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- [00:03]
Zach Lowe
We are back live. Moments after we wrapped up a Friday show, we finally get the news that LeBron James has decided on a destination, and he assigned a two year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. This is for real. This is not us joking. Well, and LeBron will finish his career with the Philadelphia 76ers. So I can't be wrong if I can read this to you. LeBron also sent out a series of several tweets in a row. Chris, you feel like you fucked it up for everybody.
- [00:42]
Tony Jones
If I did, that's like a Zion situation for me. No, I mean, I truly believe that. I had nothing to do. You're an idiot. The YouTube thing may have, though. Let's blame that. You're an idiot. Let's remember the YouTube thing.
- [00:53]
Amin Elhassan
Let's blame that.
- [00:53]
Tony Jones
No, let's remember you. You're an idiot.
- [00:55]
Zach Lowe
Can we put it on the poll? Did Chris F up LeBron coming to the Heat, yes or no? Let's put that on the poll. Here is LeBron James in his own words. I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love the game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give. The last few weeks have been really special. I've never been able to have no clue what to do and. And take real time to just think. I've had an incredible few months with all the people I love trying to figure it all out. This is my last decision. I'm not going for money. I'm not going for family. What am I really playing for at this point? I still want to sacrifice. I still want to work. I still want to grind. I still want to compete, to win and to have a chance at the feeling of winning another championship. I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team. And I'm so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time. I thank you. LA Miami I'll forever love. And Northeast Ohio will always home. He means Wallies be home.
- [02:05]
Mike Schmitz
I hate it when that happens.
- [02:07]
Zach Lowe
So it kind of tells me he the way he thinks. La Miami and Northeast Ohio, Cleveland. It kind of feels like the only two other teams he was considering are Miami and Cleveland in that spot and. And him going to Philadelphia. So I'll start out by telling you because I've been really loud about this. I ended up being loud wrong because I didn't think it was even worth spending any time talking about him joining a team that is not Miami or Cleveland. A complete waste of time. And he winds up going to Philadelphia. And while I guess we shouldn't be shocked because it's a team that was continuously named as a contender, it's shocking for me because I gave it absolutely no chance.
- [02:54]
Tony Jones
I brought it to you earlier in the show today when we were talking, which was the idea of that's a sorry franchise that he can go help put over the top. And I mean, they're, they're a franchise that now has had this really remarkable off season in acquiring Brown and now LeBron James. If you're the Celtics, you got to feel crazy because you traded Jalen Brown to your biggest historical rival. And. And then that also netted LeBron James going to that team.
- [03:18]
Zach Lowe
Not a bad offseason. Lose Paul George gain Jaylen Brown and LeBron James. Let's bring Dan aboard. Dan joining his own show. Hello, dan. Shocking news. LeBron James, Philadelphia 76ers. Your quick thoughts.
- [03:33]
Dan Favale
What an interesting choice. I was terribly wrong, but not as terribly wrong as you were because you were insistent and relentless about the idea that the Sixers were an absurd choice. I'm going to tell you as well that I am just now beginning to get the texts that the Heat are curious how it is that the Sixers did this. And the texts I'm getting are time for Pablo to see if he can find out because $3.9 million is about half, I think, of what the Heat we're offering. And so to. To make this choice when. When they're the stuff around fanatics, the stuff around Michael Rubin. Michael Rubin leaving the Sixers and his relationship with Joel Embiid because he didn't love the fact that there were sort of limits on how it is he can interact with players when he was a minority owner. So he started an entity where he's trying to build a giant empire. Nobody helps fanatics more in the building of merch selling than someone like LeBron James. So already some questions being asked about how this happened. Just because I think a whole lot of people are surprised that it happened at all. Even though Philadelphia was always in the conversation. They were never considered by anybody but the group that chose them as the favorite. Nobody thought that. Nobody thought that he would trust Joel Embiid's health as the punctuation on his career.
- [05:05]
Mike Schmitz
I mean, that's just typical Miami Heat stuff. Clearly something must not be in the up and up because he wants to play with Jalen Brown, Tyrese Mack, CVJ Edgecombe, and Joel Embiid, a team that actually made the playoffs as opposed to us, Miami Heat, where we don't have any other pieces really around. And we were kind of hoping that LeBron would. Would fix everything. I would, I would say that the Miami Heat lost this fair and square and he picked Philadelphia for pretty obvious reasons. It's just, to me, it's the least compelling, it's the least interesting of the options. And yeah, there's a lot of risk there for LeBron. It's a bummer. But, yeah. And Miami had such a great off season, and now it feels underwhelming because we all talked ourselves into this.
- [05:46]
Zach Lowe
Dan, don't go anywhere, obviously, because we want to get a few more thoughts from you. But before he takes on radio on Sirius xm, we want to get Amin aboard for a couple of minutes. Amin El Hassan joining us here. Amin, your level of shock upon hearing LeBron has in fact signed with Philadelphia. Philadelphia.
