Tiki

Trading for Giannis Changes Everything, Especially Expectations

Evan & Tiki

Audacy

Sports

4.2988 Ratings

🗓️ 29 January 2026

⏱️ 17 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The Giannis trade chatter keeps building, and this segment hits it from every angle. It starts with Robin Lopez saying Giannis “fits” best with the Miami Heat, which immediately sets off the pushback. Do the Heat really want it more, or is that just Pat Riley mythology? From there, Evan and Tiki reveal they made Giannis trade predictions months ago and decide to keep them sealed until a deal actually happens. Calls pour in and quickly turn the conversation to the Knicks’ real problem: if you’re trading for Giannis, what exactly is “the core” you’re trying to protect? Jalen Brunson is the obvious untouchable, but everything else gets debated, including Josh Hart’s impact on the locker room and how many key pieces you realistically have to give up. Then it becomes the biggest question of all: can Giannis handle New York? The guys break down his famous “failure” press conference moment and argue that the explanation might play in Milwaukee, but it will not fly here. In New York, if you gut the roster for a superstar, the expectation becomes simple: win a championship, or it’s a failure.

Transcript

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0:00.0

So Janus has had many teammates over the years.

0:02.7

And one of the teammates who had a very good relationship was with Robin Lopez, who was with him briefly during the 1920 season and then came back two seasons ago.

0:12.8

But Robin's quite a character, brother of Brooke.

0:15.2

And he chimed in on where he thinks Janus would fit best if he's traded.

0:21.5

Here was Robin Lopez's answer to that question.

0:25.7

That Janus's personality meshes with the Miami Heat.

0:29.8

I think they both have that intense drive.

0:34.0

Do a curveball there.

0:34.9

That intense passion to, you know, go get a championship by any means necessary. Yeah, I hate that answer. Like, do he want to win more than everybody else? Because Pat Riley's a sicko? Let me come on. Yeah. How are we talking about Pat Riley? Because he's still around? He's 80. 80, I think. He's up there, yeah. Something like that. Miami is a major threat for Janus, and I don't know if you remember this. We made Janus trade predictions months ago. Did we really? Where will Janus end up? And so we have them filed away. We've decided not to play any of them until he's trading. And Sean forgot to pull them to. Well, don't worry. I was covered for you anyway. But I, do you remember where you said, Yonis? I don't even remember doing that. You don't remember doing it? When did we do it? At the end of the regular season? Oddly enough, it was in December. And my guess would be that there was some kind of Yannis report. And we all said, hey, if he's traded, where does he end up? I think it was that initial injury where we thought, oh, are they just holding him out until we trade him? That's right. The first time he had the calf injury. You know what? You're right, because it was early December and that's when Janus did have the calf injury early on. And so, yeah, we all went around the room and picked destinations.

1:45.1

I don't remember where I said. I'm going back and forth. So this is what we call an on-air show meeting. Are we better off revealing them now or after he gets traded? I think after. After? Yeah. Well, wait till after. Because we'll have to do it again. That's true. That's a good point. Plus, the will probably change her opinions.

2:00.8

No, no doubt.

2:01.6

I do remember my team.

2:03.4

And all I'll say is, to get. That's true. That's a good point. Plus, the will probably change her opinions.

2:16.8

No, no doubt. I do remember my team. And all I'll say is, it would shake up the Eastern Conference. If it's the team, I predicted. But we'll get to that at a later date, if you are not just traded. Let's get back to your calls 888-808-108-101. The number. Mike is a new Rochelle. Good morning, Mike.

2:20.4

Good morning. How are you today?

2:34.4

You're doing well. Wonderful. What's on your mind? Well, two points real quick. One real fast point. The Mets, Ev, I've been breaking it down. They're looking pretty, pretty good. But anyway, very happy about that.

2:38.2

But anyway, the whole Giannis thing, he does that in New York.

2:41.1

Of course, he's going to get, you know, blown out.

2:42.6

But you got to make the move.

2:46.9

I wanted to keep the core together, but the core ain't that, you know, it ain't going to do it. You know, a couple of pieces around Jalen and Jalen and, uh, Janus, I think would be great.

2:53.5

But, see, I, I, I looked up something. I know you're in next man.

2:58.1

I actually looked up the, uh, audio that you put out there, uh, Evan.

...

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