Hour 1: The Next Joe Torre?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg – Hour 1: The Next Joe Torre?

Podcast Information:

• Title: Don, Hahn & Rosenberg
• Hosts: Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, Peter Rosenberg
• Episode: Hour 1: The Next Joe Torre?
• Release Date: July 2, 2025
• Description: The first voice of ESPN New York and New Jersey legend Don La Greca, long-time sportswriter and New York Knick broadcaster Alan Hahn, and highly opinionated Hip Hop vet and WWE personality Peter Rosenberg discuss New York sports and more.

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Introduction to Coaching Change

The episode kicks off with an animated discussion among the hosts about the recent hiring of Mike Brown as the new head coach of the New York Knicks. Alan Hahn provides the initial breakdown of the situation, emphasizing that Mike Brown was selected after an extensive search for the best available candidate.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Hahn (00:29): “Mike Brown, officially, I guess not officially, but he is the head coach. They haven't had a formal press conference or anything, but he is going to be the next head coach of the New York Knicks.”

Analysis of Mike Brown as Coach

The conversation delves into Mike Brown’s coaching resume, comparing his experience and successes to determine if he can replicate the achievements akin to Joe Torre. The hosts discuss Brown’s past roles with teams like the Spurs under Popovich and his stint with the Cavs, highlighting his ability to lead teams to the playoffs and earn Coach of the Year honors.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (04:04): “Over 450 career wins as a head coach. The resume's there.”
• Caller 2 (05:34): “But he's not a better coach than Tom Thibodeau. He's just not Tom Thibodeau. But he's not a worse coach than Tom Thibodeau.”

Speculation on LeBron James Joining the Knicks

A significant portion of the episode speculates on the possibility of LeBron James pursuing a move to the New York Knicks. The discussion explores how this potential move could revolutionize the team, drawing parallels to past scenarios where superstar players changed the dynamics of their new teams.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (06:24): “Can Mike Brown be Joe Torre? That's what you want to see. Can he be Joe Torrey?”
• Caller 2 (08:36): “This broke as he was in his midst of his opening monologue... I'm just telling everybody this story.”

Caller Discussions and Opinions

Listeners contribute diverse viewpoints, debating the practicality and implications of both the coaching change and the rumored LeBron James transfer. The callers express varying degrees of skepticism and optimism, questioning the Knicks' strategic moves and the potential impact of high-profile acquisitions on team chemistry and future prospects.

Notable Quotes:

• Caller 3 (22:51): “What if LeBron asks for a trade mid-season to come to his old coach and then wins a championship with the New York Knicks?”
• Caller 1 (28:19): “The Knicks would be substantially worse if they got rid of Towns and Bridges and brought on LeBron. I just think that they would be a worse team off with a 41-year-old.”

Conclusion and Future Prospects

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts wrap up their analysis by reaffirming their support for Mike Brown while acknowledging the swirling rumors around LeBron James. They highlight the importance of strategic decision-making in the Knicks' pursuit of a championship and tease future discussions on the team's performance in ongoing games.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Hahn (38:43): “The main thing we'll get to is that these two teams, almost the Yankees and Mets, almost now are mirroring each other when it comes to issues.”
• Alan Hahn (43:15): “But I can understand Sean and any other callers.”

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Key Takeaways:

• Mike Brown's Appointment: The Knicks have hired Mike Brown as their new head coach after considering several candidates. While not a headline-grabbing choice, Brown’s extensive experience and proven track record make him a solid addition to the team.

• LeBron James Speculation: There is significant buzz and speculation regarding LeBron James potentially moving to the New York Knicks. While purely speculative, the discussion underscores the transformative impact such a move could have on the team's fortunes.

• Fan and Media Reactions: The hiring decision and LeBron rumors have elicited mixed responses from fans and media personalities, reflecting the high stakes and passionate following of New York sports teams.

• Future Outlook: The episode sets the stage for ongoing analysis of the Knicks' strategies, game performances, and potential high-profile player movements as the season progresses.

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Conclusion: In this episode, Don La Greca, Alan Hahn, and Peter Rosenberg provide an in-depth analysis of the New York Knicks' recent coaching change and the speculative chatter surrounding LeBron James. Through engaging discussions and listener interactions, they explore the potential implications of these developments on the team's pursuit of glory in the highly competitive landscape of New York sports.

Transcript

[Don Hahn]

Don't.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Maybe they can go pee on each other. That'd be great.

[Peter]

Han, there's a lot of women out there that want you.

[Don Hahn]

Alan and Rosenberg.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Give me the porn. For God's sake. This isn't North Dakota. This is New York.

[Don Hahn]

This is Don Hahn and Rosenberg.

[Caller 1]

The best threesome I've ever heard on.

[Don Hahn]

880 ESPN and the ESPN New York.

[Alan Rosenberg]

App 301 of the big city. Don Hahn and Rosenberg. Hot, humid Wednesday afternoon.

[Caller 2]

Gross.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Hopefully everybody's doing well. If you're a Met fan, you're not. Mets lead now. Went bye bye. God, it looks a lot like it did for the Yankees. They got a lead. They blow the lead. Grand slam. Home run. Now you're down 6:2. Same old, same old. Yankees lose yesterday. But we want to thank everybody, everybody for joining us here on 1050. As soon as the Mets game is over, we'll be back on 880. Mets have a second game of the doubleheader coming up at 7:00 clock. Our coverage will be at 6:30, but we're burying the lead here. Mike Brown, officially, I guess not officially, but he is the head coach. They haven't had a formal press conference or anything, but he is going to be the next head coach of the New York Knicks. Not a surprise. But you know, it did happen and he is.

[Caller 2]

To me, when you talk about available candidates, that's the best available candidate now.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Available.