- [06:03]
Amin Elhassan
No, no shock. I mean, it was, it was Billy, it was Golden State, it was Cleveland, it was Miami. And then you look at those options, you say Golden State's in the west and without an Anthony Davis trade, the hardest road to hoe, right? So, okay, they're out. So then you go Cleveland, Miami, Philadelphia. Which one is right now without LeBron is the best team. Philly. That's not even up for debate. Philly is the best team. They've got Embiid, Maxi Edgam. Just start right there. I'm like, oh, my God, that's already a leg up. But then you add Jaylen Brown, it becomes a no brainer, talent wise. The only thing that we were trying to wonder was what does LeBron value in terms of those other things going into the equation? Obviously, money was off the table. He let us know that. Rich let us know that. So was it the comfort of Northeast Ohio? Was it the structure of Miami? Or was it just a sheer riches of talents of Philadelphia? And if you're Miami, there's no way you could have planned for this, right? You, you went out and you got a superstar, you got a guy who's better than LeBron right now in Giannis Ana de Kumpo. But as a result, your salary cap, your sal. Your salary is capped, excuse me, at $209 million at that first apron. So you don't have a whole lot of leeway filling out a roster in general, let alone a roster that can convince LeBron that this year, this year, we're ready to win a championship. I've been saying it for weeks, ever since Andrew Wiggins resigned. It's set up so that Miami, next season, 27, 28, can really get aggressive for a championship. This year is going to be just incredibly difficult, regardless of whether LeBron joined them or not.
- [07:40]
Zach Lowe
So I know you're saying here. I mean, you're not surprised because you look at the Philadelphia roster and that's the best roster. It's not even debatable. That's obviously counting Embiid being available to play. You're not surprised that LeBron is banking on Embiid being available.
- [07:57]
Amin Elhassan
Again, Zaz, I would say forget about LeBron for a second. You're right. Embiid is such a huge question mark. But if I told you I had a team that had Tyrese Maxey and Jalen Brown and BJ Edgecombe, I think you'd be like, wow, that's a pretty good team. Like, just starting with those three right there, you. You're already looking at a Sixers team that has moved to a place where Embiid becomes a luxury, not a necessity. When you throw in a healthy Embiid, whatever that looks like. 50 games, 45 games, as long as he's healthy in April, May, and June. And again, that is an if. That takes it way over the top. But I would say.
- [08:31]
Dan Favale
Hold on, hold on, hold on. I mean, just let me walk me down this path, though. I know we're already done with Cleveland, but the Cavs roster has been at the top of the conference for the last couple of years, not the Sixers. And the. That makes the difference between the Sixers and the Cavs. Isn't Edgecombe. Isn't Maxi. I don't think it's Jalen Brown. It's Embiid. The difference between Cleveland and Philadelphia is Embiid, and he hasn't been around. Cleveland's been plenty good as a roster.
- [09:01]
Amin Elhassan
Yes, they have. But again, I think everyone's kind of either forgetting or maybe you're listening to Bobby Marks analytics source. But, like, they added Jaylen Brown, like, that's not a small thing. That dude's an all NBA first team.
- [09:14]
Dan Favale
They've been a performer.
- [09:19]
Amin Elhassan
They've been a playing team. Without Jalen Brown, though. Like, come on, like, what are we talking about here? Yes, they've been. They're playing team. If it's just Maxi and Edgecombe, if Jalen Brown deal doesn't happen yes.
- [09:30]
Dan Favale
Cleveland was a 1. Cleveland was a 1 seed last year. Before last.
- [09:34]
Amin Elhassan
Dan. Boston was a 2 seed last year. Boston was a 2 seed last. They added Jaylen Brown. You cannot ignore that. You can't ignore that. They added Jaylen Brown. That's the difference maker. That's what makes it to where Embiid is a luxury. If there was no Jalen Brown. If we talk about the Sixers roster from last year, absolutely. We could argue that, man, Miami might have the best two guys out of them. And Cleveland and Philadelphia. They added Jaylen Brown. You have to accept, okay, things have changed from the end of the regular season that have launched Philadelphia into a different stratosphere. So then, then you start talking about, well, if Embiid is healthy, but even without him be, you add Jaylen Brown to Maxine Edgecombe. That is a great trio. Right.
- [10:17]
Zach Lowe
So if you're just catching us now, LeBron James has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. I mean, I know you need to go, right. You need a bid. U.S. ado. Yes. We don't want to keep you any longer than you can stay. All right. Thanks for popping on Amish. Appreciate it.
- [10:30]
Mike Schmitz
Thanks.
- [10:30]
Amin Elhassan
I mean, thanks, guys.
- [10:31]
Zach Lowe
We do.
- [10:31]
Mike Schmitz
This is the best basketball fit. I just, I. I thought it was a strange decision, but he can go to that franchise.
- [10:37]
Zach Lowe
We were saying, let's talk about that for a second.
- [10:39]
Mike Schmitz
He can be the man at the end of games. I mean, Maxi's not going to take the ball from. From LeBron James.
- [10:44]
Tony Jones
Jalen Brown might.
- [10:45]
Zach Lowe
Well, well, yeah.
