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In tennessee redline dial one 26 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: eight hundred eight eight nine nine seven eight nine in 27 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: Tennessee visit www one eight dot one eight hundred gambler 28 00:01:46,480 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: dot net in West Virginia. All right, welcome to Hoops Tonight, 29 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: presented by FanDuel here at the volume. Happy Sunday, everybody. 30 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: I hope all of you guys are having a great 31 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: weekend so far. Right on the other side of this 32 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: camera is the beautiful Lake Shellan in Washington. I've wanted 33 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 1: to try to set up the camera so that you 34 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: guys could see it, but I couldn't quite figure out 35 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: the lighting. So I'll post some pictures of it on Twitter. 36 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: You guys can see that on my Twitter few which 37 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: is under at underscore Jason LT. It feels really good 38 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: to be out of the Arizona heat. I love Arizona, 39 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: born and raised there. It's my hometown. I've lived elsewhere, 40 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: and I still moved back. But June July August can 41 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,040 Speaker 1: be really rough. And we've had like back to back 42 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: weeks of a hundred and five degree weather every single day, 43 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: and we've had just enough monsoon activity to make it humid. 44 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: It's been miserably hot, and man, getting off of that 45 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: airplane and walking out of the airport in Seattle was 46 00:02:57,639 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: an incredible like a chance to just exhale and get 47 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: away from the heat. My wife and are hanging out 48 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: on this lake for the next four days or so, 49 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: and then we head back to Seattle. We board a 50 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,079 Speaker 1: cruise ship to head to Alaska. Never been to Seattle, 51 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 1: never been to Lake Shland, never been to Alaska, never 52 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: been on a cruise. So a lot of first for 53 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 1: me over the course of the next couple of weeks. 54 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: But I'm super excited and excited to have a one 55 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: last bit of relaxation before we dive back into things 56 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,360 Speaker 1: this fall and my first full year covering uh the 57 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 1: NBA with the volume, which would be very fun. I'm 58 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: very very excited. Um today we're gonna talk about this 59 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving report that came from Jake Fisher having to 60 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: do with I think we might be nearing the end 61 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: of the rope here and the Lakers might have missed 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: their opportunity. Um, we're gonna talk about Russell Westbrook breaking 63 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: up with his agent, which I thought was kind of 64 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 1: the crescendo of this Russ experience and in this phase 65 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: that he's going through in his career, and it's gonna 66 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: be kind of a make or break moment for him 67 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: as to how this story is gonna end. And the last, 68 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:55,560 Speaker 1: but not least, Lebron played in the Drew League yesterday. 69 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: Obviously it was entertaining great basketball pack. Jim Lebron has 70 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: forty two looks great. We're gonna talk about all that, 71 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: but I also thought it was a very specific message 72 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: that he was trying to send um to the Lakers 73 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: front office. So we're gonna get into all that before 74 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: we get started. Follow me on Twitter underscore Jason lt S. 75 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: You guys don't miss any more of my show announcements, 76 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: video content that I make, and I also post some 77 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: pictures of the trip for those of you care, and 78 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: then um uh subscribe to the Volumes YouTube channel. So 79 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: you don't miss any more of our videos that we release. 80 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 1: And then, last but not least, we did finally rebrand 81 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,119 Speaker 1: the podcast feed. It's no longer. It's no longer Lakers 82 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: Tonight is now under Hoops Tonight. So if you miss 83 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: any of these videos and you can't get back over 84 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: to YouTube to watch them, go to our podcast feed. 85 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: It's under Hoops Tonight. Usually the audio has posted there 86 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: a couple hours after the videos make their way to YouTube. 87 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Let's start with Kyrie. So Jake Fisher from Bleacher Report, 88 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna read the quote here and we'll go 89 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: from there. Quote from my conversations with people in the league. 90 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 1: It seems pretty clear Kyrie is accepting the fact that 91 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: he is overwhelmingly likely to be back in Brooklyn now. 92 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: As is always the case with these reports, it's hard 93 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 1: to differentiate between what is uh speculation, what is leak 94 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: leaks for the sake of leverage, and what is real information. 95 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: What's interesting about this one is it's coming from Kyrie's perspective. 96 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: When we've heard reports from Kyrie's perspective to this point, 97 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: it's always been he wants to go to the Lakers. 