- 10 hours ago
Joe Decamara, the morning show host at WIP in Philadelphia, joins Willard and Dibs to discuss the possibility that LeBron James joins the 76ers in free agency this summer.
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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.