- [10:46]
Mike Schmitz
So, like, gets to be the man there.
- [10:47]
Zach Lowe
So let's talk about that for a second. Right. Because Maxi is going to have the ball a ton. Jaylen Brown's going to have the ball a ton. If Embiid's playing. Embiid's going to have the ball a ton. I know you're saying it's a perfect fit. It's. It's a great fit. When you're talking about talent. Okay, obviously. But based on what I just said, like, is it actually a great fit?
- [11:08]
Tony Jones
I brought this up off air to these guys when we were having this conversation. And now is the perfect time to have it because we weren't diving that deep into Philly, which is maybe, maybe LeBron, at 42 years old, also doesn't want to be the guy at the end of games alone. Maybe he wants to ring chase by going to the team that he views being the most talented. That throughout the regular season. He doesn't really have to do all that much at the end of games. He can help make the decision, but his impact is the 42 year old in his mind can be. I can teach Jalen Brown how to be more of a team guy oriented on winning a championship. I can get Joel Embiid to take care of his body the way that it needs to be taken care of to be healthy. I can teach VJ Edgecomb and Tyrese Maxey how to be champions and I can go take, like we talked about, a sorry ass franchise in Philadelphia with my buddy who's running the team now and turn them into a champion. Like I, he, he said it in his own tweets. He's ring chasing this. This was not about joining an established culture or family life or golf or whatever, all the things that Rich Paul kept bringing up. This was about ring chasing. And that's, if that's what he wants to do, that's good for him. Like this is the most talented roster. I just didn't expect it, Dan.
- [12:20]
Zach Lowe
I'm, I'm still, I'm, I'm shocked that he's willing to hitch his wagon to Joel Embiid because it was only, it was two summers ago where you have them playing in, in, in the, in the Olympics. And like it was reported that LeBron dressed Joel Embiid down for his work ethic and seeing the way he prepares and the way he operates on a day to day basis, LeBron apparently was less than impressed with Joel Embiid. And now that's going to be a guy who he's going to play with on a daily basis?
- [12:53]
Dan Favale
Well, no, because Joel Embiid is not going to be around on a daily basis because Joel Embiid is going to miss a lot of the things that happen on a daily basis. I don't think that he is there to teach or be dad. Like Jeremy is saying. I don't, I don't even think that this is about Embiid or even Jaylen Brown. I think this is about Maxi. I think this is about playing with the guy who's, who was like Kyrie Irving and, and finding a way as the smartest basketball player that we've ever known to fit with the assortment of parts that they have that Jaylen Brown can. If you, if you consider all the things that LeBron has had to learn over all of the different environments that he's been in. Jaylen Brown would play the Dwayne Wade role on the inevitable nights when a bunch of Sixers are out and Tyree Maxey would play. Tyrese Maxey would play The Kyrie Irving role on the nights that all of the Sixers are out. And occasionally Joel Embiid will also play some playoff games where they'll need him to. To be the playoff performer that he's been when he's healthy. But yeah, there are a lot of. There are a lot of different pieces here to choose from that can help him on all the night. And Edgecombe obviously is just going to shoot open jumpers all season.
- [14:12]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, he's got to keep ascending. It's. I got to say, one of the most surprising things here is that this was all on the up and up in terms of what he told us and where he landed. Prioritizing fit, ring chasing, not knowing where he was going. It seems like nobody knew where he was going because at no point during this was Philadelphia ever considered by at least the media to be the favorite here. And I think in retrospect, we gloss over that relationship that he has with Mike Yancy.
- [14:41]
Tony Jones
Yeah, and the one time that it swung in the prediction markets was when he went to Fanatics Fest, did his podcast there and said trust the process, and then went, oh, no, no, I don't mean that as anything. And then Rich Paul came out and said, no, trust the process is actually a bad thing.
- [14:55]
Mike Schmitz
Zaz thought that was a bad thing.
- [14:57]
Zach Lowe
Well, I thought it was a bad thing because we heard LeBron talk about going somewhere that has a championship culture. Well, that's not Philly. Going somewhere that practices championship habits and prioritizes, you know, winning on a day to day basis. This is a franchise who was purposely losing for years. Like those things seem to be completely opposite why you would choose Philadelphia.
- [15:20]
Mike Schmitz
Disappointing for Miami Heat fans, but not the end of the world. They still acquired a huge.
- [15:25]
Zach Lowe
This has been a home run summer for the Miami.
- [15:27]
Mike Schmitz
I know that that's a slant here. I think if there is one clear cut loser in all of this, as
- [15:33]
Dan Favale
much of a home run as it is for Philadelphia.
- [15:35]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, it's a huge home run. No great off season. Mike Gansey just comes in and makes Daryl Morey look weak by comparison.
- [15:42]
Zach Lowe
No kidding.
- [15:42]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, he just hit the ground running over there. But there is a clear loser in all of this. Boston blew that lead to Philadelphia. The dominoes start falling. Jalen Brown for what doesn't seem like fair market value, goes to the 76ers. And now they've added LeBron James to rough off season for the Boston Celtics.