[Caller 2]

Yes, available. Right, like. And they went through an extensive search, as we are well aware of, because they were the only team that needed a coach. And so they were in no rush. They didn't have to worry about or compete with another team. And so the first thing they tried to do was see if they could like. And here's the thing, this isn't trying to defend the Knicks because I think I'm on record as saying that I would not have fired Tom Thibodeau.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yes, you are.

[Caller 2]

All right, so I want to say that just so we make it clear, but I have always said this about teams in New York. You should have the best of everything. Arrogance. Yes. But it's also because the power of New York and the fact that pretty much, you know, all of these owners have deep pockets and while the sports all have cap restrictions and salary restricts, everything else, you can't always chase the best players. But I can get the best of everything else. And that includes coach and gm. Right, right. So when I'm in a position that I need a coach, I can say to myself, well, there's a couple of Coaches that are currently working for other teams that I wouldn't mind, you know, poaching. It happens in all business, doesn't it, Don? Right. It happens all the time. It's not disrespectful. It's just I've got a business that I think has a higher regard. You might want to coach here. I'll pay you more. So let me see if I can go talk to that guy. Bring him in. So they go to guys like Jason Kennedy, Muadoka and the others that you see, saw them reach out to. But those two, to me, were the ones that look like primary. Go, go see if you can get two of those guys or get one of those guys out of those situations. Those teams said no, we move on. So now what's left is getting the best coach for this job. And while Don, I know a lot of people like the, you know, the next hot young coach, the big name of a coach, like the assistant who's been a league a long time, there's always that story that everybody loves. But is this job really for someone who has zero coaching experience when it comes to a head coach, is this really the first job you want to give somebody? No, not this specific job. Right?

[Alan Rosenberg]

No, not especially considering the expectations.

[Caller 2]

Right. The immediacy of winning.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It is not ideal because you're going to be in the same position that Aaron Boone was in in 2018.

[Caller 2]

Yep.

[Alan Rosenberg]

I got to take a team that went to game six of the conference finals and do better. And what's better? Better is going to the NBA Finals. Better is taking the next step, getting to someplace this team hasn't been since 1999. That's a lot of pressure. But he's coached in finals as an assistant. He's been around the block. And I think he's.

[Caller 2]

Well, he's coaching the finals as a coach too, with the Cavs. But he's. He has also been part of, like, remember he was with the spurs with Popovich. So he's been through that and obviously in Golden State as well with Steve Kerr. So he's been an assistant in those places. He's been around a lot of winning. And the places he's gone was two time coach of the year. So the Resume's there. Over 450 career wins as a head coach. The resume's there.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Right.

[Caller 2]

And what he did in Sacramento, people can't. You don't. Don't overlook that because that was a relatively young team, not a very deep roster, and he was able to get them top three in the. In the west to where he won his last coach of the year. And they were, you know, they turned a franchise. A franchise hadn't made the playoffs in like 15 years and he got them in the playoffs. Okay. Then of course, the way things go in Sacramento, it's. It's kind of a murky situation with new ownership. They're very analytically driven. Uh, he wasn't thrilled with a lot of things going on there. I didn't know he was gonna sign the extension. He did, but of course you sign an extension because it's guaranteed money. But he was, you know, then he's out of there because not a lot of agreements going on in the front office. So this for me now becomes a job that was given to somebody that I don't want to disrespect. Because Mike Brown does have a resume. He's a well respected coach and a lot of people like him. He's regarded. But I do feel like this is basically a parallel hire, right?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yeah, well, yeah, I could say that.

[Caller 2]

Like, like it's. He's not a better coach than Tom Thibodeau. He's just not Tom Thibodeau. But he's not a worse coach than Tom Thibodeau. So you just kind of did a. You for whatever reason they had to move on from Tom Thibodeau. So now you're getting a coach who might. He's going to have. It's obviously different approach, but a lot of the same things. A lot of resume and all this stuff. You, you, you can put them side by side and say they're about, about the same. So now what you want to see is with a team that you could argue roster wise right now with what we know about the signings that they have so far, they have a better team than they did last year. Just based on the fact you have Jordan Clarkson and, and Yabushelli. This is a better team. So that's. Now, can Mike Brown be Joe Torre? That's what you want to see. Can he be Joe Torre?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Is he going to be Joe Torrey? Is he going to be Aaron Boone? Right.

[Caller 2]

That team didn't do well in 18. It's did not take.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It's going a bunch of different directions. And let's face it, even though the team is better, odds are it won't go as far because there's only one more or two more steps. Get to the finals, then win the.

[Caller 2]

Championship, get to the finals. But it's still difficult to do. Now they're the two favorites that's part of it, too.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It's not only can we do better, but also we've got a better team. And the path is a lot easier, certainly, than it was last year. One thing I want to bring up, and our colleague Michael K. Hammered this for the two hours, because this broke as he was in his midst of his opening monologue, is the theme of, they fired Tom Thibodeau to hire Mike Brown. When you paint it that way, it does feel like, yeah, that didn't seem like the right move, but that's not what happened here. No, it was anybody but Tibbs. And what I mean by that is, is that there was a reason whether the players didn't want to play form whatever, that they had to move on from Tibs. Let's bring in another coach. Obviously, a broad search. And they ended up getting the best available candidate because Jason Kidd was not available. Udoka was not available. Finch, all the guys that they reached out to with the different teams, not available. Mike Brown was available. And I also believe from my conspiracy theory from yesterday, is that maybe Leon Rose did do the due diligence and say, hey, maybe LeBron James could become available. I want to make sure that we have a coach that he might want to play for, and maybe Tom Thibodeau was not somebody that he felt was going to be a coach that would lure LeBron James. We know Mike Brown is not going to be a problem. Now, they don't know if LeBron's coming here. They don't know if they can get a deal done with the Lakers. But when they let Tibbs go, I'm sure Leon Rose looked and said, hey, maybe that's a possibility. Let's make sure we bring in a coach that LeBron would want to play for, but also a coach that we would like to have. If we don't get LeBron, let's not get stuck with a coach because we want to lure LeBron, and now we don't get LeBron, and. And now we're stuck with a guy we really didn't want. I believe that they're good with Mike Brown either way.

