WEBVTT - #thisleague UNCUT: Emergency LeBron pod 0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:04.680 Welcome to this league cut rule of twenty four hour 0:00:04.800 --> 0:00:05.480 NBA news. 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:06.480 This you. 0:00:08.600 --> 0:00:17.160 Chris Haynes. It's time, Mark Stein, It's some time. This 0:00:17.360 --> 0:00:19.840 league and Cut is underway and on fire. 0:00:21.480 --> 0:00:22.439 This should be a good one. 0:00:24.200 --> 0:00:27.800 Hello again everyone, Mark Stein back with you here with 0:00:27.920 --> 0:00:32.760 Chris Haynes. We didn't expect to be together again. This 0:00:32.960 --> 0:00:38.000 soon might be a first in show history. I'm not 0:00:38.320 --> 0:00:42.720 totally sure about that, because we don't have a precise 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:43.960 record book. 0:00:44.200 --> 0:00:45.120 We probably need to do that. 0:00:45.159 --> 0:00:48.240 We probably need to hire someone who can just keep 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:55.480 track of these milestones. But recording two consecutive days, maybe 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:59.760 we did it in the in the extreme infancy of this, 0:01:00.560 --> 0:01:03.480 but we're doing it today even though we just had 0:01:03.480 --> 0:01:04.880 a podcast out Monday. 0:01:05.400 --> 0:01:06.200 It's Tuesday. 0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:10.319 I think everybody knows why we are sounding those alarms 0:01:10.360 --> 0:01:16.000 and had to do this emergency pod. Pretty newsy Monday 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:23.160 night in Los Angeles, the Denver Nuggets. They complete a 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:27.320 four to oh sweep of the Lakers to secure the 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:32.360 first trip to the NBA Finals in franchise history. The 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:36.360 Nuggets become the last of the four teams from the 0:01:36.400 --> 0:01:40.360 ABA that made it to the NBA in the merger 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:43.080 of seventy six seventy seven, the last of the four 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:48.760 to earn a spot in the NBA Finals. Historic night 0:01:49.280 --> 0:01:53.120 for the Denver Nuggets. But on the morning after, on 0:01:53.160 --> 0:02:00.520 this Tuesday, we're all talking about Lebron James. By now, 0:02:00.680 --> 0:02:03.600 you've seen the quotes out of his press conference after 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:07.320 the game. Mister Haynes was there, and that's why we 0:02:07.360 --> 0:02:10.520 had to get together just by way of refresher in 0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:15.600 case you haven't seen what Lebron James said. This was 0:02:15.680 --> 0:02:19.280 Lebron at the podium after the Lakers swept out of 0:02:19.280 --> 0:02:23.320 the conference finals, the end of Lebron's twentieth season in 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:27.840 the league. Quote, it's not fun to me to not 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:30.880 be able to be a part of getting to the finals. 0:02:31.200 --> 0:02:35.360 But we'll see, we'll see, we'll see what happens going forward. 0:02:36.240 --> 0:02:39.560 I don't know. I don't know. I've got a lot 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:42.200 to think about, to be honest. He said that twice. 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:44.880 I've got a lot to think about, to be honest, 0:02:45.240 --> 0:02:49.040 just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:51.800 I've got a lot to think about. And with that, 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:56.640 Lebron James left the podium. But fortunately for this league, 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:02.560 uncut listeners and if I may please, friends, review rate 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:07.079 subscribe to the show if you haven't already. Chris Haynes 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:11.840 this League Uncut co host, Enfranchise Player. 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:12.680 He was there. 