Emergency Pod: MOST SHOCKING TRADE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA – Reaction

Summary

Emergency Pod Summary: "MOST SHOCKING TRADE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA – Reaction"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
• Host/Authors: Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps, Marc Stein (All affiliated with ESPN and NBA coverage)
• Episode: Emergency Pod: MOST SHOCKING TRADE IN THE HISTORY OF THE NBA – Reaction
• Release Date: February 2, 2025
• Description: Brian Windhorst and a team of ESPN's Insiders dissect life in and around the NBA world, providing in-depth analysis and breaking news.

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1. Introduction to the Historic Trade ([00:59] - [01:54])

The episode kicks off with Brian Windhorst announcing what he hails as "the most shocking trade in the history of the NBA." The Mavericks have traded star player Luka Doncic, a perennial MVP candidate, marking an unprecedented move in league history. The hosts emphasize the unexpected nature of trading a young superstar like Doncic, drawing parallels to the last major trade involving Anthony Davis in 2019.

Notable Quote:

• Brian Windhorst ([01:14]): "This is quite clearly the most shocking trade in the history of the week."

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2. Luka Doncic's Career and Value ([03:32] - [04:54])

The discussion delves into Luka Doncic's impressive career trajectory. At 25 years old, Doncic has been a first-team All-NBA player for five consecutive years and was a favorite to win the MVP award before this trade. Despite his stellar performance, concerns about his conditioning and injury history played a pivotal role in the Mavericks' decision to part ways.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst ([03:32]): "The Luca Doncic not even six months ago entered the NBA season as the favorite to win the MVP award."
• Marc Stein ([04:08]): "He's, he's been a first team all NBA player for the last five years."

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3. Mavericks' Rationale Behind Trading Luka Doncic ([05:46] - [08:44])

The Mavericks' front office, led by Nico Harrison, expressed frustration with Doncic's conditioning and recurring injuries, particularly calf strains. This discontent stemmed from concerns that Luka's health could jeopardize the team's future prospects and financial commitments, such as the anticipated Supermax contract. The decision to trade Doncic is likened to the Mavericks "shorting" their star player, betting against his future performance and value.

Notable Quotes:

• Marc Stein ([07:32]): "I believe that defense wins championships and I believe that getting an all defensive center... gives us a better chance."
• Brian Windhorst ([09:33]): "This is the biggest short in the history of the NBA. Mavericks are betting that Luka Doncic is not going to be the player that we all think he's going to be."

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4. The Trade Mechanics and Implications ([10:33] - [15:59])

The hosts analyze the intricacies of the trade, noting that trading a player of Doncic's caliber is virtually unheard of, comparable only to Anthony Davis's trade in 2019 when he expressed a desire to leave New Orleans. The Mavericks exchanged Doncic for Anthony Davis, another elite player, signaling a significant shift in team strategy. This move not only alters the dynamics of both franchises but also reshapes the competitive landscape of the NBA.

Notable Quotes:

• Marc Stein ([15:00]): "This is the first time in NBA history where two reigning all NBA players were traded for each other in the season."
• Brian Windhorst ([10:47]): "Anthony Davis is the last player of this caliber to get traded at this stage of his career."

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5. Lakers' Perspective and Future with Luka Doncic ([16:56] - [25:58])

Shifting focus to the Lakers, the hosts discuss how integrating Luka with LeBron James and Anthony Davis could position the team as a formidable contender. However, questions arise about the Lakers' ability to build a cohesive unit around these stars and the potential long-term implications. The discussion touches upon LeBron's loyalty, AD's waiver of his trade kicker, and the Lakers' strategic moves to accommodate their new roster.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst ([23:03]): "The Mavericks do think they can win the West. This is very simple. The Mavericks said we have a better chance of winning the title this year with this team than they did before."
• Marc Stein ([25:58]): "He's not just a throw in what you're."

---

6. Reactions and Analysis from ESPN Insiders ([26:00] - [37:42])

Brian, Tim, and Marc engage in a comprehensive analysis of the trade's potential outcomes. They debate the Mavericks' future competitiveness, the Lakers' championship aspirations, and the broader implications for team dynamics and player roles. The conversation also touches upon possible subsequent moves by the Mavericks to bolster their roster and how the trade could influence future negotiations and team strategies across the league.

Notable Quotes:

• Marc Stein ([37:46]): "If they can trade Luka Doncic, they can trade anybody."
• Brian Windhorst ([38:15]): "But like I said, I would rather have Christie."

---

7. Potential Future Moves and League-Wide Impact ([38:15] - [44:42])

The discussion speculates on future transactions that might arise from this monumental trade. Topics include the possibility of the Mavericks trading other key players like Austin Reeves, the Lakers' strategies to integrate Luka into their system, and how this trade sets a precedent for future player movements in the NBA. The hosts also consider the impact on team chemistry, salary cap implications, and the evolving power structures within the league.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst ([43:15]): "They are screaming from the rooftops. We didn't want to commit the next, the rest of this decade to being the Luka Doncic Mavericks."
• Tim Bontemps ([44:25]): "It matters now what LeBron's opinion is."

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8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts ([44:42] - [51:35])

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts reflect on the unprecedented nature of the trade and its potential long-term ramifications. They emphasize the uncertainty surrounding the success of this move, acknowledging that only time will reveal whether this gamble pays off for both franchises. The episode ends with a light-hearted trivia segment, further showcasing the hosts' camaraderie and deep knowledge of the NBA landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst ([50:19]): "This is the most shocking trade in the NBA. In the history of the NBA."
• Tim Bontemps ([51:35]): "Adios, Luca."

---

Key Takeaways:

• Unprecedented Move: Trading Luka Doncic, a young superstar and consistent All-NBA player, marks a historic shift in NBA trade dynamics.

• Mavericks' Strategy: The decision reflects deep-seated concerns about Doncic's conditioning, injury history, and financial implications related to contract extensions.

• Lakers' Ambition: Acquiring Doncic alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis signifies the Lakers' intent to remain a dominant force in the league, albeit with uncertainties on team cohesion and future planning.

• League-Wide Implications: This trade sets a new benchmark for player movements, potentially influencing future trades involving star players and reshaping team strategies.

• Future Uncertainty: The success of this trade remains speculative, with both franchises embarking on new paths that could redefine their legacies within the NBA.

---

This episode of "Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective" provides an in-depth analysis of one of the most consequential trades in NBA history, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted implications.