- [16:02]
Zach Lowe
I was going to say at the end of our show today, you could choose to believe me or not. I wanted to ask if he doesn't choose Miami, is there a place that we would most like to see him go? Not because we care about LeBron winning. Because, God, do I not care about LeBron winning at this point. But that would be most interesting storyline wise. My answer would have been Philadelphia because of the a. Because the Philly Boston dynamic, which is super interesting. It's a huge historic rivalry and everything that just took place this past postseason. And on top of it, how that crowd, how that fan base will treat LeBron, how he'll adapt to that and the whole Embiid Brown, LeBron Dynamic. Because while Embiid is not a hard worker and is never available, let's not forget LeBron on his own. Brought up again during this season how he didn't appreciate the way Jaylen Brown spoke about his son, spoke about Bronnie before the summer league games a couple of years ago. So, Dan, I. I would have said the most interesting place to me if it's not Miami is Philadelphia.
- [17:08]
Dan Favale
You shouldn't ever admit I was going to say on something you didn't say that we can turn around and call bullshit on what you were going to say. I would have gotten that prediction right. Or I would have been more interesting if I'd been interesting. You didn't say it. You're not allowed to say afterward that you were going to say it when it's private thoughts. I was also going to say as soon as he left the Lakers that, that he's for sure going to Philadelphia. It's not in any way true, and I shouldn't say it because it's a lie. To answer your question, though, about whether or not it's interesting, I think what LeBron James has managed to do as the oldest player in the league, somehow with almost a quarter of a century playing in the league, he has made the choices that get us talking in unconventional fashion his way. He has done this consistently. He has gone from a TV show that announced. Announced his leaving Cleveland to a Sports Illustrated magazine article when magazines still mattered to his agent.
- [18:14]
Zach Lowe
Looks like we lost Dan. He was going to make such a good point there. I could feel it. I object that, by the way, just because I didn't say it earlier. Dan, I think we have Dan back again. Continue. Dan, I'm sorry, we lost you there for a moment.
- [18:25]
Mike Schmitz
You said his agent and then we lost you.
- [18:27]
Dan Favale
Yeah, just the last place that he punctuates the saying of the undoing of this announcement. You go from a television show 16 years ago to his agent just giving the story to shams and that being where a mystery. What's been a mystery? We've just been sitting here for days. I don't think he made the decision this morning. I'm guessing they just announced it this morning, but there are a whole bunch of things that need to happen beforehand to get the mechanations in place. And. And so he's just always interesting. He's managed in the modern age, in the age of social media, when he's not exactly an athlete who grew up on social media. He grew up a little before, you know, he didn't. He joined Twitter when got to the Miami Heat is when he joined Twitter. For him to keep his name and his story and the interest in him alive because he's gamed and manipulated the system to always make it about him, to keep it interesting around him, to have some mystery around him and to be unafraid of doing the unexpected because he's pretty consistently done that.
- [19:31]
Zach Lowe
Mike, do we. Do we know how the market has changed at all since this announcement?
- [19:38]
Mike Schmitz
That's interesting. I'm looking right now on the brand new DraftKings sports app available in all 50 states. And we're going to do this here in real time. Going to hit the NBA tab. And right now, the 76 series market price is plus 426. That's good for the best odds inside the Eastern Conference, third best overall behind the spurs and the OKC Thunder. They have already shot up. And just to put this in the
- [20:03]
Zach Lowe
context, they are the Eastern Conference favorite.
- [20:05]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah. And just to put this in context, the next closest Eastern Conference team is a reigning champion New York Knicks and they're at plus 11. 50.
- [20:15]
Amin Elhassan
Whoa.
- [20:16]
Zach Lowe
And do we have any clue where Philadelphia was before this announcement?
- [20:20]
Mike Schmitz
I did not think to look at this afternoon, but I can tell you that that is a sizable shift.
- [20:26]
Zach Lowe
Yeah. Wow.
- [20:29]
Mike Schmitz
Heat now at +15.67. The exact same price as the Boston Celtics.
- [20:33]
Dan Favale
You know, crazy that is that. Do you know how crazy it is that the oldest player in the league changing teams in his 23rd season swings the odds like that?
- [20:43]
Mike Schmitz
I mean, they got. They got him for 4 million a year. Like this is a big deal for Philadelphia. And I think Amin's absolutely right that Joel Embiid is a luxury. And I think the Jaylen Brown thing was immense in all.
- [20:55]
Zach Lowe
All of Jaylen Brown's annoyed at all with this. No, but I mean it's serious because think about angle. I'm being serious. Think about this. Part of the reason, if you believe part of the reason that Boston decided it's time to move on from Jaylen Brown. And also based on Jaylen Brown's comments, where this was his favorite season was Jaylen Brown got a taste of being the number one guy. And at least in the regular season there was success. And Boston wasn't sure if they could put the toothpaste back in the tube there and him not be the number one guy anymore. And now he's going to be the number three or number four guy on Phil on a new team.