0:03:13.080 --> 0:03:17.840 He tracked Lebron down after the press conference. Chris paint 0:03:17.840 --> 0:03:20.400 a picture for us, tell us what the scene was 0:03:20.520 --> 0:03:25.600 like last night after Lebron James went off camera with 0:03:26.400 --> 0:03:29.880 the most open discussion of retirement he's ever thrown at us. 0:03:31.040 --> 0:03:36.280 Obviously, that quote, that comment by Lebron James, it was 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:39.200 kind of a drop drop the mic type of a moment. 0:03:39.840 --> 0:03:41.960 But it was a drop the mic that had a 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:44.640 lot of still had a lot of It was a 0:03:44.640 --> 0:03:47.480 lot of questions that need to be answered. What was 0:03:47.520 --> 0:03:50.720 he talking about? What did he mean about his future? 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:53.240 He has a lot to think about, you know, he 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:57.000 leaves that way, and so I started making some calls, 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:03.680 and I made some calls to try to see try 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:07.120 to get some intail on what he meant by that. 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:13.640 And I was told by those multiple parties that he 0:04:14.000 --> 0:04:23.040 was indeed considering retiring and that he was unsure if 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:29.200 he would be with the team the start of the 0:04:29.200 --> 0:04:34.920 twenty three to twenty four season. And so, you know, 0:04:35.320 --> 0:04:38.400 again for something like that, you know people that you 0:04:38.520 --> 0:04:42.120 trust getting information like that that's something you really have 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:47.520 to make sure that this is accurate, like this is 0:04:48.279 --> 0:04:51.799 this is accurate information. This is huge. Lebron James has 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:58.560 never ever talked about retirement. Never. We've all heard about 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:03.000 how he wants to play with his son Briannie when 0:05:03.040 --> 0:05:06.720 Briannie finally enters the league that has a dream of his. 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:10.599 He's never uttered the word retirement. He's never talked about it. 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:13.640 He's never each each year that's gone by, he's never said, hey, 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:15.720 I'm gonna think he's never said I'm gonna think about 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:21.960 my future. And this was all brand new, So I 0:05:22.440 --> 0:05:25.800 felt comfortable with going with what I had on the 0:05:25.839 --> 0:05:29.960 sources front to follow report. Then I was able to 0:05:30.000 --> 0:05:34.000 reach out to Brin later and he gave me to 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:38.520 gave me the quote, and this quote says, I'm simply 0:05:38.560 --> 0:05:40.840 not sure if I'll be back in the fall when 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:44.520 the season begins. I have a lot to think about. 0:05:45.320 --> 0:05:49.960 So that's that's what he gave me, acknowledging yes, he 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:53.919 is considering his future. Is you know retirement is an option. 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:58.400 Do I believe he retires? I don't. I don't think so. 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:02.520 But but for him to be at this stage and 0:06:01.960 --> 0:06:07.880 talking like this definitely alarming, definitely alarming, something did not expect, 0:06:07.880 --> 0:06:11.560 and I will even say, even hearing his quotes at 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:16.279 the podium, I still did not anticipate this type of 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:20.800 news coming out of something like that. So again it 0:06:20.920 --> 0:06:23.640 was something where I got the information again from multiple 0:06:23.680 --> 0:06:28.320 sources and knowing Lebron, and it was still hard to believe. 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:30.520 And then I was able to get in touch with 0:06:30.600 --> 0:06:35.120 him later that night after the podium and he confirmed it. 