Hour 1 - One move the Lakers need to make

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd – Hour 1: One Move the Lakers Need to Make

Release Date: July 10, 2025

In the latest episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, hosts Jason McIntyre and Alex Curry delve deep into the Los Angeles Lakers' strategic moves to bolster their championship aspirations. The primary focus revolves around the acquisition of Bradley Beal and its potential impact on the team's dynamics and performance.

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1. DeAndre Ayton’s Transition to the Lakers

The episode kicks off with a comprehensive analysis of the Lakers' recent acquisition of DeAndre Ayton from the Portland Trail Blazers. Alex Curry highlights Ayton's tumultuous stint in Portland, citing his "efforts to leave a bad team" and his decision to forfeit $10 million to exit the franchise.

Alex Curry [04:00]: "DeAndre Ayton’s making $8 million with the Lakers. Comparing him to Rudy Gobert at $36 million, it's clear Ayton offers more offensive prowess at a fraction of the cost."

Jason McIntyre emphasizes Ayton's statistical consistency over seven seasons, positioning him among the league's top centers.

Jason McIntyre [05:30]: "Through his first seven seasons, Ayton is a top eight center in the league with averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field."

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2. LeBron James’ Role and Potential Friction

A significant portion of the discussion centers on LeBron James' evolving role within the Lakers. With Luka Dončić emerging as the primary playmaker, questions arise about LeBron's influence and satisfaction.

Alex Curry [07:45]: "LeBron was the alpha on every team he joined, but now with Luka at the forefront, it seems LeBron's role is being marginalized."

Colin Cowherd adds insight into the potential emotional dynamics at play.

Colin Cowherd [08:30]: "LeBron’s feelings might be hurt, as he’s accustomed to leading the team. Transitioning to a supportive role could impact team chemistry."

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3. The Bradley Beal Acquisition: A Strategic Imperative

The crux of the episode revolves around Bradley Beal's potential move to the Lakers. With the Phoenix Suns unable to retain him due to his hefty $50 million contract, McIntyre and Curry discuss the feasibility and benefits of acquiring Beal at a reduced cost.

Jason McIntyre [12:15]: "If Bradley Beal hits the market and the Lakers can secure him for $4-5 million, it would be a monumental value add."

Alex Curry [13:50]: "Beal's efficiency—averaging 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists last season—makes him a formidable asset if acquired cheaply."

The hosts argue that Beal's presence alongside LeBron, Luka, and Ayton could transform the Lakers into one of the Western Conference's favorites, enhancing their offensive firepower significantly.

Colin Cowherd [15:20]: "With Ayton, LeBron, Luka, and potentially Beal, the Lakers' offense would be nearly unstoppable. The key is securing Beal without jeopardizing their financial flexibility."

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4. Broader Sports Insights: College Football and WNBA

Beyond the Lakers' analysis, the episode touches upon other sports topics. Deion Sanders' remarks on the evolving landscape of college football, particularly the impact of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) regulations, are examined.

Alex Curry [18:00]: "College football is rapidly turning into a pay-to-play system. Deion Sanders' advocacy for a salary cap highlights the growing disparities between programs."

Additionally, the hosts discuss recent developments in the WNBA, including the introduction of Angel Reese into the NBA 2K video game and the ensuing fan reactions.

Alex Curry [21:26]: "The WNBA's decision to feature Angel Reese over Caitlin Clark in NBA 2K sparked significant debate. It's a calculated move to stir engagement in an attention-driven economy."

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5. Forward-Looking Statements and Predictions

As the episode wraps up, McIntyre and Curry offer predictions and future outlooks. McIntyre remains optimistic about Ayton's fit with the Lakers and the potential acquisition of Beal.

Jason McIntyre [25:00]: "With Ayton's offensive skills and Beal's scoring ability, the Lakers are positioning themselves to make a deep playoff run."

Curry echoes this optimism while cautioning about the Lakers' defensive capabilities, noting the team's recent struggles when defenses falter.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Herd provides an in-depth examination of the Lakers' recent moves, emphasizing the strategic importance of acquiring Bradley Beal to complement their star-studded roster. With insightful analysis and forward-thinking predictions, McIntyre and Curry offer listeners a clear roadmap of what could propel the Lakers back into championship contention.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason McIntyre [05:30]: "Ayton is a top eight center in the league with averages of 15 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 50% from the field."
• Alex Curry [12:15]: "If Bradley Beal hits the market and the Lakers can secure him for $4-5 million, it would be a monumental value add."
• Colin Cowherd [15:20]: "With Ayton, LeBron, Luka, and potentially Beal, the Lakers' offense would be nearly unstoppable."

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Tune in next week as The Herd with Colin Cowherd continues to unpack the latest in sports, offering expertise and passionate debate on the hottest topics in the athletic world.

Transcript

[Colin Cowherd]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Katie Couric]

The latest episode of Next Question with me, Katie Couric. I sat down with Jasmine Crockett, Democratic representative of Texas. She's holding down the fort for her party in one of the most conservative states in the union.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think that ultimately, who will become the Democratic nominee for president will be someone that has been out there and has shown that they won't allow themselves to be punch and just say thank you like they will punch back.

[Katie Couric]

Listen to next question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason McIntyre]

Thanks for listening to the Herd podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio and noon to 3 Eastern, 9am to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the [e-mail] or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching FOX Sports Radio or FS.

[LeVar Arrington]

Get this party started.

[Alex Curry]

You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back to the Herd. It's me, Jason McIntyre filling in for Colin Cowherd who is jet setting as usual. I can't say where he is but trust he is in a good spot enjoying his two weeks off. We've been off for a little while due to the women's FIFA World cup, but we're back today. It's me, Jason, joined by Alex Curry. I know you guys are waiting. Alex is close. It's getting, getting close.

