July 12, 2025 • 41 mins
Jason Smith & Steve DeSaegher chat it up with Ric Bucher on all trade rumors in the NBA.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Fox Sports
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Greetings, Welcome in Side hour three The Jason Smith Show
with special delivery Steve de Seger in for Mike Harmon. Hey, Steve,
where at this point I have to think maybe?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Maybe? I mean I don't know who.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
The number one picking the drafts is going to be,
But are the Dodgers tanking Steve the number one pick?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I mean they may be tanking?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Wow, I mean this didn't just drop a ball in
center field. So it's not eight to two, it's eight
to four Giants at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Oh did they really wow with Aaron Judge playing centerfield?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Soon he actually.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Made a couple of big plays that I got it
too soon And now no, this is how crazy is
for the Yankees, right as bad as they were for
so long losing first place of the Blue Jays.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Aaron Judge makes a couple of really good plays.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
In center field tonight, and Cody Bellinger almost hits four
home runs tonight, agree and he got robbed of a four.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
They got two home runs, then got robbed of a
home runs.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Thirteen up, and then another home run in the eighth inning,
three two run homers, and suddenly Cody Bellinger looks like
all the money they paid for him in the offseason.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
And this is a guy that's always had the power, right,
but he's always had the big swing, and to me,
that always meant he's gonna hit the skids. He's gonna
have times and I mean weeks plural during the season
where he just gets into a slump because there's no
let's just make contact and get on. He doesn't go
in that gear when he's in the batters bug. But
(01:54):
when you have like his MVP season with the Dodgers
when he was a youngster years ago, when he's hot,
he is really and.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Here's the thing for for Bellinger, He's gonna end up
having the best year he's had probably since twenty nineteen,
right when he hit forty seven homers, knocked in one
hundred and fifteen run for the Dodgers. His war was
nine because he's gonna end up with more home runs
than any year he's had. Make's gonna make a run
(02:21):
there for RBIs as well. Batting average is about the
same as ops is about the same. Like he's gonna
wind up having his best year in a long time.
And that's the one thing I was afraid of. When
when the Yankees went out and they lost out on Soto,
so they did the revenge spending.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Oh go get Devin Williams. Yeah great, that's fine.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, okay, yeah, telling Peter A Lonzo says, Hi, right,
all the guys that go out and get But Bellinger
in that stadium, I said, you talk about someone that
can continue to recharge his career in Yankee Stadium. That's
Bellinger like that. That's the one thing I was afraid of.
Not so much gold Schmidt. I knew he was going
(02:58):
to be some Okay, he's gonna be fine. He's not
gonna be the Paul Goldschmid of five six years ago.
But Bellinger's a guy like boy. If he starts getting
hot that you know him Lefty at the new Stadium,
I still call it the new stadium.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Watched a new version of the Yankee Stadium. Yeah, we
watch out for his dad did play for the Yankees.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And so far he's, you know, so far sixteen fifty four.
He's at nearly two ninety at the All Star break.
That's a it's a pretty good first half.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Amazingly, we have another update and the Dodgers, who've lost
six in a row. They were down eight to two.
Then a drop ball on the warning track in center
made it eighty four. Michael Confordo has just tit a
two run homer. It's eight six Giants in the top
of the sixth inning. Still Logan Webb, who entered with
a two point six y two ERA, charged with six
(03:45):
runs and not out of the sixth inning. He's just
now being taken out.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
See, all I've had to do is say that you're tanking,
and look what happened.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Immediately turn around.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Are the Dodgers tanking? No, you just can't say we're tanking.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
That's four more runs now, le Let's let's examine for
a second that Michael kinforda was your best player right now, Steve,
Let's look at this.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yeah, not good if that's the case. No, sho Otani's
three for thirty slump is over. He home it again.
Tonight's landed in the bay. By the way, there is
one of the Japanese report. For those who areware, you
could probably guess there are many Japanese reporters that cover
the Dodgers. As of last year, one of them and
apparently more than one of them. Home or road. They
(04:27):
literally go and find whatever fan catches an Otani home run,
so tonight even to the bay. The guy in the
kayak that dove in and got it, they tracked him
down and get a quote from him, and that's like
the story behind the story gets sent to Japan. Over
(04:47):
every Otani home run. That's thirty two different home runs
the guy's hit so far this year, thirty two different stories. Wow,
that's pretty good. Like that, that's pretty good, but still ecstatic.
That was the quote from the San Francisco fan tonight. Okay,
all right, obay.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I think that's kind of fun. That's a fun thing.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
It would be a great thirty for thirty if somebody
would just follow these reporters.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
That would be great video.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Don't you think this would be a nice a nice
news magazine feature.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
The Otani home run.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
But the people who caught the boy bug, you get
their stories and what they're all about.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Oh, it's all to interview the reporters who think of
this and actually home or road, leave the press box
and actually literally go find the people and find the
person with the ball.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Gotta go find that you working tonight? Not sure yet?
There it goes, gotta go to work. See you put
the hat on, get down there. Who caught the ball?
Who caught the ball? A couple minutes of your time?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Well, Harmon's White Sox tonight? Can I update they? Oh, yeah,
they didn't lose last night because they got rained out
in Chicago, so they have a chance to lose twice tonight.
Is that that? What that means? Cleveland took the opener
of the doubleheader.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Four to two.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
They've just been playing through the rain to be done
with it all, and somehow the White Sox have gotten
out of jams in the tenth and the bases loaded
in the eleventh here, so they're going to the bottom
of the eleventh four to four. It is still at
past eleven o'clock in Chicago, and amazingly some fans are
still fare through the bad weather, that game is still going.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
See that's not even something that you can say it's great.
They're just doing that to torture the fans sit through
all this rain. We're gonna get out this matter that
we get out of this. We're thirty games under five hundred.
What does it matter.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
The Mets game is at Kansas City tonight and they
had a rain delay at the start, and then what
do you know when we get in the late innings
of regulation, it's Friday fireworks night. The fireworks started going
off during the game in Kansas City, and the bough
from the announcer was they must have been pre programmed
like three hours from now. We're gonna well, it didn't
(06:51):
start at the right time because of the rain. Somebody
just during I mean literally somebody was up at bat
and play was underway or the inning and fireworks were
going off in center in Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Not often you get fireworks after a three run double
by visiting player Mark vii Into's but that's what we
have tonight.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Here.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You're taking the lead from when San Diego set off
the fireworks with the Sammy Sosa home run against.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So we got more baseball on the way, but Rick
Buker coming up in about fifteen minutes. All the latest
news in the NBA is Jannis on the move, what
does he make a Cooper Flagg's debut, and of course
the topic of the week that's going to continue, what
is going on with Lebron James and the Lakers. It
(07:39):
has been a steady stream of different stories over the
past few weeks about how Lebron and the Lakers are
at odds. And we've told you a trade can happen
any date. We're never been closer to a Lebron James
trade than we are right now. I think get happen
by the end of this month. The Lakers right now,
with what they're doing and how they're acting, are daring
(08:00):
Lebron to ask for a trade, right And the latest
salvo in this was fired earlier today. And if you
think Lebron can't get traded, just let me outline stuff.
It would be difficult, but you can always make the
money work, right. Maybe you get ten teams involved to
break the record of Kevin Durant, you know, and Lebron
can hold up a trade trophy or something. You get
(08:21):
hold the facts. Hey, I was training, but you can
get a trade done. But if you don't think Lebron
can get dealt let me outline this for him and
ask you a very simple question. Okay, since they got Luca,
the Lakers have been Luca centric, pushing Lebron to the side. Right,
We've We've talked about this a lot. That's why we
called it headed a curve on the show that this
is there. They are moving.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Away from Lebron and towards Luca, and they want to
be done with the Lebron James business. Right.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
They want to be out of the Lebron James business
and get him someplace else. So what have we seen
a move towards Luka Doncic And then the article today
by Ramona Shall and Brian Windhorst of ESPN breaking down
the Lakers move towards the Doncic era and away from
Lebron James. Right did They detail a lot of things
(09:10):
And a big quote from this is the Lakers put
a time clock on Lebron James era spring of twenty
twenty six. They did this by not extending his contract.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Lebron James is going to be gone by that. Oh,
by the way, I told you this like two months
ago this was going to be his last year coming up,
so I can be an NBA insider. Congratulations everybody, right,
but I told you that two months ago. Find it
on Twitter for proof.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I don't lie when I say we're head of the curve.
But here's the thing. What have we seen since Luca
has gotten has come to La Right? Yes, they're moving
towards Luka Doncic And part of what Ramona Shelburne and
Brian Windhorst outline in the in the column here, they
didn't tell Lebron they were trading Anthony Davis for Luca.
(09:52):
They tried to make that big trade for Williams that
didn't work because he failed as physical. Meanwhile, Lebron had
been asking for years or an active center, a guy
that can run up and down the floor. They didn't
make the trade for him until after they traded for Luca.
Right when they agreed to sell the team to Mark Walter,
Doncic was given a heads up. He congratulated the new
owners on social media. They did not give Lebron James
(10:15):
the same notice. He never posted any public acknowledgement afterwards. Now,
of course, by not offering the extension. They let him know,
this is it for you. We are comfortable having you
on this roster as an expiring contract. Superstar Lebron James
is in the final year of an expiring contract.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Now what did he do after that? Okay, I see
the riding on the wall.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm gonna go to the Cavaliers practice facility on the
fourth of July and make sure I get pictures taken.
