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I've met 35 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: jovann And and Adam Maraes in the last couple of 36 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: weeks in person for the first time. Yovan and I've 37 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 1: worked together a lot over the last couple of years, 38 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: but this is our first time meeting in person. Both 39 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: dudes just as tall as I am. Was not expecting 40 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: that Yovonn is a giant. I think you might actually 41 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: be a little bit taller than me. But it's good 42 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 1: to see you, dude. It's good to finally meet you 43 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: in person. And this is one of those days where 44 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: I'm very thankful for what we do for a living, 45 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: because I'm reading the Ramona Shelbourne and Brian went Horse 46 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: piece this morning and I'm just progressively getting more and 47 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:35,359 Speaker 1: more irritated and annoyed. And I was like, this is 48 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,240 Speaker 1: awesome because I get to sit down with Yovon and 49 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: we can just talk, talk shit and get it off 50 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 1: our chest. And so I'm just I'm stoked about this. 51 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 1: But before we get to the lebron stuff. I obviously 52 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: we got to see Bronnie versus Cooper Flag last night. 53 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,399 Speaker 1: Did you have any big picture takeaways from last night's game. 54 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: I really like Cooper Flag's game. Obviously five to twenty one. 55 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 2: Didn't shoot the ball the way that he wanted to. 56 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 2: He called it one of the worst games of his career, 57 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 2: and I don't know if i'd agree with Like, I 58 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 2: thought he had a pretty good game outside of the shooting, 59 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: and he's got to figure out like the pull up 60 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 2: MIDI contested. I think that's a shot that he needs 61 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: to get a little bit better at. And I didn't 62 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 2: love some of the shots selection, but I like the 63 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 2: aggression and you could just tell he has a certain 64 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 2: feel for the game with the passing. 65 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 3: They're playing him at point guard. 66 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: He saw the Lakers blitz him on the first possession, 67 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,119 Speaker 2: which I thought was a nice little touch from their 68 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 2: coaching staff. But I think I really like his game. 69 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 2: I think he's very multifaceted. You also have to remember 70 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 2: he's eighteen years old, and like, this guy should be 71 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 2: going into his freshman year at Duke and for him 72 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 2: to be the best player on the floor for stretches there, 73 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: Like I just thought it wasn't like the Zion debut 74 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: or the Wembat debut, But like, I think he's going 75 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 2: to be a special player. 76 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: One of the things I always noticed when I go 77 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: to games in person is I become incredibly unaware of 78 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 1: the box score. But it almost is like the best 79 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: because then I get such a strong feel for the 80 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: player's floor game and all the little things that they're doing. 81 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: But it's actually funny because I got back to the 82 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: hotel last night and the same thing. I like looked 83 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: at the box score or I saw a tweet. Someone 84 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: just posted the tweet and it was like five for 85 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: twenty one from the field, and I was like, oh god, 86 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: that is a stinky box score. But I was like, 87 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: I just didn't think he played that poorly, Like he 88 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: missed his jump shots. Yeah, but like and there were 89 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: I'm glad you brought up the specific shots selection stuff 90 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,559 Speaker 1: because there were a couple of examples where I thought 91 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:25,799 Speaker 1: he like like took the wrong approach for the matchup 92 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: he was attacking, Like, yeah, you don't want to go 93 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: at Darius Baisley one on one. He's not your best 94 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 1: matchup out here, Like if you're going to go to 95 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: the post and work post fades, do it against a 96 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: size mismatch, get a mismatch in advance. Or like the 97 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: play where he did get pull swider on the switch 98 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: late in the game, I thought he just kind of 99 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 1: rushed and took a tough shot, Like there's things that 100 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: he could slow down and be better at. And then 101 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 1: obviously the jump shots the swing factor for him, Like 102 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: he got a lot of good looks on jump shots 103 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: in that game as well. But I want to talk 104 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: about Bronnie for just a second. Two I you know, 105 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: Bronnie come out, they come out the gates and they 106 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: immediately start running these like ball screen actions for him 107 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 1: at the top of the key. Had a lot of 108 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 1: on ball reps in this game. We had the quote 109 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: from him, I think it was like about six months 110 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: ago where they asked him, like, what do you see 111 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: your role as as an NBA player, and he said 112 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: on ball guard. And what I thought was so funny 113 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,280 Speaker 1: is we kind of saw three different versions of that 114 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: player last night. You have Brian Emhard, who is just 115 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: like the natural, like career on ball player who just 116 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: looks so comfortable. He's eating up ball pressure, he's getting 117 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: to his spots, he's showing midrand shot making, he's passing 118 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: out of the middle of the floor. Then in the 119 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: middle you have Cooper Flag who like is still budding 120 00:05:37,279 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: as an on ball player and has really only taken 121 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: on a ton of on ball responsibility in the last 122 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 1: couple of years, but that you can tell he's very 123 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 1: naturally gifted at it, and there's obviously all this upside 124 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: that he's going to get to over the course of 125 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 1: the next few years. And then you have Bronnie who 126 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: is like both raw and not naturally gifted at it, 127 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,279 Speaker 1: not naturally gifted at reading the floor. I thought he 128 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: made several kind of funky pocket passes where it looked 129 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: like he was kind of telegraphing what he was going 130 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: to do. He took that floater when he was draped 131 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: in back pressure, which is just not a good shot 132 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 1: unless you're drifting like Trey Young. Like there's just there's 133 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 1: all these like different things where I just thought, I 134 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: feel like, Bronnie, this is just missing the boat on 135 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: what he can be as an NBA player. 136 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think, and he talked about this. 137 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: We had a summer league practice last week and he 138 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 2: talked about like he acknowledged that he needs to get 139 00:06:26,520 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 2: better on the defensive side of the floor and that's 140 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 2: the primary way that he's going to get on the floor. 141 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 3: At the NBA level. 142 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 2: So I think that was like the player archtype coming 143 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 2: out as people were comparing him to a Daveon Mitchell 144 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: or a Pat Beverly or an Avery Bradley or like 145 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: someone like that, and we haven't really seen that hit 146 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 2: bull style. 