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:40.200 So definitely definitely something I did not anticipate at all. 0:06:40.360 --> 0:06:42.800 Yeah, because the part I left out of my kind 0:06:42.800 --> 0:06:46.239 of attempt to set the scene. Lebron gives this long 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:50.559 interview nearly fifteen minutes. His twentieth season in the league 0:06:50.600 --> 0:06:53.719 is over, the season that he passes Kareem Abdul Jabbar 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:58.679 as the all time leading scorer. And maybe you stayed 0:06:58.720 --> 0:07:01.440 up late enough to watch that conference, maybe you didn't. 0:07:01.560 --> 0:07:03.760 But then the next thunderbolt. 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:06.320 That really got this story moving was our own Chris Haynes, 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:12.080 tweeting at one oh eight Eastern time, breaking colon Los 0:07:12.120 --> 0:07:15.160 Angeles Lakers star Lebron James is unsure if he'll be 0:07:15.280 --> 0:07:18.080 with the team when the twenty twenty three to twenty 0:07:18.080 --> 0:07:21.960 four season starts in the fall, and retirement is under consideration. 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:26.960 League sources tell the NBA on TNT and bleach your report. 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:33.120 I like you, I mean certainly didn't expect him to 0:07:33.200 --> 0:07:36.640 say these things. And look, these are these are his words. 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:41.160 You know, you have to digest them and respect them. 0:07:41.200 --> 0:07:46.760 This isn't like whispers from James associates. He's the one 0:07:46.880 --> 0:07:50.640 saying these things that has to be factored in. But 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:55.720 I'm with you, I just I cannot see any way 0:07:56.400 --> 0:08:00.400 that he actually goes through with retirement. I'm sure he 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:06.560 was exhausted and utterly frustrated because look, the Lakers. You know, 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:09.920 this whole season's You know how many times we talked 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:14.800 about how wide open this season was, or at least 0:08:14.840 --> 0:08:18.200 it seemed to so many teams. Maybe it really wasn't 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:25.480 as wide open as we kind of forecasted, but it 0:08:25.600 --> 0:08:28.960 was wide open enough that the Lakers could start two 0:08:29.040 --> 0:08:32.360 and ten even after the trade deadline they were still 0:08:33.280 --> 0:08:36.360 out of the playoff picture. They were able to force 0:08:36.440 --> 0:08:40.320 their way high enough up the ladder to get in 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:45.679 through the play in lane and take out Memphis in 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:48.400 round one, take out the defending champs in round two, 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:52.480 so I'm sure getting swept in the conference finals was 0:08:53.240 --> 0:08:58.080 a dagger that you know, had Lebron quite down last night, 0:08:58.320 --> 0:09:01.280 especially when he rumbles for twenty three points in the 0:09:01.320 --> 0:09:04.880 first quarter, thirty one in the first half. You know, 0:09:04.960 --> 0:09:08.160 he's still just playing too well. He's still way too 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:12.679 too good from you know, from my far away seat 0:09:13.000 --> 0:09:15.160 to imagine that he's really gonna step away. 0:09:15.679 --> 0:09:20.160 Let me give you another scene. Stein. So after the game, 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:25.960 before Lebron goes to the podium, we're in the locker room. 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:32.920 AD is to his left. AD is staring into space. 0:09:33.400 --> 0:09:38.480 And this is about forty five minutes after the game ended. 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:43.680 AD is still in his uniform, sitting down at his 0:09:43.720 --> 0:09:48.280 locker stall, just staring into space. Every minute or so, 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:52.760 he shakes his head and he just says, I can't 0:09:52.760 --> 0:09:57.480 believe this shit. I can't believe this shit. Lebron James 0:09:59.200 --> 0:10:04.480 just merges from the shower, sits down at his stall. 