98 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: He'll even sign with the Lakers next year. That's the 99 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,040 Speaker 1: kind of stuff we've heard on the Kyrie front, regardless, 100 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: Typically the stuff that we've heard from the teams has 101 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: been more about like will Brooklyn bring Kyrie and and 102 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: and Kevin Durant back, Will the Lakers move on to 103 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,720 Speaker 1: Buddy Yield and Miles Turner or whatever it is. Those 104 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: seem more like leverage leaks. This kind of seems like 105 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: Kyrie coming to terms with the situation. To be clear, 106 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,279 Speaker 1: I don't think it's over. I still think the main 107 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: key here is Kevin Durant. I also believe it was 108 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 1: Jake Fisher who reported he talked to somebody in Kevin 109 00:05:55,120 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: Durant's camp, and even in spite of everything that's come 110 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 1: out in the last few days, he's will hell bent 111 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,159 Speaker 1: on getting the trade. Kevin Durant is still the final 112 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: piece in all of this. I said this I think 113 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: two shows ago. But the reality is is all it 114 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: takes is Kevin Duran to kind of look at the 115 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: landscape of this trade market. See that the teams aren't 116 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: lining up, See that Phoenix is out because DeAndre Aton 117 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 1: has been resigned, See that Miami doesn't have the pieces, 118 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: See that Toronto doesn't want to include Scotty Barnes, and 119 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: all he has to do is look at that and 120 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: go like, like, as bad as I have it in Brooklyn, 121 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,840 Speaker 1: maybe I want out, but I don't see this clear 122 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: cut better option. Ben Simmons is interesting. Why don't I 123 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: talk to Kai have him come back. We'll run it 124 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:36,200 Speaker 1: back with Ben Simmons is here and see if we 125 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: can make it work. That's all it takes for the 126 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving deal to be dead on arrival. And so 127 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: what's interesting here is the Lakers are negotiating, and I 128 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: get why Kyrie is not worth two picks. He's worth 129 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: one pick in a vacuum. So in a vacuum it 130 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: was smart. It is smart. It was smart for them 131 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,159 Speaker 1: to initially there in initial position to be Russ for 132 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:06,040 Speaker 1: Kyrie one pick. That was smart as their initial position. 133 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. And I've told you guys this before, 134 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: but I used to work in real estate. That's what 135 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 1: I did before this, and I would always tell my clients, like, 136 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: understand that negotiation is a part of this, but don't 137 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 1: ever hardline or take a hard position on something you're 138 00:07:21,640 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: not willing to lose. Your negotiation power comes down to 139 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: whether or not you are willing to lose. If you 140 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: are putting in an offer on a house and you're 141 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: not emotionally involved in it, and you don't care if 142 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: you lose the house, by all means low ballum put 143 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: in a wild term in the contract. Do do something 144 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: to try to advocate for yourself above and beyond what 145 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: you even hope for, because then if you get it, great, 146 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: you've got a great deal. And if you don't, who cares? 147 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: You move on? But all the time, especially during the 148 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: craziness of the market in the last couple of years, 149 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 1: you'd have a I'd have a client that would get 150 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: a property under contract that we had to competitively bid 151 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: for against like sixteen twenty offers, and then they'd be like, oh, well, 152 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: I want to fight hard for this repair, I want 153 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 1: to fight hard for this specific credit or whatever it is. 154 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: And I'd be like, they will dump you and go 155 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: back on the market and get another deal immediately. You 156 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: don't have leverage. Are you willing to lose this house? 157 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 1: Because if we fight for this, you might lose it. 158 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:25,200 Speaker 1: Understanding your fear of loss, Understanding your leverage is key 159 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: to negotiation, because if you put your foot down. You 160 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: might get a better deal, but you also might lose 161 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: the deal entirely. So let's take a look at this 162 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: situation between the Nets and Lakers. If we look at 163 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: the Lakers perspective, they are desperate. Russell Westbrook not only 164 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: does he have damn near zero trade value negative trade value, 165 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:53,160 Speaker 1: he just ruined the relationship with his agent for fourteen years. 