147 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: I'm going to pressure you ninety four feet. 148 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 2: We might see it for like flashes or like possessions, 149 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 2: but he hasn't really had that like defensive dog yet 150 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,360 Speaker 2: that I think he's going to need to be at 151 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:54,839 Speaker 2: someone who's six foot one, six foot two, Like, it's 152 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 2: hard to be an NBA level rotation player at that 153 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 2: size if you aren't capable of defending at a very 154 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:01,479 Speaker 2: high level. 155 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 3: And pressuring and being disruptive. 156 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 2: So I think that's the key for him getting rotation 157 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: minutes with the Lakers team now. In terms of his 158 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: on ball stuff, like, I'm okay with him trying to 159 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 2: develop it because I think we have seen real progress 160 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 2: with him from the beginning. Like his first game at 161 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 2: the G League compared to his final season stats were 162 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 2: like nineteen five and five, which is nothing to scoff at. 163 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 2: I think he had some really impressive games and he 164 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 2: played like eighteen nineteen games, so it was like a 165 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 2: decent sample size for the G League. But I'm okay 166 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 2: with them trying to develop it, but I think you 167 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 2: got to be careful with Like I think if you're 168 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 2: developing him to be like a backup point guard, that's okay, 169 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,760 Speaker 2: But if this is like for him to like be 170 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: his primary role as potentially a starter. I don't know 171 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 2: if he has that upside in terms of the playmaking 172 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: and the ball handling at that level, if that makes sense. 173 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's my thing is like I look at Ryan 174 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,440 Speaker 1: Nimhart and I think backup NBA guard. Yeah, like a 175 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 1: legitimate this guy has the ability to become a guy 176 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: who can come in and play, you know, eighteen twenty 177 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: two minutes for a good series team and run the 178 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: bench offense like I And like there's just a chasm 179 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: between him and Banni and so it just it just 180 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: seems like such a far off dream. And it just 181 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: again to your point, like the defensive potential there, I'd argue, 182 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: like he's really far away from what he's capable of 183 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: being and what he has been, and so it just 184 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,080 Speaker 1: feels to me like that needs to be the main target. 185 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: And to your point, if he made that comment last week, 186 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: I think that's a good sign that his had is 187 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: at least in the. 188 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 2: Run good self awareness. Yeah, but certainly a project at 189 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: this point got to. 190 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: Get to Lebron no do it. So there's so much 191 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: weird noise. Obviously we had all this stuff that happened 192 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 1: last month. Sean's Last Night mentioned again Lebron's frustrations with 193 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: the Lakers Lebron. DeAndre Ayton was asked in a radio 194 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: hit whether or not he got welcomed to the team 195 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: by Lebron. He said no, and then said, but Luca did. 196 00:08:49,440 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: We had that weird ESPN piece this morning. Now, remember 197 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: Ramona Shelburne is very close to Genie Busts, So it's like, 198 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: I didn't look at that as like a something coming 199 00:08:57,800 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 1: from Lebron's camp. I looked at that as something that 200 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: can that came from the Lakers. But it's this weird 201 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: piece just basically kind of laying out some specifics of 202 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: the dynamic. Like Lebron was absent from a brain trust 203 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: meeting right after the lost Minnesota Lebron was not informed 204 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 1: about the sale of the team like Luca was. We 205 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 1: obviously know that Lebron loves to sign these one plus 206 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:18,680 Speaker 1: one contracts and the Lakers did not let him do 207 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 1: that this time around. What the fuck is going on 208 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: with this Lebron stuff. 209 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: It's been weird. 210 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: I'll say. 211 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 2: I started hearing in February that a contract extension, what 212 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: was unlikely to occur between the two sides. That's why 213 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: whenever I talked about it, I would mention the player 214 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,200 Speaker 2: or him likely opting into the player option, that that 215 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 2: was the way that this was headed. I think even 216 00:09:42,679 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 2: them talking about this like project twenty twenty seven, that's 217 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 2: what Laker fans have dubbed it about, like keeping the 218 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 2: cap space for twenty twenty seven, I think that's more about, 219 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 2: like it's the post Lebron plan. Like I think they're 220 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 2: more so looking at, Okay, he's gonna be because in 221 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 2: the piece, like they stated, I don't know if it's 222 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 2: exactly them reporting it or more speculation, but they basically say, 223 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 2: like the Lakers are moving on from Lebron after this season, 224 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:09,800 Speaker 2: Like this is the final season of Lebron in LA. 225 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 2: He can retire and this have his farewell tour in LA, 226 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 2: or he can go somewhere else next summer, Like that 227 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 2: was the implication. So if that's the case, then like 228 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 2: all this talk about the future and what the Lakers 229 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 2: roster is going to look like season from now or 230 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 2: two seasons from now, that's the post Lebron plan. And 231 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: they're indicating then that they kind of want to ride 232 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 2: out this year, Like you know, be as good as 233 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 2: they can while maintaining that flexibility, and then go into 234 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,719 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six, twenty seven, and twenty twenty seven to 235 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,319 Speaker 2: twenty eight building around Luca Austin and like the next 236 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 2: iteration of the Lakers group. So I think for Lebron, 237 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: he's been the most powerful athlete maybe in American sports history, 238 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 2: you know, based on like the player empowerment movement and 239 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 2: all the changes that he's helped facilitate. So for him 240 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: to go from being like the center of the universe 241 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: on every team he's ever been on and always have 242 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,920 Speaker 2: the front office and ownership coming to him and you know, 243 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 2: can you do a one plus one? Can you do 244 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 2: a longer term deal? And now, for the first time 245 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: in his career, it's we're not offering you this like that. 246 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 2: That's got a you know, he feels a certain type 247 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 2: of way about it, and I don't blame him for that. 248 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 2: And that's why I sat on my show a few 249 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 2: days ago that like they're not in the best place 250 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 2: right now. And I think that's probably an understatement, but uh, 251 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 2: I mean I get it from I get it from 252 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 2: both sides, right, Because if you're the Lakers you're trying 253 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 2: to build around Luca, and if you go all in 254 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 2: on this roster, it is going to hamstring you with 255 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 2: what you can do in the future. If you're Lebron, 256 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,800 Speaker 2: you're Lebron and you're used to things and you know, 257 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 2: operating a certain way, and they're just not operating that 258 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 2: way anymore. 