WEBVTT - NBA GM's Preparing For A LeBron James Trade 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:06.640 You're tuned into Heat Check with Triste Quick. On this 0:00:06.760 --> 0:00:10.840 episode of the Heat Check, I'm back from Sacramento, baby, 0:00:12.119 --> 0:00:14.760 and I've got a first hand report on the Kings 0:00:14.800 --> 0:00:17.360 and the Lakers, and goddamn it, I didn't get to 0:00:17.400 --> 0:00:18.520 warm up on that beam. 0:00:18.840 --> 0:00:19.880 No beam for me. 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.599 But what I got was a massive once in a 0:00:22.720 --> 0:00:27.040 generation storm that just cleared out three hundred thousand homes 0:00:27.040 --> 0:00:29.520 worth of power, put one hundred year old trees on 0:00:29.640 --> 0:00:32.360 roofs right next to my Airbnb. So I saw some 0:00:32.400 --> 0:00:35.720 shit that was historic. I had get into some drama 0:00:35.800 --> 0:00:40.120 surrounding Lebron. We move forward and we talk about John Collins, 0:00:40.120 --> 0:00:45.440 who has been just circulating in trade rumors since pre pandemic. Honestly, 0:00:45.680 --> 0:00:48.120 like he's had it. He's had it with the trade rumors. 0:00:48.200 --> 0:00:51.920 There's now trouble brewing in Brooklyn now that Kevin Durant 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:56.280 has gone down with an mcl sprain, and oh my god, 0:00:56.320 --> 0:00:58.800 what is happening in Chicago with Zach Lavine and Billy 0:00:58.800 --> 0:01:01.320 Donovan because no one's seems to know the path forward. 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:05.720 And of course we talk about what NBA player said 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:08.440 he wanted to beat Skip Bayless's ass. Lot to talk 0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:18.800 about Nick so drop that generic beat. So I had 0:01:18.880 --> 0:01:23.240 the pleasure the honor of going out to Sacramento for 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:25.759 the very first time. I had never been there in 0:01:25.800 --> 0:01:29.080 my life, let alone seen a King's Game. Let alone 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:32.960 been to the new Golden One Arena, let alone enjoy 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:37.840 the presence of Casey and Dill, Kenny Carroway, Damian Barling, 0:01:37.920 --> 0:01:39.200 who are the absolute best. 0:01:40.240 --> 0:01:44.479 But that King's Game was some bullshit. Let's be honest, Like. 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:48.640 Kings Lakers, let's just before we get into it. The pageantry. 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:52.160 It was I think their eighth or ninth consecutive sellout. 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:56.240 The fan base was rocking. We got there, we went 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:58.680 to dinner right across the way. The way that it's 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:01.360 actually set up is really cool. So they've got this 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:05.200 Kimpton hotel called the Sawyer right across from the arena, 0:02:05.320 --> 0:02:08.000 and all the players stay there and it's like you 0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:10.360 can tunnel in so you don't even have to leave. 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.880 And I tell you what, when you know and you're 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:17.040 a woman and you know where the players are staying 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:23.919 one thousand percent, the lobby was wild, like even pregame 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:27.760 before the team buses showed up. I mean, there were 0:02:27.840 --> 0:02:32.840 girls basically naked out there in the lobby of the hotel, 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:36.200 just sitting there and just milling about. 0:02:36.440 --> 0:02:37.680 It's like, oh, I know what you're doing. 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:40.200 You're trying to catch a lebron You're trying to catch 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:42.360 a shrewder like you're waiting. 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:43.519 They had so much. 