166 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: He had a business relationship with this person and ruined it. 167 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 1: So from that standpoint, like like Russ's value is so 168 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 1: incredibly low. If he was a free agent right now, 169 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: available for a veteran minimum, he might not get picked up. 170 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 1: I don't know how many teams would sign him, but 171 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 1: the answers either zero or close to zero. So that's 172 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: your predicament. Your other predicament is you only have two 173 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: players on the roster who are starting level NBA players, 174 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: Lebron James and Anthony Davis. So you are desperate for talent. 175 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,360 Speaker 1: You're desperate for talent, and you're one trade. The one 176 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 1: guy that you're looking to trade in this particular deal 177 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 1: is Russell Westbrook, who nobody wants. So if the if 178 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: you're the Lakers, you have to acknowledge you have zero leverage. Now, 179 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 1: let's look at the Nets. They don't have leverage either 180 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: in the sense that like, oh, Katie and Kyrie want 181 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,719 Speaker 1: to leave. It's that simple, And if you bring them back, 182 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 1: you're on the risk of toxicity and things along those lines. 183 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: That's all true, But there are two factors here that 184 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,120 Speaker 1: are working in Brooklyn's favor and that give them the 185 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: specific amount of leverage necessary to fight for that second 186 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: pick from the Lakers. First of all, Kyrie and Ben 187 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: Simmons trade value is lower than ever Kyrie Irving obviously 188 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: had all of these unavailability issues over the last couple 189 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: of years, and obviously his fickle personality and lack of 190 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:18,079 Speaker 1: reliability is going to be something that that scares teams away. 191 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:20,480 Speaker 1: There's a lot of truth there. But in terms of 192 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: just basketball, he's every bit as good as he ever 193 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 1: was just in the basketball. So he still brings all 194 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: star player to the table in terms of his value. 195 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook does not, And in this particular case, Kyrie's 196 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: value is lower than it's ever been. So if I'm Brooklyn, 197 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: if I can somehow get Kyrie just to come back 198 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 1: and play ten fifteen games, that could massively increase his 199 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,959 Speaker 1: value just by reminding teams of what he's capable of, 200 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: especially when the last taste that we have of Kyrie 201 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: was that disappointing finish against the Celtics. Right same thing 202 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: goes with Ben Simmons. Last time we saw him play 203 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: basketball nightmare moment with the Philadelphia seventy six. Since then, 204 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: mental health issues, back problems, you know, uh, not willing 205 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,480 Speaker 1: to live up to a contract. His value is lower 206 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: than ever. So Kevin Durant, for whatever reason, decides that 207 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,679 Speaker 1: he wants to run it back, and these guys come back. 208 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:23,680 Speaker 1: They just gotta go. Games go seventeen and eight, Kyrie 209 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: and Ben Simmons playing most of the games. Just like that, 210 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,120 Speaker 1: their trade value is significantly higher than it was Right now. 211 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: The Nets absolutely are I would even say likely to 212 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 1: get more for Ben and Kyrie at the trade deadline 213 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: than they are now. Their main incentive to try to 214 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: get this done now is just to try to go 215 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:47,679 Speaker 1: into training camp with the group that you're actually moving 216 00:11:47,679 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: forward with. But the reality is that Kyrie Irving and 217 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: Ben Simmons trade values and an all time low. The 218 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: Nets are incentives to try to raise that. Kevin Durant 219 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 1: is the key and He's the second factor here. All 220 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: it takes is him looking at the land escape, seeing 221 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 1: that Phoenix is a trade market is dried up, seeing 222 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: that Miami's trade market is dried up, seeing that Toronto 223 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:11,360 Speaker 1: doesn't want to include Scotty Barnes, and understand that maybe 224 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: he doesn't have a better option that he has. Right now, 225 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:17,120 Speaker 1: I'm coming back to Brooklyn. Kyrie's coming with me, Ben's 226 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 1: himms is coming with me, Bam Kyrie irving trade is 227 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: dead on arrival. And so from that standpoint, like the Lakers, 228 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: if we look at this up close and personal, the 229 00:12:26,679 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: Lakers have no leverage. So I understood their desire to 230 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: fight for that one first round pick rather than two. 231 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: They were smart to fight for that. But the fight's over. 232 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: You lost. Throw the second pick on the table. Get 233 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: Kyrie because we are right around the corner from this 234 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: all going back to Brooklyn, bringing everybody back, so that 235 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: they need to accept that the Clippers are the best 236 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: example that I could give you. Guys. As a corollary 237 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 1: to this predicament, Kawhi Leonard comes to you says I 238 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: want to sign with you instead of the Lakers in 239 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:04,319 Speaker 1: two thousand team. At that point he goes, bring Paul 240 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: George with me. I already talked him on the phone. 