Peter Rosenberg (6:26)

Well, right now without LeBron James or a coach, Although it looks like it's going to be Mike Brown.

Don La Greca (6:32)

Oh, by the way. And don't Mike Brown. LeBron James.

Peter Rosenberg (6:35)

There's a connection right there.

Don La Greca (6:36)

You know, they have worked together before.

Peter Rosenberg (6:38)

The Knicks are the favorite in Vegas to come out of the east right now, of course, at this second.

Don La Greca (6:42)

Well, because you're seeing what's happening.

Peter Rosenberg (6:43)

So you add a Coach, you add LeBron James, then you're talking about a team that should be playing in the NBA. Font.

Don La Greca (6:48)

So. So again, there's. So I'm not just. This is not seat of my pants stuff. Right. Because I don't like coming on the. And talking about this stuff in a way where I'm trying to do the banana in the tailpipe thing. Cuz I did the loose seat pulling the football away because that's that. That. Right. My immediate reaction was here we go again. But it's. It's not. The only person that hurt from the.

Peter Rosenberg (7:09)

No. Because you're doing a job as a reporter. Is that that was your instinct. But it seems like it's gaining traction by the day.

Don La Greca (7:16)

And Then I started to say, okay, now I need to know, because it still is fantasy, but there is reality to it. So I said to a really good friend of mine who's in this business and very well connected, and I said, is there an avenue for this or not? And he said, no, no, there is. And this is a guy that, like, he's not about hyperbole. When you talk to him about. About stuff that can happen, and he's just, that's not happening. He'll tell you that's not happening. And he said, no, this. I believe there's an avenue. I believe it's. There's. It's. There's a realistic way to do it. It could happen. Will it? We don't know because we have to watch. And this is the other thing I was told, watch the Lakers this week. By the end of this week, if they haven't accomplished anything, to take that roster and build it up to something that you would say, that's a team that could win in the west next year, then there's a. There's a reason for LeBron then to say, you know what? It's time to go. There's an easier route in the east, and that's how I want to end my career. So there's that. Then I asked Bobby Marks, because Bobby Marks is really smart and knows all the machinations of the ca. Like this. This whole thing with the collective bargain agreement. You have to understand, it's really hard to make trades for a guy that's making $52 million. It's hard. So I asked him, because the Knicks are now going to be hard. Capped at the second apron after the two deals they got done. Yabaselli, who they're going to sign. That was broken by Shams earlier today. It's a nice pickup. Their bench got a lot better. Him and Jordan Clarkson. So I just said, is there something now in the math that says, well, they can't trade for a guy of $52 million? And he said, no, they can't.

Peter Rosenberg (8:58)

So it's.

Don La Greca (8:59)

They just can't take back more money than they give out. So it is. It is possible. When it comes to, like, logistics, when it comes to cba, that's still possible. It is possible. When it comes to the reality of where LeBron is right now mentally and what he wants to do, if this is it, if this is the farewell tour, he wants the best shot at a title, and where would that be? And he also, when you think about the narrative of the farewell tour, the Pomp and circumstance of it, what it would be like, the biggest market. He's already in a huge market, but if he leaves that market, you'd want to be in another major market. And we've already seen how New York responds when this team wins. So you put all that together, and it tells me that LeBron James playing for the Knicks is still a dream, but it's a lot closer to reality than maybe anybody wants to believe.

Peter Rosenberg (9:56)

It's not something to completely discard, as we did yesterday, because it seems like it's building a lot of momentum. As I mentioned, they're the favorites right now to come out of the East. Now, there's a difference between coming out of the east and winning the whole thing. Because with the west being loaded, including the Thunder coming back, there's no guarantee once you get to the Finals that you're winning it. But still, to be able to have that, if, as a Nick fan, haven't been to the final since 99, it becomes a reality. Now, there's a few things that I wanted to go back on from yesterday, okay? And one of the most, the biggest ones is what we talked about. My problem with it is that it becomes LeBron James championship, not the Knicks championship. It ends up adding to his legacy. And you go now to win a title with a fourth different team, he Cavs, Lakers, and now the Knicks. And to slay the dragon, he becomes Mark Messier on steroids. And it might actually leapfrog him over Jordan in some people's eyes, especially the people that already have him ahead of Jordan to begin with, and the Knicks helping him do that. And the Knicks are like passengers in their own championship that they haven't had since 1973. But that aside, because I made that clear yesterday, and I still believe that. But the one thing I'll come back, I'll kind of backtrack on a little bit, is we talked about it'll be LeBron's championship, but it'll also be LeBron's fault if they don't win. I want to walk that back, okay? Because is it really Aaron Rodgers failure that he didn't win him with the jets, or is it just, hey, typical jets, it'll be typical Knicks because it'll be the one place LeBron didn't win. So if LeBron doesn't win with the Knicks and then goes into quietly into that good night Nick, fans will blame him for not coming up. But in history, they'll look at it and go, nate one with the Lakers, he won with the Cavs he won with the Heat. The one team he didn't win with, the team that never wins, the Knicks. I feel like he might be able to get up from it, because the Knicks will take the blame. So if they win the title, it's all about LeBron. If they lose it, well, typical Knicks. They're the one team that couldn't win with the best player in the sport.

Don La Greca (11:59)

So that's another conversation I had this morning as I was kicking this around with people about. And I said, you know, Aaron Rodgers, it was kind of that same feel he was coming here, the lonely Lombardi, and how, you know, he was going to help, you know, put another one in there. And that again, hard knocks. That preseason two years ago, that was Camelot. That was the best of the best it's ever been for me as a Jets fan, because you really did have real hope. Like, it felt like a real thing, tangible. And then it all fell apart. And I said, so, you know, if I'm LeBron, I don't know if I'd want that. If I. You know, if you come here and it's all this excitement because, you know, it would be off the charts, and then something happens that you fail. And that's exactly what the response was, is that it would not be LeBron's failure.