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:46.079 This was like three point thirty four PM, right game 0:02:46.120 --> 0:02:48.720 starts at seven. They're like, nope, I'm not waiting for 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.320 after at the after show. I'm gonna try to get 0:02:51.360 --> 0:02:53.880 them when they're in their pregame warm up and warm 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:58.600 them up on my beam. And they were this amount 0:02:58.680 --> 0:03:01.880 of makeup that the women had on. It was crazy. Anyway, 0:03:01.880 --> 0:03:05.600 it's like maybe like maybe one hundred yards from the 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:08.400 entrance of the arena, which is fucking awesome. 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:13.040 And they have these Kings residences too. 0:03:12.240 --> 0:03:15.360 So there's like this frosty glass door and it's like 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:20.280 King's Residences. Apparently Demona Simonis stayed there for the entire 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:22.600 duration of the season and he got traded there like 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:27.160 a awesome condos, just very pimp shit, and so that 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:30.680 was awesome. So we went to dinner quote unquote, it 0:03:30.760 --> 0:03:33.560 was like the it was like the Grandma Special. We 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.920 ate at four because the game started at seven, so 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:39.640 we went and got steak at this place inside the 0:03:39.800 --> 0:03:43.440 Sawyer Hotel called Echo and rig awesome steaks. They had 0:03:43.480 --> 0:03:47.840 like nine different steaks to choose from, all grass fed, 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:51.560 really great. Chopped it up with Kyle. 0:03:51.360 --> 0:03:52.480 And Kenny and Damien. 0:03:53.040 --> 0:03:55.840 Then we went into the arena, met up with all 0:03:55.920 --> 0:04:00.080 the you know, big jay journalists like James ham and 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:02.160 and we got to meet I got to meet Deuce 0:04:02.240 --> 0:04:04.440 and Mo who I've been on their podcast before. 0:04:04.520 --> 0:04:07.040 They're awesome, give them a follow. 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:10.840 It was just one big, one big reunion of people 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:13.520 who have never met each other, they had met each other. 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:16.280 I got to see Phil Handy. He gave me a 0:04:16.320 --> 0:04:18.360 big hug. That was a whole thing. 0:04:18.720 --> 0:04:20.320 It was awesome. Got to be on the court. 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:22.800 And then because we were just like ten deep of 0:04:22.880 --> 0:04:23.960 journalists like, oh. 0:04:23.839 --> 0:04:26.039 No, I love you, Oh no, I love you. Oh no, 0:04:26.120 --> 0:04:28.000 I'm a big fan of your stuff. Oh my god, 0:04:28.040 --> 0:04:30.560 we gotta get together. Oh where'd you go at sacramto 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:33.240 the security of the team. By the way, these are. 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:36.120 King's journalists who have been there every single game so far. 0:04:36.320 --> 0:04:39.480 They're like, hey, you guys can't be here. You're too 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:43.440 much right now, this is too much. There's professional photogs 0:04:43.560 --> 0:04:47.280 taking pictures of us. We've got like fans coming up. 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:49.839 It was a thing, right, it was a thing. And 0:04:49.839 --> 0:04:52.960 and Damien and Kenny were like, we do this every game, 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:54.960 like whatever's happening with you? 0:04:55.520 --> 0:04:58.520 They're not, they don't want this. We go through the tunnel, they're. 0:04:58.400 --> 0:05:01.720 Hardcore checking our credentials now, which, by the way, my credential, 0:05:01.720 --> 0:05:04.119 which was made out of paper, ripped off my wrist, 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:06.679 so I had to just like show it like a badge, 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:09.520 and they're like, just make sure you see it. So 0:05:09.560 --> 0:05:11.719 we all hung out in the media room, did our thing, 0:05:12.640 --> 0:05:14.440 go up to the media area, which is a great, 0:05:14.560 --> 0:05:17.919 incredible view. They were kind, they're kind of spoiled. They 0:05:17.960 --> 0:05:19.680 want to be down on