[Colin Cowherd]

Don't put that out there. We're definitely in the red zone, but we're doing great. We're feeling great. We're excited to be here today.

[Alex Curry]

Fantastic show. Listen, when you take a when you're off for a few days, you got a lot of news. We got Albert Breer coming up next hour. Jovan Buha with our big Lakers update here in about 20 minutes. Eric Mangini, final hour. Boy, shout out to my guy, Eric Mangini. He's sick of Aaron Rodgers. Yes, I knew I could get other people to the place where I've been for a while. Anyways, I want to start the show with text messaging. Well, not totally, but kind of sort of. The Lakers made a big splash here in the last week, picking up deandre Ayton, the disgruntled center who was cut loose by the Portland Trailblazers. And I know a lot of people instantly poo pooed this deal as this is no big deal. Ayton's a malcontent. Jay, did you see the story in the Athletic about deandre Ayton? A guy was a jerk last year. He would come out of games and slam chairs down. He'd be late to rehab. He would be late for team flights. I said, guys, guys, guys. This is how much Deandre Ayton hated it in Portland. He forfeited $10 million to get out of town on a bad team. He saw that they drafted his replacement. He wasn't feeling it. And deandre Ayton leaves Portland for the Lakers. Now, I know you guys, even if you want to say Ayton's not that good of a player, I. You know, we have a great staff who comes up with some amazing stats. And let's just say deandre Ayton, through his first seven seasons is kind of sort of a top eight center in the league. I mean, listen, look at these stats right here. 15 and 10 and 50 shooting in the last seven seasons. Jokic is a MVP. Giannis is an MVP. AD's all NBA. Joel Embiid has an MVP. Kat and Sabonis, these are all great players. Deandre Ayton's in that class with them. He just obviously was in Portland, so nobody paid attention. I wanted to start with Ayton because it gets me into where I'm about to go, folks. So it's understandable that Ayton hated life in Portland. And at 32 million, Portland probably hated him, too. However, Deandre Ayton's making $8 million with the Lakers. I looked this up. Rudy Gobert's at like 36 million on any planet in the solar system. Is Rudy Gobert four times the player deandre Ayton is? Hell, no. He's not even two times the player. Eightness. A great defender, obviously, but Ayton's a better offensive player. But it was telling this week when Ayton had a interview about arriving to the Lakers, and they asked if he's heard from LeBron, and he said, no, not really. You either hear from someone or you don't. He probably realized he stepped in it by saying no. And then he quickly followed up with, but I heard from Luca. Luca texted me, and that kind of put the antenna up. Okay, okay, okay. When we last left this show, LeBron was sending cryptic messages to the Lakers. Remember the welcome home hat in Cleveland? Alex and I got a good chuckle out of that playing golf in Ohio as free agency started. He's kind of gone radio silent otherwise on social media. And it's like, well, what's going on with LeBron? Does he want to be traded? Does he want out? Nothing's making sense. I was able to put it all together last night. He's waiting for one piece, guys. There is one missing piece on the Lakers. Before LeBron is fully bought in, is he probably a little perturbed that the Lakers are catering to Luca and not him? Well, yeah, that's natural, right? LeBron's been the alpha on every team he's been in since he joined the league. He goes to Miami, even though Wade was a legend. That was LeBron's Heatles. He goes back to Cleveland. I know Kyrie was the number one pick there. It's about LeBron. He goes to the Lakers. Even when they brought on ad it was still LeBron's show. It's pretty clearly going to be Luca's show going forward. And LeBron's feelings are probably hurt. He's in his feelings a little. That happens. But I have the answer, and it came to me last night. Now, I will warn you, when I presented this missing piece to the Lakers in the morning meeting, I got a couple groans and a side eye. And let's just say not everybody was feeling it. But if you've been following what's going on in Phoenix right now, the Suns cannot find a taker for Bradley Beal. And by all accounts, they're going to have to wave and stretch him the same way Milwaukee dumped Damian Lillard. Well, listen, Bradley Beal making $50 million a year is not a great part of your team. He's overpaid at 50 mil. Now Bradley Beal gets bought out and waved and stretched and suddenly he looks like Russell Wilson. You guys remember Russell Wilson, right? He signs this lucrative deal in Denver. Sean Payton quickly realizes this ain't going to work, not at 37 mil. Ask him to take a pay cut. Russ says, not happening and they dump him. Russell Wilson, 37 million? No. Russell Wilson had 1 million a year with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Signed me up. And the Steelers got to the playoffs. They lost to the Ravens, but they still made the playoffs. And you had a quarterback at $1 million. Which brings me to Bradley Beal, folks. I get it. You think Beals washed. I Disagree. He's only 32. His numbers last year, 38% on threes, 49% from the field. Those are good numbers. On a bad team at 50 million, they're not great numbers. Now, if Bradley Beal hits the market and the Lakers can grab him at four or five million dollars a year, well, who's better than the Lakers? And don't say okc. You give me closing games. I don't starting Whatever. Closing games. Ayton, LeBron, Luka, Beal and Reeves. Who? Who's stopping that offense? The Lakers need catch and shoot, guys. Hey, Austin Reed, go spot up. Hey, Bradley Beal, go spot up. Catch and shoot. Threes. Bang, bang. Now, the defense is obviously going to be a question, but you look at that Minnesota series, they could not hang offensively. Couldn't get to 100 in three of the games. Now LeBron was banged up. He's old. I think Bradley Beal is the missing piece for the Lakers to win the West. Obviously Houston is elite, we know that. Obviously Denver very, very good, much improved. And OKC should be very good again. Although you know the history of teams trying to get back to the finals the year after winning. It hasn't happened and I believe since the 2019 Warriors. So the Lakers are missing one piece and I think at that point LeBron will buy in. That piece is Bradley Beal. Now the Celtics kind of want him. The Clippers are going to make a hard push and they've got a starting spot to offer him and the Milwaukee Bucks. Hey, Beal, come and take all the shots you want with Giannis. We have no backcourt, but do you have a better chance to get out of the East? Sure, but it's the Lakers. Beal, do you know what you can make off the court? Do you know what LeBron and Luka are going to do to your numbers? I think it's a no brainer. The Lakers get Beal to me, they become right there one of the favorites in the Western Conference. I want to shift to college football because the Big 12 media days are happening this week. And something interesting was said by Deion Sanders about the state of college football. Now let me give you a quick little backstory. Obviously we know Deion hits Colorado and oh my gosh, what an impact on college football. Obviously having Shadour Sanders and Travis Hunter, two elite players that helped Dion was getting everybody he wanted. Colorado was on the rise, the program was back. How about them Buffaloes? And then NIL has really changed the equation and I mean at a pace that nobody foresaw. And some of these numbers that we're seeing now are becoming astronomical. And it's becoming pretty clear. College football is, if you didn't believe it before, it's now pay to play. If you spend the money, your chances of getting to the playoff and winning a natty in in increase greatly. Oregon last year. Look how much money they spent. Look at the result. Ohio State, Texas. I mean Texas is budget for this year. I mean it's crazy. They're looking to spend in excess of 35 million. So Deion Sanders was asked about it at media days and here's what he had to say.

