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This is the Rich Eisen Show. The Miami Dolphins clearly feel that Ramsey's departure is an addition by subtraction. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Steelers radio network host and longtime chronicler of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Carrie Dulak back in the program. You know, if they're on the back nine of their career, to me, they're putting out on the 12th ring.
Today's guests: Senior NBA writer for the athletic, Sam Amick. Actor, Brian Baumgartner, Oklahoma City Thunder Center, Isaiah Hartenstein. And now. It's Rich Isaac.
Well, hey everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Isaac Show live on the Roku channel, live also on this terrestrial radio affiliate smart enough to have us on the Infinity Sports Network, Sirius XM Channel 375, Odyssey app, and more. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial. Already, phone lines are lit. We appreciate that. Certainly, since so many of you might be just chilling out on your summer vacations or.
Tap an outra for the Fourth of July weekend early, or just doing what you normally do, which is taking in this program however you take it. We appreciate that. We've got three guests on tap. Sam Amek of the Athletics is going to join us to tell us what's going on in the NBA. He was the one who informed us Damian Lillard was elated.
Uh with being stretched and cut. by the Milwaukee Bucks. And um Obviously, we're waiting for other shoes to drop in the new league year of the NBA. Today's action, not as intense as yesterday's, but Sam will be joining us on this program. Isaiah Hartenstein of the Now, freshly minted NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder will be chilling with us.
I don't know if his baby will be as well. We'll see if we're going to zoom with a toddler. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial. Certainly, before Brian Baumgartner joins us in studio, I'm going to be hanging with Brian all next week at the American Century. Championship.
Brian is a veteran of that celebrity event. I am going to be appearing for the first time in 21 years there. Maybe I'll finally replace the divots from the last time I was there. Brian will be here in studio hanging out here in the second hour.
So there's you, as I mentioned. Give us a call. We've got tons of time to take your calls. I've got a. Power rankings list here on this Wednesday.
I know you guys love power rankings. I've got the top 10 non-quarterbacks in the National Football League. Uh, it's what we call food for thought. Good to see you over there, Christopher Brocklin. How are you?
Great to see you, man. I'm awesome. Jay Felly, Jason Feller in that spot. Is Mike already on the boat? Are you here all the rest of this week?
Yes.
Okay, very good. I got the first three-day week. Mike's already on the boat. Mike's already on the boat. Good to see you over there, TJ Jefferson.
How are you? I'm great. How about you? I'm hanging in there. Yeah.
Candles lit over there? Always. Very good. Terrific. You know what?
There's. Controversy in the air in Western Pennsylvania. I don't think there is any, but if you just Google T.J. Watts' name, Right now. Everything is Basically He's gone.
What are the best Landing spots for TJ Watt. And you know The best landing spots for TJ Watt are the same Best landing spots we once upon a time had for Devontae Adams when he was supposedly on the move. Uh Miles Garrett, when he was supposedly on the move. The top five, if you will, landing spots for TJ Wad. is your team.
That's the top five landing spots. Name me a team in the National Football League. Um Including the Pittsburgh Stews, those are the best landing spots for TJY, which is why he's going nowhere. I keep telling everybody, this is what we call a negotiation, that apparently. Um isn't Close to resolution right now.
We had Jerry Dulak on this program. Sitting there in western Pennsylvania. He's got.
Some uh Ins with the organization. He definitely knows what's going on there. He talks to a lot of people within that building. And um he said that He thinks This is going to go into training camp. Which is not great for Steelers fans because you're going to be on pins and needles thinking: is this really going to go in a certain direction?
That's not him coming back? And it's not great for TJ Watt because I'm sure he'll be on pins and needles. And there'll be times where he's really pissed because this isn't getting done to the manner of his liking, which is, according to Jerry. The highest paid non-quarterback in the National Football League, and we all know who that. individual who currently sits in that perch.
His name is Miles Garrett. Miles Garrett with $40 million a year, and TJ Watt, who is going to turn 31 years of age in October of this year. Is a guy that, as Jerry said, a couple of times in the conversation, the Steelers saw. A slight drop off in productivity from him, or at least burst, or at least. A little bit.
Showing that he's on made the turn. in his football career. I'm sure if TJ Watt heard that, or anybody named Watt heard that. they wouldn't take very kindly to that. Yeah.
Evaluation. And So There were Reports that come out. That um There are teams calling for TJ Watt. There are teams interested in TJ Watt. To which I say, No kidding.
I mean, like, why wouldn't there be? If you're... Looking at the Pittsburgh football waters and seeing Chum in there, of course you're gonna call him. Right? But at the end of the day.
At the end of the day. If this was a team with a rookie quarterback. If this was a team... That was waiting to draft a rookie quarterback. and had a veteran bridge quarterback.
That Didn't really give the team much of a chance to win a playoff game. A division, a playoff game, a playoff run. TJ Watt might be much more vocal in saying, I want out of here.
Okay. Miles Garrett did. Right. Miles Garrett prior to the Super Bowl. Said I want out.
He came on this show. And set it. To your face. To my face. To your face.
In a face. That was two Super Bowls ago. This year was to my face. You were scarred by that, too, for a little bit. No, because you know, I'm always glass half full.
