00:00Why is this taking so long?
00:01Unless he's waiting for something else to happen.
00:05So, we're going to go to the other cities
00:08that are the potential landing spots for LeBron James.
00:13Cleveland, Philly, Miami, and then parenthetically Golden State,
00:17the four teams you hear about the most.
00:19But let's start in Philly.
00:22Morning host, WIP, Joe DiCamera's with us now
00:24on the River Island's guest line here on Willard & Dibs 95.7 The Game.
00:28Joe, thanks so much for doing this.
00:30How are y'all doing out there?
00:32We're good. I'm good, fellas.
00:34Great to be on with you.
00:35And like you are, we here in Philly are also wondering,
00:38is it just a game for LeBron and Rich Paul?
00:42Is it a big show?
00:44Or is this real talk that they're really deliberating?
00:48And it's a fascinating story.
00:50It really is because LeBron could tip the balance of power
00:54in a couple different ways depending on where he goes.
00:56And while he's not nearly as good as he used to be,
00:58he's still pretty darn good.
01:00And he can make a big difference where he lands.
01:02So, Joe, let's spotlight you guys and Philly for just a second.
01:06And let's start with that question that we're playing with.
01:08If he was picking Philly, why hadn't he already done it?
01:14Well, there's a lot of reasons why.
01:16I mean, I think that the biggest reason from a Sixers standpoint
01:20relates to two things.
01:23Do the 76ers want Joel Embiid anymore?
01:27And does LeBron James prefer to play with or without Joel Embiid?
01:33So let's take the second question for a moment here.
01:36If you're LeBron and you've got one or two years left
01:38and you want to win ring five and maybe even six to tie Michael,
01:43is Joel, who can never, ever, ever, ever answer the bell
01:48in the postseason, the guy you want to saddle up with?
01:51Or would you rather see the 76ers trade him
01:54in order to try to get something else
01:57that would be better to seek ring five?
02:00So I don't know the answer to that.
02:02But I know this.
02:03I can see a case for both sides.
02:06Joel is an incredible talent,
02:07but he is as unreliable as any star in a long time in sports.
02:13So I think one of two things is going on right now.
02:17I don't know which.
02:18I think it's either a game for LeBron and Rich Paul
02:22and they know where he's headed
02:23and they're just playing it out for the show of it all
02:27and the intention.
02:28Or, and I think this is probably more likely,
02:31I think they are trying to influence
02:35and or dictate to four or five different teams.
02:38Here's what I want you to do.
02:40Here's what I want you to do.
02:41Here's what I want you to do.
02:43And, you know, in a couple of days or a week or so,
02:46when the chips settle,
02:48he'll make his decision based on who acquiesces
02:51to what he prefers.
02:53And I wonder what that move would be for Philly.
02:56So if they do, let's play hypotheticals
02:58that Joel Embiid would be the piece
03:00that would have to move.
03:02Does that put them in the mix
03:03for a possible Anthony Davis or someone else?
03:07Could.
03:08Listen, I mean, there obviously is a real possibility
03:11LeBron would like to saddle up with Joel
03:13and just say, hey, let's roll the ball out
03:14with the main five guys.
03:16And that would be Joel and Jalen Brown
03:18and Vijay Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey
03:20and LeBron James.
03:21And that group might be the favorite to win the title.
03:25But if his preference is not LeBron,
03:28sure, it could be Anthony Davis.
03:30There's a lot of ways it could go.
03:31I mean, I'll give you another one from a Sixers standpoint
03:34that absolutely could be in play
03:36whether LeBron is or is not a Sixer.
03:39I mean, I don't know how much you guys have talked about it.
03:41We've talked about it.
03:42A deal that makes a ton of sense both ways
03:46is that the Sixers want to get out from Joel,
03:49Joel Embiid, to you guys for Jimmy Butler.
03:52Jimmy makes $56 million.
03:54Joel makes $57 million.
03:57So, you know, now the rub is Joel has three years left on his deal.
04:01And Jimmy Butler has one year left on his deal.
04:04So, you know, would the Warriors want an unbelievable
04:08all-world talent in Joel Embiid to have that be one of two things?
04:13With LeBron, the let's absolutely go for it.
