‘Ballers’ recap: Meet Candace Brewer, the brilliant woman between Spencer and Las Vegas

SEASON THREE, EPISODE THREE |“IN THE TEETH”| AUG. 6

One thing is standing in the way of Spencer Strasmore’s master plan of bringing an NFL team to Las Vegas — a brilliant woman. Sunday night on Ballers, we meet the beautiful, and trill as ever, Candace Brewer (Emayatzy Corinealdi; Hand of God, Middle of Nowhere) — a high-powered league executive who summons Spencer (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) to drinks in Oakland, California, after hearing about his gutsy NFL-to-Vegas quest.

Candace and Spencer go all the way back to the former Miami Dolphins superstar’s playing days, when he insulted her live on Jay Glazer’s talk show Glazed and Confused. Candace doesn’t seem to like Spencer too much, or the idea of an NFL team relocating to a city notorious for sex, drugs and, of course, gambling.

“I just want to know if you’re an enemy of the league,” Candace point-blank says to Spencer in the shortest drinks meeting in history — she dips out before finishing her wine. We might have just met Spencer’s Kryptonite.

While the big fella is in the Bay Area, his right-hand man Joe Krutel (Rob Corddry) is trying to persuade Reggie (London Brown) and Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Vernon Littlefield (Donovan W. Carter) to stop investing in the cannabis company, High Powered, before Vernon is blackballed by the NFL. Reggie, however, takes Joe on a little field trip to the dispensary to show him that Vernon is endorsed by a company that’s focused on much more than smoking weed. But that’s how the visit ends — with Reggie and Joe hotboxing in a Rolls-Royce to the smooth sound of Style’s P’s “Good Times.”

In the front office of the Miami Dolphins, tension is building between Charles Greane (Omar Benson Miller), the team’s assistant general manager, and his boss, Larry Siefert (Dulé Hill). Charles feels some type of way when Siefert goes on Glazer’s show and fails to give him credit for one of his intelligent roster moves. Siefert is shady, and his voice is more annoying than going 1 cent over $20 when filling up your tank up at the gas station. And every time he breaks out the Southern accent, it’s hard not to remember Sam the Onion Man, Hill’s character from 2003’s Holes — as well as Sam’s famous line, “I can fix that.”

Charles and Siefert’s relationship is about to blow up. It’s inevitable. Especially after the Dolphins head coach tells Charles, “Attaching yourself to Siefert is not the move a smart man makes.”

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Ricky is late to a doctor’s appointment for Amber, his girlfriend — and future child’s mother. When he finally shows up, he meets the friend whom Amber decided to bring in his place, who, to Ricky’s chagrin, is a white dude. Awkward.

The only person in the crew who really seems to be getting stuff done without being let down is Jason (Troy Garity), Vernon and Ricky’s agent, who’s working with his new client, free-agent running back Kisan Teague (Kris D. Lofton). That is, until Jason attempts to negotiate a deal with the Indianapolis Colts and receives word that the running back is under investigation for drug trafficking. Kisan vows he’s innocent. Jason’s response to the Colts general manager? “Eat a bag of d—-.” Because they’re going to find a new team.

Back in Oakland, Spencer heatedly leaves his meeting with Candace. He calls Hall of Fame wide receiver Tim Brown, who on Ballers is involved with the front-office moves of his former team, the Oakland Raiders. Spencer promises an additional $300 million in private financing plus whatever team owner Mark Davis needs to get a deal done, and the Raiders to Vegas.

But can Spencer really deliver?

“Oh, I know I can,” he mic-drops to close the episode, cueing up none other than the 21 Savage track “Savage Mode.”

Spencer is about to go to war with Candace and everyone else in his path to Sin City.