The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 1 - Things are changing for the Lakers

Episode Date: July 1, 2025

Colin discusses the passive approach to free agency by the Lakers and the message the new ownership group is sending to LeBron James and Luka Doncic The Steelers claim to be all in after trading for Jalen Ramsey and dragging out contract negotiations with TJ WattSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the ice.

Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the Aihar Radio.

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports

and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to The Heard podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday on Fox Sports Radio in noon to 3 Eastern, 9 a.m. to noon Pacific. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRedia.com or stream us live every day on the IHeart Radio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. It is a Tuesday NBA free agency in full swing. We are live. It is the herd wherever you may be and however you may be watching or listening.

Thanks for making us part of your day. Tyler Adams, U.S. men's national team, Urban Meyer, Albert Breer stopped by today. Shamak, if you're a Laker fan, it was a disheartening day. but they've got new owners, and new owners have come. You know, you ever drive by that restaurant, it says under new management, and they're going to change the entire menu. They're not going to tweak. So I think I want to read everybody, Jay Mack, the headlines that are circulating about the Lakers,

who are the biggest brand in the NBA, the Yankees of Major League Baseball. These are the headlines this morning. Lakers reportedly preserving cap space for next season. Dorian Finney Smith exits disaster. Lakers gave up three draft picks for less than 50 games of Dorian Finney Smith. GM Rob Polinka facing mounting pressure to keep the Lakers job. And I like this one. LeBron James has no influence on free agency moves, says an NBA front office insider.

The Lakers are excluding him. They should. He's 41. So the bus family for years has talked themselves into believing. I get it. This is their life. They talked themselves into believing we were just a rotational player away. And the new owners of this restaurant are saying, no, no, no, no, no.

It's just not a little better chicken parm recipe. We're changing the kitchen staff. We're changing the entire menu. This is not about a better chicken parm. It's a 41-year-old star, another star in Luca where it's notable that he's really working out this off-season, and they have absolutely no size. And the real value they have is Austin Reeves, but another headline today, they are not even taking calls or gauging interest on Austin Reeves. So the new owners, they know what success is all about. They own the Dodgers.

And I've argued this before. I think the Dodgers, Mark Walters, I think it's the best run sports franchise in North America, perhaps ever. These people know what they're doing. They let stars go if they see problems around the corner. And so this morning, it appears they're going big game hunting next year. They do not think this is a championship team. They're not going to lose any sleep over LeBron being bummed out. They're going to upgrade scouting.

And my guess, they are eventually going to find. their wizard, their guru, their GM. So the Lakers need two centers like yesterday, the good ones are off the market. Clint Capella, he's back to the rockets, Luke Cornett, Celtics, now he's the Spurs and Brooke Lopez to the Clippers. So let's not forget this.

Put the palm palms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round. They lost convincingly in the first round, and they are worse today. Dorian Finney Smith. They are worse today. You know who's not worse? Houston. Houston is better. You know who's not worse? Denver. You know who's getting better fast? San Antonio. So the ownership group knows what success looks like. Okay, these new owners are antique experts, and they're telling Laker fans, this roster's a knockoff. I know what grandma told you,

it's not a Van Gogh. This isn't it. The new Laker owners are telling you we know what titles looks like and an aging LeBron and a finally working out in the offseason Luca is not Otani Betts and Freddie Freeman. I know it's painful and I understand the bus family for years. This is their baby. This is their child. And they always believe, just like we all do as parents, our kids are going to be president of the United States? okay maybe president of a company okay hopefully president of a frat okay maybe a vice president of something you got to be honest you have to be able to self-evaluate this is not a championship team look what denver's done in the last 24 hours they finally got yoke at shooters multiple and a backup big

san antonio's getting better by the hour with all their youth houston added more pieces Oklahoma City. I've not even mentioned them. And the brain trust in Golden State, they already got their side-tick to staff, Jimmy Butler, last year. So it's just, you've got to be honest about this stuff. People in Los Angeles, you know what well-run looks like. You know what championships looks like. It's called the Dodgers. USC, the Lakers, the Chargers, the Chargers a little bit until Harbaugh.