Transcript

[Brian Windhorst]

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[Shams Charania]

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[Brian Windhorst]

Review the disclosures and [e-mail] USDISCLAIMERS Foreign.

[Tim Bontemps]

Collector Podcast we talk about the NBA which we are doing in the middle of the night on Saturday night. Joining us from New York City where he was at the Lakers game a couple of hours ago at Madison Square Garden where they had a win to win their 8th out of 10 games. LeBron was great. Rich Paul, the agent for LeBron and AD was there enjoying the game is Tim Bontemps.

[Brian Windhorst]

Hello everybody. I'll just say that we've already had many sleep updates from Mr. Windhorst and it's there are only going to be more of them by the time this emergency pod is done. Which is what happens when you have the most shocking trade in the history of the NBA go down.

[Tim Bontemps]

I'm boarding a flight at 5am and and it's it's after whatever it is but it's it's in a couple hours. I'm boarding a flight which I was already pre booked. I was already booked. I didn't like scramble to book it. Joining us from Cleveland, Ohio where he is going to be with the Mavericks tomorrow when they play today. Whatever when they play the the Cleveland sometime. Not sure Anthony Davis is going to make it. There is band McMahon.

[Marc Stein]

Howdy partners. You're gonna get some old band sleep updates coming up pretty soon here because that right this is I I've got to tell you did not see this.

[Tim Bontemps]

You didn't. You didn't McMahon.

[Brian Windhorst]

The basketball world didn't see this trade coming. It's legitimately the most shocking trade in the history of the NBA and we'll.

[Marc Stein]

Get to the details. I knew there was real strong frustration with Luka Doncic within the Mavericks organization. I did not see trading a perennial MVP candidate who has yet to hit his prime. That's exactly what the Dallas Mavericks did late on a Saturday night.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like I talked to an executive tonight who said that he talked to Nico Harrison the past couple of days and Nico is looking for a backup center and this this comes out of left field within a day or two after that I mean, this is, I mean, the fact that all of us, the general manager of the. The Mavericks. Yes. The fact that all of us were getting text messages and calls asking our colleague Sham Sharania was hacked when he tweeted this out. Which by the way, props to Shams because this is going to be one of the all time gets to have this trade. And you know, it's, I mean, it's, it's. I've been thinking about it for the last hour or whatever. It's. This is quite clearly the most shocking trade in the history of the week.

[Tim Bontemps]

In the era of, you know, getting hacked in deep fakes, you know, like that was the thing. Like, you know, they, people, people were like, is Shams okay? So Shams was definitely okay. Okay, so McMahon, you literally wrote the book on Luca. It's coming out in a few months. The wonder.

[Marc Stein]

I've got to figure some things out because the ending is a little bit different now.

[Tim Bontemps]

Well, the story. Luca story isn't over. It's just a phase career.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Luca Doncic not even six months ago entered the NBA season as the favorite to win the MVP award. And he has been traded before that trade deadline. That is just a wild thing to think about.

[Tim Bontemps]

So it's natural because the NBA universe, you know, circles around the Lakers so often to look at this from the Lakers perspective. But we're not right now. We will in a minute. This McMahon is about the Dallas Mavericks. And Luka is 25 years old. He's going to turn 26 in a few weeks.

[Marc Stein]

I think turns 26 the end of February.

[Tim Bontemps]

He's, he's been a first team all NBA player for the last five years. He won't make it this year because he's missed too many games. But first team all NBA player for five years, carried the team into the finals last year. Definitely has his, you know, warts. But regarded as one of the top three players in the league. If you did a, if you did a, you know, if we, if we did the exercise of ranking the most desired players in the league, he would be in the top five. You know, you know, you debate about where you would put Victor or whatever because of his age, he'd be in the top five, probably the top three, but whatever.

[Brian Windhorst]

I mean, look in NBA ranked before the season started, he ranked second to Jokic.

[Tim Bontemps]

Okay, I'd love to know what Jokic thinks tonight. So this is the Dallas Mavericks basically saying we want out of the Luca business. And before I hand it over to you, Luca was, is eligible he was eligible to sign. But this trade is going to cost him tens of millions of dollars, by the way, because he can't sign the supermax. But not to mention the tax difference between Texas and California. But Luca was in position to sign a five year, $300 million extension this summer through about 345. But yes, okay, 350. So. And no one has ever not signed the supermax. He's already qualified for it. No one's ever not signed it. So this wasn't the Mavericks. I mean, even if you could.

[Brian Windhorst]

I only mean to cut you. I don't mean to cut you off. But the only reason I want to say that that isn't true is because the last guy in this position to get traded at this moment was Anthony Davis in 2019.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yes, but Anthony Davis had asked for a trade.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, I understand that. I'm just saying Anthony Davis had indicated like he wasn't going to sign the Supermax is my point. Like he wasn't going to stay in New Orleans. He's the only other guy. And the fact that they got traded for each other is just one other wrinkle to this whole thing. That's all.

[Tim Bontemps]

Okay, so how, and correct me If I'm wrong, McMahon, I don't think the Mavericks were concerned that Luca was not going to sign it.

[Marc Stein]

I've obviously talked to some people with the Mavericks since this trade went down. They weren't certain, but their concern was the risk of signing him to that supermax, of making a 350ish million dollar commitment. And this is basically the Maverick saying they do. They didn't believe that you could rely on Luca moving forward. You know, this was, I again, I knew and you know, I talked a little bit about some of the frustrations within the organization about the conditioning, you know, the quote unquote, right wrist spraying again. He had a little wrist thing, but that was absolutely shutting him down so he could get in shape. He was playing in the high 260s this season. When he's in shape, he, he's 245 to 250. You know, 255 is pretty normal. He was in the high 260s this season. They shut him down. He shed some weight, plays. He had a really nice run like that. I mean, there was the game in San Francisco where he absolutely looked like MVP candidate Luka Doncic playing at that level, then gets hurt again and again when these calf injuries. Number one, he strained his calf before training camp. There was a contusion that's what they reported there was also a strain. Okay. I'm, I'm, I'm telling you that as a fact. So this calf strain has happened four times. Same calf in the last three years, twice this season. And the reaction within the Mavericks wasn't like, geez, man, bad luck. It was I, you know, the just extreme frustration that this is the result of not caring or not, you know, taking the actions that show you care about things like diet and conditioning and, and lifestyle. Now I get the frustration, but he's 25.

[Tim Bontemps]

He's not 29 or 32. Like I know.

