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00:00But big breaking news in the other association, that would be the NBA on this Wednesday morning.
00:11LeBron James is signing once again with the LA Lakers, a two-year deal worth the maximum
00:17amount of $104 million to remain in LA.
00:22He opted out earlier this summer and this offseason, but all expectations, Donnie, is
00:28that LeBron James would remain in Los Angeles.
00:31He does.
00:32Two-year deal, $104 million.
00:35However, there was a thought that maybe LeBron James would take a reduced amount so the Lakers
00:40could booster up the roster and sign some other players to help them make a true run
00:47toward contention.
00:48Did not do that, which is not necessarily a great sign for the Lakers that they were
00:52in the running for any of the available free agents still standing.
00:57And it's wild because we'll get to that thought process in a second, but just the fact that
01:00like LeBron is a great teammate to have because it's not just a ball-centric guy that says,
01:06I'm just going to clog it up.
01:07Remember Carmelo Anthony, the problem was like, hey, he's a great scorer, but nobody
01:09wants to play with the guy because he just backs people down for 15 seconds and shoots
01:13a fadeaway and says, that's the best offense that we have.
01:16That's what we're going to do.
01:17Like LeBron does it all.
01:18A lot of assists here.
01:19He can play point guard at times.
01:20It's always just a wonder.
01:21Like I understand the Miami Heat had the big three and it worked out in spades down there
01:25in Miami.
01:26But the fact of the matter is you just can't find that third person to go along with LeBron
01:29James.
01:30And also, yes, the point bringing up where, okay, we knew he was going to opt out of his
01:34contract.
01:35The only thing that would have thrown things into a loop, right?
01:37If Bronny James didn't get drafted by the Lakers and he got angry that he was told that
01:41was going to happen, he opts out, he leaves, that was going to be a far-fetched answer
01:44to the situation.
01:45But we always thought LeBron James was going to be there.
01:47But the fact of the matter, he said, look, I'm going to opt out obviously because I want
01:52to opt back in, but I'm willing to take a discount.
01:55If you guys bring to the table a player that I really believe is going to help me in a
01:59quest for another championship, I'll take as much as $20 million less in order for that
02:04to happen.
02:05They didn't wait long here in free agency to close this deal and give him the max contract
02:09extension, which means they're not going to get the benefit.
02:12No, granted, there's some, you know, exception contracts you can have and veteran exceptions.
02:16We get all that.
02:17But this was supposed to be on top of that.
02:19I'm willing to forego salary to bring in another player.
02:22The fact that we see that maximum deal, there is no star player coming along again.
02:26So you get what you get, I guess, out there in Los Angeles.
02:30And just to be clear, we're not faulting LeBron James for taking the money that he rightfully
02:35deserves, that two-year $104 million max contract.
02:39It's just a sign of the times that the free agency pool is not all that deep or talented
02:44this year.
02:45And really, after Klay Thompson made his way to Dallas, signing that three-year deal worth
02:5050 mil with the Mavs in the three-team sign and trade, that was about it.
02:55Klay's father, Michael Thompson, of course, a historic Los Angeles Laker who shared yesterday
03:01on Sirius XM, he was disappointed, tried to lure his son to Southern California.
03:06Instead, he goes to Dallas.
03:09But yesterday, a big day for the Lakers organization as well.
03:14It was announced that Bronny James has signed a multi-year guaranteed contract with the
03:20L.A. Lakers.
03:21So he's not going to start in the G League as we anticipated.
03:24He will be a member of the L.A. Lakers roster from day number one.
03:29His introductory press conference yesterday, a couple of the best quotes, JJ Redick, new
03:34head coach in Los Angeles, LeBron's former podcast co-host.
03:39Bronny has earned this through hard work.
03:42There's a lot to like about his game.
03:44OK, that's fine, JJ.
03:45I actually do believe in that.
03:48Bronny, quote, I never really had a thought about me going to play with my dad, end quote.
03:53I'm sure you've seen the memes on social media of a young LeBron James.
03:58It's the lying face meme where he just says outlandish things that could never have been
04:04true.
04:05Apparently, it runs in the family.
04:08Exactly.