- [21:33]
Mike Schmitz
I think they're so well positioned too because there's a lot of combustible elements here. There's, there's some fit questions and whatnot. But Edgecomb is such a, a lifeline when you have a bad contract or a perceived bad contract like Joel Embiid. If this doesn't mesh, they have a young superstar in Tyrese Maxey, an up and coming talent in Vijay that will have a ton of value. So this may not be the final look of this Philadelphia 76ers team. They're also pretty well set up. And it's not at all curious. I know that he wants the flexibility. He did sign a two year deal, which was one of the things that we were discussing with the Miami player option.
- [22:10]
Zach Lowe
Right?
- [22:11]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, I'm sure it'll come out. I'm sure Dan will find out. I'm very curious to know what Miami's pitch was, which players they would surround him. Year one looks like this, year two looks like this. And then we can accurately try to parse whether or not he made the best basketball decision. But I'm really taken away by he, he, he prioritized championships, the money didn't end up mattering and he, he's going to a town that feels weird for him to end his career at, he
- [22:38]
Tony Jones
can definitely win a championship this season or the entire thing can blow up because you have a, a group of players that is never played together before. We here know how difficult it is when you put a cast together that it's never performed together before. And when you, you put these guys in particular Jaylen Brown, who just wanted to be the man. I was already a little like man. Jalen Brown ends up in a place where Joel Embiid, when he's healthy, always wants the ball. Tyrese Maxey obviously needs to have the ball in his hands. Then you have Vijay Edgecombe, who Mike mentioned up and coming young player. He's going to need the ball. LeBron James is like the, the fifth option here. And so if the reality is he's not the fifth.
- [23:20]
Mike Schmitz
No, no, no. I'm saying in terms of Vijay Edgecombe,
- [23:24]
Tony Jones
I'm not saying bowing to. That's the point.
- [23:26]
Zach Lowe
It sounded like you were saying he
- [23:27]
Tony Jones
should bow to VJ no, what I'm saying is that, if anything, you guys just made my point for me. He's not bowing to the young players who are going to want the ball more. Joel Embiid is a guy who obviously wants the ball. This is. It's going to have to be an example of LeBron James leadership and championship habits impacting the rest of these guys in a way that it's never had to before. Because you have a lot of ego here that can blow up on itself. The upside is sky high, but so is the combustibility. So you walk into that locker room as.
- [24:04]
Mike Schmitz
As LeBron James Knowing you've already talked shit about Joel Embiid, knowing that you've
- [24:08]
Tony Jones
already had issues with Jaylen Brown and Jaylen Brown talk shit about Joel Embiid
- [24:12]
Mike Schmitz
and just pretend like, hey, it's all good here.
- [24:13]
Tony Jones
We're all family. Like, we're.
- [24:15]
Mike Schmitz
We're good.
- [24:15]
Tony Jones
Like, I'm a. I'm a Philadelphia 76
- [24:17]
Mike Schmitz
or for life now.
- [24:18]
Tony Jones
Like, that whole thing reeks to me. And I don't want to say it
- [24:21]
Mike Schmitz
because it's going to be, you know, crazy come.
- [24:22]
Tony Jones
Coming now, but later on, this is a. Gonna be a disaster.
- [24:25]
Zach Lowe
Wow. You're on the record.
- [24:27]
Tony Jones
Oh, I like record now. Thank you for taking that and running.
- [24:30]
Mike Schmitz
They have records they can pull, though.
- [24:33]
Tony Jones
They're not going to trade. They're not going to trade VJ Edge.
- [24:35]
Amin Elhassan
Come.
- [24:35]
Tony Jones
They're not going to package them with. With.
- [24:37]
Zach Lowe
Maybe they're going to trade LeBron.
- [24:39]
Tony Jones
Tony, be careful. Don't get out there with something.
- [24:41]
Mike Schmitz
No, I mean, I. I do it
- [24:42]
Tony Jones
in a different way. I. I don't say the exact. Guaranteed it with a T. Guarantee with T. This is a disaster. Waiting is going to be a complete disaster.
- [24:49]
Dan Favale
If you're gonna get. If you're gonna get out there with something, though, Tony, I think it's very wise to do so. After Jeremy very clearly said LeBron was the fifth option in Philadelphia, I think that's the good. That's a good time to do it.
- [25:02]
Mike Schmitz
Let's keep our eye on the ball. Chris Cody said that LeBron was going to pick the Miami Heat on Monday. It is now Friday morning, and he picked the Philadelphia 76ers.
- [25:09]
Tony Jones
I don't know what a source is good for business.
- [25:11]
Mike Schmitz
This is a bad look for a bunch of Miami douchebags that guaranteed LeBron was coming here, that owe me a little. A little bit of money.
- [25:18]
Tony Jones
Can you make.
- [25:19]
Mike Schmitz
Your boy was like, all right, club promoter X, let's see what kind of juice you got. You seem pretty cocksure about this.
- [25:26]
Dan Favale
I think. I think the one who deserves the applause is Greg Cody. I believe both Zaz and I laughed at him when he mentioned Philadelphia.