I'm gonna wear a hat around Tom it says welcome home,
and when I'm asked about it, I'm gonna say, oh no,
this is just my new business.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Nothing stop.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
We've told you Lebron does nothing that's not calculated, and
we've told you the only place that he can finish
is Cleveland. Because if he goes to Cleveland and they
don't win, it's okay, it can his storybook ending. He
started in Cleveland, he left, he came back, he won,
he left, he came back. Hey, it's a big thing.
If we don't win, it's how he finishes. If he
(11:09):
goes to play with the Knicks or the Mavericks and
they don't win, then suddenly all Lebron loss. Couldn't make
it win. It's all his fault, right, He's not gonna
put the end of his legacy at risk for that.
So it's Cleveland is where he wants to go. So
now here's evidence that he is throwing out there. He
is trying. They're playing this game through the media right now,
right all the stuff that the Lakers did after getting Luca,
(11:32):
and and now Lebron sending his message to them through
what he's doing in Cleveland. And now, oh, by the way,
here's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorse with with stuff from
the Lakers' perspective of how they've moved on to Luka
Doncic away from Lebron James. They took him out to
a very special dinner Luca, did you know at the
end of the season, to get him going and tell
him how they're gonna build the team around you. Did
(11:53):
not do that with Lebron James. This is being fought
in the press right now. The undercurrent of this, of
course is, look, every day you get on the internet,
there's a different Lebron James story. There's a different Lebron
and the Lakers are at odds, they're not in the
same space. If there was some sort of way both
sides could move on, they would do it in a second.
(12:14):
There's a lot of smoke with this story. So now
this is the question I ask you, after all of
what's going on and Lebron James having a career of
being the superstar in the league, being the biggest superstar
on the planet, outlasting and starting around the same time,
and outlasting Tom Brady, outlasting Cristiano Ronaldo, outlasting all the
(12:35):
big stars and all the big sports, do you really
think Lebron is gonna be okay playing this season in
Los Angeles when they have diminished his power, diminished his
impact with the organization. He's not gonna do that, right.
I get that, hey a couple months ago when I said, hey,
this is the last year they're gonna go on. But
now both sides are upping the annie to find a
(12:58):
solution that gets him out of LA and really Cleveland
is the only place, and Lebron is telling the Lakers Cleveland,
He's giving him a big knee onside Cleveland, Cleveland, going
back home, going back on Cleveland, Cleveland. Lebron's not gonna
play for a team that he's not wanted. He's an icon.
Icons don't do that right. Guys with the respect of
Lebron James don't do that. So maybe the Lakers say, Okay,
(13:19):
we do this. We're gonna get him to ask for
a trade or this is the final the final straw
in this relationship, and it's okay, now we both need
to work at moving him on, and and Rich Paul
calls the Lakers and they figure things out. We got
to do it now, because you clearly are not gonna
do anything to help the Lakers win this year. They're
not gonna bring anybody else in the minute they trade
(13:40):
Lebron and they're free up of that money, they'll go
spend it to put one around Luke, whatever they want
to put around Luca. But they will go do this
the minute they move on. And they are trying to
accelerate that timeline. So what happens in the next couple
of weeks, I'm telling you, when you don't think Lebron
can get trade, I ask you, is he really gonna
play this year for the Lakers, seeing how they've minimum
(14:00):
and minimized his presence, then he.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Has to help make that happen happen because.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Step Or they're daring him.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
They're daring him to say, we need you to say
you want out so we can make this trade.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
But he opted in and he didn't have to do that,
and that guarantees to kind of put everybody in a corner.
It would really take a lot of moving of the
marbles to get I'm not saying it can't happen, but
it really made it more difficult and less simple. And
it does make it, you know, every everything you're saying
and others are saying, like we're reading into how Lebron feel,
(14:32):
I believe all of that actually, because for the first
time in Lebron's extremely long career, he's playing on an
expiring contract. He opted in for one year, one last
year as a Laker, and the Lakers are making it
very clear there's not going to be a second So
you could either say we're going to be retiring year
and we're going to finish as a Laker and then
(14:53):
we'll feed you throughout the year and everything will be
fine and we'll all put on smiles. He's not saying
he's retiring yet, but the Lakers had made their decision.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
And here's the thing is that Lebron had to make
that opting in decision before a lot of this drama happened, right, All.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
This stuff happening, yeah, a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
And if Lebron doesn't opt in, he's a free agent
and the Lakers move on.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
That's the thing is that, you know, and part of
it could be a little bit of pettiness.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I'm going to opt in. Screw them.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I'm gonna make sure that you know I'm gonna do that.
But he needed to make that decision to opt in,
or he's a free agent and he doesn't want to
have a free agency bonanza or tour that isn't Oh
my goodness, Lebron's a free agent. Let's stop what we're
doing to go sign him the last thing he can
have as an underwhelming free agency. Now, it's not going
to be great for him to be traded, but if
(15:43):
he goes back to Cleveland, yeah, it works, and you
can make it work.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
If both sides say we want to make this, they'll
involve other teams. Look, the trade will probably be involved
around MOBILEI or Garland, And if it's Garland, I'm sure
there'll be a separate trade moving Austin Reeves because Austin
Reeves is due for a contract extension in next off
season because he turned down his extension this season. So
the Lakers have a lot of moving they can do.
You can get other teams involved to move on for money,
(16:08):
and if there's two motivated side Steve, they can make
it happen. But Lebron with the no trade, he's got
to say, Okay, hey, we're gonna we're gonna move you.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
That's the science. I want to go motivated.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah, I want to go. Okay, let's make it happen.
Like I said, it, maybe Rich Paul approaching the Lakers,
but it's gonna be some sort of thing where Okay,
I've had it, let's do it. And then they will
find a way. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
It may be something that takes a week or seven days. Hey,
this deal is not working. They're committed to get it done.
But now a third team is involved, the Nets are
(16:38):
involved somehow, or the Sons are involved, and they'll get
in as many teams as possible. Again, they'll probably want
to say, get more teams in KD. I want to
have that record. I want eight teams, ten teams. Let's
get half the league involveming be fifteen teams involved, but
it will happen for Lebron James. You think you can't
just ask yourself this is he really being Lebron James?
Is he really gonna come back and play after all
(17:00):
this is going on.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
I'm guessing Saint Vincent Saint Mary's will somehow be involved
in the tread not just ten NBA team since highest graduation.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
So you own your high school. So that's great.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
He did start, It's cool. As for the NL East
update before the break, the Phillies have lost four to
two at San Diego. And for the Mets in the ninth,
we mentioned Mark Vienzo s bases loaded doublesaire for the
lead of the eighth. In the ninth, Francisco Lindor three
run homer, one, Soto solo homer eight, three Mets lead
(17:34):
at the Royals bottom of the ninth.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Boy, I remember one Soda was unhappy and sad to
be a Met member. All those are the days, weren't they.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Still waiting for him to hit a regular bat of average.
But it was a slow start and it's a long contract,
so all's well.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Thank you. Steve.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Coming up next, Rick Buker stops by Where does he
come down on Lebron James Giannis Cooper flag?
Speaker 3 (17:54):
You know Rick must Listen Radio. That's next year Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio in the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Hey what's up everybody?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
It's me three time pro bowler LeVar Rington and I
couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up
on Game?
Speaker 6 (18:18):
What is Up on Game?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
You ass along with my fellow pro bowler TJ. Huschmanzada
and Chuper Bowl Champion. Yup, that's right, Plexico Burrs. You
can only name a show with that type of talent
on it. Up on Game We're going to be sharing
our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to
Up on Game with Me, LeVar Arrington, TJ. Hutschmanzada, and
(18:41):
Plexico Burrs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
Get your podcast from.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Fox Sports Radio. The Jason Smith Show with Steve De
Sager and for Mike Harmon, Hey Steve, uh, Ever since
I said the Dodgers are tanking, boy, they've been red
hot single with two outs in the top of the
seventh Giants now leaded eight to seven. Will Smith, who
could hit four point fifty this season, drives in the
seventh ront of the night for the Dodgers, and.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
The Phillies did lose and the Mads did win. I
thought I'd beat you today. At some point you mentioned baseball.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
That's when we have game back, half game back. Here
we go all our problems.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
But speaking of problems, joining us now in the hotlanin
of guy that's going to solve a lot of them
for us. He is Fox sports one NBA Insider extraordinary.
Check out the On the Ball podcast as well. It
is longtime friend of the show, Rick Buker. Rick, what's happening?
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Man? How are you?
Speaker 6 (19:42):
I am doing well, gentlemen, how are you? I'm surprised
to hear that you have problems. You don't have problems.
You do not have problems other than being a Knicks fan.
You do not have problems.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Hey, now, hey, listen, we're the overwhelming favorite to get
out of the East.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Man. I just have expectations now is what I have again?