241 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,040 Speaker 1: He's in. You gotta close the deal. Do you think 242 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 1: the Clippers had any leverage with okay see, hell now 243 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: they okay see, just had a season with with Paul 244 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,040 Speaker 1: George being an m VP candidate and and and and 245 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: Russ helping him reach some career highs and all these 246 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 1: different things. Right, there was no reason for Oklahoma City 247 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: to move Paul George. But the Clippers were like, we 248 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 1: know we need him because if we get him, we 249 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: get Kauai. Give him everything. And they literally gave them everything, 250 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: every pick that they had, all these swaps, all everything. 251 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: They cleared the treasure trove for that deal because they 252 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:48,080 Speaker 1: understood their lack of leverage. Yes, is two first round 253 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 1: picks and overpay for Kyrie. Yeah it is. It's a 254 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: bit of an overpay. But this is what happens in 255 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: negotiation when you don't have the leverage and I and 256 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: it's and with the nets you gotta remember they already 257 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: have two picks from the hardened deal that they got 258 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: last year. If they trade Kdi, they'll probably get five 259 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,120 Speaker 1: to seven more. They're already getting seven eight picks out 260 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: of this whole arrangement, right, So they're vindictive enough I think, 261 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: especially with everything that happened with Kyrie in the last 262 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 1: couple of years, to be like, screw you, Kyrie. Yeah, 263 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: I know, we could trade you for one pick, but 264 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: if the Lakers don't give you two, we're bringing you 265 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: back and we're holding onto you for now. They they 266 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: I believe that they would be willing to do that, 267 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: And so you've got to understand the understand the predicament, 268 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: understand the leverage, put the pick on the table, close 269 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: the deal. Even if things go horribly south and Lebron 270 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: and a d get hurt again and you miss the 271 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: playoffs again this year, you blow it up and you 272 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,240 Speaker 1: can trade everybody and get draft picks. And this is 273 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,960 Speaker 1: the most important detail. If you get Kyrie in a trade, 274 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 1: you have his bird rights to go. I believe ten 275 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: percent over his salary resigning him next year. So from 276 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: that standpoint, you can retain him, and he is an asset. 277 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: Kyrie being an asset means you could if he has 278 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: three or four years on his deal, you can turn 279 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: around and trade him for a first round draft pick 280 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 1: or two next year. If things go really south. In 281 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: addition to being able to trade Anthony Davis, if you 282 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 1: really want to blow things up in twenty nine, when 283 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: things really are uh, when those picks that are in 284 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: question would be uh, would actually be UM, would actually 285 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,560 Speaker 1: be relevant to this situation at that point, if things 286 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: go south, the Lakers could just as easily refill the 287 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: treasure trove. And with Laker fans I've talked to several 288 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: over the course of the last couple of days, and 289 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 1: I understand as spans you feel a certain obligation to 290 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: defend the franchise and things along those lines. But you know, 291 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 1: to me, the success of the Lakers franchise over the year, 292 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: and you guys have all heard this from Laker fans, 293 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: like we have seventeen titles, Like you know, we are 294 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: the most successful franchise in NBA history. You know, all 295 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: of our successes in the vast majority of our successes 296 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,400 Speaker 1: in the modern era. It's not the same as Boston 297 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:03,000 Speaker 1: when all the titles were in the sixties or whatever. 298 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 1: They have a reason to be prideful, But to me, 299 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: that doesn't equal benefit of the doubt. For Genie Bus, 300 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 1: that doesn't equal benefit of the doubt for Rob Polinka. 301 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,680 Speaker 1: If anything, that should equal standards. That should equal a 302 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: standard that you hold the franchise too. Here's the reality 303 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: of the situation. Yes, you have won seventeen championships. Yes, 304 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: you did win a championship two years ago, less than 305 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: two years ago. That's all true. Here's the reality, though, 306 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: that championship came on the strength of Lebron James and 307 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis at the peak of their powers, and they 308 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: are no longer at the peak of their powers. That 309 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,640 Speaker 1: success came on Lebron James coming to the Lakers and 310 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: convincing Clutch Sports to direct Anthony Davis there as well, 311 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: was not by the doing of Rob Polinka or of 312 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: Genie Buss. When Jerry Buss was in charge. To the 313 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: day he died, the Lakers missed the playoffs once. Since then, 314 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: they've made the playoffs twice total. So the standard that 315 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: was then in place, the expectation for the Lakers is shifting. 