[Marc Stein]

I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm just telling you. And of what the thinking was there, I am as shocked as anybody that they traded a 25 year old who is clearly one of the best players in the world. But you know, again, I, Nico Harrison told me this was a quote.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, read that quote. The quote he gave you on the record when people were so unsure if the trade was.

[Tim Bontemps]

Absolutely. Yeah.

[Marc Stein]

I believe that defense wins championships and I believe that getting an all defensive center and all NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, well, here's the thing like this that's on. That's the basketball component of this trade from the Dallas bar. Right. Which I think is pretty fascinating and is an interesting thing to talk about. At the end of the day though, we're starting with Dallas because Michael Lewis wrote this book called the Big Short on the Financial Crisis. Right. This is the biggest short in the history of the NBA. Mavericks are betting that Luka Doncic is not going to be the player that we all think he's going to be.

[Marc Stein]

And frankly, the player that he has been.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right, exactly. Well, has been in going forward. Right. This is a bet that he is not going to be worth the Superbags. He's not going to be a guy who wins MVPs. He's not going to be a guy who, that wins championships more than anything.

[Marc Stein]

It's a bet that he's not going to be available that often.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's right. It's, it's a bet against Luka Doncic and it's a bet on going bigger with Anthony Davis up front, going defense first. It's a, it's a bet on Kyrie Irving, which for sure, I mean, we've talked a lot about.

[Tim Bontemps]

I guess Kyrie will be asking for the max this summer.

[Marc Stein]

He's got some leverage.

[Brian Windhorst]

He certainly got leverage. I mean the basketball fit in Dallas is super interesting, and I think that's worth talking about. But again, like, the reason this is so shocking is because guys like Luka Doncic at this stage of his career do not get traded. I will repeat that. These guys do not get traded ever in this situation.

[Marc Stein]

No. Like when James Harden got traded, he was a sixth man of the year and the. The third star on that team, perennial first team, all NBA players who have yet to hit their prime. We've never seen something like this.

[Brian Windhorst]

And Anthony Davis is the last player of this caliber to get traded at this stage of his career.

[Tim Bontemps]

And to your point, Brian, that was a con. It was a contract.

[Brian Windhorst]

No. Well, Anthony Davis wanted to leave where he was at. Right. And it asked. To your point, yes, he wasn't going to sign the supermax, but that's because he and Rich Paul had made it crystal clear he didn't want to be in New Orleans. That is not what happened here. For all. For all the frustrations that went on here. It's not like Luka Doncic said, get me out of doubts.

[Marc Stein]

No.

[Brian Windhorst]

So the fact that the Mavericks have shorted him like this is why this is such a shocking trade. On top of all the other factors, with the Lakers playing tonight, winning the game, all this other stuff floating around it, that. That's where this comes down to. It's that Dallas said luka.it isn't worth it.

[Marc Stein]

Well, and I've had multiple people within the Mavericks use the term held hostage as how they felt about being, you know, the entire franchise relying on Luca with this looming $350 million commitment coming this summer. And they felt like there wasn't a good solution there because you either sign them that extension and, you know, living in fear, or you don't and, you know, he's not going to be around long term. You know, then you risk losing for nothing. Well, and go ahead there.

[Tim Bontemps]

I just. And you guys, hold on real quick. You guys were there with me when this happened, when I ripped the hell out of Luca after game three, the finals last year. Which tunnel? Well, the reason I was so frustrated in the moment was that he basically torpedoed his team. And I'd seen him do it before on the international stage several times. And I showed up the next two days and I got jeered by the fans, right. That all kinds of crazy bleep to me chanted my name or whatever after Luka was great in game four. I heard nothing from the Mavericks.

[Marc Stein]

No.

[Tim Bontemps]

And from ownership, through the front office, to the coach I was standing in the arena for two days on end. I wasn't dodging anybody. I went to the press conferences. I was in Lucas press conference. I was standing on the court. Nobody said anything to me.

[Marc Stein]

Because everything you said were things that they had complained about repeatedly were things they had.

[Tim Bontemps]

Right. But, but that happens all the time. You say things all the time that you think are true. And agents and teams and you know, they come to you and they, you know, they defend their person.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah. Now having, having said all this, for all the flaws, he was third in MVP voting last year. He's been first team all NBA five straight years. As you said, if we're talking about the most talented players, the most valued players in the league, we ain't getting past one hand. Counting where Luca falls there you can. They felt like it was a massive risk going forward with him and making a supermax commitment to trade that type of talent is an astronomical risk.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, and listen, we have talked a lot about whether it's Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, like these guys that have been in and out of the lineup and there's questions about their health and everything else. Right. The reason teams always bet and have in the past always bet on these guys is because there are only a few players of that talent on the planet. And typically you have to have one of them to win. And that, that is, you know, that is why again, it's like these trades just do not happen. And it's what's going to make it such a fascinating decision by the Mavericks because they are screaming from the rooftops. We didn't want to commit the next, the rest of this decade to being the Luka Doncic Mavericks. And you just don't ever see a team in this position. Yeah, they did. It's the big short. They have shorted. They have shorted Luka Doncic. And it's one of the most fascinating bets in the history of the league.

[Tim Bontemps]

People mock the Clippers for trading Shay Gildas Alexander, who might win the MVP this year, and saying, boy, my God, you guys traded in mvp. This isn't the same ballpark. Shay Shay was a prospect like so the same universe. So think about, you know, that the Clippers have to live every day knowing that they traded this guy away.

[Marc Stein]

And it's like again, like the Thunder when they traded Harden and he became, you know, an MVP and a perennial first team all NBA player and this champion, all that. But, but when they traded him, he was the third guy on that team and he was the sixth man of the year. He wasn't right. He, he wasn't five time first team, all NBA.

[Tim Bontemps]

Shea was a prospect. So like this is trading like Jackson has it here for us. This is the first time in NBA history where two reigning all NBA players were traded for each other in the season.

[Marc Stein]

Wow.

[Tim Bontemps]

And here's the other thing I'm going to say, okay, let's say they agree. Let's say they, they have an internal understanding, McMahon that they're going to trade him. I mean it's a, it's a massive decision. It's the biggest decision in the history of the franchise. Right. Is that you think that's wrong?

[Marc Stein]

Oh, yes.

[Tim Bontemps]

Okay. So it's the biggest decision in the history of the franchise. And they don't auction him that they, I mean they obviously, you know, now we'll say this background here. Nico Harrison was at Nike for 20 something years when he was at Nike. Anthony Davis was one of his guys.