[LeVar Arrington]

I wish it was a cap. You know, like the top of the line player makes this and if you're not that type of guy, you know, you're not going to make that. This is what the NFL. So the problem is you got a guy that's not that darn good, but he could go to another school and they give him a half a million dollars and you can't, you can't compete with that. It don't make sense. All you have to do is look at the playoffs and see what those teams spent and you understand darn their why they're in the playoffs. It's kind of hard to compete with somebody who's given 25, $30 million to during freshman class.

[Yovan Buha]

Right?

[LeVar Arrington]

It is. It's crazy. It seems to pays them more, pays the most is going to be that it.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah. I'm sure a lot of baseball owners and general managers seeing this right now are like, hey, we could use a salary cap. Not going to happen. But I, I mean, what's next? Are we going to get a union for college football players? Is that on the horizon? Listen, I'm not going to lie. I saw this idea from Dion. I was like, that's not terrible. I don't hate it. However, I think the real reason Deon is going off like this is because of something small that happened on the 4th of July. You guys probably missed this celebrating with hot dogs and fireworks, but there's a young man named Felix Ojo who is one of the best offensive tackles in the country. And he was ticketed to go to the Texas Longhorns. Everybody thought, oh, that's a lock for Texas. And then out of nowhere comes big spending Texas Tech, the Red Raiders. And all of a sudden they steal this elite offensive lineman. Now Texas fans, I wasn't on the message board, but we got a staffer who's a diehard Orange Bloods guy and Texas fans are melting down. Hey man, our offensive line is a huge reason we got to the playoff in back to back years. Obviously we need skill, position guys and a quarterback and defense. But offensive line sets the tone. You win in the trenches and Texas Tech stealing this offensive tackle is a huge sign to college football. Wait, how did Texas Tech do that? Well, there was a great story written back in December. Now December is a tough time, guys. I'm not gonna lie. When the transfer portal opens up, it's like, oh, who's in the portal? Who's leaving? It's all like rumors. And you know, buy the rumors, sell the news. So you may have missed this article. December also, NFL starting to heat up. You got the NBA starting to get to Christmas games, which matters A lot. You got the holidays, life, a lot of stuff. So you may have missed this article, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders have a billionaire donor who seems to not care about how much he's spending on players. And they have an infrastructure at Texas Tech right now where they've been doing incredible research. And wouldn't you know it, but of the top eight teams in the transfer portal, the rankings that came out for getting the best players in the portal, guess who was the only non SEC team in there? The Texas Tech Red Raiders. Take a guess who's going to lap Dion in Colorado in the Big 12 this year. The Texas Tech Red Raiders. Dion can see the writing on the wall. Damn Texas, where are they getting this money from? They got a billionaire, they're getting all the players. They've got an amazing general manager who's crushing it to the point that Notre Dame made a run at him because he absolutely destroyed the transfer portal. Texas Tech, ladies and gentlemen. When was the last time you heard them relevant? Mike? You got to go back 15 years to those Mike Leach teams. Texas Tech has not finished in the top 25 in 15 years. But now because there's no salary cap, they are spending and spending wisely. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State Cowboys. He has now chimed in, here he is on Dion salary cap idea. College needs to instigate and to build that type of system so we don't.

[Jason McIntyre]

Have the same four or five or.

[Alex Curry]

Six schools that pay the most money in the. At the end of the season, you.

[Jason McIntyre]

Got to restructure the system and you got to admit that the players are.