[Caller 2]

You know, they've done that before. They have done that before.

[Alan Rosenberg]

When?

[Caller 2]

Oh, Mike D' Antoni.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Caller 2]

They hired Mike D' Antoni because LeBron played. Mike's offense was part of the Redeem team in 08. LeBron was part of that. Right? And he loved the offense and raved about it. And so the Knicks were like, all right, we get him, right? Because that's LeBron who want to play for him. David Fisdale was hired with the idea that Kevin Durant would want to play for him. Like, there's a lot. There was a lot of things going on with all that stuff. Just, just.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But you do it. You do it. But also be okay with that guy being your coach if it doesn't work out. And I think that's the case here. So I don't think that, like, it's just a long play of, hey, let's not have a chance to get LeBron James and then find out later the reason we didn't get him is he didn't love the coach. I still believe that both could be true, that they didn't think LeBron would come here if Tibbs was the coach, but also the players didn't like him. We got to move on from him anyway. So don't look at it as a one for one. We like Mike Brown more than Tibbs, but as you said, it feels like a lateral move. It feels like they're kind of similar in their styles.

[Caller 2]

Yes.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Probably not that big of an adjustment for the holdovers from last year to now play for him, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it's all going to go down. So they didn't need the coach during free agency, although I'm sure they told the free agents that they signed that Mike Brown was their leading candidate. Remember, that wasn't going to be an issue.

[Caller 2]

They're not done yet. Like, there's. There's probably. They still got to fill out the roster. There might be one or two other guys out there that are wondering, well, before I make a commitment, who are you going to hire as the coach? Maybe you're not telling. You might tell. You might tell some. You're not going to tell everybody because you don't want it to get out. Like, it's always the way this goes. But they went through the process. They came up with Mike Brown. And when you think about the names that were out there, this is the one that makes the most sense for the situation they're in right now. And I think that's inarguable. Donna, I'm telling you, there's not a name you could throw at me. Now, did they call Jeff Van Gundy? Probably not, no. But that was a name that, you know, if that was a name in the. In the group that they had interviewed, I would have said Van Gundy would have been better coach. You know, Mark Jackson, his name never came up when it comes to the interview. Process. So you could give me those names, but they weren't part of the process. So when you consider who was in the process of them talking to. And Jason Kidd would have cost you some assets if you could have pulled them out of Dallas, but that wasn't happening, and neither was Emu Adoka. So once those guys were no longer available, they come out of the equation. So you're talking about Taylor Jenkins, you're talking about James Borrego, you're talking about. Those are the kinds of names you're talking to. And this was the guy that had the best resume for the job, right? Now, see, there's a.

[Alan Rosenberg]

There's two different things, because you had mentioned best available. Not necessarily best available. Yeah, it's best available of the guys you were willing to talk to.

[Caller 2]

Yeah, I think.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Because you'd rather have Van Gunn. Yeah, you'd probably rather have Mark. Would you rather have Michael Malone?

[Caller 2]

Oh, you know, you're right. You got me on that one, too. Yeah. Yeah.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But he didn't seem like he was the part of the process either, right?

[Caller 2]

No, he wasn't. And Michael Malone, by the way, is literally, like, just rehiring tips. Same, same, you know, very, you know, sandpaper kind of personality.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Any. Any clue into why they would.

[Caller 2]

I've heard a few things that I can't confirm, but it just seems like there wasn't a connection. Okay. I think he would have been interested. I just don't think, from the Knicks perspective, they viewed him as somebody that they thought was the right guy for the job right now. And when you consider, like, if you had. If you had interviewed him and you don't hire him, it's, you know, like, sometimes in those situations, you just don't bother, rather than bring them in just to kind of talk to him, knowing that this isn't a guy we're looking for. For this group. Yeah, I. I'm. I have. I hold Michael Malone in high regard as a coach.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But you're not doing the hiring, right?

[Caller 2]

Exactly. But I also wouldn't have fired the head coach to begin with, so.

[Caller 3]

But.

[Alan Rosenberg]

And then. And now this will further fuel the speculation about LeBron.

[Caller 2]

Oh, I agree.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It's coach LeBron James. And nothing new on that front at all.

[Caller 2]

Not yet. But I'll tell you what.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Still, it's there.

[Caller 2]

Every day that goes by, I think a conversation gets louder, I'm telling you. And it's amazing the response that we got to the clip that they put out about us talking about it yesterday. And it's, to me, like the vitriol, I don't understand. Nowhere does it say, this is what the Knicks should do. What we were trying to tell everybody yesterday, for those that might still, you know, have your panties in a bunch about this conversation, and it's like, as if we're trying to speak it into existence, folks, it already exists. Just understand that we don't talk about it if it's not a real thing. And I backtracked because I found out a day later. Remember, two days ago, I was like, nah, no, you dismissed it. And by the way, I'm not the only one. If you think I have zero credibility. Do you think Brian Windhorst has any credibility? Because if you watched him this morning on get up, he did the same thing. He said the same thing I did. He said, you know, two days ago, I slammed the door shut on this. Today I unlocked the door. That's what he said this morning. And so it's. You gotta understand that if something is possible, especially in the world of LeBron James, you have to make sure that everybody understands that it is possible. It's a real thing. And every day that goes by and the Lakers don't do anything to their roster to improve, to become a championship contender, the reality is that it's now up to LeBron James. If he wants to be a Knick, he has a coach here already that he has high regard for and respect. So there's already one thing to make it even more interesting. He. This is how it's going to go, everybody. He will decide at some point, probably next week or later. All right, I think I need to move on from the Lakers. And then Rich Paul and Rob Pelinka discuss it. And then LeBron, where do you want to go? And if he says, I want to go to New York, the next step is to tell the Knicks, hey, he wants to go there. This is what we'll take. Are you interested? That's how it's going to go down. This is not the Knicks calling and begging and offering, no, this is going to be LeBron saying, that's where I want to be. How do we make it?

