August 13, 2025 • 37 mins
Back in June, Austin Reaves walked away from $89 million - and with the dog days of summer upon us, it's the perfect time to unpack why this might be the smartest move in Lakerland. We break down why AR turned down the extension, what he could be worth in 2026, and whether the Lakers can afford to lose another homegrown talent. Plus, Luka's physical transformation has Slovenia buzzing ahead of EuroBasket, Christmas Day matchups are set, and we dive into whether this Lakers roster can actually compete in the loaded Western Conference. Is yesterday's price really not today's price? Let's find out. Topics:
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- 00:00 Introduction and Context of Player Contracts
- 02:46 Austin Reeves' Contract Negotiations
- 05:12 Market Trends and Team Strategies
- 07:23 Chicago Bulls' Contract History
- 10:02 NBA Offseason and Anticipation for the Season
- 11:51 Christmas Day Matchups and Anticipations
- 17:58 Opening Night: Lakers vs. Warriors
- 21:46 Lakers' Social Media Dominance
- 27:59 Luka's Transformation and Expectations
- 33:43 Austin Reeves' Contract Situation
All things 19 Media Group:
Twitter: @19MGroup
Instagram: 19mediagroup
https://www.19MediaGroup.com
Discover our favorite podcast gear and support the show—shop our studio must-haves on our Amazon Affiliate page! https://www.amazon.com/shop/19mediagroup
Want to join the conversation or invite us to your platform? Connect with us and share your vision (budget-friendly collaborations welcome)! https://bit.ly/19Guest
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, what's going on? Y'all? Welcome to a new episode
of the Late Now Like Show podcast powered by nineteen
Media Group. It is your host, Ricky and Kwame Kwa
having bred What's going on? What is going on? Another day?
Another day? Bro, we are inching closer, like dragging. I
don't even feel like we are. We are moving, We're
we get more clickbait articles in the dog days of
(00:21):
summer than I think we know what to do with.
But it's all right. But we are starting to get
some schedule leaks, so you know, the NBA season is
slowly approaching.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Brow I was like, yeah, these days, like you said,
slow man, social media is just that we're back to
We're back to debates, top twenty best point guard, Chris
paulvers Kyrie.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It's just internet debates now because there's no there's no
active games going on, So the summer's been quiet. Free
agency was supposed to be like massive according to Shams.
It was whatever. So this point, I'm just waiting to
get to the finish line and start the season at
least preseason. Let me get them games out.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Facts we do get blessed with our annual Lebron James
to work out videos. This recent one we saw him,
you know, lifting year twenty three loading, so excited about that.
It's excited to have a healthy bron bond back locked
and loaded skin te Luca. As we will get into,
we saw our first glimpse at him playing his Euroball debut,
(01:17):
getting ready for that tournament this summer, this summer, this fall,
right they start, they're playing there you go, So Luca
is finishing up. They had that friendly against Germany. We'll
react to that. We will talk about all the money
that is about to be thrown at Austin Reeves coming up.
As we know, our boy declined a four year, eighty
(01:38):
nine million dollar contract extension because yesterday's prices not today's price.
So we'll dive into what Ar is probably going to
demand from the Lakers, what we think the Lakers are
going to offer AR, and if there are any teams
around the league that are let's just say aggressive enough
(01:59):
to him what he thinks he weighed. So we don't
get all of that, but make sure you are following
late now like show wherever you get your hashtag good content.
But first let's get into some news. In notes around
Lake and Land, Kwame take it away, all right.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
So, as you said, Rick, the NBA schedule, we're starting
to get some leaks here, and they were starting to
get some hallmark days in here. One of the first
one that was leak was the Christmas Day schedule. You know,
Christmas Day, it used to be only dominated by the NBA.
We see the NFL trying to boguard their way through
and give us Christmas Day games as well. But you
know me, I'll be tuned into the NBA. I'll be
(02:33):
tuned in the league. That's kind of my thing. But
they have a full five games slate coming in on Christmas.
So here are the matchups. So first off, we got
the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the New York Knicks. We have
the San Antonio Spurs versus Oklahoma City Thunder, Okay Dallas
Mavericks versus the Golden State Warriors, the prime time slot
(02:55):
Houston Rockets versus the Los Angeles Lakers, and then to
Captain night off, Minnesota Timberwolves versus the Denver Nuggets. Given
those matchups, Rick, I'd like to know what is the
matchup you're looking forward to the most that's not the Lakers,
And then tell me what are your thoughts on the
Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers lebron KD Luca. I
(03:15):
don't know the shngoon Christmas Day?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Right? Yeah? Man? That second matchup of the day you
said was who Who's that?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
There was the San Anton Hills Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, that'll be fun. That would be a lot of fun, right.
I do think Wemby coming back. Obviously he had his
season cut short. He has now traveled to the Monk Mountains,
He's shaved his head, he's trained with KD, and I
think I'm ready. I think I'm finally ready to potentially
hang up the hate. You know, I know everybody needs
(03:50):
a number one hater. You are the resident Jimmy Butler hater.
I was that from Wemby because at one point before
he went down last season, he led the NBA in
three point attempts and that just is blasphemous for big
boy you, and that is what I stand for. But
I am turning a new lead. Twenty twenty six is
fast approaching, so I will be looking forward to watching
(04:12):
Wemby try to invoke you know, his this is my
league moment on Christmas against the defending champions, So I
mean SGA, he's got a fan in me. You know,
I do love chat in what he does. Obviously he
hangs out around the three point line too, but hey,
I'm here to see footers go up against each other
in the Year of Our Lord twenty twenty five six,
(04:32):
so I am here for a little spurs Oka see basketball.
I'm crits. I will say, though, kwam the NBA in
the NFL. I think the NFL is not is not
playing games. I don't know if they released their Christmas
Day schedule. As far as entertainment, I'm not even talking
about the games because, as you know, with the NFL,
(04:54):
they will prioritize who's gonna be playing at halftime during
these games just as much as who's going to be
playing in those four quarters. So last year they brought
out Beyonce, right, I don't know what they're gonna do.
They gonna bring out Drake, but they're gonna bring out Taylor.
Taylor Swift would probably be my click to pick with
her relationship with Travis Kelce in the NFL. But man,
(05:14):
I will say Christmas it is a fight for the TV.
If you go off to travel to other people's houses,
and they're not as big as NBA fans as you.
I learned that last year, So I don't really enjoy
traveling that much, especially now that the NFL has up
their amount of games and throwing it on Netflix and
having damn concerts. I'm losing out of my basket, but
I'll keep the phone strapped in ready to go.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
You're not wrong. So before we go to the Lakers topic,
I want to I want to touch on this real quick.
NFL's Christmas Day schedule. So at noon on Netflix you
got Cowboys and Commanders. Then the next game, also on Netflix,
you got Lions at Vikings, and then the evening game
you get Broncos Chiefs. Do any of those really move
you like that? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I don't know. I don't know about them game Sames.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I'll be honest me personally, I don't know if any
of it like uh enough to take tear me away
from my national basketball No, that's true, that's just me.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
No, I'm with you there. Yeah, none all those. I mean,
you got an NFC North matchup, so, but I'm not
really trying to see rookie quarterbacks on Christmas while I'm
opening up my presence, so run to me my Wimby ball, right,
So I don't know they I guarantee they got some
concert you know, some performances lined up there. People gonna
be like, wha, I'll check it out for those twenty
minutes right then back to hoops. So I'm here for that.
(06:31):
But no, to finish off the question, obviously you got
a Lebron kdi matchup, I will go out and say
that this is probably going to be the last time
facing each other on Christmas in their careers. So let's
hashtag cherish these moments and memories. I can't help but
to laugh at you know, we'll talk about the schedule
e leaves if I can't help with to laugh, Like
how much the NBA just loves their love their old guard, right.
(06:55):
They they love their kds, they love their steps, they
love the Lebrons. They're trying to do the best to
put Cooper front and center right as well as Wenby,
But it almost feels like there's a generation gap and
maybe we could get in that into the schedule release
on who they're prioritizing. But yeah, man, I'm hype Lebron's
gonna be there. Luca's gonna be there, I mean, Lucan
the Building Baby for Christmas. I expect some fireworks, so
(07:17):
you know, skin Ty Luca is what they call them.
So I'm excited for it. Should be a good Christmas
for us all. I think I could agree to that
late all right, switching gears from Christmas Day to Opening Night.
Kwame damn. I wish I knew the song. Dude, it's
out played in the background. Who gives a shit? The
(07:39):
NBA is back on NBC, Baby and kicking us off
for Opening Night. We have our Los Angeles Lakers facing
off against the geriatric facility of the Golden State Warriors.