259 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:41,760 Speaker 1: So I actually think Lebron is just pissed about the contract. 260 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: This is my careery because like, they're better. They got 261 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: DeAndre and they are. That's a substantial upgrade at the 262 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: biggest weeks spot spot in the roster from last year. 263 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:54,840 Speaker 1: They are. You know, they lose Dorian Phinney Smith. Obviously 264 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: that had its like the Dorian Phinney Smith thing, Like 265 00:11:57,800 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 1: I saw a lot of Laker fans get upset about it. 266 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:02,079 Speaker 1: I'm a little bit more in the middle ground there 267 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: because you made that deal before Lucas signed, Like, you 268 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,439 Speaker 1: can't you can't be like, oh, it's poor asset management. 269 00:12:08,440 --> 00:12:12,199 Speaker 1: The entire trajectory of the franchise shifted after that deal. 270 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: But like adding Jake Laavia, adding Dean Drayton, I would 271 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: argue the Lakers are a better basketball team today than 272 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: they were last year. So Lebron probably has a certain 273 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: amount of excitement there. There's also the reality that, like 274 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: I think, I think Lebron became aware right away, even 275 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: when the Luca trade first came down, like, oh yeah, 276 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 1: they're not going to go throw all of our first 277 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: round draft picks and Dalton connect and everything at at 278 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: a player for a win now type of move because 279 00:12:37,400 --> 00:12:39,680 Speaker 1: it doesn't make sense anymore. Lucas twenty six years old. 280 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: I think where Lebron is frustrated, and I completely sided 281 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 1: with him on this. He was sixth in MVP voting 282 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: last year. I voted for him fifth. He was second 283 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: team All NBA. 284 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 3: I voted for him first. 285 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: There was a stretch before he pulled his groin where 286 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: he legitimately was playing at the level of the very 287 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: best players in the league. He was playing incredible defense, 288 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: was averaging as close to a thirty point triple double 289 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 1: on sky high efficiency, was going on the road to 290 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: good teams and picking them apart. Lebron was cooking. And 291 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,439 Speaker 1: yet was he a lesser player when he came back. 292 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: He absolutely was, but he was still very, very good 293 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 1: in the postseason. I think he was like twenty five 294 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 1: nine and six on sixty percent true shooting. He had 295 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:24,640 Speaker 1: a thirty seven point playoff game. Like Lebron is still 296 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: very much one of the second tier stars in the NBA. 297 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: I was joking in the elevator on the way up, 298 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,520 Speaker 1: like to me, if this was Carl Anthony Towns that 299 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: was on the roster and he asked for a one 300 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 1: plus one, is there any chance they turn him down? No, 301 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: because of the timeline, he's a younger player. Carl Anthony 302 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 1: Towns is not as good at basketball as Lebron James. 303 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 1: He wasn't last year, he won't be next year, he 304 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,960 Speaker 1: probably won't be the year after. And like the thing 305 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: that bothers me is like all Lebron is saying is 306 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,080 Speaker 1: I'm still one of the twelve to thirteen best player 307 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 1: in the NBA, and I will be this year and 308 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 1: even if there is some sort of decline in the 309 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: following season, there are all sorts of players around the 310 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: league making James Harden just signed another two year, eighty 311 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 1: million dollar deal, like Lebron is just saying, pay me 312 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: for the basketball player that I am. And I don't 313 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: blame him for being upset about that. I think Lebron, 314 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: if they had just given him the one plus one 315 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: that he wanted would be sitting here going like, okay, cool, 316 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: we got Deandreyton. I can be here for potentially two 317 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 1: additional years if I want to. We're set up. If like, 318 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 1: if I come into this season and we kick ass 319 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: and we do a bunch of demonstration of what our 320 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: upside is, maybe they'll be more aggressive and make a move. 321 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: At that point, I agree that they should be patient 322 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 1: and try to find a guy that kind of fits 323 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 1: a longer timeline. With Luca, I just think he's upset 324 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: about the contract, and I don't blame him for that. Like, 325 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: do you think, let me just ask you this, did 326 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: Lebron deserve a one plus one? 327 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 3: I think so. 328 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: I think you could argue from the Lakers perspective that 329 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 2: the you know, if we look at like what Raphael 330 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 2: Stone has done with Houston and he's negotiated very shrewdly 331 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 2: and he's gotten like below market deals, or he got 332 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 2: Fred van Vliet to renegotiate at a much almost half 333 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: of the rate of you know, his team option that 334 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:17,320 Speaker 2: he had with Houston, I think like you could argue 335 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 2: from a just a pure negotiation standpoint, like not giving 336 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,160 Speaker 2: Lebron that option and being like, Okay, let's just see 337 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 2: if you can keep this up for one more year 338 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,360 Speaker 2: and the next summer you're still worth it, we will 339 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 2: give you that. You know, we will resign you to 340 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 2: another one year deal and give you another note trade 341 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 2: clause or whatever. 342 00:15:35,240 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 3: And so I get it. 343 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:40,359 Speaker 1: From again Lebron kind of but like which. 344 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: For Lebron, it's like, I feel like he feels like 345 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 2: he shouldn't have to because he's Lebron. And I think 346 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 2: we could also talk about like the mismanagement of really 347 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 2: the post Westbrook era of this roster and just of 348 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: their assets and not going all in around Lebron or 349 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 2: for Lebron and not really giving him a proper chance 350 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 2: to win another championship like they've always had these half 351 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 2: measures over the last few years, and maintaining flexibility with 352 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 2: roster spots, or maintaining at least one first round pick, 353 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 2: and like being hesitant to really go for it with 354 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 2: Lebron and Ad and then they finally get you know, 355 00:16:15,040 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: they strike gold with Luca and immediately they go get 356 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,760 Speaker 2: Mark Williams and you know that doesn't work out. But 357 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 2: then now they're trying to kind of figure this plan 358 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: out for Lucas. So I also think that's like another 359 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 2: part of it, which they call it microaggressions and the 360 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 2: story which I kind of like, which it was like 361 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 2: a timeline of like, yeah, this is this is all 362 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: like because the Lebron is used to being given the 363 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 2: heads up on things, right, and you know, I think 364 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: there's there's the. 365 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 3: Whole led GM narrative out there. 