LeBron 1000% Should Leave LA (Hour 1)

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Price and coverage match limited by state law. Odyssey App. Live from the play show yet not overly ostentatious, Studios of the Infinity Sports Network. This is a Tuesday edition of the Zach Gelb show across all of our great local Infinity Sports Network affiliates, Sirius XM, Channel 158, the free Odyssey App and of course streaming live on YouTube. 855-212-4227 is the number to jump on in. 855-212-4227. You could always get at me on Instagram where I'm straight flexing or via the good old cesspool of Twitter at Zach Gelb.

That's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. I got Moist Mike. I got Stuart Kovacs rocking and rolling with me all the way up until 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Pacific today. Coming up 40 minutes from now, former Bears Pro Bowl defensive end now does a great job. NBC Sports Chicago, Alex Brown will stop by and coming up at 4 20 p.m. Eastern time, 1 20 p.m. Pacific today, the host of Lakers Nation, longtime Laker correspondent Trevor Lane is going to stop by. And as expected, even though it was a much better game that I thought and it kind of played into what this series was, the Lakers, they get a lead. Then Denver is within striking distance. They find a way to take over the game and then it could be a 50-50 game in the final few minutes. And then Jamal Murray hits another big shot, two game-winning shots in this series. And you say goodbye to King James and the Los Angeles Lakers as Denver got the series W in five games. And that will set up a highly anticipated matchup between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. So give credit to Nicole Jokic, give credit to Jamal Murray, give credit to Mike Malone, give credit to that Nuggets team. They are on the quest to be coming back to back NBA champions. It starts with the victory and the series victory last night.

And now it does have a Western Conference Finals feel in the second round with the buzz around both these teams in the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. But we have to start the show with the future of LeBron James. And when I look at the future of LeBron James, there's three options.

And here's the captain obvious statement laying out those three options. He could retire. He could opt out of his contract and go somewhere else, or he could opt out of his contract and return to Los Angeles. And I did find it funny how the other day when we did start the show talking about Kevin Durant, it was right in the aftermath of the Suns getting swept. And there was already a piece on the athletic talking about how Frank Vogel and Kevin Durant didn't see eye to eye. Many players, including Kevin Durant, didn't fit into what Frank Vogel was trying to do. And there's all this speculation about Kevin Durant's future. When Kevin Durant got to the podium, he said, I can't provide context to this because if I do provide context, then it's going to be made as me looking like I'm making a bunch of excuses. So you hear from LeBron James last night and will play his audio in just a second about his future.

He basically says nothing. But the moment when the game ended last night, the moment when Jamal Murray said, screw Stu, as Stu was very confident. I texted Stu with about 10 minutes left in the third quarter.

What a mush. What a jinx. Stu has had no confidence in this series whatsoever. Didn't even want them to win their first playing game.

He wanted to avoid the Nuggets. I say, Stu, scale one to 10. Where's the confidence? Stu's like seven and a half. He goes, they're winning this game. They are getting this series back to Los Angeles for a pivotal game six.

They may even win this series. That's what I was hearing from Stu. And the moment I saw Stu text that and that text come across my screen, I'm like, okay, we know how this is going to work. We know that Jamal Murray's going to hit a big shot. We know Nicole Jokic is going to do enough. He'll come alive and the Lakers will get genuinely swept out of the post season, which ended up happening.

But right after that game did come to a conclusion and I had to text Stu and make sure that he was still standing upright and help him get off the floor and wipe away all of his tears. I see this article from the athletic and it's Shams Sharaniya once again. Shams Sharaniya getting used by Kevin Durant and Kevin Durant's representation. Also getting used by LeBron James and his representation.

And the article was the Lakers are very open to the idea of drafting Bronny James. And then, of course, because it's never on LeBron, you have to justify a series. And, hey, LeBron did everything he could. I'm not crushing LeBron in this series, but there's always a scapegoat when the LeBron team doesn't win a championship. And this time around, it's Darvin Ham as the Ham is on the chopping block.

Kisham Sharaniya right after the game. Yeah, it's unlikely that Darvin Ham will be back as the head coach of Los Angeles Lakers. So I'll give you my thought about the future of LeBron James in just a moment. But let's hear from King James. Was this his last game with the Lakers last night? Let's listen up to LeBron tonight. Was there any thought at all that this could have been your last game with the Lakers? I'm not gonna answer that.