316 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,040 Speaker 1: That's the problem. You guys are now becoming okay with 317 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: a form of mediocrity that never existed for the Lakers franchise. 318 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: And you guys should be more upset than you are 319 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: because you have Lebron James under contract right now. You 320 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 1: have Anthony Davis under contract right now, and you have 321 00:17:32,359 --> 00:17:35,880 Speaker 1: an opportunity to flip the biggest mistake of this era 322 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: of Lakers basketball, the Russell Westbrook trade. You have an 323 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: opportunity to turn Russell Westbrook into an all Star level 324 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 1: guarden Kyrie Irving. When all of this was going down, 325 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: when we were coming into this summer, did any of 326 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: you think that there was a snowball's chance in hell 327 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: a flipping Russ for Kyrie. Think about the names that 328 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:57,880 Speaker 1: I was thrown out. I was like, maybe you can 329 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: get Gordon Hayward and Kelly you Brey or Gordon Hayward 330 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: and Terry Rosier or Mason Plumle or or you know, 331 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:09,560 Speaker 1: Buddy Heal. These were the types of names we were 332 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:13,159 Speaker 1: throwing out. This was this. This was literally like the 333 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: Red Sea parting for you. And just in a in 334 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: a moment of of of absolutely no leverage, in in 335 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: a in a dire moment for the history of the franchise, 336 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: everything just opened up and there was Kyrie Irving and 337 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 1: now you want to play hardball. I just don't get it. 338 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 1: And like I tweeted it out this morning, but I 339 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:35,119 Speaker 1: feel bad for Lakers fans, because I just know Jerry 340 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,960 Speaker 1: Buss would have put that second pick on the table. 341 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: Jerry Buss was running the Lakers, Kyrie would be a 342 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 1: Laker right now. All right, let's move on to this 343 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,239 Speaker 1: Rust stuff for a minute. Uh. This him breaking up 344 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: with his agent after fourteen years that I said this 345 00:18:48,880 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: at the intro, But this, to me is the crescendo 346 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 1: of this phase of the Rust experience. You know, I 347 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: get a hard time from a lot of people for 348 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 1: being hard on Russ. And and again I tell you, guys, 349 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,320 Speaker 1: like the reasons why I don't like Russ are are 350 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:07,119 Speaker 1: basketball related. Like it, It bothers me to watch a 351 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: basketball team that is bought in and doing everything they 352 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 1: can to win, and Russ is b sing on the 353 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 1: defensive end of the floor, or when a team is 354 00:19:14,800 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: grinding through injuries and just trying to to survive in 355 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: NBA season, and he's complaining about the coach or or 356 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: he's more worried about his touches or his box score 357 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: than he is about the actual team goal of getting 358 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: stops and scoring baskets on the other end of the floor. 359 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:34,399 Speaker 1: His head is in the wrong place as a basketball player. 360 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 1: That's why when I say Russ offends me, that's the 361 00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: kind of stuff I'm I'm talking about, Like his whole 362 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:42,880 Speaker 1: approach to the game bothers me. And he is somehow 363 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: convinced you Russ fans an apologist that because he screams 364 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:50,280 Speaker 1: really loud after he dunks, or because he can be 365 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: high energy from time to time, that he's somehow like this, 366 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: like blue collar, hard working NBA player. It's just not 367 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: the case. Watch the damn games. He's lazy. He doesn't 368 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: commit to the defensive end of the floor. On offense, 369 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,640 Speaker 1: He's only concerned about his individual impact, his box score 370 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 1: numbers and things along those lines. The guy is an 371 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: issue off the floor. He does blame everything on everybody else. 372 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: He freaking burned down Lebron James and Anthony Davis after 373 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: the season, even though they did everything in their power 374 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: to empower Russ. Everything that has come onto Russ has 375 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 1: been Russ's fault. That's the reality of the situation. Lakers 376 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: fans are not picking on Russ. Lakers fans are are 377 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 1: just as offended as as I am at the things 378 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: that he's done in his time in a Laker, in 379 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:36,880 Speaker 1: a Laker uniform and It's always funny to hear people 380 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: get mad at me for being negative to Russ when 381 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: his own damn agent of fourteen years was like, I 382 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,879 Speaker 1: can't do this anymore, you know, like that? That's that 383 00:20:47,880 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: that that that's all you need to know. The teams 384 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: that employ him no longer want him this time. It's 385 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,360 Speaker 1: the Lakers. They no longer want him. Mentioned this earlier. 