I use, I'm an optimist. I like saying yes to people. I like. That's the pleaser. I'm a pleaser.
I'm a guy who wants to be happy and everyone happy around me. Honestly, that's my default.
So for God to basically say, When I say, what do you say to people who say this isn't a money play? It's like it is not. Hmm. It might not have been. Yada yada yada, yada, yada, yada.
He got $40 million a year and thus his... concerns about winning a championship with a potentially Rookie quarterback. Or Bridge quarterback that doesn't really give your chance much of a team much of a chance to win a division, go on a playoff run. Win a playoff game, go on a playoff run. Cleveland might prove us all wrong.
They have a two-time Coach of the Year and Kevin Stafansky there. Who last won the award when the quarterback was in the quarterback room won comeback player of the year just with a nice seven-week heater? In Flacco. But Aaron Rodgers is not that bridge quarterback that doesn't give you a chance.
Now, I know he hasn't played like the MVP in three years. for various reasons. But The Steelers think he can. Which is why they put the eggs in the basket. And TJ Watt.
After you go and get Rogers, after you go and trade for DK Metcalf and give him. the richest contract. in Steelers history. At that position. And You go and trade for Jalen Ramsey.
who's pretty damn expensive. You give him a million and a half dollar raise. Welcome to the team. And you bring in Jonu Smith. and triple his salary.
Here's a $12 million deal. Welcome to the team. You're only making four, now you're making 12. You go and get Darius Slay. Big play.
You'd run it back with Cam Hayward, front of the program. You draft not a quarterback. in the first round. You draft a defensive tackle because that is a an area of need. You do all of this.
Toward now. And TJ Wadd. is not going to walk. Because the Steelers tell him. You're done now.
Uh I I I can't See that. I just don't see it. It would be the silliest thing to do. Because of what he means to the team, what he means to the city, what he means to those fans, but most importantly, again, what he means to this team. They're a different team on defense.
They're a different team period when he's not out there. In the same way that his brother was plugged into the fans there in Houston. Any sack by him. Sent the Texans fans into a frenzy. The same thing happens.
Here. With Pittsburgh. He's the king of the trifecta, the sacked, force, fumble, and recovery. That's the guy he's a game wrecker. Even if he is on the back nine and showing a little bit of a a downward slide if that is your evaluation of him.
I cannot imagine the Steelers let him walk. And they'll figure it out. I just hope for everyone involved that midnight strikes in the next few weeks. I would be stunned if they say we're trading you. After all of this.
We can't figure it out. We can't find a number. We cannot in any way, shape, or form. sign you to this contract that you're looking for because down the road we're going to regret it. When the road And the rubber meeting it.
is now.
So Google all you want. Look at all those Articles about best landing spots for TJ Watt. It's anywhere they play football in the NFL. That's number one. And number two, it's not going to happen.
How they get there, I don't know. When they get there, I have no idea. But it makes zero sense to do all of this, make this nest, and then. Bounce. Again, 844-204-RICH is the number to dial in the program.
And just to continue on on the TJ1. Trainer. He is the subject of today's Who Wants to Be a Hall of Famer. Who hit it? Who wants to be a Hall of Famer?
Is that your final answer? TJ Watt is today's Item, if you will, up for bids on who wants to be a hall of famer. which is again, in case you're just joining us, the construct of this segment. As thought up by me. In the middle of the night, when I couldn't get back to sleep, was or is if.
This Candidate Never plays another game, another snap, another moment, another at bat. If we do baseball, we did this, we started this with Judge and Otani. Um Is this person already a Hall of Famer? And because it is from his neck of the woods. T.J.
Watt plies his craft where this man, once upon a time, wore a referee shirt and asked somebody, What's your shoe size? And which mall was this, TJ? TJ? Oh, I never did a mall. I was downtown Pittsburgh, Fifth Avenue.
Of course, very good.
So. Mr. PA himself, RTJ, starts with TJ Watt. Is he a Hall of Famer? Let me give you.
His numbers. Please do. 121 games played. Of his 462 total tackles, 331 of them are solo. 126 of them are for a loss.
That's tied for 26th all-time with another OG from PA. B G Brandon Graham. Ahead of Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp, and Ronde Barber. The three of them, what do they have in common? They are in the Hall of Fame.
108 sacks, that's 31st all time. More than Charles Haley, Warren Sapp, Howie Long. What do they have in common? They're enshrined. 33 force fumbles.
That's time for 20th all time. Wizard. Reggie White. And Charles Woodson. Ahead of Jared Allen, J.J.
Watt, Charles Haley. What do they have in common? They're Hall of Famers. To be or in. 23 single season tackles for loss.
That's tied for 10th all-time, and he's got 22 and a half sacks in a season. That's tied with stray. for most all time. He won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2021, seven-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro. He is the all-time franchise leader in Saks.
We all know. Who he's on top of that list, and there's a ton of people already in the Hall of Fame there. Second fastest player in NFL history to reach 100 career sacks. He achieved that milestone in just 109 games. The only one faster is Reggie White.