366 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 2: But like he's at least like that's typical NBA custom, 367 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: you give your superstar heads up. But he was not 368 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: given a heads up with the Luca trade. He was 369 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 2: not giving up given a heads up with the sale, 370 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 2: and so I think he just again kind of feels 371 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 2: a certain way about this. 372 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: I even on that front, like sit Lebron down at 373 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: the restaurant and include him in your plays. 374 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 2: Well, the restaurant thing is fin need to me because 375 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 2: for those who know La, like Craigs is if you 376 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:06,639 Speaker 2: want to be seen by paparazzi, and they lead with 377 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 2: that in the story that I keep saying that on 378 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: my show, I'm like, if you want to be photographed 379 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 2: or like on TMZ, like go to Craigs and walk 380 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 2: out the front door, like that's a. 381 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 3: Hotspot for that. 382 00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 2: So like they clearly get robbed there with the with 383 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: the binder, and it was like, and that was a 384 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:24,119 Speaker 2: few days after so they were sending their message like 385 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: they've been sending a message since the Luca trade that 386 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 2: we're moving on. 387 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: I just look at it as like, I think Lebron 388 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: still performs his contract. I think I think there will 389 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: come a point probably like it's very possible that in 390 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,479 Speaker 1: that second year it starts to become a little bit 391 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 1: more of a complicated conversation. But like, unless you have 392 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:45,679 Speaker 1: some means with which to replace his salary with players 393 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: that are going to produce at a higher level than 394 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: he does, it's literally at this point just about talent 395 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,199 Speaker 1: manage it. And that's the part that I'm struggling with is, like, 396 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 1: I I think Lebron is reasonable enough to understand why 397 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: you couldn't, you know, package the first and Dalton for 398 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:04,840 Speaker 1: a thirty year old Andrew Wiggins. Like I think Lebron 399 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: gets that. Lebron's not unreasonable in that sense. I think 400 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 1: his frustration centers around the fact that the Lakers are 401 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:15,480 Speaker 1: like legitimately showing him a level of disrespect that they 402 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: did not show Kobe Bryant in a similar position at 403 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: the tail end of his career when he was not 404 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: performing up to his contract, and Lebron's like literally like 405 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 1: he's like, I was staring down the best players in 406 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: the world last year and going toe to toe with 407 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,719 Speaker 1: them and playing at the super high level, and like, 408 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: I'm just not getting that level of respect. And so 409 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: I don't blame him for having that frustration. A couple 410 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: of quick questions, and then I want to look forward 411 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 1: to the kind of the big picture of the team. 412 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 1: First of all, if you had to pick right now 413 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 1: as Lebron a Laker next. 414 00:18:46,080 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 3: Year, yeah, yeah, I would. I haven't changed on that. 415 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 2: I think maybe around the trade deadline, you know, depending 416 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 2: on how things go. It's just it's like, I don't 417 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 2: see him taking a buyout, because if he wanted to 418 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 2: take a buyout, he should have just opped it out 419 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,520 Speaker 2: it out and then signed some type of free agency deal. 420 00:19:02,760 --> 00:19:04,880 Speaker 2: Lakers are not going to be like, all right, well, 421 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 2: we'll eat the fifty of the fifty three million, and 422 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 2: you go sign a minimum contract in Cleveland or Dallas 423 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:12,840 Speaker 2: or whatever. So I just don't see a buy out 424 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,160 Speaker 2: being realistic In terms of a trade. It just gets 425 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,359 Speaker 2: really complicated if you look at Cleveland with their second 426 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 2: apron situation. 427 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:19,520 Speaker 3: Dallas could do. 428 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,160 Speaker 2: Multiple role players, but like, you are losing a lot 429 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 2: of depth in that situation Golden State, are they giving 430 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 2: up like Jimmy Like even that I don't think technically 431 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,320 Speaker 2: works under the CBA. There's New York, which I guess 432 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 2: there's a couple variations there. But he's already said no 433 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:36,919 Speaker 2: to the Knicks a couple of times and said he 434 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 2: doesn't want to play for Dolan, so it gets hard 435 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: to see like a natural trade partner. So I think 436 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,159 Speaker 2: I think the big question for Lebron honestly is how 437 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 2: much longer does he want to play? Like does like 438 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 2: we don't even know for sure if he's playing beyond 439 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 2: next season. It seems to be trending that way, but 440 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 2: he could have like just announced this is my final 441 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:56,240 Speaker 2: season and that statement would kind of make more sense 442 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 2: of maybe in that case he does want them to 443 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 2: trade to pick trade Dalton because it's like, this is 444 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,359 Speaker 2: my last ride, give me a shot to win a title. 445 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 2: So I think the big thing for him is figuring 446 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 2: out am I playing an extra year or. 447 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:09,840 Speaker 3: Like how do I feel about that? 448 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,119 Speaker 2: And then going from there, because if he's playing a 449 00:20:13,119 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 2: couple more years then all right, one more final year 450 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:18,359 Speaker 2: as a Laker. Next summer is now the big Lebron 451 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: free agency, you get the farewell toward. 452 00:20:20,680 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: Is he going back to Cleveland? Is he going to Dallas? 453 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:22,639 Speaker 1: Like? 454 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 3: Where's he going? 455 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: So? 456 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 3: I think that's the big thing. But for now, I'll 457 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 3: say he remains a Laker. 458 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: I think so too. I just don't think there's any 459 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: obvious place for him to go. I think if there 460 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 1: was an obvious place for him to go, he'd go. 461 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:36,359 Speaker 2: Like I think if I mean, if there was a 462 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 2: team that had cap space that made that wasn't proclaimed, Yeah, 463 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:40,560 Speaker 2: that might have been an option, yeah, Or. 464 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,239 Speaker 1: A team that had a big, bloated salary that they 465 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 1: were looking to get rid of that the Lakers could 466 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: afford to take on with an asset in return or 467 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: something like that. Like it just I just I would 468 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: be shocked if I didn't see him in a Laker jersey. 469 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 1: Do you second quick one, and then we'll get into 470 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,120 Speaker 1: the team. Do you see any additional moves being made 471 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,359 Speaker 1: by the team before training camp? 472 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:57,960 Speaker 2: This has been the one that's that's difficult too, because 473 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:00,639 Speaker 2: if you look at the Lakers the last couple of offseasons. 