Appreciate it. So here comes the drama from King James. Last year, out of nowhere, when he got swept out of the Western Conference Finals, he goes, Who knows if I'm going to return next year? Maybe I'll retire.

And that was just to be used as the front. So the next day, all of us bloviating talk show hosts would just be talking about the future of LeBron James. And this year, he gives a very ambiguous answer where you could take that answer and he's like, Oh, I don't know if I'll be back in LA. Maybe that means LeBron is going to join Luka and Kyrie in Dallas. Maybe LeBron's going to team up with Steph Curry in Golden State. Maybe LeBron, Rich Paul and Leon Rose, they had a meeting this year, try to rectify that relationship after Leon brought Rich Paul under his wing and learned everything from him. And then Rich Paul basically stabbed Leon Rose in the back and took LeBron James with them. Oh, that relationship's in a good spot. Maybe it's go New York, go New York, go for LeBron James.

Trust me. I know all the hot takes that are already starting to brew off that LeBron James non-answer. So maybe LeBron's back in LA. Maybe LeBron retires.

Don't think that's going to happen. Or maybe LeBron is on a different team. Let's hear one more for LeBron. So King James season's over. What's next? If you're not going to answer the, is this your last game in Los Angeles? What's next for you King James? Have you given any initial thoughts of what comes next this summer for next season?

Nah, I just want to get home to the family, honestly. Start looking at the schedule. Obviously I got, you know, my son, one of my boys is just trying to decide if he's going to, you know, enter the draft or go back to school. I've got another kid that's playing A.U. ball right now. My daughter's playing volleyball.

And my wife is doing so many great things. So it's about family right now. And then in a couple months I gotta go to Vegas for training camp.

So, you know, I gotta rest my body for USAB. But that's kind of the initial thoughts. So the thoughts that nobody cares about. We would want to know what the intentions of LeBron James are. But this is in the LeBron playbook.

Delay, delay, delay, speculation, speculation, speculation. And then when you least expect it, LeBron James will announce what he's going to do. You know, if this was LeBron first stint in Cleveland, if this was LeBron in Miami or even the second stint in Cleveland, I think a lot of people would suggest that a lot of people would feel very confidently that LeBron James was going to leave the Lakers. Because LeBron, let's be real, he does not have a chance to win a championship again in L.A. And when he was in Cleveland the first time, he left because he didn't feel like he could win a championship there. Then when he was in Miami, two NBA championships in four years, you started to see Dwayne Wade slow down. We know the unfortunate health situation with Chris Bosh.

They were slowing down. Okay, I gotta go back to Cleveland. And then you win a championship in Cleveland, but you knew that that team could just get back to the finals but never going to win another one. Then it was to go to L.A. But remember, when he elected to go to L.A., people thought that this was more of a business decision rather than a quest to win an NBA championship. And I know people will look back at LeBron's career and they will say, the Lakers scenario, the Lakers partnership, it was a bit disappointing. He did exceed what the expectations were. I remember when LeBron announced he was going to Lakers, no one thought he was going to win a championship. He did win a championship, although it was in the bubble, which I don't hold it against him.

And that's something that people didn't think he was going to do. So the old LeBron, you would think he would leave. But the new LeBron, I don't think we really know what the playbook is going to be and how he's going to operate this, because this is a different version of LeBron because his old intentions are drastically different than what his new intentions have been as of late. So I'll make a statement and then I'll make two predictions on the future of LeBron James. The statement is he 1000% should leave the Los Angeles Lakers. He should opt out. He should go to a new team and go to a team where he could actually, in the final year or two of his career, win a championship. I've said this before.

I'll say it again. I would love to see this summer LeBron team up with Steph Curry and then join forces in the Bay Area. But even though that's what I think should happen, that's not what I think will happen. I do believe LeBron will opt out, but he will sign an extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. I also believe that the Lakers are going to make a run right or wrong at drafting Bronny James. And I think next year that the Lakers get Bronny James and then you start the retirement tour for LeBron. Can LeBron go play another two, three years?