[Marc Stein]

Yes.

[Tim Bontemps]

You know, Kobe was his number one, but Anthony Davis was right there.

[Marc Stein]

And J. Kidd is extremely tight with Anthony Davis from their time together with the Lakers. You know, Michael Finley, you know, a high ranking executive has a relationship with Anthony Davis as Chicago guy.

[Tim Bontemps]

Chicago. Yeah.

[Marc Stein]

You know, we had heard a few years ago like kind of bubblings of some levels of mutual interest between the Mavericks and Anthony Davis, but you hear things like that all the time and you know, it obviously didn't happen back then, but the relationships with Anthony Davis, there's very, very, very strong relationship.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right.

[Tim Bontemps]

So that's why they target him. Right. But you know, they don't.

[Brian Windhorst]

And there's also some basketball reasons too, which we'll get to.

[Tim Bontemps]

I get, I get that. But okay, so let's say they target. So Bontemps. Okay. They target Anthony Davis. That's who they want. And you know, we'll get to the Lakers side of this in a minute. But the, you know, he can come in and play four, which is what he wants. You can play next to Lively Gafford. He can get his power forward, which is what he wants.

[Marc Stein]

Well, Lively's out for most if not all the rest of the regular season, but yes, okay.

[Tim Bontemps]

But you know, this is not a one year move by the way.

[Brian Windhorst]

Just, just as before we, before we continue just. I was checking one stack so it took me a while to pull it up on my computer. We'll do a little whiz of the.

[Marc Stein]

Quiz for a second more Hoop Collective podcast after this.

[Shams Charania]

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[Tim Bontemps]

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[Shams Charania]

Don't miss the first Marvel movie event of the year.

[Marc Stein]

The country needs Captain America. You asked for me? Here I am on February 14th. Get the suits ready.

[Shams Charania]

Experience a brave new world.

[Marc Stein]

Let's go. That's made for imax. Standby for proof of death.

[Brian Windhorst]

You want me?

[Marc Stein]

Come and get me, Captain Brave New World.

[Shams Charania]

See you to Nightmax.

[Marc Stein]

February 14th. Get tickets now.

[Shams Charania]

Rated PG13, this film may be inappropriate.

[Marc Stein]

For children under 13. And now to present today's trivia question, the whiz of the quiz, Tim Bontemps.

[Brian Windhorst]

There are how many players? Let me. Let me rephrase this. There are five active players who have made at least five first team. All NBAs. Who are they? Obviously Luke is one of them.

[Marc Stein]

No.

[Tim Bontemps]

Tatum has.

[Marc Stein]

No. No. KD. LeBron.

[Brian Windhorst]

LeBron.

[Tim Bontemps]

Steph.

[Brian Windhorst]

No.

[Marc Stein]

Chris Paul.

[Brian Windhorst]

No.

[Marc Stein]

Wow.

[Tim Bontemps]

Steph hasn't made five. First Team Olympics.

[Brian Windhorst]

Nope.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's an amazing.

[Brian Windhorst]

Both made. They've both made four.

[Tim Bontemps]

Wow.

[Brian Windhorst]

There's two others. KD, LeBron, Joker. He has not.

[Marc Stein]

That's the. The center thing screwed up.

[Tim Bontemps]

Jokic hasn't made five yet.

[Marc Stein]

I think he.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's going to this year. I think. Well, he will this year, but he's only. Harden, Harden, Harden. There's one more. Another foreign guy.

[Marc Stein]

Giannis.

[Brian Windhorst]

Giannis. Wow. All three. All four of those other guys. The youngest one is 30. The other three are over. The other the over three are in their mid to late 30s or 40. This guy is 25 bottoms.

[Tim Bontemps]

You said it. You said it. This isn't the big Short. This is the gargantuan Titanic short. It's.

[Brian Windhorst]

Look, it's the most shocking trade in the NBA. In the history of the NBA.

[Tim Bontemps]

Okay?

[Brian Windhorst]

So knowing that short in the history of the NBA.

[Tim Bontemps]

So knowing the Lakers are acquiring a 25 year old who's got one of the most decorated resumes in the history of the league at age 25, short of winning a championship. They've identified Anthony Davis. They don't get everything. Now I understand why the Lakers are saying to the Mavericks, look, we are trading our franchise center. We don't. We already were looking for another center. Now we don't have a center. We have to, we have to hold back the 2031 pick. That's a fine negotiating position. They didn't get both first round picks. The Lakers have to trade. They didn't get Austin Reaves who's having.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, let me hold up, let me hold up on the Austin Reeves part because they, within the financial position the Lakers were in, they, there's. They couldn't necessarily get Austin Reeves in the construction of this deal. I actually think you can make an argument for the Lakers. Max Christie is a more valuable piece to get. Like Max Christie has become a legitimate 3 and D wing in the league.

[Tim Bontemps]

Right. His contract is very good, but he's.

[Brian Windhorst]

On a four year deal. Austin Reeves is a one way player. That's not a great fit with Kyrie. And when you look at the Dallas.

[Tim Bontemps]

And you can move them somewhere else to play for you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, I understand, I'm saying financially, financially it's hard to get them both in the trade. I would rather have Max Christie.

[Tim Bontemps]

You have third teams. You could, you could find. Okay, fine, leave that out. Then they don't get both picks. I mean amazing, you know, in other words, like they were like, let's just.

[Marc Stein]

Do this deal that, you know, I, if you have decided we can't rely on Luca, we have to move on from him. I think certainly there's an argument to be made of keeping that quiet and dealing with it in the summer. You know, if you put them on the block in the summer, there's a lot of. Okay, that's fine. There's no games being played. There's no practices, you know, whatever summer drama is. Well, but here and then, but then that, then you can create.

[Tim Bontemps]

Well, but guys, we're missing the Mavericks. They can win the west this year.

[Brian Windhorst]

Listen. Well, the Mavericks do. The Mavericks do think they can win the West. This is very simple. The Mavericks said we have a better. It's what you said, McMahon. They believe they have a better Chance of winning the title this year with this team than they did before. That's why you do the trade now.

[Marc Stein]

And by the way, Max Christie is, Max Christie is the exact kind of guy they've been searching around trying to like trying to find is a guy who can be a primary on ball defender.