474 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 2: This has been how their offseason kind of goes. Is 475 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 2: maybe they trade up in the draft or acquire like 476 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 2: like they like acquiring second round picks, which they did 477 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 2: in this past draft. 478 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 3: Then they signed a couple guys. 479 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 2: Then they might like wave someone or do something in 480 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 2: the back end, but they pretty much just like roll 481 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 2: with that lineup. The last trade they made player related 482 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 2: trade they made in the off season, it was August 483 00:21:21,920 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 2: twenty twenty two. It was the Pat Bev Taylor Horton 484 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 2: Tucker trade. Were almost three years from that. It's been 485 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 2: no trade in the twenty twenty three offseason, no trade 486 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 2: in the twenty twenty four offseason, potentially no trade in 487 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty five offseason, Like we have a sample 488 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 2: size of this is kind of how they operate. They 489 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 2: like going into the season with fourteen guys on the roster, 490 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 2: They like going into the season with a first round pick. 491 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 2: So history suggests they wave shake Milton and then just 492 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 2: don't do anything else until the season and maybe make 493 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 2: a trade closer to the trade deadline. Now, I think 494 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 2: the thing looming over all of this is Luca extension 495 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,719 Speaker 2: and that like can you go to Luca, and I 496 00:21:57,720 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: agree with you that they're better, But are they better 497 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 2: when you look at what Houston did, when you look 498 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 2: at what Denver did. I think right now, at best 499 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 2: you could argue they're the fourth best team in the West. 500 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 2: I would probably put them fifth. I'd still put Minnesota 501 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 2: slightly ahead of them. But like, can you go to 502 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 2: Luca on August second and be like, hey, we got 503 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 2: you your boy DeAndre Ayton. You guys are your Sharon Agent, 504 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 2: your friends. Jacob Rabia is nine years younger than the FS, 505 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 2: and you might not know much about his game because 506 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 2: he played in Memphis and Sacramento. But like, is this 507 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 2: Swiss army knife versatile player who could do a lot 508 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:33,200 Speaker 2: of different things. Is that enough for Luca to sign 509 00:22:33,240 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 2: that extension? Like, I think he's going to sign it, 510 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 2: but I think they might need to do at least 511 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 2: one more thing, So I would lean toward them doing something. 512 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,280 Speaker 2: I would lean more towards small than like medium or big. 513 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 2: But could you wave shake and sign someone to part 514 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,199 Speaker 2: of the BAE or a minimum contract? Like yes, So 515 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: I think at a minimum they do something like that. 516 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 2: Maybe they end up swinging for the fences and do 517 00:22:58,080 --> 00:22:59,640 Speaker 2: like a bigger trade for a wing. I just think 518 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 2: based on history and based on the current market, I 519 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 2: just don't. I don't see what's out there other than 520 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 2: maybe Wiggins, but the asking price was far too high. 521 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, Wiggins to me, because he's in his thirties now. 522 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: I think if the Lakers got Andrew Wiggins, they'd be 523 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,200 Speaker 1: in the top tier in the West. I agree because 524 00:23:15,240 --> 00:23:19,040 Speaker 1: like Aighton Wiggins, Lebron, that's the addition of Wiggins and 525 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 1: Aton just makes them so much more athletic in the 526 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: starting lineup when they were just not athletic enough. And 527 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 1: that's just a lot of talent to have eaton Wiggins, Lebron, 528 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: Reeves and Luca. But I wouldn't do that deal unless 529 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: it was like Gabe Rui and second round draft compensation. 530 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:34,879 Speaker 1: If they could do that, that's great. I agree with 531 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: you want to bring a first into the season because 532 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 1: I think that theoretical twenties guy in their mid twenties 533 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,199 Speaker 1: that can start at the two or the three is 534 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,680 Speaker 1: a guy that is not available yet but that can 535 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:47,760 Speaker 1: come available, and you want to pounce when he does. 536 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 1: That could be a Aaron Nesmith, that coululd be a 537 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 1: Herb Jones. It could be one of these younger wings 538 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 1: that plays the two or the three, that can defend 539 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:57,919 Speaker 1: multiple positions, drive close outs, hit and open three that 540 00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: kind of stuff. I think that all is the type 541 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: of player they should be waiting for to pounce on. 542 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: One of the things I like about that kind of 543 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: player is it's a good bit of asset management. You 544 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: get an Aaron E. Smith, you get a Herb Jones. 545 00:24:11,320 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: This is a guy. These are guys that I Herb. 546 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: We haven't seen play in the postseason, but these are 547 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: guys that I think play valuable archetra. 548 00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 2: It would be perfect with Luca and Austen. That's like 549 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 2: the perfect third guy there. 550 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,479 Speaker 1: Absolutely and like her I like Herb as an offensive 551 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: player when he has a great advantage, and I just 552 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:26,959 Speaker 1: think Luca is going to be able to set him 553 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 1: up with that sort of thing. But I think it 554 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 1: makes sense to wait until something actually comes available for that. 555 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 1: So with that being the case, what's your opinion on 556 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: this roster overall as currently constructed with Lebron coming back. 557 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 3: I think I'd put them fifth in the West. 558 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 2: So I just did a mailbag that dropped today and 559 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 2: I got asked, like, how far can they go, And 560 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 2: I said, I think the West to me is like 561 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:56,680 Speaker 2: a giant game of rock paper scissors, as we've seen 562 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 2: over the last few years. So depending on the side 563 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 2: of the brea they're on, depending on the matchups, I 564 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:03,960 Speaker 2: could see a conference finals path that they could be 565 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 2: a twenty nineteen Blazers twenty twenty three Lakers twenty twenty 566 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:10,120 Speaker 2: five Wolves, where on paper they're not the second best 567 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 2: team in the conference, but if they get the right 568 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 2: matchups or injury luck or whatever, I could see them 569 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 2: in the conference finals. More realistically, I think they're probably 570 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 2: a first or second round team as constructed. Again, depending 571 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:24,720 Speaker 2: on the matchups, I think they're better. Again the question 572 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 2: of like better enough, I think Houston got a lot better. 573 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:30,879 Speaker 2: I think Denver got a lot better. OKAC should be 574 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 2: getting better just with internal improvement with their young players 575 00:25:34,119 --> 00:25:37,479 Speaker 2: and just extra continuity and now the championship confidence. Like 576 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,520 Speaker 2: so looking at those three teams, I think they're clearly 577 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 2: ahead of the Lakers. Minnesota lost, Nah, well we'll see 578 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 2: what they got. Some young bench guards that Dillingham and 579 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 2: Shannon and like, can one of those guys pop and 580 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:52,880 Speaker 2: potentially replace Na in their rotation? 