- [25:34]
Zach Lowe
Who is more to blame, Dan Chris Cody for his report or the social media staff member who posted a YouTube link?
- [25:43]
Dan Favale
I sit by my tweet.
- [25:44]
Zach Lowe
I'm hearing things.
- [25:45]
Dan Favale
I'm going over a bridge. If. If we lose me, just know that that's the reason for it. It's not because I have jumped, because I'm embarrassed by what Chris Cody did without consequence to beat the rush on all information and also beat the rush on the Heat. Embarrassing itself by embarrassing us more first. By not only getting the time wrong, but also getting the team wrong. You tell me how he could have gotten more wrong there.
- [26:13]
Zach Lowe
I don't think so overall. I mean, the media between Giannis and that whole cycle and now LeBron with this whole cycle. Like, there were plenty of media people saying Miami. There were plenty of people saying Cleveland. There were even people saying Golden State. I don't recall very many people saying Philadelphia. The media, the NBA media has had a banner month.
- [26:34]
Tony Jones
I do see a tweet here from Chris Cody at 11:41am I'm now hearing LeBron is going to Philadelphia. That was 11 minutes after Shamsa Sweet
- [26:43]
Mike Schmitz
can confirm that's when he was hearing it.
- [26:46]
Zach Lowe
You did hear it. Yeah.
- [26:49]
Tony Jones
So I can't be wrong.
- [26:51]
Mike Schmitz
It's tough. You want to chew on where Miami goes from here because this becomes more of a two year.
- [26:57]
Tony Jones
Jeremy's been saying back here that he likes the way they match up against Philly.
- [27:00]
Zach Lowe
Why do you.
- [27:00]
Mike Schmitz
Or there's, you know, there's inevitably going to be a disgruntled superstar that comes up here at. At mid season. But now I think the plan remains before this whole LeBron thing got serious traction, which is you spend the next half season building up some of these potential assets, seeing how they fit around your front court and going from there.
- [27:18]
Tony Jones
Yeah, I can think about a certain player who just added maybe the most combustible player in his league to his backcourt, who also wanted to land LeBron James, that rumored to be potentially landing Giannis when they were at the trade deadline because of the relationship that they have that could, you know, maybe be upset and also has a good relationship with Eric Spoelstra. But maybe that's a guy that you go for in the future. Right now it's. It's Klay Thompson is a guy who came up earlier this morning in some of the reporting of a potential either buyout candidate or a trade candidate for the Miami Heat. His salary does match up with Nico Jovic's. If they wanted to do it straight up as a trade and get the salary he has so that they can use the rest of their MLE on a player like DeRozan or anybody else. But it's DeRozan, it's Beal, it's Westbrook, it's. It's Klay Thompson or maybe there's a player like Nick Richards that's a backup big man that they want to go grab.
- [28:08]
Zach Lowe
All right, the Heat just so many different struck out on LeBron. You're trying to sell me Nick Richards. All right, I'm just telling you.
- [28:14]
Mike Schmitz
Leaves Kendrick Nunn, Qatari International and Euroleague mvp, did have his first suite in over a year and he said bump into at least three to five people a day asking me when I'm coming back to the Miami Heat. The city is talking we move second
- [28:32]
Tony Jones
in rookie of the year voting.
- [28:33]
Zach Lowe
Do we believe when Rich Paul says that LeBron had had made a choice but he has since changed his mind potentially.
- [28:41]
Mike Schmitz
I mean, golf courses in Philadelphia can't be that good. That's another thing. I mean that whiteboard was full of shit. Yeah, I don't believe any of them anymore.
- [28:50]
Dan Favale
Mike dismissed it as sour grapes the way that this all began where I'm just telling you, I'm seeing what's coming up on my texts here and the idea that this change after and around Fanatics Fest and we know what a player fanatics just generally is around all celebrity. I am fascinated by the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers just got the bargain of all free agent bargains in bringing the LeBron James experience and the last of his career to their ticket sales department. Like whatever the Sixers have been as a laughing stock through the trusting of the process. They just made themselves the epicenter of the NBA by getting the oldest player in the league for one of the biggest bargains you have ever seen, given what he brings in terms of sales and economy to Philadelphia. Whatever you thought Philadelphia was with Jaylen Brown in terms of buzz, multiply it because they just added what is a seismic bargain in just how you create attention around your team.
- [30:03]
Mike Schmitz
I don't think Fanatics Fest had anything to do with it. Michael Rubin, if you want to look into, like, any potential tampering things.
- [30:09]
Zach Lowe
What about the white party?
- [30:10]
Mike Schmitz
It was surrounding the, the, the acquisition of James Harden when he divested, but he's been divested for several years now, and good luck getting Pablo to look into that. He's a trusted process guy.
- [30:19]
Tony Jones
That's right. Yeah. But it's not, it's not hanky anymore.
- [30:22]
Zach Lowe
Dan, we, we were saying earlier today that of all the teams that LeBron could go to, the biggest negative reaction would be if he chooses Miami. Do you think it's going to be a negative reaction choosing Philadelphia?