Never won a play off game. He is a three-time Deacon Jones Award winner, which means he's led the league in sacks three times. including once again that time he Tide Stray's record. Your first, T.J. Jefferson is TJ Watt a Hall of Famer right now.
All right, I guess we'll wrap about. You gave us some great stats. Let's look at the down, the negativity here. Just. Longevity.
Look at the length of the career, that'll be a strike against him. Postseason success, some people may hold that against him. There's only downsides I see, but everything else, Rich, with all the stats from 2019 to 22, this man was pretty dominant, Chris, in terms of sacks, pressures, run defense, and takeaways. He has comparable stats with Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, and Jared Allen. who are Hall of Famers.
Uh based upon everything you said, Rich. And the fact that in 2017, as I'm watching the draft and the Dallas Cowboys have the 28th pitch and I sat here and said, oh, he goes back there. J.J. Watts brothers here. We should probably get him.
And what do we do? We took a guy from Michigan, Taco Charlton, so that firmly established that TJ was going to have a great career because we didn't take him. I'm going to say yes. If T.J. Watt never played another down based upon all of his accolades and achievements, he would be Hall of Famer.
Plus, he's got the Hall of Fame name, TJ. Let's go. Nicely done. His rookie season is the only year in which he's not made a Pro Bowl. He's entering his ninth season in the NFL.
Christopher. Man, this is a good one. This is a tough one. Like you said, doesn't have the longevity, eight years. didn't play.
He missed a bunch of games in 2022. That's his lowest sack total, five and a half, other than his rookie season of seven. But like you said, Rich, still made the Pro Bowl in 2022. He has had a dominant stretch. Um He has all the accolades, four-time AP first team all-pro.
He's been top four. Four in Defensive Player of the Year voting five times. He won it in 2021. You mentioned some of those guys he has comparable stats to Dwight Freeny, Jared Allen, Robert Mathis. They only have him by about 15 or so sacks.
Longer careers. TJ and longer careers. And TJ Watt has more accolades than all of those guys. None of them won, I don't believe, Defensive Player of the Year. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't think he gets in on the first ballot, maybe not even the second. But if he did hang it up, TJ Watt, Hall of Famer. Yeah, and I'll make it a clean sweep. 50 passes defensed as well. I don't think he was running many routes with the receivers or running backs.
Seven interceptions. I mean, he's just a game wrecker. The force fumbles. The force fumbles thing, too. You mentioned the trifecta that he's so good at.
Sack, force fumble, then ends up recovering the fumble. He's so good at that. Led the league in sacks three times. In my opinion, he does have the single season sack record at 22 and a half. Straight hands is kind of a joke.
We know how he got that record. He's got it all. He is a complete pass rusher of the first and highest order. Yeah, I mean, we know how Straighthand. Uh you know, got the last stack.
Like the there's twenty one and a half other ones that you know. Yeah, maybe. That were legit. Maybe, maybe, you know, but no, but I understand. I mean, that's how the Warren Sapp, Michael Strahan.
Weekly segment, the sap strayhand segment on NFL network on Bucks Cam and Giants Cam was born because. Sack called out Strayhand for that. you know, that gimme sack that's that Favre gave him the cookie. And Sapph Strand went back at him and You know, we reached out and they agreed to do something together and it was great. It was a great segment.
But at any rate, yeah, I mean. How many times did I mention Reggie White's name in giving you his bona fides? You know, so. Um TJ Watt is a Hall of Fame. Another reason why the Steelers.
I mean, the Steelers. like collecting them. They don't like letting them go. Another reason why I don't think TG Watts is going anywhere. They're going to figure this thing out.
Honestly. Of all the franchises in the NFL who respect their history and you know, pay it heed. And also pay for past performances on occasion and also. Know what time it is with a level head. You may say that what they're doing is very unsteelers-like by churning through quarterbacks of veterans and.
Not fine, like they tried with Kenny Pickett, I guess, but they're still churning for the next big Ben. to build around for 10 plus years. And they're making trades that you don't normally see. And they're making moves that are very un-Steelers-like. Um what would be Crazy.
is them not doing the level-headed thing here.
So TJ Watt is in fact The latest Member of the Hall of Fame. Thanks to us. And who wants to be a Hall of Famer? All right, let's take a break here. Sam Amick of the Athletic will join us next.
What is going on with. Damian Lillard, why did it happen and what is going on with the rest of the new league year? Hoopla. Sam Amick of The Athletic coming up. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance.
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All right, we're back here on the Rich Eisen Show on the Roku Sports Channel. The radio audience will return shortly, and that's when we'll bring in Sam Amick of the Athletic, who I could see on the Zoom is. settling in his into his chair. Is there?
So actually, if he's ready right now, let's bring him on right now. Sam Amick of the Athletic here on the Rich Eyes. Good to see you, Sam. How are you? What's up, Sam?
Good morning, Rich. Good morning, guys. Thanks for having me. What is that picture behind your left shoulder? That is an old school forum shot right there?
Yeah, right. That would be the forum shot with one Lou Al Cinder and one Will Chamberlain. Wow. We got Lou Buck style. Wilt filling that Lakers role before Kareem came to town.