581 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 3: Then Golden State. I mean they're a wild card right now. 582 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 2: We don't know what's going on with the cominga situation, 583 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 2: and right now are the favorites to land Al Horford 584 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 2: and the Anthony Milton. So they could flip Kaminga into 585 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 2: something and get Horford and Melton like all of a sudden, 586 00:26:08,000 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 2: they're a more interesting team that the Clippers had a 587 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 2: really nice offseason with the Collins trade and adding Brook 588 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 2: Lopez and then resigning James Harden. So like the West 589 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 2: is just brutal, and we haven't even mentioned like San Antonio, Dallas, 590 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: depending on when caylried, when Kyrie comes back like that, 591 00:26:25,359 --> 00:26:28,680 Speaker 2: they're you know, so right now, I would put the 592 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: Lakers fifth in the West, and that I more so 593 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,760 Speaker 2: mean like I was putting the odds. 594 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 3: To come out of the conference. I would put them fifth. 595 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 2: I could see them being like third or fourth and 596 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 2: having a similar season to last year where fifty plus 597 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,640 Speaker 2: wins third seed. But like maybe they run into one 598 00:26:44,640 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: of those other teams that's maybe a little lower. You know, 599 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 2: Denver underachieves for whatever reason. It's a three six and 600 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 2: like they lose to Denver in the first round. So 601 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 2: i'd put them fifth, what about you. 602 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think there's a clear top tier, which is okay, 603 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: see Denver in Houston, and I think that ever everyone else, 604 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: it's just a crap shoot based on a bunch of 605 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: different factors, like and there's a lot of different like 606 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: swings in within each team, Like for the Clippers, it's 607 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 1: like just how many games are you getting out of 608 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: Kwhi and how good is he when he plays? 609 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? 610 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: I think even with the Lakers, like the difference between 611 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 1: them being the fourth best team in the West and 612 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: then being the seventh or eighth best best team in 613 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 1: the West is like, does Luca go on a revenge 614 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 1: campaign and clearly demonstrate himself as the second best player 615 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 1: in the world and Lebron plays at a second team 616 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 1: all NBA level? Again, like, if that happens, that's two 617 00:27:28,600 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 1: top ten players. They can the second best team in 618 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,120 Speaker 1: the West. Like, there's there's obviously a lot of swing there. 619 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,240 Speaker 1: Even as you go deeper down the roster. It's like Minnesota, 620 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: it's like, is an't going to take the leap as 621 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: like a more reliable half court scorer and as a 622 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,040 Speaker 1: more reliable half court operator. Julius Randall and the in 623 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: the fit everything there. There's just so many different swings 624 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: Dallas health, Like if Anthony Davis is healthy and like 625 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: plays at a top ten level, and Cooper Flag is 626 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 1: a natural fit. You and I both know D'angela Russell 627 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: has his issues, but he is a very good offensive 628 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: player in the regular season on a team that like 629 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 1: will very much benefit from what he brings to the table. 630 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 2: What I could support him with their defense and size 631 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,200 Speaker 2: and lay yeah, and like, so it's a good situation 632 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 2: for him. 633 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: And what if Kyrie comes back in March and looks 634 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 1: like Kyrie all of a sudden, Dallas could be the 635 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:16,840 Speaker 1: third or fourth best team in the West. So, like, 636 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,719 Speaker 1: all of that to me is just wide open. And 637 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: the if I look at the Lakers roster, just like 638 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 1: on a more granular level, they're just not athletic enough. 639 00:28:25,119 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 1: That's the thing I keep coming back to as I 640 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 1: look at the roster, it's like Luca below average athlete, 641 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 1: Austin below average athlete. Right now, you're starting three. Is 642 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:37,520 Speaker 1: Ruyacha Mura for the position average athlete? Lebron slightly above 643 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: average as a fourty year old, maybe when he's engaged. 644 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: You know, eight, and I think is an above average 645 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 1: athlete at his position, but he's got motor issues. You 646 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: go down to the bench and it's like Gabe Vincent's 647 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: a good athlete, but he's very small. Jared Vanderbilt is 648 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: a very laterally quick athlete, but he's had health issues 649 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,160 Speaker 1: in the pass, and he's not a very good vertical athlete. 650 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: Dun connect to me, I'm like just generally lower on 651 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,880 Speaker 1: him than all Laker fans are. I just I straight 652 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: up think he's years away from playing a serious role 653 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 1: on a winning basketball team, like a serious series. 654 00:29:03,600 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 3: The problem is he's twenty four. 655 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is this is what I'm saying. I just 656 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,360 Speaker 1: don't see it like I I just don't see it 657 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 1: with Dalton And if if I was a Lakers and 658 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 1: I saw a team that had a value, and that's 659 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 1: why I would actually. 660 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 3: I would do Ruly and Dalton for Andrew Wiggins. 661 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,719 Speaker 2: I know on paper that seemed might seem like an 662 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,840 Speaker 2: overpay for some but I think if that is like 663 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 2: the lowest that Miami will go, I would do that personally. 664 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: The only reason why I could see it as defensive. 665 00:29:30,440 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: For the record, I would too, but that's because I 666 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: want to win this year. But if I had to. 667 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: If I had to play Devil's advocate there, what I 668 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,960 Speaker 1: would say is Wiggins is a depreciating asset. So like 669 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: I would, I would I would be trying to pursue 670 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: something for Dalton where I'm getting back a player that 671 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 1: has more shortand long term utility. But I would personally 672 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: do the deal just because I want to see what 673 00:29:49,640 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: that team looks like. But yeah, I'm not as high 674 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: on Dalton, And you know, as you just go down 675 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: the roster, I just don't think they're athletic enough of 676 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,320 Speaker 1: do Thuerrow, Like I've heard that the medical with him as. 677 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 2: Well, he's got he's got the knee injury right now, 678 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:02,640 Speaker 2: ye not playing in the summer league. And they just 679 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:05,840 Speaker 2: to me, they just don't have the perimeter defense. Like 680 00:30:05,840 --> 00:30:08,960 Speaker 2: if you and this is sort of a subjective thing, 681 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 2: but if if you were like looking at all the 682 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 2: top teams in the West, and you're like, who are 683 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 2: their three best defenders? The Lakers having Gabe Vincent and 684 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 2: Jared Vanderbilt as two of their three best defenders compared 685 00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 2: to some of the like look at what Houston has, 686 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 2: or look at what Okay s has, or look at 687 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 2: what Minnesota has. And like it's just a different weight 688 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 2: class entirely in terms of particularly perimeter defense. So I 689 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 2: think that that's the biggest reason for me for a 690 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 2: potential Wiggans trade or like they just need an athletic 691 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:41,360 Speaker 2: defender that can play thirty plus minutes to night, because 692 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 2: even Vando, I think we haven't like he's dealt with injuries. 