July 12, 2025 • 39 mins
Jason is joined by Los Angeles Lakers reporter Jovan Buha to discuss their reactions to Bronny James vs. Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks at Summer League, what to make of the strange ESPN story about LeBron James and his future in LA, as well as the outlook for the Lakers this upcoming season with Bron, Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, and Austin Reaves.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(01:52):
welcome to him to day here at the volume. Have
you find it? Everybody? Hope all if you guys are
having a great start to your weekend. Jovan Bouja, I
was just joking before we started up here. I've met
jovann And and Adam Maraes in the last couple of
weeks in person for the first time. Yovan and I've
worked together a lot over the last couple of years,
but this is our first time meeting in person. Both
dudes just as tall as I am. Was not expecting
(02:14):
that Yovonn is a giant. I think you might actually
be a little bit taller than me. But it's good
to see you, dude. It's good to finally meet you
in person. And this is one of those days where
I'm very thankful for what we do for a living,
because I'm reading the Ramona Shelbourne and Brian went Horse
piece this morning and I'm just progressively getting more and
more irritated and annoyed. And I was like, this is
(02:35):
awesome because I get to sit down with Yovon and
we can just talk, talk shit and get it off
our chest. And so I'm just I'm stoked about this.
But before we get to the lebron stuff. I obviously
we got to see Bronnie versus Cooper Flag last night.
Did you have any big picture takeaways from last night's game.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I really like Cooper Flag's game. Obviously five to twenty one.
Didn't shoot the ball the way that he wanted to.
He called it one of the worst games of his career,
and I don't know if i'd agree with Like, I
thought he had a pretty good game outside of the shooting,
and he's got to figure out like the pull up
MIDI contested. I think that's a shot that he needs
to get a little bit better at. And I didn't
(03:14):
love some of the shots selection, but I like the
aggression and you could just tell he has a certain
feel for the game with the passing.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They're playing him at point guard.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
He saw the Lakers blitz him on the first possession,
which I thought was a nice little touch from their
coaching staff. But I think I really like his game.
I think he's very multifaceted. You also have to remember
he's eighteen years old, and like, this guy should be
going into his freshman year at Duke and for him
to be the best player on the floor for stretches there,
Like I just thought it wasn't like the Zion debut
(03:43):
or the Wembat debut, But like, I think he's going
to be a special player.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
One of the things I always noticed when I go
to games in person is I become incredibly unaware of
the box score. But it almost is like the best
because then I get such a strong feel for the
player's floor game and all the little things that they're doing.
But it's actually funny because I got back to the
hotel last night and the same thing. I like looked
at the box score or I saw a tweet. Someone
just posted the tweet and it was like five for
(04:06):
twenty one from the field, and I was like, oh god,
that is a stinky box score. But I was like,
I just didn't think he played that poorly, Like he
missed his jump shots. Yeah, but like and there were
I'm glad you brought up the specific shots selection stuff
because there were a couple of examples where I thought
he like like took the wrong approach for the matchup
he was attacking, Like, yeah, you don't want to go
(04:28):
at Darius Baisley one on one. He's not your best
matchup out here, Like if you're going to go to
the post and work post fades, do it against a
size mismatch, get a mismatch in advance. Or like the
play where he did get pull swider on the switch
late in the game, I thought he just kind of
rushed and took a tough shot, Like there's things that
he could slow down and be better at. And then
obviously the jump shots the swing factor for him, Like
(04:48):
he got a lot of good looks on jump shots
in that game as well. But I want to talk
about Bronnie for just a second. Two I you know,
Bronnie come out, they come out the gates and they
immediately start running these like ball screen actions for him
at the top of the key. Had a lot of
on ball reps in this game. We had the quote
from him, I think it was like about six months
ago where they asked him, like, what do you see
(05:09):
your role as as an NBA player, and he said
on ball guard. And what I thought was so funny
is we kind of saw three different versions of that
player last night. You have Brian Emhard, who is just
like the natural, like career on ball player who just
looks so comfortable. He's eating up ball pressure, he's getting
(05:30):
to his spots, he's showing midrand shot making, he's passing
out of the middle of the floor. Then in the
middle you have Cooper Flag who like is still budding
as an on ball player and has really only taken
on a ton of on ball responsibility in the last
couple of years, but that you can tell he's very
naturally gifted at it, and there's obviously all this upside
that he's going to get to over the course of
the next few years. And then you have Bronnie who
(05:52):
is like both raw and not naturally gifted at it,
not naturally gifted at reading the floor. I thought he
made several kind of funky pocket passes where it looked
like he was kind of telegraphing what he was going
to do. He took that floater when he was draped
in back pressure, which is just not a good shot
unless you're drifting like Trey Young. Like there's just there's
all these like different things where I just thought, I
(06:13):
feel like, Bronnie, this is just missing the boat on
what he can be as an NBA player.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I think, and he talked about this.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
We had a summer league practice last week and he
talked about like he acknowledged that he needs to get
better on the defensive side of the floor and that's
the primary way that he's going to get on the floor.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
At the NBA level.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
So I think that was like the player archtype coming
out as people were comparing him to a Daveon Mitchell
or a Pat Beverly or an Avery Bradley or like
someone like that, and we haven't really seen that hit
bull style.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I'm going to pressure you ninety four feet.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
We might see it for like flashes or like possessions,
but he hasn't really had that like defensive dog yet
that I think he's going to need to be at
someone who's six foot one, six foot two, Like, it's
hard to be an NBA level rotation player at that
size if you aren't capable of defending at a very
high level.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And pressuring and being disruptive.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So I think that's the key for him getting rotation
minutes with the Lakers team now. In terms of his
on ball stuff, like, I'm okay with him trying to
develop it because I think we have seen real progress
with him from the beginning. Like his first game at
the G League compared to his final season stats were
like nineteen five and five, which is nothing to scoff at.
I think he had some really impressive games and he
(07:22):
played like eighteen nineteen games, so it was like a
decent sample size for the G League. But I'm okay
with them trying to develop it, but I think you
got to be careful with Like I think if you're
developing him to be like a backup point guard, that's okay,
But if this is like for him to like be
his primary role as potentially a starter. I don't know
if he has that upside in terms of the playmaking
(07:43):
and the ball handling at that level, if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Yeah, that's my thing is like I look at Ryan
Nimhart and I think backup NBA guard. Yeah, like a
legitimate this guy has the ability to become a guy
who can come in and play, you know, eighteen twenty
two minutes for a good series team and run the
bench offense like I And like there's just a chasm
between him and Banni and so it just it just
seems like such a far off dream. And it just
(08:06):
again to your point, like the defensive potential there, I'd argue,
like he's really far away from what he's capable of
being and what he has been, and so it just
feels to me like that needs to be the main target.
And to your point, if he made that comment last week,
I think that's a good sign that his had is
at least in the.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Run good self awareness. Yeah, but certainly a project at
this point got to.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Get to Lebron no do it. So there's so much
weird noise. Obviously we had all this stuff that happened
last month. Sean's Last Night mentioned again Lebron's frustrations with
the Lakers Lebron. DeAndre Ayton was asked in a radio
hit whether or not he got welcomed to the team
by Lebron. He said no, and then said, but Luca did.
(08:49):
We had that weird ESPN piece this morning. Now, remember
Ramona Shelburne is very close to Genie Busts, So it's like,
I didn't look at that as like a something coming
from Lebron's camp. I looked at that as something that
can that came from the Lakers. But it's this weird
piece just basically kind of laying out some specifics of
the dynamic. Like Lebron was absent from a brain trust
meeting right after the lost Minnesota Lebron was not informed
(09:11):
about the sale of the team like Luca was. We
obviously know that Lebron loves to sign these one plus
one contracts and the Lakers did not let him do
that this time around. What the fuck is going on
with this Lebron stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
It's been weird.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I'll say.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I started hearing in February that a contract extension, what
was unlikely to occur between the two sides. That's why
whenever I talked about it, I would mention the player
or him likely opting into the player option, that that
was the way that this was headed. I think even
them talking about this like project twenty twenty seven, that's
what Laker fans have dubbed it about, like keeping the
(09:48):
cap space for twenty twenty seven, I think that's more about,
like it's the post Lebron plan. Like I think they're
more so looking at, Okay, he's gonna be because in
the piece, like they stated, I don't know if it's
exactly them reporting it or more speculation, but they basically say,
like the Lakers are moving on from Lebron after this season,
Like this is the final season of Lebron in LA.
(10:09):
He can retire and this have his farewell tour in LA,
or he can go somewhere else next summer, Like that
was the implication. So if that's the case, then like
all this talk about the future and what the Lakers
roster is going to look like season from now or
two seasons from now, that's the post Lebron plan. And
they're indicating then that they kind of want to ride
out this year, Like you know, be as good as
(10:29):
they can while maintaining that flexibility, and then go into
twenty twenty six, twenty seven, and twenty twenty seven to
twenty eight building around Luca Austin and like the next
iteration of the Lakers group. So I think for Lebron,
he's been the most powerful athlete maybe in American sports history,
you know, based on like the player empowerment movement and
(10:50):
all the changes that he's helped facilitate. So for him
to go from being like the center of the universe
on every team he's ever been on and always have
the front office and ownership coming to him and you know,
can you do a one plus one? Can you do
a longer term deal? And now, for the first time
in his career, it's we're not offering you this like that.