Speaker 6 (20:00):
Again, thank you. Haven't we been through this before?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
You are.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Okay? Well, it's you know, it's another season. We will
work through it. We can do this together, Jason, I
do it.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
All right. Look, well, first things first.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Look, we talked about the Lebron James situation a few
minutes ago and how he and the Lakers seem to
be at odds. But I feel like the Lakers are
daring Lebron to ask for a trade. He's taking pictures
at the Cavaliers training facility wearing a hat saying welcome home.
The big ESPN article today about how the Lakers are
moving away from a Lebron business and I say this,
(20:40):
and tell me agree or disagree on this? Is that
for all the If you think Lebron James can't get
traded after the Lakers have done so much to minimize
him at this point with the team and where he
is and their priorities, can he really come back and
play this season in La. I can't see it. I
can't see him playing the season with the Lakers. What's
going on?
Speaker 6 (21:01):
Well, help me out here. How have they minimized him?
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Let's see, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
They didn't tell They didn't tell them that they were
trading for the trade in ad they didn't they didn't
tell them that the team was being sold.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Uh, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
They didn't get a center until for him that he
and ad wanted for years, until after they got Luca.
They didn't offer a new they didn't offer a new contract.
They said, you play on this expiring deal. And that's
kind of it. I think those are messages, Rick.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Yeah, no, no, no, they are messages. But the message was
the second that they got Luka Doncic that we're moving
on and we're turning the page. And I mean, as
a realist, it makes.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
The most sense. Everybody is giddy.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
About the fact that they're they're somehow able to bridge this.
There's two ways that Lebron can can approach this. He
can approach it as look, I'm I'm Lebron James, I
need to be treated a certain way. Or he can
approach it as you know what, let me let me
handle them.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I think your dog disagrees with me.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Yeah, he's I didn't know that he was that vehement
about that.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
This will be on the On the Dog podcast with
his dog, That's what it's going to be exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
But I.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
Just I think there's a way for him to look
good in the situation. And that's to say, you know what,
I know, my time is up. I want to make
the best of this. I want to uh do whatever
is necessary to make this transition to Luca as easy
as possible.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
You know, in some ways, the way Dirk handled things
with with Luca, now they didn't they didn't completely overlap,
but he was inviting him and he was taking in
sort of the older statesman role. I think there's a
way for Lebron to do this rather than don't you
know who I am? Because at this point you know
who he is.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
For what he's he's.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
Getting paid one third of their their cap is the
one third of is he worth one third on the
court at this point? And I you know, outside of
the Lebron fans, I would think most people would say, no,
he's He's still a very good player. He's not a
great player at this point. So I look, I I
(23:22):
the Lakers are moving on. We knew that they were
going to be doing that the second that they got
Luka Dacic that there's no way to do that effectively.
If they're still trying to cater to Lebron. There's just
no there's no way to do it and do it
effectively and do it efficiently. So I don't it's not
(23:42):
a matter of him getting traded. I think it would
be really difficult to trade him. What I wonder is
does Lebron get to the point where he forces a buyout,
because you to take on the salary that he has
is would be very challenging. And I think, honestly, you know,
(24:03):
I don't. I don't see an attraction to Bradley Beale.
Everything that I've heard is he's he will get bought
out and he's going to end up with the Clippers.
I don't see Lebron James really wanting to go on place.
But but if there was any move that was going
to be made, I would think that he would force
a buyout so he could choose where he's going to go.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
That is the follow up break we were talking earlier
that it seems a trade once Lebron opts in for
that amount of cash is just, to say the least prohibitive,
So the Lakers would have to eat a ton of
money at this point by letting Lebron opt in.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Essentially, Yeah, and and I mean at this point it's
like in their shoes. I think that they would you know,
if Lebron protests, if Lebron decides to sit out, whatever
it might be, I think he ultimately is going to
look worse in that situation. And so I just feel
(25:06):
like a lot of this is posturing by Rich Paul
to try to maintain as much leverage as possible. And
and look, we've had you know, I mean, Lebron is
the king of a passive aggressive move? Is he not
like thing? Not recently I think his entire.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Career and recently it hasn't ended.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yes, exactly so, And and how much of those threats
have actually come to fruition. Usually it's a leverage play. Look,
he's just in a position. And I know that this
is this is this is hard for every player, and
I can only imagine what it's like for someone who
has had the immense control and power and influence and
(25:51):
presence that Lebron James has has had to be facing
this reality of oh, I'm not number one in their
thoughts and dreams, Like I mean, that's a hard reality
for anyone to kind of come to terms with, or
any NBA player to come to terms with when they've
(26:13):
enjoyed that. But Lebron James has enjoyed that to the
ns degree pretty much his entire career. But the reality
is he's not there now and it's not as if
there's twenty nine other teams that are salivating to get him,
and I just that's the you know, that's the difficulty
(26:33):
to have. There's so many mixed messages here from Lebrot.
I mean, you can't talk. You can't opt in to
your contract and then say it in the same breath.
You know, I still want to play for championships. It's
like you had a choice here. You could do the
Tom Brady, you could do the Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
You could take.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Less to create some flexibility. I never tell a player
to do that. If you want to take your money,
take your money, I have no problem with that. But
don't tell me same time. Hey, you know what, I
believe that I you know, I'm only satisfied if I'm
playing for championships. You can't have it as much as
Lebron James has had it every which way, I don't
(27:11):
know that he can have it both ways in this situation.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Fox Sports Want insider Rick Buker, our guest Jason Smith,
Steve the Saga, Fox Sports Radio Okay, So from Lebron,
let's go to Giannis, who does a podcast where he says,
all my friends and there telling me to go to
the Knicks. I'm like yeah, And then he gets asked, hey,
so are you gonna get traded? He goes, well, I
love Milwaukee. I'll probably stay. We'll see, so he'll probably stay.
(27:36):
But then he says, we'll see. What's going on with Giannis?
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Well, I think, like I think, as as any of
us in that situation, he doesn't want to He wants
to see what his options are. He wants to know, like, Okay,
if I did go to New York, what would look like?
And who would I be traded for? And uh and
and so I don't think he's closing the door on that.
(28:01):
But I from everything that I've heard and I've heard
him say, and what I know behind the scenes, like
he wants to stay in Milwaukee. That's that is his preference.
And I would dare say, ultimately that's what I expect
him to do. So, but you know, at this point,
(28:23):
why close the door on something better possibly presenting it?
I don't know what that's something better would be, but
and don't tell me what're playing for the new red
mix would be that thing. I don't I don't know
(28:43):
what that would be. But honestly, like he, I think
he recognized first of all, with all international players, I
don't know of one of them that is that is
asked to be moved. Luka Doncics was in tears over
the fact that that he was moved. For everything that's
happening in Denver, or was happening in Denver over the
(29:04):
last year. You never heard a peep from Nikola jokicch
about you know what I need. I need to get
out of here, and I don't think that you ever will.
It is just it is a there's a level of
gratitude that international players have when NBA teams not only
pick them, but choose to build around them. It is
it is a it is a badge of honor. And
(29:27):
they don't have the same feeling about, well, I have
to be in LA or New York or one of
the major markets or any of that. They just don't
think that way. We just heard Ricky Rubio talking talking
about the NBA culture now, as I think as an
international player, it really didn't fit him. Guys talking about
you know the car that they were driving and all
of the you know, the glitz and the glamour, the
(29:49):
euro the Euros, the international players are just so grateful
that they're here and that they're in the NBA that
the idea of making demands is really is a little
out of character. I would say that Jannis is the
closest one who came to it when he when he
dropped the end of you know, I don't know if
(30:09):
I want to stay here if I can't play for championships,
and that was you know, that was go get me
Damian Lillard. And he saw how that happened, but how
that turned out, and I think that that was an
awakening for him, like, Okay, maybe I should just play.
Maybe I should just enjoy being in Milwaukee and playing
for this team. And I think with this being a
family man with his brothers there, like all of that
(30:34):
changes in a way in New York that I'm not
sure from what I know, appeals enough to Jannis to say, Milwaukee,
get me up out of here.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Rick Buker you can follow on Twitter at Rick Buker,
that is at Rick Buker. Check out the On the
Ball podcast as well, all about what Mike Brown will
bring to the Knicks as he gets them to the
Fox boy a first championship since nineteen seventy three. Because
that's the latest on the ball, right, that's you got?
Speaker 6 (31:04):
Yeah, well no, nope, yeah, you wait for that. Hold
your breath, Hold your breath.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
A hey, uh hey, real quick in in in less
than a minute. What did you make a Cooper Flag's
debut last night?
Speaker 6 (31:16):
Uh? It was understandable. I mean, you know, the nerves. Hey,
I gotta ask you, like, do you remember what he
did in his first game for.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Duke that's a O.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
Well, that's right, that's right, And that's how we're going
to look back on this Summer League game. Okay, every
guy's gone through it. I think I think Wemby was
was a tragedy in his first game. Tim Duncan, I
don't think stood out, especially now the way.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
It's a production to pros.