04:17Or without LeBron, hey, we still got a heck of a shot
04:21because now we've got Joel Embiid and Steph Curry
04:24and let's try it that way.
04:27So, you know, this is one of those things,
04:29but there's a huge risk there
04:30because with Joel having three years and $192 million left,
04:34you know, you just know he's going to miss probably half the games
04:37and maybe be unavailable in the postseason.
04:39But these are all the different things
04:42going through a lot of different people's minds.
04:44And I would guess LeBron James is thinking through all of this.
04:49Joel, I don't know if you know this,
04:51but missing half the games is preferred here in Golden State.
04:54This is what we search out.
04:56So everything is fine on that front.
04:59Interesting thought.
05:00Hey, what about this, Joe?
05:01Like, I'm looking at a LeBron James
05:04where every move he's made in his career
05:06has been both calculating
05:08and it's had some larger meaning to it.
05:13And so there is the Cleveland stuff.
05:17There is the playing with specific teammates in Miami and Pat Riley.
05:22And then there's the move the family to L.A.
05:24and build everything out west kind of a thing.
05:27When I'm looking at the teams that are rumored right now,
05:30Philadelphia just feels kind of random to me.
05:33And that's my hesitation into buying into this one.
05:37Do you really think that LeBron wants to finish his career
05:41in a cold-weather city with a very edgy fan base
05:46where he has absolutely no history?
05:51Well, I doubt he wants to finish his career in Philly.
05:54And I don't think he will.
05:55But I don't think that precludes the Sixers.
05:57See, I think one of the biggest tells
05:59that came out in this process
06:01that is not getting enough focus
06:03is when Rich Paul said to Max Kellerman a couple days ago
06:08that if the Knicks hadn't won the title,
06:10LeBron was going to sign with the Knicks.
06:13Now, what's the key to that?
06:15The key is if, and I'm using the word if,
06:18if he wants to finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers,
06:21that means LeBron's mind,
06:23as of a couple months ago before the Knicks made their run,
06:26was to play two more seasons.
06:29If his mind was to play two more seasons or more,
06:32that puts all of these teams on the table
06:35because it could be a one-year deal
06:37and then the following year he goes to Cleveland to wrap it up.
06:40And the other key with that is that the second son
06:43is going to play one year in college basketball
06:46and then potentially go to the pros
06:51and if LeBron desires to play with son number two,
06:55he could do that after the next season is over.
06:59Interesting.
07:00And I mean, you could always take that whole thing to Miami
07:02and have a bunch of Antetokounmpo's
07:04and have a bunch of James's as well
07:07and just fill out your roster with those people.
07:10But in Philly, what's the thought in Philly
07:12as far as like, are they hoping that he comes there
07:15or what's the emotions there for Philly fans?
07:17So it's really mixed, guys.
07:19I first presented this late last week
07:22before the Sixers acquired Jalen Brown.
07:25And I mean, I was laughed at by all three co-hosts
07:29on my show and by most of the audience.
07:31And I get it.
07:32I mean, to the point you said a minute or two ago,
07:36the Sixers feel, certainly at that time in particular,
07:39is like, what the heck?
07:40Where is this coming from?
07:41But the Jalen Brown trade, and Rich Paul said this,
07:46changed everything.
07:47I mean, it just flat out changed everything.
07:48It was a miracle trade.
07:50The Sixers obviously have a chance
07:52for real competition without LeBron.
07:54And with LeBron, it could be a put-them-over-the-top move.
07:57So to answer the question you asked about two minutes ago,
08:01LeBron's thinking could absolutely be,
08:03I go to the Sixers, I can win ring five.
08:06Because here's the deal.
08:07He can.
08:08I mean, again, Maxi, Edgecombe, Jalen Brown,
08:11LeBron James, Joel Embiid can win an NBA championship.
08:14Or swap out Joel for Anthony Davis
08:16can win an NBA championship.
08:18There's no doubt about that.
08:20Can.
08:20Doesn't mean will, but can.
08:22Now, here, to answer your other question,
08:24look, people are all over the place.
08:26I mean, they're all sorts of torn.
08:28I mean, people last week wanted no parts of LeBron.