[Brian Windhorst]

Look, I tonight about Max Christie. Before the game I talked to him about Max Christie's emergence as a guy who's become a consistent starter for the Lakers. He comes out tonight in 15 points. Jaylen Brunson did not have a great game in part because the defense Max Christie was playing on him. And you know, I mean the league is looking for six five, six, six two way wings who can shoot and guard people. And Max Christie is turning into that kind of player. He's on a four year, 32 million dollar deal. He's 21 years old. Like he's a very valuable piece. And I think like I can see from that standpoint why they went and did this.

[Marc Stein]

Now again, this is trying to build the best defense possible. And this is them saying, hey, we can't build a dominant defense with Luca.

[Brian Windhorst]

And when you look at it but.

[Marc Stein]

It, but it is absolutely punning on, you know, like booting the most talented player in franchise history out the door.

[Brian Windhorst]

Oh, listen, I, I'm not trying to say that I, I would do the trade. I'm just saying that like all this like, yeah, they could have auctioned him off in the summer, but this wasn't about auction off in the summer. Nico Harrison identified Anthony Davis, said, I would rather have Anthony Davis. I would rather have Max Christie. I agree. They probably could have got, probably, I mean should have got both picks. I would have got both picks in the trade. But like they clearly are betting that Kyrie at the point with a ton of shooting and length around him and then a ton of size in the paint, which by the way, what have we talked about repeatedly with Oklahoma City? They struggle with size in the paint, right? The Mavericks are now a huge team at every position other than Kyrie with the ball. So they've got long athletic wings all over the place. They're playing big in the paint. They've got size to go up against Jokic, they've got size to go up against Memphis and Houston who want to brawl inside. Like they've clearly identified that this is a way they believe they can win. Now what I would say is if you make this trade, you damn well better win because this is it again.

[Tim Bontemps]

Better win now because in their 30s.

[Brian Windhorst]

That'S what I'm saying, if you're shorting Luca like this, this group has got to win. Like, there's no like. Well, you know, Nico could say what he wants about now and in the future. This ain't about in the future. This is. You've got Kyrie and you've got AD and you're trying to win today, not in five years.

[Tim Bontemps]

By the way, since Max Christie went in the starting lineup. The Lakers are 15 and 8 now. There's a lot of other factors in there.

[Brian Windhorst]

The guy shooting 39% from three over that stretch. And he was. He was really good tonight and has been really good for them for a while. I'm not trying to turn Max Christie into a superstar. I was getting ready to talk.

[Marc Stein]

He's not just a throw in what you're.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah. What you're saying is that they're not just using it to balance out the money. They viewed him as worth of maybe a first or even two. Still, though, you're trading a 25 year. Okay, let's switch over to the Lakers. Dave McMenam and Shams both report that LeBron did not know. Yeah, I trust that reporting. I. I wonder when AD Knew. And I'm gonna. Here's why I'm asking. Because I had an executive hit me tonight. And he goes. Because within an hour of the trade announcement, Bobby Marks had confirmed that AD had waived his trade kicker, which they still could have done the trade. So AD got it. Was getting a $6 million bonus for being traded. He waived it. That would have been paid by the Lakers, but would have gone on the Mavericks books. And the reason why that's interesting is because that keeps the Mavericks out of the luxury tax.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah.

[Tim Bontemps]

So it helps the Mavericks going forward here, potentially even doing something buyout wise at the deadline here.

[Brian Windhorst]

But it's certainly a sign that AD Isn't against the trade.

[Tim Bontemps]

Well, that's for darn sure. But it makes you wonder when AD Found out, because my guess is that that's a decision that doesn't.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, whether he found out. Whenever he found out, he might have found out. Nico might have called him and told him when everybody else found out. But waving, not waving, that. That trade kicker is a clear indication that he's perfectly fine going to Dallas.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah. And you know what the thing with Luca and. And all the focus on. On the conditioning and you know, the. That directly impacting the durability, all that kind of stuff, this is a massive slap in the face. Like you are one of the best players at your age. That's ever walked the face of the earth and the team that had you said, we don't trust you, we don't want you, we're going to move on. If this doesn't get him to embrace the 24 hour, you know, 365 day a year type of commitment that it takes to maximize your potential and to ensure your availability as much as possible, then nothing ever will.

[Tim Bontemps]

And hey, that's what the Lakers are betting on, right?

[Marc Stein]

He's got a hell of a role model in. In LeBron. Right. But you know what? He had a hell of a role model in. In Dirk. And, and that didn't take as. As far as the diet, the conditioning, that kind of commitment.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, look, 29 out of 30 teams would have made this trade. There's really not a lot to discuss about whether the Lakers would have done it or not. Like the University is the Mavericks.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, okay. With the Thunder.

[Brian Windhorst]

Every other team. I'm not saying the Thunder. You're misunderstanding what I'm saying. Every team in the league, if they get the call, which this clearly was a call from the Mavericks to the Lakers, you can just look how it went. If you call and say, will you do this trade? Every team in the league is doing this trade.

[Marc Stein]

Like the Thunder is interesting. I don't. I'm not certain about.

[Tim Bontemps]

You're not. That's an academic argument.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm not talking about putting Luca on any team. I'm saying hypothetical team gets this call, will you do this trade? Every team does this trade. Like, again, that's why it's the biggest.

[Tim Bontemps]

I don't think every team does it, but I don't want to keep going.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's talking about. I'm not. I mean, again, it's not about the individual teams in the league, like across the. Across the NBA. The universal reaction is, I can't believe the Lakers got Luka Doncic. That's why it's the biggest short.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

You short. No one else would short this guy like this.

[Tim Bontemps]

So. So the Lakers now, okay, so the Lakers made this move not for this season. Lakers made this move for the next decade.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Tim Bontemps]

And I will say it's like Rob Pelinka for a couple of years now is like, you know, we're waiting for the big fish. We're waiting for the big fish. And, you know, people are prodding him, you know, trade a first for Cam Johnson, trade a first for Jonas Valanchunas. And he's like, we're waiting for the big fish. Waiting for the big fish. And there was lots of eye rolls. What happened? So I will say this. This is. This is. This is a whale. So this is what he's waiting for. So now let me just say this. Like, Lakers have to, you know, think about how they're going to, you know, how they're going to approach having Luca. That's a whole. That's going to be an organizational thing. You know that very well. McMahon. They ought to hire McMahon as a consultant.

[Marc Stein]

Well, and, you know, he comes with his own medical team. You know, he comes with his own nutritionist, he comes with a physiotherapist. He comes with his own strength coach.