Yes. Even though LeBron's body has suffered some injuries in Los Angeles, his individual production, even though he's still not the best player in the league, he's still a dominant player. And he does things at 39 that the human body should not be able to do. But I really do believe that the combination of LeBron staying in LA, the Lakers drafting Bronny James, and then LeBron turning 40 in December and entering year 22, that that will be his final season in the NBA. And LeBron James after year 22 will hand the baton right to his son. We all think he should hand the baton to other potential future faces of the league. And I don't think that's Bronny James, but he'll hand the baton to his son, Bronny James in LA after living out that dream that he's inspired and he's aspired to have for so many years.

So that's where I think we're at. If I'm LeBron, I would leave. I don't think he will. I think the Lakers draft Bronny and I think LeBron plays one final season with the Los Angeles Lakers, but what say you eight five five two one two forty two twenty seven eight five five two one two forty two twenty seven. We also have a poll question up at INF Sportsnet and also at Zach Geld. Will LeBron James be back with the Lakers next season?

Here are the three choices. Yes, he'll be back with the Lakers. No, he's retiring and no, but a new team is coming right now. Fifty five point nine percent believe LeBron is going to be joining a new team next year. Thirty six point five percent say he will be back with the Lakers and a miniscule amount of people. Seven point six percent say that he's going to retire. I think number one, it's back with the Lakers. Number two, he goes to a new team. Number three, he's retiring. I did not feel last night, even though.

Right. We've heard LeBron speculate about the end being near when LeBron walked off the court last night. I did not feel like that was his last game. And I would be very surprised with how LeBron likes to be the center of attention.

There's nothing wrong with that. That he would walk away without at least a month notice that he wouldn't at least give right fans or more importantly, his ego getting stroked and all the gifts and everything an opportunity to say goodbye. And I really do believe that this is going to be a year retirement tour. And I think about the family connection for LeBron because say what you want about LeBron. But LeBron has been an incredible father. And LeBron James with Bronnie James.

Yes, this may be his dream. I don't know if it's Bronnie's dream, but the Lakers, that's the feel right after the game that they'll be open and very open to the idea and drafting Bronnie. And you even hear LeBron saying the shams or this was the reporting that the Lakers would be interested in giving LeBron up to a three year max extension.

So there's many different ways that this could go. But my thought last night, right when I saw the Shams article was I don't think that was LeBron's final game. I do think the Lakers are going to do all they can to land Bronnie. And then from a family kind of lens of view of it, it just feels like once Bronnie is on the same team as LeBron, that will be the swan song. That will be the ride off into the sunset moment for LeBron. Stu, where are you at? I know that you're ready to or at least I thought you were.

You've said it. I don't know if this has changed in the last 24 hours, but you have said before, you're fine if LeBron leaves the team this offseason. Where are you at right now? What do you think will happen at the end of the day?

Yeah, I would be fine. I think this would be a time where if he left and wanted to maybe chase the ring, team up with someone like Steph or Luca, I would not have a problem with that at all. What I think he will do, I don't think he's retiring.

I think that's close to a 0% chance, maybe like a 1% chance. He wants the retirement tour for sure. I think he's back with the Lakers. I don't think it's a definite, but if I had to bet my money, I think there's a better than 50% chance he's back with the Lakers next year.

All right. And what's the contract looking like? Two-year extension, three-year extension, one-year extension? I think two years. Two years. Now, does he see the entirety of the two years or is it, okay, you draft Brony, I'll sign a two-year extension, I'll play for one and then I'll walk away and just axe the final year of that extension? I think he plays one more year.

Gotcha. Now, I will say this, to give credit to the Lakers, they reward their own. And I know LeBron won't be remembered as a Laker, but the last few years, he's been one of their own. And if you have done great things on a basketball court, the Lakers tend to like to keep you around and also cater to that individual. You know, and that's why I kind of think I have not been someone that has a bit of the belief that Brony's playing with LeBron.

I just haven't been in that belief. But knowing the Lakers organization and then hearing what Shams reported last night, I would actually be somewhat surprised if Brony isn't getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, because probably Brony shouldn't be a lottery pick and other Lakers are just right outside of that. But if a team gets wind or if a team just wants to try to expedite this process, hey, draft is in late June or middle June, let's try to give ourselves a chance. That could make Brony rise up the draft boards. So whoever dressed Brony, whether it's Lakers or not, then you're going to have the LeBron Dominoes fall as well. That's why LeBron wasn't saying anything last night, because he knows there's the Brony Domino. And then there, whatever happens with the Brony Domino may impact what he likes to do with this future. What say you about the future of LeBron James?