That's got a you know, he feels a certain type
of way about it, and I don't blame him for that.
(11:12):
And that's why I sat on my show a few
days ago that like they're not in the best place
right now. And I think that's probably an understatement, but uh,
I mean I get it from I get it from
both sides, right, Because if you're the Lakers you're trying
to build around Luca, and if you go all in
on this roster, it is going to hamstring you with
what you can do in the future. If you're Lebron,
you're Lebron and you're used to things and you know,
(11:33):
operating a certain way, and they're just not operating that
way anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
So I actually think Lebron is just pissed about the contract.
This is my careery because like, they're better. They got
DeAndre and they are. That's a substantial upgrade at the
biggest weeks spot spot in the roster from last year.
They are. You know, they lose Dorian Phinney Smith. Obviously
that had its like the Dorian Phinney Smith thing, Like
(11:57):
I saw a lot of Laker fans get upset about it.
I'm a little bit more in the middle ground there
because you made that deal before Lucas signed, Like, you
can't you can't be like, oh, it's poor asset management.
The entire trajectory of the franchise shifted after that deal.
But like adding Jake Laavia, adding Dean Drayton, I would
argue the Lakers are a better basketball team today than
(12:18):
they were last year. So Lebron probably has a certain
amount of excitement there. There's also the reality that, like
I think, I think Lebron became aware right away, even
when the Luca trade first came down, like, oh yeah,
they're not going to go throw all of our first
round draft picks and Dalton connect and everything at at
a player for a win now type of move because
it doesn't make sense anymore. Lucas twenty six years old.
(12:40):
I think where Lebron is frustrated, and I completely sided
with him on this. He was sixth in MVP voting
last year. I voted for him fifth. He was second
team All NBA.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I voted for him first.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
There was a stretch before he pulled his groin where
he legitimately was playing at the level of the very
best players in the league. He was playing incredible defense,
was averaging as close to a thirty point triple double
on sky high efficiency, was going on the road to
good teams and picking them apart. Lebron was cooking. And
yet was he a lesser player when he came back.
(13:13):
He absolutely was, but he was still very, very good
in the postseason. I think he was like twenty five
nine and six on sixty percent true shooting. He had
a thirty seven point playoff game. Like Lebron is still
very much one of the second tier stars in the NBA.
I was joking in the elevator on the way up,
like to me, if this was Carl Anthony Towns that
(13:36):
was on the roster and he asked for a one
plus one, is there any chance they turn him down? No,
because of the timeline, he's a younger player. Carl Anthony
Towns is not as good at basketball as Lebron James.
He wasn't last year, he won't be next year, he
probably won't be the year after. And like the thing
that bothers me is like all Lebron is saying is
(13:57):
I'm still one of the twelve to thirteen best player
in the NBA, and I will be this year and
even if there is some sort of decline in the
following season, there are all sorts of players around the
league making James Harden just signed another two year, eighty
million dollar deal, like Lebron is just saying, pay me
for the basketball player that I am. And I don't
blame him for being upset about that. I think Lebron,
(14:19):
if they had just given him the one plus one
that he wanted would be sitting here going like, okay, cool,
we got Deandreyton. I can be here for potentially two
additional years if I want to. We're set up. If like,
if I come into this season and we kick ass
and we do a bunch of demonstration of what our
upside is, maybe they'll be more aggressive and make a move.
(14:40):
At that point, I agree that they should be patient
and try to find a guy that kind of fits
a longer timeline. With Luca, I just think he's upset
about the contract, and I don't blame him for that. Like,
do you think, let me just ask you this, did
Lebron deserve a one plus one?
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I think you could argue from the Lakers perspective that
the you know, if we look at like what Raphael
Stone has done with Houston and he's negotiated very shrewdly
and he's gotten like below market deals, or he got
Fred van Vliet to renegotiate at a much almost half
of the rate of you know, his team option that
he had with Houston, I think like you could argue
(15:17):
from a just a pure negotiation standpoint, like not giving
Lebron that option and being like, Okay, let's just see
if you can keep this up for one more year
and the next summer you're still worth it, we will
give you that. You know, we will resign you to
another one year deal and give you another note trade
clause or whatever.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And so I get it.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
From again Lebron kind of but like which.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
For Lebron, it's like, I feel like he feels like
he shouldn't have to because he's Lebron. And I think
we could also talk about like the mismanagement of really
the post Westbrook era of this roster and just of
their assets and not going all in around Lebron or
for Lebron and not really giving him a proper chance
to win another championship like they've always had these half
(16:02):
measures over the last few years, and maintaining flexibility with
roster spots, or maintaining at least one first round pick,
and like being hesitant to really go for it with
Lebron and Ad and then they finally get you know,
they strike gold with Luca and immediately they go get
Mark Williams and you know that doesn't work out. But
then now they're trying to kind of figure this plan
out for Lucas. So I also think that's like another
(16:24):
part of it, which they call it microaggressions and the
story which I kind of like, which it was like
a timeline of like, yeah, this is this is all
like because the Lebron is used to being given the
heads up on things, right, and you know, I think
there's there's the.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Whole led GM narrative out there.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
But like he's at least like that's typical NBA custom,
you give your superstar heads up. But he was not
given a heads up with the Luca trade. He was
not giving up given a heads up with the sale,
and so I think he just again kind of feels
a certain way about this.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I even on that front, like sit Lebron down at
the restaurant and include him in your plays.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Well, the restaurant thing is fin need to me because
for those who know La, like Craigs is if you
want to be seen by paparazzi, and they lead with
that in the story that I keep saying that on
my show, I'm like, if you want to be photographed
or like on TMZ, like go to Craigs and walk
out the front door, like that's a.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Hotspot for that.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
So like they clearly get robbed there with the with
the binder, and it was like, and that was a
few days after so they were sending their message like
they've been sending a message since the Luca trade that
we're moving on.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I just look at it as like, I think Lebron
still performs his contract. I think I think there will
come a point probably like it's very possible that in
that second year it starts to become a little bit
more of a complicated conversation. But like, unless you have
some means with which to replace his salary with players
that are going to produce at a higher level than
he does, it's literally at this point just about talent
(17:49):
manage it. And that's the part that I'm struggling with is, like,
I I think Lebron is reasonable enough to understand why
you couldn't, you know, package the first and Dalton for
a thirty year old Andrew Wiggins. Like I think Lebron
gets that. Lebron's not unreasonable in that sense. I think
his frustration centers around the fact that the Lakers are
(18:11):
like legitimately showing him a level of disrespect that they
did not show Kobe Bryant in a similar position at
the tail end of his career when he was not
performing up to his contract, and Lebron's like literally like
he's like, I was staring down the best players in
the world last year and going toe to toe with
them and playing at the super high level, and like,
I'm just not getting that level of respect. And so
(18:33):
I don't blame him for having that frustration. A couple
of quick questions, and then I want to look forward
to the kind of the big picture of the team.
First of all, if you had to pick right now
as Lebron a Laker next.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Year, yeah, yeah, I would. I haven't changed on that.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I think maybe around the trade deadline, you know, depending
on how things go. It's just it's like, I don't
see him taking a buyout, because if he wanted to
take a buyout, he should have just opped it out
it out and then signed some type of free agency deal.
Lakers are not going to be like, all right, well,
we'll eat the fifty of the fifty three million, and
you go sign a minimum contract in Cleveland or Dallas
or whatever. So I just don't see a buy out
(19:12):
being realistic In terms of a trade. It just gets
really complicated if you look at Cleveland with their second
apron situation.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Dallas could do.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Multiple role players, but like, you are losing a lot
of depth in that situation Golden State, are they giving
up like Jimmy Like even that I don't think technically
works under the CBA. There's New York, which I guess
there's a couple variations there. But he's already said no
to the Knicks a couple of times and said he
doesn't want to play for Dolan, so it gets hard
to see like a natural trade partner. So I think
(19:42):
I think the big question for Lebron honestly is how
much longer does he want to play? Like does like
we don't even know for sure if he's playing beyond
next season. It seems to be trending that way, but
he could have like just announced this is my final
season and that statement would kind of make more sense
of maybe in that case he does want them to
trade to pick trade Dalton because it's like, this is
my last ride, give me a shot to win a title.
(20:04):
So I think the big thing for him is figuring
out am I playing an extra year or.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Like how do I feel about that?
Speaker 2 (20:10):
And then going from there, because if he's playing a
couple more years then all right, one more final year
as a Laker. Next summer is now the big Lebron
free agency, you get the farewell toward.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Is he going back to Cleveland? Is he going to Dallas?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Like?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Where's he going?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
So?
Speaker 3 (20:24):
I think that's the big thing. But for now, I'll
say he remains a Laker.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I think so too. I just don't think there's any
obvious place for him to go. I think if there
was an obvious place for him to go, he'd go.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Like I think if I mean, if there was a
team that had cap space that made that wasn't proclaimed, Yeah,
that might have been an option, yeah, Or.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
A team that had a big, bloated salary that they
were looking to get rid of that the Lakers could
afford to take on with an asset in return or
something like that. Like it just I just I would
be shocked if I didn't see him in a Laker jersey.