[Tim Bontemps]

Well, LeBron came with people I know.

[Marc Stein]

And that. That's not unusual. There. There was some. Again, there was a lot of frustration about a lot of things within the Mavericks and the working relationship with that team. I don't think was the. With Lucas, quote, unquote, body team was not the strongest.

[Tim Bontemps]

I'm not sure I would put that on my resume. Luca body team.

[Marc Stein]

Well, I've. It's been suggested to me that would be difficult to find other employment in that field, given the results. But more Hoop Collective podcast after this. You know what's smart? Enjoying a fresh gourmet meal at home that you didn't have to cook meat.

[Tim Bontemps]

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[Brian Windhorst]

Ready in just two minutes.

[Marc Stein]

You know what's even smarter? Treating yourself without cheating your goals.

[Tim Bontemps]

Factor is dietitian approved, Chef prepared, and you plated.

[Marc Stein]

Pretty smart, huh?

[Tim Bontemps]

Refresh your routine and eat smart with factor. Learn more@Factor Meals.com. um, I think I just won my taxes. Yeah, I just switched to H and.

[Brian Windhorst]

R block in about one minute. All I had to do was drag and drop last year's return into H.

[Tim Bontemps]

And R block and bam. My information is automatically there so I don't have to go digging around for all my old papers to switch.

[Brian Windhorst]

Nope. Sounds like we just leveled up our tax game.

[Marc Stein]

Switching to H and R block is easy. Just drag and drop your last return.

[Tim Bontemps]

It's better with block. All right, so what happens with LeBron here? And I don't know the answer. It's.

[Marc Stein]

You know what the fascinating thing is? This does. This is not a trade like that immediately is like an easy fit for the Lakers. Like, who's starting at center for him now? I don't know.

[Tim Bontemps]

Jackson Hayes.

[Marc Stein]

I mean, hey, you know, how does all. Like you said, this isn't about, hey, let's maximize the, you know, the twilight of argument.

[Tim Bontemps]

Hey listen, let's just be honest. They had to make room for Chris Wood. He's coming back soon. Had to clear it out.

[Marc Stein]

Well, and I'm sure Luke is fired up to reunite with Christian Wood. But this is not about maximizing the twilight of this, you know, all time great who by the way had a 30 something point triple double tonight. This is maybe even a step back from that. But, but it's about acquiring a guy who can be in that conversation among the greatest of the all time greats.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, listen, during the game today, David Beniman, Dan Woicke and I, Dan Woiky from the LA Times, obviously we all know like ten and myself were sitting on press row and we spent the vast majority of the game debating who the Lakers could get with their two first round picks. Now we all basically thought it was an academic exercise because who's out there to get with the first round picks? And I said I don't think anybody's out there to get for the first round picks. It's going to make a difference. Obviously none of us saw this coming. Makes it very amusing, but the undercurrent of the whole discussion was the Lakers were not good enough to win a title this year. They might have got a matchup and won a series. Maybe they could have won two series if everything broke right with this current group for as well as they've played. And J.J. redick has done a really good job. Max Christie has developed really well. They, you know, they move on from the edge of the Russell, they have Austin Rhea's hand on the ball. Like all these things are true. JJ's maximized, AD's having a great year, but they weren't good enough. So this is an obvious move for them to get luka Doncic at 25 to have him to build around going forward. And now the question is can they put a team around him over the next five to seven years that's good enough to actually be a repeat championship contender? Because look, LeBron James has been in LA for seven years. For the last four of those years, yeah, the Lakers made a conference finals, but they have repeatedly shot themselves in the foot. And despite having AD and LeBron not had a team that was consistently good enough to be a true championship contender. So the question now is they have Luka Doncic, but what can they put with them and what's the team going to look like?

[Tim Bontemps]

You guys know how I feel. Winning a championship means never saying you're sorry. So like I didn't like some of the terms of the AD deal, which is not even done paying off yet. I had to retire that because winning a championship means never saving youg're Sorry. So I stand on that and I believe that, having said that, six plus years of AD and LeBron, AD in his prime. LeBron's still a high production. The Lakers, I wouldn't say they achieved the bare minimum, but they achieved the low end.

[Marc Stein]

They won two. They won two titles. They won a. Got a banner and a ribbon.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's right. I was like, wait a minute, what? And I fell right into that trap. Good job. Okay, so that's one thing I'll say, you know, because that now. That book is now being closed, the AD LeBron era. The second thing I'll say is when AD went public last week with Shams saying basically, get me a center, putting Rob Pelinka on blast, it was further than he has gone before. LeBron does this annually. AD has not done this. Unless my memory is flawed, he has not done this on the record in front of the camera saying, get me center. And I do think had that not happened and the Lakers had a disappointing end of the season, which we all thought they're headed for the play in. They were overachieving from that. I mean, we talked last week about how they were maybe overachieving a little bit, but whatever. If the Lakers didn't have a great finish to the season, I do think for the first time there could have been Anthony Davis getting a little agitated in the summer. So the Lakers might have felt a little tremor or two. But certainly, you know, and maybe that just greased this a little bit going well, you know, as you said, bon temps. There isn't a trade for them to do that was going to get Anthony Davis excited. Maybe. Maybe that played some factor into why the Lakers were like, let's. Let's. Absolutely.

[Brian Windhorst]

No, no, no, no, no. What are you doing? The Lakers did this. Because of course they did.

[Tim Bontemps]

No, I get that, but I'm just saying it's.

[Brian Windhorst]

They took the call and said, yes, we'll do the trade.

[Tim Bontemps]

No, I understand, but there was. There was a little bit of a tremor with it with a. With A.D. so I. I don't.

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't think that had anything to do with this. If that hadn't happened. If that hadn't happened, they would have done the same thing. The thing that I think is interesting to watch now as I'm thinking about this in real time over the next five days, is Austin Reeves doesn't really fit with the Lakers anymore. And if I am the Lakers this week, I personally, as I react to this real time and think about it, yeah, I'm thinking long and hard about trading Austin Reeves today. Because Austin Reeves right Now is owed 12.9 million this year and 13.9 million next year. And then he's got a player option he ain't going to pick up the following year. And his trade value is probably never going to be higher than it is right now. And if you could turn him into some significant stuff, whether it's draft picks, whether it's maybe some, maybe some size.

[Marc Stein]

Inside, maybe somebody to play center, I mean it.