Peter Rosenberg (12:43)

Yeah.

Don La Greca (12:43)

Because they would. Then it would be pointed at the Knicks, the organization, the owner. They would find a way to say, well, this should have happened, but they did that instead. So they always find a way to keep it clean. Now, on the other thing about. Well, it would just be a LeBron championship. It wouldn't be considered a Knick championship. Cleveland won A championship with LeBron when he came back. It's LeBron's championship. We all know this, right? Cavaliers still have a banner up still. Cavaliers were still a championship franchise. It still mattered to them.

Peter Rosenberg (13:12)

Oh, no.

Don La Greca (13:13)

And I thought that was important. And what you also can think about, too, is if LeBron does come in and do the Kawhi Leonard White Knight, come in, win your championship, and I'm out. Let's say he does that. Jalen Brunson's still here the next year, and he's probably better off for it. He's got a ring on his finger and all the pressure's off. Like, you still. It's not like you have, like, no team now.

Peter Rosenberg (13:35)

It's so interesting you say that, though.

Don La Greca (13:37)

Like, there's so much to this that you have to think about that. That if you're James Dolan, you have to think about If I can get that guy in the east, the way it looks right now, you have the best chance you've ever had to end the drought that hangs over that franchise. This is the Rangers in 93 and 94 when they went out and they look, they mortgaged the futures. Doug Waite gone, right? Antonio Monti, gone. Like they made moves to win right now. And oh, what do I have to do? Get half the Oilers team from the 80s? I'm doing it because I need to win now. And they're still paying for that championship. But they still have.

Peter Rosenberg (14:21)

No, they still have it. And it's the same thing because it was 54 years.

Don La Greca (14:24)

That's kind of what I feel like this would be.

Peter Rosenberg (14:25)

It was 54 years for the Rangers. It's 52, going on 53 now for the Knicks. So it's in the same boat again. Don't mix up what I'm saying. You take the champion.

Don La Greca (14:34)

Oh, yeah, I think.

Peter Rosenberg (14:35)

But right now you are the favorite to come out of the east, as is right now without LeBron James. So there's a chance that you can get just as far without LeBron as with LeBron.

Don La Greca (14:46)

There's a chance. And you have. First of all, you know you have one of the highest scoring starting fives in the league right now, right? And now you can actually have a. You have a better bench than you did. Remember last year you had the lowest scoring bench in the league. Some of that is. People are going to say, well, that's. That's the coach's fault, Tom Thibodeau. But you could also say they didn't have enough talent. Now they got guys again, Hart would go to the bench. If Mitchell Robinson starts next to Carl City Towns, you'd have Clarkson, you'd have Deuce McBride, you'd have Yabushelli, who's a really good player. And like he's. And by the way, Clarkson and Yabushelli bringing add a little bit of grit that they were missing. And then you have Hart. So you have four guys now coming off the bench that you'd feel really good about.

Peter Rosenberg (15:25)

Much better than last year.

Don La Greca (15:26)

Oh, yeah, it's a. It's an upgrade. So, yes, they are right now on paper a better team than they were last year, but it's still like LeBron James just help you get to the Finals. LeBron James helps you win the damn thing.

Peter Rosenberg (15:40)

The other thing that I would push back on with Brunson is, well, he's. Pressure's off. He's already got the chip fans and the NBA They're. They're. They're more nuanced than that.

Don La Greca (15:55)

What do you mean?

Peter Rosenberg (15:57)

Well, because it was. When you win a championship, well, you got to get another one to justify the first one. Like, nobody cares the Bucks won. Nobody cares that Denver won. Even though there's parity in this league now, it almost feels like you want to get the second one. You don't think there'd be pressure on Brunson? Okay, you won one with LeBron, now go get one without him.

Don La Greca (16:14)

Without him, you know?

Peter Rosenberg (16:16)

Or is it just going to be, hey, you know, LeBron joined, you won the championship, and that's your only ring. You. You don't think he'd be thirsty to get a ring without LeBron? To have it be. Because, remember, this is his team. All right, Even when Durant went to Golden State, I know it was still Curry's team.

Don La Greca (16:31)

Yes.

Peter Rosenberg (16:32)

But it's LeBron James, so people will look. Nick, fans will look at Brunson as still being the man. But outside, it'll be LeBron's championship. So outside, it'll be. All right, let's. Let's see if Brunson can win without LeBron. Now, I'm not saying he's sweating it.

Don La Greca (16:48)

Yeah.

Peter Rosenberg (16:48)

To the same point of not having the ring, but I'm sure people would look and say, are you got the ring? Like, oh, Durant got the ring. He didn't win in Oklahoma City. He didn't win it in Brooklyn. He didn't win in Phoenix. He had to join a great team that had already won without him. So I think the NBA fans a little bit more nuanced to say, oh, Brunson's off the hook. He's got his LeBron ring.

Don La Greca (17:08)

Yeah, I would welcome that problem.

Peter Rosenberg (17:11)

Of course you would.

Don La Greca (17:12)

Give me that problem. Give me that debate. Give me all of it, Don. Because it does tell you at least one thing, is that you finally have put an end to a drought that has lasted way too long. And I've always felt like when you have the opportunity to strike, you strike. Like, when you have the opportunity to pounce, you pounce. The east right now has never looked more easy for the taking than it does when. Right now, going into next season. And as I said, I don't know. I can't tell you that Giannis Denokounmpo is going to be in the east next season. I can't tell you that. I can't tell you he's still going to stay with the Bucks, because as you saw what they did with Dame Lillard is. I don't. I cannot understand. Waving dame.