04:09And you can just tell by the press conference that the things that the coaches are saying,
04:14JJ Redick, and also the players themselves, Bronny James.
04:17They don't believe anything of what they're trying to tell you, because the fact that
04:20he had to lead a press conference by saying, let me get this straight, essentially, Bronny
04:24deserves this.
04:25That means you don't actually think he deserved it.
04:27We all know what the picture is.
04:28Now, granted, he's a great basketball player.
04:30Very few people can be McDonald's All-Americans, even though his father did place him on the
04:34McDonald's All-American team.
04:35Very few people go to USC, which his dad made him go there to stay close to home.
04:39Very few people can make the NBA and play for the Los Angeles Lakers because their dad
04:43plays for him and said, you better draft my son right here.
04:45And very few players that are in the second round demand full contracts that are just
04:49in the NBA and not two-way contracts because their name is Bronny James.
04:53But having said all of those points together, he did earn his way here in the NBA.
04:57Yeah, that was very good, veiled sarcasm that I do not think was all that veiled.
05:03There is a Bronny James specials category on the FanDuel Sportsbook, including what
05:08is my favorite bet of the year, Bronny James' first assist in the 2024-25 regular season
05:14to be scored by his father, LeBron James.
05:18Some excellent social media conjecture, though, after Bronny James was drafted 55th overall
05:24on Thursday, like people finding out that LeBron James is now sleeping with one of his
05:29teammates' mothers.
05:30That is a great one, I shall say.
05:33Elsewhere around the NBA yesterday in free agency, the Warriors looking to fill a couple
05:39of spots on the roster after the departure of Klay Thompson.
05:43They get slow-mo Kyle Anderson.
05:46They are in a pursuit of Buddy Heald, who spent most of last year in Philadelphia.
05:52The Magic extend Jonathan Isaac.
05:54They re-sign Moe Wagner.
05:55The Pacers add James Wiseman.
05:58It's been a very tumultuous young NBA career for Wiseman, from Golden State to Detroit,
06:03now to Indiana.
06:04And the Celtics bring back the X-Man Xavier Tillman Sr., a key component of that championship-winning
06:11roster.
06:12Yeah, and you take a look at those names.
06:14They're not obviously superstar names, multi-time all-star names, but these are the guys that
06:19are going to help you win championships by filling out the rest of your roster.
06:23I'm sure we get some pretty interesting sign-and-trade type of deals here, falling down the pike
06:27in the NBA, but I think those fireworks are gone, and maybe like a DeMar Rosen, see where
06:31he goes next.
06:32But I am interested to see how the Warriors, in that post-Splash Brothers era, Draymond
06:36Green getting older now, Steph Curry getting older now, we'll see what they have.
06:39But I do find it interesting that Draymond Green goes on the podcast and basically says,
06:43like, man, Paul George was ours, except the Clippers just didn't want him to go here,
06:46so he went to the Philadelphia 76ers.
06:48Now there is some truth to that argument, but shout-out to the Clippers that are like,
06:51you know what, we could add extra draft picks, but we're not just sending somebody to our
06:55rival here.
06:56We'd rather let him go for free to Philadelphia than actually help the Warriors.
07:00I love the gamesmanship that's still alive out there in the West Coast.
07:04I love that.
07:05Yeah, rivals, the Dubs, are 16-1 in the Western Conference, and the Clips are 30-1, deep in
07:11a pursuit of that Western Conference crown.
07:13Some big NBA free agency news on this Wednesday morning in the NBA, so we are glad to have
07:20our coach, James Young, JY, here for a consecutive segment in a row.
07:25JY, the big news, of course, in the last hour, LeBron James has signed a two-year max extension
07:31worth $104 million.
07:34It includes a player option and a no-trade clause.
07:38What a week it has been for the James family.
07:41Brody James, drafted 55th overall by the Lakers in the second round last Thursday, signs a
07:47multi-year guaranteed contract.
07:49He will open up his NBA career on the Lakers roster, and his dad will be there as well.
07:56What was your reaction to LeBron James signing that max deal?
08:01Number one, not shocked, because obviously he talked about maybe LeBron taking less money
08:05to maybe get a Klay Thompson or something like that.
