- 4 hours ago
It would be amazing if LeBron came back to Los Angeles on the veteran minimum and opened up salary for the rest of the Lakers roster, but don't kid yourself into believing that is truly an option.
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00:00The phrase that has been used is, and I quote, not in the cards.
00:05There is no universe that the one and only LeBron James is going to take a veteran minimum,
00:10which does bring up a few questions about the Lakers' future.
00:13Now, you and I have talked already ad nauseum our first two shows about whether or not the Lakers should
00:18go after him.
00:19I obviously think they do.
00:21I think he ends up back here in Los Angeles.
00:23But the question is, is how does it all work out with the Austin Reeves of it all, getting some
00:27extra pieces of it all?
00:28You mentioned DeAndre Ayton of it all, as well as another name, and Rui.
00:32Like, there's guys they need to figure out going forward.
00:37And obviously, a veteran minimum would be a great way to help the team out if you're LeBron James.
00:43What would you do?
00:45Is a veteran minimum just beneath you?
00:48I mean, it's not a beneath thing.
00:50It's a value proposition.
00:53It's like, Shohei Ohtani is younger than LeBron, but his production level would never put him in a situation where
01:02he accepts the veteran minimum contract in baseball.
01:06You're not wrong.
01:07Now, if we can defer some compensation, but you're going to pay me at the level that I'm capable of
01:13producing at.
01:13Does the NBA allow that, the way Major League Baseball does?
01:16Because, like, you know, Major League Baseball doesn't have a salary cap, at least as of right now.
01:20And, by the way, don't worry.
01:21Throughout the baseball season, we'll get into why baseball should never have a salary cap and how the Dodgers are
01:26being used to actually implement one.
01:29However, with the structure of the NBA, are they allowed to defer money the way that Shohei Ohtani's – because,
01:37you know, Shohei's getting paid $2 million a year right now by the Dodgers.
01:40Granted, he's making, like, $64 million by New Balance a year, and then also he's going to make the rest
01:45of his $680 million starting in eight years.
01:50Can you defer contracts like that in the NBA?
01:53Not at that level.
01:54Okay.
01:54But you can defer some of your compensation, just not at that level.
01:59But, yeah, but just my point being, like, you wouldn't ask a player to do that that is that capable,
02:06that still sells tickets, brings all the parking in, all of the nationally televised games.
02:13Like, that's all related to specific players.
02:15And LeBron is still one of those guys that creates that value for franchises and organizations, the home teams and
02:22the road teams.
02:23Because, like we just got through talking about, when the Dodgers go to San Diego, a big reason why they
02:28go is because Freddie Freeman's on the team.
02:31Shohei Ohtani's on the team.
02:32Mookie Betts is on the team.
02:34Those guys don't take veteran minimum.
02:36No, they don't.
02:36It's the team's responsibility to build out a roster that allows you to compete and win at the highest level.
02:45And then the numbers kind of, the reason why Shohei, as far as I know, structured his contract in the
02:53way he did is because that would give the team the best chance to put together a World Series winning
02:59roster.
02:59Oh, and they have.
03:01And they've done that.
03:01So, for LeBron to, I think the number that he agrees to with anybody is going to be based on,
03:08can you put together an NBA team that can win a championship?
03:12That's how I'm going to base what I signed for.
03:16And that's it.
03:17And I don't know if any situation will require him to accept veteran minimum.
03:21Yeah, I have trouble getting there, too.
03:23And I agree with you on this massive fact.
03:27It's the fact that you're paying, you've got to pay the value of what the guy's actually worth.
03:31And everything you said about LeBron James is still there.
03:34Let's forget about just the on-play on the court.
03:37On-play on the court is still what it is.
03:39I mean, the guy is still averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.2 assists.
03:44That is worth more than veteran minimum.
03:46Yeah, nobody, take the age out of it.
03:49Nobody's taking veteran minimum that just had a season with those numbers.
03:52Yeah, those numbers.
03:53And then you mentioned the parking.
03:55Then you mentioned the jersey sales.