Peter Rosenberg (18:01)

Lillard, that's 22 million dead money. For how long? Three years?

Don La Greca (18:04)

Yeah, yeah. And so there's that. Adding Miles Turner, which.

Peter Rosenberg (18:10)

Which they couldn't have done without doing that would look right.

Don La Greca (18:13)

But he's. He's a good player.

Peter Rosenberg (18:15)

Oh, yeah, we saw that.

Don La Greca (18:15)

You bring in Miles Turner and Giannis, according to Chris Haynes, like, almost immediately after all that stuff was announced. Giannis, not happy, not happy with how they treated Dame, rethinking his future in Milwaukee. We were waiting for one thing to trigger it with Giannis. This might be it. And the San Antonio spurs, they've done a lot of work recently to build up all the assets that they need to make a run for that guy. And so he might not be. You never know. He might not be there either. And if you take him out of the equation, you already know Boston and their situation. You see Indiana, what's going on there? They want to be under the tax. They don't want to pay tax, especially in a year. They don't have Halliburton, so they're also. Tyrese Halliburton. They're not going to be a team that's going to be an all in. They let their guy go. They said they wanted to sign him at the end of the year. Ricardo said, no, no, we got to keep him. He's our future. He's been here the longest and all that stuff. And then they let him walk because they would not match the number. There's a lot happening in the east that if you're. If you are the Knicks, and you have been waiting years to have this opportunity to say, we can get to the Finals this year, and you have the opportunity to get a player that you over the top, because you don't want to just get there, because they got there in 94, they got there in 99, you want to win it now.

Peter Rosenberg (19:35)

There are plenty of teams to get there. I mean, sports are all littered with teams in all four major sports.

Don La Greca (19:41)

And the west is so good that you feel like, all right, great. So we'll get. We'll run through the east, we'll get to the Finals, and then we'll go up against one of those juggernauts. You're going to play the Thunder, and.

Peter Rosenberg (19:49)

You'Re going to play like it's interesting.

Don La Greca (19:51)

I need the guy that when I go into that series, I got the best player on the field.

Peter Rosenberg (19:55)

Listen, you got to do it. You're absolutely right. You got to do It. And I'm just now again about, can they do it?

Don La Greca (20:01)

Will there be a way to do it?

Peter Rosenberg (20:02)

Sounds like it.

Don La Greca (20:03)

I think LeBron is the one that is going to have to motivate this because you saw what Rich Paul said in the statement when he said that, you know, about working with the Lakers and all that stuff. And they have discussed this as the Lakers are not caught by surprise. If LeBron comes to that situation in his mind that he feels like it's not enough here, and he says, I want to go to New York and Rich Paul go to the Lakers and let's make this happen. The Lakers look at the Knick roster and just, we'll take that and that match the money. Because the Knicks have to. They can't take more. More. They can't take more money back. So it's gotta be a match. They can work out the numbers and they make it happen. This is all going to be LeBron's doing. If he wants it, it's there. Will the Knicks pick up the phone and say, yes, we'll do it? The question is, as a fan, is that what you want?

Peter Rosenberg (20:54)

The other thing, and that's where you want to hear from you. 1-800-91-9376 it's not just a chip. Just. Just think for a minute, people. LeBron James on the Knicks. Think of how big the story the Knicks were last year, all right? And they had a really good team and the place was up. You know, the whole city was crazy, changing the names of streets and everything. Can you imagine a run with LeBron James? They would completely take over this town. It would really be hard. Honestly, I don't think this is hyperbole for other sports to get, like, any shine while that's going on. Like when the Knicks are playing. I mean, just think about it. Even, like, Yankees and Mets in the World Series. Well, LeBron's playing at the Garden. I know it's November, but, like, it's.

Don La Greca (21:43)

Still, like, late October. The season starts, like, October 25th. First of all, you know, first and foremost. Foremost. Knicks would be the first game, right?

Peter Rosenberg (21:49)

Yeah.

Don La Greca (21:50)

Oh, and by the way, LeBron moving to the east, you know what else it does? No more 10:30 LeBron games on national TV. Now they're the seventh.

Peter Rosenberg (21:58)

No more. No more noon on Christmas, all that stuff, Right.

Don La Greca (22:02)

So you also get that for the league and its broadcast partners, which everybody's all in on, but you would get October 25th. Isn't that the World Series around that time?

Peter Rosenberg (22:12)

Yeah. And the only thing that I think would top LeBron playing at the Garden every night would be if the Mets and Yankees are playing the World Series or one of those teams are playing in the World Series. But like everything else, like, it would be a traveling circus like the Bulls back in the 90s. Everywhere they go, where are they going following LeBron.

Don La Greca (22:28)

And the Knicks already do that. When they go into buildings like Charlotte, Orlando and Washington, they're selling it out. And it's all Knick fans are chanting for the next dude. You imagine this to it, but you're going to. And then it's the farewell tour as well.

Peter Rosenberg (22:38)

But that's the thing, is that you'll have. The Knick fans are passionate. They're all in. But there are going to be people that are all over this because LeBron's on the team for good and bad. Like, they're going to be people that are going to be all in. Positive. They want to see LeBron get it. But there are also people that hate LeBron and want to see the Knicks fail because they have LeBron. So they'll be hate watching, really coming off a final that had Indiana, Oklahoma City, you know, the NBA offices and especially, you know, NBC, who's now a new partner, and us here at ABC and ESPN and are salivating at the possibility not only having the Knicks good, but having the best player in the sport. I mean, it doesn't happen. It really doesn't happen. You know, it's happening in baseball now with Judge as a Yankee and when Jeter was a Yankee. So it's happened in baseball quite a bit. But when was the last time the Rangers had the best player in the sport? They had Gretzky, but that was the end of his career. Similar to LeBron.