the floor. But I've been 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:22.000 in Staples before. They put you in the like six hundreds, 0:05:22.040 --> 0:05:24.080 you know, they like put you in the noseblazes, so 0:05:24.680 --> 0:05:29.560 really cool stuff. But in terms of the game, probably 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:31.880 one of the better games of the season. I would say, 0:05:32.080 --> 0:05:34.599 back and forth and back and forth again. Final score 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:38.240 one thirty six, one thirty four, so no defense was 0:05:38.279 --> 0:05:41.960 being played at all. Daron Fox is amazing, Like he's 0:05:42.000 --> 0:05:44.479 one of those players that you see up close and 0:05:44.560 --> 0:05:48.719 personal where you totally understand why he's better than you 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:51.440 think he is on TV. In the fourth quarter, I 0:05:51.480 --> 0:05:53.640 don't know what he had in the fourth quarter. I 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:57.320 want to say it had to been twelve. 0:05:57.800 --> 0:05:58.840 It was nuts. 0:05:59.200 --> 0:06:03.720 It was at absolutely nuts, and he just couldn't miss. 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:07.440 And the King's got into this huge deficit. We're starting 0:06:07.440 --> 0:06:10.400 to freak out because we're out by the concourse and 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:15.000 by the NBC Sports Bay Area little booth meeting fans. 0:06:15.160 --> 0:06:17.960 We look up and they're down like nine, or like 0:06:18.120 --> 0:06:21.440 down twelve. Kenny's like, they'll cut it. Lebron's on the 0:06:21.440 --> 0:06:23.200 bench in the fourth quarter, They'll cut it to two 0:06:23.480 --> 0:06:25.680 and we'll see what happens. And I tell you what, 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:27.799 Fox just took over. 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:29.720 Insane. 0:06:29.880 --> 0:06:32.640 Also, we've got to give love to my man Demonisa Bonis. 0:06:32.680 --> 0:06:37.120 He had a horrible, horrible night and Sabonis had what 0:06:37.200 --> 0:06:41.560 did he had? He had twenty five twelve and seven 0:06:41.960 --> 0:06:45.080 and he had one rebound in the first quarter. He 0:06:45.279 --> 0:06:48.200 was largely garbage in the first quarter. He got fouled 0:06:48.200 --> 0:06:53.680 out early and he still had twenty five twelve and seven. 0:06:54.320 --> 0:06:55.760 That's insane. 0:06:55.839 --> 0:06:56.799 He's so good. 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:01.200 Thomas Bryant, though, this team, this King's team, needs. 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:01.760 A backup five. 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:03.960 This is the most Kings Talk will probably do in 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:04.520 this detail. 0:07:04.640 --> 0:07:06.839 But I was there. So they need a backup five, right, 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.520 they need one. They found one. His name's Thomas Bryant. 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:12.440 He plays for the Lakers. He gave them twenty nine 0:07:12.480 --> 0:07:18.640 and fourteen. He was making he was making Sabonis look 0:07:20.080 --> 0:07:24.400 like a like a wet tissue paper. He was so movable, demonic. 0:07:24.440 --> 0:07:28.240 Sabonis is known for being so strong. So you know, 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:33.640 like Steven Adams light and Thomas Bryant, Thomas Bryant. Can 0:07:33.640 --> 0:07:37.520 we just say Thomas Bryant put up twenty nine and fourteen. 0:07:38.280 --> 0:07:39.360 He's not that good. 0:07:39.960 --> 0:07:40.920 He's fine player. 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:44.920 He had the second most points of his career that night, 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:48.360 so he was a beast. Dennis Shrewder, the one who 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:51.440 turned down eighty four million dollars from the Lakers, now 0:07:51.520 --> 0:07:54.560 is back on a veteran minimum. He had twenty seven, 0:07:54.760 --> 0:07:58.120 four and two. He had four threes, four for five 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:01.560 from three, eight for eleven shooting. His drive is pretty 0:08:01.640 --> 0:08:05.080 much what sealed the game for them because Darren fox 0:08:05.160 --> 0:08:07.760 hip checked them. They called him for a foul. There's 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:11.480 only two seconds left, and now, what what do you 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:14.200 figure they're gonna do like, there's tie the tie game, 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:16.600 Dennis Shooter now goes to the free throw line, but 0:08:16.680 --> 0:08:19.560 they call a challenge. They don't have any more timeouts now, 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:23.440 and so Dennis Shooter hits both free throws. You're down two, 0:08:23.600 --> 0:08:26.320 You've got two seconds, no timeouts to advance the ball. 