Speaker 6 (31:51):
This is what he's been dreaming of his entire life,
and it's always.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
A slumpy game.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
And he asked, he was to ask to do more,
you know, do everything, show everything that you can. And
that's a little too much rope for a guy his
first time playing in a pro game. So understandable. I
actually I liked a lot of what I saw because
he played hard. He showed the skills and the and
(32:17):
the package that he has in terms of an array
of skills. I think he's just gonna I think he's
gonna be fine. And I'm not gonna take too much
out of out of what happened last night. And I'm
certainly not going to play this Bronnie dreams play at
Cooper Flag as I saw somehow, Come on, now, what
are we doing? What are we doing? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Rick, as always, buddy, thanks so much. We'll talk to
you next week. Enjoyed the weekend, my friend. Have fun, Bronio.
There I go, there it goes, Rick.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
You care uh, time out to find out what's trending
in the wide world of sports.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
From a special delivery Steve de Seger.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
Because maybe we got another Dodgers happening right now against
the Giants.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Still down one on the road. By the way, as
we're talking with Rick Buker, he's at Vegas covering the
Summer League, and one of the late games is in
the final seconds right now. Houston down ninety four to
ninety two to the Clippers. But Reed Sheppard has twenty
eight points and Alex Sar is playing for Washington in Vegas.
They got killed by the Suns tonight, Butsar had fifteen points.
Raptors won easily. Hornets beat Utah Duke first rounder kN
(33:25):
Kanneppel one of eight shooting from the floor for Utah.
Kyle Philipowski thirty two points and eight fowls Intonight's game,
It's ten to fell out. Walter Clayton from the Florida
Gators had twenty one points. The next lost bad lead
to the Pistons. Tyler Kolloch of New York from Marquette
ten points, eight assists. He had five turnovers as well,
and he was zero five from three point range. Jacob
(33:47):
Toppen nineteen points. Hawks defeated the Heat Celtics over the Grizzlies,
Gig Jackson of Memphis sixteen points. Las Vegas Summer League
started Thursday, goes from July tenth to July twentieth two.
At WNBA games. Tonight, Seattle won at home against Connecticut
seventy nine sixty five. The Connecticut's Son two and seventeen.
(34:08):
Caitlin Clark with twelve points, nine assists. Indiana beat Atlanta
ninety nine eighty two Clark, though from three point range
one of seven. The Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles
reportedly as an extension through twenty twenty nine Wimbledon semi
final wins for number one Yonick Center and number two
Carlos Alcarez. In the late night baseball, the Dodgers were
(34:29):
down big at rival San Francisco. In fact, it was
an eight to two Giants League going to the sixth inning.
It's now eight seven as the Dodgers have just left
a man on top of the eighth, We're going to
the bottom of the eighth. In the Bay Area and
also in Northern California, Blue Jays lead seven to three
at the a's bottom of the eighth. Diamondbacks at Angels
tied five to five bottom of the ninth inning. White
(34:51):
Sox won and eleven innings to split a doubleheader against Cleveland.
Atlanta won six' five At Saint. Louis The mets are
only a half game back of the First phillies in
THE Nl. East The mets were down three to one
going to the, eighth but still won At Kansas city
eight to. Three San diego beat Philadel.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Field yeah no wait, no, wait wait, wait we had
you had a big three run double From Mark, vientos
back to back home runs From lindor And.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Soto let's let's let's let that breathe a little, Bit steve.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Though and then there's The, phillies who did get a
thirtieth home run From Kyle, schwarber but at l At
San diego four to, two which is too bad for
a guy who's been a great starter for The phills this.
Year Ranger suarez had AN era under two coming into.
Tonight he allowed one earned run in six and two.
Thirds seattle got two more homers From Cal. Raleigh he
has thirty. Eight seattle won twelve three At. Detroit boston
(35:40):
won its eighth straight, game five to four Over Tampa
bay on a two run homer bottom of the. Ninth
milwaukee won it's fifth in a. Row pittsburgh lost at seventh,
straight and The yankees won their fifth straight eleven nothing
over The Cubs Cody bellinger three, homers six RBIs so
The cubs lead in THE Nl central down to one
game over The. Brewers back to, You.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Thank, You STEVE.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
O coming up, next a journey from worse to first
that none of us saw. Coming that's next right, Here Jason,
Smith steve De sager in For. Harmon this Is Fox Sports.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Radiote be sure to catch live editions Of The Jason
Smith show With Mike harmon weekdays at ten Pm, eastern
seven Pm pacific On Fox Sports radio and The iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
App don't let it, breathe get, ready get, ready look
At steve.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
GO i just want to drink something out of a
out of an opaque glass right, now like a big.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Bottle so let's start. Drinking Happy.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Friday Jason, Smith steve The sager in For Mike.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Harmon it's one of Those friday.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Nights, Now STEVE o has a BIG cfl update coming
our way in about ten. Minutes and WHEN i WHEN
i say That steve's got A cfl, update we know
what's something everybody wants to.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Hear i'm a little moist right. Now i'm white next.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
Week by the, WAY I i gotta.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Say, THIS i don't, okay, okay tysh.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Them this is a worst to first story THAT i
didn't see. Coming and this is a this is a
story that maybe even a month and a half, AGO
i could say definitively, worst and NOW i can say.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Definitively, first The New York giants are going to The Super.
Bowl come, on The giant waste time with.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
That i'm Half look a month and a half, ago
The yankees were on top of THE Al, east and
THE Al east was the worst division in. Baseball everybody was.
Terrible The Red sox were, underperforming The rays were under five.
Hundred The orioles have been, Terrible The Blue jays were
just kind of hanging around right this is And i'm
saying The. Yankees, boy The yankees scare me because they
(37:53):
haven't really hit their stride. YET i know they can play,
better and they got a five game lead in this.
Division and then what you see over the course of
the past six. Weeks, boy The yankees really hit the, skids,
man and they're pretty. Good but look at The Blue jays,
now who were suddenly fifteen games over five. Hundred, heard,
YES i mean they they won eight in a. Row
(38:14):
The Red sox have now won eight in a. Row
The rays are five games over five. Hundred you're talking
about four teams within five games of first.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Place in THE Al.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
East this is a deeper and better division than THE Nl.
West now they've gone from, boy this is a bad
division now now they're the best division in baseball because
they got four teams that are all pretty. Good, now
clearly THE Al spentral is the worst division, now but
like this, ale least.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
In arizona's not a five hundred.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Team, YEAH i.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Mean in a month and a, half it's gone from,
hey these teams are just. Stuck but, hey The Red
sox have been on a run since they Traded Rafael,
devers you know the old addition by. SUBTRACTION i think
they're like seventeen and nine since they Traded, devers and
now they've won eight in a. Row The rays have played,
well and The Blue jays have been absolutely red. HOT
i don't know they give up first place the rest
of the. WAY i, mean The Blue jays lineup is really,
(39:06):
good and they've really kind of just hit a stride
right now or the course of the past four or five.
Weeks and The yankees are going to have to make
moves if they're going to sustain or going to make
a run back up because now they're just one of
other really good. Teams but you go top, four one through,
four these teams.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
They can all beat each. Other they could all beat anybody.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Else, MAN i don't think i'd say, this but in
six weeks they went from worse to first best division of.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
Baseball Now Blue jay's leading that, conversation but The yankees
have as if tonight won five in a row and
yet not recaptured first place in the. Division that's how
strong it is what you're talking. About so at the,
moment if the season ended, tonight the three wild card
teams in The American league would be the three division
teams right Behind. TORONTO a team Like, seattle which has
(39:49):
been okay this, year would not be getting the final wild. Card,
Yankees Red, sox And rays would be the three wild.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Cards that is all good from the same.
Speaker 4 (39:59):
Division that is astounding to.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Me and you look at some of the things with.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Baseball was where math doesn't ever seem to work out for,
you is that you look at The, yankees who lead
The American league and actually Lead Major League baseball in run. Differential,
right they are plus one. Seventeen, okay think about. That
The yankees are plus one seventh.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
Less than one hundred and seventeen games of the. Season so, yes.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
It's, amazing, right that's an amazing.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
Numbers one hundred games best.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Run differential In Major League. Baseball the Blue jays are plus. Twenty,
okay they're plus, twenty.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
They Say Michael kay was talking about before they met.
Up there's no way The Blue jays are a better.
Team look at the sets in that same sweep.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
And The Blue jay and that's where The Ron howard
arrested development comes. In turns out The Blue jays were
a better. TEAM i, mean at plus, twenty they have
a two game lead over The. Yankees like math never
seems to work in.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Baseball, yeah because we've seen The Washington nationals who just
Fired Dave martinez his. Manager how did he stay his
manager so? Far they were going literally nowhere In may
of twenty nineteen and wound up The World series. Winners,
yeah they're no explaining the season stats on that.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
One, no, no, no not at, all not at. ALL
i look The yankees of
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmon podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Fox Sports
Radio dot com, or stream us live every night on
the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Greetings, Welcome in Side hour three The Jason Smith Show
with special delivery Steve de Seger in for Mike Harmon. Hey, Steve,
where at this point I have to think maybe?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Maybe? I mean I don't know who.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
The number one picking the drafts is going to be,
But are the Dodgers tanking Steve the number one pick?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
I mean they may be tanking?
Speaker 4 (00:47):
Wow, I mean this didn't just drop a ball in
center field. So it's not eight to two, it's eight
to four Giants at the moment.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Oh did they really wow with Aaron Judge playing centerfield?