[Alan Rosenberg]

This is what's why. If this was the long play for Leon Rose is the way to play it. Because if it never materializes, you never have to say anything about I. We're never interested anyway.

[Caller 2]

That's right.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But just make sure. Just make sure that if the possibility arises, hey, we're ready.

[Caller 2]

We're ready to do it. That's exactly.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Make myself available.

[Caller 2]

And by the way, the roster's better.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Now you brought up Windy on first take. Here's what he said.

[Caller 4]

The Lakers are essentially viewing LeBron as an expiring contract. And that may sound like a toss off statement, but that's not insignificant. LeBron has never been an expiring contract quite late, literally. He's never been 40 years old. He's never not been the franchise player on his team. The Lakers and LeBron, whoever wants to spin their side of the story, I'm not sure what happened, but The Lakers and LeBron did not have substantive discussions about extending his contract, which every team LeBron's been on for 20 something years has wanted to have substantive conversations about extending his contract. And what happens to expiring contracts in the NBA? They're viewed as trade pieces. So for all those reasons, the money, the fact that LeBron and Luka are still very formidable duo, the fact that the Lakers are not done with their offseason, the fact that trading him is crazy, the fact that this is being built around Luka and they've got to maintain their cap sheet and all of those things, everything that makes sense, but I'm just unlocking the door because I'm not as convinced as before of its impossibility.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Well, there you go. So everybody's kind of changing hearts and minds because think I'm crazy. But everything, sometimes it's, you know, you're reading the tea leaves, you're trying to make a prognostication on what's going to happen. You look at the road, is LeBron James going to spend possibly his last year in the NBA playing for the Los Angeles Lakers who have no shot to win? And I think as presently constituted, I don't see them coming out of the West. So is this a play to get Palenque to make sure that he makes the right acquisitions to get this team better? All right, that's it. If they can't and they're going to trade him, where else would he go to better his chances of making a run? It would probably be the Knicks or going back to the Cavs. They just showed the recent odds. They're both even. Cavaliers and the Knicks have the same amount of odds by Vegas to get out of the Eastern Conference. Well, he's been there, done that with Cleveland. He's been there two times already. He's already won with Cleveland. Would he come to the Knicks now? Maybe he doesn't want to come to the Knicks. You said he wanted to go to the knicks back in 2010, but Miami was just too enticing with Bosh and Wade. So with this Knicks roster, with this coach, with this road in the Eastern Conference, it just makes sense. Not saying it's going to happen, but for anybody to say it's not going to happen. Tell me why. You have to tell me why it's not going to happen. Right. And I think you've got way more reasons to tell me why it's going to happen. I can't imagine you could tell me why it's not. Well, what would be a reason why it's not going to happen?

[Caller 2]

Cuz he says that he doesn't want to come here.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Right.

[Caller 2]

I don't see a scenario where the Knicks say we're good.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Right. Could you and can you see a scenario? I don't see that scenario.

[Caller 2]

How could you like again and I'll take this even to the highest level, I can't see James Dolan saying no to this. I can't. How could you Getting a guy like him who's still folks two time, I mean, sorry, a second team all NBA at 40, you could say he's 40, he's this and that. He was one of the top 10 players in the league last year. This was not somebody that's falling off. This is not a guy that you're seeing. It's falling apart. He still is one of the best players in the sport. He is the face of the NBA. And the east is laying there begging you to take it all the way to the NBA finals which the Knicks have not done in 26 years. So how could you if he says I want to go there. And here's another one, what if it was this easy and I love the guy so I'm not trying to trade him but you know, we talk about two for one or giving up multiple players. What if I told you it was as simple as straight up Carl Anthony Towns? Because the numbers match. Well for the most part, numbers you might be off by a couple hundred grand which you sign somebody and just throw them in. Like what? Seriously, what is stopping you if that's it, if it's a straight up one for one, he goes to the four. You don't lose Anunoby because the Lakers, it sounds like the Lakers don't want salary, they want flexibility. Towns has two years left and then he has an opt out. So he has next season, the season after and then he has an opt out or obviously they can extend him and if it works out with him and Luca, which stretch five or four kind of player, that could work. Although again defensively you worry about. That's somebody else's problem. I'm just saying there's a lot of scenarios that make a deal happen with pieces. Some might be two for ones, and some might hurt a lot when you think about who you might have to give up. But if he says, I want to go there, and the Lakers are like, yeah, there's pieces we'd take from that roster and we'd be quite happy, how do you say no?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yeah, that's why the scenario definitely has legs.

[Caller 2]

And if you're the NBA, I'll go with your theory. If you're the NBA, how do you not then also say, guys, make this happen?

[Alan Rosenberg]

You don't have a say, but you.

[Caller 2]

Just know that NBC wants this to happen.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It works out.

[Caller 2]

NBN wants this to happen.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It works for everybody. It works for everybody.

[Caller 2]

Except apparently a lot of fans.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Well, no, and I get that.

[Peter]

Psst.

[Caller 5]

Your payments are showing, but with Apple Cash, your payments are private by design. There are no public feeds, awkward reactions, or unnecessary payment drama. Apple Cash lets you send cash and messages right in the conversations you're already having. Or with tap to cash paste someone next to you without looking up a username or scanning a QR code. Just hold your iPhone near someone else's to send. Switch to Apple Cash and start sending privately. Apple Cash services are provided by Green bank member fdic.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Rosenberg]

Game time is brought to you by Tilnamore Dew Irish Whiskey because when it's game time, Alan Coverage of the night game between the Mets and the brewers doubleheader will begin on 880 at 7 o' clock immediately following us. Mets are playing right now game one of the double header against the Brewers. They're getting stomped seven to two as they move to the bottom of the eighth inning. We'll get to that in a second. Yankees continue their series with the Jays at 7:07. 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 Dew Honey during today's action. Glasses up to enjoying Tullamore Dew responsibly. We'll get to the baseball in a bit, but the Mike Brown and the LeBron James of it all right now. 1-800-919-3776. Let's go to the Phones. Talk to Sean in Maryland. You're on espn, New York.