Before Kareem came. That's how long ago. That is neat stuff right there, man. That is neat stuff. That's up your alley, Rich.
I know we both kind of go deep on the all-time Lakers, but yeah, that is old school. I love that show. I do love old school stuff. That's back when the Lakers could only dream of being worth $10 billion, right, Sam? Right back.
Yes, that's when. When Dr. Buss got himself a good discount on the organization, it ended up paying off pretty well. Right. So is.
What would you say yesterday obviously was a massive burst of activity? But are it Is that it? Or we got more to come? Or do you think that that was the big peak, if you will? I mean, it was a peak.
It was a peak. I didn't see it. It's always fun when we've had a bunch of stunners in the past year. You know, we mentioned Lakers, none bigger than Luca trade. But, you know, Tom Thibodeau getting fired, Taylor Jenkins getting fired right before the season.
Michael Malone, Calvin Booth. I feel like if you had a. metric for shock factor, you know, this season and now this offseason. Are up there. The Miles Turner-Damian Lillard deal with Milwaukee, which we wrote about a lot today, is incredible just in terms of.
The risk factor, and again, six degrees of Lakers. You know, when you are a franchise like the Bucks. You don't have the luxury of uh feeling like if a guy like Giannis leaves town Then the next star is around the corner. That's how the Lakers get to move, not a team like the Bucks. And so you see John Horace there, GM.
Go all in and cut Damian Lillard, and you know, the incredible cost that comes with that. Yesterday was a peak. You know, where are we going next? I was just on the phone with a guy from a team just kind of chuckling about. How, on the one hand, you have high-profile stuff happening, LeBron James situation.
still a little bit worth monitoring but Free agency-wise, the chuckle that we shared was like, The DeAndre Aiden sweepstakes are front and center today. That is a word that we should not be attaching to a player like DeAndre Hayden, even though he's a former number one pick.
So, the way that things have changed in terms of free agency not being. the uh the the end all be all this time of year and the trades actually being The thing that kind of caused the fireworks is a bit of a shift. Sam Amick of the Athletics, senior NBA writer here on The Rich Eisen Show. Our radio audience returned during your, I guess, opening statement I asked you for, but. In regards to the new league year, let's start with what happened with the Milwaukee Bucks.
And the Indiana Pacers together, two teams that plain don't like each other.
So obviously, Miles Turner no longer being with the Pacers and going to the Bucs, and the way that they opened. the uh purse strings for him Um and also For Lillard to just be sent packing was really shocking, Sam. You want to. Tackle this however you wish, the genesis of it and the way it all played out. Yeah, I mean, you know, to me, the genesis, Rich, is Not to go too macro, but John Horst is a guy that bucks GM who came up.
Through the Pistons organization, initially moves over to the Bucks and rises through the ranks and becomes their GM eventually, but along the way, When Giannis is 18. And coming to town from Greece, and we all know that incredible story. John is one of the main people kind of bringing him into America, literally helping him to learn how to drive. And I highlight all of that. Because it's like you have this deep personal connection where John.
Is very committed to not losing Giannis Ardekumpo. And now, for three consecutive times in very different ways. He is double down and triple down on Bold, daring, risky moves to convince Giannis not to leave. The first one, Was going out and getting Drew Holiday. That paid off.
That was the 2021 championship. When that seemed a little bit stale, when Giannis was getting antsy and sending signals that. Maybe he would think about going elsewhere. Then Blockbuster moved with Damien Lillard. That didn't work out like they'd hoped, but it did show Giannis that, you know, we are not messing around here.
We're going to try to do big things. This one, though, we all thought they were completely stuck. You know, Dames, Achilles, heir. combined with his contract. Um, just was brutal because even going into the summer before his injury, we've reported this.
You know, they were going to talk to Dame about whether or not he still wanted to be in Milwaukee, and one of their avenues out. Of their latest kind of morass was going to be trading Damian Lillard for the next guy. And Dame was likely gonna be fine with that as long as he went somewhere. That he was happy with because he, at times, was struggling in Milwaukee off the court. He was far from his kids, all these things.
They do it again. They go after Miles Turner. They owe Dame $100. $13 million, I think it is. That gets stretched over five years for the Bucs.
That's dead money around almost $25 a year. Um on on their books but Miles Turner comes their way, they get to replace Brooke Lopez. with a guy who's eight years younger and and who does a lot of the same stuff at a higher level.
So it's about as daring and drastic as it gets. And we'll see how Giannis feels about it in the end.
Well, I mean, the fact that Giannis was, you know, it's crazy, man. God bless you and what you do for a living in the NBA and all your colleagues who follow it. I mean, we go to social media, right? Like, for a window into somebody's soul and their thought process and his. You know, post of Brooke Lopez in the championship locker room and him wondering what's going on.
With his post, and then we find out that he's upset about Lillard. no longer being there. And the question I have is it is it a roster Concern, or just he didn't like the way, as Chris Haynes, our colleague. Reported That maybe Lillard found out, like how we all did, when it became public, and that's what Giannis was upset with. What's your two cents on the Giannis thoughts, Sam?