855-212-4227. We will take a time out. Nuggets and Timberwolves will be an amazing series. And Denver is starting to look like one NFL legendary franchise. I'll tell you who that is when we return. Yo, yo, it is the Infinity Sports Network and it is the Zach Gelb show. LeBron and the Lakers.

Goodbye. Denver off to round two where they'll go up against, maybe, my favorite player in basketball right now, Anthony Edwards. You know, this is going to be a tough series for me to watch because I love watching Nicole Jokic. I've always had a great appreciation for Jamal Murray as well. There has been some years where I have said Jamal Murray isn't the Nuggets best player. Clearly that's Nicole Jokic, but he could be their most valuable and people will be like, oh, how does that make any sense? Nicole Jokic has won two MVPs because we'll get what happened with the Sixers. Like for so many years, Joel Embiid was a great big man, but the Sixers never had a closer. Jamal Murray is the closer. Like when the Bucks won a championship, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a closer in Chris Middleton in that one year.

When you are a big, it's very tough. And I know Nicole Jokic is such a different big because his range is incredible. His passing is sensational. We know what he is as a rebounder, but you need someone to compliment Nicole Jokic and be the finisher.

And the teams that find a way to win championships with bigs always have a finisher. And quite frankly, Jamal Murray may be the most underrated player in the NBA. I know he's had a bunch of injuries. I know he's been in and out of the lineup. He's never made an all star game, but this dude just the last few years when he's been back and healthy, big shot after big shot to win a championship.

And now the Nuggets are on their way to winning back to back or trying to attempt to win back to back championships. And then you look at the timber walls, Anthony Edwards right now, pound for pound could be the most entertaining player to watch in the ad of all the remaining players in the NBA postseason. And there's sometimes like Nicole Jokic is so entertaining to watch, but he doesn't embrace the stardom. He doesn't embrace the big personality. He doesn't have a big personality as big of a game that Anthony Edwards has on the court. His personality in doing interviews is just as big. And that's always fun when you have a star that also likes to embrace the stardom and likes to talk to the media and gives you a good quote as well. And Anthony Edwards could hit a Steph Curry like three pointer and then he could throw a jam down in your face. And I keep on saying this. He has a Michael Jordan feel to him.

Now don't get crazy. Jordan fans. That's not me saying he's going to be the greatest player ever. That's not me saying he's Michael Jordan. Cause I know a sensitive, some of you MJ fans are, but he has that killer mentality where he doesn't fear anybody. And if you step foot in the court with them, you know, it's going to be a long night and Minnesota quickly took care of business against the sons, right?

Yeah. You heard what Anthony Edward said, Kevin Durant, you know, whatever. Like I know he has respect for Kevin Durant and he, he hyped up his own player. Well, Minnesota is now going up against a different animal and that's the Denver nuggets.

And you guys know me. I've said all throughout the year, I will not pick against Denver until Denver is not an option to pick anymore. Meaning they lose.

This is a series that I would be shocked if that bare minimum, we don't get a great six game series in all likelihood, probably a seven game series. That's how much respect I have for the killer mentality that Anthony Edwards has. The problem with Denver is I just don't know how you beat them. Denver to me are the Kansas city chiefs. They're the NBA's version of the Kansas city chiefs. They have a great duo, Nicole Jokic, Jamal Murray, just like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. And then also both Denver and Kansas city has games where you're like, Hmm, they didn't play their best brand of basketball or football or, Oh, they're trailing and they make this ridiculous comeback. And even if they don't look like they're the superior team on the court throughout every minute of the game, when the game ends, you're like stew last night, where you have to pick yourself up the floor because you were crying when you go, how did they just blow that game? How did Jamal Murray just snatch my soul from my heart?

Right? That's what they do. Now we already know Kansas city is a dynasty. They've won three championships.

You need three championships and a certain amount of years to be a dynasty. Denver's on their way though. And Denver can, and probably will win back to back championships this season, which Oh yeah, by the way, Kansas city just did. And I go back to the series, I think it was up against the warriors three years ago where Denver wasn't healthy and they lost in like five games and people are like, Oh, Denver can't win at all.

And I'm like, why not? Michael Porter Jr. Was hurt in that series. Jamal Murray wasn't available for that series. And for Denver, you knew that this was a team that was ready to be great because of the one-on-one player that they have the best player in the league in Nicole Jokic.