[Caller 3]

Hey, guys, how you doing?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Good.

[Caller 3]

Long time caller. Always listening. You guys are Michael K. I share a birthday with Michael K. I love you guys. I'm missing Don. I want you to just hear me out for a second. Close your eyes. Who is the biggest guy goat opposer of LeBron James? Stephen A. Smith. What if LeBron asks for a trade mid season to come to his old coach and then wins a championship with the New York Knicks? What would Stephen A. Have to say right there? Because that's, that's what we're lining up for. Fellas. I didn't understand the Thibodeau firing. I didn't. I didn't like it. And I definitely didn't like the Mike Brown hiring. But I'm listening to you guys and I didn't think about the LeBron of it all. But I'm telling you guys, Stephen A. It would be prime time TV. He would have to go and declare LeBron James the goat if he brought a championship.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Sean, I need to see what that looks like. If he's the MVP of the final, if he balls out. What if he's a passenger and Brunson's the better? Let me ask you that.

[Caller 2]

He's still really good.

[Alan Rosenberg]

I'm just asking. It's not, it's, you know, it's not definitely the case that LeBron wins them the title. He might not necessarily be the best player on the team. When KD went to Golden State, he won the MVP. If Brunson wins the MVP and Brunson carries LeBron, it might have a different narrative. I understand what you're saying, but that could be what Stephen A. Plays it.

[Caller 3]

No, no, it wouldn't be that way because we've seen this team before. This team is the same as essentially the same team.

[Alan Rosenberg]

So if LeBron comes there team Alan was saying he thinks they're a better team than they were.

[Caller 2]

Like more depth.

[Caller 3]

It's not enough to get over the hump to beat the guys in the West. So it would take somebody like a LeBron. It would take a monumental.

[Alan Rosenberg]

No, I'm just telling. I'm just setting up a scenario that if that were to happen, then that's probably what Stephen A. Smith would say.

[Caller 2]

You'd have to ask Stephen before I say it. I'll say it. Sean. It's Sean, right? Yeah, it. See, all this stuff sounds petty, but it's kind of on brand. This is the whole narrative thing I was talking about yesterday. This is a Big thing with him and with clutch, like, they. They love their narratives and LeBron and. And different things that he can do that become a huge story. And is there a bigger story if he leaves the Lakers? There is no bigger story than him coming here. It is the biggest story. It would have the most attention. It would dominate sports. You said it yourself, Don. It would be. The World Series would be going on here, and one of the teams or both could be in the World Series in New York. And it would almost be like still equal time at the very least, because LeBron James is here in October.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But just. Just to push back with Sean, I don't know if Stephen A. Would just concede that if you want a title with the Knicks, that makes him better than Jordan.

[Caller 2]

No, but I'll tell you what he would. Jordan was 6 for 6, but he'd have to really change his tone.

[Peter]

Yeah.

[Alan Rosenberg]

And I'm sure that's the angle LeBron's wanting to take is like, well, you know, you didn't see Jordan do what I just did, but, you know, there's something special about. Jordan didn't do that. He didn't feel like he had to do that. If Jordan wanted to, let's say, after he came back from baseball.

[Caller 2]

Oh, I can tell you the story. You want to hear it?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Go ahead.

[Caller 2]

1996. He came back in 95, finished out the season with the Bulls.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yes.

[Caller 2]

Summer 96. He was a free agent. Knicks made a play for him.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Right.

[Caller 2]

He used the Knicks as leverage to get what he wanted out of the Bulls. Because the Bulls, if you remember what was going on with their. Jerry Krause. Jerry Krause was trying to. There was two ways to go there. They were putting an expiration date on that run. Oh, yeah, they got. Yeah, yeah. So Jordan was making sure that he was going to get what he wanted, but he was.

[Alan Rosenberg]

The.

[Caller 2]

The idea of him playing for the Knicks was something that they entertained. And I mean, you know, as much as it doesn't feel like a real thing, and, you know, there are some people that I have talked to that have said it really wasn't real. It was more leverage play than anything else. But there was a moment there where Madison Square Garden was all in on what does he want? Whatever it is, let's get him.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But my point is that let's say he came back from baseball, Right. And the Bulls just weren't championship caliber.

[Caller 2]

Right.

[Alan Rosenberg]

And he wanted to get out of Chicago. As you said, he was a free agent, remember?

[Caller 2]

They didn't.

[Alan Rosenberg]

If he wanted to chase race.

[Caller 2]

They were not. They lost. Right. They lost in 94 and they lost in 95. Yeah. When he came back, they also lost that year as well. Because he had come back. He wasn't ready in 95. Yeah, he did the double nickels at the Garden, but they weren't the same.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Right. But when he full time.

[Caller 2]

But they go back to week three in a row.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But if he decided if he wanted to be like the Braun, if the climate was different and he wanted to chase titles, I'm sure he could. He could have won a bunch of titles with different teams too. Like. So it's all how you look at it. All I'm saying is if you're convinced that Michael Jordan is the greatest of all time, LeBron going to the Knicks and winning a title may not move it for you, but it'll move it for some. It'll definitely look pretty. Four championships with four different teams. I mean, nobody's ever done that. It would. It would certainly. And to slay the dragon, that would also be big. Glenn in Connecticut's got an interesting question. You're on ESPN New York. What's up, Glenn?

[Caller 1]

Hey, guys, thanks for taking the call. I want to talk about Braun, Bronny and LeBron. First of all, I think the Knicks would be substantially worse if they got rid of Towns and Bridges and brought on LeBron. I just think that they would be a worse team off with a 41 year old.