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:09.839 He's right next to a d and you know, he asked, Ad, 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:15.120 you good. Ad is like, I just can't believe this shit, 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:22.319 and Lebron is like, we did what we can do, 0:10:22.760 --> 0:10:25.120 we do we can do. So I go over to 0:10:25.200 --> 0:10:28.360 Lebron as he's getting dress and you know, we start talking, 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:32.280 I asked him. I said, because I can overhear them 0:10:32.320 --> 0:10:34.280 talking a little bit. They were talking about the Nuggets, 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:39.640 A D and Bron, and it sounded like Lebron has said, 0:10:40.440 --> 0:10:45.360 like that's the best team we faced since we've been teammates. 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:47.920 And so I went over there and I said, Bron, 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.320 you said this is the best team you face. And 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:53.920 he started to think for like twenty seconds. He said, yeah, 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:57.680 top to bottom, it's the best team I faced since 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.160 I've been a member of the Lakers. He said that 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:04.800 they got the depth. He said, they have the pieces 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:09.320 around Joker. They fit perfectly. And he said, and what's 0:11:09.440 --> 0:11:14.440 most important is that they're all smart. He said, that's 0:11:14.480 --> 0:11:17.679 what we need to get to. They're all smart guys 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:22.880 on that team. And I said, Broun, I said, and Broun, like, 0:11:23.000 --> 0:11:30.360 I've been around Bron for ten years, right, So losing 0:11:30.679 --> 0:11:34.640 when he loses or when this season is eliminated, he's 0:11:34.679 --> 0:11:37.920 in such a foul move like you can feel it, 0:11:38.160 --> 0:11:42.000 like he is in such a mood like you. Braun 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:43.599 is one of those people. And I'm not trying to 0:11:43.679 --> 0:11:46.120 up big up Broun or anything like I'm just keeping 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:48.520 it real. Like Broun is one of those people like 0:11:48.600 --> 0:11:50.440 when when he steps in the room you feel him 0:11:51.000 --> 0:11:55.600 period like he has that or about by himself. But 0:11:56.080 --> 0:12:00.720 in the locker room he was after the game, he 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:06.960 was chill, and I said, Brian, I said, bro, I've 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:11.199 been around you when you've lost, and I've seen how 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.559 you take it, like you pissed at everybody like you 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:22.040 like there's a rage that is just so revealing on 0:12:22.080 --> 0:12:25.960 his face. You could just see it after you know, 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:29.040 losses like that. But I didn't see that he was 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:32.920 such in a chill mode. I said, I know you 0:12:32.920 --> 0:12:35.520 still don't like losing, Like what, like, what's this new 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:41.559 vibe you're on? It was like, see when you've been 0:12:41.600 --> 0:12:45.360 this leave for this loan, he said, you learn how 0:12:45.400 --> 0:12:49.440 to deal with losses better. He said, but I'm gonna 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:53.800 tell you right now, the shit still pisces me off 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:59.040 like it did years ago. He said, So don't let 0:12:59.080 --> 0:13:03.640 this look fool you about my desire to win. I said, 0:13:03.720 --> 0:13:07.240 enough said then then he walked out and went to 0:13:07.320 --> 0:13:10.760 the podium and just to let people know a little bit, 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.959 there wasn't the most the mass media were. They were 0:13:17.000 --> 0:13:19.920 waiting at the podium. There wasn't a lot of people 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:21.800 