And they had the complimentary pieces. The problem is the complimentary pieces were hurt in Michael Porter Jr. Who fell in the draft because of a back injury and Jamal Murray with the unfortunate leg injuries that he did suffer. And I know that Jamal Murray was dealing with a little bit of an injury last night. He had to get talked into, or he talked himself into playing and he was just on fire right out of the gate.

And he was awesome when the moment mattered the most. And then there was a chance to put that nail in the coffin of the Los Angeles Lakers and winning a series like that for Denver in five games in the first round is enormous because health and having your legs through this long journey. And I know, Hey, there's some NBA series that they take.

It feels like four weeks with how many off days there are, but being able to get out of a first round series quicker, always benefits. And I know it's going to be a little bit different. I know it's going to be a little bit different. I know it's going to be a little bit different. I know it's going to be a little bit different.

I know it's going to be a little bit different. And who knows, maybe if they would have lost that game last night, you go back to Los Angeles, you would have never lost the series, but you lose game six. And then you have a game seven where you probably would have won. But getting that series done in five games was absolutely enormous. So Denver is on the cusp of becoming the NBA's version of the Kansas city chiefs.

And you just keep on seeing box after box after box, get checked, check, check, check, check. When you look at the Denver Nuggets, and now they just need to win back to back championships and do what Kansas city did this past year in the NFL real quickly, because we started the show talking about LeBron. And I put out that poll question, which you could find at INF sports net and also at Zach Gelb. Will LeBron James be back with the Lakers next season? No, he's retiring is at 7.5% of the vote. 36.8% of you say yes, he'll be back with the Lakers and 55.7% say no, a new team is coming. I believe that LeBron will be back at the Lakers. I've said, I believe Bronny James is going to get drafted by the Lakers and LeBron will then play one more season.

And year 22 will be his final season in the NBA. But let me entertain the idea because I've said, LeBron should leave. Let me entertain the idea that LeBron does leave. I think there's only five destinations unless Stu or Sam could give me another destination for, I think everyone will have these four teams on the list.

The fifth one, I think it's a dark horse. So the Knicks will always be mentioned. And I guess rich Paul and Leon Rose with their separation when Leon brought in LeBron, Leon was LeBron's agent. He kind of groomed rich Paul and then rich Paul took LeBron and they started their own thing, right?

Clutch sports. So the Knicks, just the fact that Leon and rich Paul had that meeting, I think is very big. And maybe you get rid of Julius Randall, you team up LeBron James and you got Jaylen Brunson.

That could be a possibility in New York. If LeBron's leaving the Sixers, I thought a few years ago when LeBron was picking to go to LA and when he was leaving Cleveland, I thought the Sixers would have been a good destination. Then now you have Joel Embiid who can't stay healthy.

You got Tyrese Maxey, who's about to become a star. You bring LeBron James and that's a pretty damn good lethal trio in the association. I would love to see him go to the warriors. I don't think Steph Curry with this current group is winning a championship at the warriors. I don't think LeBron with this current group is winning a championship at the Lakers. Like I've seen some people say, Oh, the Lakers big move this off season is going to be Trey young.

Yeah, I get it. The Lakers need shooting, but this Trey young with Anthony Davis and LeBron James with 80 can never stay healthy. And LeBron's have suffered injury in Los Angeles. Does that lead to a championship?

I don't think so. And then the fourth team is the Dallas Mavericks. I don't know how they make it work from a salary cap standpoint and all that stuff, but we know that that Kyrie has been interested in reuniting with LeBron and LeBron has been interested in playing with Luka Doncic. He has talked about the admiration that he's had throughout the years for Luka Doncic. So those are four destinations for LeBron, the Knicks, the Sixers, the warriors and the Mavs.

Here's the dark horse. I can't see LeBron going to this team, but they are one of the better teams in the NBA and they have a great young roster. And that's the Oklahoma City Thunder could like, I can't see LeBron going to Oklahoma City, but if he's actually serious about trying to win a championship and we know what the Thunder just did the other night, quickly getting through the second round and they are the number one seed in the Western Conference and he's willing to go to OKC, then yeah, the Thunder would be stupid not to bring him in. So those are five destinations.