[Caller 2]

Just remember, you're not doing both of those guys because that's too much money you're giving the Lakers. So it wouldn't work. It wouldn't be both.

[Caller 1]

Honestly, either or. Either or. I think they would be worse. Guy who's 41, he's aging. Second of all, I want to talk about Bronnie.

[Caller 2]

He's aging. He was saying he's aging. He was too. He was second team all NBA last year.

[Caller 1]

Right. But he. I mean, he's not.

[Caller 3]

He's going to be.

[Caller 1]

Going to be what, 42 next year?

[Peter]

43.

[Caller 1]

41. 41 you're going to take.

[Caller 2]

But it'll be December and in December, halfway through the season.

[Caller 1]

Okay, but he's going to play for what, maybe one more year. Then you're going to lose Towns for who could play another eight years.

[Caller 2]

No, no, no. You are right. But you also have to keep in mind that what you're trying to do is mortgage the future to win now and to end something. This is very much Rangers 1994. They mortgage the future. Tony Amonte, Doug Waite, like Those were things. Those were guys that turn into stars in the NHL. They gave them up for guys who were role players on what became a championship team. But that's what you do sometimes. You just put the chips on the table and say when you got for it and forget about the.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But the Bronnie thing is interesting.

[Caller 2]

What is? Now give me the brawny thing you were talking about.

[Caller 1]

Yeah, so, yeah, the Brownie thing. They just drafted the Lakers. LeBron said, hey, get some years of key development in college to come play with me. And now you want out for a low hanging fruit championship that you can get with the Knicks. I mean, I think that just like, I don't really, I don't. I'm not a LeBron fan to begin with. You guys can tell that clearly. But that to me is the height of just like hypocrisy and bringing these guys on. Playing the Lakers like a fool. Having them draft him so you can finish out your career with them and now you want out. It just smells bad to me.

[Caller 2]

Okay. Yeah, I mean, I can see that this has been a lot of the reaction, Don, that there's people that don't like the optics of this, but.

[Alan Rosenberg]

LeBron wasn't going to play forever, right? So he obviously used his fame and his leverage to get his son to play in the NBA. Nobody else was going to draft him in the second round. Nobody's going to give him a chance to play. He got a chance to play last year with LeBron and maybe he'll get a second chance. There's nothing guaranteed beyond that. I mean, if he ends up staying with the Lakers, he could retire at the end of the year. So what? It's a difference of one year. Like, I don't. LeBron wanted to play with Bron. He got him in the NBA, played a season with him, maybe a second season with him. That's all it was ever going to be. It wasn't like he's leaving Bronny and go play 10 years someplace else. He would rob playing Bronnie maybe one year and maybe Bronnie ends up on the Knicks roster as like a 15th guy or something.

[Caller 2]

Who knows? Once again, two way contract. Westchester practices in the same facility as the Knicks do. Like, you know, all this stuff can be figured out, Don. All of it can be figured out. Or the Lakers hang on to him and he just stays home in LA with the rest of the family. You know, like I said, all this stuff can be worked out. I'm just curious about, like, you know, you really want to get crazy is because Chris Paul has said he wants to keep playing, but he doesn't want to be far from home because he just doesn't like being away from his family. But he also has a very close relationship with Leon Rose, who represented him for many years. He also has always talked about Chris Paul's also said how great it would be to play at the Garden just for one year, how much fun it would be. Would Chris Paul be like, one year, I'll go to New York one year? Because he actually thought about. It was a couple of years ago when Leon Rollins first took over. They were talking to Chris Paul, but it was just. He just didn't want to. Want to be on the East Coast. But I just look at it like when a guy like that LeBron shows up in a place like this, you'll start to see other players say, hang on a second.

[Alan Rosenberg]

You see it all the time.

[Caller 2]

Hang on a second. Like, I'll do that for a year. Like, that'll be, you know how much fun that would be just for a year. Yeah, let's do that. So that's. There's a lot of residuals that you want to just see what could come.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Out and listen or next week.

[Caller 2]

Nothing.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Nothing.

[Caller 2]

It all goes away.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But the Ranger analogy is a good one. Not just who they gave up in Wade and Amonte, but who they picked up at the deadline that year, too. You're bringing in Anderson, you know, bringing in Noonan, like aging guys, because they were all in to end the curse.

[Caller 2]

Was it Tikonen? Who was it that they got?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Essa Tikkinen?

[Caller 2]

Was it from the weight deal to Edmonton taking it? Yeah, that was taking it. Right, right. Okay. Yeah. So it was taken in there and then Noonan and someone else from Chicago and Matteo. Yeah, I mean, how big. How big was that?

[Alan Rosenberg]

So. But they were all in. Listen, it cost them, you know, in 90, they made the playoffs in that strikes lockout season. In 95, beat the Nordiques, the 1 seed, but went out in the second round. And then they had. In 97, they did go to the conference final. But then you started to see the residual effect of missing the playoffs.

[Caller 2]

Oh, yeah. By the time you get to 99 and then after.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But they were good with it because they slayed the Dragons.

[Caller 2]

That's it.

[Alan Rosenberg]

So the idea of where are we going to be once LeBron's gone? Maybe not in a good place, but if there's a. If there's a banner hanging up in the rafters of Madison Square Garden, believe me, you'll live with them.

[Caller 2]

Are the LA Rams crying about the present and the future? Are the Rams worried about that? No. F them picks less need no where. He traded all their damn picks away. And they got the ring. Going all in for a Super Bowl.

[Alan Rosenberg]

They got their ring.

[Caller 2]

They got it. And now you're just like, all right, we got the ring. It's all good.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Andres and Lynn Hurst, you're on. Don Hanna, Rosenberg. What's up?