Don La Greca (23:33)

Similar.

Peter Rosenberg (23:33)

So.

Don La Greca (23:34)

And that's that team. You remember that team, that 96, 97.

Peter Rosenberg (23:37)

But that was not.

Don La Greca (23:38)

They were fun. They just. They couldn't get all the way.

Peter Rosenberg (23:40)

Yeah, they did get to the conference. Finally got swept by Philadelphia. But it's similar. I don't. I never felt when Gretzky joined the Rangers that the Rangers were going to win the cup, even though they went to the conference final. Like, the way I would feel like the Knicks had a chance with LeBron, but very similar.

Don La Greca (23:54)

Again, you got to look at the landscape of the East. It is literally waiting for you to take if you want it. And you could say the current roster, which I don't think I would deny anyone this belief. The current roster as is is good enough to win the East. And I would tell you you're absolutely right. It is. Kaliban Cavaliers might might have an argument with you, but you could say, I think they're good enough to win the east, but are they good enough to win the whole thing? And are you willing to say I'll take that chance for one year of a Halley's Comet because the time the strike is now, I will take that chance? Or are you saying I don't want that chance?

Peter Rosenberg (24:31)

Although there might be people that don't want him, there might be people that still hate him. You know, like there were people that didn't want Roger Clemens as a Yankee because they just couldn't stand them. They couldn't hate him. They couldn't get over it.

Don La Greca (24:39)

But how'd that work?

Peter Rosenberg (24:39)

There's a lot of avenues. I've talked about the negative byproduct. I still do it because again, you haven't won since 1973. And think about the fun it would be.

Don La Greca (24:48)

And the Aaron Rodgers part of this is a great thing that you brought up and it's absolutely true. But I don't want you to pay attention to the Aaron Rodgers post injury stuff because that's when it became same old jets, right? What I'm talking about is the lead up to the moment that Floyd fell on him and popped the Achilles. Think about that for a minute. All the way up to that moment, there's not a single Jet fan out there that didn't feel like this is gonna happen. It's real.

Peter Rosenberg (25:15)

And there was a big difference between the jets and Knicks. If this were to happen with a Venmo debit card, you can Venmo more than just your friends. You can use your balance in so many ways. You can Venmo everything. Need gas? You can Venmo this. How about snacks? You can Venmo that. Your favorite band's merch. You can Venmo this or their next show. You can Venmo that. Visit Venmo Me Debit to learn more.

Don La Greca (25:37)

You can Venmo this or you can Venmo that. You can Venmo this or you can Vemo that.

Peter Rosenberg (25:42)

You can Vemo. The Venmo MasterCard is issued by the Bancorp bank and a pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated, card may be used everywhere. MasterCard is accepted. Venmo purchase restrictions apply.

Don La Greca (25:49)

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Don La Greca (26:32)

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Don La Greca (26:50)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Peter Rosenberg (26:54)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Don La Greca (26:55)

Catch the show on demand whenever you want to. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

Peter Rosenberg (27:03)

Game Time is brought to you by Telemar Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, Alan, it's tolly time. Mets open a series with the brewers coverage immediately following us on 880 at 6:30 in the Yankees Blue Jays already underway. They're in the top of the first inning, scoreless. Yankees have a runner at first base with one out and Aaron Judge is at the plate. Tullamore Due the original triple distilled, triple blended and triple cast matured Irish Whiskey. Be sure to grab a Tullamore Dew or try the new Tullamore Do Honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore due responsibly. So Yankees lost last night, a tough one. Mets start their series with the brewers who are red hot.

Don La Greca (27:48)

By the way, that game last night was so difficult to watch and the Volpe I get, I've defended Volpe, I will continue to, but man, it's not aging well. My my defense of Volpe last week.

Peter Rosenberg (28:00)

Well, we'll get into that a little bit later on, but he pulled the Don legreca and he said I'll do it again. Which is not good because what he did was wrong on both counts. The first place first base play and the third base play. But you know, again the Yankees not hitting with runners in scoring position. The only reason they were close was a Bellinger home run in the eighth inning Again, leaving runners in scoring position. They walked shut. They walked Judge. And then I think the Yankees actually played small ball. Jazz bunted them over to get him in the scoring position. And. And they just couldn't get the hit. So they couldn't. Couldn't take advantage of it. So they walked Judge again. So first and second, one out. We'll keep an eye on that.

Don La Greca (28:37)

That was an intentional walk. That was.

Peter Rosenberg (28:39)

No, but they're pitching around.

Don La Greca (28:40)

Pitched around him for sure.

Peter Rosenberg (28:41)

It's to that point. That's why you really got to love the numbers he's putting up, because they don't want to have to pitch to him unless they absolutely have to. But 1-800-919-3776. The possibility LeBron James as a Knick. Let's go to William in Manhattan. You get us started off here on Don Hannah Rosenberg.

Caller (28:57)

Hello. What's up, guys?

Peter Rosenberg (28:59)

What's up, William?

Caller (28:59)

So I'm calling because I'm a Knicks fan. Been for a long time, and I'm tired of, you know, LeBron talk over and over again. It becomes available. Listen, the man is. He's good. He had a good year. He's been a great player. But I'm good.

Don La Greca (29:13)

I'll pass.

Caller (29:14)

He could take his three and a half rings and stay with the Lakers. Or if he wants out, he should have never. And he could just go back to Cleveland and call it a day.

Peter Rosenberg (29:23)

I mean, I guess he could. I don't know the ins and outs.

Don La Greca (29:25)

Here's why. Here's why Cleveland, like, let you go.

Peter Rosenberg (29:28)

Because the line is off.