I don't think LeBron's leaving, but if he was Knicks, Sixers, Warriors, Mavs and the dark horse are the Oklahoma City Thunder. Let's go to Darren and Omaha next up on the Zach Gelb show 855212-4227. Darren, what do you got cooking for us today? Hey Zach, thanks for having me on. Love your insight.

Love your show. I think two main reasons why LeBron's staying with the Lakers is one, Lakers are going to tell him, yeah, we're going to get brawny because the Lakers have become kind of like Jerry Jones and the Cowboys. They care more about selling tickets and staying popular than really doing what it takes to win championships because Lakers the last two years have not done much to give a supporting cast to take them seriously the last two years. So that's one.

Number two, Zach, I'd love to get your insight on this too. I just didn't see LeBron have the big desire to want to go do what it takes to win a championship. As I watched him play that series against Denver on the offensive end, yeah, he still looks great. Defensive end, a lot of times he's getting out rebounded by Jokic. He's getting out rebounded by Gordon and I just didn't see him do all those little things too late in the game. When it matters, he's getting out shot by Murray. Do those things that really the desire that you'd want to see him have on the defensive end to make sure and get the rebound the box out. I just didn't see it a lot and that's why they lost a lot of those close games.

Well, Darren, I appreciate the phone call and thank you for the kind words. Um, I don't think that was a want to issue with LeBron, but even though LeBron like LeBron is slowing down, he's still great though. So he's lost the step, but LeBron losing a step is still him being a top five, a top 10 player in the sport. But you got to remember, he's closing in on 40.

So even though he's still in pristine condition, he is even going to slow down in these series. And also he knows what a championship team is and he has to know down deep. He knows he's been on teams that have got to finals that aren't championship teams. He knew that this team wasn't going on a run.

Heck, it was crazy. Last year they got to the Western conference finals. So I'm not going to say it was a lack of want to buy LeBron James, but probably yes, some human emotion does take over where you know that this group isn't going to get there. But I thought LeBron, you know, if he could have made that three, you know, in the game where Murray hits the game winner, okay, you could say that, but he also made two other threes in that contest to just regain the lead.

So you could nitpick everything and find, you know, a few things along the way, but I don't really think there's much more that LeBron James could have done in that series. Alex Brown, former Bears defensive end, Pro Bowler is going to stop by now. Great job, NBC Sports Chicago. What are the expectations in year one for Caleb Williams in the Windy City? We'll find out next.

Update time first. Here's the act man, Rich Ackerman. The defensive play of the week is sponsored by the Navy Federal Credit Union who proudly serves the armed forces, DoD veterans and their families. Their members are the mission.

Learn more at navyfederal.org. This week's player is Knicks forward Precious Ochoa, who in Sunday's 97 to 92 win over the Sixers, had four blocked shots. The Knicks as a team had 11 blocked shots and held Philly to their lowest point output since March 12th, where they scored just 79 points also against the Knicks, and the Knicks will try to close out the Sixers tonight at the world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden. We'll talk some more hoops throughout the show, but now let's get back to the NFL gridiron. We welcome in a former NFL defensive end, played many years for the Chicago Bears, did make two Pro Bowls, and now does a great job NBC Sports Chicago.

Bears in the news, very much so with Caleb Williams and Roma Dunze being two of the picks going to Chicago in the first 10 picks of the NFL draft, and Alex Brown is kind enough to join us right now on the Zach Gelb show. Alex, appreciate it. Thanks so much. How you been? I've been great man. Thanks for having me, Zach.

I appreciate you coming on. So a lot of excitement in Chicago. They had seven wins a year ago. We know the brilliant trade that they made to get the number one overall pick the year prior. Now you're adding Caleb Williams.

Now you add in Roma Dunze. How good do you think the Bears could be here in your number one of the Caleb Williams era? Oh, I think they can be damn good. Honestly, I think they can be as scary if not scarier than any offense that the Bears have ever seen that Chicago bear fans have ever seen. Honestly, you finally have a talent at the quarterback position that truly, and I said this before, that truly has the talent.

If everything goes well, if you hit it right, to be a Hall of Famer. And his floor be Jay Cutler. I don't think there's any way he throws less than 3,800 yards.

I really don't. Not with the weapons he have, not with the offense that they're running. I don't think there's any way, and that's the most yards that Jay Cutler threw. I think he threw maybe 28 touchdowns in a year. I think that is the floor for Caleb Williams, even in his rookie year.