386 00:20:58,560 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: If he was a free agent on a veteran minimum contract. 387 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 1: How many teams do you think sign Russ tomorrow? It's 388 00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 1: either zero or close to zero. Okay, So you can 389 00:21:08,119 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: be mad at Jason for being anti Russ. The league 390 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: is anti Russ, the agent is anti Russ, the players 391 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,159 Speaker 1: are anti Russ, the general managers are anti Russ, the 392 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,359 Speaker 1: owners are anti Russ. So at a certain point, who's 393 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 1: the problem? Is it Jason? Is it the GM? Is 394 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: it the players? Or is it Russ? Like the whole 395 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: thing was so strange. But to me, that that's why 396 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:35,280 Speaker 1: this represents the crescendo. If you ruin a business relationship 397 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:41,040 Speaker 1: that was fourteen years old, for it whatever escalated between 398 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:45,200 Speaker 1: them to get to the point of dissolving that business relationship, 399 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: that that that that is if that's not the big 400 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,640 Speaker 1: red flag. I don't know what is. And that's why 401 00:21:50,680 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: I say this is the crescendo of this Russ moment 402 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 1: because russ is agent in the statement, which was really strange. 403 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,639 Speaker 1: We're gonna get into it in a minute. But if 404 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:02,159 Speaker 1: Russ's agent in the statement says that he believes Russ 405 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:06,159 Speaker 1: will have another moment in this league, I agree. I 406 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 1: believe he will, but it will be as a role player. 407 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:14,640 Speaker 1: It will be a transformed Russ. And the only way 408 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 1: that was ever going to happen is if he hit 409 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:20,280 Speaker 1: rock bottom, which is exactly what happened to Carmelo Anthony. 410 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: And this is actually worse than what happened to Carmelo Anthony. 411 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 1: This is even uglier than the lack of awareness or 412 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:31,400 Speaker 1: the denial that Carmelo Anthony was experiencing. But it will 413 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 1: take Russ getting traded away from the Lakers and cut 414 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:38,880 Speaker 1: and nobody's signing him, or the Lakers not trading him 415 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 1: and cutting him. That's what it will take for him 416 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 1: to realize that he needs to change. It will take 417 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: him and his agent burning him down after fourteen years 418 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: of service for him to understand that it's a him 419 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: problem and not in everybody else problem, because once he 420 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: acknowledges that, that's when he will go home and truly 421 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: develop his shot and truly develop his mid range game 422 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: and his floaters and his hook shots, and is finishing 423 00:23:09,080 --> 00:23:11,919 Speaker 1: around the basket, and him slowing down his pace, not 424 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,360 Speaker 1: playing at a hundred miles all the time, his commitment 425 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 1: to the defensive end of the floor, him embracing the 426 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:21,480 Speaker 1: little things that helped basketball teams win games. That's where 427 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 1: when he embraces all of that stuff, I think he's 428 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 1: got a solid four or five years of quality basketball 429 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: ahead of him, but he needed to hit absolute rock 430 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,680 Speaker 1: bottom first. And that's what this represents. I've said this before, 431 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: but to me, the you know, the the version of 432 00:23:37,359 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: Russ that contributes to a championship team is a poor 433 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: man's Drew Holiday. He's not Drew Holiday, especially on the 434 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:46,439 Speaker 1: defensive end. He'll never be able to be that, but 435 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: just in the way he devotes his resources. A power 436 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: guard that plays with physicality as a third option, who 437 00:23:54,359 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 1: devotes the majority of his energy to the defensive end 438 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 1: of the floor, particularly guarding up a position. That type 439 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: of of of of resource dispersion from Russ will allow 440 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: him to be a productive player, and that's what I 441 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 1: see the end of his career looking like it just 442 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: had to get really ugly first, and this thing with 443 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: the agent was was the ugliest part. The statement was 444 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:21,479 Speaker 1: really strange. Him talking about Russ's not acknowledging that he 445 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 1: should stay in l A as if it's Russ's decision, 446 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 1: when rob And and Lebron and Anthony Davis all want 447 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,159 Speaker 1: him gone, that always really strange. I don't really know 448 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 1: what to make of the statement part of it, but 449 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: I just we can. We have to take a look 450 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,440 Speaker 1: at what we can take. What we know for sure 451 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,439 Speaker 1: about this, We don't know whose motive is what with 452 00:24:42,520 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: the statement, we don't know. Russ says he never requested 453 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: a trade. I actually believe him. I don't He didn't 454 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: need to. The Lakers are trying to trade him anyway. 