[Alex Curry]

Employees and then you can build a, a collective bargaining. We've all talked about it, but you have to admit their employees. And then you need an entry salary cap like you need an entry level for a high school player coming in because it's not sustainable. He's not wrong and Deion's not wrong. I just, I have a hard time believing the phrases collective bargaining agreement, you know, and salary cap are going to really be into college football anytime in the next two years. Basically, if you haven't hit up the billionaire graduates from your college already and set up an nil infrastructure, you're way behind. And I have this feeling, folks. Obviously losing Shador and Travis Hunter hurt, but I have a feeling that Deion sees the writing on the wall. Damn. We're like maybe a five win team and Texas Tech's gonna spend the money and make all the money. I'm not saying they're going to the playoff, but college football right now is in an awesome moment. If you like disruption like I do. All right, we got a great show ahead and coming up next, we got a Lakers insider. Are the Lakers gonna get Beal, is it gonna be the Paperclips? And is Deandre Ayton gonna clean up his act? That's next year on the Hurt. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the iHeartRadio app hey, what's up everybody?

[LeVar Arrington]

It's me, three time Pro Bowler Levar Arrington and I couldn't be more excited to announce a podcast called Up On Game. What is up on Game?

[Alex Curry]

You ask?

[LeVar Arrington]

Along with my fellow Pro Bowler TJ Hush Manzada and Super Bowl Champion.

[Jason McIntyre]

Yep, that's right, Plexico Burris.

[LeVar Arrington]

You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game, we're going to be sharing our real life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on game with me, Lavar Arrington, TJ Huch, Manzada and Plexico Burris on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast from.

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[Alex Curry]

You are now entering the no Bull zone sponsored by credible Great rates with none of the bull. You know, there was a WNBA game yesterday. I'm not even kidding. At like one in the afternoon. I didn't know that was a thing, but Caitlin Clark was playing in it. So I got all these alerts from people who follow the league. Caitlin Clark returned from injury, they got smoked. No big deal. There was a bigger story in the WNBA yesterday that had to do with a video game. Now listen, I gotta be honest with you guys. WNBA has been around 20 some odd years. I had never voted for a WNBA all star game before Caitlin Clark joined the league. I did that last year. I did that this year. Okay, Paying closer attention. Obviously I did not know WNBA players were on the COVID of the 2K video game. You know, I don't play as much video games as I used to. Side story, once we became owners of this soccer team in Mexico, I started to play a lot of FIFA. And then the wife got on my case. Why are you playing so much video games? Had to shut it down. I'm just keeping it real with you guys. So I don't really play a lot of video games anymore. Trust me, in college I would destroy anyone who wanted to smoke in whatever basketball game you wanted to play. Soccer, basketball, college football. I'm doing it all. I did not know WNBA players graced the COVID of NBA 2K. So now yesterday, that is 2K announces the COVID girl of their new video game. And it is Angel Reese. And of course, instantly there was faux outrage online. How could they pick Angel Reese over Caitlin Clark? I mean, what. Just take a deep breath, guys, okay? Let's just everybody calm down. The league is trying to make this rivalry happen. Everybody sees right now that we are in an attention economy, okay? How do you get people's attention? You polarize things. You make it one side versus the other. That's what all of the social media apps are doing. Go to Instagram, you're just doom scrolling. Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, all of them want your attention all the time. How do you get that attention? Polarizing stuff. So if you have a video game and you put Caitlin Clark on the COVID okay, she runs the league. Yay, Caitlin Clark. Makes sense. You really want to get people stirred up. You want to stir up a hornet's nest. Like they say, put Angel Reese on the COVID Then you've got half of, you know, the Caitlin Clark fans out there are. How could she not be on. That's wrong. At worst, you put both of them on the COVID There's really no outrage if you put Clark on the COVID I mean, the Angel Reese fans don't have a leg to stand on. Well, Angel Reese is better. No, she's not. Although she's playing great right now. I saw seven straight double doubles. She's really, you know, putting her imprint on the sky. Although they. They stink terribly. But this idea that Angel Reese doesn't deserve the COVID is nonsense. She is a. She's a bankable star when it comes to Instagram followers. 5 million people like Angel Reese a lot. And I think it was a pretty savvy move by the video game to put Reese on the COVID and get people talking about it. I'll be honest. Are we doing this segment if it's anyone other than Angel Reese on the COVID Probably not. Hey, Caitlin Clark's on the COVID of a video game. Where do you go with that? But with Angel Reese, it becomes a wait a minute, does she deserve it? Answer. Who cares? It's not really. That's not what it's about. And by the way, do you know who was. Which WNBA player was featured on the COVID last year or the year before? That's what I thought. Let's go to Alex Curry with the news.

[LeVar Arrington]

No, no, no, no. Turn on the news.

[Alex Curry]

This is the Herdline news.

[Colin Cowherd]

Well, J. Mac, let's start with your Knicks, who introduced Mike Brown as the team's 32nd head coach earlier this week. The move comes after Tom Thibodeau was fired just three days after losing in the Eastern Conference semis against the Pacers. Here's Brown on joining New York.

[Jason McIntyre]

You talk about the historic franchise, Madison Square Garden.

[Alex Curry]

It's iconic.

[Jason McIntyre]

Our fans, they're the most knowledgeable and passionate probably in all of sports.

[Alex Curry]

There's a lot of work to be done.

[Jason McIntyre]

We have an outstanding roster. What they did in the playoffs shows their potential. Nobody has any bigger expectations, first of.

[Alex Curry]

All, than I do.

[Jason McIntyre]

I love and embrace the expectations that come along with it. So I'm looking forward to it.

[Colin Cowherd]

Let me just say, he knows how to command a room. Yeah, that speech, I was like, okay, sir, let's go. But, yeah, expectations are going to be sky high, as they should be, not only for the Knicks, but for Mike Brown. This is a Knicks team that was in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Like, it was a exceeding expectation season. You knocked out the defending champs. You had insane comebacks to beat Boston, and then you Fire your head coach. So the question is, is this going to be the right fit? Because that was kind of the rumors that were coming out. Was, was the chemistry right between the players and Thibodeau? Obviously we know a couple star players loved him. So it's, you're, you're a die hard Knicks fans. Are you, are you, your expectations as high as everybody else and do you think this is going to work?