Yeah, they're selling on that, and that's not what it is. So the Rams brilliantly run. The Dodgers immacially run. The Lakers, mom and pop shop. It's all changing. Big game hunting next year, not including LeBron in the discussions. He's had a great career. He should not be dictating any terms at this point.

Not saying you trade him, we're going to do. The new guy say, we're going to do what we're going to do. Because we know what winning looks like. It's Otanian bet. Not 41-year-old LeBron. and perpetually out of shape or an average shape, Luca. Okay, here's another one. This is interesting.

This headline, The Steelers are officially all in. I heard that a lot yesterday because they got Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rogers, D.K. Metcalfe and tight end, John H. Well, if they're all in, that's a pair of eights. Okay, that ain't pocket aces, folks, so if that's all in. but it's I always

I was asking somebody about three weeks ago three or four weeks ago about all the Steelers moves and he said some GMs just make moves to make moves but do they have a plan and this is a prime example

so they get rid of a safety who's a little past his prime and they add a corner who's more expensive Jalen Ramsey who's past his prime they get rid of a very high maintenance wide receiver

in George Pickens and then they inherit a wide receiver who can be high maintenance, DK Metcalf. You're just making moves to make moves. There is no plan. If you would have moved off George Pickens and acquired Terry McLauran,

the adult in the room, that's a move I get. So you're letting go of a guy past his prime in the secondary and getting a more expensive guy past his prime in the secondary. That's just a move to make a move. Well, we're getting rid of a high-maintenance receiver and getting another receiver who's a bit high-maintenance. You're just making moves to make moves.

you lost your left tackle, nausea, George Pickens, Minka Fitzpatrick, and I saw who you've added, I would argue you're slightly less talented today. So this goes, there's no pattern with it. And this is what I've said about the Steelers, is that they're on the wrong side of the ball, all their money now is tied up in defense, they got more expensive moving off Minka for Jalen Ramsey. Wrong. Just move off Minka. Stop there.

These are not moves that make any sense. They're basically the Steelers are the kid who pays off his student debt and puts it on a credit card. Yeah, I got rid of that debt. No, it's still debt, bro. You still got debt on a higher interest rate that may make you feel better. And remember, this is an organization that has not signed T.J. Watt yet. So when T.J. Watt signs, at least for probably a period, maybe six months, maybe less than that, He'll be the highest paid defensive player in NFL history.

So we're not even talking about that yet. And you've got to get that done. T.J. Watt, I mean, there's jerseys are all over the stadium. That's going to be a terribly sensitive thing. All these moves, what do they mean? Well, Matt Hasselbeck yesterday said, here's what he thinks the Jalen Ramsey move means. They do not care about the rest of the league. They don't care about what anybody else does.

They say, hey, we're the Steelers. This is how we operate. So I don't think that's going to change. But I do think this, it looks like they're building a team to stop the Cincinnati Bengals. It's almost like they have confidence in what they have. Like what we have can take care of the Baltimore Ravens. Like we're good. But like, man, I don't know how we're going to stop the Cincinnati Bengals.

Like I do believe that there's a fear there of like personnel-wise. We don't match up well. Well, a lot of teams matched up okay with Cincinnati because the Bengals didn't even make the playoffs. So if that's your concern, I'd go back to being concerned about Baltimore because the Ravens have separated over the last several years from the Steelers since he didn't even make the playoffs. Okay, Jay Mack, let me bring you in here. The Austin Reeves thing is interesting because obviously that's the piece that is he's one of the few underpaid players in the NBA scoring about 19, 20 a game. The Lakers are saying now they're not going to gauge interest, but I do think it's interesting. the two things that jump out to me

LeBron's not being included at all. I do think the bus family felt like because of the COVID title and the merchandise sales, they sort of owed LeBron something a heads up. That's done. And the other thing is we're going to go big game hunting

next year. They've been very... I mean, that's a pretty clear signal that LeBron, we know you want championships, but getting rid of Doreen Phenny Smith, not getting rid of him, him leaving, and then inheriting some small guard who's on, you know, a young kid, but on like his third team, what's the message to LeBron?