- [30:37]
Dan Favale
No, it'll be weird to see him in that uniform because I think we just sort of had gotten our heads around the idea of that's going to be in a Cleveland uniform, a Miami unifor. It was even weird to see him in a Lakers uniform as often, even though he was there a very long time. The, the thing that happens around anger and Miami, I think the only people who are going to be angry here are the Miami people. Yeah, I guess maybe Cleveland might be too. But the, the specifics of taking half as much money to go there, half as much money to go there is an interesting one to me. Like, I, I, based on what's happening with my phone right now, it appears to me that Miami is more surprised by this decision than I thought Miami would be by this decision.
- [31:29]
Zach Lowe
Well, what do you, why do you think that would be? Like LeBron gave them actual hints that, that this is going to happen?
- [31:37]
Dan Favale
I don't know. But why? Look, I know we don't believe agents, but what you just said about Rich Paul, I have not found him dishones publicly during this process. He told us it would not be about money, and it was not about money. And if he's telling you that the decision was made one way and then the mind was changed, why are you assuming that that's wrong? Why are you assuming that that would be untrue? Just. Just because it's coming from an agent?
- [32:05]
Zach Lowe
Well, yes, but also, Rich Paul made a case earlier this week telling you how LeBron mentioning the process at Fanatics Fest last week. He made a point of telling everybody that's a negative thing, that he said that about Philadelphia. That, that, that would, that would be a negative thing in regards to his decision. So that's clearly not true.
- [32:23]
Dan Favale
That's. But that, but that's also the truth. No, it is the truth. It is a negative thing, but just not more negative than the fact that I get to play with Match Maxi Edgecombe Brown and Embiid like it. There are plenty of positives and negatives here everywhere, are there not? Like I could, I could look at all of the. Look, man, he's going to play undervalued no matter where he, no matter the choice that he had made on money, he would have been playing undervalued because of, of what he is at this point in his career. Not just as a player, but obviously as a, as a personality. I don't assume that Rich Paul is lying there. Why say it says, what's the, what's the point of. What's the point of that lie?
- [33:05]
Zach Lowe
I don't know. Yeah, I don't know.
- [33:06]
Mike Schmitz
My, yeah, my, my main takeaway is like, oh, they were kind of honest this entire time. Rich Paul was speaking as someone that was getting information day to day. And this decision that was made over the course of a couple of weeks and also we probably should have paid attention more to that relationship between LeBron and Mike Anz.
- [33:25]
Zach Lowe
Well, and, and Bob Myers.
- [33:27]
Amin Elhassan
Mm.
- [33:28]
Zach Lowe
I mean, Bob Myers was on the podcast a couple of weeks ago, pitching his whole deal. It is funny though, man. Like, Golden State probably really thought they had a chance here, and it ends up being. Remember when Draymond opted out of his contract? Oh, it's, it's happening.
- [33:42]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, I, I, so far, I'm not seeing negative reaction from Cleveland fans. I'm seeing some negative react from Cleveland fans. Oh, my. Mentions to you. But Philadelphia seems like an okay place for him to land if you're a Cleveland Cavs fan. That. I can see how Miami would have bothered.
- [34:00]
Zach Lowe
Really. I mean, it's going to be a team that they face in the playoffs.
- [34:03]
Mike Schmitz
It's just, it's just picking at an old scab, him deciding to pick Miami over Cleveland. But I said earlier in the show that this was probably, to me, the least interesting of the destinations. I stand by that. But that doesn't make it not interesting. It just makes it the least interesting by comparison to him being an old guy teaming up with Steph Curry one last time, him trying to close a loop here in Miami, or him returning home to Cleveland. This is plenty interesting.
- [34:28]
Zach Lowe
Do the Heat make a move now today to kind of, you know. Cause you remember when, when LeBron left the Heat back in 2014, they immediately went out and re signed Chris Bosh to the big money. And then like a couple days later, they went and they signed Lou all dang. It's like, it's okay. We're moving on. We're doing other things. Like, I, I, I could see the Heat making.
- [34:47]
Mike Schmitz
I am curious to see, like, what things fall into place. What kind of backup plans that they had one. What kind of plans that they had with LeBron. If they move forward with some of those plans now that they're building a different type of roster because it is a roster that needs some address.
- [35:00]
Tony Jones
Yeah, I'd expect them to do something in the next 24 to 48 hours just simply because you probably had deals in place for if LeBron signs deals in place for if he doesn't sign. Because of all these guys who are waiting out there now. Those guys have more leverage than they did when they probably like agreed. They got that Lev. And so those discussions happen and go from here. It's just what Tony. First round exit to the Pacers when Embiid plays two games, shuts him down, gets crazy Halliburton, runs him out the building. Yeah, maybe.
- [35:32]
Zach Lowe
Unbelievable.
- [35:33]
Mike Schmitz
I forgot about Indiana. They're pretty good, dude. Yeah, I forgot about that. What a fun contest, the Eastern Conference. It would have gotten a little bit more fun with.
- [35:41]
Zach Lowe
You forgot about.
- [35:42]
Dan Favale
You forgot about the Knicks.