Curry and company will be traveling to Los Angeles for
Opening Night. This will be nb season first, first NBA
games since they rejoined the broadcasting family. That is goodbye
(08:04):
to TNT. Moment of silence. Sorry, I don't have time
for it. Best of luck to y'all and your endeavors
over at ESPN. I'm looking forward, man, I'm looking forward
to seeing how they put together a NBA basketball game
on a new network. Let's let's let's make it look different,
Let's make it look new and fresh. I don't care
score bugs. However, we want to do it, just just
(08:25):
make it look good. But kwame Open to Night. You've
seen this plenty of times, Steph Lebron Part nine, four
and fifteen, your thoughts on the matchup.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
NBA has a problem. We are still milking the Lebron
and Steph matchup. Lebron is in year twenty three. I
don't even know what your Steph said. It's probably like
it's late gotta be late teens. The NBA needs to
promote the young stars of the league because these old
guys have been carrying the torch for a decade. It's
(08:59):
been a decade since we got our Classic in the
twenty sixteen season, Like it's been ten years since that
season to this upcoming one, and we're still riding the
Lebron and Steph narrative. I'll be honest, I don't. I
don't care for this game. I don't. I really do
not care for this game. I don't like the matchup. Obviously,
it's the Lakers Open to Night. I love it. I
want to see Lebron loop at the Gang on Opening Night,
(09:21):
so that's exciting. We couldn't get a better matchup than
than these dudes. Really the geriatric Warriors, who done nothing
all summer. We get these bozos come on and again.
I appreciate the league for gifting us at Opening night, Dubski,
but like, I don't know, dude, I don't care about
this match up anymore. I'm tired of the Warriors. I
hate Jimmy Butler. Y'all know that I don't care to
(09:44):
watch him play basketball. I don't want to hear none
of that. It's it's just there's nothing exciting about this
matchup to me anymore. When is the last time we've
gotten some real good games Warriors Lakers?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Like?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I feel like most of the time we just gotta
we gotta stop them out regular season stuff, Sure, you
know whatever, but I feel like, when will we kind
of crank them? Nothing about this is appealing to me.
I'm over it. I know Warrior fans are gonna relish
the moment, but like, I just don't care about this.
The Warriors, I don't expect to be much this season,
a loaded Western conference, and they made this many improvements
(10:16):
for those listening, I held up a zero, so my fault, Alike,
they haven't done anything, So I don't care for this matchup. Honestly,
I'm to be honest, I've bore just in the first game.
If the Lakers weren't involved, I'd be more just in
the first game rockets to ok. See Kevin Durant having
to watch the ring ceremony of the franchise that he
started with that made a name for Yeah, this Lebron
(10:37):
steph thing. I just don't care for a shout out
to the league though, for giving us a dub.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Lakers are one of only four teams to play on
both Opening Night and Christmas. And you know that me
and Kwan that'd be floating around it. They use it
a lot during like the Drake and Kendrick beef. It
was like this old school cartoon of the farmer milking
the starved cow and just you know that's that. That's
where Adam Silver is. He's you know, he hasn't found
(11:05):
his second act yet. And here it is. You're, oh, man,
you shouldn't have socks for my birthday again? Yes, and
you know these are this is the greatest pair of
socks in the world. But the matchup of Lebron's stuff,
we here, we did that. We did that all through
the tens, right, We're halfway through the twenties. Oh, we
(11:28):
could figure something else out.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I would have rather opened against like the MAVs or
something like the Warriors, Like why you know, like, it's
just it's not doing it for me. Man, I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, he's just not doing it for me anymore.
We couldn't get like the Nuggets and we don't have
other rivals that this would have just been better, more
box office. But again went in doubt. There's there's a
there's a thing on the wall breaking case of emergency
at Adam Silver's office, and it's Lebron versus stuff. He
(11:53):
smacks that sucker every time.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
That's facts. If they really cared and if they really
were paying attention, they would try to some of Luca's storylines.
A little Zach right now would have been a layup
in Anthony Davis's storyline on opening night, right in a
new uniform for the first time for him in five
six years.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
So this was hey, skinny, Luca playing his own team
like there were storylines, and instead they said, nope.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Lebron stuff all right, No, they'll probably throw that game
on a Thursday in November. Don't know, you worried there.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Speaking of milking the cow. We'll talk a little bit
about social media dominance, dominance and the Lakers. The Lakers
man number one in following sixty three point eight million.
They're getting forty five plus thousand engagements per post. The
algorithm just loves the Lakers. The Lakers make moves. Networks,
(12:47):
they talk about the Lakers. Social media talk about the Lakers.
The Lakers are everywhere. Man, they drive the content machine.
And Ricky as the captain of the good content Brigade,
tell me your thoughts on the Lakers, fran and how
they've been able to dominate the social media circles and
when it's dead, when in doubt, talk about the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, that's facts. As you could see in the dog
days of some of the Lakers are carrying kind of
the rumor mill that is dried up. And I mean
it's obvious everybody's grown up and they've understood that the
Lakers have always kind of been that lightning rod of
topic and debates first and foremost. I'd say this plenty
of times. There are more Laker fans in this world
(13:28):
than any other basketball fan of any other team. That
is just a fact. The Lakers sixty eight point a
sixty three point eight million across all their platforms is
the most followers of any professional US based sports team.
You know how big the NFL is compared to the NBA,
none of those teams have a bigger following across all
(13:51):
their platforms than the Los Angeles Lakers. Just to put
in perspective for y'all, And you're probably wondering, well, that's
just you know, all the fair weather Lakers fans coming
over trying to, you know, support, and the only things
were good, no, we were. There was so ugly times,
a very brief ugly time. But then you get Lebron
James and then everything's back up right. And as much
as y'all say that the Lebron effect wasn't as big
(14:16):
in Los Angeles as it would be anywhere else, I
would say, you're a goddamn lie. The Lebron James Los
Angeles Lakers marriage was the greatest thing for sports entertainment
television since I don't know, I don't know the OJ
White bronco chase. Right, it is always going to be content.
(14:37):
Right now, you got storylines. Is Lebron about to retire?
How selfish is he if he just up and leaves. No,
he's selfish because he wants a farewell tour. What about
the Lakers organization, Oh Genie Bus doesn't know how to
run a franchise. Oh wait she sold the team. Oh wait,
she's gonna stay in charge. Let's talk about this for
three months. It's beautiful in the sense that we have
(14:57):
so much of a community and so many people that
we get to talk and interact with and support us
as we got to bring you our version of hashtag
good content. But that other side of it, man, it
does get tiring, because, like you said, when in doubt,
break the Lakers content box. Push that button and you're
gonna get your forty thousand impressions forty five thousand engagements
(15:19):
per post. That's just the numbers. And you know what, right,
wrong or indifferent. When you pop in that much, you're
gonna get both sides of the corn. So sorry, y'all,
the Lakers name is not gonna go anywhere. Luca is
now attached his name to the ship. Just mute it.
Mute it if you don't like it, but you won't.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
You just you just get blessed constantly. I mean, Oklahoma
City Thunder won a championship and how quickly did the
conversation switch to Lakers offseason and what they're gonna do.
It's it dominates all the media circles. Everybody knows it.
That's why we're on every big Slate day of basketball.
The NBA knows their cash cow. The Celtics aren't driving
(16:02):
views like the Lakers are.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So that is what it is, you know, it is
what it is. Speaking of Big Luca, Big lucas skinny Luca,
let me correct my correct dress. Big dog Luca Dotres
has showed off his new revitalized self right. He has
been on the cover of Ment Health magazine. As we
talked about last pod, and we finally got a look
(16:27):
at what skinty looka looks like on a basketball court.
They had their EuroBaskets twenty twenty five warm up to
the tournament later on at the end of August, and
Luca he looked good, he looks skinny, he looks shifty,
she looked quicker getting to the hoop. Now, you know,
the numbers aren't crazy off the charts of his averages.
(16:48):
I also think you got take into context what type
of basketball they play. As far as euroball does a
lot more sharing in the flow over here, get Luca
the ball in, move the hell out the way type
of business. Lucas basketball coach over there said that he
has changed the way he works, but this is still
not yet the real donches. If this ain't, if this ain't,
(17:13):
this is eighty percent, this is seventy five percent. Kwal
what are we in store for over in Laker Nation,
what do you think of Luca's warm up debut and
what are your expectations from the big Dog as he
gets ready for the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I liked what I saw. I get a chance to
watch the game in totality, but I did get to
see a handful of highlights clips, videos of circulating social media,
and what I saw I liked. He didn't have the
most jaw dropping numbers. Again, it was a friendly game.