It's, bro, we're not a championship team. That's what the ownership is saying to me. We are going to figure out scouting upstairs, executives, roster. Next year is the big year. Yeah, and next year, it sounds like the bucks are going to keep Yannis and try to make a go this year. Well, next summer, maybe Yonis is like, hey, I'm done. It's over, and then Luca and Yannis join forces in L.A.

but let me ask you, if you're LeBron and you're reading the tea leaves, Colin, are you like, you know what, guys, just get me to the east, just trade me Lakers? We're not winning anything. I can't, we're not a top five team in the West. Send me to the east. I could get to the finals. Does he, do you think LeBron would actually do that? No, I think LeBron's business, and it's a fair question.

I think LeBron has to look at it like this. He knew his first couple years in the league. He's a smart guy. He knew the first couple years in Cleveland out of high school. They were not a championship team. In fact, getting to the finals against the Spurs, despite the fact they were swept, they were ahead of schedule. Oh, wait.

From about that year on until this past year, LeBron has felt like the team he has is a championship level team. But at some point, you have to acknowledge Michael Jordan did when he went to the Wizards. You know, Shaq was bouncing around the league. He knew the last three or four years. He wasn't on a championship team. I think LeBron is smart enough to know this is the first year in maybe 15 years. LeBron, you have to go back to that getting swept by the Spurs, and I'm sure going into that finals, LeBron thought he had a chance.

This is the first time and a long time, that LeBron's sort of being told without being directly told, dude, it's not about a championship. The organization is first, second, and third. You've had a great run, but we're not going to include you as we build going forward. I get that, but Colin, let me just remind you. LeBron was an all-NBA player last year. I averaged like 25, 7-and-7.

And he's paired with Luca Donchin. So you have two of the 10 best players in the league. I don't think you're out of it, but I definitely think there's an uphill climb in the West. Like, listen, wacky things happen in the East. Jason Tatum and Halliburton, they look like they were going to be in the conference finals again next year. They're both out next season.

The East is wide open. Things can happen. Let's not write the Lakers off just yet. Well, remember, things do happen, especially to 41-year-olds in their 23rd year. Also that. You think LeBron's going to play 80 games and 42 minutes? LeBron has to pace himself.

You know who doesn't? Lou Dort, SGA, Chet Holmgren, J. Dub. I mean, those guys, Oklahoma City can play nine guys a night. The Lakers now have no center, very little depth. And you know how it works, Jason. That means, hey, LeBron, we need 41 minutes tonight, and we need 29 points. So it'd be one thing if this was the OKC, San Antonio Houston roster. Like Kevin Durant's a great example.

So Houston extends Jabari's... Smith, who like Kevin Durant can shoot, he's got length. Kevin Durant, you could literally tell him before the season starts, we're going to play a 64 games. We got Jabari Smith behind you. We want you ready for the playoffs because of the depth, the youth, the legs, and the athleticism, Houston has. Lakers can't do that.

They just lost Dorian Finney Smith. That's one of their better defenders. So what's going to happen is LeBron's going to have to play 38 minutes and score 27 points for this to be in the wet, maybe not in the east, but in the west. The great advantage, KD saw that with Houston. I don't, I don't, I don't, Shengoon can drop 28 on any night. Amin Thompson's coming up. Jabari plays my position right behind me.

So LeBron is going to be once again, and we don't, you know, you cross your fingers on Luca's health, he's in good shape, reportedly, but Luca's a guy that misses games that gets banged up. They're going to be nights that it's LeBron and Austin Reeves having to both drop 28 for them to beat, at best, compete with OKC. Listen, it's not over. I'm not writing them off. Anything can happen here in the next three, four days.