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:28.440 I think they moved it actually up to three point 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:32.400 six seconds. Daron Fox actually gets slapped on the arm 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:36.000 while he's shooting from three after that hip check foul. 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:40.360 No call on Russell Westbrook, just absolutely insane. And then 0:08:40.400 --> 0:08:43.040 of course Mike Brown after the game is like Barry 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:46.120 and Keegan Murray because he had zero rebounds. So that's 0:08:46.160 --> 0:08:49.800 like what he came there for. It's a mess like 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:53.200 the Kings right now. Don't let the national media foolia 0:08:53.360 --> 0:08:56.720 like me. The in Sacramento, they are quietly worried. 0:08:56.880 --> 0:08:59.400 They are quietly feeling like the only. 0:08:59.160 --> 0:09:01.960 Reason that we are still here is because the Clippers 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:05.000 are on a slump six game, five game losing streak. 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:08.520 The Warriors are on this little baby slump, and the 0:09:08.559 --> 0:09:12.080 Suns are on a massive six game slump. In terms 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:14.560 of Golden One, I think it's a top three arena 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:19.319 in the league. It's so insane. It's so amazing. You 0:09:19.400 --> 0:09:23.160 walk in the front entrance. I love stadium reviews. You 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:28.000 walk in the front entrance and you immediately see the court. 0:09:28.280 --> 0:09:31.280 It's in like think about that. You immediately walk in 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:33.320 and you're like, oh, yeah, basketball is being played here. 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:38.800 There's no walls or cylinders that keep you from seeing. 0:09:39.360 --> 0:09:41.800 Oh there's well, there's not banners, but you know what 0:09:41.880 --> 0:09:45.920 I'm saying. There's not banners, but where banners would be, 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:48.880 you can see that. You can see the raptors where 0:09:48.920 --> 0:09:53.320 the banners will be. You can see like the dip 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:57.280 into the bowl of the arena. You walk in and 0:09:57.320 --> 0:10:00.720 it's very much like indoor outdoor vibes. There's windows that 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.280 they open up in the middle of the spring so 0:10:03.280 --> 0:10:07.559 that like little birds can fly through. I guess sunshine, wind, noise, 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.720 who knows, just fresh air. There's a bar up top 0:10:11.240 --> 0:10:14.320 that functions as a standing room only section so that 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.600 you can watch the game while you're at the bar. 0:10:18.120 --> 0:10:20.720 Just a total meat market. It's I think it's Sierra Nevada. 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:24.959 Draft house spelled like drought house, you know, but that's 0:10:25.000 --> 0:10:28.959 how you spell draft I guess anyway, awesome. Lebron James 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:34.000 amazing in that game, just insane. But at the end 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:37.000 of the day, no beam for me, lots of trees down, 0:10:37.440 --> 0:10:40.880 lots of power out. Went to Little Speakeasy something after 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:44.680 the game, hung out, got back to my Airbnb. No power, 0:10:45.720 --> 0:10:48.800 no heat, no power, no phone charging ability, nothing. 