He didn't He wasn't doing too much. But when he
did kind of he kind of came out the game
with a bit of aggression, and he started out hot.
(17:46):
I mean, he looks like you said, he looks a
little he looks a little more fluid, a little faster,
a little quicker. Again, now he's not all of a sudden,
you know, one of once in a generation athlete all
of a sudden out of nowhere. No no, no, we
don't expect him so all of a sudden, have a
forty five inch vertical and run a four to one
forty No no, no, no, no, no no. But he just
needs to be in shape, basketball shape, be able to
(18:08):
endure a long eighty two game season plus playoffs. They're
trying to make a deep run. He's got to be
in shape. And I think he understands that he's come back.
He worked on his body. He talked about he didn't
get to play a ton of basketball for the first part.
He you know, kind of took a break, just focused
on eating better, getting in the gym, wait to that
type of stuff. So he's still kind of working himself
into basketball form. But I hope, I'm hoping that this
(18:29):
euro basketball will lead into a hot start for the
NBA opening season because he's kind of a little bit.
He's been playing a little bit. He's got it loose.
It's not like he's just been vacationing chillin all summer.
He'll get a lot of basketball in this summer, which
we saw, you know, guys who came off the Olympics,
rolled in the season, had a really really good season
as well, so I expect Luca to carry that mentality
(18:49):
and that game readiness over into the beginning of the
NBA season. So I'm really excited, man, and I'm seeing
people already gearing up the Luca MVP trains, so I
might have hoppable shoot choo even though you know, sometimes
it's difficult the Lakers to win awards because you know,
they hate us because they ain't us. But man, Luca
has a great opportunity this season. I think I think
(19:10):
the MVP is wide open in this league. A lot
of young players either are in some difficult situations or
you know, unfortunately injured. I think Luca has a great
opportunity first year at the Lakers can really make them
stand out. And I think he is a great opportunity
at the MVP. But you know, MVP is just as
much as on the court game as a narrative game,
so he's gonna have to be able to control the
news outlets. So I'm excited, though, I'm excited from what
(19:33):
I saw about Luca. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, no, way, really quick. Just as far as the
narrative game, watch Anthony Davis be a top finalist for
Defensive Player of the Year. Watch Man, watch watch it,
watching stay in the running throughout the entire season, and
all the naysayers from the previous year is just banging
the gabble to get a d a Defensive Player of
the Year nomination. So I know it's coming. I know
(19:59):
it's co So yeah, the Laker, you know it's gonna
be hard to climb over that and get an MVP
award because they hate us, because they ain't us. But
shout out to Rob. I just wanted to throw in
one thing. I agree with everything he said, Rob of
the sneaky devil him. He hired Greg sat Geane as
a Lakers assistant, and Greg Saint Gene is on the
(20:21):
Slovenia coaching staff, so he's watching this Luca transformation first hand.
They are partnered up, they are locked in, and that
is that's just like a Rob move, just you know,
keep keeping tabs even when he's halfway across the world.
So with all that being said, I can't wait to
see it. Looks like we got a new sports car
(20:42):
is not and not fully electric. Maybe we got a hybrid,
but if we could get a hybrid Luca out there, man,
I'm looking forward to it. So I'm switching gears. Speaking
of Lakers stars making moves this summer. While Luca's transforming
his body and chasing European gold, Austin Reeves may his
own power moves by walking away from the nearly ninety
(21:04):
million dollar contract extension. So after the break, let's dive
into the biggest Lakers storyline right now in how much
is ar Go get paid? Laynan not Lake Show will
be right back. All right, We're back. It's Ricky, It's
Kwame Layan now Lake Show. So you know, I think
anybody who is having this conversation or within earshot of
what the words we're about to say, I just want
(21:25):
to make it very clear, none of the advice or
my POV that I'm about to give should be held
to me. If I was in the position that Austin
Reeves is in right now, if I'm in the position
to bypass almost ninety million dollars, because I know that
I could potentially be making thirty to thirty five to
(21:46):
forty million dollars a year and sign a four or
five year extension, I would not be listening to a
niggas named Ricky and Kwame in the Laate now Lake
Show podcast. We get that, we fully understand. But from
a fans perspective and from a Lakers makes sense for it,
that's unpack right. Austin Reeves is in the third year
of a four year, fifty four million dollar contract extension.
(22:07):
Isn't that crazy? Man? We're already that far into this.
He was just a restricted free agent in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Quob Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Crazy. He already made it this far. So he said
to be an unrestricted free agent in summer of twenty
twenty six, you know, rejecting that eighty nine million dollar
contract extension. Back in June, Man, lead league executives are
saying anywhere from thirty thirty two. Obviously the Lakers will
be able to afford that price in whatever capacity it is,
(22:36):
because Austin's already on the roster. I just have to
start here, Kalmer. Are you giving Austin Reeves forty fucking
million dollars a year to play basketball? Man?
Speaker 3 (22:50):
That's that's really difficult. What I think about it, forty
ms is tough, Like, I think the max they can
give him is forty two and a half. That's that's tough.
I mean, I gotta give credit where credits due. Austin
had a phenomenal season last year regular season. I mean,
he averaged twenty points alongside Lebron James and Anthony Davison. Later,
Lebron James and Luka Doncas still averaged twenty points a game.
(23:13):
To be honest, I never thought of Austin as more
than maybe like an eighteen to nineteen point per game guy.
I thought maybe he'd peak out at twenty points. But
you know, again, being a third option offensively to average
twenty that's really good in this league, man, Like, I
don't how many players are as a third option or
averaging twenty Like you're not seeing that around the league
(23:34):
to too often. He's been an awesome player offensively. His
playmaking at times has been great. He's really been a
helpful player when the Lakers have had issues, whether Lebron
James injury or just off game Anthony Dad. He's he's
kind of earned. I think he's almost earned a solid
dollar amount. So honestly, if he went for thirty, I
could see it. I wouldn't be mad at it. But man,
(23:55):
it's crazy to think that Austin Reeves, who was a
two way guy. You know, he's our two way guy.
Cover it out. The draft is look at the command,
thirty ms. But he's worked on his game, He's put
in the work. He had a really rough playoffs this
last year to you know, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who
are just super long and athletic and really made him
struggle to find his game. But he bet on himself
and he's gonna give himself this season to show out.
(24:18):
And you know, I hope for his sake, I hope
he does because if he does ball out, that's only
good for us rights Lakers fans like, that's good for
us to be. So it's really gonna come down to
him having a phenomenal season to get the money he wants.
But the Lakers can't let him walk for nothing. So
whether they come to a compromise or not, well that'll
be that'll be something that will have to monitor. But
thirty MS, it's tough, but he might really be worth it.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
You made an excellent point in that, you know, Austin,
if he comes out and has a strong season, he
writes his own check. You know, pay pay me what
I weigh Austin struggles like he did in the Minnesota
Series and people start questioning his fit alongside Luca, that
number could just My issue with the scenario is, obviously
(25:04):
Austin is no longer a restricted free agent. If he
opts out he's unrestricted, then it's you get all the
stupid teams in the NBA knocking at the door. And
I say that, with all due respect to Austin and
his career path right, in no way, shape or form
would I say that the team that he is going
to that would pay him potentially forty million dollars a
(25:27):
season is stupid. That would be my favorite team in
the world, to be honest with you. Paint every wall
in my house those team colors. But if they get
to a point where the Sacramento Kings the Chicago Bulls,
they come knocking at the door. The Charlotte Hornets come
knocking at the door and say, hey, what do we care?
You take the max, take all the money you want.
Charlotte's a nice little coastal city. Why don't you I
(25:49):
don't evenet the Shark's a coastal city. We got stuff
out in Sacramento. Besides cow bells. It's Chicago. What else
we gotta say As far as Chicago now, I would
cheer for Austin and be up close. Why don't walk
that forum. The point is, man, we have too many
teams in this league that aren't trying to compete for
(26:09):
championships but have to spend some money or their fans
are no longer going to show up and support them.
Unless you're the Chicago Bulls will always sell out on
season tickets and the arena and charge us a ridiculous
amount to attend. But I want this wrapped up before
we get to that point. Figure out whatever the timeframe is.
But by the time it's getting to to midnight, I
(26:32):
want the reports to start coming out. Lakers in Austin
are moving towards Lakers, and Reeves representation are zeroing in
on a four year on a five year, one hundred
something million dollar extension. Right, That's all I'm really concerned about.