Let's go out and get some guys and get the Lakers back in contention where LeBron needs to be. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Hey, it's Ben. Host of the fifth hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. asking what in God's name is the fifth hour?

I'll tell you, it's a spinoff of the Ben Mather show, a cult hit overnights on FSR. Why should you listen? Picture, if you will, a world where we chat with captains of industry in media, sports and more every week, explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what?

We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast. called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was...

This is how you guys remember it going down. Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis. And I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening. at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jen she went. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on

any surface, because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. So the ultimate sign of respect was paid to Nicola Yokic of the Denver Nuggets, who is the most layered, productive, essential player in the NBA. There's a lot of good players, SGA, Janice, and the aging KD, Luca LeBron.

But there's one, Yokic. He's the best shooting big man ever. He's the best passing big man ever. rebounding, outlets, ball handling. It's just nothing like it. It may not be pretty, but there's nothing like it in the NBA. I don't think ever. And so yesterday is a great example.

Michael Porter is really talented. They moved off him and just brought in a couple of shooters. And suddenly the odds now have Denver as the second best odds to win the title. That's like Adele. Give me a microphone and a stage. Get out of the way. I'll show you greatness. I mean, Michael Porter's very talented, inconsistent, some injuries, but really talented.

They just got this guy, Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown. Brown won't even start, rotational guy, second, third guy off the bench. Cam Johnson, always like can hit threes. But they just got him a couple shooters. All of a sudden, the odds go above Houston. It's OK, see, it's Denver, and I don't disagree. That Yokic does not need KD. He doesn't need Janus.

He doesn't need a big trade. Denver can't shoot. Let's get Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown. They can. I mean, these are like the fifth best starter or the second guy off a bench. And look at the odds. And I think the odds are right. And that that's really what it is, is that Yokic today is on a roster that does not have another all-star. Even after the trade, they do not have another all-star. And yet, in the loaded West, their odds-on favorites today because of getting Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown to meet OKC in the Western Conference.

conference finals. So again, it just, this guy doesn't need much. I think my take is, if I had to flip a coin today and say, who wins the NBA championship next season, I would say Denver. I mean, this is a team. This is a team with no bench was completely overwhelmingly, because Michael Porter was so inconsistent and they couldn't shoot threes. They were basically, it was Yokage Gordon against O'KC, and they took them seven. And they, They took them seven. So I love what they did. I think, you know, listen, I like Malone.

He runs hot. They moved off him. But I think this makes Denver really good. It's exactly what they needed. And this is a guy that doesn't need much. Give me a stage. Give me a microphone. I'll get you open.

Hit three's. We're good. JMAQ with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. This busy morning of NBA chaos continues. Obviously, Damien Lillard has been cut, waved, dropped like a bad habit,

whatever you want to say out of Milwaukee. He's done there. They are stretching a provision that allows them to stretch the remaining $113 million on his contract so they don't take the entire hit this year. And that enables them to go get Miles Turner, a bit of a shocker. They steal him from the Pacers. They're giving him $107 million. They lost Brooke Lopez or center yesterday, so they had to do something. But obviously, these moves are secondary to what does Janus think? And Colin, we know what Janice thinks. He put out something on social media essentially saying,

I don't know what to think right now. Here's his little meme. I don't know what's going on right now of him celebrating when they won the championship. And then you have a report that Janus is unhappy with decision to move off Dane. That comes from Chris Haynes, the NBA insider who's like tight with Dave. So very clearly, Milwaukee thought they had a great plan here, and Janice's first reaction appears to be, what the hell's going on here? What are we doing? Well, okay, but again, we can blame everybody except Janus. But three years ago, almost everybody

I trust in the NBA was saying the same thing. They don't match out with Boston. They're getting really old, really fast. Okay, so at some point, move on. Because what you're paying Janice, now Miles Turner. I like Miles Turner a lot. So I think, you know, with Brooke Lopez going to the Clippers, I think he had to make that move. He's probably an upgrade. They can both hit a three. They can both defend the rim. But this is not a championship team.