in the locker room at the time. They were waiting 0:13:21.800 --> 0:13:24.720 at the podium to wait for the players to go there, 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:27.600 and so I used the opportunity to go hang in 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.560 the locker room and you know, talk with Bron. I 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:35.480 talked with Ad, talk with Tristan Thompson, and just try 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.520 to get a scene, try to feel, you know, get 0:13:37.520 --> 0:13:40.320 a sense of what they're going through, kind of feel 0:13:40.320 --> 0:13:42.760 the vibe, feel the mood out. That was the scene. 0:13:42.880 --> 0:13:45.920 That was the mood in the locker room before Lebron 0:13:45.960 --> 0:13:50.160 went to the podium, and then after that when we 0:13:50.240 --> 0:13:56.200 got worried of what he's considering. So we both said it. 0:13:56.600 --> 0:13:59.319 You know, it's hard for us to see him walking 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.240 away from the game right now, but we have to 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:04.880 keep in mind Stein. Remember I told you, I told 0:14:04.880 --> 0:14:10.280 you on this very podcast months ago about Lebron's foot 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:15.600 and how much pain he was dealing with before he 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:21.360 had to sit out those weeks. And again, the way 0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:24.280 it was described to me back then, this was before 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:27.720 it was even revealed that he was dealing with a 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:31.480 foot issue. They said he was in so much pain 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:35.000 and fighting through it, and we have to keep in 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:41.640 mind that Lebron came back early to get back in 0:14:41.640 --> 0:14:44.720 the fold with the team. Wanted to make sure there 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:47.000 was enough time with the new with the trays that 0:14:47.040 --> 0:14:49.840 were made, wanted to make sure there was enough time 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.040 for everybody to get on the same page and try 0:14:52.080 --> 0:14:59.280 to build some continuity to jail. And this offseason is 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:03.840 going to be rehabilitation off season for him as it 0:15:03.880 --> 0:15:07.960 pertains to that foot. I don't know what he's going 0:15:08.040 --> 0:15:09.760 to have to go through the summer. I don't know 0:15:09.800 --> 0:15:13.520 if surgery is an option. I don't know if it's 0:15:13.640 --> 0:15:16.560 just rest. But he's going to have to take care 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:18.800 of that issue. So that's going to be a factor. 0:15:19.640 --> 0:15:22.400 And if he feels like he can come and give 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:25.120 it another go for a twenty first season, how healthy 0:15:25.120 --> 0:15:29.080 can he be? Again, I've covered Lebron for a decade 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:36.200 and for the most part of his career, like you've 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:40.360 never dealt with injuries with him, never, never, But these 0:15:40.440 --> 0:15:43.160 last couple of years, these injuries have occurred. This is 0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:47.240 something we're not a customed to seeing with Lebron. So 0:15:48.280 --> 0:15:50.600 you know, all these are factors right now. How much 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:54.400 more can he push his body? How healthy can he get? 0:15:55.640 --> 0:15:58.280 Is this something. You know, we don't know if this 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:00.160 is a lingering ailment that he's going to have to 0:16:00.200 --> 0:16:03.040 continue with if he does decide to continue playing. So 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:06.160 I think we you know, I think the foot issue 0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:08.520 will be a factor and what he decides to do 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:08.880 as well. 