Don La Greca (29:28)

Yeah, the lines were off. Does Cleveland. Don. If he goes home to Cleveland to retire.

Peter Rosenberg (29:34)

Right.

Don La Greca (29:34)

Anybody give a rip?

Peter Rosenberg (29:37)

I love what you almost said that.

Don La Greca (29:38)

Yeah.

Peter Rosenberg (29:38)

I mean, I'd actually respect it to be like, I know this isn't the popular thing to do, but I want to go back home. So I think people could respect it, but it wouldn't be a cool thing. It wouldn't be anything that anybody would really care about outside of Cleveland.

Don La Greca (29:53)

Big yawn. Let's be honest. Big yawn. Because we've seen it already. Show you go home.

Peter Rosenberg (29:57)

And also, he's not into the big yawn.

Don La Greca (30:00)

No, no, no, no. That's what some players are.

Peter Rosenberg (30:02)

Some players are like, listen, I just want to go home. I'm good.

Don La Greca (30:04)

But you think that's his farewell tour. His farewell tour is just to go home. And they go, okay, he's going home. No, like, you know, there's more.

Peter Rosenberg (30:10)

But where would he go? Honestly, outside of the Knicks, I understand the Whole Eastern Conference being open, but let's just say everything's equal. What would be a hotter place to go? What would be a more interesting place for him to go than the Knicks? I can't imagine there would be, right? Where's he going to go?

Don La Greca (30:26)

Argue with me all you want about a better place as far as juice, ability to win, all that stuff. Golden State, that's another team everybody brings up because that has been a rumor in the past. Do you know why Golden State is the last place he should want to go? Because if he goes there and wins, what are they going to say? Chasing the ring, Steph Curry's team, blah blah blah. Does he want his career to end like that? Where he'll leave and everybody will still thumb their nose at him and turn away like this guy's chasing. Nobody will give him respect. The one place that he could go and win is here. Because if he does it, the whole league will be like, oh my God, they frickin won. They did. That team, that franchise. You know that's what they'll say. Because that's how the Knicks are viewed around the league. In New York, they are loved by their fans. Outside of New York, most people in the NBA look at the Knicks and they just groan and sigh because they're like their fans overreact to everything. They're annoying, they're obnoxious. And our response is, yeah, we're New Yorkers, of course, we're all that and more.

Peter Rosenberg (31:33)

Listen, there is not going to be any in between if this happens. There'll be people that are going nuts and they're going to be people that are going to be like, hate watching the Knicks and wanting them to fail. But they're going to watch and they're going to be interested.

Don La Greca (31:46)

It'll be great theater.

Peter Rosenberg (31:48)

Listen, I don't know if the NBA would be getting his ear, but Adam Silver are probably like, do me a favor LeBron, don't go to Cleveland, don't make something work in LA because really what can LA do? Honestly? Go to Dallas that and they've won already. I know that the caller mentioned the three and a half championships because, because of the championship, but listen, winning in Los Angeles is a big deal too, but that team has won. He has already done that, been there, done that. And there's no guarantee that they can a get a team that's good enough to compete in a really difficult Western Conference. And even if they could, are they going to be able to get out of the west with all those good teams? The Thunder are coming back, man. They're not going away.

Don La Greca (32:26)

Nope.

Peter Rosenberg (32:26)

And there's plenty of other teams that have reloaded, too. Let's go to Rockets. Let's go to Steve and Wayne. You're on espn, New York.

Caller (32:35)

Hey, how you doing, guys? Thanks for taking my call. I was going to say something as well. I'll say this. I like the moves they did with the bench. I think Yabaselli, he's a great pickup. He played excellent for Philadelphia last year, and I like Jordan Carson. But to answer your question about LeBron James, it would be absolutely ridiculous for anybody to not want him on the team. He's done nothing wrong to New York except beat us every time he came to Madison Square Garden, and he's still a top 10 player in this league. As long as we don't have to deplete the entire team. I would personally drive to California, pick them up myself if that's what well, you're looking at.

Peter Rosenberg (33:12)

Probably. So are you good with that?

Caller (33:15)

Yeah. Well, I was going to say Mikel and Cat and whatever draft picks we can give them, which I know is not much. Obviously you got to sign an extension, but, I mean, listen, a lot of games are getting traded for not much. They're not asking for much, and so we'll see. But it would be absolutely ridiculous for us not to want LeBron James on this team, considering what he did with Kyrie. Him and Jalen Brunson will be absolutely amazing this year in a depleted east with all the injuries that's going on with this team and Miles Turner going to Milwaukee. And I have no faith in Doc Rivers whatsoever in coaching that team. Even with Giannis, guys.

Peter Rosenberg (33:52)

Oh, Giannis. Where's Giannis go?

Caller (33:56)

Well, he'll probably be there for what I'm hearing, he'll be there. I got no faith in Doc Rivers. I'm not worried about. It's just the coaching I have no faith in, and that's Doc Rivers. But with Cleveland, don't have no faith in them. New York, we're right there. This is the year for the taking. We got to get the coaching situation right, guys. I don't understand how you can fire Tom Silvado and not have a plan for who the next coach would be. That angers me. I don't understand it, Steve.

Peter Rosenberg (34:22)

I'm seeing everything that has happened since the Tibbs firing. The plan was anybody but tips. I mean, that's all it was. All right, so that was your plan. All right, with anybody but Tibbs now, I don't know. Does this happen if Tibbs is here? Do those bench players come here or would they not want to go? Because I'm not going to play.

Don La Greca (34:42)

How about I go minutes, right? I don't know. I don't know.

Peter Rosenberg (34:46)

I don't. I don't know either, but I don't know why that's even a topic of conversation.