Not even close. And, by the way, I would say in the weaker east, it's not close. Meaning if you put this team in the West, what are they a sixth seed, a seventh seed? Are they a playing team? So, I mean, again, I think it Janus is the $10 million chandelier in a pretty empty mansion.

So I don't see a lot here. But at some point, Janice, you're the one that you wanted a move. So the organization kind of backed into a corner and went and got Dame. And we said it when Dame came. He'll make them better offensively.

They'll be worse defensively. And that's kind of what happened. So you can complain about stuff or be actionable and say, listen, I want out. And this is what I said two weeks ago with you, J. Mack. You could get five,

unprotected first round, you could get, I would have gone to Houston with Shen Goun, maybe a Jabari Smith and, you know, a bunch of picks. But if you're going to, this idea that Janus is confused by it all, bro, everybody in the world knows you're not a title team and they knew it three years ago. It's on you now. Does it feel like the bucks here? You know, like if a marriage is failing, you're like, oh, well, we could buy a new house or let's have a new kid, let's have a baby, you know, to like try to fix things. Miles Turner's not going to fix it. anything in Milwaukee. Just because he's a rim protector and a good player,

their back court is like not a top 10 back court in the east. Orlando's better. The Atlanta Hawks are better. I know you're not going to want to hear this. Embed Sixers right now, they're a bit of a sleeper in these. They're better in the box. So I just don't like this at all.

I will throw a Hail Mary at you. Okay, I did present it to you a few months ago. Is there a world where LeBron says, Lakers, this ain't happening? I'd love to play with Steph Curry. And there's a three-way deal with the Warriors, Lakers, and Bucks, where LeBron goes to the Warriors to play with Curry, Janice goes to the Lakers to play with Luca,

and the Bucks get everything else. All the picks, the pick swaps, Jimmy Butler, who's only got two years left. Is there a world where the Bucks entertain something like that because you're going to need to rebuild pretty soon, Colin? Yeah, I mean, but my take is LeBron at 41. with maybe a year or two left, I'd just keep Jimmy Butler. I mean, I think LeBron's consistently better than Jimmy.

Jimmy's the better defender. I don't think that's the answer. I don't. I think, I thought the answer for Milwaukee was Schengoon, a bunch of picks and a couple rotational young guys that didn't make a move on it. So, listen, Milwaukee twice in my life. In mid-70s and a few years ago, they got a title out of their all-time history. historic great big and there's nothing wrong with that there's a lot of organizations like

sacramento kings had great teams for years and didn't get anything the baltimore ravens the buffalo bills these teams have been unbelievable for five years they don't have anything if you can get denver got one denver may never get another one the world we live out in the NBA now jemak is you can win one championship but the cba does not allow a dynasty they don't want that so i think they it's not i'm not saying milwaukee got greedy but they got a bit self-enamored and a bit delusional. I think they should have moved off Janus two years ago. I think after next year, he, I mean, I'm seeing what guys are going for now.

Could you get six first round picks for Janus if he stays healthy this year and is again very productive? Yeah, I mean, anything's possible. Let's go to the next story, Colin, in the NBA. SGA, kind of lost in the shuffle this morning. The league MVP and finals MVP, he just signed an extension. four years, wait for it, $285 million. Colin, he will be the highest paid annual salary player in NBA history and in any U.S. major sport.

SGA is going to make $71 million a year. Yeah, I don't, again, he provided a championship, a finals MVP, he's the NBA's leading score, he's a grown-up, he's an absolute adult, refined offensive game. That's the market. I don't have a problem. None of those guys, to be honest, Joel Embed is the one I struggle with in DAC. Even Anthony Davis, I don't have a problem. He's the best defensive guy in the league.

