It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast. On the Infinity Sports Network. Terry McLaurin wants a trade. Major League Baseball players are being traded. And there's still NBA news that's coming down the pipe all over the place.
Mikael Bridges gets an extension. Jonathan Kumingo wants that. LeBron James is still a Laker. Russell Westbrook is still a free agent. And then we're still getting amazing articles like What we got yesterday from Joe Varden, who's a senior writer for The Athletic, about the bubble, which was five years ago exactly.
Yesterday. To talk about all things NBA, including his article, joining us right now is senior writer covering all things NBA for the athletic, Joe Varden. Joe, how are you?
Well, plus football is back, you know, about an hour south of me where I live in Canton. We have a fumble on the first play and the Chargers are on the board, so you know. Hey, Joe, when are you getting some snaps at quarterback? When is that happening? Not too late.
Well, I split time at quarterback in high school. And that was, let's see, I graduated in 98.
So I think I may be slightly past my prime.
Okay. All right. I think you could help out if Matthew Stafford goes down, but we'll we'll see. Hey, Joe, b before we get into Luka Donchich and his fitness world tour. Thank you for the article that you wrote yesterday, finding out more about the bubble.
We found out that you guys, you as in the media, were staying in a motel while the players were complaining about their four and five star accommodations. But one of the biggest things that came out of it, Dal Maury has been ripped to shreds. pretty much saying that, you know, the Lakers bubble or championship Is has an asterisk, but then if he won with the Rockets, it wouldn't have one. What did you gleam or glimmer from what was written? Or was it j really that clear from him?
So The process for this was Actually, an edit, you know, I was assigned. to do something on the five-year anniversary on the bubble because I was there. And that's kind of a hard assignment because while there was looking back on it, there was so much good. And the simple fact that they, you know, that they, they made it, they completed that season. without anybody getting sick.
That's a huge triumph. But you know those were dark days i mean it was a it was a tough time in our country You know, and then on top of that, like with the pandemic, with the masks and the protocols, like, those are not things people. want to look back on and remember fondly. No. And so an editor said, well, you know.
So much has been said about the bubble. Why don't you talk to Well why don't you ask uh a a couple of your fellow journalists Who are there from other outlets? Like, just what they think the legacy of the bubble was. And so I thought, okay, well, I can do that, but then why don't I reach out to just some people who I know or some people whose phone numbers I have that have other jobs that were also there. You know, so I hit players, I hit coaches, I hit some front office guys.
Adam Silver was good enough to. to participate. Always appreciate that. And Darrell was somebody that I texted knowing that he was there with the rappers. And the question was very simple.
It was what five years later, what do you think the legacy was?
So like the reason why I spend all this time telling you this. And so it can be clear. Like Daryl drove this bus down that road.
Okay. This was all my man. This was all Maury. He could have gone. Anywhere with this, and this is where he went.
So the question is why?
Well, I didn't ask him. I knew what I had when he sent that to me and kind of guessed what the reaction would be. But if we want to guess why he said what he said, I just think. He had an opportunity. uh he felt to tweak LeBron um a little.
You know, it goes back at least to 2019. You know, Daryl. put out a a uh you know a social media post. Supporting the protests in Hong Kong, which led to this massive dust-up between the NBA and China. And that cost LeBron a bunch of money.
Uh it it prevented um uh his movie Space Jam 2. I'm showing over there. And LeBron was pretty upset about that. And it also, LeBron and the Lakers, and the Nets were also caught. in China.
Right is all right is the controversy. Between Daryl and China and the NBA was blowing up.
So LeBron was really upset about this. He took Darrell to task for it. I'm sure Daryl didn't appreciate that. And so, you know, he gets this text from me and I'm just guessing he's a smart guy and that he did the calculations and and found a way that he thought he could tweak him. And so I that that's that's where I think this came from.
A forever beef.
Well, thank you, Joe, for continuing the beef. We appreciate you. Joe Varden joining us from the athletic. You talk about tweaking. LeBron James.