[Alex Curry]

Yeah, I, I certainly do. I like Brown, by the way. Brown, it has to be on a short list of guys who have coached the Lakers and Knicks. Right. And he coached the Cavs, Cavs, Warriors.

[Colin Cowherd]

Kings, two time Coach of the Year in 2009, 2023, Cavs, Lakers, Cavs, warriors, like Kings, like everybody, he's been everywhere.

[Alex Curry]

I wonder though, Alex, so what's going to happen with Jalen Brunson's dad on the staff? That's going to be interesting because remember there was reports he had too. He obviously was super close with Thibodeau. Does Brown marginalize him? Do you risk losing your star? I don't. There's a lot of stuff at play with Brunson.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's a lot of emotional question marks that are going to come because again, when you're saying that there was a chemistry issue or anything going on with the players and the former head coach, it's if that's the reason, if that's your main reason that you made the move. Because he got the job done as well as anyone has in the last over two decades.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So it's a chemistry thing and a fit. So you're already mixing that up. And my guess is it wasn't with everybody on the team. It was just like a handful of guys that didn't like it. So you're already going to be torn of, okay, we miss our old guy, now you're bringing in a new guy. But again, like as you hear him talk like Mike Brown is the real deal. He's a two time coach of the year. Like this is a guy that knows what it takes to win and you believe him. And it feels like just listening to him you're like, okay, yeah, you're, you can walk into a room and immediately be a leader.

[Alex Curry]

So obviously he's good. In the press conference there are some stories about how he wants to practice too much and he's kind of a hard charging practice guy.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's a style.

[Alex Curry]

But Alex, is that work in the NBA?

[Colin Cowherd]

I, I, I don't know. Again, it depends on who your players are.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

And if they're willing to put it.

[Alex Curry]

How about this? I'll give it a, give it a two month window at the beginning of the season where like last year things struggled out of the gate with Carl Anthony, Towns and Bridges.

[Colin Cowherd]

They did.

[Alex Curry]

Now you got your same core, better bench.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

How Brown works with the guys. I'll give them a two months before I totally judge this. I'm like if they're like 5 and.

[Colin Cowherd]

9, like to say All Star breaks.

[Alex Curry]

Okay.

[Colin Cowherd]

Because like that's a good like chunk of the season. Half of the season that's probably better because again like it's going to take. So it can take some time to get your chemistry in the groove going and that gives you a little, a little added like okay, it's been half the season. What's going on?

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah, yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

So. But yeah, we'll see if it's going to work. But let's stick in the NBA because Nikola Jokic has three years left on the five year deal he signed back in 2022. But he's currently eligible for a three year, $200 million extension. Reports indicate that Jokic will wait until next summer for extension talks and by doing so he can add an additional year and $77 million to the extension that he could earn this off season. Now, I don't think there is any need to rush for Jokic. Like there was a lot of change that happened last year. The biggest one, firing your head coach and your gm. Yeah, what like three, three games, three weeks. It was, it was something insane before the playoffs when they were in a playoff spot, a high playoff spot. So the way the season ended, I mean there's a lot of new. Because now you have the new head coach, you have the new gm. They've made some decent trades this off season. See what happens in Denver next season and see if this is the place that he wants to be and if it's the right fit.

[Alex Curry]

So I think obviously he can make more money delaying it. Right.

[Colin Cowherd]

I don't think it's for him. It's not about the money. You've seen him like he's even talked about it. Like he doesn't care about all the accolades. He doesn't care about like his offseason. He's go and he's being like a normal guy in his home country. Like that's, that's what he likes to do. He comes here, he plays the game. One of the greatest to do it right now. But it, I don't see it being necessarily about the money. I see it being More about what are we going to be this year?

[Alex Curry]

So. So let me ask the Euros. Historically or international players have been like. They're not jumping around like KD and LeBron. They're just going to their team and staying.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Luca was traded.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Out of balance.

[Colin Cowherd]

He didn't want to be.

[Alex Curry]

Did not want to be. But did not want to be. They shipped him. Giannis. Chatter is out there. And now Jokic delaying an extension. Are the European guys suddenly. Wait, maybe they're not as committed to their teams. And again, Luka did not want to lose.

[Colin Cowherd]

They shouldn't be. They shouldn't be.

[Alex Curry]

Now you're onto something.

[Colin Cowherd]

They shouldn't be loyal to their teams. They've all done something great for their original teams. Luka brought the Mavs to a championship. Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

And then they traded him.

[Colin Cowherd]

Brought him a championship. But now they've been, what, Knocked out, like.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

In the first round, like. And in Denver, they got a lot of. They have a lot of new and a lot of dysfunction we did not know about last season.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah. This leads me to believe that if the Nuggets don't live up to expectations. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

That's why. Wait a year. There's no need to rush right now.

[Alex Curry]

Let's say they get bounced in the first round.

[Jason McIntyre]

Oh.

[Alex Curry]

I mean, is Jokic going to hit the market? I don't know. You said a good thing that the teams shouldn't. Teams aren't committed to the players, so why should you? Yeah. We have an NFL story coming later.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

About how you think you're the guy and the team's like, they're willing to move off anybody.

[Colin Cowherd]

You forget. It's a business.

[Alex Curry]

It is.