Most of these guys making that money. I don't have any problem. It's a lot of money, but that's what the Supermax everybody agreed to, owners, GMs, players, agents. I don't have a problem with. He's a total grown-up. You know he's going to be committed. He's priority back in the gym. I got no problem with it.

So can we get that on the screen again, the list of the highest paid U.S. athletes in team sports? Remove Otani because they don't have a salary cap in baseball. Tell me which one of those teams is contending in their respective sport. The answer is none of them. Once you start paying guys, $65 plus million, Colin, you can't build a team. That's very clear.

The Celtics are disbanding, essentially, right now. They're falling apart. Joe L. Embed, no shot. Maybe they're a good playoff team this year. Anthony Davis and the Mavs, I don't see it because of injuries to Kyrie Irving. So, like, once you pay these guys, and I get it, they're worth it. But it's tough to build around them, Colin.

And I see the same thing happening in OKC. It is in the NBA, and it is in the NFL. It's not in baseball. Listen, SGA just got bank. They'll be contending. Their favorites now to win it again. I don't know if they will. I just don't think they're that special offensively.

to be a, you know, it's an offensive league more than defense. I think their defensive story is amazing and historic, but I don't think O'KC's going to win it again. I'll tell you, I'd take Denver, I would take Denver right now to win it after those two moves. Cam Johnson is a long, excellent shooter. That's all Denver needed. Denver did everything else fine. They didn't have enough three-point shooting. They got two guys that can hit them with Yokic, with occasionally Jamal Murray. This morning, I like Denver. I'll go Houston, but we got a full summer left. Final story, Colin, How about your Mavericks? You love them.

And how much do you like? DeAngelo Russell? Two years, $13 million for the guy I like to call me, Angelo Russell, because he's all about himself. He'll basically take Kyrie's spot at point guard. Listen, man, the guy's a scorer. He's a pro. He's been around for a while. Ultimately, though, the Mavs roster is looking quite good when you stack Cooper Flag.

If they ever get healthy this year, that's a dangerous team. By the way. I don't know if he could ever be healthy. First of all, I love the Mavericks. I'm not a huge Dilo fan. They're doing this until Kyrie Irving's healthy, and then it's only a two-year deal. So they just need a lead dog who can score with Cooper.

I don't like having DeAngelo Russell around Cooper flag. That's not what I would want as a mentor. But I will say this. I think Dallas's excellent. I think Houston's excellent. I think O'KC's excellent. I think Denver's excellent. So all you Laker fans out there,

Those teams are all better, deeper, and more assets going forward. So the truth, you know what the West feels like, Jemak? It feels like the SEC for about that 15-year run, where Ohio State could compete with the SEC, and that was about it. There are not many teams in the east. With Tatum and Halliburton out, I don't think there's anybody in the east that can beat those top three or four teams in the West. People are just forgetting how good the Dallas roster is with AD returning and Kyrie just signed an extension.

That Dallas roster is, Cooper Flag is going to be 19 to 20 a game as a rookie. Dallas is a really, if you put Dallas in the east, I would take Dallas without Tatum or Halliburton to win the East. Yeah, I would. I mean, we'll see regular season. You know, the calves are some try-hards and they're going to probably win 60 games. but I don't know the Mabs can win like 60 without Karee for most of the season. Well, that's what I brought to you. You can tell why they brought D-Lo on in a two-year deal.

It's just we need offense until Kairie's ready to go. J-Mack with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. So the Knicks talked to Hall of Famer Don Staley, the women's coach at South Carolina, about the coaching job. So, Knicks are weird.

So they just had their best year since 2000. So a quarter of a century, they had their best year. So let's try something that's never been done in the history of the sport. Man or woman, college basketball coaches generally do not flourish in the NBA. They are two different sports. It's like film and TV. Well, they both have actors. They both have writers.