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Soon he actually.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Made a couple of big plays that I got it
too soon And now no, this is how crazy is
for the Yankees, right as bad as they were for
so long losing first place of the Blue Jays.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Aaron Judge makes a couple of really good plays.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
In center field tonight, and Cody Bellinger almost hits four
home runs tonight, agree and he got robbed of a four.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
They got two home runs, then got robbed of a
home runs.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Thirteen up, and then another home run in the eighth inning,
three two run homers, and suddenly Cody Bellinger looks like
all the money they paid for him in the offseason.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
And this is a guy that's always had the power, right,
but he's always had the big swing, and to me,
that always meant he's gonna hit the skids. He's gonna
have times and I mean weeks plural during the season
where he just gets into a slump because there's no
let's just make contact and get on. He doesn't go
in that gear when he's in the batters bug. But
(01:54):
when you have like his MVP season with the Dodgers
when he was a youngster years ago, when he's hot,
he is really and.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Here's the thing for for Bellinger, He's gonna end up
having the best year he's had probably since twenty nineteen,
right when he hit forty seven homers, knocked in one
hundred and fifteen run for the Dodgers. His war was
nine because he's gonna end up with more home runs
than any year he's had. Make's gonna make a run
(02:21):
there for RBIs as well. Batting average is about the
same as ops is about the same. Like he's gonna
wind up having his best year in a long time.
And that's the one thing I was afraid of. When
when the Yankees went out and they lost out on Soto,
so they did the revenge spending.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Oh go get Devin Williams. Yeah great, that's fine.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
Yeah, okay, yeah, telling Peter A Lonzo says, Hi, right,
all the guys that go out and get But Bellinger
in that stadium, I said, you talk about someone that
can continue to recharge his career in Yankee Stadium. That's
Bellinger like that. That's the one thing I was afraid of.
Not so much gold Schmidt. I knew he was going
(02:58):
to be some Okay, he's gonna be fine. He's not
gonna be the Paul Goldschmid of five six years ago.
But Bellinger's a guy like boy. If he starts getting
hot that you know him Lefty at the new Stadium,
I still call it the new stadium.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Watched a new version of the Yankee Stadium. Yeah, we
watch out for his dad did play for the Yankees.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And so far he's, you know, so far sixteen fifty four.
He's at nearly two ninety at the All Star break.
That's a it's a pretty good first half.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Amazingly, we have another update and the Dodgers, who've lost
six in a row. They were down eight to two.
Then a drop ball on the warning track in center
made it eighty four. Michael Confordo has just tit a
two run homer. It's eight six Giants in the top
of the sixth inning. Still Logan Webb, who entered with
a two point six y two ERA, charged with six
(03:45):
runs and not out of the sixth inning. He's just
now being taken out.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
See, all I've had to do is say that you're tanking,
and look what happened.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Immediately turn around.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Are the Dodgers tanking? No, you just can't say we're tanking.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
That's four more runs now, le Let's let's examine for
a second that Michael kinforda was your best player right now, Steve,
Let's look at this.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Yeah, not good if that's the case. No, sho Otani's
three for thirty slump is over. He home it again.
Tonight's landed in the bay. By the way, there is
one of the Japanese report. For those who areware, you
could probably guess there are many Japanese reporters that cover
the Dodgers. As of last year, one of them and
apparently more than one of them. Home or road. They
(04:27):
literally go and find whatever fan catches an Otani home run,
so tonight even to the bay. The guy in the
kayak that dove in and got it, they tracked him
down and get a quote from him, and that's like
the story behind the story gets sent to Japan. Over
(04:47):
every Otani home run. That's thirty two different home runs
the guy's hit so far this year, thirty two different stories. Wow,
that's pretty good. Like that, that's pretty good, but still ecstatic.
That was the quote from the San Francisco fan tonight. Okay,
all right, obay.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
I think that's kind of fun. That's a fun thing.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
It would be a great thirty for thirty if somebody
would just follow these reporters.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
That would be great video.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Don't you think this would be a nice a nice
news magazine feature.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
The Otani home run.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
But the people who caught the boy bug, you get
their stories and what they're all about.
Speaker 4 (05:20):
Oh, it's all to interview the reporters who think of
this and actually home or road, leave the press box
and actually literally go find the people and find the
person with the ball.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Gotta go find that you working tonight? Not sure yet?
There it goes, gotta go to work. See you put
the hat on, get down there. Who caught the ball?
Who caught the ball? A couple minutes of your time?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
That's great.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Well, Harmon's White Sox tonight? Can I update they? Oh, yeah,
they didn't lose last night because they got rained out
in Chicago, so they have a chance to lose twice tonight.
Is that that? What that means? Cleveland took the opener
of the doubleheader.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Four to two.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
They've just been playing through the rain to be done
with it all, and somehow the White Sox have gotten
out of jams in the tenth and the bases loaded
in the eleventh here, so they're going to the bottom
of the eleventh four to four. It is still at
past eleven o'clock in Chicago, and amazingly some fans are
still fare through the bad weather, that game is still going.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
See that's not even something that you can say it's great.
They're just doing that to torture the fans sit through
all this rain. We're gonna get out this matter that
we get out of this. We're thirty games under five hundred.
What does it matter.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
The Mets game is at Kansas City tonight and they
had a rain delay at the start, and then what
do you know when we get in the late innings
of regulation, it's Friday fireworks night. The fireworks started going
off during the game in Kansas City, and the bough
from the announcer was they must have been pre programmed
like three hours from now. We're gonna well, it didn't
(06:51):
start at the right time because of the rain. Somebody
just during I mean literally somebody was up at bat
and play was underway or the inning and fireworks were
going off in center in Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Not often you get fireworks after a three run double
by visiting player Mark vii Into's but that's what we
have tonight.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Here.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
You're taking the lead from when San Diego set off
the fireworks with the Sammy Sosa home run against.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
So we got more baseball on the way, but Rick
Buker coming up in about fifteen minutes. All the latest
news in the NBA is Jannis on the move, what
does he make a Cooper Flagg's debut, and of course
the topic of the week that's going to continue, what
is going on with Lebron James and the Lakers. It
(07:39):
has been a steady stream of different stories over the
past few weeks about how Lebron and the Lakers are
at odds. And we've told you a trade can happen
any date. We're never been closer to a Lebron James
trade than we are right now. I think get happen
by the end of this month. The Lakers right now,
with what they're doing and how they're acting, are daring
(08:00):
Lebron to ask for a trade, right And the latest
salvo in this was fired earlier today. And if you
think Lebron can't get traded, just let me outline stuff.
It would be difficult, but you can always make the
money work, right. Maybe you get ten teams involved to
break the record of Kevin Durant, you know, and Lebron
can hold up a trade trophy or something. You get
(08:21):
hold the facts. Hey, I was training, but you can
get a trade done. But if you don't think Lebron
can get dealt let me outline this for him and
ask you a very simple question. Okay, since they got Luca,
the Lakers have been Luca centric, pushing Lebron to the side. Right,
We've We've talked about this a lot. That's why we
called it headed a curve on the show that this
is there. They are moving.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
Away from Lebron and towards Luca, and they want to
be done with the Lebron James business. Right.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
They want to be out of the Lebron James business
and get him someplace else. So what have we seen
a move towards Luka Doncic And then the article today
by Ramona Shall and Brian Windhorst of ESPN breaking down
the Lakers move towards the Doncic era and away from
Lebron James. Right did They detail a lot of things
(09:10):
And a big quote from this is the Lakers put
a time clock on Lebron James era spring of twenty
twenty six. They did this by not extending his contract.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
That's it.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Lebron James is going to be gone by that. Oh,
by the way, I told you this like two months
ago this was going to be his last year coming up,
so I can be an NBA insider. Congratulations everybody, right,
but I told you that two months ago. Find it
on Twitter for proof.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Right.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I don't lie when I say we're head of the curve.
But here's the thing. What have we seen since Luca
has gotten has come to La Right? Yes, they're moving
towards Luka Doncic And part of what Ramona Shelburne and
Brian Windhorst outline in the in the column here, they
didn't tell Lebron they were trading Anthony Davis for Luca.
(09:52):
They tried to make that big trade for Williams that
didn't work because he failed as physical. Meanwhile, Lebron had
been asking for years or an active center, a guy
that can run up and down the floor. They didn't
make the trade for him until after they traded for Luca.
Right when they agreed to sell the team to Mark Walter,
Doncic was given a heads up. He congratulated the new
owners on social media. They did not give Lebron James
(10:15):
the same notice. He never posted any public acknowledgement afterwards. Now,
of course, by not offering the extension. They let him know,
this is it for you. We are comfortable having you
on this roster as an expiring contract. Superstar Lebron James
is in the final year of an expiring contract.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Now what did he do after that? Okay, I see
the riding on the wall.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
I'm gonna go to the Cavaliers practice facility on the
fourth of July and make sure I get pictures taken.
I'm gonna wear a hat around Tom it says welcome home,
and when I'm asked about it, I'm gonna say, oh no,
this is just my new business.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Nothing stop.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
We've told you Lebron does nothing that's not calculated, and
we've told you the only place that he can finish
is Cleveland. Because if he goes to Cleveland and they
don't win, it's okay, it can his storybook ending. He
started in Cleveland, he left, he came back, he won,
he left, he came back. Hey, it's a big thing.