So, I mean, your social media point is on point. It is hilarious. You know, that Brooke Lopez. Picture that Jan has put out. That came right after.
they lost brooke and it's a you know the subtitle you can see is I don't know what's going on right now, man. Funny, but telling and insightful. But then Obviously, like we said, they replaced Brooke. We have not got another social media post to indicate. how Jana feels about Miles Turner.
I have not confirmed. that Giannis is unhappy. If I'm being honest with you, knowing Giannis fairly well. I feel like that might be just political messaging because he loves Dame and wants to make sure that Dame. feel supported.
I did report in depth yesterday that Dame is not upset. He is elated. And the funniest thing is To go back to your social media point, Rich, even our jobs are estranged.
So I write. The dame is a lated, you know, very, very, you know, very good source on that in terms of. knowing where his head is at. And highlighted the fact that he's going to get paid the same amount of money the next two years. He can literally pick his spot if he wants to, he can sign a minimum deal with any contender.
That is a hell of a place to be in when you're in your mid-30s and you've never won a championship. But then I look at Instagram this morning. And Dame shared a video that had all of that reporting.
So you do kind of go, all right, clearly we're good. You know, he's. He's endorsing these ideas, but. as it relates to Giannis. I think, okay, the dame thing is now settled, that he's happy.
He's going to be on his way. I don't know exactly where Giannis is at. Uh I do think basketball wise, I see what the bucks are thinking here. And I see if you're them, why. you feel like, listen, even before they got Miles Turner.
Because of the Tyrese Halliburton injury and the way that it devastated the Pacers. Because of the Jason Tatum injury and what it did to the Celtics and all the trades since then. The Cavs coming up short, the Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau, all these East contenders that were seemingly in the Bucs' way. Had taken a major step down. If you were the Bucks, even before you get Miles Turner, you're looking at Giannis going, All right, where exactly are you going, at least in the East?
Where you think you're in a better place to at least be in the mix because you alluded to it earlier: the Bucks and Pacers rivalry was such that you already kind of knew that if Giannis is watching those finals, he's sitting there thinking, Man, you got to be kidding me! Like, we're better than this team, you know what I mean? there's just no way that he was scared of of of that Pacers team. And now that Pacers team doesn't exist.
So, not only could you sell them on the Deteriorated east.
Now you can sell them on. Hey, guess what we did? We went and we actually stole from the Pacers and we got one of their main guys. And we think that you should rock with him. But again, we're going to have to see how Giannis moves in the next couple of weeks.
And it's kind of amazing how things kind of connect, Sam. And I was talking about this on the show yesterday. You know, Josh Cronke of the Mm-hmm. Of the nuggets, right? Makes reference to how we're all one Achilles injury away from trading our best player.
He mentions number 15, everyone's hair goes on fire. Why would he just even put out into the ether the concept of trading Jokic, right? But then we see Damian Lillard blow out his Achilles and Jason Tatum blew out his Achilles, and his comment about Jokic was right before Halliburton blew out his Achilles, and all three teams. uh make big moves Because Of these Achilles injuries and how it affects their immediate future.
Now, obviously. You know, the the Celtics wanted to get out of the second apron, and they're realizing we don't, you know, really without Tatum have a shot to win it all next year. He might as well do it. And the Pacers, I guess, didn't want to pay any apron. They didn't want any apron at all.
So they move on. But the Bucs are like, yeah, let's pay this guy off. And make a move. I think these Achilles injuries all affected everything, you know, minus, I guess, Durant, who I guess might be the George Washington of playoff Achilles injuries. You know what I mean?
On this day and age, it's kind of wild. When you think about it, it is Sam. No, it's crazy. And I think there's a CBA component to this, Rich, and. The fact that The the pressure that this particular CBA is applying To teams and shortening runways, where those Achilles injuries are forcing you to immediately look at your other core players and ask yourself.
How much time and patience do we have? From those guys? And if the answer is not much, then you got a kind of fight or flight type decision to make. Are we going to hit the eject button and do what Boston is doing to a degree? Or are we going to do what the Bucks are doing, which is just Double down again and find another way, but in the kind of way that you might be paying for five, six, seven, eight years from now.
I mean, they gave up. You know, their number one asset, you know, there.
So it's, you know, you mentioned the nuggets. They are an interesting team in this discussion because they have gone all in for a lot of the Jokic era, but then they emptied their cupboard. In terms of draft assets, they are already paying the price, or at least were in the past couple of years, because the lack of depth was directly tied to some of the swings and misses they had previously. And they have been teetering. to make sure that a guy like Joker.
Has enough around him. And that's without the type of devastating injuries that we're talking about here. Jamal Murray's had some, but nothing of the caliber that these other teams have dealt with lately.
So it's just, there's like a knife's edge component to team building in the NBA right now. Like it's extremely precarious. You know, even the Thunder, who look like They are on track to do this thing for the next decade, potentially. You know, I would say they need to live in the moment and realize that you never know what might happen. Sam Amick, few minutes left with the senior NBA router for the athletic.
Let's cycle back. You know, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the DeAndre Ayton sweepstakes. And again, social media, people going nuts trying to read into things that either Makes sense to read into, but You know, Aiton showing up from what appears to be a nice vacation to Jamaica. Fresh off of the PJ at the FBO, there, maybe in Kingston. I don't know.