They both have scripts. They're both on a screen. TV and film are completely different. industries. Let me tell you, college basketball is about coaching. It's methodical. It's possession-based. It's very fundamental. Coaches run the show. The NBA is fast and dynamic. It is up-tempo and the point guard and the best players run the show. Head coaches rarely call out plays. So even during timeouts, you'd listen to a Spolstra or a Steve Kerr. It wasn't like they were diagramming plays. It's not the 80s. So the intensity, like, and this is nothing against Dawn Staley because she's a woman.

When Dan Hurley was up for the Lakers job, I'm like, I think he's a college coach. The intensity, the barking, that's not going to play in the NBA. So, I mean, JJ Redick got the job partly because he was friends with LeBron. They knew it would work with LeBron. So that's how it works in the NBA. So in the NBA, the coach is the fifth highest compensated person on the team playing and probably somewhere between the fourth and the eighth most important. Even a Rick Carlisle, an excellent coach, acknowledges.

It's the chemistry, it's Halliburton. You get the very infrequent during a timeout. This is what we're going to do offensively. So in what's troubling if you're a Knicks fan, the East is wide open. Jason Tatum's out for the Celtics, Halliburton out for the Pacers. It is wide open. It's like, and you just had your best season, and you guys can criticize Tibbs all you want.

But the Knicks were something. Tibbs created a culture. It's like Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions. Is he the best schematic guy in the league? No. But I acknowledged, I was wrong on Dan Campbell. He is a culture creator. That's what Tibbs did.

And for the record, all the critics of Tibbs said, well, he's not really creative. It is hard to be creative offensively when Jalen Brunce's game, and I like Jalen Brunson a lot. his game is ball dominant. It's hard to create things off Jalen Brunson. He's a great finisher. Maybe the best finisher right now he and Kyrie Irving for their size in the league. But he is pounding the ball.

It's hard to create a lot of stuff. If you get the ball for the Knicks, there's often six seconds left on the shot clock. So this idea that Tibbs wasn't creative enough, it's not easy to be creative when a James Harden. or, you know, Luca Donage now. There's another guy that wants the ball in his hands, wants to operate. Halliburton's different. Halliburton's pace of play. Halliburton throws gets the ball up court.

He's different. But this whole thing, well, he wasn't creative enough. All I know is Tim's created a culture, tough, physical Villanova pro style. Now they're looking to college. That's not the answer. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what?

We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts.

Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. And we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down?

Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel

and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the

internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete

themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis. And I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchian win. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lerna Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, Good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. The road to 26 continues tomorrow on FS1 with the Gold Cup semi-final as the U.S. men's national team takes on Guatemala. No easy path, no second chances. Coverage begins tomorrow at 6 Eastern on FS1. We have Tyler Adams on the show today. He'll be a World Cup guy.

Tyler Adams, they'll be favored over Guatemala. So I think, you know, I've said this before. If I didn't do this for a living, my dream job would be a general manager of an NFL team. And I just, I love the draft. I like building stuff. And it's been like that since I was a kid. I just like building stuff. And I think my best source is in the league.

I was talking to one last night. our NFL execs. And I love the sport. And I always thought, what a cool job. And so I like the idea of when you get into these situations, these executives on would you take an old star or an emerging young star? That's one of the hard ones. So everybody loves Luca, right?

Luca Luca, Luca. But I've made the argument for years. He's a better version of Carmelo Anthony. And Carmelo is a Hall of Fame or two. But it's very interesting. Avery Johnson saying right now, He would take Cooper Flag going forward over Luca. Give me Cooper Flag.

Really? Cooper Flag in this team. Yeah, give me Cooper Flag, man. You're talking about a team when they're healthy. Got three future Hall of Famers with Kyrie A.D. and Clay Thompson. So this is really exciting. The Mavericks, their future is bright, but they have a window when they're healthy if the next two to three years with this rock.

has currently constructed. So I just want you to think about this. So Luca has been in the NBA for seven seasons. That's a grind. And he's been attacked for seven years, right? He's a score. So people are throwing bodies at him. He also played three years in Europe against older players.