0:10:49.040 --> 0:10:50.920 So it was eventful, very eventful. 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:54.840 Met some guys, one guy named Travis the Terror at 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:55.160 a bar. 0:10:55.360 --> 0:10:55.920 It was awesome. 0:10:55.960 --> 0:10:58.760 I recommend going to Sacramento. That's enough Sacramento talk. Let's 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:02.720 talk about Lebron James. Lot of rumors surrounding Lebron James, 0:11:03.400 --> 0:11:05.880 tons of them. We got to get to the bottom 0:11:05.920 --> 0:11:10.720 of what's real, because it was. It was awesome seeing 0:11:10.760 --> 0:11:12.760 Lebron James as Laker. That was my very first time 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:15.440 seeing him in purple and gold. He's probably better than 0:11:15.440 --> 0:11:17.760 I've seen him in a long time, going to the rack, 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:21.760 not settling for jumpers, impossible to stop just to freight train. 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:24.200 I mean, he's been doing this too. I think he's 0:11:24.200 --> 0:11:26.400 probably better now than he is in his rookie season. 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:27.000 That's crazy. 0:11:27.320 --> 0:11:29.280 He's better now than he was in his rookie season. 0:11:29.600 --> 0:11:33.280 So just before the game again Sacramento, Lebron was interviewed 0:11:33.320 --> 0:11:37.000 in an article in The Athletic. They claimed he was 0:11:37.000 --> 0:11:41.199 growing impatient with the lakers lack of action in the 0:11:41.360 --> 0:11:45.600 trade market, in the trade front, so he ends this interview. 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:47.800 It's a full back and forth where he's playing cat 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:50.560 and mouse with one of the Athletic reporters who will 0:11:50.600 --> 0:11:51.479 not be named. 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:51.520 And. 0:11:53.640 --> 0:11:56.360 In the back and forth he ends the interview. 0:11:56.480 --> 0:11:59.120 Lebron James ends the interview and says, y'all know what 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:01.400 the fuck should be happening. I don't need to talk 0:12:01.440 --> 0:12:04.120 to you because they're trying to prod them. Hey, do 0:12:04.160 --> 0:12:05.640 you wish they would do more? Do you wish they 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:07.120 would do more? And he's like, listen, it's not my 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:09.199 job to make them do more. And they're like, well, 0:12:09.240 --> 0:12:11.560 but you're you're playing so well, Like what do you 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:14.520 think You're sort of still in your prime your championship window. 0:12:14.559 --> 0:12:16.120 And he's like, dude, just get off me, get off me. 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:17.800 In at the end of the interview, he says, y'all 0:12:17.880 --> 0:12:19.440 know what the fuck they need to do, Like, just 0:12:19.480 --> 0:12:22.800 get I don't need to talk to you. So then 0:12:22.840 --> 0:12:27.360 they published the article, and in response to the article, 0:12:28.840 --> 0:12:35.240 because the headline was like Lebron's patience is waning, he says, actually, 0:12:35.679 --> 0:12:38.080 my patients, he quote tweets the article, by the way, 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:40.840 I think by the reporter. He quote tweets the reporter, 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:42.720 which is always a great sign. I think there's six 0:12:42.760 --> 0:12:47.600 thousand quote tweets, and he goes, actually, my patients isn't waning. 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:50.200 You make it sound like I'm frustrated when I'm really not. 0:12:50.480 --> 0:12:52.959 I told you over and over my job is focused 0:12:53.000 --> 0:12:55.040 on the guys in the locker room. My job isn't 0:12:55.040 --> 0:12:58.640 on the roster. That's the reality of that conversation. And 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:02.400 I said what I said with the utmost respect and calmness, 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:06.360 because that's the mood I'm in. You're welcome, five game 0:13:06.360 --> 0:13:11.520 winning streak, smiley face, laughing emoji, wink emoji. Case closed. Right, 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:14.320 that's the case closed. It's