(26:55):
Keep these bottom featers away from Austin Reeves. And again,
if you're Austin's agent, knock on all the doors, just
like we do when you're searching for a car. Go
get your pre approval before you even step foot into dealership,
and say pey. Let me test drive that one over there.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Mister Pulinka brought up an interesting point how all the
quote unquote bottom feeders might be looking out at Austin Reeves.
What are your thoughts? And I just want to ask
this question real quick. What do you think Austin Reeves
could average as the number one option with a green light?
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Twenty five? Twenty five?
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Really he's averaging what twenty as the third option? Twenty Yeah,
he'll get seven more shots of game, ten more shots
a game. You need to make three of them two
and a half of them. Probably got more free throws.
But he's also the only dude, the main dude on
the scouting report. Now he's not the third guy in
(28:01):
the sky report. He's number one. But I agree, you know,
I probably go a little closer to like twenty four.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Twenty three, twenty four and pick up an extra bage
of the game, the extra bucket of too. You know, again,
all eyes are going to be on him. But that's
crazy to think that, Like you said, the little two
way undrafted rookie that we once you though, we're like,
he tries hard. Now command thirty million average twenty four
(28:28):
game for the Brooklyn nets.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Crazy, right, It's hilarious that you brought up the nets
because I wanted I was just curious to see what
Cam Thomas averages right now as someone who just has
a green light, like, come on, kalm, he ever, Cam
Thomas averaged twenty four? He ever averaged twenty four. You're
getting nets, bro, like I can't you know Austin? Yeah,
(28:54):
he's twenty five the game, you know, and you don't
tell it looked like I just saw a report that
Cam Thomas came out and said, yo, yo, yo, y'all
gonna pay me what you what? I weigh too, I'm
the I'm tire tyler heroes caliber is what he was saying.
You know, because he'll pull up the stats and then
point to twenty four four and three shooting thirty five
(29:19):
percent from three and forty three percent overall from the field.
Cam Thomas is getting them bitches up, bro, he don't care.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
He shot eighteen shots a game. Eighteen yoinks a game?
Speaker 1 (29:30):
How many shots Austin get up a game?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Man, We're gonna see story. How many shots he's shooting
the game. Austin shot fourteen last season.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
And you said Cam one more?
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, yeah, eighteen. Yeah, I'll have four more shots again. Yeah,
get he getting twenty five? He getting tody, he getting
to And he did on forty six percent of shooting,
which is actually his second lowest mark.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
M hm, whom last season was.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Yeah, outside of his rookie season, he shot fifty two
percent in second season. Wow. How an average thirteen?
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Wow? And again, the only reason why we're doing this
exercise job is to just kind of show you where
the NBA, you know, values ad. As far as if
Austin was not the third option his entire career playing
for the Los Angeles Lakers, what would he look like
on the open market. Kromey brought up a great point, Right,
he'd be the only dude. But hell, there are plenty
(30:26):
of only dudes, no dudes, on bad NBA teams that
are averaging twenty four points a game. Right.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
So Desmond Dane last year averaged nineteen points a game.
Nineteen points right, Yeah, and he signed in twenty twenty
three a five year, two hundred and six million dollar deal.
I'll be honest, twenty if you twenty point per game
scores might be a premium, like as a third option too. Yeah,
(30:57):
honestly I'm sorry he could take them, thirty.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Says Man. Thirty. F's he getting it.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
He's trying to get to one twenty bro four years
like one twenty is. It doesn't mean get Bang got
five years two o six and he averaged twenty points
nineteen point two. Sorry, obviously when he signed the deal,
I think he averaged like twenty one. But that's right
in Austin's Avenue and Bang's the second option. Reeves was
third average in twenty. I'm sorry, I think the I
think the thirty mels justified. I'm gonna hate it. I'm
(31:27):
if they sign, I'm a hate it every day. Every
time he scores under twenty, I'm gonna be pissed off, Like, yeah, man,
we should have never paid him. But it's gonna be
okay because, to be honest, we look around the league.
It's not far fetched. It's not far fetched.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
At all whatsoever. And obviously, the thing that's up in
the back of what we hope Rob Polinka's mind is
how bad he screwed up the same situation with Alex Caruso.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Right, that's like saying Valdemort's name at this point.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Alex right exactly, Man two time NBA champion Alex Caruso. Now,
so that's right, Kwame, who was the team that gave
Alice Caruso the money that he was looking Forgo Bulls,
the Chicago bull brother nothing's new under the sun, that's life.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
They love a Laker, they love a Laker over there.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
They're gonna they're gonna clean up the scraps. Now, they're
gonna pay you what your way over there in Chicago.
Just just get used to the winter and get used
to losing basketball games in front of sold out arenas.
That that's what you can expect. Yeah, buy my coat, yep.
So best of luck to the best of luck to ar.
We hope y'all figure it out. We hope y'all figure
it out soon. I mean, obviously, the earliest that the
(32:39):
Lakers can up their offer is the summer of twenty
six right when he is an unrestricted free agent. We
just you know we're gonna be patilely waiting until that
day because he declined it. You can't just keep asking
them the same thing, right, He's an official decline. So
we shall wait. We shall monitor the situation well. Monitor
us is performing this year too, because whether we like
(33:02):
it or not. I do think that is going to
play a factor into how much Rob in the front
office are going to offer him, But I do not
think it's going to factor into what, like we said,
these bad franchises are going to offer him. So yeah,
let's hope for a prosperous NBA season for the Los
Angeles Lakers for Austin Breeze and that is capped with
(33:22):
a nice payday at the end of that rainbow. Yes, sir,
I mean any closing thoughts on ar and wonderful comp
exercise that we just went through of how much he
is actually rightfully so allowed to ask for now.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Honestly, again, I just think it's really cool a guy
that feels home grown could command a near max contract,
Like that's just super cool. Again, you don't see that
too often these days. We had a great opportunity with
players that we've had before that you know, things have
been pan out for one reason or another. But Austin's
kind of earned this right to be a part of
the Lakers' future. I know is looking a little grim
(34:00):
when it was like, ooh, is it gonna be just
him and ad post Lebron, But now he's an opportunity
to be one of the greatest players of this next
generation's running mate, you know, and that that has a
lot of history and prestige that could come with it.
So Austin has a really great opportunity to cement his
name and his legacy far beyond what he probably would
(34:21):
have thought coming out of out of college. Is undrafted
free as an undrafted rookie. So I just think it's
really cool. I'm excited to be a part of this journey.
Is Austin, you know, hopefully remains with the Lakers beyond
this season. It is Luka Doncic's running mate for years
and years to come. So, like I said, Austin's got
a great opportunity to really change, you know, the trajectory's
career here. So hey, let's see if he puts in
(34:43):
the work and we'll see how this season pans out
for him.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Couldn't agree more. There is something about the phrase Laker
for life. Magic said it, Kobe did it. Austin obviously
isn't at that level of a Kobe or Magic, but hell,
keep stacking rings, brother, You don't take much to go
into glory here with the purple and gold. Here's just
a fun NBA season coming out, man, I mean obviously,
(35:08):
you know we talked about potentially the limitations of that
backcourt defensively, but there's a reason why they win and
got Marcus Smart. Oh before I forget Kwame, you think
Austin should accept the money and come off the bench. No,
I mean you're money.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
You haven't come off the bunch. That's crazy. Yeah, let's
start it, Brad, And again, I get to do it
for the team thing. But I think there's something that
comes with being a starter in the league and a
multi year starter. For many times, Austin is taking a
back seat. We saw in the Darvin ham saga that
he took a back seat. He was benched to time
here and there, and I think he feels like he's
really earned that. I think JJ will pay that off. Unfortunately,
(35:48):
I don't think he's the odd man out in our lineup.
I think it's really I think Ruly will have a
different role this season, and I think Marcus Smart will
be starting in the backcourt with Austin Reeves. I think
Luca position, it's the three lebron four, eight and five.
That's how I see it going into the season.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
I like it, and I like that you raised the
defensive IQ of your starters. Austin stays in the starting lineup.
And you know, I don't know what fifty for Lebron,
forty for Luca, thirty five for Austin, whatever, you know,
one hundred and thirty million dollars across your starters. I
think that makes sense in today's a PA. So yeah,
you gotta you gotta get it where you can, man,
(36:27):
And that coming off the bench, you know it just
it just don't look the same. That'll do it for
us on this episode the Late Now Lake Show podcast.
Appreciate y'all for rocking with us. If you haven't already,
please like, please subscribe, please rate, please review the podcast.
We're back at it weekly for y'all folks. The NBA
season is right around the corner. Kwame ain't going to wear.