08:08I don't think DeMar DeRozan, who they would talk a little bit about the Lakers, I don't
08:11think he moved the needle enough out.
08:13I didn't know DeMar was going to come to the Lakers, to be honest with you.
08:16So to me, get that bag.
08:18And you know what?
08:19I don't know if we won't call him the James gang, I don't know if we'll call him the Los
08:21Angeles LeBrons.
08:22It don't matter.
08:23It's LeBron's world, and everyone else on the Lakers is living in it through him.
08:29So he got his bag.
08:30I don't even think Ben, I mean, did he really need a no-trade clause?
08:34I mean, you got to go to him anyway if you want to trade him.
08:37So even if he did get it, he didn't need it.
08:41His son gets a multi-year deal to be on the roster.
08:45He's got his coach AJ Redick.
08:46Now it's about, can the Lakers stay healthy?
08:49Can the Lakers stay healthy again this year?
08:51Because they actually were healthy a little, at least with LeBron and AD.
08:56Bring it every night.
08:57And Dalton Connect makes shots, right?
09:00Can Rory Hutchinmore be the Rory Hutchinmore we saw in the 2022 playoffs, and not the Rory
09:04Hutchinmore last year?
09:05What happened to D'Lo?
09:06Ben, even with LeBron back in the fold, there's still a lot of questions about how this Lakers
09:12team's going to work.
09:13And really, are they even a top five team in the Western Conference?
09:18Hey, that's what we're going to have to find out.
09:20And also, when you're taking a look at LeBron James here, one of the great business acumens,
09:25forget about what he's done off the court, but to have the ability to be such a great
09:28player and say, I'm going to take these short-term deals to hold my ownership group accountable.
09:33And if it doesn't go my direction here, I can always opt out because this is a two-year
09:37deal.
09:38But the opt-out is the player's opt-out after year number one.
09:40Now, granted, it is getting up there in years.
09:42Let me ask you this, coach.
09:43We look at this contract being signed, LeBron James has the right to make as much money
09:46as he wants because he is box office.
09:48He makes money for the Lakers here.
09:50But answer me this question.
09:51We were led to believe that he was willing to take that pay cut of up to $20 million
09:56if it meant that they were going to bring in some outside talent.
09:58The Lakers, as you just pointed out, they don't have enough to get over the hump in
10:01the Western Conference.
10:02Are we out now making more moves for the Lakers?
10:04Did LeBron realize that nobody was coming and I might as well just get my money right
10:08now and not worry about it?
10:11I think he looked at it that maybe the money isn't going to be there in regards to signing
10:14a mid-level exception-free agent.
10:17And maybe the signing traits aren't there.
10:19He's just banking on these guys playing better.
10:22And I think at the end of the day, Donnie, he had nothing else to go on.
10:28They're kind of hamstrung.
10:29They have two guys making a ridiculous amount of money.
10:32I mean, by the way, LeBron James, I understand in a sense.
10:37But he's not the original gangster.
10:39The original gangster is Bradley Beal.
10:41He was the only other guy that has a full no-trade clause.
10:44And he did it way better than LeBron because he got the money and he got himself out of
10:49Washington.
10:50But when you look at the Lakers, listen, they have to fix their perimeter shooting.
10:54Let's be honest.
10:55When you have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, you need guys that have to be able to space
10:59the floor.
11:00That's why you look at Dalton Connick, even though everybody was talking about Brownie,
11:04Dalton Connick is the one that could be a somewhat difference maker from the Lakers
11:09because of his ability to shoot the ball from three, be fundamentally sound, and defend.
11:14If he could do that, if he could be a 13-14 point of game score, shoot it 40% from three,
11:21you could space the floor with him and Austin Reeds, then the Lakers have a chance.
11:26But you're all banking a lot on a rookie and you're banking a lot on guys to perform better
11:30than he did last year.
11:33And J-Y, I think it's a really good point talking about what the Lakers ceiling is right
11:36now, a 15-1 price for LA.
11:40Sixth best in the Western Conference, $2 behind Phoenix.
11:44But from the Suns to the Dallas Mavericks, there's over $8 of difference.
11:50Dallas at plus 490, Phoenix at 13-1.
11:54Now we flip our attention to the other conference.