Do you second quick one, and then we'll get into
the team. Do you see any additional moves being made
by the team before training camp?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
This has been the one that's that's difficult too, because
if you look at the Lakers the last couple of offseasons.
This has been how their offseason kind of goes. Is
maybe they trade up in the draft or acquire like
like they like acquiring second round picks, which they did
in this past draft.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Then they signed a couple guys.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Then they might like wave someone or do something in
the back end, but they pretty much just like roll
with that lineup. The last trade they made player related
trade they made in the off season, it was August
twenty twenty two. It was the Pat Bev Taylor Horton
Tucker trade. Were almost three years from that. It's been
no trade in the twenty twenty three offseason, no trade
in the twenty twenty four offseason, potentially no trade in
the twenty twenty five offseason, Like we have a sample
(21:34):
size of this is kind of how they operate. They
like going into the season with fourteen guys on the roster,
They like going into the season with a first round pick.
So history suggests they wave shake Milton and then just
don't do anything else until the season and maybe make
a trade closer to the trade deadline. Now, I think
the thing looming over all of this is Luca extension
(21:55):
and that like can you go to Luca, and I
agree with you that they're better, But are they better
when you look at what Houston did, when you look
at what Denver did. I think right now, at best
you could argue they're the fourth best team in the West.
I would probably put them fifth. I'd still put Minnesota
slightly ahead of them. But like, can you go to
Luca on August second and be like, hey, we got
(22:16):
you your boy DeAndre Ayton. You guys are your Sharon Agent,
your friends. Jacob Rabia is nine years younger than the FS,
and you might not know much about his game because
he played in Memphis and Sacramento. But like, is this
Swiss army knife versatile player who could do a lot
of different things. Is that enough for Luca to sign
that extension? Like, I think he's going to sign it,
but I think they might need to do at least
(22:37):
one more thing, So I would lean toward them doing something.
I would lean more towards small than like medium or big.
But could you wave shake and sign someone to part
of the BAE or a minimum contract? Like yes, So
I think at a minimum they do something like that.
Maybe they end up swinging for the fences and do
(22:58):
like a bigger trade for a wing. I just think
based on history and based on the current market, I
just don't. I don't see what's out there other than
maybe Wiggins, but the asking price was far too high.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Yeah, Wiggins to me, because he's in his thirties now.
I think if the Lakers got Andrew Wiggins, they'd be
in the top tier in the West. I agree because
like Aighton Wiggins, Lebron, that's the addition of Wiggins and
Aton just makes them so much more athletic in the
starting lineup when they were just not athletic enough. And
that's just a lot of talent to have eaton Wiggins, Lebron,
Reeves and Luca. But I wouldn't do that deal unless
(23:30):
it was like Gabe Rui and second round draft compensation.
If they could do that, that's great. I agree with
you want to bring a first into the season because
I think that theoretical twenties guy in their mid twenties
that can start at the two or the three is
a guy that is not available yet but that can
come available, and you want to pounce when he does.
That could be a Aaron Nesmith, that coululd be a
(23:50):
Herb Jones. It could be one of these younger wings
that plays the two or the three, that can defend
multiple positions, drive close outs, hit and open three that
kind of stuff. I think that all is the type
of player they should be waiting for to pounce on.
One of the things I like about that kind of
player is it's a good bit of asset management. You
get an Aaron E. Smith, you get a Herb Jones.
(24:11):
This is a guy. These are guys that I Herb.
We haven't seen play in the postseason, but these are
guys that I think play valuable archetra.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
It would be perfect with Luca and Austen. That's like
the perfect third guy there.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Absolutely and like her I like Herb as an offensive
player when he has a great advantage, and I just
think Luca is going to be able to set him
up with that sort of thing. But I think it
makes sense to wait until something actually comes available for that.
So with that being the case, what's your opinion on
this roster overall as currently constructed with Lebron coming back.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
I think I'd put them fifth in the West.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
So I just did a mailbag that dropped today and
I got asked, like, how far can they go, And
I said, I think the West to me is like
a giant game of rock paper scissors, as we've seen
over the last few years. So depending on the side
of the brea they're on, depending on the matchups, I
could see a conference finals path that they could be
a twenty nineteen Blazers twenty twenty three Lakers twenty twenty
(25:06):
five Wolves, where on paper they're not the second best
team in the conference, but if they get the right
matchups or injury luck or whatever, I could see them
in the conference finals. More realistically, I think they're probably
a first or second round team as constructed. Again, depending
on the matchups, I think they're better. Again the question
of like better enough, I think Houston got a lot better.
(25:28):
I think Denver got a lot better. OKAC should be
getting better just with internal improvement with their young players
and just extra continuity and now the championship confidence. Like
so looking at those three teams, I think they're clearly
ahead of the Lakers. Minnesota lost, Nah, well we'll see
what they got. Some young bench guards that Dillingham and
Shannon and like, can one of those guys pop and
(25:50):
potentially replace Na in their rotation?
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Then Golden State. I mean they're a wild card right now.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
We don't know what's going on with the cominga situation,
and right now are the favorites to land Al Horford
and the Anthony Milton. So they could flip Kaminga into
something and get Horford and Melton like all of a sudden,
they're a more interesting team that the Clippers had a
really nice offseason with the Collins trade and adding Brook
Lopez and then resigning James Harden. So like the West
(26:18):
is just brutal, and we haven't even mentioned like San Antonio, Dallas,
depending on when caylried, when Kyrie comes back like that,
they're you know, so right now, I would put the
Lakers fifth in the West, and that I more so
mean like I was putting the odds.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
To come out of the conference. I would put them fifth.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I could see them being like third or fourth and
having a similar season to last year where fifty plus
wins third seed. But like maybe they run into one
of those other teams that's maybe a little lower. You know,
Denver underachieves for whatever reason. It's a three six and
like they lose to Denver in the first round. So
i'd put them fifth, what about you.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, I think there's a clear top tier, which is okay,
see Denver in Houston, and I think that ever everyone else,
it's just a crap shoot based on a bunch of
different factors, like and there's a lot of different like
swings in within each team, Like for the Clippers, it's
like just how many games are you getting out of
Kwhi and how good is he when he plays?
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I think even with the Lakers, like the difference between
them being the fourth best team in the West and
then being the seventh or eighth best best team in
the West is like, does Luca go on a revenge
campaign and clearly demonstrate himself as the second best player
in the world and Lebron plays at a second team
all NBA level? Again, like, if that happens, that's two
top ten players. They can the second best team in
the West. Like, there's there's obviously a lot of swing there.
(27:34):
Even as you go deeper down the roster. It's like Minnesota,
it's like, is an't going to take the leap as
like a more reliable half court scorer and as a
more reliable half court operator. Julius Randall and the in
the fit everything there. There's just so many different swings
Dallas health, Like if Anthony Davis is healthy and like
plays at a top ten level, and Cooper Flag is
(27:56):
a natural fit. You and I both know D'angela Russell
has his issues, but he is a very good offensive
player in the regular season on a team that like
will very much benefit from what he brings to the table.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
What I could support him with their defense and size
and lay yeah, and like, so it's a good situation
for him.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
And what if Kyrie comes back in March and looks
like Kyrie all of a sudden, Dallas could be the
third or fourth best team in the West. So, like,
all of that to me is just wide open. And
the if I look at the Lakers roster, just like
on a more granular level, they're just not athletic enough.
That's the thing I keep coming back to as I
look at the roster, it's like Luca below average athlete,
Austin below average athlete. Right now, you're starting three. Is
(28:32):
Ruyacha Mura for the position average athlete? Lebron slightly above
average as a fourty year old, maybe when he's engaged.
You know, eight, and I think is an above average
athlete at his position, but he's got motor issues. You
go down to the bench and it's like Gabe Vincent's
a good athlete, but he's very small. Jared Vanderbilt is
a very laterally quick athlete, but he's had health issues
in the pass, and he's not a very good vertical athlete.
(28:53):
Dun connect to me, I'm like just generally lower on
him than all Laker fans are. I just I straight
up think he's years away from playing a serious role
on a winning basketball team, like a serious series.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
The problem is he's twenty four.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yeah, this is this is what I'm saying. I just
don't see it like I I just don't see it
with Dalton And if if I was a Lakers and
I saw a team that had a value, and that's
why I would actually.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I would do Ruly and Dalton for Andrew Wiggins.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I know on paper that seemed might seem like an
overpay for some but I think if that is like
the lowest that Miami will go, I would do that personally.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
The only reason why I could see it as defensive.
For the record, I would too, but that's because I
want to win this year. But if I had to.