(36:49):
I'm not going to wear. Find us on Twitter? What
is your Twitter? I keep I keep wanting to call you,
M James, keep going to call M James. I had
to talk with somebody actually about this too, when I
was trying to find your your IG account. There is
power in having the same account name across all the platforms.
(37:11):
You are very diversified. In what you call yourself on
these accounts, man, I don't know who the hell to
look for.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
You gotta stay out the way, because stay in the
way without the way, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
So follow Kwame at Lakwan James, follow me at mister
Rickey Spanish. We will see y'all on the timeline We out. Peace, Peace,
Hey, what's going on? Y'all? Welcome to a new episode
of the Late Now Like Show podcast powered by nineteen
Media Group. It is your host, Ricky and Kwame Kwa
having bred What's going on? What is going on? Another day?
Another day? Bro, we are inching closer, like dragging. I
don't even feel like we are. We are moving, We're
we get more clickbait articles in the dog days of
(00:21):
summer than I think we know what to do with.
But it's all right. But we are starting to get
some schedule leaks, so you know, the NBA season is
slowly approaching.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Brow I was like, yeah, these days, like you said,
slow man, social media is just that we're back to
We're back to debates, top twenty best point guard, Chris
paulvers Kyrie.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
It's just internet debates now because there's no there's no
active games going on, So the summer's been quiet. Free
agency was supposed to be like massive according to Shams.
It was whatever. So this point, I'm just waiting to
get to the finish line and start the season at
least preseason. Let me get them games out.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Facts we do get blessed with our annual Lebron James
to work out videos. This recent one we saw him,
you know, lifting year twenty three loading, so excited about that.
It's excited to have a healthy bron bond back locked
and loaded skin te Luca. As we will get into,
we saw our first glimpse at him playing his Euroball debut,
(01:17):
getting ready for that tournament this summer, this summer, this fall,
right they start, they're playing there you go, So Luca
is finishing up. They had that friendly against Germany. We'll
react to that. We will talk about all the money
that is about to be thrown at Austin Reeves coming up.
As we know, our boy declined a four year, eighty
(01:38):
nine million dollar contract extension because yesterday's prices not today's price.
So we'll dive into what Ar is probably going to
demand from the Lakers, what we think the Lakers are
going to offer AR, and if there are any teams
around the league that are let's just say aggressive enough
(01:59):
to him what he thinks he weighed. So we don't
get all of that, but make sure you are following
late now like show wherever you get your hashtag good content.
But first let's get into some news. In notes around
Lake and Land, Kwame take it away, all right.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
So, as you said, Rick, the NBA schedule, we're starting
to get some leaks here, and they were starting to
get some hallmark days in here. One of the first
one that was leak was the Christmas Day schedule. You know,
Christmas Day, it used to be only dominated by the NBA.
We see the NFL trying to boguard their way through
and give us Christmas Day games as well. But you
know me, I'll be tuned into the NBA. I'll be
(02:33):
tuned in the league. That's kind of my thing. But
they have a full five games slate coming in on Christmas.
So here are the matchups. So first off, we got
the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the New York Knicks. We have
the San Antonio Spurs versus Oklahoma City Thunder, Okay Dallas
Mavericks versus the Golden State Warriors, the prime time slot
(02:55):
Houston Rockets versus the Los Angeles Lakers, and then to
Captain night off, Minnesota Timberwolves versus the Denver Nuggets. Given
those matchups, Rick, I'd like to know what is the
matchup you're looking forward to the most that's not the Lakers,
And then tell me what are your thoughts on the
Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers lebron KD Luca. I
(03:15):
don't know the shngoon Christmas Day?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Right? Yeah? Man? That second matchup of the day you
said was who Who's that?
Speaker 3 (03:25):
There was the San Anton Hills Spurs Oklahoma City Thunder.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, that'll be fun. That would be a lot of fun, right.
I do think Wemby coming back. Obviously he had his
season cut short. He has now traveled to the Monk Mountains,
He's shaved his head, he's trained with KD, and I
think I'm ready. I think I'm finally ready to potentially
hang up the hate. You know, I know everybody needs
(03:50):
a number one hater. You are the resident Jimmy Butler hater.
I was that from Wemby because at one point before
he went down last season, he led the NBA in
three point attempts and that just is blasphemous for big
boy you, and that is what I stand for. But
I am turning a new lead. Twenty twenty six is
fast approaching, so I will be looking forward to watching
(04:12):
Wemby try to invoke you know, his this is my
league moment on Christmas against the defending champions, So I
mean SGA, he's got a fan in me. You know,
I do love chat in what he does. Obviously he
hangs out around the three point line too, but hey,
I'm here to see footers go up against each other
in the Year of Our Lord twenty twenty five six,
(04:32):
so I am here for a little spurs Oka see basketball.
I'm crits. I will say, though, kwam the NBA in
the NFL. I think the NFL is not is not
playing games. I don't know if they released their Christmas
Day schedule. As far as entertainment, I'm not even talking
about the games because, as you know, with the NFL,
(04:54):
they will prioritize who's gonna be playing at halftime during
these games just as much as who's going to be
playing in those four quarters. So last year they brought
out Beyonce, right, I don't know what they're gonna do.
They gonna bring out Drake, but they're gonna bring out Taylor.
Taylor Swift would probably be my click to pick with
her relationship with Travis Kelce in the NFL. But man,
(05:14):
I will say Christmas it is a fight for the TV.
If you go off to travel to other people's houses,
and they're not as big as NBA fans as you.
I learned that last year, So I don't really enjoy
traveling that much, especially now that the NFL has up
their amount of games and throwing it on Netflix and
having damn concerts. I'm losing out of my basket, but
I'll keep the phone strapped in ready to go.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
You're not wrong. So before we go to the Lakers topic,
I want to I want to touch on this real quick.
NFL's Christmas Day schedule. So at noon on Netflix you
got Cowboys and Commanders. Then the next game, also on Netflix,
you got Lions at Vikings, and then the evening game
you get Broncos Chiefs. Do any of those really move
you like that? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I don't know. I don't know about them game Sames.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
I'll be honest me personally, I don't know if any
of it like uh enough to take tear me away
from my national basketball No, that's true, that's just me.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
No, I'm with you there. Yeah, none all those. I mean,
you got an NFC North matchup, so, but I'm not
really trying to see rookie quarterbacks on Christmas while I'm
opening up my presence, so run to me my Wimby ball, right,
So I don't know they I guarantee they got some
concert you know, some performances lined up there. People gonna
be like, wha, I'll check it out for those twenty
minutes right then back to hoops. So I'm here for that.
(06:31):
But no, to finish off the question, obviously you got
a Lebron kdi matchup, I will go out and say
that this is probably going to be the last time
facing each other on Christmas in their careers. So let's
hashtag cherish these moments and memories. I can't help but
to laugh at you know, we'll talk about the schedule
e leaves if I can't help with to laugh, Like
how much the NBA just loves their love their old guard, right.
(06:55):
They they love their kds, they love their steps, they
love the Lebrons. They're trying to do the best to
put Cooper front and center right as well as Wenby,
But it almost feels like there's a generation gap and
maybe we could get in that into the schedule release
on who they're prioritizing. But yeah, man, I'm hype Lebron's
gonna be there. Luca's gonna be there, I mean, Lucan
the Building Baby for Christmas. I expect some fireworks, so
(07:17):
you know, skin Ty Luca is what they call them.
So I'm excited for it. Should be a good Christmas
for us all. I think I could agree to that
late all right, switching gears from Christmas Day to Opening Night.
Kwame damn. I wish I knew the song. Dude, it's
out played in the background. Who gives a shit? The
(07:39):
NBA is back on NBC, Baby and kicking us off
for Opening Night. We have our Los Angeles Lakers facing
off against the geriatric facility of the Golden State Warriors.
Curry and company will be traveling to Los Angeles for
Opening Night. This will be nb season first, first NBA
games since they rejoined the broadcasting family. That is goodbye
(08:04):
to TNT. Moment of silence. Sorry, I don't have time
for it. Best of luck to y'all and your endeavors
over at ESPN. I'm looking forward, man, I'm looking forward
to seeing how they put together a NBA basketball game
on a new network. Let's let's let's make it look different,
Let's make it look new and fresh. I don't care
score bugs. However, we want to do it, just just
(08:25):
make it look good. But kwame Open to Night. You've
seen this plenty of times, Steph Lebron Part nine, four
and fifteen, your thoughts on the matchup.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
NBA has a problem. We are still milking the Lebron
and Steph matchup. Lebron is in year twenty three. I
don't even know what your Steph said. It's probably like
it's late gotta be late teens. The NBA needs to
promote the young stars of the league because these old
guys have been carrying the torch for a decade. It's
(08:59):
been a decade since we got our Classic in the
twenty sixteen season, Like it's been ten years since that
season to this upcoming one, and we're still riding the
Lebron and Steph narrative. I'll be honest, I don't. I
don't care for this game. I don't. I really do
not care for this game. I don't like the matchup. Obviously,
it's the Lakers Open to Night. I love it. I
want to see Lebron loop at the Gang on Opening Night,
(09:21):
so that's exciting. We couldn't get a better matchup than
than these dudes. Really the geriatric Warriors, who done nothing
all summer. We get these bozos come on and again.