over, no drama. Lebron wants 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:17.600 to stay in LA and everything's fine. He's happy with 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.079 the lack of action. Nothing's happening, No one's going to 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.600 trade for him, nothing. Right, this is the end of 0:13:22.600 --> 0:13:26.880 the segment. Well, it's not this league without this league. Right, 0:13:27.040 --> 0:13:28.760 you don't know the NBA If you don't think that 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:32.079 GMS didn't see that article and say, let's just make 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:34.880 a Callie call. Let's just ring ring, just do a 0:13:34.880 --> 0:13:41.880 little phone conversation, because the rumors today were full of gms. 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:45.080 Preparing for a Lebron trade. 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:51.160 According to Seandavaney at heavy dot Com, multiple teams are 0:13:51.200 --> 0:13:56.280 preparing for exactly that a Lebron trade. Let's break down 0:13:56.320 --> 0:13:59.800 this rumor. Devaney wrote, the notion of any team for 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:04.400 enough to employ Lebron James in a trade sounds ludicrous, 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:07.960 But if circumstances around James's current team, the Lakers continue 0:14:07.960 --> 0:14:11.800 on their current path, that could be the next step 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:16.600 for James. According to executives around the league, multiple teams 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:21.240 multiple teams are preparing for the possibility that James will 0:14:21.320 --> 0:14:24.760 seek to force a trade this summer, as he, having 0:14:25.000 --> 0:14:28.000 just turned thirty eight, looks to finish his career in 0:14:28.040 --> 0:14:33.120 a winning environment. And unlike this past offseason in which 0:14:33.160 --> 0:14:36.000 teams were blindsided by the trade demand lodge by star 0:14:36.080 --> 0:14:39.480 Ford Kevin Durant on the eve of free agency, front 0:14:39.520 --> 0:14:44.400 offices around the NBA will be prepared for James's potential move. 0:14:44.640 --> 0:14:47.720 Everyone was stunned when Kevin Durant asked for a trade. 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:51.280 They couldn't even make it happen. They weren't in preparation mode. 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:53.760 They didn't know Star was going to be available, so 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:58.640 they didn't have assets or cap space or anything. They're like, fuck, 0:14:59.360 --> 0:15:03.440 I didn't know Kevin Durant could be available your Phoenix, 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:05.760 and you're like, damn short of Devin Booker, we can't 0:15:05.760 --> 0:15:09.240 do shit. No, no, that's not gonna happen this time. 0:15:09.800 --> 0:15:12.640 And you know what, I hate to say, I saw 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:16.560 it coming, but I did. The second this Westbrook trade 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:20.880 went sideways, Lebron was either going to never make the 0:15:20.880 --> 0:15:26.440 playoffs ever again, that team would need a complete restart 0:15:26.600 --> 0:15:29.840 and he would be in hell in the most beautiful 0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:33.920 weather environment possible, or he'd be like, let me get 0:15:33.960 --> 0:15:35.080 the fuck out of here, let me get the hell 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.760 out of Dodge, because there's just no way he could 0:15:37.760 --> 0:15:40.440 spend the rest of his career in like the goal 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.760 being the play in tournament. His goal now is to 0:15:43.800 --> 0:15:47.040 play in tournament. That's where it is. That's just the facts, 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:51.240 and the problem, of course, is that's Rob Plink's fault. 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:53.520 The Lakers have no more aces in the hole. 