If we don't win, it's how he finishes. If he
(11:09):
goes to play with the Knicks or the Mavericks and
they don't win, then suddenly all Lebron loss. Couldn't make
it win. It's all his fault, right, He's not gonna
put the end of his legacy at risk for that.
So it's Cleveland is where he wants to go. So
now here's evidence that he is throwing out there. He
is trying. They're playing this game through the media right now,
right all the stuff that the Lakers did after getting Luca,
(11:32):
and and now Lebron sending his message to them through
what he's doing in Cleveland. And now, oh, by the way,
here's Ramona Shelburne and Brian Windhorse with with stuff from
the Lakers' perspective of how they've moved on to Luka
Doncic away from Lebron James. They took him out to
a very special dinner Luca, did you know at the
end of the season, to get him going and tell
him how they're gonna build the team around you. Did
(11:53):
not do that with Lebron James. This is being fought
in the press right now. The undercurrent of this, of
course is, look, every day you get on the internet,
there's a different Lebron James story. There's a different Lebron
and the Lakers are at odds, they're not in the
same space. If there was some sort of way both
sides could move on, they would do it in a second.
(12:14):
There's a lot of smoke with this story. So now
this is the question I ask you, after all of
what's going on and Lebron James having a career of
being the superstar in the league, being the biggest superstar
on the planet, outlasting and starting around the same time,
and outlasting Tom Brady, outlasting Cristiano Ronaldo, outlasting all the
(12:35):
big stars and all the big sports, do you really
think Lebron is gonna be okay playing this season in
Los Angeles when they have diminished his power, diminished his
impact with the organization. He's not gonna do that, right.
I get that, hey a couple months ago when I said, hey,
this is the last year they're gonna go on. But
now both sides are upping the annie to find a
(12:58):
solution that gets him out of LA and really Cleveland
is the only place, and Lebron is telling the Lakers Cleveland,
He's giving him a big knee onside Cleveland, Cleveland, going
back home, going back on Cleveland, Cleveland. Lebron's not gonna
play for a team that he's not wanted. He's an icon.
Icons don't do that right. Guys with the respect of
Lebron James don't do that. So maybe the Lakers say, Okay,
(13:19):
we do this. We're gonna get him to ask for
a trade or this is the final the final straw
in this relationship, and it's okay, now we both need
to work at moving him on, and and Rich Paul
calls the Lakers and they figure things out. We got
to do it now, because you clearly are not gonna
do anything to help the Lakers win this year. They're
not gonna bring anybody else in the minute they trade
(13:40):
Lebron and they're free up of that money, they'll go
spend it to put one around Luke, whatever they want
to put around Luca. But they will go do this
the minute they move on. And they are trying to
accelerate that timeline. So what happens in the next couple
of weeks, I'm telling you, when you don't think Lebron
can get trade, I ask you, is he really gonna
play this year for the Lakers, seeing how they've minimum
(14:00):
and minimized his presence, then he.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
Has to help make that happen happen because.
Speaker 3 (14:04):
Step Or they're daring him.
Speaker 1 (14:06):
They're daring him to say, we need you to say
you want out so we can make this trade.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
But he opted in and he didn't have to do that,
and that guarantees to kind of put everybody in a corner.
It would really take a lot of moving of the
marbles to get I'm not saying it can't happen, but
it really made it more difficult and less simple. And
it does make it, you know, every everything you're saying
and others are saying, like we're reading into how Lebron feel,
(14:32):
I believe all of that actually, because for the first
time in Lebron's extremely long career, he's playing on an
expiring contract. He opted in for one year, one last
year as a Laker, and the Lakers are making it
very clear there's not going to be a second So
you could either say we're going to be retiring year
and we're going to finish as a Laker and then
(14:53):
we'll feed you throughout the year and everything will be
fine and we'll all put on smiles. He's not saying
he's retiring yet, but the Lakers had made their decision.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
And here's the thing is that Lebron had to make
that opting in decision before a lot of this drama happened, right, All.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
This stuff happening, yeah, a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
And if Lebron doesn't opt in, he's a free agent
and the Lakers move on.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
That's the thing is that, you know, and part of
it could be a little bit of pettiness.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I'm going to opt in. Screw them.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I'm gonna make sure that you know I'm gonna do that.
But he needed to make that decision to opt in,
or he's a free agent and he doesn't want to
have a free agency bonanza or tour that isn't Oh
my goodness, Lebron's a free agent. Let's stop what we're
doing to go sign him the last thing he can
have as an underwhelming free agency. Now, it's not going
to be great for him to be traded, but if
(15:43):
he goes back to Cleveland, yeah, it works, and you
can make it work.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
If both sides say we want to make this, they'll
involve other teams. Look, the trade will probably be involved
around MOBILEI or Garland, And if it's Garland, I'm sure
there'll be a separate trade moving Austin Reeves because Austin
Reeves is due for a contract extension in next off
season because he turned down his extension this season. So
the Lakers have a lot of moving they can do.
You can get other teams involved to move on for money,
(16:08):
and if there's two motivated side Steve, they can make
it happen. But Lebron with the no trade, he's got
to say, Okay, hey, we're gonna we're gonna move you.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
That's the science. I want to go motivated.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Yeah, I want to go. Okay, let's make it happen.
Like I said, it, maybe Rich Paul approaching the Lakers,
but it's gonna be some sort of thing where Okay,
I've had it, let's do it. And then they will
find a way. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy.
It may be something that takes a week or seven days. Hey,
this deal is not working. They're committed to get it done.
But now a third team is involved, the Nets are
(16:38):
involved somehow, or the Sons are involved, and they'll get
in as many teams as possible. Again, they'll probably want
to say, get more teams in KD. I want to
have that record. I want eight teams, ten teams. Let's
get half the league involveming be fifteen teams involved, but
it will happen for Lebron James. You think you can't
just ask yourself this is he really being Lebron James?
Is he really gonna come back and play after all
(17:00):
this is going on.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
I'm guessing Saint Vincent Saint Mary's will somehow be involved
in the tread not just ten NBA team since highest graduation.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
So you own your high school. So that's great.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
He did start, It's cool. As for the NL East
update before the break, the Phillies have lost four to
two at San Diego. And for the Mets in the ninth,
we mentioned Mark Vienzo s bases loaded doublesaire for the
lead of the eighth. In the ninth, Francisco Lindor three
run homer, one, Soto solo homer eight, three Mets lead
(17:34):
at the Royals bottom of the ninth.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Boy, I remember one Soda was unhappy and sad to
be a Met member. All those are the days, weren't they.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
Still waiting for him to hit a regular bat of average.
But it was a slow start and it's a long contract,
so all's well.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Thank you. Steve.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
Coming up next, Rick Buker stops by Where does he
come down on Lebron James Giannis Cooper flag?
Speaker 3 (17:54):
You know Rick must Listen Radio. That's next year Fox
Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith
Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven
pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio in the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Hey what's up everybody?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
It's me three time pro bowler LeVar Rington and I
couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up
on Game?
Speaker 6 (18:18):
What is Up on Game?
Speaker 5 (18:19):
You ass along with my fellow pro bowler TJ. Huschmanzada
and Chuper Bowl Champion. Yup, that's right, Plexico Burrs. You
can only name a show with that type of talent
on it. Up on Game We're going to be sharing
our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to
Up on Game with Me, LeVar Arrington, TJ. Hutschmanzada, and
(18:41):
Plexico Burrs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.
Speaker 6 (18:47):
Get your podcast from.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
Fox Sports Radio. The Jason Smith Show with Steve De
Sager and for Mike Harmon, Hey Steve, uh, Ever since
I said the Dodgers are tanking, boy, they've been red
hot single with two outs in the top of the
seventh Giants now leaded eight to seven. Will Smith, who
could hit four point fifty this season, drives in the
seventh ront of the night for the Dodgers, and.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
The Phillies did lose and the Mads did win. I
thought I'd beat you today. At some point you mentioned baseball.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
That's when we have game back, half game back. Here
we go all our problems.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
But speaking of problems, joining us now in the hotlanin
of guy that's going to solve a lot of them
for us. He is Fox sports one NBA Insider extraordinary.
Check out the On the Ball podcast as well. It
is longtime friend of the show, Rick Buker. Rick, what's happening?
Speaker 3 (19:40):
Man? How are you?
Speaker 6 (19:42):
I am doing well, gentlemen, how are you? I'm surprised
to hear that you have problems. You don't have problems.
You do not have problems other than being a Knicks fan.
You do not have problems.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Hey, now, hey, listen, we're the overwhelming favorite to get
out of the East.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Man. I just have expectations now is what I have again?
Speaker 6 (20:00):
Again, thank you. Haven't we been through this before?
Speaker 3 (20:06):
You are.
Speaker 6 (20:09):
Okay? Well, it's you know, it's another season. We will
work through it. We can do this together, Jason, I
do it.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
All right. Look, well, first things first.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Look, we talked about the Lebron James situation a few
minutes ago and how he and the Lakers seem to
be at odds. But I feel like the Lakers are
daring Lebron to ask for a trade. He's taking pictures
at the Cavaliers training facility wearing a hat saying welcome home.