If I had to play Devil's advocate there, what I
would say is Wiggins is a depreciating asset. So like
I would, I would I would be trying to pursue
something for Dalton where I'm getting back a player that
has more shortand long term utility. But I would personally
(29:48):
do the deal just because I want to see what
that team looks like. But yeah, I'm not as high
on Dalton, And you know, as you just go down
the roster, I just don't think they're athletic enough of
do Thuerrow, Like I've heard that the medical with him as.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Well, he's got he's got the knee injury right now,
ye not playing in the summer league. And they just
to me, they just don't have the perimeter defense. Like
if you and this is sort of a subjective thing,
but if if you were like looking at all the
top teams in the West, and you're like, who are
their three best defenders? The Lakers having Gabe Vincent and
Jared Vanderbilt as two of their three best defenders compared
(30:20):
to some of the like look at what Houston has,
or look at what Okay s has, or look at
what Minnesota has. And like it's just a different weight
class entirely in terms of particularly perimeter defense. So I
think that that's the biggest reason for me for a
potential Wiggans trade or like they just need an athletic
defender that can play thirty plus minutes to night, because
(30:41):
even Vando, I think we haven't like he's dealt with injuries.
He had the double foot surgery last year or last summer,
but you know, I think he slipped a little bit
athletically and he wasn't quite the same defender. But if
he can get back to twenty twenty three Vando, obviously
that's a really high level, impactful defender. But even then
I think there's limitations too. Can he play more than
twenty minutes? Can he play more than twenty five minutes?
(31:03):
And clearly we saw in the playoffs like JJ had
him more in like that eighth man role, So I
just think there's a limit. Like I know some people
want him to start it, I'm like, I just don't
see JJ starting.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
There's no way.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
So if that's your best defender and he's your eighth man,
like you're just kind of in a tough spot. So
especially with that starting group, like they're gonna be big,
they're gonna be tough to match up with. The offense
should be incredible, but you're once again in a situation
where Rui's your primary forward defender, Austin's your primary backcourt defender,
and I think that's problematic.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I think their pathway is the Denver pathway, which is, like,
you match up well with OKC because you have big,
big forwards that can create shots, and that just is
a way with which to enter Oklahoma City's defense, just
like Nikola Jokic was. And then on the defensive end,
it's having a few really good defensive players in a
really smart scheme where all of the lesser defenders are engaged,
(31:56):
and then your offense is just indomitable. And I do
think that that's achievable for them. I think it would
require a player like Wiggins. I think they would need
at least that level of player to get to that point.
If we're talking about a theoretical bit of intension here
from the Lakers. But like there's one last like kind
of like variable for me in the potential Lakers ceiling,
(32:17):
and it's Lebron and Austin's catch and shoot play. I
thought Austin. I thought both Austin and Lebron. Lebron was
shooting the ball so well before he got hurt, but
like after he came back, and then Austin really throughout
the season, Austin just is not a good catch and
shoot player right now. Yeah, and playing off of Luca,
that's going to be a necessity for them to not
(32:39):
be redundant and to experience diminishing returns. I think the
eight in piece is a massive ceiling razer for their offense.
I think Ayton is going to be a monster role
man with Luca. Luca has always been really gifted at
getting the defender onto his hip, even without a screen,
and so even some of Ayton's screening a weekness or
(33:00):
he has a tendency to just slip out of screen
super fast and roll to the rim. I should think
that works with Luca because lucas such a good lob
thrower and he doesn't really need help getting Gerbil penetration. So,
like there's a lot of upside with the eight and
fit if Luca, if Lebron and Austin become good catch
and shoot players, I literally think they could be the top,
like a top three offense in the NBA, like that
(33:21):
is a real achievable outcome for them. And so with
that being the case, if they do that and they
bring in some sort of defensive piece, I do think
there's a small little sliver of a window that they
could slide through, see it. But they're just clearly in
that second tier. And that's what just kind of keeps
me from being too optimistic about them. Last question for you,
do you think the Lakers would consider making a more
(33:43):
aggressive deal like Dalton and the first round pick, like
including maybe a swap if they kicked ass to start
the season and they looked like a legitimate threat.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
I also think the thing we have to keep in
mind with all talk about their transactions or what they
want to do is like what does Luca want? Right
and and so I think an interesting part of the
story that dropped today from ESPN was like just talking
to him about the future and what type of players
does he want and selling them on their plan and
(34:15):
being honest about like the limited resources and assets that
they currently have, and if we give up a first
round pick, if a Jannis becomes available on the market,
if a Jokic becomes available, on the market. We're going
to need multiple first round picks, We're going to need
multiple pick swaps. We're potentially going to need an attractive
young player in adult and connect and you know, we're
going to need all these assets to go for that
type of guy. So if we spend that on in
(34:37):
Andrew Wiggins, if we spend that on a Herb Jones
or whoever, we don't.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Have that option now.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
So I obviously that like we've heard the pie in
the sky and they had their guys that they wanted
in previous off seasons that they didn't get, So like
it doesn't mean it's going to happen, but you already
have that guy in Luca who people are gonna want
to play with. He's aid, like I'd want to play
with Luca. I was another superstar right the way he's
going to set up, especially like just think about a
Luca Janni's pick and roll is just it's like mind blowing,
(35:05):
like just the potential there. But so I think like
Luca's urgency is the thing to me that that is
the most interesting of because I don't see Luca just
being like I just got to the finals fourteen months
ago and I'm cool with chilling, like us just being
like a five or six seed, right, So if they
get out to that hot start, does he put a
little bit more pressure on the front office to Hey,
(35:28):
I signed the extension, or maybe I haven't signed the
extension and I'm considering signing. You know, you're resigning next summer,
but I want you guys to like go for it.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
So that that's kind of a variable that I.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Think we'll see what type of urgency and pressure he
puts on them. But I think so, I mean, I
think it goes back kind of to the DFS trade
and like the you know, you know, around that time
they started to play a little bit better and it
was like you saw the kernels of something and they
were like, here's this opportunistic situation where we can flipd
lo plus some seconds for DFS. So I think if
(35:59):
they get out to like a ten and three start
and their top three team in the West, that probably
puts some more urgency on them. But you know, again
with the Lakers and trades that I feel like that
they sometimes are chasing the perfect trade at the expense
of a good or great trade, and that is sometimes
leads to an activity, and as we've seen with the
off season or going into the trade deadline like that,
(36:21):
I feel like sometimes they overthink these situations.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Yeah, you know, it feels like they're always looking for
an excuse not to do something. For a while, it
was like the runways too short, so it's not worth it.
Now it's like the runways too long, so it's not
worth it. And I would imagine that is part of
the frustration for Lebron as well. But yeah, I think,
like I think if they got off to a great
start and a lot of specific things kind of panned
out in a certain way, like for instance, like Lebron
(36:44):
playing at an all NBA level, Luca playing at an
MVP level, DeAndre Eighton playing like he's in a contract year,
and everything looking like it's smooth, and that they're one
piece away. There's never a guarantee, and the entire purpose
of this is to win a championship. And if you
feel like you're on the doors step and you make
an aggressive move, especially for a player that is in
their mid twenties and that has some long term.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
That's the key thing.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
I don't think they make an aggressive move for a
short sighted like when.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
I think like and that's only again.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I did a mail back today where I got asked,
like about the twenty twenty seven plans, and like, my
understanding is they're not just sitting out the next couple
of years. It's more so they're prioritizing short term deals
and that flexibility to have the optionality of in twenty
twenty six or in twenty twenty seven if there's a
star that wants to come into free agency or there's
a trade that they have that you nimbleness with their
(37:37):
cap sheet to be able to navigate that. Now if
there is, like I think a Herb Jones is an
interesting one where he's someone who's now locked up with
an extension making twenty plus million dollars, and like he
does fit the Luca Austin timeline, would complement those guys
really well, and I think would be worth the potential
first round pick Dalton maybe like a swap or something
(37:58):
like that. I think is a you know, something that
would kind of fit that timeline. So I think for
them it's more about finding that player that's going to
fit with the next iteration rather than being like, well,
let's just find a player for this year that might,
and that's where Wiggins is, you know, depending on how
you view him, is kind of like in that middle zone,
whereas yeah, you could see it, but like he's probably
(38:18):
more of a win now like short term player.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Yeah, I view him the same way, especially with some
of his Uh Like, just talk to any Warriors fan
and they'll be like, twenty twenty two is like this
flash in a pan, you know. But uh yeah, I mean,
if I'm Milwaukee and I'm trading Gianness, I look at
herb Jones coming back in that deal as a legitimate asset.
And that's kind of my point that I'm trying to make,
is like I'm I'm trying to say that even a
(38:43):
draft pick in theory, is not valuable to the Lakers
in anything other than a star trade or a trade, because,
as we've seen with Dalton and with so many of
these other guys, players don't come into the NBA at
twenty two to twenty three and are ready to compete
in a series serious context. But if you can flip
them into a young player, that helps you in the
(39:04):
short term, but that can also be a vehicle with
which to achieve a star in the future. That's a
pathway that makes sense to me. But Jovan, I really
appreciate you making the trip over here to appreciate you.
It's been awesome meeting you in person. For having dinner tonight.
Look for all that, it's gonna be fun. As always,
we appreciate you guys for supporting us and supporting the show.
Before we get out here, shout out your work so
everyone knows where to find your stuff.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yeah, check out boojas Block on YouTube and Apple podcasts
Spotify podcast platform of choice.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
Been living the independent life for the past month or so. Fun.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
All right, guys, we'll see you later tonight. What's up guys.