But um Wearing a Dodger hat. And everyone's like, oh, there we go. Lakers need him. You know what? I mean, honestly, listen, we know his.
Of his troubles and now, if you will, a journey. He's close to journeyman. I don't know. But he's teetering on that edge. All kidding aside, don't you think Luca and LeBron would be like, let's go?
Let's get him here in purple and gold, don't you think? Sam, yeah, I think Luca for sure. LeBron, I mean, you don't know if we have time to get into that one. Sam, go for it because that lot it's all tied together, it's all tied together right now. LeBron's on his own, not quite an island, it's like a peninsula right now.
You know, he's kind of gazing across the coast at Laker Nation, deciding what he thinks. Um, the Luca thing for sure, we talk about.
Some of the background connections that sometimes come into play. Luca has the same agent as DeAndre Aiden, Bill Duffy of WME Sports. That matters, I think. I do all signs right now point to very likely DeAndre being with the Lakers, not official by any means. I literally just glanced at my phone to make sure nobody gave me an update.
Nice. I had not seen. The social media post with the Dodger hat. And at this point, when it comes to that aspect of what we do. It's not conspiracy theory stuff.
Most of the time, these players know exactly what they're doing.
So that probably is a sign. Um, you know, last I checked, DeAndre is not from Los Angeles, you know, not sure. why he's a big-time Dodger fan. If he does come. Uh, it'll be an interesting one because the Lakers, man, they are, you talk about the knife's edge.
And calculated risks, they're the opposite of the bucks right now. They have refused. to go all in. Is they continue to have kind of dream scenarios for down the road? They are keeping their eyes on.
The Giannises and the Yokiches, and they don't want to give up stuff right now. help them down the road to make a run at those guys and that's all well and good. But you have to make sure that Luca signs his extension in August. You got to make sure he's feeling good about things. And again, you got to not take anything for granted in terms of what's in front of you right now, the next season and a half.
So, I mean, DeAndre could fit fine. He's just right now, he. has had one of the more troubled Careers that we've ever seen from a number one pick. You know, it's not completely bust territory, but man, it's not great. You know, I mean, our Jason Quick at the athletic.
Just had a story the other day pulling the curtain back a little bit on why Portland decided to do what they did. And it wasn't the most flattering stuff.
So I think. With that in mind, if he goes to the Lakers. A little bit like Luca, and I know it's weird to put them in the same sentence, they could both have that chip on their shoulder. Time to rehab my image and my reputation. Type energy, and maybe it turns out to be a good fit.
And the Lakers are desperate. I mean, they got. You know, Jake Laravia, but they're mostly vacant at that center spot right now. They need something desperately. And if he can turn things around with them, that would be great for them.
So before I let you go, explain your LeBron's on a peninsula comment. And I guess that, you know, if you can also weave in your interpretation of Rich Paul's statement. That red, if you didn't, you know, when I saw Rich Paul state in a place in front of me, I was saying, If you didn't give me the context about whether LeBron's staying or going, just reading that statement, I'd say this was him saying goodbye.
So, what's your two cents on that? It might be. And we're not there yet. I mean, I mentioned the other day that the tone of it. You know, only time will tell if it was a good by letter.
It might. it might end up aging like it was when we look back on it. I don't know what to make of it. I think he's, you know, he's surveying options, but he doesn't have many. It goes back to the CBA.
It's not as simple, even for a guy like. LeBron, excuse me, to wave his magic wand and go where he wants. Um I'm going to steal something from some of my buddies at ESPN, the Hoop Collective guys on their podcast. Where they talk about actions over words, and it's something that stuck in my head recently. The Lakers, as I reported the other day, they did not discuss any contract situation with LeBron that went beyond this season.
That is the action that speaks volumes about how they see him right now, which is. Their ideal scenario was going to be that he announced. His retirement and allowed them to celebrate him for the entire year. And that would have been the cleanest, easiest way for this relationship to come to an end. His desire to continue playing, which is obviously his right, will potentially be problematic, where they just have to reach a point where they can't.
Continue doling out $50 plus million dollars in the kind of way to him.
So that's where I think he's looking at everything, monitoring, and we'll see where it goes. But it does feel a little crunchy and dicey at the moment. Screw it, let's just start something. Player coach for the Knicks. What do you think, Sam?
They could use the Braun. They need a coach. Mike Brown's not happy with you right now, Richie. Is he near the finish line? Is this it?
Is this it? Have we found one? Is it Mike Brown? Have we found one? I think we're getting there.
I mean, we'll see. He's supposed to meet with James Dolan. potentially today trying to get clarity on that. He is the clear frontrunner and It does seem like all the the energy from the front office and the organization is headed in Mike's direction. There's still been some other names attached.
James Borrego, obviously Taylor Jenkins was in the mix, but Mike seems pretty far out ahead, but the James Dolan factor looms, and we'll see what Jim is feeling. The looming Dolan factor. That might be a good fantasy team name right there. You can write that one down. Sam, thanks for the time.
Always appreciate our chats and your time. Thanks, bud. Of course. Thank you, Rich. You got it.