With the weapons, they're just, they're scary, man. As defensive coordinators, I'm telling you, Minnesota, Green Bay, and Detroit Lions, they're scratching their head right now, I'll tell you. I would be disappointed if this team doesn't make the playoffs. I'm not going to say go win a division, but nine and eight, 10 and seven easily makes the playoffs, it feels like, in the NFC now. This is a team that seven wins a year ago. We saw what CJ Shroud did in year one, taking over a team that was actually worthy of the second overall pick. He doesn't have the talent that Caleb Williams is walking into, so they don't make the playoffs. I'd be kind of disappointed at this stage.

No, I'm right there with you. I'd be very disappointed. Honestly, I'd be very disappointed if they're not competing for the division title. I mean, let's face it, when we're looking back at last year, this team is clearly a more talented football team.

Now, the chemistry and all that stuff has to come. It's good that they've been already working together as far offensively. The defense should take a step forward.

You got more explosive players on offense. They beat Detroit last year, and they should have beat them twice. So you're telling me with that team last year, they beat them, and this team right here shouldn't be in that running? Kirk Cousins is gone from Minnesota.

I think it's there. Green Bay is Green Bay, right? They're Green Bay, and that's always the hurdle. I said a lot that back in 2001, I believe it was, the Bears win. I wasn't on the team at that time, but the Bears went 13 and three, and they lost both games. They lost two of the three to Green Bay. It's always that hurdle, right?

It's just they're that hurdle. Then you go up to 2010, who stops the Bears from getting to the Super Bowl? It is Green Bay because the Bears couldn't put them away at the end of the season. It's always Green Bay, so you know you're gonna have to go up there, but when we go up there, when they come to Soldier Field, we actually have an offense that if they want to get in a shootout, well hell, we can get in a shootout too. Alex Brown is here with us.

You look at this division from top to bottom. We know what Detroit is and what Detroit has built the last few years. They're a legitimate Super Bowl contender. We've talked about the Bears potentially being a playoff team, but even you look at Green Bay, right?

Great year one as a starter for Jordan Love. We'll see what year two looks like, but even Minnesota. I know they got some work to do defensively, but they got weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Top to bottom, this is just a well-rounded division right now. It is, and I think the Bears competed last year, and I thought they needed some help in certain areas.

I think they went out and got that help when you add in Romo Duse, you add in Akina and Allen, you add in DeAndre Swift, you add in Caleb Williams. I mean, your team has to take a step forward, and when you look at those games that we played against those teams, this is going to be a totally different team that we're going to put on the field this year. So the expectation is there.

I think that's something that you have to take into consideration because expectation puts a little more pressure on you. So I'm with you as far as them making the playoffs. I think they should. I'd be a little bit disappointed they weren't competing for that division though. I think they can win the division this year and everybody come back and say, oh, I think they're a year ahead, just like they were talking about with Houston. So I think we're a more talented football team than Houston. If Caleb Williams can have a similar year to what CJ Stroud had, there's no reason we shouldn't win the division. I know you're confident in the Bears, but does that mean you expect to drop off here from the Detroit Lions that maybe what they did last year isn't sustainable? Oh, not at all.

I think you trust good. I think they're a good football team, but when you mentioned last year, you bring up last year, but we beat them. We beat them last year. The last game, I mean, they scored, I think they scored 14 points in the last four minutes of the game to beat us up in Detroit. So I think we had the team last year to beat them twice. I definitely believe we have the team this year assuming no injuries and all that stuff, right? So that we can go up there and beat them at their place and beat them at our place. So if they're the standard now, which I always think Green Bay is the team that you have to kind of measure yourself on because they're, they're always good.

And that's why I can't stand them, but they're always good. So you almost, you just got to, ah, we go beat them and we got a shot talking to Alex Brown, former pro ball defensive end for the Chicago Bears. Let me take you to the ninth pick. I think Roma dunes a, like we did a segment who are the three best players in the draft. If you can't pick quarterbacks and mine were Marvin Harrison Jr. Joe Alt, the offensive tackle. And then I loved Roma dunes a throughout this draft process, what he was able to do last year at Washington.