I appreciate the league for gifting us at Opening night, Dubski,
but like, I don't know, dude, I don't care about
this match up anymore. I'm tired of the Warriors. I
hate Jimmy Butler. Y'all know that I don't care to
(09:44):
watch him play basketball. I don't want to hear none
of that. It's it's just there's nothing exciting about this
matchup to me anymore. When is the last time we've
gotten some real good games Warriors Lakers?
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Like?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
I feel like most of the time we just gotta
we gotta stop them out regular season stuff, Sure, you
know whatever, but I feel like, when will we kind
of crank them? Nothing about this is appealing to me.
I'm over it. I know Warrior fans are gonna relish
the moment, but like, I just don't care about this.
The Warriors, I don't expect to be much this season,
a loaded Western conference, and they made this many improvements
(10:16):
for those listening, I held up a zero, so my fault, Alike,
they haven't done anything, So I don't care for this matchup. Honestly,
I'm to be honest, I've bore just in the first game.
If the Lakers weren't involved, I'd be more just in
the first game rockets to ok. See Kevin Durant having
to watch the ring ceremony of the franchise that he
started with that made a name for Yeah, this Lebron
(10:37):
steph thing. I just don't care for a shout out
to the league though, for giving us a dub.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Lakers are one of only four teams to play on
both Opening Night and Christmas. And you know that me
and Kwan that'd be floating around it. They use it
a lot during like the Drake and Kendrick beef. It
was like this old school cartoon of the farmer milking
the starved cow and just you know that's that. That's
where Adam Silver is. He's you know, he hasn't found
(11:05):
his second act yet. And here it is. You're, oh, man,
you shouldn't have socks for my birthday again? Yes, and
you know these are this is the greatest pair of
socks in the world. But the matchup of Lebron's stuff,
we here, we did that. We did that all through
the tens, right, We're halfway through the twenties. Oh, we
(11:28):
could figure something else out.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
I would have rather opened against like the MAVs or
something like the Warriors, Like why you know, like, it's
just it's not doing it for me. Man, I'm sorry,
I'm sorry, he's just not doing it for me anymore.
We couldn't get like the Nuggets and we don't have
other rivals that this would have just been better, more
box office. But again went in doubt. There's there's a
there's a thing on the wall breaking case of emergency
at Adam Silver's office, and it's Lebron versus stuff. He
(11:53):
smacks that sucker every time.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
That's facts. If they really cared and if they really
were paying attention, they would try to some of Luca's storylines.
A little Zach right now would have been a layup
in Anthony Davis's storyline on opening night, right in a
new uniform for the first time for him in five
six years.
Speaker 3 (12:11):
So this was hey, skinny, Luca playing his own team
like there were storylines, and instead they said, nope.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Lebron stuff all right, No, they'll probably throw that game
on a Thursday in November. Don't know, you worried there.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Speaking of milking the cow. We'll talk a little bit
about social media dominance, dominance and the Lakers. The Lakers
man number one in following sixty three point eight million.
They're getting forty five plus thousand engagements per post. The
algorithm just loves the Lakers. The Lakers make moves. Networks,
(12:47):
they talk about the Lakers. Social media talk about the Lakers.
The Lakers are everywhere. Man, they drive the content machine.
And Ricky as the captain of the good content Brigade,
tell me your thoughts on the Lakers, fran and how
they've been able to dominate the social media circles and
when it's dead, when in doubt, talk about the Lakers.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Yeah, that's facts. As you could see in the dog
days of some of the Lakers are carrying kind of
the rumor mill that is dried up. And I mean
it's obvious everybody's grown up and they've understood that the
Lakers have always kind of been that lightning rod of
topic and debates first and foremost. I'd say this plenty
of times. There are more Laker fans in this world
(13:28):
than any other basketball fan of any other team. That
is just a fact. The Lakers sixty eight point a
sixty three point eight million across all their platforms is
the most followers of any professional US based sports team.
You know how big the NFL is compared to the NBA,
none of those teams have a bigger following across all
(13:51):
their platforms than the Los Angeles Lakers. Just to put
in perspective for y'all, And you're probably wondering, well, that's
just you know, all the fair weather Lakers fans coming
over trying to, you know, support, and the only things
were good, no, we were. There was so ugly times,
a very brief ugly time. But then you get Lebron
James and then everything's back up right. And as much
as y'all say that the Lebron effect wasn't as big
(14:16):
in Los Angeles as it would be anywhere else, I
would say, you're a goddamn lie. The Lebron James Los
Angeles Lakers marriage was the greatest thing for sports entertainment
television since I don't know, I don't know the OJ
White bronco chase. Right, it is always going to be content.
(14:37):
Right now, you got storylines. Is Lebron about to retire?
How selfish is he if he just up and leaves. No,
he's selfish because he wants a farewell tour. What about
the Lakers organization, Oh Genie Bus doesn't know how to
run a franchise. Oh wait she sold the team. Oh wait,
she's gonna stay in charge. Let's talk about this for
three months. It's beautiful in the sense that we have
(14:57):
so much of a community and so many people that
we get to talk and interact with and support us
as we got to bring you our version of hashtag
good content. But that other side of it, man, it
does get tiring, because, like you said, when in doubt,
break the Lakers content box. Push that button and you're
gonna get your forty thousand impressions forty five thousand engagements
(15:19):
per post. That's just the numbers. And you know what, right,
wrong or indifferent. When you pop in that much, you're
gonna get both sides of the corn. So sorry, y'all,
the Lakers name is not gonna go anywhere. Luca is
now attached his name to the ship. Just mute it.
Mute it if you don't like it, but you won't.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
You just you just get blessed constantly. I mean, Oklahoma
City Thunder won a championship and how quickly did the
conversation switch to Lakers offseason and what they're gonna do.
It's it dominates all the media circles. Everybody knows it.
That's why we're on every big Slate day of basketball.
The NBA knows their cash cow. The Celtics aren't driving
(16:02):
views like the Lakers are.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
So that is what it is, you know, it is
what it is. Speaking of Big Luca, Big lucas skinny Luca,
let me correct my correct dress. Big dog Luca Dotres
has showed off his new revitalized self right. He has
been on the cover of Ment Health magazine. As we
talked about last pod, and we finally got a look
(16:27):
at what skinty looka looks like on a basketball court.
They had their EuroBaskets twenty twenty five warm up to
the tournament later on at the end of August, and
Luca he looked good, he looks skinny, he looks shifty,
she looked quicker getting to the hoop. Now, you know,
the numbers aren't crazy off the charts of his averages.
(16:48):
I also think you got take into context what type
of basketball they play. As far as euroball does a
lot more sharing in the flow over here, get Luca
the ball in, move the hell out the way type
of business. Lucas basketball coach over there said that he
has changed the way he works, but this is still
not yet the real donches. If this ain't, if this ain't,
(17:13):
this is eighty percent, this is seventy five percent. Kwal
what are we in store for over in Laker Nation,
what do you think of Luca's warm up debut and
what are your expectations from the big Dog as he
gets ready for the NBA season.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
I liked what I saw. I get a chance to
watch the game in totality, but I did get to
see a handful of highlights clips, videos of circulating social media,
and what I saw I liked. He didn't have the
most jaw dropping numbers. Again, it was a friendly game.
He didn't He wasn't doing too much. But when he
did kind of he kind of came out the game
with a bit of aggression, and he started out hot.
(17:46):
I mean, he looks like you said, he looks a
little he looks a little more fluid, a little faster,
a little quicker. Again, now he's not all of a sudden,
you know, one of once in a generation athlete all
of a sudden out of nowhere. No no, no, we
don't expect him so all of a sudden, have a
forty five inch vertical and run a four to one
forty No no, no, no, no, no no. But he just
needs to be in shape, basketball shape, be able to
(18:08):
endure a long eighty two game season plus playoffs. They're
trying to make a deep run. He's got to be
in shape. And I think he understands that he's come back.
He worked on his body. He talked about he didn't
get to play a ton of basketball for the first part.
