OverDrive - Marks on LeBron heading to Philly, how Nick Nurse manages the locker room, and the latest on Kawhi Leonard and Toronto

Episode Date: July 24, 2026

ESPN NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks joins the show to discuss LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, how head coach Nick Nurse is going to manage the different personalities in his locker room, if Kawhi Leonard still has elite talent, and if his trade to Toronto will indeed go through.

But this is pretty big news. Pretty big news. And how does it change kind of the landscape of the East and what to expect? And the championship pedigree potentially there for Philly to chat about it. We're joined now by ESPN's NBA front office insider Bobby Marks. Bobby, it seems like the whole world was surprised by LeBron's choice with Philly. Do you fall in that same category? Were you surprised he ended up choosing the Sixers?

I wouldn't say totally surprised. I thought it was going to be one of the three, of course. I thought probably more leaning towards Miami, just as of late here. But, yeah, I mean, listen, he goes to a Sixers team that wasn't part of the conversation a month ago, and they make the jail and Brown trade, and now they became part of the conversation, and now they are really part of the conversation when you look at the Eastern Conference as far as the ability to add him. So never really catches me off guard. but yeah, I mean, I think just because I was leaning a little bit more towards probably that Miami could be the final home for him.

So were you leaning toward Miami more, Bobby, for the lifestyle aspects of it, the nice weather in Miami, it's a retirement type of place. And obviously the history there where he won a couple of titles as a heat. Or, you know, why do you think he leaned toward Philly, despite all those factors that a lot of us thought might sway him down south? I mean, I think roster-wise, and I think Miami's done a good job getting Janice and Bam. I think there's some holes to the roster. Certainly they need a playmaker, and certainly LeBron could have filled that, and there are some other things. Certainly they need a little bit more depth in the front court here.

But I think with Philadelphia, I mean, he slides into a roster that's, you know, Tyrese Maxie, V.J. Edgecom, Jalen Brown, and Joel Embed. and they still have the depth what they did this summer, adding some pieces in free agency here to go nine or ten deep with that roster here. So I think you look at it.

From that perspective here, what team gives him the best chance to win? Certainly finances didn't mean anything in this, as we all know. So you could have made the argument for Cleveland also, right? As far as with that group here. So I think, yeah, as they said, he probably looks at it,

that's the opportunity that gives him the greater chance. In terms of being Nick Nurse, we were discussing that part of having you on. Nick obviously won up here in 19, and when the Kauai trade happened, he had been on the job for like a few weeks at that point. He was obviously with the staff prior to it, but as the head coach. And he's had ups and downs in Philly, a lot of an injury-related stuff, but there's been some good years and some bad years. Do you think he's prepared for, or how do you prepare for the,

LeBron being a part of your world? Yeah, I mean, certainly the goalposts are moved, from where they were a year ago. You know, Nick's been through it. He won a championship, certainly in Toronto, a little bit different, of course, with that group than what he has right now. And I think you have to be prepared,

certainly style play as far as with LeBron and Jalen and Tyrese and Joel and DJ here, certainly that will be a little bit of different. The spotlight is now on you, shining on you directly as far as from an expectation standpoint. I think what helps them a little bit is that they're probably not the favorite in the East. You know, this is different than when he went to Miami in 2010 and they were the favorite right off the bat or even Cleveland in 14. I mean, I think New York's still the favorite. I think the East is really, really good.

and I think when the Kauai trade goes through, Toronto is going to be in part of the conversation also here. So, yeah, I think it's just the distractions that come with it, the ability to deal with adversity, all those things here. But fortunately, we're in the offseason, and some of that doesn't have to happen until end of September, early October. So, Bobby, obviously, the East is going to be very interesting this year with so many, so many intriguing teams. In Toronto here, it feels like this means, it means more than ever now that the Raptors have got to get this Kauai trade to go through. They've got to accept whatever penalty in all likelihood that the Kauai is going to face here unless it's outrageously punitive. What is your expectation if you had to get near crystal ball?