11:57In the Eastern Conference, the big news yesterday, Donovan Mitchell signing a three-year, $150.3
12:03million extension to remain in the land.
12:06There were some questions in Cleveland after firing JB Bickerstaff when the Cavs were bounced
12:12in the second round by the Celtics.
12:14What would Spider's future be in the land?
12:17They hire Kenny Atkinson as the head coach last week.
12:20They re-signed Donovan Mitchell yesterday.
12:23What does this mean for Cleveland and Donovan Mitchell's future trying to contend for an
12:27Eastern Conference crown?
12:29Well, number one, he signed a three-year extension with the ability, I think, to make a five-year
12:34Superbacks again in a couple of years.
12:36So he kind of did like a medium-term deal to get long-term security down the road.
12:41Simply put, he's not going anywhere.
12:43I think he, honestly, Ben, I think he looked at the hiring of Kenny Atkinson, and he looked
12:46at Colby Altman, the GM, and said, what are we going to do to improve this team?
12:51Now, obviously, with Donovan Mitchell coming back, you squarely look at his backcourt mate
12:54Darius Garland, who basically said at the end of the season, if Donovan comes back,
12:59I want out.
13:00So let's see what happens in regards to Darius Garland, who is another clutch sports guy.
13:03Let's see if he gets moved.
13:04And then you go to the center position with Jared Allen and Evan Mobley.
13:08You know me, guys.
13:09I've been back and forth on this.
13:10But when I saw that Game 5 performance out of Evan Mobley, I saw enough.
13:14You can build this team around Evan Mobley and, obviously, Donovan Mitchell.
13:18You can then use the other two guys to address some of your other deficiencies.
13:22I still think, I keep saying it, Brandon Ingram for Jared Allen.
13:26Make the trade.
13:27It works for both teams.
13:29And then you can put B.I. as that, you know, power forward stretch forward.
13:35Cleveland?
13:36Yes.
13:37They're still behind a bunch of these teams in the East.
13:39I do think that they are probably better than Miami.
13:41We'll see about Orlando.
13:42And in regards, really quick, Indiana 30-1.
13:46I feel like it's just gross disrespect for a team that went to the Eastern Conference
13:50Finals.
13:51Brandon, they can't defend worth a lick.
13:54But if they figure out their defense, Ben, and they can score, that is a value at 30-1
13:59right now.
14:00Eighth best price in the Eastern Conference for a team that, yes, was swept by the Celtics
14:07in the ECF.
14:08But maybe, even though it was only four games, gave Boston its best test throughout the NBA
14:14Championship winning run for the Seas.
14:17We'll look at some of the best remaining free agents still on the board, if there are any.
14:23We're closing just three days in the NBA free agency, and J.Y.'s early predictions for next
14:28year in the association.
14:29That comes to wait next, here on Sports Script.
14:32So, J.Y., you've made mention of this as it pertains to LeBron James signing his two-year
14:38$104 million max extension.
14:42That maybe he signed the max and took up all the money because there's not really anybody
14:48else out there for the Lakers to ink a deal with.
14:52We saw some other moves yesterday on a Tuesday afternoon, following Donovan Mitchell signing
14:57the extension in Cleveland, and in between the hours of this Wednesday morning, when
15:02LeBron James signed that max contract.
15:05But nothing truly that moves the needles.
15:07The Warriors signing slow-mo Kyle Anderson to try to fill the gap of Klay Thompson.
15:13As you look at the remaining available free agents, who are they?
15:18Who would pay the biggest pivot end to a new organization?
15:21I mean, you gotta look at maybe DeMar DeRozan, who has obviously been a capable scorer for
15:28a long time.
15:29You gotta look at Miles Bridges, which I don't think he's re-signed yet with Charlotte.
15:33So he's somewhat intriguing because before his legal issues, Ben, he is a stud, shoots
15:42the ball from three, drives it with reckless abandonment, can rebound, that's someone to
15:46look at.
15:47Caleb Martin from Miami, he's probably leaving as someone to look at.
15:51A guy that I've always loved, if you need a backup point guard, I'm a huge Tyus Jones
15:57guy.
15:58I thought when he was at Memphis, he was the best backup in the NBA.
16:02Now he's obviously a free agent as well.