He you know, kind of took a break, just focused
on eating better, getting in the gym, wait to that
type of stuff. So he's still kind of working himself
into basketball form. But I hope, I'm hoping that this
(18:29):
euro basketball will lead into a hot start for the
NBA opening season because he's kind of a little bit.
He's been playing a little bit. He's got it loose.
It's not like he's just been vacationing chillin all summer.
He'll get a lot of basketball in this summer, which
we saw, you know, guys who came off the Olympics,
rolled in the season, had a really really good season
as well, so I expect Luca to carry that mentality
(18:49):
and that game readiness over into the beginning of the
NBA season. So I'm really excited, man, and I'm seeing
people already gearing up the Luca MVP trains, so I
might have hoppable shoot choo even though you know, sometimes
it's difficult the Lakers to win awards because you know,
they hate us because they ain't us. But man, Luca
has a great opportunity this season. I think I think
(19:10):
the MVP is wide open in this league. A lot
of young players either are in some difficult situations or
you know, unfortunately injured. I think Luca has a great
opportunity first year at the Lakers can really make them
stand out. And I think he is a great opportunity
at the MVP. But you know, MVP is just as
much as on the court game as a narrative game,
so he's gonna have to be able to control the
news outlets. So I'm excited, though, I'm excited from what
(19:33):
I saw about Luca. What are your thoughts?
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, no, way, really quick. Just as far as the
narrative game, watch Anthony Davis be a top finalist for
Defensive Player of the Year. Watch Man, watch watch it,
watching stay in the running throughout the entire season, and
all the naysayers from the previous year is just banging
the gabble to get a d a Defensive Player of
the Year nomination. So I know it's coming. I know
(19:59):
it's co So yeah, the Laker, you know it's gonna
be hard to climb over that and get an MVP
award because they hate us, because they ain't us. But
shout out to Rob. I just wanted to throw in
one thing. I agree with everything he said, Rob of
the sneaky devil him. He hired Greg sat Geane as
a Lakers assistant, and Greg Saint Gene is on the
(20:21):
Slovenia coaching staff, so he's watching this Luca transformation first hand.
They are partnered up, they are locked in, and that
is that's just like a Rob move, just you know,
keep keeping tabs even when he's halfway across the world.
So with all that being said, I can't wait to
see it. Looks like we got a new sports car
(20:42):
is not and not fully electric. Maybe we got a hybrid,
but if we could get a hybrid Luca out there, man,
I'm looking forward to it. So I'm switching gears. Speaking
of Lakers stars making moves this summer. While Luca's transforming
his body and chasing European gold, Austin Reeves may his
own power moves by walking away from the nearly ninety
(21:04):
million dollar contract extension. So after the break, let's dive
into the biggest Lakers storyline right now in how much
is ar Go get paid? Laynan not Lake Show will
be right back. All right, We're back. It's Ricky, It's
Kwame Layan now Lake Show. So you know, I think
anybody who is having this conversation or within earshot of
what the words we're about to say, I just want
(21:25):
to make it very clear, none of the advice or
my POV that I'm about to give should be held
to me. If I was in the position that Austin
Reeves is in right now, if I'm in the position
to bypass almost ninety million dollars, because I know that
I could potentially be making thirty to thirty five to
(21:46):
forty million dollars a year and sign a four or
five year extension, I would not be listening to a
niggas named Ricky and Kwame in the Laate now Lake
Show podcast. We get that, we fully understand. But from
a fans perspective and from a Lakers makes sense for it,
that's unpack right. Austin Reeves is in the third year
of a four year, fifty four million dollar contract extension.
(22:07):
Isn't that crazy? Man? We're already that far into this.
He was just a restricted free agent in twenty twenty three.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
Quob Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Crazy. He already made it this far. So he said
to be an unrestricted free agent in summer of twenty
twenty six, you know, rejecting that eighty nine million dollar
contract extension. Back in June, Man, lead league executives are
saying anywhere from thirty thirty two. Obviously the Lakers will
be able to afford that price in whatever capacity it is,
(22:36):
because Austin's already on the roster. I just have to
start here, Kalmer. Are you giving Austin Reeves forty fucking
million dollars a year to play basketball? Man?
Speaker 3 (22:50):
That's that's really difficult. What I think about it, forty
ms is tough, Like, I think the max they can
give him is forty two and a half. That's that's tough.
I mean, I gotta give credit where credits due. Austin
had a phenomenal season last year regular season. I mean,
he averaged twenty points alongside Lebron James and Anthony Davison. Later,
Lebron James and Luka Doncas still averaged twenty points a game.
(23:13):
To be honest, I never thought of Austin as more
than maybe like an eighteen to nineteen point per game guy.
I thought maybe he'd peak out at twenty points. But
you know, again, being a third option offensively to average
twenty that's really good in this league, man, Like, I
don't how many players are as a third option or
averaging twenty Like you're not seeing that around the league
(23:34):
to too often. He's been an awesome player offensively. His
playmaking at times has been great. He's really been a
helpful player when the Lakers have had issues, whether Lebron
James injury or just off game Anthony Dad. He's he's
kind of earned. I think he's almost earned a solid
dollar amount. So honestly, if he went for thirty, I
could see it. I wouldn't be mad at it. But man,
(23:55):
it's crazy to think that Austin Reeves, who was a
two way guy. You know, he's our two way guy.
Cover it out. The draft is look at the command,
thirty ms. But he's worked on his game, He's put
in the work. He had a really rough playoffs this
last year to you know, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who
are just super long and athletic and really made him
struggle to find his game. But he bet on himself
and he's gonna give himself this season to show out.
(24:18):
And you know, I hope for his sake, I hope
he does because if he does ball out, that's only
good for us rights Lakers fans like, that's good for
us to be. So it's really gonna come down to
him having a phenomenal season to get the money he wants.
But the Lakers can't let him walk for nothing. So
whether they come to a compromise or not, well that'll
be that'll be something that will have to monitor. But
thirty MS, it's tough, but he might really be worth it.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
You made an excellent point in that, you know, Austin,
if he comes out and has a strong season, he
writes his own check. You know, pay pay me what
I weigh Austin struggles like he did in the Minnesota
Series and people start questioning his fit alongside Luca, that
number could just My issue with the scenario is, obviously
(25:04):
Austin is no longer a restricted free agent. If he
opts out he's unrestricted, then it's you get all the
stupid teams in the NBA knocking at the door. And
I say that, with all due respect to Austin and
his career path right, in no way, shape or form
would I say that the team that he is going
to that would pay him potentially forty million dollars a
(25:27):
season is stupid. That would be my favorite team in
the world, to be honest with you. Paint every wall
in my house those team colors. But if they get
to a point where the Sacramento Kings the Chicago Bulls,
they come knocking at the door. The Charlotte Hornets come
knocking at the door and say, hey, what do we care?
You take the max, take all the money you want.
Charlotte's a nice little coastal city. Why don't you I
(25:49):
don't evenet the Shark's a coastal city. We got stuff
out in Sacramento. Besides cow bells. It's Chicago. What else
we gotta say As far as Chicago now, I would
cheer for Austin and be up close. Why don't walk
that forum. The point is, man, we have too many
teams in this league that aren't trying to compete for
(26:09):
championships but have to spend some money or their fans
are no longer going to show up and support them.
Unless you're the Chicago Bulls will always sell out on
season tickets and the arena and charge us a ridiculous
amount to attend. But I want this wrapped up before
we get to that point. Figure out whatever the timeframe is.
But by the time it's getting to to midnight, I
(26:32):
want the reports to start coming out. Lakers in Austin
are moving towards Lakers, and Reeves representation are zeroing in
on a four year on a five year, one hundred
something million dollar extension. Right, That's all I'm really concerned about.
(26:55):
Keep these bottom featers away from Austin Reeves. And again,
if you're Austin's agent, knock on all the doors, just
like we do when you're searching for a car. Go
get your pre approval before you even step foot into dealership,
and say pey. Let me test drive that one over there.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
Mister Pulinka brought up an interesting point how all the
quote unquote bottom feeders might be looking out at Austin Reeves.
What are your thoughts? And I just want to ask
this question real quick. What do you think Austin Reeves
could average as the number one option with a green light?
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Twenty five? Twenty five?
Speaker 3 (27:40):
Wow?
Speaker 1 (27:41):
Really he's averaging what twenty as the third option? Twenty Yeah,
he'll get seven more shots of game, ten more shots
a game. You need to make three of them two
and a half of them. Probably got more free throws.