Don La Greca (34:49)

Well, not anymore, but I am in full. I've said it. I'm on the record, but I'll stand on it. That it was, you know, it was. I don't agree with the move of firing Tom Thibodeau, but let's see where they go from here with it and we can assess once the dust settles.

Peter Rosenberg (35:05)

Let's go to Nick and Woodbridge. Ronnie, espn New York.

Caller (35:09)

Hey guys, thanks for taking the call. I met you at the beach bash. You were awesome. Thank you for taking a few minutes just to say what's up. Really appreciate it. And John, your performance was fantastic.

Peter Rosenberg (35:21)

My knees feeling better today. Everybody. Everybody thought it would be my voice that would be bad.

Don La Greca (35:26)

It was the landing that hurt.

Peter Rosenberg (35:28)

I believe it because I'm a moron. But you know what? I'm a moron for the people.

Don La Greca (35:31)

But you're the right kind of moron.

Peter Rosenberg (35:33)

Thank you.

Caller (35:34)

That's the best kind of moron to be.

Don La Greca (35:35)

Yeah.

Peter Rosenberg (35:36)

What's up?

Caller (35:36)

So just, just as far as the Knicks though, right? Like, I agree with the last caller. You would have to be crazy to say, I don't want LeBron James. The only thing that obviously you talk about, and you guys said it before, like, if you bring LeBron over, you're probably looking at a two year window and there's these people out there saying, like, that's not enough time. Your window closes faster than you realize. The Celtics didn't think it closed that quick. The Nuggets didn't think it would close that quick. So even if your window is two years, I'm okay with that. I'm more interested in seeing if they make this happen, how Leon Rose is able to manipulate that second apron because it obviously it would have to be either Cat or og, but you're still coming really close. And if you bring LeBron over and now you're, you're, you're tied. You can't make any more moves. Is that enough to get out of the East? Yes. To beat some of those elite teams in the West, I'm not sure. I would also check in on whatever's happening with Giannis in Milwaukee before you pick up the phone and try to bring them.

Don La Greca (36:35)

I'm sure those. Yeah, yeah. You know what, Nick? You know, these conversations aren't happening. Are always happening in real time. Right. Like they're always checking in. And, you know, most of these front offices, especially ones as connected as Leon Rose is, you have William Wesley, who is dialed in to everybody he knows. He's got his ear to the rail. Like, he knows what's going on. And I think that's why when you, if you understand the landscape and see what teams are doing, you look around and think to yourself. And Nick was right, Don, about the window thing. You know, like, the window to win is a couple of years now when you make a move, if you make a move like this, that window is a lot tighter. But you're also. Your percentage is a lot higher of the probability to win. But it's not as if the cupboards bare. Once he leaves, you still have a core of players. Like, there's still pieces there. The second apron thing, just so you understand, whatever moves made, you're already at it. There's nothing more to do.

Peter Rosenberg (37:39)

Yeah, I don't want to think of that.

Don La Greca (37:41)

Only a veterans minimum or something like that could be added.

Peter Rosenberg (37:44)

I mean, that's. I understand the caller's just apprehensive, but you're ready, right? You're ready to go. You always like some wiggle room and things to add, but if you got LeBron James, this. This is. It's on.

Don La Greca (37:56)

We'll find out.

Peter Rosenberg (37:58)

Have you ever spotted McDonald's hot crispy fries right as they're being scooped into the carton? And time just stands still.

Don La Greca (38:14)

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

Peter Rosenberg (38:17)

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

Don La Greca (38:19)

Catch this show on demand whenever you want. Just subscribe to us wherever you get your podcasts.

Peter Rosenberg (38:26)

It's strange when something starts to feel like it could happen where it makes sense for LeBron, it makes sense for the Knicks. But fans are fans. And I had my opinion yesterday about how I, as much as you want that championship and need that championship, it would be all about LeBron. And if you're comfortable with that, and it sounds like most of the fans are, then you got to go out and do it. It's been 1973. I would say, what, 80% of our callers, and that's probably a conservative estimate. We're not alive or too young to remember the last time the Knicks won.

Don La Greca (38:59)

Yeah.

Peter Rosenberg (39:00)

And just to see how this town was completely captivated by the Knicks for a third round run, what it would be like to have that kind of A player. And I remember with Gretzky with the Rangers, because Gretzky was a little younger, kind of a similar situation. Still very good player. And he was here for a few years. He was part of that 97 run. And the next, the Rangers kind of collapsed. And it was kind of sad that Gretzky's last game was on Fox against Pittsburgh in a meaningless game. They had already been eliminated from the playoffs. That's not the way you want to see the great one go out.

Don La Greca (39:33)

Right.

Peter Rosenberg (39:33)

But it's to that level. And this is hockey. Now we're talking basketball. Completely different level. But just how people were captivated by the Rangers wanting to see Gretzky. Now, I think Gretzky was a lot more likable than LeBron, but still, people might want to go to the Garden of boom. People might want to watch and hate watch and have him fail. But the buzz around this team would be absolutely incredible. It would be.

Don La Greca (39:57)

And don't, you know, don't underestimate the popularity of this guy. Like, oh, this is one of the most famous athletes in the world.

Peter Rosenberg (40:06)

But there are people that don't like him. There are some. I never got a sense.

Don La Greca (40:10)

I think there's a majority of people, though, that view him as, again, one of the. He's obviously an all time great. Right? But they view him as somebody that is one of the biggest sports celebrities we have right now in world. The world.

Peter Rosenberg (40:23)

No, he's, he's.

Don La Greca (40:23)

And people love that, right?

Peter Rosenberg (40:25)

They. They love it. But there's a lot of people that also don't like him because he chases rings.

Don La Greca (40:29)

That.

Peter Rosenberg (40:30)

There are a lot of Nick fans offended by how it felt like he was toying with the knicks back in 2010 during that free agency.