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:55.920 They have two first round picks that they are refusing 0:15:55.960 --> 0:15:58.000 to trade, and fair enough, because it's probably not gonna 0:15:58.000 --> 0:15:59.840 take him over the hump right, They're not gonna be 0:15:59.880 --> 0:16:02.720 a tender If they do that. Now, they're just even 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:04.720 more fucked for the next year. It's kind of a 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:05.120 no win. 0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:07.200 Situation, a hole that they've dug themselves into. 0:16:07.360 --> 0:16:09.240 And at this point you might not even be able 0:16:09.280 --> 0:16:11.520 to get Buddy Heald and Miles Turner anymore for the 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:13.360 two first round picks that it was going to require, 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:16.640 because Buddy hild is playing awesome, Miles Turner is playing awesome. 0:16:18.040 --> 0:16:21.280 An executive for the Eastern Conference Contender says this that 0:16:21.520 --> 0:16:27.040 is the most likely thing if he wants to end 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:30.200 on a good note. The most likely scenario is to 0:16:30.280 --> 0:16:34.600 go back to Cleveland one last time. 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:39.360 I'm coming home. I'm coming home. 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:42.760 It is a good team, you can win, and it's 0:16:42.800 --> 0:16:45.600 where it all started. No one's gonna hate him for 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:48.800 going to Cleveland again. The trick is that is getting 0:16:48.800 --> 0:16:49.880 the numbers to match up. 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:50.640 If you could do. 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:56.400 Something with Kevin Love's contract, that could be key. Pause 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:02.200 what that is well, I think last year during the 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:05.480 All Star break, he started to put the breadcrumbs out 0:17:05.520 --> 0:17:09.440 in the ether about how much he appreciates Kobe Autman, 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:11.800 how much he loves what JB. 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:13.119 Bickerstaff is doing. 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:17.760 But so much of this obviously is impacted by where 0:17:17.840 --> 0:17:22.399 Lebron James Junior lands Bronnie, and I doubt that Bronni 0:17:22.480 --> 0:17:25.280 wants to be spending the beginning of his career in Cleveland. 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:32.440 Ask Lebron Senor how Cleveland is when you're single, young, rich. 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:37.879 It's not great. It's not great destination. Truthfully, there is 0:17:37.920 --> 0:17:40.639 another option out there. According to a Western Conference exec, 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:44.159 if there's a bidding war going on at some point, 0:17:44.400 --> 0:17:49.040 this is where it gets really interesting for very important team, 0:17:49.080 --> 0:17:52.680 our team. There's a bidding war going on at some point. 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:58.040 The Warriors are in a great position because they can 0:17:58.080 --> 0:18:04.320 give you the young guys, Wiseman coaminga moody Pat Baldwin. 0:18:04.440 --> 0:18:06.800 I can't believe Pat Ball wants thrown in there whoever 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:10.480 the Lakers want. But you have to either add Jordan 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:15.840 Poole Andrew Wiggins. And that's not easy. Pause, Yes it is, Yes, 0:18:15.880 --> 0:18:18.840 it is. For our dubs. I'll give everybody. I'll give Pool, 0:18:19.119 --> 0:18:21.920 I'll give Wiggeds, I'll give Wiseman. You could have them all, 0:18:22.400 --> 0:18:25.240 you can have them all. We'll take Lebron for our dubs. 0:18:25.359 --> 0:18:28.160 Get another chip, you know, what I mean, just continue 0:18:28.200 --> 0:18:30.800 the dominance. But if they want to win now, you 0:18:30.840 --> 0:18:33.359 can give up pool. If you're getting back Lebron, he says. 0:18:33.800 --> 0:18:36.639 If they keep Draymond and come back with Steph, Clay, 0:18:36.760 --> 0:18:39.240 Draymond and Lebron, that would be a fun, fun team 0:18:39.280 --> 0:18:44.200 to watch. There would not be a possibility that average 0:18:44.400 --> 0:18:47.280 people could afford tickets to go to those games. No 0:18:47.320 --> 0:18:49.720 one would be I mean, they would be sold out 0:18:50.600 --> 0:18:55.000 months in advance. The Nosebleeds would be like six hundred 0:18:55.040 --> 0:18:59.800 dollars court side, like Taylor Swift concert tickets. He's like 0:19:00.080 --> 0:19:04.000 thirty k a ticket for a courtside show of Steph 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:10.840 Stephan Braun, even for one year. Oh my god, I 0:19:10.840 --> 0:19:13.360 don't think the Warriors could pull the trigger fast enough. 