The big ESPN article today about how the Lakers are
moving away from a Lebron business and I say this,
(20:40):
and tell me agree or disagree on this? Is that
for all the If you think Lebron James can't get
traded after the Lakers have done so much to minimize
him at this point with the team and where he
is and their priorities, can he really come back and
play this season in La. I can't see it. I
can't see him playing the season with the Lakers. What's
going on?
Speaker 6 (21:01):
Well, help me out here. How have they minimized him?
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Let's see, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
They didn't tell They didn't tell them that they were
trading for the trade in ad they didn't they didn't
tell them that the team was being sold.
Speaker 3 (21:13):
Uh, they didn't.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
They didn't get a center until for him that he
and ad wanted for years, until after they got Luca.
They didn't offer a new they didn't offer a new contract.
They said, you play on this expiring deal. And that's
kind of it. I think those are messages, Rick.
Speaker 6 (21:30):
Yeah, no, no, no, they are messages. But the message was
the second that they got Luka Doncic that we're moving
on and we're turning the page. And I mean, as
a realist, it makes.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
The most sense. Everybody is giddy.
Speaker 6 (21:44):
About the fact that they're they're somehow able to bridge this.
There's two ways that Lebron can can approach this. He
can approach it as look, I'm I'm Lebron James, I
need to be treated a certain way. Or he can
approach it as you know what, let me let me
handle them.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I think your dog disagrees with me.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
Yeah, he's I didn't know that he was that vehement
about that.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
This will be on the On the Dog podcast with
his dog, That's what it's going to be exactly.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
But I.
Speaker 6 (22:21):
Just I think there's a way for him to look
good in the situation. And that's to say, you know what,
I know, my time is up. I want to make
the best of this. I want to uh do whatever
is necessary to make this transition to Luca as easy
as possible.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (22:37):
You know, in some ways, the way Dirk handled things
with with Luca, now they didn't they didn't completely overlap,
but he was inviting him and he was taking in
sort of the older statesman role. I think there's a
way for Lebron to do this rather than don't you
know who I am? Because at this point you know
who he is.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
For what he's he's.
Speaker 6 (22:58):
Getting paid one third of their their cap is the
one third of is he worth one third on the
court at this point? And I you know, outside of
the Lebron fans, I would think most people would say, no,
he's He's still a very good player. He's not a
great player at this point. So I look, I I
(23:22):
the Lakers are moving on. We knew that they were
going to be doing that the second that they got
Luka Dacic that there's no way to do that effectively.
If they're still trying to cater to Lebron. There's just
no there's no way to do it and do it
effectively and do it efficiently. So I don't it's not
(23:42):
a matter of him getting traded. I think it would
be really difficult to trade him. What I wonder is
does Lebron get to the point where he forces a buyout,
because you to take on the salary that he has
is would be very challenging. And I think, honestly, you know,
(24:03):
I don't. I don't see an attraction to Bradley Beale.
Everything that I've heard is he's he will get bought
out and he's going to end up with the Clippers.
I don't see Lebron James really wanting to go on place.
But but if there was any move that was going
to be made, I would think that he would force
a buyout so he could choose where he's going to go.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
That is the follow up break we were talking earlier
that it seems a trade once Lebron opts in for
that amount of cash is just, to say the least prohibitive,
So the Lakers would have to eat a ton of
money at this point by letting Lebron opt in.
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Essentially, Yeah, and and I mean at this point it's
like in their shoes. I think that they would you know,
if Lebron protests, if Lebron decides to sit out, whatever
it might be, I think he ultimately is going to
look worse in that situation. And so I just feel
(25:06):
like a lot of this is posturing by Rich Paul
to try to maintain as much leverage as possible. And
and look, we've had you know, I mean, Lebron is
the king of a passive aggressive move? Is he not
like thing? Not recently I think his entire.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Career and recently it hasn't ended.
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yes, exactly so, And and how much of those threats
have actually come to fruition. Usually it's a leverage play. Look,
he's just in a position. And I know that this
is this is this is hard for every player, and
I can only imagine what it's like for someone who
has had the immense control and power and influence and
(25:51):
presence that Lebron James has has had to be facing
this reality of oh, I'm not number one in their
thoughts and dreams, Like I mean, that's a hard reality
for anyone to kind of come to terms with, or
any NBA player to come to terms with when they've
(26:13):
enjoyed that. But Lebron James has enjoyed that to the
ns degree pretty much his entire career. But the reality
is he's not there now and it's not as if
there's twenty nine other teams that are salivating to get him,
and I just that's the you know, that's the difficulty
(26:33):
to have. There's so many mixed messages here from Lebrot.
I mean, you can't talk. You can't opt in to
your contract and then say it in the same breath.
You know, I still want to play for championships. It's
like you had a choice here. You could do the
Tom Brady, you could do the Jalen Brunson.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
You could take.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
Less to create some flexibility. I never tell a player
to do that. If you want to take your money,
take your money, I have no problem with that. But
don't tell me same time. Hey, you know what, I
believe that I you know, I'm only satisfied if I'm
playing for championships. You can't have it as much as
Lebron James has had it every which way, I don't
(27:11):
know that he can have it both ways in this situation.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Fox Sports Want insider Rick Buker, our guest Jason Smith,
Steve the Saga, Fox Sports Radio Okay, So from Lebron,
let's go to Giannis, who does a podcast where he says,
all my friends and there telling me to go to
the Knicks. I'm like yeah, And then he gets asked, hey,
so are you gonna get traded? He goes, well, I
love Milwaukee. I'll probably stay. We'll see, so he'll probably stay.
(27:36):
But then he says, we'll see. What's going on with Giannis?
Speaker 6 (27:40):
Well, I think, like I think, as as any of
us in that situation, he doesn't want to He wants
to see what his options are. He wants to know, like, Okay,
if I did go to New York, what would look like?
And who would I be traded for? And uh and
and so I don't think he's closing the door on that.
(28:01):
But I from everything that I've heard and I've heard
him say, and what I know behind the scenes, like
he wants to stay in Milwaukee. That's that is his preference.
And I would dare say, ultimately that's what I expect
him to do. So, but you know, at this point,
(28:23):
why close the door on something better possibly presenting it?
I don't know what that's something better would be, but
and don't tell me what're playing for the new red
mix would be that thing. I don't I don't know
(28:43):
what that would be. But honestly, like he, I think
he recognized first of all, with all international players, I
don't know of one of them that is that is
asked to be moved. Luka Doncics was in tears over
the fact that that he was moved. For everything that's
happening in Denver, or was happening in Denver over the
(29:04):
last year. You never heard a peep from Nikola jokicch
about you know what I need. I need to get
out of here, and I don't think that you ever will.
It is just it is a there's a level of
gratitude that international players have when NBA teams not only
pick them, but choose to build around them. It is
it is a it is a badge of honor. And
(29:27):
they don't have the same feeling about, well, I have
to be in LA or New York or one of
the major markets or any of that. They just don't
think that way. We just heard Ricky Rubio talking talking
about the NBA culture now, as I think as an
international player, it really didn't fit him. Guys talking about
you know the car that they were driving and all
of the you know, the glitz and the glamour, the
(29:49):
euro the Euros, the international players are just so grateful
that they're here and that they're in the NBA that
the idea of making demands is really is a little
out of character. I would say that Jannis is the
closest one who came to it when he when he
dropped the end of you know, I don't know if
(30:09):
I want to stay here if I can't play for championships,
and that was you know, that was go get me
Damian Lillard. And he saw how that happened, but how
that turned out, and I think that that was an
awakening for him, like, Okay, maybe I should just play.
Maybe I should just enjoy being in Milwaukee and playing
for this team. And I think with this being a
family man with his brothers there, like all of that
(30:34):
changes in a way in New York that I'm not
sure from what I know, appeals enough to Jannis to say, Milwaukee,
get me up out of here.
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Rick Buker you can follow on Twitter at Rick Buker,
that is at Rick Buker. Check out the On the
Ball podcast as well, all about what Mike Brown will
bring to the Knicks as he gets them to the
Fox boy a first championship since nineteen seventy three. Because
that's the latest on the ball, right, that's you got?
Speaker 6 (31:04):
Yeah, well no, nope, yeah, you wait for that. Hold
your breath, Hold your breath.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
A hey, uh hey, real quick in in in less
than a minute. What did you make a Cooper Flag's
debut last night?
Speaker 6 (31:16):
Uh? It was understandable. I mean, you know, the nerves. Hey,
I gotta ask you, like, do you remember what he
did in his first game for.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Duke that's a O.
Speaker 6 (31:26):
Well, that's right, that's right, And that's how we're going
to look back on this Summer League game. Okay, every
guy's gone through it. I think I think Wemby was
was a tragedy in his first game. Tim Duncan, I
don't think stood out, especially now the way.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
It's a production to pros.