03:56Then you mentioned what just the cachet that LeBron James brings.
04:00And also the fact of how much money this team will make if it's officially announced that it is going
04:05to be a retirement tour, quote-unquote.
04:08Whether it's, listen, do you think, how do I phrase this?
04:11I'm not saying that LeBron wants a retirement tour.
04:15I do think we're getting one because the NBA wants a retirement tour.
04:22Maybe some version of it that they'll talk about and discuss.
04:26They want to honor the legacy, you know, that he's, you know, rightfully established for himself.
04:35But to me, yeah, I just, LeBron's too much in the present.
04:39I don't think he makes a decision before the season starts that this is going to be the last year
04:44in that way.
04:46Because as soon as you start to think that, it's over.
04:50Yeah.
04:51It's over.
04:52If you go into the year already knowing this is it for you, it's over.
04:58You should just stop.
04:59It's kind of tricky, isn't it?
05:00And it also leads to these expectations, because here's the thing, it makes me automatically sad sometimes when we get
05:06a retirement tour of that.
05:07Because the Lakers are trying to compete.
05:09The Lakers are trying to win the NBA Finals.
05:11The Lakers are trying to be the Lakers.
05:14Whenever you get a retirement tour, it's usually on a team that's not necessarily competing.
05:19I'll give an example, like a retirement tour we had not super long ago, like Derek Jeter.
05:23Derek Jeter played on the New York Yankees.
05:26Derek Jeter went to a retirement tour, and it was weird, because the Yankees were not very good that year.
05:32So watching a retirement tour around a storied franchise honestly made me sad.
05:39Because I've kept thinking, like, this is a formality, and we're not actually playing for anything.
05:43It felt like watching an exhibition or an old-timers game, which is ridiculous.
05:47It wasn't one, but that's how it felt watching it.
05:50Yeah, I mean, pro athletes, you know, every day, all of us, like, the people that are watching or listening
05:58to us right now are like creatures of habit.
06:01And retirement tours are nothing like your normal routine.
06:05Yeah.
06:06It's like everything's different.
06:08It's out of whack.
06:09There's way too many photographs and conversations about throwing dust on you when you're gone, and we're going to miss
06:16you, and all these things.
06:17I mean, we kind of had one last year, by the way.
06:19We did kind of have a retirement tour in L.A. last year with Clayton Kershaw.
06:23And here's the thing.
06:24It wasn't sad, because, one, they won a World Series, and Clayton wasn't the same guy.
06:28He was kind of, you know, more in the background a little bit.
06:31Got a couple innings here and there.
06:33But even when he was thrown out there to pitch, it was like, this shouldn't be happening.
06:37I think Clayton should retire two years ago.
06:41Did he say that during the season, though?
06:44Had the season already started?
06:45Yeah, he made it abundantly clear he was calling it a day.
06:48But he didn't necessarily retire.
06:49Then he did come back and play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this year.
06:53Listen, Clayton Kershaw, he's one of those guys, though.
06:56Like, he's a name that you want a retirement tour, you get a retirement tour.
07:00Yeah, but I think in baseball, it's slightly different, in particular, I think, if it's a pitcher.
07:06I mean, you can tell me, like, if you play a position, outfield, infield, and you're an everyday guy,
07:13it's tough to have a retirement tour when, like, you're supposed to be taking ground balls to get ready for
07:19the game.
07:20And you got 100 cameras around you talking about what you're going to be doing when you're finished playing.
07:26No, no thanks.
07:27And I don't think LeBron necessarily wants to deal with all of that.
07:32Like, the only reason he's still playing is because he knows he can produce at the level he just produced
07:38at 41.
07:39Those numbers, man.
07:40So, retirement tours take away from that.
07:43To your point, sure, the league may, yeah, they'll talk to him, his team, his family.
07:49They'll figure out maybe a way to honor him.
07:51Maybe it's a big All-Star weekend thing.
07:54But then, like, I don't know, man.
07:56It may be certain nights on national TV, you know, but you can't do a 41 game every arena you
08:04go to.