[Caller 1]

Hey, guys. I had to call in, man, because I keep hearing Alan speak about LeBron. LeBron, LeBron Allen. Sorry, man, but you are. What's wrong with the Knicks right now, man. You're. You're going back to, like the Phil Jackson, Isaiah Thomas era, when Isaiah Thomas traded for Marbury. We love Marbury in New York. But then you trade for Eddie Curry with the weight issues, trade for Tracy McGrady, who at the end of his career. We don't want LeBron in New York, man. It's going to turn into the LeBron farewell tour. The team is perfect right now with count. You keep Macau playing on the final contract, the final year, his contract. You keep Mitch, don't trade for LeBron. This guy's going to retire. He's going to be the farewell tour. We don't need that in New York. This team is grasping for a championship, but we want it to be our own championship. You bring LeBron here, it's going to be LeBron championship. We don't need that.

[Alan Rosenberg]

That's what I was saying. But what.

[Caller 2]

Address me, Don. So can I just. Andres, I just want to say a few things. First of all, excellent call, well thought out, well said. Okay, Everything you said, except for the fact that you're trying to compare this a guy who's second team, all NBA at the age of 40 and in the face of the league, to Tracy McGrady when he had no knees left, and Eddie Curry, who was 22 years old and had a weight issue. This is nothing like that. So please don't equate them. The other thing I'm going to say is this. I am not saying this should happen. I am not saying I want this to happen. I'm telling you it's a reality, that it is a real thing, that for the next week, to watch the story unfold in L. A, and I'm curious to see if LeBron is going to say, I want to play there. I'm telling everybody this story. Not because I want it to happen, because I want you to know what's going on right now. And it's all in LeBron's hands once again. And if he says, I want to go there now, I want to know what are the Knicks say? And my only response is, how do you say no? That's it. I am not saying I want this. I'm just telling you this is a real thing that we need to be aware of and all fans should be paying attention to. That's what I'm saying.

[Caller 1]

Fair point. But the Knicks have to walk away at this point. The Guy's old. He's 42.

[Caller 2]

We don't sign 40.

[Alan Rosenberg]

He'd be 40 and 40.

[Caller 2]

He's not Aaron Rodgers. Not yet.

[Caller 1]

Well, at this point, just bring back Carmelo Anthony at this point.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Well, no, because Carmelo Anthony, you lose him five years, I'm on your side because I do feel it would be LeBron's championship, not the Knicks championship. It's a good point, although you have to take it because you haven't had A championship since 1973. But what's hurting your arguments is your exaggerations.

[Caller 2]

Yes.

[Alan Rosenberg]

He's not 42 years old. He's not playing like Carmelo Anthony right now. Carmelo Anthony's been out of the sport. This guy was second team all Pro. I mean, so he's playing in an elite level. So I get your caution because he will throw a lot of shade at a championship if he's here. I brought that up a couple of days ago. But don't exaggerate your point on him not being here by making him older than he is, comparing him to players that were cooked and, and not even on his caliber when they were in their prime.

[Caller 2]

Right. That's all.

[Alan Rosenberg]

You don't like LeBron James. And I get it.

[Caller 2]

And I get it, it's fine.

[Alan Rosenberg]

You got to like a championship more than hating LeBron James.

[Caller 2]

But would you like just. I'm letting you know that there's something. I always use the phrase where there's.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Smoke, there's you, you, the caller didn't listen on Monday. You dismissed it, not going to happen. Yes, but now you're reporting what you're hearing and it's becoming a reality. It's not like you waving the flag saying, the Knicks have to do this. No, it looks like the Knicks are going to do this.

[Caller 2]

And I' and I'm saying, if he comes to the Knicks and say, I want to be there, and the Lakers say, we like what the Knicks have to offer. I'm just saying, if you're the Knicks.

[Alan Rosenberg]

How do you Say no, can't say no.

[Caller 6]

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[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Hahn and Rosenberg podcast.

[Alan Rosenberg]

I didn't listen to anything you just said.

[Don Hahn]

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

[Alan Rosenberg]

All right, continue with the calls on LeBron and Mike Brown, but I gotta get to the Mets and the Yankees. Mets just dropped the first game of the doubleheader 7 to 2. So what is that now? Three wins in their last 17 games?

[Caller 2]

No, it's more. No, it might be 70. Yeah, Don, the main thing we'll get to is that these two teams, almost the Yankees and Mets, almost now are mirroring each other when it comes to issues.

[Alan Rosenberg]

A disaster.

[Caller 2]

Unreal.

[Alan Rosenberg]

And we'll get into it coming up at the top of the hour. But let's go to Lewis and Portchester. You're on espn, New York.

[Caller 3]

Hello.

[Peter]

What's going on? I didn't hear you say Louis. My bad. What's going on, fellas? Me and Jacob was having a pretty good conversation. It was reaction to 5 minutes we was talking, but the first thing I asked him was, was, doesn't this LeBron James thing kind of feel like the Aaron Rodgers thing to the Jets? Jets fans are so hype thinking that they was going to do a championship and then two years later they didn't have anything to even show.

[Caller 2]

Well, but understand something now because Rogers got hurt week one.

[Peter]

No, I understand all that. I'm just talking about the feel of it. Yes, because I said this about LeBron James.

[Caller 2]

I said this. I agree with you. You're absolutely right. It's that same kind of like I said this the other day, how Rogers referenced the lonely Lombardi and all that stuff that he. And it's. It would have a very similar white knight coming in to save the day feel. It would.

[Peter]

Just one more thing I would just want to say. I know before you guys cut me off, the thing about LeBron is you've seen in his history. He's played 22 seasons. He only got four championships. Those four times that he won, he had two other All Stars on his team. If you get rid of Carl Anthony Towns For LeBron James, you only leave him, Jalen Brunson to work with. I don't think that's enough for these guys to win a championship. I just want to be honest with you.

[Caller 2]

That's fair because. All right, so then if you're the Knicks, you say, oh, we're not moving Towns. So it'd have to be.