I mean, we've gotten so many stories over the past month about his relationship with the Lakers and now with Luca, and now he's on the verge of potentially signing this contract extension. Is this going to be the last season or half season that we'll see of LeBron James in a Lakers uniform? Is he destined at this point to end up somewhere else? No, I I I mean I think I would be foolish at this point to say no, to say that he's definitely going to retire as a Laker. that he's coming back to the Lakers next year.
That's always been my stance.
Okay, but there's there is a problem. With that, which was always very sound, very sound analysis. based on all the reporting and relationships I have with with people close to him. But the problem with the calculus is He's born. He's still really good.
Nope. Not even people close to him were kind of counting on that. Like, they kind of figured that, well, you know, in that by age 40, 41. He should be slowing down. You know, th it should be easier.
Like it's th this conversation should be easier about like Well, you know, maybe it's time to step away or you know, maybe you do take. way less money on the dollar. to help T-Max in. That could be the Lakers. You know, or it could be the Cavs or whoever, whatever you want to do, like, because you're nearing the end of your career.
But he is still a second-team all-NBA performer at this age. And so, you know, there's rules at this age about what kind of contract you can give a player in terms of years. Um And he himself has also still done this dance about retirement. Like, he still very much could walk away after this year.
So, you know, the Lakers obviously want the cap space for next summer. They want to go after somebody big, somebody expensive. It doesn't necessarily mean that LeBron's gone if he re if he chooses to come back to the league next year. Um You know, there's certainly a deal that can be worked out, and you know, his son will still be under contract here. Likers could be really good.
You know, I mean you mentioned Luka being in shape, like whether he's in shape or not. He does have a track record with playing a lot better. With co-stars after he's had a little bit of time with them. I mean, if you go back to When Kyrie Went to Dallas in that year where the Mavericks ended up missing the playoffs. You know, it was a really awkward pairing.
It didn't seem like it was going to work out well. And then the next year, obviously, they were awesome and went to the finals. Um and and it works great.
So You know, as long as LeBron is committed and is all right, you know, about everything going on. You know, he'll bring it, and I think Luca's going to be a lot better with him.
So. I I think the Lakers could be good. this year. And so, you know, that would seem to preclude the Lakers from doing something crazy like trading him or giving him a buyout. But it does certainly leave open the question of what happens next summer.
Yeah, the NBA is is always wild with stories. We're being joined by Joe Varden, Senior NBA writer for the Athletic. And speaking of an LA team that might be old, they are old. I mean, you got Chris Paul, Batum, Hardin, Kawhi Leonard, whose body is very old, Brooke Lopez. They are.
an old team. It it doesn't necessarily work out Do you think they'll be able to make it through a season or at least towards the end to put those bodies all on the floor?
Well, I guess I'm looking at it in a slightly different way that this many veterans. who are as accomplished as they Maybe they all can play between fifty and fifty-five games. and have enough to win. 50 games, you know? Like win 50, 51.
Be in the top four in the West, you know. Get a good matchup in the first round. And be healthy. For that stretch run, you know, where you have. Big guards now, and also, you know, an accomplished point guard.
You have Hawaii. You have Zuboss, who's really good. Um And you have this coach that everybody loves in in in Tai Lu. Uh who's getting grayer ev you know, by the day, by the way. uh but but you know they so so it it's it is i think that's the idea there in in la You know, we've seen where these really old teams end up not working out, like, because of the injuries or because you just can't quite find the fit.
So I do think that's the possibility, but but you know If if Kawhi is available for 55 games. But but also Chris Paul is, and also, you know, Bradley Beal is, and. And then on down the list, you know, I mean, that's that hardened, of course. I mean, that's pretty good look. Oh, Joe, speaking of an old team, old in a different way.
The Golden State Warriors They've had these offers out to Jonathan Comingo. It's been reported that Kamingo wants to go to the Sacramento Kings. There's almost no way for him to get off of this team. Not at least in the summertime right now. Am I wrong?
No, of course. Of course not. I mean, of course, you're not wrong. Like, that's I mean, that's the idea of restricted free agency. If that team wants you.