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:11.520 Yeah, and it's interesting because I think if you remember, 0:16:11.560 --> 0:16:14.480 he at some point in the last month or so, 0:16:14.640 --> 0:16:17.680 or maybe last six weeks or so, he said something 0:16:17.720 --> 0:16:21.080 the effect of, if I have surgery, I won't even 0:16:21.080 --> 0:16:23.280 tell you, guys, I'm just gonna have like I'm just 0:16:23.280 --> 0:16:24.200 going to have a procedure. 0:16:24.240 --> 0:16:25.520 So it'll be interesting to see. 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:28.880 If we even kind of get that word. You know, 0:16:28.960 --> 0:16:32.720 he's he's clearly he has said that the foot will 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:35.040 he's going to need an MRI, going to need a 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:39.800 full examination determine the severity. Is surgery going to be 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:43.320 an issue? But again, I'm I'm I'm going to stick 0:16:43.400 --> 0:16:46.720 to my position and say there's no way this was 0:16:46.720 --> 0:16:50.440 the end. And uh, you know, it's hard to stifle 0:16:50.640 --> 0:16:52.640 the cynic in me on some of these points, because 0:16:53.360 --> 0:16:56.960 you know, there are other potential motivations for these comments. 0:16:57.000 --> 0:17:00.080 I mean, obviously, I'm sure you've heard some of these 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:03.160 theories make the rounds today, because you know, I'm certainly 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:06.119 not the only one saying it. Did Lebron say this 0:17:06.359 --> 0:17:11.280 because he wanted to change the narrative? Obviously, a sweep 0:17:11.760 --> 0:17:17.080 is a dagger. It's a humbling ending to the season 0:17:17.240 --> 0:17:21.160 for Lebron in ad and instead of talking about the sweep, 0:17:21.800 --> 0:17:27.560 we're now far more focused on Lebron's future on the 0:17:27.640 --> 0:17:32.520 day after. Is this a leverage play to try to 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:37.840 exert pressure on the Lakers front office? Because Lebron wants 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:41.679 them to go out and try to trade for Kyrie Irving? 0:17:42.320 --> 0:17:45.440 Does he want them to try to trade for Trey Young? 0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:51.080 Both of those starry point guards were in the audience 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:56.080 Monday night when Denver won Game four and completed this sweep. 0:17:56.600 --> 0:18:02.080 Because I reported this over the weekend, and you know, look, 0:18:02.680 --> 0:18:06.199 all indications that I've received to this point are the 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:10.600 offseason focus for the Lakers matching any offer that comes 0:18:10.600 --> 0:18:16.080 in for their restricted free agents, Austin Reeves and Ruey Hatchamura. 0:18:16.520 --> 0:18:20.399 Those are the top priorities as we speak. Reeves a 0:18:20.480 --> 0:18:23.600 clear number one. It's basically been conveyed to me that 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:27.159 there is no scenario in which Austin Reeves is not 0:18:27.240 --> 0:18:30.520 a Laker next season. They are prepared to match whatever 0:18:30.600 --> 0:18:33.200 comes in for him. The Lakers can't offer more than 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:36.800 fifty one million over four. There are teams out there, 0:18:36.840 --> 0:18:40.080 you know, are pal Kelly Eco from the Athletic You 0:18:40.080 --> 0:18:45.119 know he reported that Houston has some designs on Austin Reeves. 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:47.920 The Rockets will have the cap space to offer more 0:18:48.520 --> 0:18:51.040 than that four to fifty one, then the Lakers can offer. 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:53.639 But the Lakers he's restricted free agent. 