[Colin Cowherd]

You are just a pawn in this business. Everybody.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Like, you can be with someplace for decades, and then all of a sudden, one day you're gone. It's like, oh, wow. Yeah. No, you forget very easily. Everything is a business in sports. It's entertainment, but it's also a business. Just wild. Okay. Let's end things with the Gold cup because we are in the summer of soccer, where the US men weren't able to capitalize on an early one nothing lead falling to Mexico 2:1, in the final. Now, despite the loss, friend of the show Lexi Lawless gave a ton of credit to the team. Creating a new identity.

[Alex Curry]

When Mauricio Pochettino and his staff look at what they accomplished with this tournament, I think that they're going to find a whole lot of value. Value in establishing almost a new identity.

[LeVar Arrington]

And finding out what they.

[Jason McIntyre]

What they Are.

[Alex Curry]

But more importantly, what they want to become next summer, they need them to be the best individually and collectively as a team. But they're going to have to conform. They're going to have to adapt to this new identity.

[Colin Cowherd]

There's a lot of things to unpack about this US Group right now. Right. That there was a lot of chatter heading into the Gold cup with their stars. Choosing Pulisic, being like one of the biggest ones not to play, choosing not to represent your country in a home tournament a year out of a World Cup.

[Alex Curry]

All right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Doesn't sit well with me. Does not sit well.

[Alex Curry]

Not happy.

[Colin Cowherd]

But there's also a lot of positives to take out of this. Right. Because you got your B and C level guys that are just fighting to prove that they deserve to be here. And I think a lot of them did. A lot of them show that this US Group might be a little deeper than we all thought and expected, which is needed because we are hosting the World cup next summer. Now, I don't know if we got any necessary, like starters and they're going to kick off any starters on the team, but it kind of maybe lights a fire under the guys that chose not to be here. Like, hey, you're you. Your spot might not be as safe as you think it is because we can figure it out and we can find ways to win. Especially when you have a brand new coach at Pochettino. Like, this is a big deal. This is a first big tournament with your new coach and your stars aren't there.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah, I can't get too worked up about that. But listening to what Lala said about the whole identity. Okay, what is that identity?

[Colin Cowherd]

He says finding a way to win, being scrappy. Like when he was on the show here, he said even when you watch some of the top, the top teams play each other, it's not beautiful soccer.

[Yovan Buha]

It's.

[Colin Cowherd]

You're going to war, it is choppy. You are doing whatever you can just to get that ball in the back of the net. You're not necessarily playing the most beautiful style of game. It's, I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. And that's, I think, what we saw with a lot of these guys.

[Alex Curry]

My issue with that is in the Mexico game, you take the one nothing lead in like the fourth minute.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

And then they sat on their hands.

[Colin Cowherd]

It was a spicy game, though. It was physical. It was spicy. But you knew there was, there was a lot more than just the soccer game. Yeah, there was a lot going on there. Was a lot of pride and obviously.

[Alex Curry]

What'S going on in our world right.

[Colin Cowherd]

Now between these two teams.

[Alex Curry]

Scrappiness. I didn't see it when they led one. Nothing. I saw like a complacent team that sat back defensively and kind of got run over by Mexico. And I get it, Mexico had the better team.

[Colin Cowherd]

They had their A players and they.

[Alex Curry]

Got the teenager who looked amazing. Yeah, handball in the box should have been called. What. I can't go overboard. But yes, overall I would say huge win for the U.S. big win. Just it was great. Yeah.

[Colin Cowherd]

Yeah. Find the silver lining in this situation with your BNC level guys.

[Alex Curry]

100 yeah. Alex with the news. Well, that's the news and thanks for stopping by the Herd lie news. All right, coming up next, this Bradley Beal chatter is it Clippers? Lakers? Bucks? Celtics? Boy, he would be huge with the Lakers. We'll talk to an insider next. You're on the Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd, Weekdays at noon Eastern, 9am.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[Katie Couric]

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[Jason McIntyre]

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[Alex Curry]

The Lakers have been in the news all the time. Yovon Buha, formerly of the Athletic, he's got a new job coming up. He's got his Boo Haz block podcast. Hasn't invited me on, but whatever. He's going to open invite whenever you want. He's going to the summer league tonight.

[Yovan Buha]

To watch within like an hour. Yeah, I'm going straight to the airport. Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Bronnie versus Cooper Flag, huh?

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Is that how it's being built? Cooper flag versus a 58? 55th.

[Yovan Buha]

55Th.

[Alex Curry]

55Th. Sorry, apologies. We'll get to that soon, but we've got to start, obviously with deandre Ayton giving his first interview since going to the Lakers. And I think people are already past his failures in Portland and forfeiting $10 million to get out of town. He said LeBron has not texted him, but Luca has. Now, you had a great nugget last time that Austin Reeves and Jake Laravia share an agent. Doesn't Luka share an agent with DeAndre Jordan? So maybe that's like, agent or is there something. Should we read something into this?

[Yovan Buha]

So, so I. I've heard they have a good rapport, but like, by NBA standards, a good rapport between Luca and deandre Ayton. So they share an agent. They were the top, you know, two top three picks in the same draft. 2018 draft. Ayton went first, Luka went third. Their families have met each other. Like they have a rapport. So Luca, I've been told, was on board with Ayton coming on and, like, he got the stamp of approval. So Luka's excited to have a pick and roll partner. And like deandre Ayton, for all of the discourse around him, we'll say has been statistically one of the most efficient pick and roll threats. Pick and roll finishers, Lob threats, like, over the last few years. So I think Luka's excited, like, certainly an upgrade over Jackson Hayes, we'll say. So, like, I think, like, this is a guy who's been double, double every year of his career. Obviously there's been some questions with the motor and whatnot, but, like, I think, like, he's effectively in a contract year, so he's got a lot to prove. And he talked about, like, this situation fueling him and like, yeah, I thought the best line of his whole press conference was, I can't run from this. Like, I picked this platform. I can't hide from this now. So this is going to be the most scrutiny and spotlight he's dealt with in his career playing for the Lakers as their starting center. So. So we'll see what he's made of.