They can retain you. And it doesn't matter what the offer that the player gets in restricted free agency, they can match it. Um And by the way, you know, that that offer isn't out there. that massive offer that Cominga is chasing isn't out there.
So You know, there's these things called qualifying offers, which are cheap compared to. What you would make if you take the deal the Warriors are offering. You know, you take that and then you become an unrestricted free agent. You're essentially. betting on yourself you use the the year To play with a chip on your shoulder and the emotions of not getting the deal you wanted to fuel you.
you play your butt off and then you go you you slam the door You leave in free agency and go get what you want. Kamiga could do that, and then he could blow out a knee, he could what Achilles, this, and You know, tended, you know, torn ACL that, and then all of a sudden. you're entering free agency and you're damaged and and you don't have near the pedigree of players who've done that and gotten paid anyway. You know, ultimately, I do think he'll take a short-term deal to remain. with the Warriors for a couple of years.
We're still waiting on Al Horford. Um I like him with the Warriors. You know, when Freedancy began, that seemed to be where this was trending. I honestly am not sure why we don't have this done yet. Um but you know that's Yeah, they're another old team.
I mean, they're happy with Jimmy Butler. They like how he came in last year. Steve likes coaching him. He's another guy though with a track record of not playing a whole lot in the regular season. And players like that individually, they put pressure on your team.
So I think for this to work at Golden State, Jimmy's got to be able to play 60, 65 games. We'll see if he does that. Hey, Joe, final question for you before we hit our news flash. You talk about Al Horford having yet to sign his deal. We have two point guards that are still kind of floating around as well.
Someone like Russell Westbrook, a former MVP of Future Hall of Famer. We have a former All-Star, more recently, an injured disappointment in Ben Simmons. At what point do you think that they're going to be aligned with some teams? It could go I mean I mean, now we're like in no man's land, right? Like August.
is when people go on vacation. They all do. who haven't gone on vacation yet, or they go on another one. This is when all the front offices go on vacation. Um September is when you start to get back into the flow of it.
So This could be a case where This gets settled like a week or two before a training camp.
Sometimes this happens during a training camp. like when they when you bring a guy in because of an injury or you see what happens Um you know i can't really tell you uh who I like for either of these or either of these players. You know, just because I live in Cleveland and I know what their point guard situation is. If Rust were willing to come in on a vet minimum, you know, he he would have a lit a lit a legitimate chance to win. Um And and like they have, I mean, Darius Garland's going to be out a while.
They lost Ty Jerome. Traded for Alonzo Ball, but that's like an interesting scenario. You know, you're just thinking of somebody at both of their stages of their careers where they're certainly not going to be the best player. not top two or three on any team.
So, you know, maybe in Russ's case, you're looking for one last shot in the winter. then you're probably looking more at a way to just kind of hang on in the league.
So, you know, I do think this could stress. I mean, let's put it this way. I don't know if one of them has something cooking and they sign tomorrow, but this is that kind of thing that could go way into September. Yeah, most definitely. You're right.
I can't believe we're staring in the face of August, but. Here we are. Here we are. Hey, Joe, thank you so much for taking the time to join us to talk about your article and everything going on in the league. Are you getting a little vacation in, too?
Is it coming soon? You know, I certainly get familiar with the golf courses in Northeast Ohio. And my son, shout out to him. He is a freshman in high school and he has his first Yeah. Certainly be there.
But yeah, I've still been doing some work. I had an NBA Europe story come out today and. And then one yesterday too.
So a little bit of rest, a little bit of work, and I'm doing just fine. And more time on the golf course, Joe. Hey, thank you so much. Tell everybody where they can follow you and all your work with the athletic. Yeah, I mean, I just please, you know, subscribe to the athletic, the athletic.com.
A lot of our stuff appears on the New York Times website, nytimes.com. Uh and I'm uh certainly um on the social medias Okay. Twitter handle or X handle uh at Joe Varden. And the blue stuff handle is longer, but it's my name.
So, really appreciate the follows and the support.
Well, thank you, Joe. Enjoy the vacation. We'll catch you in uh I don't know. October, okay.
Sounds good. You we'll mark it down.