0:18:53.720 --> 0:18:57.960 Even if an offer comes in above fifty one over four, 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:01.640 the Lakers can match it. There are certainly cap implications 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:07.080 and roster building implications if they do. But the max 0:19:07.080 --> 0:19:10.680 offer Reeves can get over four years, can go almost 0:19:10.720 --> 0:19:12.520 all the way up to one hundred million. But the 0:19:12.600 --> 0:19:17.040 Lakers can match any offer Reeves gets. I think they will. 0:19:17.400 --> 0:19:21.040 I think they want to keep Rui Hatchamura almost as 0:19:21.119 --> 0:19:23.480 much as they want to hang on to Reeves. So 0:19:23.680 --> 0:19:28.000 once those moves are made, what kind of roster flexibility 0:19:28.040 --> 0:19:34.919 would the Lakers have to make additional upgrades? Because you 0:19:35.000 --> 0:19:40.600 have Lonnie Walker, the Fourth, Dennis Shrewder and most notably 0:19:40.680 --> 0:19:46.080 Di'angelo Russell also free agents to be unrestricted free agents, 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:50.199 their free agent futures are far more up in the 0:19:50.240 --> 0:19:52.520 air than Reeves and Hatchamura. 0:19:52.600 --> 0:19:53.720 But it has been positive. 0:19:53.800 --> 0:19:57.280 Maybe that's you know, maybe bringing back Reeves and Hatchamura. 0:19:57.320 --> 0:20:00.640 It's not enough to excite Lebron. Does he want more? 0:20:00.680 --> 0:20:05.359 Does he want them to try to go after a 0:20:05.480 --> 0:20:08.720 Kyrie or a Tray or a Draymond Green in some 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:09.439 sort of trade? 0:20:09.480 --> 0:20:13.440 Does he is that what he really wants here? 0:20:13.640 --> 0:20:18.080 And by suggesting that this might be the end, that 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:22.040 certainly would ramp up the pressure on the Lakers. And 0:20:22.080 --> 0:20:26.440 then you know, I mean, I think Lebron does want 0:20:26.480 --> 0:20:32.040 to be appreciated, and you know, certainly one way, you know, 0:20:32.119 --> 0:20:34.760 he's exiting the playoffs now, didn't make it back to 0:20:34.800 --> 0:20:37.680 the finals. But one way to certainly get people talking 0:20:37.720 --> 0:20:40.480 about you is to suggest that this is the end. 0:20:40.600 --> 0:20:44.359 So there are a lot of theories already in circulation 0:20:44.560 --> 0:20:47.640 about why Lebron might have wanted to say these things. 0:20:47.640 --> 0:20:50.240 And look, I think the reason there is so much 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:55.000 skepticism is because we've been hearing for years now how 0:20:55.040 --> 0:20:58.240 badly he wants to play with his son, and Bronnie 0:20:58.359 --> 0:21:01.320 James can't play in the NBA before the twenty four 0:21:01.800 --> 0:21:02.760 twenty five season. 0:21:02.800 --> 0:21:05.200 That's the earliest that he can play. 0:21:05.320 --> 0:21:08.160 And you know, I guess we also have to raise 0:21:08.200 --> 0:21:10.920 the possibility maybe something has changed there. I mean, is 0:21:11.000 --> 0:21:15.520 you know, is is that no longer the dream scenario? 0:21:15.760 --> 0:21:18.440 I mean, that would be surprising to me because again 0:21:18.520 --> 0:21:21.920 Lebron has talked about it so often, how much that 0:21:22.040 --> 0:21:27.000 dream fuels him. But is it possible that those goalposts 0:21:27.040 --> 0:21:29.320 have moved? I think I think we have to account 0:21:29.359 --> 0:21:30.480 for that possibility to. 0:21:31.400 --> 0:21:38.280 Again Stean, which I think with Lebron doing this, he's 0:21:38.440 --> 0:21:42.240 never again. I think that's why this is so such 0:21:42.560 --> 0:21:46.760 a big story, is he's never talked about retirement. He 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:51.680 never has, you know, not after you're seventeen, after you're eighteen, 0:21:51.800 --> 0:21:57.160 after you're nineteen. And now we're here. And so even 0:21:57.240 --> 0:22:00.840 if Stein, even if nothing comes about this, even if 0:22:00.840 --> 0:22:05.840 he does return, now we know it's in the back 0:22:05.880 --> 0:22:10.000 of his mind. Now we know that this is a possibility. 0:22:10.119 --> 0:22:13.080 Like now we have to like we've always known. Obviously, 0:22:13.080 --> 0:22:16.000 you get the year twenty, you know, like you're on 0:22:16.080 --> 0:22:19.879 borrow time, we're on borrow time covering this guy. Lebron 0:22:19.960 --> 0:22:22.919 is on borroll time playing the game of basketball in 0:22:22.960 --> 0:22:27.120 the NBA. But now to have him actually come out 0:22:27.119 --> 0:22:32.600 and say it actually is just starting the clock. How 0:22:32.640 --> 0:22:35.760 long do we have, you know, with this guy in 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:40.800 the league. How long is he playing basketball in the NBA? 0:22:41.440 --> 0:22:43.679 And that is the part, you know, And it's on 0:22:43.800 --> 0:22:46.360 the day, well, I guess it's on the day technically 0:22:46.359 --> 0:22:48.760 maybe now on the same day for you guys in 0:22:48.880 --> 0:22:51.479 Dallas and in New York, but on the day that 0:22:51.880 --> 0:22:55.879 one of his good friends announced his retirement earlier that morning, 0:22:56.240 --> 0:23:00.400 Carmelo Anthony, and which we did. We talked about on 0:23:00.440 --> 0:23:05.200 our pod yesterday. This is an interesting time, an interesting period. 