Were you on board, even though they already added Keenan Allen, you have DJ more, were you on board with the ninth pick or did you think that maybe they should have used it on a defensive player? Well, I think there's a couple of things that play a factor in this. As long as Joe Alt one there, I'm, I'm good. Like we trade back, we take Roma dunes a, I think he's a heck of a player. Don't get me wrong. And we're not in the meeting. We're not in that room with Ryan poles, taking those phone calls as far as what people are willing to give up to trade.

So you have to take that into consideration. Maybe he just wasn't getting what he wanted and there was a hell of a player there. And then you have to take what they've been saying is that they didn't think this could ever happen. And when he failed to them, they were just ecstatic about it. And there was no chance they were going to give that pick away without something absolutely crazy as far as an offer coming from another team.

So I'm excited about it. The fact that we haven't now, I think it's expensive for a third receiver, but if you're going to run through receiver all sets and you're going to get out there and run it around, I mean, our office coordinator come from, come from Seattle where he had DK Metcalf. He had, they added in Jigba with other kids, Tyler Lockett. So you, he's, he's had experience with three receivers and being able to get them to football.

So I don't think it's going to be a problem. Deandre Swift in the backfield, he's, he's a problem there. This office is going to be scary. I really believe that if Caleb turns out to be what I believe he can be. And I think he's going to be a hell of a player. You're confident.

You should be confident. I wonder though, is there a portion, a large portion of the fan base that's like, we've been told before that we have the guy, you know, Justin Fields is supposed to be the guy. He's going to get 4,000 yards pass it. Now, Caleb Williams, the number one overall pick. We know that there's been a long list of quarterbacks in Chicago where it's like, Oh man, the standards pretty low there. Is there, is the overall fan base pretty confident? Still some people say, and let's see him get on the field before we get all crazy and delirious.

Oh no, it's let's see him get on the field. And before we get all crazy, but my, my thing is it's, it's like a marriage. You go into the marriage, you go all in it. You just pray like hell, they don't break your heart.

Right? Like, that's it. Don't, don't ease into it. Just jump right in and go buy the damn Jersey.

Like go do it. Like be happy that you have a quarterback that has that upside. And hopefully if we're lucky and he actually reaches that upside or goes beyond it, man, we're going to be happy for a long, long time in Chicago. So I say, go all in and let's see what happens. I mean, we had our hearts broken before, so it's not like we're not used to it. Right.

So go ahead, let's do it. And the other thing too, on the rookie contract. Hey, if this is a problem, you got to go give Caleb Williams in a few years, a five to six year extension, and you got to pay him 50, $60 million a year. You want that problem, but you've got to be aggressive. Like this team has enough to be a playoff team.

You got to be aggressive early and not kind of have everyone operated with kid gloves on. Yeah, I think I put them, I can't wait to see them kind of come together and they played them first couple of games, but to make a run, like what Cincinnati made when nobody thought Cincinnati would make that run a few years ago, it was just like, like, can they do that? They have the pieces, the defense, the defense play like a top five defense, the last half of the year, if they can pick up right there and be a top seven defense.

Oh, absolutely. I don't think they're just a playoff team. I think you better watch out in the NFC. He's Alex Brown, former bears, pro ball defensive end. Now does a great job. NBC sports, Chicago giving us a little perspective after the bears.

I think they won the draft getting Caleb number one, and then Roma dunes in at number nine. And now everyone get a little crazy at a good way with the Chicago bear. So Alex, we appreciate you coming on and giving us a few minutes today. Absolutely, man. No problem. Thank you so much.

There he is former pro ball defensive end in Alex Brown joining us on the Zach Gelb show on the infinity sports network. Okay. Here's what we're going to do. We're going to take a time out. When we come on back, we are about to embark, or we're getting close to embark on the second round of the NBA playoffs. Last night, LeBron James going home, not advancing to the second round. The night before KD got swept, bring out the brooms, going home, not going to the next round for so many years. We saw LeBron, we saw KD, not only getting out of the first round, but going to the NBA finals.

Now, when we look at the lay of the land, five faces of the NBA under 30, we'll get into that conversation with LeBron and KD getting up there in age. We're coming on back and this is that Gelb show. Hey everyone, Boomer Esiason here. The NFL draft is behind us and your favorite team is down gearing up for week number one. The free Odyssey app puts you right in the middle of the pro football conversation with the biggest sports radio stations from across the country. The local voices who know your team the best, giving you their unfiltered takes on the current state of your squad. It's always football season right here on the free Odyssey app.