693 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,400 Speaker 2: He had the double foot surgery last year or last summer, 694 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 2: but you know, I think he slipped a little bit 695 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 2: athletically and he wasn't quite the same defender. But if 696 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 2: he can get back to twenty twenty three Vando, obviously 697 00:30:54,840 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 2: that's a really high level, impactful defender. But even then 698 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,640 Speaker 2: I think there's limitations too. Can he play more than 699 00:31:00,640 --> 00:31:02,959 Speaker 2: twenty minutes? Can he play more than twenty five minutes? 700 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 2: And clearly we saw in the playoffs like JJ had 701 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 2: him more in like that eighth man role, So I 702 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 2: just think there's a limit. Like I know some people 703 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 2: want him to start it, I'm like, I just don't 704 00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:13,440 Speaker 2: see JJ starting. 705 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: There's no way. 706 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,440 Speaker 2: So if that's your best defender and he's your eighth man, 707 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:20,320 Speaker 2: like you're just kind of in a tough spot. So 708 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:22,760 Speaker 2: especially with that starting group, like they're gonna be big, 709 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 2: they're gonna be tough to match up with. The offense 710 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 2: should be incredible, but you're once again in a situation 711 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 2: where Rui's your primary forward defender, Austin's your primary backcourt defender, 712 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:35,000 Speaker 2: and I think that's problematic. 713 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: I think their pathway is the Denver pathway, which is, like, 714 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,680 Speaker 1: you match up well with OKC because you have big, 715 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: big forwards that can create shots, and that just is 716 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: a way with which to enter Oklahoma City's defense, just 717 00:31:47,040 --> 00:31:49,680 Speaker 1: like Nikola Jokic was. And then on the defensive end, 718 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 1: it's having a few really good defensive players in a 719 00:31:53,080 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 1: really smart scheme where all of the lesser defenders are engaged, 720 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:58,960 Speaker 1: and then your offense is just indomitable. And I do 721 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: think that that's achievable for them. I think it would 722 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 1: require a player like Wiggins. I think they would need 723 00:32:03,920 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: at least that level of player to get to that point. 724 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: If we're talking about a theoretical bit of intension here 725 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: from the Lakers. But like there's one last like kind 726 00:32:13,880 --> 00:32:17,479 Speaker 1: of like variable for me in the potential Lakers ceiling, 727 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,440 Speaker 1: and it's Lebron and Austin's catch and shoot play. I 728 00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: thought Austin. I thought both Austin and Lebron. Lebron was 729 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: shooting the ball so well before he got hurt, but 730 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: like after he came back, and then Austin really throughout 731 00:32:31,160 --> 00:32:33,400 Speaker 1: the season, Austin just is not a good catch and 732 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 1: shoot player right now. Yeah, and playing off of Luca, 733 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,400 Speaker 1: that's going to be a necessity for them to not 734 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: be redundant and to experience diminishing returns. I think the 735 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: eight in piece is a massive ceiling razer for their offense. 736 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,120 Speaker 1: I think Ayton is going to be a monster role 737 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:53,800 Speaker 1: man with Luca. Luca has always been really gifted at 738 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: getting the defender onto his hip, even without a screen, 739 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: and so even some of Ayton's screening a weekness or 740 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 1: he has a tendency to just slip out of screen 741 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: super fast and roll to the rim. I should think 742 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 1: that works with Luca because lucas such a good lob 743 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:10,360 Speaker 1: thrower and he doesn't really need help getting Gerbil penetration. So, 744 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,440 Speaker 1: like there's a lot of upside with the eight and 745 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 1: fit if Luca, if Lebron and Austin become good catch 746 00:33:16,040 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: and shoot players, I literally think they could be the top, 747 00:33:19,240 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: like a top three offense in the NBA, like that 748 00:33:21,680 --> 00:33:24,480 Speaker 1: is a real achievable outcome for them. And so with 749 00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: that being the case, if they do that and they 750 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: bring in some sort of defensive piece, I do think 751 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 1: there's a small little sliver of a window that they 752 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: could slide through, see it. But they're just clearly in 753 00:33:33,480 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: that second tier. And that's what just kind of keeps 754 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:39,480 Speaker 1: me from being too optimistic about them. Last question for you, 755 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:43,600 Speaker 1: do you think the Lakers would consider making a more 756 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: aggressive deal like Dalton and the first round pick, like 757 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 1: including maybe a swap if they kicked ass to start 758 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: the season and they looked like a legitimate threat. 759 00:33:53,480 --> 00:33:53,920 Speaker 3: I think so. 760 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:58,280 Speaker 2: I also think the thing we have to keep in 761 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:02,040 Speaker 2: mind with all talk about their transactions or what they 762 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 2: want to do is like what does Luca want? Right 763 00:34:03,920 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 2: and and so I think an interesting part of the 764 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 2: story that dropped today from ESPN was like just talking 765 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 2: to him about the future and what type of players 766 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:14,840 Speaker 2: does he want and selling them on their plan and 767 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 2: being honest about like the limited resources and assets that 768 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 2: they currently have, and if we give up a first 769 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:23,239 Speaker 2: round pick, if a Jannis becomes available on the market, 770 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 2: if a Jokic becomes available, on the market. We're going 771 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:27,759 Speaker 2: to need multiple first round picks, We're going to need 772 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 2: multiple pick swaps. We're potentially going to need an attractive 773 00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,160 Speaker 2: young player in adult and connect and you know, we're 774 00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 2: going to need all these assets to go for that 775 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 2: type of guy. So if we spend that on in 776 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:38,959 Speaker 2: Andrew Wiggins, if we spend that on a Herb Jones 777 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 2: or whoever, we don't. 778 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 3: Have that option now. 779 00:34:42,640 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 2: So I obviously that like we've heard the pie in 780 00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:48,280 Speaker 2: the sky and they had their guys that they wanted 781 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:50,880 Speaker 2: in previous off seasons that they didn't get, So like 782 00:34:51,239 --> 00:34:53,680 Speaker 2: it doesn't mean it's going to happen, but you already 783 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 2: have that guy in Luca who people are gonna want 784 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:57,319 Speaker 2: to play with. He's aid, like I'd want to play 785 00:34:57,320 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: with Luca. I was another superstar right the way he's 786 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 2: going to set up, especially like just think about a 787 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,800 Speaker 2: Luca Janni's pick and roll is just it's like mind blowing, 788 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 2: like just the potential there. But so I think like 789 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 2: Luca's urgency is the thing to me that that is 790 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 2: the most interesting of because I don't see Luca just 791 00:35:15,719 --> 00:35:18,200 Speaker 2: being like I just got to the finals fourteen months 