[Peter]

I think, I think it's better for these guys to get somebody on the bench. Jordan Clarkson, somebody to help the bench because that's what you really need to help at the help on the bench. And Mikhail Bridges and OG and nobody actually play up to their contract that, that you guys could have beat the paces with that. If those guys just would have did that, they might have beat the Pacers.

[Caller 2]

But it's not about beating the Pacers, you know, it's about beating the Thunder and the Rockets, not just getting there. The Nuggets and the Timberwolves. That west is tough. Getting to the finals doesn't guarantee you anything. Getting through the east is the way you'll get to the east is. Well, the east is easy. There was. Everybody was hurt. This was the year to get to the finals. Can you win a championship? This is not about just getting to.

[Alan Rosenberg]

The finals and the. Aaron Rodgers. It's easy, it's low hanging fruit, but it's also lazy.

[Caller 2]

You think so?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Well, because the jets were a 7 and 10 team the year before. All right. The Knicks went to the conference final, so they. I think everybody kind of fantasized about what Rogers can bring to the table because of the lonely Lombardi. But they were 7 and 10 in a conference that had Buffalo and Baltimore and Kansas City. This is the complete opposite. It's a Nick team that went to the final four last year, one of three teams standing because Minnesota was eliminated before they were. And you've got a wide open.

[Caller 2]

So is this Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors?

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yes, that's. That's a better comp. Right? And he was able to see it.

[Caller 2]

Through just one year. Take you there and see you later.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Kyle's in New Jersey. You're on ESPN New York.

[Peter]

What's up, guys? Number one. You guys are hands down the best show on this network. I love lifting into you and a couple of things. That's it. Awesome. A couple of things real quick. Please just hear me out. Then I want you guys to answer number one. I can't stand LeBron. What he did to us in 2010. Left us at the altar and all that. But you know what, Alan? I'll be hugging him if he comes to the New York Knicks. Why? Because we. I'm 50 years old and we want a championship. I don't care how we do it, who we do it with. Homegrown guys, we get out. It doesn't matter. It's been too long. We gotta get this championship. So it's not. And it's not out. What. What's going to happen two years down the road and four years down the road, who cares? Just like you said with the Rams, F them picks, who cares? We got to get one championship, then we worry about it later on. Indies down, Boston's down, Philly's down, the east is wide open and you're going to tell me we got to get to the Finals with LeBron James, with Jalen Brunson, and we could go four and three against. We could lose three games to the Pallet, to the Thunder or Rockets or anybody like that. And we're gonna hang a banner. It's not LeBron's banner. It's the Knicks banner. So you know what? Bring them on board and let's get this damn title. Let's go.

[Caller 2]

Love it.

[Alan Rosenberg]

That's the prevailing thought.

[Caller 2]

That's the way. I'm surprised. I'm so surprised.

[Alan Rosenberg]

But I. But I can understand Sean and any other callers.

[Caller 2]

We're here. We're all about championships. We can't. I know, like all fans ever say, I've waited forever. I've waited long enough. But if you. If you can like this, you tell me, I don't want to win that way. Give me a break.

[Alan Rosenberg]

It's.

[Caller 2]

You just want to win.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Dan and Bloomfield, you're on espn. New York.

[Caller 1]

Fellas. I'm getting right to it, okay? Number one. Number one. I'm so tired of Knicks fans using Stephen A. Smith as this compass, okay? With the whole Mike Brown. The whole Mike Brown hiring thing. Okay, listen, they went through the process. They went through a very long, drawn out process. They turned over every stone and they got clowned for it because they called this coach that coach. But this is what you do, okay? And they landed on Mike Brown, who's, you know, he's had a pretty good track record throughout his career. He kind of got a raw deal in Sacramento, did a good job with the oh7 Cavs, etc. Etc. And number two, with LeBron thing, you know, and this kind of goes. This kind of goes back to, you know, the whole Mike Brown process. If you trust Leon Rose and Leon Rose, who's giving you maybe one time where you said, oh, I don't know if I trust this guy.

[Peter]

Guess what?

[Caller 1]

He turned around the next offseason and corrected it right away with Walker and Fournier.

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Caller 1]

So if he wants to bring in LeBron James and he feels like, hey, this guy is going to improve the chances of winning a championship, let him do it. We all sit there and say, in Leon Rose, we trust. Right. It doesn't need to have quote, unquote, sizzle like Stephen A. Smith says. Also, like, Leon Rose wasn't very, you know, hot commodity. Neither was Steve Kerr, neither was Bob Myers. They all came from TV or agent jobs. They didn't have, quote, unquote sizzle. I'm worried about winning. Okay? So if that's what Leon Rose thinks it is, let him do it, man.

[Caller 2]

That's another good call. And I'm still in that line tomorrow on get up, by the way. I'm still in line.

[Caller 1]

You need WINS watching, my man.

[Caller 2]

I'm stealing that line tomorrow.

[Alan Rosenberg]

I don't think any Nick fan. The caller is using Stephen A. As an example of a guy that won't give up the fact that Jordan's the. The best ever.

[Caller 2]

Yeah.

[Alan Rosenberg]

And that a title with the Knicks would change that. I, I don't. I don't think that any Nick fan looks at Stephen A. As representing the Nick fan. He is a Nick fan.

[Caller 2]

But what happens is in, in media, nationally, Stephen A. Is used to represent Knicks fans. And there's a lot of Knicks fans that don't like that.

[Peter]

That.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yeah.

[Caller 2]

Simple as that. I, I don't, I don't care. He's A Stephen A. I can tell you I can vouch for the fact that he is a legitimate Knicks fan.

[Alan Rosenberg]

Yeah. But I don't think what his opinion necessarily represents the majority.

[Caller 2]

No, it does half of what fans are thinking. A lot of fans say that they have really. They have a hard time with the fact that he's used as the example of how a Nick fan feels.

[Don Hahn]

Thanks for listening to the Don Han and Rosenberg podcast.

[Caller 2]

I don't want to know how this is. Sausage is made, but I just want to know. It's good.

[Don Hahn]

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.