Don La Greca (40:37)

Right. Wouldn't this be the opposite of chasing a ring? Wouldn't this be like, I'm bringing you one?

Peter Rosenberg (40:41)

But no, because it's still about him. Let's be honest. He's not doing any favors.

Don La Greca (40:45)

Always going to be about him.

Peter Rosenberg (40:47)

This is not the press conference where you're. You might hear it, but it'll be a lie. I always wanted to be a Nick. I always dreamed about playing in New York. This is all about stroking his ego.

Don La Greca (40:58)

And no, it's the narrative of how I want my career.

Peter Rosenberg (41:00)

I'm looking for a vessel. So that's. That's what it is. I mean, if you understand that, then.

Don La Greca (41:05)

Looking for a vessel.

Peter Rosenberg (41:06)

But listen, I didn't live in Calgary, but where if there's anybody that hated Gretzky would probably be flames Fans, because that rivalry battle from Alberta. But I never got a sense that Gretzky was. Had people that couldn't. They couldn't stand him. There are people that couldn't stand LeBron James. And. And we're also talking about LeBron James in the conversation, maybe better than Jordan's. There's no nobody touches Gretzky. But it was amazing in this town during that period. You were. You remember where even though the Nick. The Rangers weren't very good, it just to have somebody that good playing at the Garden, playing in New York, in our own backyard. It's. And. And for our team not coming to the Garden to put up 55 points and then walk out the door like Kobe did, like Jordan did.

Don La Greca (41:51)

Yeah.

Peter Rosenberg (41:52)

No, it could be pretty special. And it feels like it's at least a conversation to have. 1-800-919-3776. Let's go to Ricardo in Cliffside Park. You're on ESPN, New York, gentlemen.

Caller (42:06)

Every time. Well, first off, how are you guys doing?

Peter Rosenberg (42:08)

I hope everyone good, man.

Caller (42:09)

You listen, I'm great, but every time I hear LeBron to the Knicks, LeBron to the Knicks. I'm sorry for all those who are driving, I just want to wrap my car around the tree. I don't want LeBron to the Knicks. And the reason why I don't want LeBron to the Knicks is here's why. LeBron was that very hot girl in high school that everybody had a crush on, and now she has four kids, weighs 300 pounds, and now is interested in you.

Peter Rosenberg (42:36)

Wait a minute.

Don La Greca (42:38)

He was singing It's a Boy, a little heel. I mean, it's serious. Listen, that's a weird way to describe a guy who's still one of the best players in the league.

Peter Rosenberg (42:47)

He's still arguably the top 10 player in the league.

Caller (42:52)

I understand that, guys. But you guys, I agree with what Dom was saying before. I have been a Knicks fan. I am 43 years old. I have been a Knicks fan since I knew they existed, okay? I've always wanted to see the Knicks win. I don't want this to be that storyline that, oh, now LeBron's in New York. Let's make it a LeBron championship. It's going to be that way because technically it is. It is his last hurrah. Let him go to Cleveland. I don't care. I don't want him going to New York. Let me ask you a question. Who are the Knicks going to have to give up for LeBron James? Pat, why are we going to give Up. Cat, look at the signing that we just did.

Peter Rosenberg (43:28)

Maybe. What if it's, what if it's og? What if it's og And Mitch, do you look at it differently if it's og?

Caller (43:34)

No, I kind of wouldn't because I still want to see what we can do. You guys are saying that the east is very open, mind you, we want to win it all, you know, I just don't want to see LeBron on the Knicks. It's just not going to build the spot.

Peter Rosenberg (43:48)

I'm not mad.

Caller (43:48)

Yeah, they're gonna make, they're gonna make it. I love that Don said it. I gotta go with you on that. They're gonna make it.

Peter Rosenberg (43:54)

Well, if I, if I were to ask you a question. Listen, let me just ask all Nick fans this question and I know your answer, Ricardo, but if, if you, if I told you you're gonna win a championship without LeBron or with LeBron, you'd take it without LeBron, right, Allen? I mean, that's a no brainer. If I tell you you're gonna win this year, then you wouldn't want LeBron, right? It's not about loving LeBron or the interest around the Knicks having LeBron. It's because he'll help you win a championship if you could do without him. You can't tell me that would hit differently.

Don La Greca (44:23)

Well, it's easier, of course.

Caller (44:25)

Okay. It would hit great. It would hit phenomenal. That's another thing too. I think one of you guys brought it up. Here's the two things about the Knicks. Everyone who's not a Knicks fan loves to see the Knicks lose. No matter how great they are. Everybody wants to see the Knicks lose, right? You add LeBron to this, everybody listen, there's a love hate relationship.

Don La Greca (44:45)

Why do you care? But why do you care?

Caller (44:47)

Because, because it takes away, tarnishes the love that I have for the Knicks to see them win that, that, that organic championship, the championship without having to get somebody who's just going to build the storyline to make the NBA interesting. You know that that's what's going to hurt more. I want to see the Knicks win it with the court that we have.

Peter Rosenberg (45:05)

Now given a choice.

Caller (45:06)

But here's the players, gentlemen, the players that we just signed now, especially with, with that backup center dude. That's a great signing. Let's see if we can get a point guard, somebody can help out and then we'll take it from there. The east is open. Let's go for it. Now the west is a different story, but let him go to Cleveland, let him go to Golden State. I don't want him coming to New York. It's just going to add more of a.

Peter Rosenberg (45:27)

It's going to have a bigger title. Dude, I get what he says.

Don La Greca (45:30)

Fans are going to feel a certain way about this. I get it. But it's still a reality.

Peter Rosenberg (45:34)

But however, the scenario that I painted doesn't exist. You don't know if you're going to win. And LeBron will put you in a better closer stratosphere to winning that time.