08:05They want to do a whole thing.
08:07I agree.
08:07That's too much.
08:08I think it's too much, too.
08:09But I did hear a rumor.
08:10I did hear a rumor.
08:11This is a Hollywood town, man.
08:13And listen, sometimes, sometimes you rub shoulders with people that work in the business.
08:17And I heard a rumor that LeBron's already been filming his version of The Last Dance for, like, the last
08:23year.
08:23I mean, that's fine.
08:24Oh, no, I have no problem with it.
08:25I look forward to seeing it, in fact.
08:28I mean, that's behind the scenes.
08:30Like, you have to, I mean, think about the home videos you wish you had back of you and your
08:35son.
08:36Come on.
08:37I mean, I can only imagine what that's like to be having a film crew being able to show the
08:43alley-oop you threw your son in a playoff game.
08:46Yes.
08:47So, like, all of that is fine.
08:49Capture all of the moments.
08:51But most of the time when they do kind of the behind-the-scenes doc in those ways, a lot
08:57of it is light touch for the actual on-screen talent or the player, right?
09:03Like, they're filming them.
09:05They're following them.
09:06You know, maybe they're mic'd up in certain situations.
09:09But it's not something that, like, right before the game, they're spending 30 minutes, you know, just talking about, you
09:17know, we're going to miss you when you're gone.
09:18And, you know, hey, we're presenting you with this set of golf clubs and this rocking chair and the sleep
09:25mask that you're going to use because you're going to be sleeping all day.
09:27Although a new set of clubs ain't back.
09:29No, it's not.
09:31But not before I get ready to play, you know, against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
09:36Yeah.
09:36I don't want to be thinking about golf clubs.
09:39We're trying to win this game.
09:40So, it's just those are the things that come to mind for me that I don't necessarily see LeBron wanting
09:46to do all season long.
09:50But who am I?
09:52I don't know.
09:53I mean, you're somebody.
09:55I am.
09:55I do somewhat value the opinion.
09:57I just don't know.
09:58I don't have the answer.
10:00I just, this is my opinion.
10:02Right?
10:03So, it's what I think.
10:04Well, speaking of opinions, we want your opinions right here on 97.1 The Fan.
10:10855-97-LA-FAN.
10:12That is our phone number.
10:13Get on the line.
10:14855-975-2326.
10:17And also give your opinions on the YouTube channel right now because the chat is absolutely live.
10:23And speaking of opinions, Nemo Los Angeles just drops this dime.
10:28And I just react.
10:30I just want you to react to it.
10:32LeBron needs to go.
10:35All right.
10:37We had a caller yesterday call in kind of say something similar.
10:40Saying that LeBron needs to go in this goat conversation.
10:43Now, we're not having the goat conversation right now.
10:46I just want to have the conversation of, is there a world where the Lakers could be better without LeBron
10:53next year?
10:54Sure.
10:55I mean, there's a world that exists where that could happen, yes.
10:59I mean, teams have moved on from great players in the past.
11:03I don't think that's necessarily the issue.
11:05I think it's more when people talk about LeBron needing to go or should go, et cetera, it's like it's
11:13coming from a negative place.
11:16As opposed to, like, there could be some positives, sure, from a salary cap perspective, from a personnel perspective.
11:25You know, you could build the team in a different way.
11:28All of those things can be true, but let's not try to be in such a rush to make it
11:34seem like all the Lakers' problems center around what LeBron does or doesn't do.
11:41That's not accurate.
11:42That's my only point.
11:44Sure.
11:45Like, a lot of teams can, you know, make decisions and move on from different players.
11:49And, you know, at some point you have to turn the page.
11:53I mean, you know, we saw it with, you know, Kobe chose to retire in 2016.
11:58Like, yeah, you have to move on.
12:00We get that.
12:01But, yeah, all the Lakers' issues are not LeBron-related.
12:08And so the world isn't going to just all of a sudden turn to sunshine and rainbows after LeBron retires
12:13or leaves.
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