As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting
OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us
if you guys would take a second and leave a
rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys
supporting us, but if you could take a minute to
do that, I'd really appreciate it. The volume
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(01:52):
welcome to him to day here at the volume. Have
you find it? Everybody? Hope all if you guys are
having a great start to your weekend. Jovan Bouja, I
was just joking before we started up here. I've met
jovann And and Adam Maraes in the last couple of
weeks in person for the first time. Yovan and I've
worked together a lot over the last couple of years,
but this is our first time meeting in person. Both
dudes just as tall as I am. Was not expecting
(02:14):
that Yovonn is a giant. I think you might actually
be a little bit taller than me. But it's good
to see you, dude. It's good to finally meet you
in person. And this is one of those days where
I'm very thankful for what we do for a living,
because I'm reading the Ramona Shelbourne and Brian went Horse
piece this morning and I'm just progressively getting more and
more irritated and annoyed. And I was like, this is
(02:35):
awesome because I get to sit down with Yovon and
we can just talk, talk shit and get it off
our chest. And so I'm just I'm stoked about this.
But before we get to the lebron stuff. I obviously
we got to see Bronnie versus Cooper Flag last night.
Did you have any big picture takeaways from last night's game.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
I really like Cooper Flag's game. Obviously five to twenty one.
Didn't shoot the ball the way that he wanted to.
He called it one of the worst games of his career,
and I don't know if i'd agree with Like, I
thought he had a pretty good game outside of the shooting,
and he's got to figure out like the pull up
MIDI contested. I think that's a shot that he needs
to get a little bit better at. And I didn't
(03:14):
love some of the shots selection, but I like the
aggression and you could just tell he has a certain
feel for the game with the passing.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
They're playing him at point guard.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
He saw the Lakers blitz him on the first possession,
which I thought was a nice little touch from their
coaching staff. But I think I really like his game.
I think he's very multifaceted. You also have to remember
he's eighteen years old, and like, this guy should be
going into his freshman year at Duke and for him
to be the best player on the floor for stretches there,
Like I just thought it wasn't like the Zion debut
(03:43):
or the Wembat debut, But like, I think he's going
to be a special player.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
One of the things I always noticed when I go
to games in person is I become incredibly unaware of
the box score. But it almost is like the best
because then I get such a strong feel for the
player's floor game and all the little things that they're doing.
But it's actually funny because I got back to the
hotel last night and the same thing. I like looked
at the box score or I saw a tweet. Someone
just posted the tweet and it was like five for
(04:06):
twenty one from the field, and I was like, oh god,
that is a stinky box score. But I was like,
I just didn't think he played that poorly, Like he
missed his jump shots. Yeah, but like and there were
I'm glad you brought up the specific shots selection stuff
because there were a couple of examples where I thought
he like like took the wrong approach for the matchup
he was attacking, Like, yeah, you don't want to go
(04:28):
at Darius Baisley one on one. He's not your best
matchup out here, Like if you're going to go to
the post and work post fades, do it against a
size mismatch, get a mismatch in advance. Or like the
play where he did get pull swider on the switch
late in the game, I thought he just kind of
rushed and took a tough shot, Like there's things that
he could slow down and be better at. And then
obviously the jump shots the swing factor for him, Like
(04:48):
he got a lot of good looks on jump shots
in that game as well. But I want to talk
about Bronnie for just a second. Two I you know,
Bronnie come out, they come out the gates and they
immediately start running these like ball screen actions for him
at the top of the key. Had a lot of
on ball reps in this game. We had the quote
from him, I think it was like about six months
ago where they asked him, like, what do you see
(05:09):
your role as as an NBA player, and he said
on ball guard. And what I thought was so funny
is we kind of saw three different versions of that
player last night. You have Brian Emhard, who is just
like the natural, like career on ball player who just
looks so comfortable. He's eating up ball pressure, he's getting
(05:30):
to his spots, he's showing midrand shot making, he's passing
out of the middle of the floor. Then in the
middle you have Cooper Flag who like is still budding
as an on ball player and has really only taken
on a ton of on ball responsibility in the last
couple of years, but that you can tell he's very
naturally gifted at it, and there's obviously all this upside
that he's going to get to over the course of
the next few years. And then you have Bronnie who
(05:52):
is like both raw and not naturally gifted at it,
not naturally gifted at reading the floor. I thought he
made several kind of funky pocket passes where it looked
like he was kind of telegraphing what he was going
to do. He took that floater when he was draped
in back pressure, which is just not a good shot
unless you're drifting like Trey Young. Like there's just there's
all these like different things where I just thought, I
(06:13):
feel like, Bronnie, this is just missing the boat on
what he can be as an NBA player.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, I think, and he talked about this.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
We had a summer league practice last week and he
talked about like he acknowledged that he needs to get
better on the defensive side of the floor and that's
the primary way that he's going to get on the floor.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
At the NBA level.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
So I think that was like the player archtype coming
out as people were comparing him to a Daveon Mitchell
or a Pat Beverly or an Avery Bradley or like
someone like that, and we haven't really seen that hit
bull style.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
I'm going to pressure you ninety four feet.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
We might see it for like flashes or like possessions,
but he hasn't really had that like defensive dog yet
that I think he's going to need to be at
someone who's six foot one, six foot two, Like, it's
hard to be an NBA level rotation player at that
size if you aren't capable of defending at a very
high level.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
And pressuring and being disruptive.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
So I think that's the key for him getting rotation
minutes with the Lakers team now. In terms of his
on ball stuff, like, I'm okay with him trying to
develop it because I think we have seen real progress
with him from the beginning. Like his first game at
the G League compared to his final season stats were
like nineteen five and five, which is nothing to scoff at.
I think he had some really impressive games and he
(07:22):
played like eighteen nineteen games, so it was like a
decent sample size for the G League. But I'm okay
with them trying to develop it, but I think you
got to be careful with Like I think if you're
developing him to be like a backup point guard, that's okay,
But if this is like for him to like be
his primary role as potentially a starter. I don't know
if he has that upside in terms of the playmaking
(07:43):
and the ball handling at that level, if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Yeah, that's my thing is like I look at Ryan
Nimhart and I think backup NBA guard. Yeah, like a
legitimate this guy has the ability to become a guy
who can come in and play, you know, eighteen twenty
two minutes for a good series team and run the
bench offense like I And like there's just a chasm
between him and Banni and so it just it just
seems like such a far off dream. And it just
(08:06):
again to your point, like the defensive potential there, I'd argue,
like he's really far away from what he's capable of
being and what he has been, and so it just
feels to me like that needs to be the main target.
And to your point, if he made that comment last week,
I think that's a good sign that his had is
at least in the.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Run good self awareness. Yeah, but certainly a project at
this point got to.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Get to Lebron no do it. So there's so much
weird noise. Obviously we had all this stuff that happened
last month. Sean's Last Night mentioned again Lebron's frustrations with
the Lakers Lebron. DeAndre Ayton was asked in a radio
hit whether or not he got welcomed to the team
by Lebron. He said no, and then said, but Luca did.
(08:49):
We had that weird ESPN piece this morning. Now, remember
Ramona Shelburne is very close to Genie Busts, So it's like,
I didn't look at that as like a something coming
from Lebron's camp. I looked at that as something that
can that came from the Lakers. But it's this weird
piece just basically kind of laying out some specifics of
the dynamic. Like Lebron was absent from a brain trust
meeting right after the lost Minnesota Lebron was not informed
(09:11):
about the sale of the team like Luca was. We
obviously know that Lebron loves to sign these one plus
one contracts and the Lakers did not let him do
that this time around. What the fuck is going on
with this Lebron stuff.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
It's been weird.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I'll say.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I started hearing in February that a contract extension, what
was unlikely to occur between the two sides. That's why
whenever I talked about it, I would mention the player
or him likely opting into the player option, that that
was the way that this was headed. I think even
them talking about this like project twenty twenty seven, that's
what Laker fans have dubbed it about, like keeping the
(09:48):
cap space for twenty twenty seven, I think that's more about,
like it's the post Lebron plan. Like I think they're
more so looking at, Okay, he's gonna be because in
the piece, like they stated, I don't know if it's
exactly them reporting it or more speculation, but they basically say,
like the Lakers are moving on from Lebron after this season,
Like this is the final season of Lebron in LA.
(10:09):
He can retire and this have his farewell tour in LA,
or he can go somewhere else next summer, Like that
was the implication. So if that's the case, then like
all this talk about the future and what the Lakers
roster is going to look like season from now or
two seasons from now, that's the post Lebron plan. And
they're indicating then that they kind of want to ride
out this year, Like you know, be as good as
(10:29):
they can while maintaining that flexibility, and then go into
twenty twenty six, twenty seven, and twenty twenty seven to
twenty eight building around Luca Austin and like the next
iteration of the Lakers group. So I think for Lebron,
he's been the most powerful athlete maybe in American sports history,
you know, based on like the player empowerment movement and
(10:50):
all the changes that he's helped facilitate. So for him
to go from being like the center of the universe
on every team he's ever been on and always have
the front office and ownership coming to him and you know,
can you do a one plus one? Can you do
a longer term deal? And now, for the first time
in his career, it's we're not offering you this like that.
That's got a you know, he feels a certain type
of way about it, and I don't blame him for that.