455 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: But what we do know is that there's a business 456 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: relationship here that was fourteen years old that has ended. 457 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:00,119 Speaker 1: And when we look at a situation like that, we 458 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:04,360 Speaker 1: look at the reputations. This is Russell Westbrook that no 459 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 1: NBA team wants to keep for more than a year, 460 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: and at this point, no NBA team may even want 461 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 1: in any capacity So from that standpoint, who are you 462 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: going to give the benefit of the doubt too? I 463 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: would venture to guess that this was a Russ problem, 464 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 1: and I don't know what to make of it. I 465 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:23,120 Speaker 1: don't know what was the beef there. If I had 466 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:26,679 Speaker 1: to guess, and again this is just a guess, my 467 00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: guests would be that he approached his agent and said, 468 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,119 Speaker 1: get me somewhere where I can do what I did 469 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,639 Speaker 1: in Washington, Like I don't care if you've got a 470 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: facilitated buy out, I don't know if you need to 471 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: direct to trade. I don't know what I need to do. 472 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:40,920 Speaker 1: Get me somewhere where I can do what I did 473 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,119 Speaker 1: in Washington. And I think his agent might have come 474 00:25:43,160 --> 00:25:46,360 Speaker 1: back at him and been like, nowhere, bro, like none 475 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: of them are going to give you that opportunity. That 476 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: might that that that that to me, and then that 477 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: going poorly for Russ and Russ lashing out as a 478 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:56,359 Speaker 1: result of that, that would be my guess. But I 479 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:59,439 Speaker 1: don't know. It's just it's hard to even fathom how 480 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 1: a business relationship that old could go south. But the 481 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 1: way I look at this again is this is why 482 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: it costs two first round picks to move him. This 483 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,360 Speaker 1: is why you can't get cheap in your in your 484 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:15,240 Speaker 1: approach to trying to trade Russell Westbrook. He is so 485 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 1: toxic right now that his own agency relationship that's a 486 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: decade and a half old, has ended. There is no 487 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: more opportunity here for you to look at this through 488 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 1: rose colored glasses and pretend as though there's gonna be 489 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: a willing recipient of RUSS. That's not an option anymore. 490 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,840 Speaker 1: That ship has sailed. You must now pay to get 491 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,840 Speaker 1: rid of your problem, and he's making it more expensive 492 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,320 Speaker 1: with his behavior. Put the second round pick on the 493 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:41,920 Speaker 1: second first round pick on the table, all right, Before 494 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,120 Speaker 1: we get out of here, I wanted to talk about 495 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:45,360 Speaker 1: Lebron playing in the Drew League for a second. Um. 496 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: I was coming down as I was traveling yesterday, so 497 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: I didn't actually watch the game in its entirety, but 498 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,199 Speaker 1: I did my best to try to track down as 499 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:55,119 Speaker 1: much information as I can, and I watched the first 500 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,280 Speaker 1: the first quarter, I believe. I'm not sure if they 501 00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:00,439 Speaker 1: do quarters or has um at the Drew, but forty 502 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,120 Speaker 1: two points. Uh. He was eighteen for thirty six from 503 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 1: the field, sixteen for twenty six from two two for 504 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 1: thirteen from three. Uh. Lebron typically has always been a 505 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 1: streaky three point shooter, and in a new gym that 506 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 1: he's never been in before, weird setting, first time playing 507 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: competitive basketball a long time. Not surprised that he didn't 508 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: shoot the ball really well. The big things that I 509 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 1: looked at was he looked physically explosive. Uh. First of all, 510 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:25,280 Speaker 1: you get a new appreciation for Lebron's size when you 511 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: see him play against non pros, because he gets out 512 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: there and it's just he's bigger than every single player 513 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: on the court and guys are just bumping off of him. 514 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 1: Uh as he's barreling down the lane. He still is 515 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: one of the most physically impressive basketball players that we 516 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:41,680 Speaker 1: have in the league. I looked at it as a 517 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:45,920 Speaker 1: huge positive in the sense that he looked physically explosive. 