08:30This week, they're more enamored
08:32because there's a thought of,
08:34hey, we're closer to the title.
08:36Let's go for it.
08:37Last week, we were having conversations
08:38whether the Sixers should trade Tyrese Maxey
08:40for five first-round picks
08:41and just rebuild the whole dog thing.
08:44You know, so people are all over the place.
08:48Obviously, there's a lot of people around here
08:49like there is across the entire nation
08:51that get very, you know, put off by the LeBron show
08:55and just all the nonsense, you know,
08:58and the Rich Paul, and let's do a documentary
09:01and let's film everything
09:02and let's try to strong-arm the GM
09:05and, you know, let's dictate everything.
09:06But what I've been telling, you know,
09:08my listeners this week,
09:10because there's a lot of people saying don't get them,
09:12but I keep telling everyone listening,
09:14guys, this is the price of doing business.
09:18Most teams that have big-time stars,
09:22it's not necessarily to that level of dictating things,
09:25but it's not easy, it's not comfortable,
09:29but it's what it is.
09:30I think what you guys have had in Golden State with Steph,
09:33I think what Pop had and fans in San Antonio had
09:35with Tim Duncan,
09:37are the anomalies.
09:38More often than not,
09:39you're going to have a star
09:40who is just a pain in the butt.
09:42And if you want to win,
09:45you got to saddle up.
09:46Normally, that's the way it goes.
09:48Joe to Cameron, Philly, WIP with us.
09:50Willard and Dibs at 95.7 The Game.
09:52Hey, let's get a little something from you
09:54on the Jalen Brown thing, too.
09:56What is your read on why Philly got him for that price
10:00and why 28 other GMs didn't do it?
10:04You know, I'll never really understand that,
10:07candidly, guys.
10:08I mean, obviously, we try to address that from every angle
10:10and it just doesn't seem to make sense.
10:12I mean, all I can say is,
10:14I suppose that one of two things are both happened.
10:18One is that it was a rushed trade,
10:21perhaps forced by the ownership group.
10:23Where the other, quite simply,
10:25is that Brad Stevens, who's a really smart guy,
10:29could not, for whatever reason,
10:32convince other general managers to offer more.
10:36Why that is, I have no idea.
10:38I'm sure I've seen Jalen Brown play
10:39at least 100 games in his life.
10:41I think he's a great basketball player.
10:43I think he's a real deal, legit, you know,
10:46top 10 to 12 player right now
10:47in the middle of his prime in the NBA.
10:50But pretty clearly, others across the league
10:53don't agree with that.
10:54And some of the numbers are shocking
10:57when you see the success the Celtics had without him.
11:01I couldn't believe it when I saw them,
11:02but I saw the numbers.
11:03The analytics are not speaking well to Jalen Brown,
11:07but I've seen the guy play.
11:08I think he's legit,
11:10and I cannot, for the life of me,
11:12really understand why other teams didn't offer more.
11:15Joe, great stuff, man.
11:16Really, really good to have you on,
11:18and good luck, I guess.
11:21I don't know how to end the conversation other than that.
11:24Well, I'll end it this way with you guys.
11:26Bad luck, because I hope LeBron comes to the 76ers.
11:31But maybe we're having the same conversation
11:33in 12 months, because I get the feeling
11:35that this will actually not be
11:37LeBron James' last season upcoming.
11:39I feel like Rich Paul gave us a tell
11:41that in his mind, he's got two more.
11:44And I think there's two things there.
11:46One, to play with the kid.
11:47And the other, because I think
11:49he's still trying to chase Jordan.
11:51We're surpassed in his mind, Jordan,
11:53in every way possible.
11:55I think he wants as many points,
11:57rebounds, and assists as possible.
11:58I think he wants to distance himself
12:00statistically as much as he can.
12:02And I still think in his heart,
12:03I still think he's trying to get ring number six.
12:06And the only way to get that
12:07is to get ring number five first.
12:09I do agree with you that I think
12:11two more years is a real, real possibility.
12:14Joe, great stuff.
12:14Thank you so much.
12:16You got it, guys.
12:17Take care.
12:17All right.
12:17Jordan Camera, WIP, Philly.
12:19Bye.