Everyone, check out Sam Amick and all of his writings, a senior NBA writer for the athletic year on the Rich Eisen Show. With a Venmo debit card, you can Venmo more than just your friends. You can use your balance in so many ways. You can Venmo everything. Need gas?
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If networks busy. Taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com. We've done this before with you. I've got three social situations.
You are the judge and jury as to what is done. First one is destination weddings. It's already funny. Destination weddings. I say to my wife, we're going to a destination wedding, we should not give a present.
Because my presence is my present. What do you say, Larry? First of all, where is the wedding? How far is it? Another country.
Okay, you don't even go. You don't go. You don't go. But what's a close family friend? I don't care.
I am not flying 14 hours on a plane to somebody's wedding. I'm not going to do that. Even if it's a nice destination where it's a nice hotel and you're set up? No, 14 hours on a plane, you can't even breathe. Come on.
So what would be the distance from your house that you would have? An hour and a half by car. That's it. No plane that you didn't. You don't get on planes for weddings.
Right. Okay, out of the question. Here's social situation number two for you, Larry David. You're going over to somebody's house.
Okay. All right, for, let's say, the fight, the Mayweather-McGregor fight. This happened to one of our producers, Ken Tulo, okay? They brought desserts. Fight ends.
Nobody's touched the desserts. They like these desserts. Is it okay to take the desserts home?
Well, we did this on Seinfeld. You did? Yeah, the Marble Rye.
Well, the marble.
Okay. Here's the thing. Yes.
You bring it over. Do they know you brought it over? Yes, they do.
Well, if they know you brought it over, then you can't take it. But what if nobody's tried it? You know, it's not like a bottle of wine. A bottle of wine could be savored later on. It's still imperishable.
You're bringing it to the host, right? That's true. The host saw it. It's different if the host didn't see it, then you could sneak out with it.
So if the host never saw it, if the host is on the table and there's no note, that's when you could take it. If you think you're not going to get caught, yeah, then you could take it. The problem is though, Larry, is you never know what was looking. The eye in the sky may be a little bit more like that.
Well, that's the gamble. Yeah. But if the host sees it... You can't take it. All right, the last one for you, Larry.
LD, shoes off on a plane. Do you have a problem with somebody on a plane tonight? I have the big problem with it. Yeah. Oh, boy.
Yeah. Keep them on, okay? You know, don't make yourself. It's not your house, all right? You're outside, you're in public.
I don't want to see your socks. And God forbid, you have a little odor down there who needs that, right? And I don't even want to know if you do have it. Exactly, it's close quarters. Come on.
Take a couple of minutes, keep your shoes off.
So, those who take their shoes off with shorts on and then put their socked feet up on the bulkhead. Oh, God, Almighty. No, God. Oh, God. That is out.
Yes.
Okay. Happy birthday to Larry David. Oh, nice. Here on July 2nd, LD. This is a dream.
God bless it. I got to tell you, the number of times that people are like, you know. I don't care. Love watching your show, whatever. And they mention the guests, and Larry's like one, if not one A.
You know.
So Happy birthday to LD. Ashley David, his wife, who was on this program. 'Cause she, uh Produced, directed this documentary on pickleball. She's the guest on Women's Sports Now. that you can check out right here on Roku tomorrow.
Uh recording it later today.
So That'll be a great chat. on women's sports now. along with also the Commissioners' Cup champion. Indiana fever.
So that'll be on women's sports now later on today. Anything stand out to you from the Sam Aimick chat? Christopher Brockman, anything stand out to you? Um the Lakers never really had a conversation about LeBron after this season. I saw Wendy say that this morning, too.
The Lakers are viewing him as an expiring contract.
So why would they not trade him? Mm. Very interesting. Uh And Dave McMiniman reporting that four teams have already reached out to inquire about LeBron's availability. Oh, what would he be worth?
Yeah. I don't think as much as you can. Get out of here. Get out of here. Get out of here.
I don't think as much as you would expect. Out of here. Why? Wasn't he? I don't know the numbers.
All I know is I had him on my fantasy team last year, and he was good. He was good. Second round, I think it was second team all NBA, you know, probably. I imagine without looking, I imagine he was probably 26, 7, and 7. Where was Desmond Bain?
About his time. Was he a second team All NBA? Desmond Bain? I don't believe so. And I understand he's much, way younger than LeBron.
I get it. Desmond Bain was 19, 6, and 5.
Okay. And he went for how many draft picks? Four, four, five. And I don't care if LeBron is 40 gajillion years old. It doesn't matter.
LeBron is old. That's true. He immediately. immediately puts your team on a map. That they may not be on.
Immediately. In terms of basketball or just eyeballs? All of it. Doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how you interpret what I'm saying.
Value. He brings value. LeBron was 24, 8, and 8. Get out of here. I mean Honestly.
One of the top players in the NBA, understand he doesn't have a lot of road in front of him. Yeah. Who would be the teams to go get him? Like, who would be the Heat? Would the Heat want him back?
Well do you want to go to the heat? Probably not. I don't think the Heat are in a position to contend for an NBA title. Name me a team that would reach out for him. Cavs.