[Alex Curry]

And it feels like maybe, you know, he had always been saying, I just got to get that second contract, the big one. He got that. So he's been paid. And now they lost in the finals when he was like 22 in Phoenix. Does he marginally change the Lakers or significantly change them? Because, I mean, again, they had nothing at center last year.

[Yovan Buha]

I think it's probably somewhere in between. Just because again, like, if you go back to the playoffs a couple months ago, they literally could not play a center like J.J. redick lost all trust in Jackson Hayes, and it got to the point where they threw Maxi Kleba in a game five after he missed like three months with a foot injury and foot surgery. So it's like that showed you that the level of. Now it's interesting Jackson Hayes is back, and I think as a backup, he's fine. But he also does share an agent with Luka and Deandre Ayton, so they're. Yeah, I mean, but I think these are all positive signs for Luka's upcoming extension on August 2nd.

[Alex Curry]

Okay, so a lot of Luka talk. Jovan, you're not talking about LeBron a lot. What's going on?

[Yovan Buha]

It's been quiet and, you know, I came on here and we talked about it like, I don't think he's going to get traded. I think this has been just him putting some pressure on the organization because he sees the finish line and he's trying to get them to move that first round pick to invest in this year's roster and not look ahead to 2026 or 2027, because there's the report by ESPN that they're trying to keep the cap sheet clean for the summer of 2027 when Giannis could potentially be available. Or is a Jokic available either for trade or to sign one of those guys? Jokic would still be under contract, but, like, does someone want out at that point? And then the Lakers have the flexibility with multiple picks, some expiring contracts, and maybe some young players at that point that, like, you could flip that for the next star post. LeBron. So I think he's been trying to put some pressure on them to do something and we'll see, I guess, the rest of this month if they do it.

[Alex Curry]

Let's ask, is there a deal to be had right now with their 2026 first? By the way, the 2026 draft class is pretty damn good, a lot of good players, but like Dalton connect in the first, that's not getting you much.

[Yovan Buha]

So they can't trade the 20, 26. It has to be the 20, 31 or 32. So I guess the upside there is like you are betting on what are the Lakers going to look like in six or seven years, which, I mean, Luka will be, I guess what, 32, 33 should still be in like maybe the tail end of his prime, but still probably in his prime. I think that pick has value. I think the issue has been like, we've seen teams start to value first round picks again in a way that they hadn't for the last few years. So if you look at it like some of these trades that have happened, like Guy, the prices for guys have dropped with the exception of like the Michael Porter Jr. Trade with Cam Johnson, like first round picks aren't flying around anymore. So I do think if they put Dalton connect and the first on the table, they could get in some conversations that, like, on paper, maybe you wouldn't expect them to, but it doesn't seem like they want to do that. It seems like they like having a first going into the season and having that flexibility to maybe make a move or make a move down the road. So I'm a little skeptical right now, but it's fluid.

[Alex Curry]

So. So you reported LeBron and the Lakers management not getting along great. Is this because maybe LeBron, he's just upset that he's no longer the guy to build around and it's Luka, is this him pouting? Does he have a player in mind? What?

[Yovan Buha]

I think it's, it's a little bit of all that, right? Like, this is the first time you could say in LeBron's career he hasn't been the sole focus or the primary focus of his franchise that he's been on. Like, even with A.D. it was all like, it was always LeBron trying to pass the baton to A.D. luka just came in and got the baton right from owner like he was handed it on a golden pillow. So, and understandably so, because he's a top, at worst, top five player in the league, if not top three, with the upside to be the best player in my opinion and win an mvp. So like, I get it, he's a guy who's about to enter his prime, has already led a team to the Finals. But LeBron's just, I think the big thing is like he sees the finish line whether it's another year, two years, and he wants to win that fifth ring. And it doesn't feel like the Lakers are going all in on this year's roster. They're trying to kind of split the baby. Not yet, but even if, I mean, I guess if they trade the first, I'll say that's going all in. But anything short of that, it is kind of like a half measure in terms of like trying to make this year's roster better but also keeping that flexibility. Like those two things are kind of at odds.

[Alex Curry]

Yeah.

[Yovan Buha]

And it seems like they're prioritizing the future.

[Alex Curry]

Remember with like the James Wiseman.

[Jason McIntyre]

But they won a title.

[Yovan Buha]

Like they kind of did the best version of it. Obviously the Wiseman pick didn't work out, but they were able to rebuild quickly, get back to the finals, win a championship and then now obviously, you know, we'll see with them.

[Alex Curry]

So that brings me to Bradley Beal. So the Suns cannot seem to find a taker for him with that contract. So they'll have to wave and stretch.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

And I was saying at the outset, Beal at 50 mil, not really good. Beal at 5 mil, amazing. Do you anticipate that to happen? Beal and then who are the main contenders for him?

[Yovan Buha]

Sounds like the Clippers are the main.

[Alex Curry]

Above the Lakers.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah. Because they could offer him a starting spot with the Lakers. It gets a little dicey if you look at like luka Austin, Beal, LeBron, a lot of firepower. But defensively that's going to be.

[Alex Curry]

But their closing lineup would 100% have Beal 8.

[Yovan Buha]

But again, but then I just think that defense isn't good enough. If you just look at. Right.

[Alex Curry]

Like, but when the offense overcompensate for it with Beal and Reeves on the perimeter.