518 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 1: And you you don't pay too much close attention to 519 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 1: the three point shot, but his handle looked sharp, he 520 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: looked sharp. He looked like he was in mid season four. 521 00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:56,880 Speaker 1: So what do we make of all of that? Well, 522 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 1: first of all, why did Lebron play in the game. 523 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: Lebron hasn't played in the Drew League since the lockout 524 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: right in two thousand, in the summer of two thousand 525 00:28:06,920 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: and eleven. It's been in eleven years. He's been living 526 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,120 Speaker 1: in l a for the last half decade, so there's 527 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,159 Speaker 1: the uh SO there for the last four years, So 528 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 1: there's no reason why he would suddenly be interested in 529 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 1: the Drew League. We also know he's one of the 530 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:25,160 Speaker 1: most calculated people in all of sports. With Lebron, almost 531 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:28,320 Speaker 1: everything he does serves an ulterior motive, right or a 532 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:31,719 Speaker 1: bigger purpose than what you would think. I looked at 533 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,360 Speaker 1: this as Lebron sending a clear message to the Lakers 534 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: front office. I am locked in. I am in mid 535 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 1: season four in July. I look at this season as 536 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: my last great chance to win an NBA championship. Do 537 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 1: not waste this on this roster. Do not waste this 538 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 1: in hopes of a twenty seven first round pick or 539 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:01,880 Speaker 1: a nine first round pick that has a damn zero 540 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: a damn near zero percent chance of being half as 541 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: good as I am right now. That was the message 542 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: that I thought Lebron was trying to send to that 543 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 1: front office. He was trying to breed urgency. Look at 544 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: what you have on the roster. This is what I'm 545 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: capable of Kyrie is there for the taking, Go get him. 546 00:29:22,160 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 1: That's the way I looked at it. I enjoyed it. 547 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: I love basketball. I love seeing the crowd. I love 548 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: that intimate setting. It was cool seeing all of the 549 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 1: other fringe pros, guys playing overseas, former college players really 550 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:37,720 Speaker 1: compete in that environment, battling with Demard Rose and battling 551 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: with Lebron. Obviously, it was a cool moment, and I'm 552 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: sure Lebron had a great time too. But he was 553 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: out there to send a message, and I thought that 554 00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: was to send a specific, a clear, a clear impression 555 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 1: of what his intentions were this season, to pour his 556 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: heart and soul into trying to win a championship. Lebron James, 557 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: when he's motivated, is it forced to be reckoned with. 558 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:01,920 Speaker 1: And you can tell when he is and when he 559 00:30:02,040 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: isn't him In two thousand and seventeen, when he knew 560 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: Kevin Durant was on the Warriors and he knew he 561 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: didn't have much of a chance to win the title, 562 00:30:11,520 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 1: you could see him pull back defensively. Right then you 563 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,400 Speaker 1: get into two thousand twenty and it's like Anthony Davis 564 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: is on the roster. He likes the role players. He 565 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:24,080 Speaker 1: feels like he has a chance. From day one. He's 566 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: locked in right then last year with when when the 567 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: rust things started to go south, you could almost see 568 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,400 Speaker 1: him making a calculation about his chances, and when he 569 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:36,960 Speaker 1: didn't think he had the chances, he pulled back. But 570 00:30:37,080 --> 00:30:39,239 Speaker 1: this has been a humiliating couple of years for him 571 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:40,840 Speaker 1: in the sense that they lost in the first round 572 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: and missed the playoffs entirely. I think he's locked in. 573 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,040 Speaker 1: I think he sees this is this is his last 574 00:30:47,040 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: great opportunity. I expect him to approach this season with 575 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,920 Speaker 1: the same amount of ferocity that he did in That's 576 00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 1: all the more reason for the Lakers to push their 577 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: chips into the middle of the table, and I hope 578 00:30:57,320 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: they do. Alright, guys, that is all I have for today. 579 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: At some point over the course of the next few days, 580 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:03,920 Speaker 1: I expect one of these trades to go down and 581 00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 1: then we'll have something. As always, I sincerely appreciate you 582 00:31:06,640 --> 00:31:08,440 Speaker 1: guys support. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter at 583 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: underscore Jason lt S. I can share some stuff about 584 00:31:10,800 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 1: the trip with you, guys, show announcements, things along those lines. 585 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: Subscribe to the volumes YouTube channels so you don't miss 586 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: any more of our our videos and then follow subscribe 587 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: to them the Hoops Tonight podcast feed just in case 588 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: you miss any of the YouTube videos. As always, I 589 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:24,800 Speaker 1: appreciate you guys, and I'll see you in a couple 590 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:39,200 Speaker 1: of days. The volume