(11:12):
And that's why I sat on my show a few
days ago that like they're not in the best place
right now. And I think that's probably an understatement, but uh,
I mean I get it from I get it from
both sides, right, Because if you're the Lakers you're trying
to build around Luca, and if you go all in
on this roster, it is going to hamstring you with
what you can do in the future. If you're Lebron,
you're Lebron and you're used to things and you know,
(11:33):
operating a certain way, and they're just not operating that
way anymore.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
So I actually think Lebron is just pissed about the contract.
This is my careery because like, they're better. They got
DeAndre and they are. That's a substantial upgrade at the
biggest weeks spot spot in the roster from last year.
They are. You know, they lose Dorian Phinney Smith. Obviously
that had its like the Dorian Phinney Smith thing, Like
(11:57):
I saw a lot of Laker fans get upset about it.
I'm a little bit more in the middle ground there
because you made that deal before Lucas signed, Like, you
can't you can't be like, oh, it's poor asset management.
The entire trajectory of the franchise shifted after that deal.
But like adding Jake Laavia, adding Dean Drayton, I would
argue the Lakers are a better basketball team today than
(12:18):
they were last year. So Lebron probably has a certain
amount of excitement there. There's also the reality that, like
I think, I think Lebron became aware right away, even
when the Luca trade first came down, like, oh yeah,
they're not going to go throw all of our first
round draft picks and Dalton connect and everything at at
a player for a win now type of move because
it doesn't make sense anymore. Lucas twenty six years old.
(12:40):
I think where Lebron is frustrated, and I completely sided
with him on this. He was sixth in MVP voting
last year. I voted for him fifth. He was second
team All NBA.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
I voted for him first.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
There was a stretch before he pulled his groin where
he legitimately was playing at the level of the very
best players in the league. He was playing incredible defense,
was averaging as close to a thirty point triple double
on sky high efficiency, was going on the road to
good teams and picking them apart. Lebron was cooking. And
yet was he a lesser player when he came back.
(13:13):
He absolutely was, but he was still very, very good
in the postseason. I think he was like twenty five
nine and six on sixty percent true shooting. He had
a thirty seven point playoff game. Like Lebron is still
very much one of the second tier stars in the NBA.
I was joking in the elevator on the way up,
like to me, if this was Carl Anthony Towns that
(13:36):
was on the roster and he asked for a one
plus one, is there any chance they turn him down? No,
because of the timeline, he's a younger player. Carl Anthony
Towns is not as good at basketball as Lebron James.
He wasn't last year, he won't be next year, he
probably won't be the year after. And like the thing
that bothers me is like all Lebron is saying is
(13:57):
I'm still one of the twelve to thirteen best player
in the NBA, and I will be this year and
even if there is some sort of decline in the
following season, there are all sorts of players around the
league making James Harden just signed another two year, eighty
million dollar deal, like Lebron is just saying, pay me
for the basketball player that I am. And I don't
blame him for being upset about that. I think Lebron,
(14:19):
if they had just given him the one plus one
that he wanted would be sitting here going like, okay, cool,
we got Deandreyton. I can be here for potentially two
additional years if I want to. We're set up. If like,
if I come into this season and we kick ass
and we do a bunch of demonstration of what our
upside is, maybe they'll be more aggressive and make a move.
(14:40):
At that point, I agree that they should be patient
and try to find a guy that kind of fits
a longer timeline. With Luca, I just think he's upset
about the contract, and I don't blame him for that. Like,
do you think, let me just ask you this, did
Lebron deserve a one plus one?
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I think you could argue from the Lakers perspective that
the you know, if we look at like what Raphael
Stone has done with Houston and he's negotiated very shrewdly
and he's gotten like below market deals, or he got
Fred van Vliet to renegotiate at a much almost half
of the rate of you know, his team option that
he had with Houston, I think like you could argue
(15:17):
from a just a pure negotiation standpoint, like not giving
Lebron that option and being like, Okay, let's just see
if you can keep this up for one more year
and the next summer you're still worth it, we will
give you that. You know, we will resign you to
another one year deal and give you another note trade
clause or whatever.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And so I get it.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
From again Lebron kind of but like which.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
For Lebron, it's like, I feel like he feels like
he shouldn't have to because he's Lebron. And I think
we could also talk about like the mismanagement of really
the post Westbrook era of this roster and just of
their assets and not going all in around Lebron or
for Lebron and not really giving him a proper chance
to win another championship like they've always had these half
(16:02):
measures over the last few years, and maintaining flexibility with
roster spots, or maintaining at least one first round pick,
and like being hesitant to really go for it with
Lebron and Ad and then they finally get you know,
they strike gold with Luca and immediately they go get
Mark Williams and you know that doesn't work out. But
then now they're trying to kind of figure this plan
out for Lucas. So I also think that's like another
(16:24):
part of it, which they call it microaggressions and the
story which I kind of like, which it was like
a timeline of like, yeah, this is this is all
like because the Lebron is used to being given the
heads up on things, right, and you know, I think
there's there's the.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Whole led GM narrative out there.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
But like he's at least like that's typical NBA custom,
you give your superstar heads up. But he was not
given a heads up with the Luca trade. He was
not giving up given a heads up with the sale,
and so I think he just again kind of feels
a certain way about this.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
I even on that front, like sit Lebron down at
the restaurant and include him in your plays.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Well, the restaurant thing is fin need to me because
for those who know La, like Craigs is if you
want to be seen by paparazzi, and they lead with
that in the story that I keep saying that on
my show, I'm like, if you want to be photographed
or like on TMZ, like go to Craigs and walk
out the front door, like that's a.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Hotspot for that.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
So like they clearly get robbed there with the with
the binder, and it was like, and that was a
few days after so they were sending their message like
they've been sending a message since the Luca trade that
we're moving on.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
I just look at it as like, I think Lebron
still performs his contract. I think I think there will
come a point probably like it's very possible that in
that second year it starts to become a little bit
more of a complicated conversation. But like, unless you have
some means with which to replace his salary with players
that are going to produce at a higher level than
he does, it's literally at this point just about talent
(17:49):
manage it. And that's the part that I'm struggling with is, like,
I I think Lebron is reasonable enough to understand why
you couldn't, you know, package the first and Dalton for
a thirty year old Andrew Wiggins. Like I think Lebron
gets that. Lebron's not unreasonable in that sense. I think
his frustration centers around the fact that the Lakers are
(18:11):
like legitimately showing him a level of disrespect that they
did not show Kobe Bryant in a similar position at
the tail end of his career when he was not
performing up to his contract, and Lebron's like literally like
he's like, I was staring down the best players in
the world last year and going toe to toe with
them and playing at the super high level, and like,
I'm just not getting that level of respect. And so
(18:33):
I don't blame him for having that frustration. A couple
of quick questions, and then I want to look forward
to the kind of the big picture of the team.
First of all, if you had to pick right now
as Lebron a Laker next.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Year, yeah, yeah, I would. I haven't changed on that.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I think maybe around the trade deadline, you know, depending
on how things go. It's just it's like, I don't
see him taking a buyout, because if he wanted to
take a buyout, he should have just opped it out
it out and then signed some type of free agency deal.
Lakers are not going to be like, all right, well,
we'll eat the fifty of the fifty three million, and
you go sign a minimum contract in Cleveland or Dallas
or whatever. So I just don't see a buy out
(19:12):
being realistic In terms of a trade. It just gets
really complicated if you look at Cleveland with their second
apron situation.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Dallas could do.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Multiple role players, but like, you are losing a lot
of depth in that situation Golden State, are they giving
up like Jimmy Like even that I don't think technically
works under the CBA. There's New York, which I guess
there's a couple variations there. But he's already said no
to the Knicks a couple of times and said he
doesn't want to play for Dolan, so it gets hard
to see like a natural trade partner. So I think
(19:42):
I think the big question for Lebron honestly is how
much longer does he want to play? Like does like
we don't even know for sure if he's playing beyond
next season. It seems to be trending that way, but
he could have like just announced this is my final
season and that statement would kind of make more sense
of maybe in that case he does want them to
trade to pick trade Dalton because it's like, this is
my last ride, give me a shot to win a title.
(20:04):
So I think the big thing for him is figuring
out am I playing an extra year or.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Like how do I feel about that?
Speaker 2 (20:10):
And then going from there, because if he's playing a
couple more years then all right, one more final year
as a Laker. Next summer is now the big Lebron
free agency, you get the farewell toward.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Is he going back to Cleveland? Is he going to Dallas?
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Like?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Where's he going?
Speaker 1 (20:23):
So?
Speaker 3 (20:24):
I think that's the big thing. But for now, I'll
say he remains a Laker.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
I think so too. I just don't think there's any
obvious place for him to go. I think if there
was an obvious place for him to go, he'd go.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Like I think if I mean, if there was a
team that had cap space that made that wasn't proclaimed, Yeah,
that might have been an option, yeah, Or.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
A team that had a big, bloated salary that they
were looking to get rid of that the Lakers could
afford to take on with an asset in return or
something like that. Like it just I just I would
be shocked if I didn't see him in a Laker jersey.
Do you second quick one, and then we'll get into
the team. Do you see any additional moves being made
by the team before training camp?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
This has been the one that's that's difficult too, because
if you look at the Lakers the last couple of offseasons.