792 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 2: ago and I'm cool with chilling, like us just being 793 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,719 Speaker 2: like a five or six seed, right, So if they 794 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 2: get out to that hot start, does he put a 795 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 2: little bit more pressure on the front office to Hey, 796 00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:30,480 Speaker 2: I signed the extension, or maybe I haven't signed the 797 00:35:30,520 --> 00:35:34,320 Speaker 2: extension and I'm considering signing. You know, you're resigning next summer, 798 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,520 Speaker 2: but I want you guys to like go for it. 799 00:35:36,560 --> 00:35:38,160 Speaker 3: So that that's kind of a variable that I. 800 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:41,080 Speaker 2: Think we'll see what type of urgency and pressure he 801 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,360 Speaker 2: puts on them. But I think so, I mean, I 802 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:46,120 Speaker 2: think it goes back kind of to the DFS trade 803 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:47,799 Speaker 2: and like the you know, you know, around that time 804 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:50,359 Speaker 2: they started to play a little bit better and it 805 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 2: was like you saw the kernels of something and they 806 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 2: were like, here's this opportunistic situation where we can flipd 807 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 2: lo plus some seconds for DFS. So I think if 808 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 2: they get out to like a ten and three start 809 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,760 Speaker 2: and their top three team in the West, that probably 810 00:36:04,800 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 2: puts some more urgency on them. But you know, again 811 00:36:08,640 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 2: with the Lakers and trades that I feel like that 812 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:13,240 Speaker 2: they sometimes are chasing the perfect trade at the expense 813 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:16,320 Speaker 2: of a good or great trade, and that is sometimes 814 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:18,520 Speaker 2: leads to an activity, and as we've seen with the 815 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 2: off season or going into the trade deadline like that, 816 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:23,799 Speaker 2: I feel like sometimes they overthink these situations. 817 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, it feels like they're always looking for 818 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:27,600 Speaker 1: an excuse not to do something. For a while, it 819 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: was like the runways too short, so it's not worth it. 820 00:36:29,680 --> 00:36:31,560 Speaker 1: Now it's like the runways too long, so it's not 821 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:34,360 Speaker 1: worth it. And I would imagine that is part of 822 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,399 Speaker 1: the frustration for Lebron as well. But yeah, I think, 823 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:37,960 Speaker 1: like I think if they got off to a great 824 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: start and a lot of specific things kind of panned 825 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:44,440 Speaker 1: out in a certain way, like for instance, like Lebron 826 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 1: playing at an all NBA level, Luca playing at an 827 00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 1: MVP level, DeAndre Eighton playing like he's in a contract year, 828 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:51,799 Speaker 1: and everything looking like it's smooth, and that they're one 829 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: piece away. There's never a guarantee, and the entire purpose 830 00:36:57,520 --> 00:36:59,120 Speaker 1: of this is to win a championship. And if you 831 00:36:59,120 --> 00:37:00,680 Speaker 1: feel like you're on the doors step and you make 832 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 1: an aggressive move, especially for a player that is in 833 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:05,520 Speaker 1: their mid twenties and that has some long term. 834 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 3: That's the key thing. 835 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,799 Speaker 2: I don't think they make an aggressive move for a 836 00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 2: short sighted like when. 837 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 3: I think like and that's only again. 838 00:37:14,120 --> 00:37:16,200 Speaker 2: I did a mail back today where I got asked, 839 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:19,040 Speaker 2: like about the twenty twenty seven plans, and like, my 840 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:22,000 Speaker 2: understanding is they're not just sitting out the next couple 841 00:37:21,960 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 2: of years. It's more so they're prioritizing short term deals 842 00:37:25,080 --> 00:37:27,960 Speaker 2: and that flexibility to have the optionality of in twenty 843 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,200 Speaker 2: twenty six or in twenty twenty seven if there's a 844 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 2: star that wants to come into free agency or there's 845 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,879 Speaker 2: a trade that they have that you nimbleness with their 846 00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 2: cap sheet to be able to navigate that. Now if 847 00:37:40,040 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 2: there is, like I think a Herb Jones is an 848 00:37:42,000 --> 00:37:44,719 Speaker 2: interesting one where he's someone who's now locked up with 849 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 2: an extension making twenty plus million dollars, and like he 850 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:51,680 Speaker 2: does fit the Luca Austin timeline, would complement those guys 851 00:37:51,719 --> 00:37:54,400 Speaker 2: really well, and I think would be worth the potential 852 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:57,760 Speaker 2: first round pick Dalton maybe like a swap or something 853 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 2: like that. I think is a you know, something that 854 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:02,759 Speaker 2: would kind of fit that timeline. So I think for 855 00:38:02,840 --> 00:38:05,440 Speaker 2: them it's more about finding that player that's going to 856 00:38:05,480 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 2: fit with the next iteration rather than being like, well, 857 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,880 Speaker 2: let's just find a player for this year that might, 858 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 2: and that's where Wiggins is, you know, depending on how 859 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:15,560 Speaker 2: you view him, is kind of like in that middle zone, 860 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,800 Speaker 2: whereas yeah, you could see it, but like he's probably 861 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:20,520 Speaker 2: more of a win now like short term player. 862 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I view him the same way, especially with some 863 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: of his Uh Like, just talk to any Warriors fan 864 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 1: and they'll be like, twenty twenty two is like this 865 00:38:29,200 --> 00:38:32,319 Speaker 1: flash in a pan, you know. But uh yeah, I mean, 866 00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 1: if I'm Milwaukee and I'm trading Gianness, I look at 867 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 1: herb Jones coming back in that deal as a legitimate asset. 868 00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:38,960 Speaker 1: And that's kind of my point that I'm trying to make, 869 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:43,160 Speaker 1: is like I'm I'm trying to say that even a 870 00:38:43,239 --> 00:38:49,400 Speaker 1: draft pick in theory, is not valuable to the Lakers 871 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: in anything other than a star trade or a trade, because, 872 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:54,680 Speaker 1: as we've seen with Dalton and with so many of 873 00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:56,880 Speaker 1: these other guys, players don't come into the NBA at 874 00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:59,360 Speaker 1: twenty two to twenty three and are ready to compete 875 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,880 Speaker 1: in a series serious context. But if you can flip 876 00:39:02,920 --> 00:39:04,880 Speaker 1: them into a young player, that helps you in the 877 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:06,920 Speaker 1: short term, but that can also be a vehicle with 878 00:39:06,960 --> 00:39:09,040 Speaker 1: which to achieve a star in the future. That's a 879 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 1: pathway that makes sense to me. But Jovan, I really 880 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:13,480 Speaker 1: appreciate you making the trip over here to appreciate you. 881 00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 1: It's been awesome meeting you in person. For having dinner tonight. 882 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:18,680 Speaker 1: Look for all that, it's gonna be fun. As always, 883 00:39:18,680 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 1: we appreciate you guys for supporting us and supporting the show. 884 00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:21,719 Speaker 1: Before we get out here, shout out your work so 885 00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:22,879 Speaker 1: everyone knows where to find your stuff. 886 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:26,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, check out boojas Block on YouTube and Apple podcasts 887 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:28,960 Speaker 2: Spotify podcast platform of choice. 888 00:39:29,600 --> 00:39:33,080 Speaker 3: Been living the independent life for the past month or so. Fun. 889 00:39:34,920 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: All right, guys, we'll see you later tonight. What's up guys. 890 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:40,920 Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting 891 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 1: OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us 892 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 1: if you guys would take a second and leave a 893 00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,160 Speaker 1: rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys 894 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:49,759 Speaker 1: supporting us, but if you could take a minute to 895 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:54,360 Speaker 1: do that, I'd really appreciate it. The volume