0:19:13.320 --> 0:19:14.439 If Stephan Braun. 0:19:14.800 --> 0:19:18.480 And it's fitting because they've been basically warring this whole time, 0:19:18.920 --> 0:19:22.080 right the first ten years of Lebron's career, twelve years 0:19:22.160 --> 0:19:25.200 or whatever it was. He just threw subtle shade shots 0:19:25.240 --> 0:19:28.040 at Staph. Steph kind of went back and forth. It 0:19:28.080 --> 0:19:31.679 was all very low key, nothing above the ground, but 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:34.439 you knew there was like this little mini rivalry. If 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:38.399 they come together, they will be in spot. It's like, 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:40.320 I don't even know, I don't have words for it. 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:43.440 This team would break every attendance record in every arena, 0:19:44.240 --> 0:19:47.920 every single game. It would be like Kobe and mj 0:19:48.880 --> 0:19:52.320 or Bird and Magic playing on the same fucking team 0:19:52.359 --> 0:19:57.000 in their prime years. It would transcend a superteam. It 0:19:57.000 --> 0:20:00.439 would be super super team. And somehow, now if you 0:20:00.480 --> 0:20:04.240 add Bronnie James in the mix, maybe you keep Lebron 0:20:04.280 --> 0:20:06.879 there for well past this prime. It doesn't matter if 0:20:06.960 --> 0:20:09.040 Joe lacob is paying five hundred million dollars with the 0:20:09.240 --> 0:20:12.600 luxury tax, our dubs still swimming in money. You raise 0:20:12.680 --> 0:20:15.960 the prices, you raise the popcorn, you raise the drinks, 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:21.000 you raise the parking, you raise everything. Everything changes. Championships 0:20:21.080 --> 0:20:25.960 En Sue Katie was the story last offseason. Is Lebron 0:20:26.359 --> 0:20:34.560 gonna be the story this off season? If so, I cannot. 0:20:45.800 --> 0:20:48.879 Is there anything worse when a really awesome party just 0:20:49.040 --> 0:20:51.360 comes to an end way faster than you want, where 0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:53.720 they just cut the lights, they cut the music, and 0:20:53.800 --> 0:20:54.359 you're like shit. 0:20:54.480 --> 0:20:56.479 I was starting to get into this. 0:20:56.760 --> 0:20:58.880 I was starting to feel like maybe this party could 0:20:58.880 --> 0:21:01.800 be something. That's how I'm feeling right now about the 0:21:01.840 --> 0:21:04.800 Brooklyn Nets. I was just starting to believe. I was 0:21:04.880 --> 0:21:08.159 just being like, oh yeah, Kd's MVP caliber. Right now, 0:21:08.400 --> 0:21:14.040 Kyrie is leading for guards, scoring and clutch time. Nets 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:16.919 are on fire. They're the hottest streak in franchise history 0:21:17.240 --> 0:21:20.720 eighteen and two. In their last twenty they had a 0:21:20.720 --> 0:21:23.480 little kick to the teeth when Jimmy Butler got knocked 0:21:23.480 --> 0:21:26.359 into Kevin Durant's knee, and now all of a sudden, 0:21:26.400 --> 0:21:30.840 something's bad. Katie went to the ground, He gets up gingerly, 0:21:31.000 --> 0:21:33.120 he leaves the game. He does not return. 0:21:35.320 --> 0:21:35.679 Today. 0:21:35.720 --> 0:21:38.720 The Nets announced that Katie is going to miss a 0:21:38.760 --> 0:21:44.080 minimum of one month, say minimum two weeks, but later 0:21:44.320 --> 0:21:48.960 Adrian Warzanowski came out with another tweet said month isolated 0:21:49.040 --> 0:21:51.240 MCL sprain in his right knee. This is what happened 0:21:51.320 --> 0:21:53.399 last year as well, if you remember that kept Katie 0:21:53.440 --> 0:21:56.040 out six weeks. 0:21:56.960 --> 0:21:58.560 I mean, this is going to be tough. 0:21:58.560 --> 0:22:02.120 On average, and MCL sprain takes six weeks from diagnosis 0:22:02.119 --> 0:22:04.880 to full healing. Of course, this is changing from case 0:22:04.920 --> 0:22:06.960 to case. Of course, if you've sprained your MCL before, 0:22:06.960 --> 0:22:09.320 they're going to be a little bit more cautious. Not fun. 0:22:09.600 --> 0:22:11.440 Fun levels on all time low. 0:22:11.280 --> 0:22:15.600