Yeah. Calves, yes. Just to kind of put a bow on everything. Oh, my goodness gracious. Yeah.
That's a good one. Who else?
Next would be hilarious. I I just don't think the I don't know. That would be amazing. Bron, Kat, and Brunson. Yeah.
So, what? It would have to be Bridges and anybody else not nailed down? Probably OG and a bunch of picks and others.
Well, I mean, it would definitely have to be Mitchell Robinson. Yes.
Yeah, for sure.
Well, didn't they just sign Yabaselli, right? And didn't just sign him? They did. And Jordan Clarkson. Just Clarkson, we didn't even talk about it.
That's right. That's a nice little certified bucket getter. Yeah, don't push me in the don't trade for LeBron. Because that's not a bad.
Well, different than saying don't trade for 40-year-old LeBron and 27-year-old Giannis. Listen, those are two bench players the Knicks traded for that 100% are going to get minutes. Right? Because if they don't make any moves, those guys don't crack the starting lineup, right? Jordan Clarkson's not starting.
No, no, he's definitely a six-man. He's a six-man, like, first guy off the bench, getting you buckets. Right, so. Two guys that Thibodeau absolutely Absolutely would have been forced to play. But it's going to be Mike Brown's team.
Well, according to Ian Begley, the Knicks have checked in on Ben Simmons.
Okay. I mean, these are laugh all you want, man. Yeah, I'm going to. Go ahead.
Okay. Remember, I'm a six or five. LeBron in play, huh? That's what you took from Sam Amicks' comments? LeBron.
I think the Lakers are viewing him as an expiring contract. A one-year guy, not anything after the next season. Right, which is why you win now. You got LeBron and Luca. Signed DeAndre Ayton.
When now?
Well, Bron and Luca, you lost in the First round. Yeah, I mean. They didn't have anybody room protecting brother. I don't know if Aiton's the answer, but he's better than what they currently have. Brian Baumgartner in studio, hour number two, my top.
I guess power rankings of best non-quarterbacks in the NFL coming up. Still here on the Roku Sports Channel. If everybody's on hold, stay on hold. We're going to take your calls. I promise.
I know I said. Phone calls next, and I didn't take a phone call. That's like Radio 101 of what not to do. You know.
Hey, stay tuned. Thank you. If you believe it. Mm-hmm. I wonder if you wrote that, Larry.
It's not a lie if you believe it. Seems possible. Um Breath of Hitman heart birthday today, TJ. Also, I believe it is the anniversary of Men in Black hitting theater. Oh, I did see that.
Love Men in Black. That's a great one, man. Great movie. I don't know of a bad movie Will Smith's ever made. Or A bad movie that's not because of him.
Because he's great in it. You don't really ever have a bad time at a Will Smith movie. Ever. Right. For anything.
Right? And Tommy Lee Jones. Made me, reminds me. I was thinking, I've got to show the fugitive to my kids. I think they're now of the age.
where they would they would like it. Man, they might think it's kinda slow. Why? Come on, it's movies, dude. I know RD or older people who really like that movie.
I know. I mean, a 14-year-old, I don't know if it's sticking around through Provasic. I'd have to explain to them what's the ending, could be confusing with Dr. Nichols switching the samples. Yeah, yeah, I understand.
I don't know, bro. That's they've seen Men in Black, yes. Oh, yes.
Okay. That they have seen. They have seen Men in Black. They would know Tommy Lee Jones as the guy from Men in Black in the same way they would know De Niro as the guy from War on Grandpa or War with Grandpa, which is truly one of Susie's. I haven't The first De Niro movie.
You'll never forget your first De Niro movie. Susie and I have parented well, I like to say, but that is one of our biggest failings. Oh, you couldn't show him Taxi Driver First for the sake. I know. I don't know.
Maybe Meet the Parents could have been a good one. That could have been a good one. Lay in with De Niro. How do you. How do you introduce Robert De Niro to your children?
I think that was my first. Was Meet the Parents. Meet the Parents? Was it? Yeah.
Your first episode. You didn't see Boodfellas first or anything? No. I didn't see it until later on. I think Goodfellas is probably my first.
Yeah, De Niro doesn't have too many kid friends. Like, analyze this might have been a good one. To to introduce to Nero. That would have been good. He does shoot a pillow in therapy.
I mean, that's a good idea. Listen, I know there's no way around it. Listen, if you would have told me their intro was Sam Rothstein, I would have thought completely different. No, I don't know. We couldn't have shown him casino.
This is the way they learned about De Niro. And I had to stop the movie and explain to them, which is, as you know, an egregious offense. Jim Rome takes on sports. Why? Because you're not playing me.
With rapid fire takes. And a lot to get to, and I'm not sure you're going to like all of it. Honestly, I don't even care if you like all of it or not. I have a job to do. Scorching debates.
On any given week, you have lots to beef about. Take advantage of it. Get up in here. He's the Spitfire of Sports Smack. Which is not my fault.
We will get to all of that. The Jim Rome Show podcast. Get up in here and we'll beef later on. What's your beef? Follow and listen on your favorite platform.
You've been warned. Uh