[Brian Windhorst]

I, I think that is a very interesting domino to watch over the next few days. Now, maybe they don't do anything with Austin Reeves. I don't have any reporting on this, to be clear. I'm not saying I know he's getting traded. I have no idea. But just thinking about it, if you have 80, if you have LeBron Luca and Austin Reeves, that's three guys who have the ball a lot, who aren't playing a lot of defense. And it's going to be hard to have a balanced team with all of them. And Austin Reeves value is probably never going to be higher than it is on this contract for the next 18 months.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's true. Which is one of the reasons, if I was Dallas, I would have gotten him because his value is high.

[Brian Windhorst]

But like I said, I would rather have Christie.

[Tim Bontemps]

I think I agree. And so. But let's get back to LeBron. I think that's a. Until we hear from LeBron, that's, as they said in Seinfeld, that's a pretty big matzo ball.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah, it's a huge one. Now having said that, LeBron has always been a massive fan of Luke, without question. You know, there's a question, one of the chapters in the book that's coming out that I hope I can figure out a way to add to the ending is, you know, begins with when LeBron and Luka played very early in Luca's rookie season and they had a meeting in mid court after the game and the cameras caught it and LeBron said, you a bad mother, you know, and LeBron, like LeBron's talked about, hey, he tried to sign Lucas as like to his. To his shoe line.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, LeBron doesn't have, by the way, like LeBron. It's not like, like the Jordan brand where they have a bunch of guys. LeBron doesn't have like athletes on his label.

[Marc Stein]

He wanted Luka to be the first.

[Tim Bontemps]

Right.

[Marc Stein]

You know, he's been a huge fan of Luca. How, how it works. Tandem is going to be fascinating.

[Tim Bontemps]

I'll never forget. I guess I can tell this story now. So during the 2023 finals, the Denver finals, I got a call in the middle of game two from someone who would know that said that Kyrie and this ended up getting reported. I think it was Shams actually at the time, was at the Athletic who reported it. But I got a call and said that Kyrie would really like LeBron to come to Dallas and play with him and Luka and LeBron had an option in his contract and you know, forget about all the machinations of what would have to happen. But, you know, Kyrie was a free agent and LeBron was a free agent. Could be a free agent. It wasn't impossible. And so the game ended and I walk into the arena, or into the bowl, I should say, and I run smack dab into Rich Paul. Now, this is kind of rare where you have a root trade rumor. And then literally within 10 minutes, 15 minutes, you can speak to the face to face to the agent. I said, hey, listen, I just got this call and I heard the Kyrie. Let's just say it was somebody associated with Kyrie, wants to play with LeBron in Dallas. And, and Rich says LeBron would love to play with Kyrie in LA, have him come to LA, you know, and he'd love to play with Luca in LA someday. You know, let's get Luca to LA. And of course he went nowhere. Kyrie resigned. LeBron's been a Laker. But one of the reasons Kyrie did that, did the reach out, was because of Luca being there. He, you know, he saw, he, he saw that possibility. And that was the summer where the Lakers decided to resign their team instead of going after Kyrie.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah. And this was, this was also the summer that the Mavericks were coming off having just traded for Kyrie and ended up tanking the last week of the regular season because things went so haywire.

[Tim Bontemps]

Right. So There is some LeBron, Luka, you know, Kyrie doesn't try that move unless he knew that Luke would be a draw. So I definitely. But also there's a, you know, the old two timeline thing. There's a two timeline thing here, you know, so.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, there was already a two timeline thing, though, like LeBron after the game today. I mean, it's, I mean, it feels like it was 500 years ago, but he openly called Anthony Davis their best player. Anthony Davis was nine years younger than him. So, like, it's not like, like, yes, Lucas 15 years younger than him, but like LeBron, like, it's not like the timeline lined up for this was going to work out for LeBron anyway.

[Tim Bontemps]

Right. But the team was constructed like, you know, you know, the Lakers can look you square in the face. They can extend Luka this summer. They can't give him the supermax, but they can extend them. Whether Luka wants to do that or not, we'll see, because he's got two years left. But assuming that he does extend with the Lakers, I mean, I see no reason why he wouldn't. Lakers are going to have a Runway where they're going to retrofit their team. And you say bon temps about a Reeves trade. If there's a Reeves trade or, you know, they use the other pick, that's going to be to build around Luca, you know, not obviously. So, yeah, look, LeBron might come out tomorrow or I don't know when the Lakers are available next. LeBron may come out tomorrow and be like, thank you very much, AD he might tweet tonight, thank you very much, AD Luca, I look forward to being with you and finishing out my career with you, and it's put to bed. But until we hear that, I just. We didn't. We haven't heard it. That's all that.

[Brian Windhorst]

But I mean, that's all. That's all secondary, though, really. I mean, it's one of the rare times.

[Tim Bontemps]

Secondary, if he says, maybe I need to look around.

[Brian Windhorst]

But it is secondary because this is. It doesn't matter. That's what I mean. Like, it doesn't. Whatever.

[Tim Bontemps]

LeBron does matter.

[Brian Windhorst]

No, it doesn't.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's what matters. He wants to get traded to another team in the league right now. It might matter just a little bit to them. That's.

[Brian Windhorst]

Again, that's a real matter. It matters. It matters in the aggregate. My point is it doesn't matter to the Lakers. Like, LeBron's reaction to the trade is irrelevant to the Lakers because you don't do.

[Tim Bontemps]

They apparently didn't tell him. If you're to believe that.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yes, but that. That's what I mean, the lakers do. If LeBron. If they had said to LeBron, Hey, LeBron, we have an offer to trade ad for Luka. What do you think LeBron says, Guys, we got a great thing going. Team's rolling.

[Tim Bontemps]

Let's roll with AD that may be the. By the way, that may be one of the reasons why they didn't go to him because they didn't want to have it on his plate.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm whether it was honestly right.

[Tim Bontemps]

But one of the reasons why you keep LeBron in the dark is, number one, he's not. He's now not your future anyway. And two, he doesn't. He has plausible deniability to say that I didn't ship AD out of town.

[Brian Windhorst]

I mean, yes, I agree. My point is only that. I agree it was all hypothetical. My point is only that it doesn't matter what LeBron's opinion is because you, if you're the Lakers, you have to do this trade every time you have to make the bet on Luka Doncic.

[Tim Bontemps]

It matters now what LeBron's opinion is.

[Brian Windhorst]

It matters to the league. What, what, what LeBron.