What do you think is going to happen in terms of the penalties levied to the clippers and how it might affect this trade one way or another? Yeah, I mean, I would be, you know, hopefully within the next week or two or, you know, towards the telling the summer this all gets resolved and the investigation gets wrapped up. I would be probably more surprised if the trade does not go through based on, you know, certainly the ramifications that it has now. Now, if something drastically changes, certainly with Kauai, then that changes it here. But you're right.

I mean, I think from Toronto's perspective, where the East stacks up right now with New York and Philadelphia and Miami. and you can put Indiana in the equation and Cleveland, you know, listen, you've got to that's got to be a deal that you shouldn't want to make because it only helps you. If you don't, then it's going to be tough sledding.

I mean, the reality of it is where those teams are, but the ability to get Kauai on your roster and with Scotty and Emmanuel and RJ and everything like that, I think it gives you, you know, as I said, it puts them in the conversation with these teams that are competing up top. With Bobby Marks of ESPN. And, you know, there's a bunch of markets in the East now that obviously you're happy with the off-season.

It's up in Toronto, you know, presuming this goes through and Kauai plays like he did last year, that's a big, big impact. If you're in Miami, you got Yannis. If you're in Philly, obviously, you got Jalen Brown and LeBron. You know, which star, though, like presuming health, and maybe LeBron's a little bit separate because of his age. Let's say it's Jaylen Brown and Philly, Kauai and Toronto, Yonis, and Miami. How would you rank those in terms of affecting your power rankings for next year? I think Kauai, just based on what I saw last year, and you guys know, I mean, of course, health. I thought he was as good that we've seen in a long time, like both a ways, two-way player,

and him playing a bunch of games. And I think the biggest thing will be longevity through the playoffs. That would be the big key as far as, because we haven't seen it as much in the past. but I think we're Kauai is at this stage in his career. And I think he's an all-N-B-A player. I think that has an impact, significant impact. I think Jalen and Philly, I think, just based on what is already there, yeah, he'll impact it.

But I just think Kauai walking into, you know, with him and Scotty and the front core, I mean, that is as good as a defensive combination that is probably in the league right now. Bobby, when you look at the parameters of this deal that LeBron James just agreed to, how much does it surprise you that this guy is making the lowest salary of his entire career, even lower than he made in his rookie year back in 2003, a grand total of $3.9 million, the veteran minimum exception.

I mean, we know LeBron doesn't need the money. There's a lot of people that don't need the money that still want the money. How surprised you that he agreed to a degree to a degree? number that low. That was the beauty of it all. I thought that, you know, the five or six teams that were in the mix, everyone was on an equal financial playing field, right? Like, nobody needed to go through hoops to create cab space and all this money.

And, you know, I never, I don't like really talking about other people's money, but, you know, he's made close to 600 million in his career. And he probably, and he looked at it like, hey, listen, I can go there for the, you're right, the better and minimum, which is 3-9, 4. A player with 10 years of service, it's for Philly, it's 2.4% of the salary cap, which is a remarkable thing. And there's a $4 million dollar option, a $4.1 million player option for next year. And you're right, he's probably, I haven't looked at it quite yet,

but he's probably out of the 430 players under contract. He probably ranks 330. Maybe even later in the mix and everything like that. And yeah, I mean, so he goes there on the bed in a moment. And that's that, when you already have three players making north of 40, what Philadelphia has, I mean, come up, right? I mean, a top 15, top 20 player guy who's in all, you know, one of the greatest players of all time.

And I think has a lot of juice left in them. We still got an offseason to go here, but it does feel like this is. Don't remind me. I know, I know. We still got to wait to get to opening night. But maybe more activity around the corner, I guess we'll find out. Great stuff, Bobby. Thank you for doing this.

Appreciate it, guys. Thank you. You got it. Bobby Marks of ESPN. I'm Cynthia Lois. And I'm Josie Dye. And we're done pretending we have it all figured out. Each week we laugh, cry, and talk our way through life's messiest moments.

The things you think about but would never say out loud. The questions you are always too shy to ask. Relationships, regrets, awkward moments, and the stuff no one warns you about. It's honest, it's funny, and sometimes it gets a little uncomfortable. But that's kind of the point. This is Cynthia and Josie's Unmentionables. Listen on the free. iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.