0:23:05.680 --> 0:23:08.080 I don't know why Lebron chose to do it, say 0:23:08.080 --> 0:23:12.840 this now, I have no clue. But you look at 0:23:12.880 --> 0:23:16.240 the Lakers roster. They have a lot of work to 0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:20.000 do this offseason, a lot of work. And you know 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:24.280 Lebron's remarks to me about the Denver Nuggets, how they 0:23:26.200 --> 0:23:31.400 think the pieces fit so right? Smart players. Ad told 0:23:31.440 --> 0:23:34.520 me they kicked their button all facets of the game 0:23:35.280 --> 0:23:37.959 and all fastests they were on, all fasts, they were 0:23:38.000 --> 0:23:44.360 on point. Is it a roster situation? Is it the 0:23:44.359 --> 0:23:50.280 foot injury? Is it? Is it anything else? Is it 0:23:50.440 --> 0:23:53.359 a family issue? He said, he has a lot to 0:23:53.440 --> 0:23:57.439 think about, a lot so we just don't know. 0:23:58.400 --> 0:23:59.760 Yeah, and look, maybe that is. 0:23:59.720 --> 0:24:05.280 The smartest or safest takeaway from this, that it is 0:24:05.320 --> 0:24:09.280 a reminder that, yes, you know, he's got a two 0:24:09.359 --> 0:24:12.760 year contract extension that hasn't even started. 0:24:13.200 --> 0:24:15.159 I mean, it's a two year deal worth almost one 0:24:15.240 --> 0:24:15.919 hundred million. 0:24:16.520 --> 0:24:19.199 Year one is next season, and then he has a 0:24:19.240 --> 0:24:22.000 player option for the following season. And the reason the 0:24:22.080 --> 0:24:25.640 contract was designed that way in part, was so if 0:24:25.760 --> 0:24:29.920 lebron wanted to go to free agency after next season 0:24:30.200 --> 0:24:31.600 and theoretically go. 0:24:32.240 --> 0:24:33.680 With Bronnie to. 0:24:35.480 --> 0:24:39.880 I don't know, pick a random team the Charlotte Hornets 0:24:39.920 --> 0:24:43.000 because they drafted Bronnie, that he would have that ability 0:24:43.000 --> 0:24:46.040 to do that and basically free himself up, free himself 0:24:46.160 --> 0:24:49.359 up to go anywhere that Bronnie landed. 0:24:49.359 --> 0:24:51.359 But maybe maybe the overriding. 0:24:50.840 --> 0:24:53.040 Message or takeaway out of all this is just going 0:24:53.080 --> 0:24:56.560 to be that he really is on a year to 0:24:56.640 --> 0:24:58.760 year plan now that it really is going to have 0:24:58.840 --> 0:25:03.199 to be and evaluation every off season of what's next, 0:25:04.040 --> 0:25:05.560 no matter what the contract says. 0:25:06.160 --> 0:25:08.639 This is a new time we're in, you know, in 0:25:08.760 --> 0:25:12.560 covering this guy. So you know that that's pretty significant. 0:25:12.600 --> 0:25:17.679 So it's coming. The end is coming. We just don't know. 0:25:17.760 --> 0:25:30.679 We don't know quite whin yet. 0:25:32.040 --> 0:25:34.600 You were in the building, So tell me what did 0:25:34.640 --> 0:25:38.080 you make of seeing Kyrie and Trey courtside? Not the 0:25:38.119 --> 0:25:42.400 first time, I think they've both attended Laker games previously. 0:25:43.040 --> 0:25:46.000 You know, I don't know what to make out of it. 0:25:46.400 --> 0:25:47.920 You know, I think I think there's more to be 0:25:48.040 --> 0:25:51.120 made out of Kyrie being president than Trey Young right now. 0:25:52.119 --> 0:25:55.479 You know, players, you know they typically I'm gonna tell 0:25:55.520 --> 0:25:57.919 you a lot of players troll style. A lot of 0:25:57.920 --> 0:26:00.560 players troll. They want to start some stuff, so they 0:26:00.680 --> 0:26:03.000 show up, pop up at a team and you know 0:26:03.040 --> 0:26:05.720 that they know everybody's going to see him sitting courtside, 0:26:05.760 --> 0:26:08.639 you can't miss him, just to start some you know, 0:26:08.680 --> 0:26:12.760 start some rumbling, start some bumbling going on. I think 0:26:12.800 --> 0:26:17.520