[Tim Bontemps]

It also the Lakers. I mean, I agree with you that you do the deal without independent of LeBron. You may even be doing him a favor by not going to him. But I think now his opinion matters because.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yes, I, I agree.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yes.

[Brian Windhorst]

If he decides. Yes, I. Right. My point is only that if LeBron decides now he wants to get traded, what I'm saying is, and maybe I'm not making it clear enough, that shouldn't have precluded the Lakers from doing the trade. And it won't be a bad trade if LeBron decides he wants to leave now.

[Tim Bontemps]

I agree. Okay, that's all. We don't know if it's a good or bad trade yet, but it could be one of the great trades in Laker history. But we'll see. McMahon, where do we think the Mavericks stack up in the Western Conference? They've been sliding very badly with Luca.

[Marc Stein]

Well, and yeah, and you know, I've said over and over and over again, like, if they get healthy, I still think they're dangerous. But this is a completely different team because, you know, when you talked about the Mavericks as championship contenders, the number one reason that you put them in that category was because of this guy who last year led the entire postseason in points, rebounds, assists and steals, which had never been done before. Again, they are betting that they can put together one of the NBA's best defenses. That bringing in Anthony Davis, you know, that adding Max Christie, you know, another on ball defender can, can allow them to build an elite defense. And then they're obviously betting on the health and durability of 2, 2 stars in their 30s who have had their own pretty significant durability issues. You know, Anthony Davis is banged up right now. You know, Kyrie's managing this bulging disc in his back and you know, he's played 39 games this year, but you know, he's got some stuff going on.

[Tim Bontemps]

So let me ask you this. So now they have the Laker pick. I don't know. I'm not necessarily saying that you definitely trade Daniel Gafford or PJ Washington, but you could, you have Quentin Grimes, who's got value. You're under the aprons. I mean, hell, you got Klay Thompson.

[Marc Stein]

If they can trade Luka Doncic, they can trade anybody.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, you got that right. I mean, you know, are the Mavericks in position to, Are the Mavericks in position to make another move?

[Marc Stein]

I'm never going to say that the Mavericks aren't in position to make another move because one thing we've learned with Nico Harrison is they are always aggressive. You know, they have made massive trades before every single trade deadline that he's been in charge of. Dumping Kristaps Porzingis, getting Kyrie Irving at a massive discount. You know, getting Daniel Gafford and D.J. washington and P.J. washington in separate deals last year. Now this trades that got.

[Brian Windhorst]

Trades that got panned at the time, by the way.

[Marc Stein]

You know, again, so Max Christie is the kind of guy that they've been hunting around for because they needed another. Like they've asked PJ Washington to be their primary on ball defender. That's, that's putting a, probably a little bit too much on his plate. I think Max Christie can, can help fill that void. But yeah, I, I promise you that Nico's not going to stop charging his cell phone before the trade deadline. I think they are going to continue to be aggressive. You know, they, they had, that they had, I'll say this, they had the Kyle Kuzman trade fall apart last year because of the mythical no trade clause. You know, if they're, if they're trying to recreate as much of that Lakers title roster, he's certainly still available.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, the, the looking at the Mavericks roster again, I'm just trying to process this as we go along and think about it. They are very short now on shot creation. They really only have Kyrie. I mean like dad Spencer did.

[Marc Stein]

What he does, didn't want is their second shot creator. Yeah, PJ has taken on some of that, but I agree with you.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's part, and it's part of why the team has been struggling. Now obviously they're about to get Anthony Davis. He, he will give them a ton of production, but he's not a shock creator. He's more of a play finisher. So I mean, I mean look, the other thing you got to think about, again, like Derek Lively is an interesting trade piece over the next week. I mean, Derek Lively is hurt. We'll see if he can go back this year. Certainly Derek Livey would have value in the market. They try to turn him into something and you know, again, this is a Mavericks team that is trying to win right now. So maybe they can use their. Again, this is me just spitballing. I do. Not to be clear for the aggregators, but like it will be surprising if Dallas comes out of the trade deadline in five days and doesn't have another fairly good shot creator, you would think on the roster to try to give Kyrie some extra cushion. Especially like you said, McMahon, not only is Kyrie a risky bet for all the reasons we've talked about over the years, but we're talking about a guy who's a smaller guard in his early 30s now who's got a back issue like that. That is a lot to put on his plate. And if he's not able to go as this team is constructed, they're not going to really have any chance. So you got to assume there's going to be some sort of reinforcements there one way or the other over the next few days.

[Marc Stein]

Well, and, and they're also, you know, they can get involved in the buyout market now. Now, you know, yeah, guys get bought out for a reason. I do think that the buyout market tends to be the most like overhyped thing that happens in the NBA world.

[Brian Windhorst]

But I just thought of this because of the new rules, anybody making over the average player salary just somewhere around 12 million or so.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Is ineligible to be acquired by teams over the first apron. Guy who'd be unbelievable in Dallas if he gets bought out and we'll see if he gets bought out is Lonzo Ball.

[Marc Stein]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And like if Lonzo would obviously be a guy that could walk on this team also clutch guy, you know, but that, you know, just thinking about it again, like he would be a tremendous fit with this team. So yeah, look, they, they got a lot of different avenues they can go in. They've got picks, they can throw in trades. They've got some interesting mid level salaries to move around. They got a lot of stuff they can do which is you'd have to assume they're going to add some other shot creator over the next week to try to give them some more scoring punch now that Luke is out the door.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah. All right, well, there's a lot more to come and we'll be talking about it. And we got to get Jackson at some point to bet here. So thank you. Great reporting tonight, McMahon. More in the future. Thank you very much, Mr. Bontemps. Thank you to Jackson and Rafa, our producers. Thank you for listening and watching Hoop Collective. They just called my group, so I think I got to go. Bored. We'll talk to you soon.

[Marc Stein]

Adios, amigos.

[Tim Bontemps]

Adios, Luca.

[Marc Stein]

Adios that amigo. For sure.

[Shams Charania]

I don't just stand on business. I live it 24 7. Because you don't become a young entrepreneur by staying stagnant. Whether I'm chasing deals, networking, or taking calls from behind the wheel of my Toyo with a crown, I'm always in motion. You may think launching a successful startup is enough to be satisfied, but me, I'm just getting started. It's a new day at Toyota led by a new generation of drivers. And we want you to know one thing. You can't stop my drive. Toyota, let's go places.