This has been how their offseason kind of goes. Is
maybe they trade up in the draft or acquire like
like they like acquiring second round picks, which they did
in this past draft.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Then they signed a couple guys.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Then they might like wave someone or do something in
the back end, but they pretty much just like roll
with that lineup. The last trade they made player related
trade they made in the off season, it was August
twenty twenty two. It was the Pat Bev Taylor Horton
Tucker trade. Were almost three years from that. It's been
no trade in the twenty twenty three offseason, no trade
in the twenty twenty four offseason, potentially no trade in
the twenty twenty five offseason, Like we have a sample
(21:34):
size of this is kind of how they operate. They
like going into the season with fourteen guys on the roster,
They like going into the season with a first round pick.
So history suggests they wave shake Milton and then just
don't do anything else until the season and maybe make
a trade closer to the trade deadline. Now, I think
the thing looming over all of this is Luca extension
(21:55):
and that like can you go to Luca, and I
agree with you that they're better, But are they better
when you look at what Houston did, when you look
at what Denver did. I think right now, at best
you could argue they're the fourth best team in the West.
I would probably put them fifth. I'd still put Minnesota
slightly ahead of them. But like, can you go to
Luca on August second and be like, hey, we got
(22:16):
you your boy DeAndre Ayton. You guys are your Sharon Agent,
your friends. Jacob Rabia is nine years younger than the FS,
and you might not know much about his game because
he played in Memphis and Sacramento. But like, is this
Swiss army knife versatile player who could do a lot
of different things. Is that enough for Luca to sign
that extension? Like, I think he's going to sign it,
but I think they might need to do at least
(22:37):
one more thing, So I would lean toward them doing something.
I would lean more towards small than like medium or big.
But could you wave shake and sign someone to part
of the BAE or a minimum contract? Like yes, So
I think at a minimum they do something like that.
Maybe they end up swinging for the fences and do
(22:58):
like a bigger trade for a wing. I just think
based on history and based on the current market, I
just don't. I don't see what's out there other than
maybe Wiggins, but the asking price was far too high.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Yeah, Wiggins to me, because he's in his thirties now.
I think if the Lakers got Andrew Wiggins, they'd be
in the top tier in the West. I agree because
like Aighton Wiggins, Lebron, that's the addition of Wiggins and
Aton just makes them so much more athletic in the
starting lineup when they were just not athletic enough. And
that's just a lot of talent to have eaton Wiggins, Lebron,
Reeves and Luca. But I wouldn't do that deal unless
(23:30):
it was like Gabe Rui and second round draft compensation.
If they could do that, that's great. I agree with
you want to bring a first into the season because
I think that theoretical twenties guy in their mid twenties
that can start at the two or the three is
a guy that is not available yet but that can
come available, and you want to pounce when he does.
That could be a Aaron Nesmith, that coululd be a
(23:50):
Herb Jones. It could be one of these younger wings
that plays the two or the three, that can defend
multiple positions, drive close outs, hit and open three that
kind of stuff. I think that all is the type
of player they should be waiting for to pounce on.
One of the things I like about that kind of
player is it's a good bit of asset management. You
get an Aaron E. Smith, you get a Herb Jones.
(24:11):
This is a guy. These are guys that I Herb.
We haven't seen play in the postseason, but these are
guys that I think play valuable archetra.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
It would be perfect with Luca and Austen. That's like
the perfect third guy there.
Speaker 1 (24:21):
Absolutely and like her I like Herb as an offensive
player when he has a great advantage, and I just
think Luca is going to be able to set him
up with that sort of thing. But I think it
makes sense to wait until something actually comes available for that.
So with that being the case, what's your opinion on
this roster overall as currently constructed with Lebron coming back.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
I think I'd put them fifth in the West.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
So I just did a mailbag that dropped today and
I got asked, like, how far can they go, And
I said, I think the West to me is like
a giant game of rock paper scissors, as we've seen
over the last few years. So depending on the side
of the brea they're on, depending on the matchups, I
could see a conference finals path that they could be
a twenty nineteen Blazers twenty twenty three Lakers twenty twenty
(25:06):
five Wolves, where on paper they're not the second best
team in the conference, but if they get the right
matchups or injury luck or whatever, I could see them
in the conference finals. More realistically, I think they're probably
a first or second round team as constructed. Again, depending
on the matchups, I think they're better. Again the question
of like better enough, I think Houston got a lot better.
(25:28):
I think Denver got a lot better. OKAC should be
getting better just with internal improvement with their young players
and just extra continuity and now the championship confidence. Like
so looking at those three teams, I think they're clearly
ahead of the Lakers. Minnesota lost, Nah, well we'll see
what they got. Some young bench guards that Dillingham and
Shannon and like, can one of those guys pop and
(25:50):
potentially replace Na in their rotation?
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Then Golden State. I mean they're a wild card right now.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
We don't know what's going on with the cominga situation,
and right now are the favorites to land Al Horford
and the Anthony Milton. So they could flip Kaminga into
something and get Horford and Melton like all of a sudden,
they're a more interesting team that the Clippers had a
really nice offseason with the Collins trade and adding Brook
Lopez and then resigning James Harden. So like the West
(26:18):
is just brutal, and we haven't even mentioned like San Antonio, Dallas,
depending on when caylried, when Kyrie comes back like that,
they're you know, so right now, I would put the
Lakers fifth in the West, and that I more so
mean like I was putting the odds.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
To come out of the conference. I would put them fifth.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
I could see them being like third or fourth and
having a similar season to last year where fifty plus
wins third seed. But like maybe they run into one
of those other teams that's maybe a little lower. You know,
Denver underachieves for whatever reason. It's a three six and
like they lose to Denver in the first round. So
i'd put them fifth, what about you.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
Yeah, I think there's a clear top tier, which is okay,
see Denver in Houston, and I think that ever everyone else,
it's just a crap shoot based on a bunch of
different factors, like and there's a lot of different like
swings in within each team, Like for the Clippers, it's
like just how many games are you getting out of
Kwhi and how good is he when he plays?
Speaker 3 (27:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (27:11):
I think even with the Lakers, like the difference between
them being the fourth best team in the West and
then being the seventh or eighth best best team in
the West is like, does Luca go on a revenge
campaign and clearly demonstrate himself as the second best player
in the world and Lebron plays at a second team
all NBA level? Again, like, if that happens, that's two
top ten players. They can the second best team in
the West. Like, there's there's obviously a lot of swing there.
(27:34):
Even as you go deeper down the roster. It's like Minnesota,
it's like, is an't going to take the leap as
like a more reliable half court scorer and as a
more reliable half court operator. Julius Randall and the in
the fit everything there. There's just so many different swings
Dallas health, Like if Anthony Davis is healthy and like
plays at a top ten level, and Cooper Flag is
(27:56):
a natural fit. You and I both know D'angela Russell
has his issues, but he is a very good offensive
player in the regular season on a team that like
will very much benefit from what he brings to the table.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
What I could support him with their defense and size
and lay yeah, and like, so it's a good situation
for him.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
And what if Kyrie comes back in March and looks
like Kyrie all of a sudden, Dallas could be the
third or fourth best team in the West. So, like,
all of that to me is just wide open. And
the if I look at the Lakers roster, just like
on a more granular level, they're just not athletic enough.
That's the thing I keep coming back to as I
look at the roster, it's like Luca below average athlete,
Austin below average athlete. Right now, you're starting three. Is
(28:32):
Ruyacha Mura for the position average athlete? Lebron slightly above
average as a fourty year old, maybe when he's engaged.
You know, eight, and I think is an above average
athlete at his position, but he's got motor issues. You
go down to the bench and it's like Gabe Vincent's
a good athlete, but he's very small. Jared Vanderbilt is
a very laterally quick athlete, but he's had health issues
in the pass, and he's not a very good vertical athlete.
(28:53):
Dun connect to me, I'm like just generally lower on
him than all Laker fans are. I just I straight
up think he's years away from playing a serious role
on a winning basketball team, like a serious series.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
The problem is he's twenty four.
Speaker 1 (29:05):
Yeah, this is this is what I'm saying. I just
don't see it like I I just don't see it
with Dalton And if if I was a Lakers and
I saw a team that had a value, and that's
why I would actually.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
I would do Ruly and Dalton for Andrew Wiggins.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
I know on paper that seemed might seem like an
overpay for some but I think if that is like
the lowest that Miami will go, I would do that personally.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
The only reason why I could see it as defensive.
For the record, I would too, but that's because I
want to win this year. But if I had to.
If I had to play Devil's advocate there, what I
would say is Wiggins is a depreciating asset. So like
I would, I would I would be trying to pursue
something for Dalton where I'm getting back a player that
has more shortand long term utility. But I would personally
(29:48):
do the deal just because I want to see what
that team looks like. But yeah, I'm not as high
on Dalton, And you know, as you just go down
the roster, I just don't think they're athletic enough of
do Thuerrow, Like I've heard that the medical with him as.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Well, he's got he's got the knee injury right now,
ye not playing in the summer league. And they just
to me, they just don't have the perimeter defense. Like
if you and this is sort of a subjective thing,
but if if you were like looking at all the
top teams in the West, and you're like, who are
their three best defenders? The Lakers having Gabe Vincent and
Jared Vanderbilt as two of their three best defenders compared
(30:20):
to some of the like look at what Houston has,
or look at what Okay s has, or look at
what Minnesota has. And like it's just a different weight
class entirely in terms of particularly perimeter defense. So I
think that that's the biggest reason for me for a
potential Wiggans trade or like they just need an athletic
defender that can play thirty plus minutes to night, because
(30:41):
even Vando, I think we haven't like he's dealt with injuries.