But he's also the only dude, the main dude on
the scouting report. Now he's not the third guy in
(28:01):
the sky report. He's number one. But I agree, you know,
I probably go a little closer to like twenty four.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Twenty three, twenty four and pick up an extra bage
of the game, the extra bucket of too. You know, again,
all eyes are going to be on him. But that's
crazy to think that, Like you said, the little two
way undrafted rookie that we once you though, we're like,
he tries hard. Now command thirty million average twenty four
(28:28):
game for the Brooklyn nets.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Crazy, right, It's hilarious that you brought up the nets
because I wanted I was just curious to see what
Cam Thomas averages right now as someone who just has
a green light, like, come on, kalm, he ever, Cam
Thomas averaged twenty four? He ever averaged twenty four. You're
getting nets, bro, like I can't you know Austin? Yeah,
(28:54):
he's twenty five the game, you know, and you don't
tell it looked like I just saw a report that
Cam Thomas came out and said, yo, yo, yo, y'all
gonna pay me what you what? I weigh too, I'm
the I'm tire tyler heroes caliber is what he was saying.
You know, because he'll pull up the stats and then
point to twenty four four and three shooting thirty five
(29:19):
percent from three and forty three percent overall from the field.
Cam Thomas is getting them bitches up, bro, he don't care.
Speaker 3 (29:26):
He shot eighteen shots a game. Eighteen yoinks a game?
Speaker 1 (29:30):
How many shots Austin get up a game?
Speaker 3 (29:32):
Man, We're gonna see story. How many shots he's shooting
the game. Austin shot fourteen last season.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
And you said Cam one more?
Speaker 3 (29:41):
Yeah, yeah, eighteen. Yeah, I'll have four more shots again. Yeah,
get he getting twenty five? He getting tody, he getting
to And he did on forty six percent of shooting,
which is actually his second lowest mark.
Speaker 1 (29:54):
M hm, whom last season was.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
Yeah, outside of his rookie season, he shot fifty two
percent in second season. Wow. How an average thirteen?
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Wow? And again, the only reason why we're doing this
exercise job is to just kind of show you where
the NBA, you know, values ad. As far as if
Austin was not the third option his entire career playing
for the Los Angeles Lakers, what would he look like
on the open market. Kromey brought up a great point, Right,
he'd be the only dude. But hell, there are plenty
(30:26):
of only dudes, no dudes, on bad NBA teams that
are averaging twenty four points a game. Right.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
So Desmond Dane last year averaged nineteen points a game.
Nineteen points right, Yeah, and he signed in twenty twenty
three a five year, two hundred and six million dollar deal.
I'll be honest, twenty if you twenty point per game
scores might be a premium, like as a third option too. Yeah,
(30:57):
honestly I'm sorry he could take them, thirty.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Says Man. Thirty. F's he getting it.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
He's trying to get to one twenty bro four years
like one twenty is. It doesn't mean get Bang got
five years two o six and he averaged twenty points
nineteen point two. Sorry, obviously when he signed the deal,
I think he averaged like twenty one. But that's right
in Austin's Avenue and Bang's the second option. Reeves was
third average in twenty. I'm sorry, I think the I
think the thirty mels justified. I'm gonna hate it. I'm
(31:27):
if they sign, I'm a hate it every day. Every
time he scores under twenty, I'm gonna be pissed off, Like, yeah, man,
we should have never paid him. But it's gonna be
okay because, to be honest, we look around the league.
It's not far fetched. It's not far fetched.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
At all whatsoever. And obviously, the thing that's up in
the back of what we hope Rob Polinka's mind is
how bad he screwed up the same situation with Alex Caruso.
Speaker 3 (31:53):
Right, that's like saying Valdemort's name at this point.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
Alex right exactly, Man two time NBA champion Alex Caruso. Now,
so that's right, Kwame, who was the team that gave
Alice Caruso the money that he was looking Forgo Bulls,
the Chicago bull brother nothing's new under the sun, that's life.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
They love a Laker, they love a Laker over there.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
They're gonna they're gonna clean up the scraps. Now, they're
gonna pay you what your way over there in Chicago.
Just just get used to the winter and get used
to losing basketball games in front of sold out arenas.
That that's what you can expect. Yeah, buy my coat, yep.
So best of luck to the best of luck to ar.
We hope y'all figure it out. We hope y'all figure
it out soon. I mean, obviously, the earliest that the
(32:39):
Lakers can up their offer is the summer of twenty
six right when he is an unrestricted free agent. We
just you know we're gonna be patilely waiting until that
day because he declined it. You can't just keep asking
them the same thing, right, He's an official decline. So
we shall wait. We shall monitor the situation well. Monitor
us is performing this year too, because whether we like
(33:02):
it or not. I do think that is going to
play a factor into how much Rob in the front
office are going to offer him, But I do not
think it's going to factor into what, like we said,
these bad franchises are going to offer him. So yeah,
let's hope for a prosperous NBA season for the Los
Angeles Lakers for Austin Breeze and that is capped with
(33:22):
a nice payday at the end of that rainbow. Yes, sir,
I mean any closing thoughts on ar and wonderful comp
exercise that we just went through of how much he
is actually rightfully so allowed to ask for now.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Honestly, again, I just think it's really cool a guy
that feels home grown could command a near max contract,
Like that's just super cool. Again, you don't see that
too often these days. We had a great opportunity with
players that we've had before that you know, things have
been pan out for one reason or another. But Austin's
kind of earned this right to be a part of
the Lakers' future. I know is looking a little grim
(34:00):
when it was like, ooh, is it gonna be just
him and ad post Lebron, But now he's an opportunity
to be one of the greatest players of this next
generation's running mate, you know, and that that has a
lot of history and prestige that could come with it.
So Austin has a really great opportunity to cement his
name and his legacy far beyond what he probably would
(34:21):
have thought coming out of out of college. Is undrafted
free as an undrafted rookie. So I just think it's
really cool. I'm excited to be a part of this journey.
Is Austin, you know, hopefully remains with the Lakers beyond
this season. It is Luka Doncic's running mate for years
and years to come. So, like I said, Austin's got
a great opportunity to really change, you know, the trajectory's
career here. So hey, let's see if he puts in
(34:43):
the work and we'll see how this season pans out
for him.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Couldn't agree more. There is something about the phrase Laker
for life. Magic said it, Kobe did it. Austin obviously
isn't at that level of a Kobe or Magic, but hell,
keep stacking rings, brother, You don't take much to go
into glory here with the purple and gold. Here's just
a fun NBA season coming out, man, I mean obviously,
(35:08):
you know we talked about potentially the limitations of that
backcourt defensively, but there's a reason why they win and
got Marcus Smart. Oh before I forget Kwame, you think
Austin should accept the money and come off the bench. No,
I mean you're money.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
You haven't come off the bunch. That's crazy. Yeah, let's
start it, Brad, And again, I get to do it
for the team thing. But I think there's something that
comes with being a starter in the league and a
multi year starter. For many times, Austin is taking a
back seat. We saw in the Darvin ham saga that
he took a back seat. He was benched to time
here and there, and I think he feels like he's
really earned that. I think JJ will pay that off. Unfortunately,
(35:48):
I don't think he's the odd man out in our lineup.
I think it's really I think Ruly will have a
different role this season, and I think Marcus Smart will
be starting in the backcourt with Austin Reeves. I think
Luca position, it's the three lebron four, eight and five.
That's how I see it going into the season.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
I like it, and I like that you raised the
defensive IQ of your starters. Austin stays in the starting lineup.
And you know, I don't know what fifty for Lebron,
forty for Luca, thirty five for Austin, whatever, you know,
one hundred and thirty million dollars across your starters. I
think that makes sense in today's a PA. So yeah,
you gotta you gotta get it where you can, man,
(36:27):
And that coming off the bench, you know it just
it just don't look the same. That'll do it for
us on this episode the Late Now Lake Show podcast.
Appreciate y'all for rocking with us. If you haven't already,
please like, please subscribe, please rate, please review the podcast.
We're back at it weekly for y'all folks. The NBA
season is right around the corner. Kwame ain't going to wear.
(36:49):
I'm not going to wear. Find us on Twitter? What
is your Twitter? I keep I keep wanting to call you,
M James, keep going to call M James. I had
to talk with somebody actually about this too, when I
was trying to find your your IG account. There is
power in having the same account name across all the platforms.
(37:11):
You are very diversified. In what you call yourself on
these accounts, man, I don't know who the hell to
look for.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
You gotta stay out the way, because stay in the
way without the way, you know.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
So follow Kwame at Lakwan James, follow me at mister
Rickey Spanish. We will see y'all on the timeline We out. Peace, Peace,
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