Speaker 6 (31:51):
This is what he's been dreaming of his entire life,
and it's always.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
A slumpy game.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
And he asked, he was to ask to do more,
you know, do everything, show everything that you can. And
that's a little too much rope for a guy his
first time playing in a pro game. So understandable. I
actually I liked a lot of what I saw because
he played hard. He showed the skills and the and
(32:17):
the package that he has in terms of an array
of skills. I think he's just gonna I think he's
gonna be fine. And I'm not gonna take too much
out of out of what happened last night. And I'm
certainly not going to play this Bronnie dreams play at
Cooper Flag as I saw somehow, Come on, now, what
are we doing? What are we doing? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Rick, as always, buddy, thanks so much. We'll talk to
you next week. Enjoyed the weekend, my friend. Have fun, Bronio.
There I go, there it goes, Rick.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
You care uh, time out to find out what's trending
in the wide world of sports.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
From a special delivery Steve de Seger.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
Because maybe we got another Dodgers happening right now against
the Giants.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Still down one on the road. By the way, as
we're talking with Rick Buker, he's at Vegas covering the
Summer League, and one of the late games is in
the final seconds right now. Houston down ninety four to
ninety two to the Clippers. But Reed Sheppard has twenty
eight points and Alex Sar is playing for Washington in Vegas.
They got killed by the Suns tonight, Butsar had fifteen points.
Raptors won easily. Hornets beat Utah Duke first rounder kN
(33:25):
Kanneppel one of eight shooting from the floor for Utah.
Kyle Philipowski thirty two points and eight fowls Intonight's game,
It's ten to fell out. Walter Clayton from the Florida
Gators had twenty one points. The next lost bad lead
to the Pistons. Tyler Kolloch of New York from Marquette
ten points, eight assists. He had five turnovers as well,
and he was zero five from three point range. Jacob
(33:47):
Toppen nineteen points. Hawks defeated the Heat Celtics over the Grizzlies,
Gig Jackson of Memphis sixteen points. Las Vegas Summer League
started Thursday, goes from July tenth to July twentieth two.
At WNBA games. Tonight, Seattle won at home against Connecticut
seventy nine sixty five. The Connecticut's Son two and seventeen.
(34:08):
Caitlin Clark with twelve points, nine assists. Indiana beat Atlanta
ninety nine eighty two Clark, though from three point range
one of seven. The Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles
reportedly as an extension through twenty twenty nine Wimbledon semi
final wins for number one Yonick Center and number two
Carlos Alcarez. In the late night baseball, the Dodgers were
(34:29):
down big at rival San Francisco. In fact, it was
an eight to two Giants League going to the sixth inning.
It's now eight seven as the Dodgers have just left
a man on top of the eighth, We're going to
the bottom of the eighth. In the Bay Area and
also in Northern California, Blue Jays lead seven to three
at the a's bottom of the eighth. Diamondbacks at Angels
tied five to five bottom of the ninth inning. White
(34:51):
Sox won and eleven innings to split a doubleheader against Cleveland.
Atlanta won six' five At Saint. Louis The mets are
only a half game back of the First phillies in
THE Nl. East The mets were down three to one
going to the, eighth but still won At Kansas city
eight to. Three San diego beat Philadel.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Field yeah no wait, no, wait wait, wait we had
you had a big three run double From Mark, vientos
back to back home runs From lindor And.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
Soto let's let's let's let that breathe a little, Bit steve.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Though and then there's The, phillies who did get a
thirtieth home run From Kyle, schwarber but at l At
San diego four to, two which is too bad for
a guy who's been a great starter for The phills this.
Year Ranger suarez had AN era under two coming into.
Tonight he allowed one earned run in six and two.
Thirds seattle got two more homers From Cal. Raleigh he
has thirty. Eight seattle won twelve three At. Detroit boston
(35:40):
won its eighth straight, game five to four Over Tampa
bay on a two run homer bottom of the. Ninth
milwaukee won it's fifth in a. Row pittsburgh lost at seventh,
straight and The yankees won their fifth straight eleven nothing
over The Cubs Cody bellinger three, homers six RBIs so
The cubs lead in THE Nl central down to one
game over The. Brewers back to, You.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
Thank, You STEVE.
Speaker 1 (36:00):
O coming up, next a journey from worse to first
that none of us saw. Coming that's next right, Here Jason,
Smith steve De sager in For. Harmon this Is Fox Sports.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
Radiote be sure to catch live editions Of The Jason
Smith show With Mike harmon weekdays at ten Pm, eastern
seven Pm pacific On Fox Sports radio and The iHeartRadio.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
App don't let it, breathe get, ready get, ready look
At steve.
Speaker 1 (36:26):
GO i just want to drink something out of a
out of an opaque glass right, now like a big.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
Bottle so let's start. Drinking Happy.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Friday Jason, Smith steve The sager in For Mike.
Speaker 3 (36:41):
Harmon it's one of Those friday.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
Nights, Now STEVE o has a BIG cfl update coming
our way in about ten. Minutes and WHEN i WHEN
i say That steve's got A cfl, update we know
what's something everybody wants to.
Speaker 3 (36:54):
Hear i'm a little moist right. Now i'm white next.
Speaker 4 (37:00):
Week by the, WAY I i gotta.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Say, THIS i don't, okay, okay tysh.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Them this is a worst to first story THAT i
didn't see. Coming and this is a this is a
story that maybe even a month and a half, AGO
i could say definitively, worst and NOW i can say.
Speaker 3 (37:24):
Definitively, first The New York giants are going to The Super.
Bowl come, on The giant waste time with.
Speaker 1 (37:31):
That i'm Half look a month and a half, ago
The yankees were on top of THE Al, east and
THE Al east was the worst division in. Baseball everybody was.
Terrible The Red sox were, underperforming The rays were under five.
Hundred The orioles have been, Terrible The Blue jays were
just kind of hanging around right this is And i'm
saying The. Yankees, boy The yankees scare me because they
(37:53):
haven't really hit their stride. YET i know they can play,
better and they got a five game lead in this.
Division and then what you see over the course of
the past six. Weeks, boy The yankees really hit the, skids,
man and they're pretty. Good but look at The Blue jays,
now who were suddenly fifteen games over five. Hundred, heard,
YES i mean they they won eight in a. Row
(38:14):
The Red sox have now won eight in a. Row
The rays are five games over five. Hundred you're talking
about four teams within five games of first.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
Place in THE Al.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
East this is a deeper and better division than THE Nl.
West now they've gone from, boy this is a bad
division now now they're the best division in baseball because
they got four teams that are all pretty. Good, now
clearly THE Al spentral is the worst division, now but
like this, ale least.
Speaker 4 (38:42):
In arizona's not a five hundred.
Speaker 3 (38:44):
Team, YEAH i.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
Mean in a month and a, half it's gone from,
hey these teams are just. Stuck but, hey The Red
sox have been on a run since they Traded Rafael,
devers you know the old addition by. SUBTRACTION i think
they're like seventeen and nine since they Traded, devers and
now they've won eight in a. Row The rays have played,
well and The Blue jays have been absolutely red. HOT
i don't know they give up first place the rest
of the. WAY i, mean The Blue jays lineup is really,
(39:06):
good and they've really kind of just hit a stride
right now or the course of the past four or five.
Weeks and The yankees are going to have to make
moves if they're going to sustain or going to make
a run back up because now they're just one of
other really good. Teams but you go top, four one through,
four these teams.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
They can all beat each. Other they could all beat anybody.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Else, MAN i don't think i'd say, this but in
six weeks they went from worse to first best division of.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
Baseball Now Blue jay's leading that, conversation but The yankees
have as if tonight won five in a row and
yet not recaptured first place in the. Division that's how
strong it is what you're talking. About so at the,
moment if the season ended, tonight the three wild card
teams in The American league would be the three division
teams right Behind. TORONTO a team Like, seattle which has
(39:49):
been okay this, year would not be getting the final wild. Card,
Yankees Red, sox And rays would be the three wild.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Cards that is all good from the same.
Speaker 4 (39:59):
Division that is astounding to.
Speaker 3 (40:01):
Me and you look at some of the things with.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Baseball was where math doesn't ever seem to work out for,
you is that you look at The, yankees who lead
The American league and actually Lead Major League baseball in run. Differential,
right they are plus one. Seventeen, okay think about. That
The yankees are plus one seventh.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
Less than one hundred and seventeen games of the. Season so, yes.
Speaker 3 (40:23):
It's, amazing, right that's an amazing.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
Numbers one hundred games best.
Speaker 1 (40:27):
Run differential In Major League. Baseball the Blue jays are plus. Twenty,
okay they're plus, twenty.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
They Say Michael kay was talking about before they met.
Up there's no way The Blue jays are a better.
Team look at the sets in that same sweep.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
And The Blue jay and that's where The Ron howard
arrested development comes. In turns out The Blue jays were
a better. TEAM i, mean at plus, twenty they have
a two game lead over The. Yankees like math never
seems to work in.
Speaker 4 (40:53):
Baseball, yeah because we've seen The Washington nationals who just
Fired Dave martinez his. Manager how did he stay his
manager so? Far they were going literally nowhere In may
of twenty nineteen and wound up The World series. Winners,
yeah they're no explaining the season stats on that.
Speaker 3 (41:10):
One, no, no, no not at, all not at. ALL
i look The yankees of
Hosts And Creators
Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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