16:05So let's look and see what someone like Tyus Jones may want to go.
16:08But also the top three or four guys, maybe someone else, like an Isaac Coro, who at times
16:14has looked like he's taking the next step, just hasn't been consistent yet in his career
16:18in Cleveland.
16:20Let's take a look at some picks here coming up for 2024-2025.
16:25And again, we'll get to the Champions in just a moment.
16:27Let's go Eastern and Western Conference here.
16:29The Boston Celtics are the favorite at a plus 145 in the East, OKC at a plus 370 price in
16:34the West.
16:35Are we going chalk with both of those conference winners or maybe somebody down the list?
16:39Well, you know, I'm not doing it because our guy Shamesy is basically done with us.
16:44But I'm going to go chalking East.
16:45I'm going to go chalking East because I think the Celtics are that much better than everyone
16:50else.
16:51Guys in the West, I just think what Oklahoma City did, when you looked at them, there was
16:55two things I thought was a concern.
16:57Perimeter defense, a lockdown defender to go along with Lou Dort, because I think you
17:01need two in a league, and rebounding.
17:03When they go get Alex Caruso, who's the ultimate nails and glue guy, could come off the bench,
17:07shoot 40% from three, and is a great defender.
17:09And then you get Hartenstein with that three-year, $87 million deal, who shores up the rebounding
17:14and allows, you know, Chet Holm going to be that weak side shot blocker.
17:19To me in the West, I think it's a thunder time, and I think it's now.
17:23So you're going chalk in both areas, Eastern Conference, Western Conference, OKC, now the
17:30favorites.
17:31Oh, they passed him!
17:32They passed him!
17:33That's on me.
17:34Yeah, yeah.
17:35I went to chalk.
17:36I'm a teacher, so I'm a chalk kind of guy.
17:37Yeah.
17:38I'm right.
17:39This is the same guy that tried to tell me Kentucky was a sleeper in the NCAA tournament
17:47a year ago, so I would not point past him.
17:50And, JY, I will give you credit, though, because the Thunder, although chalk in the odds, not
17:56exactly the chalkiest team that has won multiple Western Conference titles, even played in
18:01a Western Conference finals with this group, with this core, but they're led by Shea Gilgis
18:06Alexander.
18:08Can SGA win an MVP award next season?
18:11Yes.
18:12Yes.
18:13And I think you're going to be talking about SGA being possibly, ready, the best player
18:17in the world.
18:18Now that he's got Caruso and he's got rebounding help and he can push to break, he can really
18:22do it in all three ways.
18:23He can score from three.
18:24He can hit the mid-range game.
18:25He can take it to the rack.
18:27Good defensively.
18:28Good teammates.
18:29Stays out of trouble.
18:30Rebounds the ball.
18:31Plays the right way and keeps his mouth shut.
18:33I love SGA to be the MVP this upcoming season.
18:38How about Rookie of the Year coach?
18:39No chalk needed here.
18:40Saar and Risa Shea, plus 650 and plus 750.
18:43Are we looking down the board or a little bit more chalk here?
18:45Who are we going with?
18:47We're looking down the board, but we're also looking up a little bit.
18:52Now it's plus 750.
18:54Come on.
18:55This guy's moving markets.
18:56Not him, but I'm going lower, Rob Dillingham, aka Bucket Getter, aka Get a Bucket, aka
19:06This is a sneaky second team now.
19:08And remember, folks, there are times my colleague gets hurt.
19:11I'm going chalk here.
19:13Real chalk, not fake chalk.
19:15Rob Dillingham, 15-1.
19:18He was 20-1, now 15-1 to be Rookie of the Year.
19:23Do you know what chalk means?
19:25I think we're getting our wires crossed here.
19:28Chalk is the favored side.
19:30So real chalk would not be Rob Dillingham anyway at a 15-1 number.
19:35A wild movement in the Rookie of the Year odds.
19:39Alex Sarwer's the favorite at open at plus 450.
19:42Reza Shay, second-best price at 6-1.
19:45Zach Eady now tied for the second-best price at plus 750.
19:49Fade away to a holiday weekend, JY.
19:51Thank you so much.
19:52Hour 3 is up next.