Don La Greca (45:43)

A lot closer to content.

Peter Rosenberg (45:45)

Listen, all things being equal, of course you'd rather do it without LeBron, as organically as Ricardo put it. Yeah, but you don't know that. And be careful. We've seen this before. That team's going to win. And then all of a sudden Cleveland wins the conference. How did that happen? Nobody had Cleveland being the number one seed. I think Atlanta has done some nice things. The Magic have done some nice things. What if they, what if we're having a conversation going, wow, I didn't see them being a top seed. You know, Detroit, look how difficult the Knicks had just beating them in the first round.

Don La Greca (46:15)

They're struggling, they're having a bad off.

Peter Rosenberg (46:16)

Season, but who knows what could end up happening at the end of the day.

Don La Greca (46:20)

I hear you.

Peter Rosenberg (46:20)

You know this. I don't know who was favorite in the east last year.

Don La Greca (46:23)

I want favorite to win the east last year was the Boston Celtics.

Peter Rosenberg (46:27)

Right. So it wasn't. Wasn't the.

Don La Greca (46:29)

It was Celtics. Knicks wasn't the Pacers.

Peter Rosenberg (46:31)

I can tell you that.

Don La Greca (46:32)

It wasn't. Absolutely not. I am very curious though about the response to this because as I said yesterday, I was in lockstep with everybody else. I was like, no, no, no, this is not how I didn't want to buy into the idea. I was thinking they're using the Knicks for leverage. As we've seen it happen in the past, you get your hopes up and of course Lucy pulls the football away. But the more I thought about it and then the more I talked to people about it in the league, the more I started to realize it's really not as far fetched. And this time might be the time, this might be it, where he then says, cuz remember it was always about him committing 2010. He wanted to come here. He did. But the Miami thing was an easier road to a championship and he didn't have any then. He would. If he was coming to The Knicks in 2010, it was a, it was a, an empty cupboard. And they really didn't have a plan of what they would do to build around him. They were hoping, get you first, and then we'll figure it out from there. Miami, he's like, whoa, we got Dwyane Wade. We'll put you with him, and then we'll bring in. Who do you want? Chris Bosh. We'll bring him in. And then they got real. They were just too much like. That was.

Peter Rosenberg (47:34)

I still didn't like. I.

Don La Greca (47:35)

He wanted to come here, though.

Peter Rosenberg (47:37)

The boys club in Greenberg. You could throw a rock and hit the airport that they fly out of that you could hit. You could have hit their practice.

Don La Greca (47:44)

It was Greenwich.

Peter Rosenberg (47:45)

Greenwich. I'm sorry, but you could hit the Greenberg's. Where? The practice facility. They could have hit the practice facility with a basketball.

Don La Greca (47:52)

I'm with you.

Peter Rosenberg (47:52)

Like, they. He had a little tool in him for that. I'm sorry. That.

Don La Greca (47:56)

That.

Peter Rosenberg (47:56)

That was. He was trolling a little. Come on, give me that.

Don La Greca (48:00)

That setup was predetermined, and it was a boys club, the Boys and Girls Club. And I think it's because there was something specific about that location that made it, hey, let's do it here. That's what I was told, but neither here nor there. You're right. It did feel when that got out, that that's where he was announcing it. The whole world thought, oh, my God, he's gonna pick the Knicks. Which is why that night when I said he was going to the Heat, no one wanted to believe me. But this, like I said, is in his hands first. It's him that has to decide. I. The Lakers are no longer a path to a championship, and that's the. New York is the place. I have avoided it long enough. Let's do this. He goes to the Lakers and asks for it, and then the next thing that has to happen is the Knicks to say, all right, let's do it.

Peter Rosenberg (48:47)

I'll never forget that day in the studio with Brandon Tierney. You know, Brandon's a big Nick fan, of course, and when he found out that he was making the announcement in Greenwich, like, all the color drained from his face. He's like, oh, my God.

Don La Greca (49:00)

He's gonna be. It's really gonna happen.

Peter Rosenberg (49:02)

And it just stuck the dagger 10 inches deeper when he, you know, decided to take his talents to South Beach.

Don La Greca (49:08)

You remember who broke the story that night? You're looking at him.

Peter Rosenberg (49:12)

It was you.

Don La Greca (49:13)

Yes.

Peter Rosenberg (49:14)

Yeah, I think I remember that. Now.

Don La Greca (49:15)

That was a news day, and I had gotten word the night before the decision from a couple of people. I confirmed it with a second person, but the first person I got it from was, like, way, way up. And I was pretty surprised. And I put it out. It was back in the early days of Twitter, and I tweeted it before I wrote the story for Newsday. Then I sent it into Newsday, even Newsday. My sports editor was like, are you sure? I'm like, trust me. Like, trust me.

Peter Rosenberg (49:46)

Wow, that's good.

Don La Greca (49:47)

And the tweet went out, and the amount of people that did not believe it, that were, like, completely in denial that that's what he was gonna do. And Stephen A. Had suggested the Heat thing, like, a week prior. He had suggested, you know, Miami could do this thing with Dwayne Wade and put this. And no one wanted to believe that either. So when I put it out there, the amount of the vitriol that that tweet received, until the next day when I, you know, again, you always have to wait. But it was a sleepless night. But that was.

Peter Rosenberg (50:17)

He was close.

Don La Greca (50:18)

He wanted to be a Knick. But the easier path was Miami. And 15 years later, he could finally come to New York. Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast. I don't want to know how the sausage is made, man. I just want to know. It's good. Hear more of Don Allen and Peter weekday afternoon starting at 3 on 8 80, ESPN, the ESPN New York app, and your smart speakers.