[Yovan Buha]

Maybe. But I think we, I mean we kind of saw Phoenix try to do that approach with Katie Booker and Beal and be like, you know, like they tried to go the all wing offensive approach and it just didn't really work. So I'm personally skeptical, like I'm of two minds. Beal at $5 million, great value. And the Lakers, I think need a talent upgrade. So like from that perspective you could talk me into it. I just think he would have to buy into probably a six man role and selectively close. Like there might be some matchups where it's like we need more defense. So you're not closing tonight. And is he okay with that? I think he's still trying to get back to being a starter and because you also got to think about his next Contract. Right. So like in the NBA, once you accept eventual. Once you get bought out, like there is like a stamp on you that I think affects like your perception and like your next deal. Like very few guys are able to get bought out and like rehab their value. So I think once you, you know, now you're making $5 million, now you're coming off the bench. Maybe next contract's like a mid level contract. So I think for him maybe going to the Clippers or going to like Milwaukee. I think, come on. Not from like a competition perspective, but like he could be the number two guy in Milwaukee and like really show.

[Alex Curry]

Let's back up. What does Bradley Beal want? He'. A. I can't say that word. He's made a lot of money.

[Yovan Buha]

A lot of money.

[Alex Curry]

What does he want? Has he been to a conference finals?

[Yovan Buha]

Not to my. No.

[Alex Curry]

Second round with the Wizards. Like does he want to win or make more money on top of the, you know, he's probably made 200 million in his career. I'm just guessing. Probably more than that.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Do you want to win like also going to the Lakers versus going to the Clippers? Like the Lakers are going to be on more TV games. They're the most high profile team in the league.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

I mean the money he could make off the court with the Lakers, I don't know. Where is his wife?

[Yovan Buha]

I agree with like, I understand the arguments for the Lakers. I just think if the Clippers are offering a starting role in like 30 minutes a night and the Lakers can't quite match that, I think at that point, you know, that's a potential differentiation.

[Alex Curry]

What is. Who is the Beal Harden backcourt stopping? I mean, come on.

[Yovan Buha]

I think we could run some pick and roll against that.

[Alex Curry]

I would like to think so. I just. Listen, I think Beal at 5 mil.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah.

[Alex Curry]

Might be the best contract in the league given what he. I mean if you can put up.

[Yovan Buha]

17, I mean he's still better than like people have given him. Like, I think he's gotten a little too much flack because of the contract and because of how much a failure that Phoenix situation was or he still averaged like 17. 4 and 4 last year. 39. 3 point shooter. Like he's still, he's still good. It's just not $50 million good.

[Alex Curry]

So basically in a perfect world, the Lakers get Ayton at 8 and Beal at 5. Two, you know, awesome rotational players. For 13 mil, that would be a home run. They'd get an A. Would that get Lebron you think to buy in and get out of this funk or whatever he's dealing with right.

[Yovan Buha]

Now, I think he's gonna buy in. I think, like, I think it's gonna work out. I don't know if that's enough. Like, I, I. LeBron's always trade the picks. Like that is like LeBron's motto is, is trade the picks. So if you don't trade the picks, trade and you're not, you know, exhausting all resources to improve the roster because you could still sign Beal and trade the picks and improve the, like, you know what I mean? Or trade the pick and then they got a few pick swaps. So I think for LeBron, you know, there's a lot of things going on with the situation, but I think he will be a Laker starting whenever late September.

[Alex Curry]

All right, let's get to tonight's game. Cooper Flag making his debut. It's against Bronnie. Bronnie has been up and down, fair to say in the summer, better lately. You know, these guys online just put together clip reels of all the bad.

[Yovan Buha]

I mean, that dunk was incredible.

[Alex Curry]

The dunk was incredible.

[Yovan Buha]

Like, I didn't see that bounce from.

[Alex Curry]

Him as a Laker. Just your thoughts on, on what, Flag, what are reasonable expectations tonight? 20.

[Yovan Buha]

Yeah, like, I want to see the, the versatile skill set from him because I think he's someone I've, the more I've like studied his game and tried to come up with like an NBA comp. I think he's more like an alpha. Sean Marion, which, which is like Sean Marion, really good player, multi time all star and Olympian. Like, and, but I set out like, I think he's got more of that like number one or number two type score gene that, that Marion is more of like a number three, but he's got that Marion skill set of like, I think he's going to be a guy at his peak, can play three through five, can do just defend multiple positions, can bring the ball up, run pick and roll, but also attack and come off screens and stuff. So, like he can do a lot of different things in terms of tonight. I mean, this is arguably the most exciting day tonight.

[Alex Curry]

It's a big one since Zion, right?

[Yovan Buha]

I would say Zion 2019. There was an earthquake that night, so we'll see. But yeah, 20, 20 points, we'll say.

[Jason McIntyre]

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[LeVar Arrington]

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[Katie Couric]

On the latest episode of Next Question with Me, Katie Couric. I sat down with Jasmine Crockett, Democratic representative of Texas. She's holding down the fort for her party in one of the most conservative states in the union.

[Colin Cowherd]

I think that ultimately who will become the Democratic nominee for president will be someone that has been out there and has shown that they won't allow themselves to be punched and just say thank you like they will punch back.

[Katie Couric]

Listen to Next Question with me, Katie Couric on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Colin Cowherd]

Summer's here and with the kids home and off to camp, it's easy for moms to get lost in the shuffle on Good Moms Bad Choices. We're making space to center ourselves with joy, rest and pleasure. Take the kids to camp. You know what? It was expensive, but I was also thinking, you have my kid. This is kind of priceless. Take her, feed her, make core memories. I don't have to do anything. Main thing, I don't have to do anything. To hear this and more. Listen to Good Mom's Bad Choices from Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.