He had the double foot surgery last year or last summer,
but you know, I think he slipped a little bit
athletically and he wasn't quite the same defender. But if
he can get back to twenty twenty three Vando, obviously
that's a really high level, impactful defender. But even then
I think there's limitations too. Can he play more than
twenty minutes? Can he play more than twenty five minutes?
(31:03):
And clearly we saw in the playoffs like JJ had
him more in like that eighth man role, So I
just think there's a limit. Like I know some people
want him to start it, I'm like, I just don't
see JJ starting.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
There's no way.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
So if that's your best defender and he's your eighth man,
like you're just kind of in a tough spot. So
especially with that starting group, like they're gonna be big,
they're gonna be tough to match up with. The offense
should be incredible, but you're once again in a situation
where Rui's your primary forward defender, Austin's your primary backcourt defender,
and I think that's problematic.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
I think their pathway is the Denver pathway, which is, like,
you match up well with OKC because you have big,
big forwards that can create shots, and that just is
a way with which to enter Oklahoma City's defense, just
like Nikola Jokic was. And then on the defensive end,
it's having a few really good defensive players in a
really smart scheme where all of the lesser defenders are engaged,
(31:56):
and then your offense is just indomitable. And I do
think that that's achievable for them. I think it would
require a player like Wiggins. I think they would need
at least that level of player to get to that point.
If we're talking about a theoretical bit of intension here
from the Lakers. But like there's one last like kind
of like variable for me in the potential Lakers ceiling,
(32:17):
and it's Lebron and Austin's catch and shoot play. I
thought Austin. I thought both Austin and Lebron. Lebron was
shooting the ball so well before he got hurt, but
like after he came back, and then Austin really throughout
the season, Austin just is not a good catch and
shoot player right now. Yeah, and playing off of Luca,
that's going to be a necessity for them to not
(32:39):
be redundant and to experience diminishing returns. I think the
eight in piece is a massive ceiling razer for their offense.
I think Ayton is going to be a monster role
man with Luca. Luca has always been really gifted at
getting the defender onto his hip, even without a screen,
and so even some of Ayton's screening a weekness or
(33:00):
he has a tendency to just slip out of screen
super fast and roll to the rim. I should think
that works with Luca because lucas such a good lob
thrower and he doesn't really need help getting Gerbil penetration. So,
like there's a lot of upside with the eight and
fit if Luca, if Lebron and Austin become good catch
and shoot players, I literally think they could be the top,
like a top three offense in the NBA, like that
(33:21):
is a real achievable outcome for them. And so with
that being the case, if they do that and they
bring in some sort of defensive piece, I do think
there's a small little sliver of a window that they
could slide through, see it. But they're just clearly in
that second tier. And that's what just kind of keeps
me from being too optimistic about them. Last question for you,
do you think the Lakers would consider making a more
(33:43):
aggressive deal like Dalton and the first round pick, like
including maybe a swap if they kicked ass to start
the season and they looked like a legitimate threat.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
I think so.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
I also think the thing we have to keep in
mind with all talk about their transactions or what they
want to do is like what does Luca want? Right
and and so I think an interesting part of the
story that dropped today from ESPN was like just talking
to him about the future and what type of players
does he want and selling them on their plan and
(34:15):
being honest about like the limited resources and assets that
they currently have, and if we give up a first
round pick, if a Jannis becomes available on the market,
if a Jokic becomes available, on the market. We're going
to need multiple first round picks, We're going to need
multiple pick swaps. We're potentially going to need an attractive
young player in adult and connect and you know, we're
going to need all these assets to go for that
type of guy. So if we spend that on in
(34:37):
Andrew Wiggins, if we spend that on a Herb Jones
or whoever, we don't.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
Have that option now.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
So I obviously that like we've heard the pie in
the sky and they had their guys that they wanted
in previous off seasons that they didn't get, So like
it doesn't mean it's going to happen, but you already
have that guy in Luca who people are gonna want
to play with. He's aid, like I'd want to play
with Luca. I was another superstar right the way he's
going to set up, especially like just think about a
Luca Janni's pick and roll is just it's like mind blowing,
(35:05):
like just the potential there. But so I think like
Luca's urgency is the thing to me that that is
the most interesting of because I don't see Luca just
being like I just got to the finals fourteen months
ago and I'm cool with chilling, like us just being
like a five or six seed, right, So if they
get out to that hot start, does he put a
little bit more pressure on the front office to Hey,
(35:28):
I signed the extension, or maybe I haven't signed the
extension and I'm considering signing. You know, you're resigning next summer,
but I want you guys to like go for it.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
So that that's kind of a variable that I.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Think we'll see what type of urgency and pressure he
puts on them. But I think so, I mean, I
think it goes back kind of to the DFS trade
and like the you know, you know, around that time
they started to play a little bit better and it
was like you saw the kernels of something and they
were like, here's this opportunistic situation where we can flipd
lo plus some seconds for DFS. So I think if
(35:59):
they get out to like a ten and three start
and their top three team in the West, that probably
puts some more urgency on them. But you know, again
with the Lakers and trades that I feel like that
they sometimes are chasing the perfect trade at the expense
of a good or great trade, and that is sometimes
leads to an activity, and as we've seen with the
off season or going into the trade deadline like that,
(36:21):
I feel like sometimes they overthink these situations.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Yeah, you know, it feels like they're always looking for
an excuse not to do something. For a while, it
was like the runways too short, so it's not worth it.
Now it's like the runways too long, so it's not
worth it. And I would imagine that is part of
the frustration for Lebron as well. But yeah, I think,
like I think if they got off to a great
start and a lot of specific things kind of panned
out in a certain way, like for instance, like Lebron
(36:44):
playing at an all NBA level, Luca playing at an
MVP level, DeAndre Eighton playing like he's in a contract year,
and everything looking like it's smooth, and that they're one
piece away. There's never a guarantee, and the entire purpose
of this is to win a championship. And if you
feel like you're on the doors step and you make
an aggressive move, especially for a player that is in
their mid twenties and that has some long term.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
That's the key thing.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
I don't think they make an aggressive move for a
short sighted like when.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
I think like and that's only again.
Speaker 2 (37:14):
I did a mail back today where I got asked,
like about the twenty twenty seven plans, and like, my
understanding is they're not just sitting out the next couple
of years. It's more so they're prioritizing short term deals
and that flexibility to have the optionality of in twenty
twenty six or in twenty twenty seven if there's a
star that wants to come into free agency or there's
a trade that they have that you nimbleness with their
(37:37):
cap sheet to be able to navigate that. Now if
there is, like I think a Herb Jones is an
interesting one where he's someone who's now locked up with
an extension making twenty plus million dollars, and like he
does fit the Luca Austin timeline, would complement those guys
really well, and I think would be worth the potential
first round pick Dalton maybe like a swap or something
(37:58):
like that. I think is a you know, something that
would kind of fit that timeline. So I think for
them it's more about finding that player that's going to
fit with the next iteration rather than being like, well,
let's just find a player for this year that might,
and that's where Wiggins is, you know, depending on how
you view him, is kind of like in that middle zone,
whereas yeah, you could see it, but like he's probably
(38:18):
more of a win now like short term player.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Yeah, I view him the same way, especially with some
of his Uh Like, just talk to any Warriors fan
and they'll be like, twenty twenty two is like this
flash in a pan, you know. But uh yeah, I mean,
if I'm Milwaukee and I'm trading Gianness, I look at
herb Jones coming back in that deal as a legitimate asset.
And that's kind of my point that I'm trying to make,
is like I'm I'm trying to say that even a
(38:43):
draft pick in theory, is not valuable to the Lakers
in anything other than a star trade or a trade, because,
as we've seen with Dalton and with so many of
these other guys, players don't come into the NBA at
twenty two to twenty three and are ready to compete
in a series serious context. But if you can flip
them into a young player, that helps you in the
(39:04):
short term, but that can also be a vehicle with
which to achieve a star in the future. That's a
pathway that makes sense to me. But Jovan, I really
appreciate you making the trip over here to appreciate you.
It's been awesome meeting you in person. For having dinner tonight.
Look for all that, it's gonna be fun. As always,
we appreciate you guys for supporting us and supporting the show.
Before we get out here, shout out your work so
everyone knows where to find your stuff.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yeah, check out boojas Block on YouTube and Apple podcasts
Spotify podcast platform of choice.
Speaker 3 (39:29):
Been living the independent life for the past month or so. Fun.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
All right, guys, we'll see you later tonight. What's up guys.
As always, I appreciate you for listening to and supporting
OOPS tonight. It would actually be really helpful for us
if you guys would take a second and leave a
rating and a review. As always, I appreciate you guys
supporting us, but if you could take a minute to
do that, I'd really appreciate it. The volume
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
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