- [35:43]
Mike Schmitz
You forgot we mentioned the Knicks.
- [35:45]
Tony Jones
And nobody repeats anymore, Dan.
- [35:47]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, but I think it would have been made a little bit more interesting by having Miami be taken a little bit more seriously. But look, we were touting the flexibility that Miami has over the course of the next two years. They're going to be a defensive force. They're going to be a pain in the ass to play, but they got their work cut out ahead of them. And it's a shame it's broke down like this because the Giannis thing was a major get for them.
- [36:08]
Tony Jones
They're the only team that acquired a top five guy in the NBA this offseason. Yeah, like that's it.
- [36:11]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah, but Jaylen Brown's not top five. But Jaylen Brown's pretty damn good. He's second. All team NBA, the voters versus how
- [36:18]
Tony Jones
a lot of front offices we've learned consider that guy's impact are two different things. They were better. Boston was better when he wasn't on the floor. I think. I think Jaylen Brown's amazing. I was with everybody defending him as much as anyone. He's a great player. Their team is unbelievable. I'm just saying Giannis is a better battle.
- [36:35]
Mike Schmitz
30 for 30 made on how the. The Celtics blew that series.
- [36:38]
Tony Jones
Amazing.
- [36:38]
Mike Schmitz
Crazy domino is.
- [36:40]
Zach Lowe
Is Bronnie on Philadelphia by the end of the day.
- [36:43]
Mike Schmitz
I would love to see that with Jaylen Brown. Would love to see that. Given the. Given the previous quotes, I'd be Into the Heat.
- [36:49]
Zach Lowe
Yeah.
- [36:49]
Dan Favale
Dan, can I put something in front of you guys that I think is interesting here? You remember a few years ago, the Cleveland Browns, what that organization was and how they went into a season of great expectation with Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry and Baker Mayfield, and it was the first time in Dec. That a Cleveland Browns team has had expectations. You are now putting on whatever the psyches are of Maxi Edgecombe Embiid and Jalen Brown and a team that has gotten no further than the second round of the playoffs around Joel Embiid, and their best season ever ended with Kawhi Leonard making a shot that made Joel Embiid cry in the hallway. You're putting expectations on a franchise that, while it has history from the 80s and 90s, built by Dr. J, has no history since then other than Allen Iverson. This has been a program that has not had expectations for a really long time, and it just changed by a lot. So I don't know if you believe in whether or not those guys are strong enough or frail, but we're about to find out together.
- [38:04]
Zach Lowe
It's why I think this then now again, Dan, I know you pooh poohed me saying that because I didn't say it out loud earlier today. It didn't actually happen. But I can have thoughts. I can have thoughts. And then later on I tell you about those thoughts. And that's exactly what happened here where I think Philadelphia is the most interesting option if it wasn't going to be Miami.
- [38:24]
Dan Favale
Don't know. What happens is you have thoughts, you keep them to yourself and then you do poetic tapestries of essays about 60 minutes in your private thoughts when you unembargo them on your own podcast.
- [38:34]
Zach Lowe
There's an embargo right now. I'm not talking about that here, Dan. You know this embargo on.
- [38:39]
Dan Favale
But. But that's what I'm saying. Sometimes we know you have thoughts and that you have private thoughts and that we're just not allowed to have the treasure chest of what those thoughts are. This does not apply. This is bold face lying from you. You were not going to say anything at the end of the show. You're just trying to appear smarter now because you laughed at this. You. You dismissed Philadelphia every single time through braying laughter through. Through bright. You would throw your head back and cackle. You didn't just dismiss it. You dismissed it in the most condescending way possible. You wouldn't discuss it. You wouldn't. You wouldn't entertain it as an option.
- [39:13]
Zach Lowe
That's right. That's right. But I'm not coming back now and telling you, if I had to pick. If not Miami, I was thinking he would pick Philadelphia. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying I think Philly would have been the most interesting option. I'm not sure that's not a right or wrong scenario, Dan.
- [39:30]
Dan Favale
You didn't say it.
- [39:32]
Tony Jones
I just can't believe we get to see LeBron and D. Wade back together.
- [39:35]
Mike Schmitz
Yeah.
- [39:36]
Zach Lowe
Oh, good.
- [39:37]
Tony Jones
Dean. Wade. Wade and James back together once again.
- [39:41]
Zach Lowe
So, just to clarify, we're all back to disliking LeBron, right?
- [39:45]
Mike Schmitz
Oh, yeah.
- [39:52]
Tony Jones
It's ridiculous. LeBron dyeing that beard.
- [39:54]
Zach Lowe
What's he ever done? All right, Dan, you got anything else for us?
- [40:01]
Dan Favale
No, I am. I am finished here. Sorry about the spottiness of the connection, and sorry in general for Chris Cody.
- [40:08]
Tony Jones
Can we get that lower angle again?
- [40:10]
Mike Schmitz
If you can take the phone down a little.
- [40:11]
Amin Elhassan
No. Thank you.
- [40:16]
Dan Favale
Good night, everybody.