So he has been grinding against men for 10 years. And we all know that athletes age differently based on how good a shape they're in. Well, Mello, for instance, my comp for Luca, peaked at 28. By 29 years old, his scoring dropped noticeably was never again top 10 MVP. Mello aged fast.

LeBron at 38, 10 years older than Mello's peak, I mean, he treats his body like a temple, 29 a game, 50% from the field, All-Star, Western Conference Finals. Okay, Tom Brady at 45 was better than Aaron Rogers at 38, 39, or B, Big Bennett 37.

So Luca, to me, he is an old soul. Now, he's about 26 years old now. He's an old 26. And I'm sure he has four more peak years. And hey, he's working out this offseason. Cooper Flagg may have 12 peak years. And Cooper Flagg, day one in the NBA, will be a better defender than Luca. That's not disputable.

Cooper Flag will be a better defender first week in the league. So to me, if Cooper flag is 75 to 85% Luca, the offensive player, eventually, and I get four years of the rookie deal, absolutely. And here's the thing about Luca. Here's the thing about Luca. 25 dunks in his rookie season. One dunk last year. We saw that, so you are, the data is clear. Dude is aging. We saw this with James Harden. His dunk numbers kept going back down and down and down. And then James Harden is still good, but he's a limited offensive player on what he can perform. Right now, Luca, this is all he is at 26.

He's a stepback guy. He's not a play downhill, attack the rim, dunk over guys, that's not what he does. At 26, athletes age differently. I would argue Luca is an old 26. Cooper Flagg is a young NBA rookie. I mean, Jason Kidd, remember the introductory press conference, what Jason Kidd said? Here's Jason Kidd. Just sitting here listening to him, is it incredible?

I mean, we're talking about an 18-year-old who has all the right answers, and it's talking about working out after this. But, you know, when you talk about his gift, he's a basketball player, and he's a winner. Also, Luca still plays frequently. for Slovenia. So, you know, he came into the NBA with three

international seasons against older physical players, seven years in the NBA being a lead score, bodies being thrown at him, isn't in great shape. Mello's a Hall of Famer, but at 28 peaked, and that was just one year of college.

He played just one year of college at Syracuse, won a title, went to the NBA, 28 peaked, was not quite the same player, and age fast. Remember, that time when he laughed about being a bench guy for OKC. That's what he was. And then all of a sudden, Mello had to go, yeah, this is what I am. Luca doesn't dunk anymore.

He didn't play us downhill as he used to. And I can like Luca. I like Luca a lot. I think he's really really good. But I think Laker fans, remember the day the Luca trade was made? The sense was, whew! Lakers are headed to the finals. They housed Dallas.

And then you're like, well, Max Crispy's. not bad, and AD is really good when he's healthy. And I look at Dallas today. If Luke is as good as you told me, I look at Dallas today, I look at the Lakers today. Next five years, who would you rather be? I would rather be Dallas. Best front line in the NBA, Hall of Fame and AD still plays on a nightly basis as an elite score and defender.

And here comes Cooper Flag. So there are certain players, the club. closer you get to them, you know, I always say this in baseball. Nobody knows a team's bullpen better than the fans of that team. How do you feel when your team goes to the setup guy as a baseball fan in Atlanta? You're like, yeah, I don't love this. Because baseball is such a long season, the diehard baseball fans in a city know their bullpen better than any member of the media. They're covering it, they're seeing it every night. How do you feel when your team goes to the pen in the seventh inning? And I feel that with Luca. The closer you,

you are to Luca, it's not just highlights. You get all the warts. You see that he can't defend. You see that he can be ball-centric. And he's gifted. I'm not denying it. He's great. And I think he's got four years left. But Cooper Flagg, I think you're going to figure out by the All-Star game. You're like, oh, it looks pretty good. And Cooper Flagg comes in. He does not have to be a dominant score now with DeLo there. D-Loh A-D. Doesn't have to be a dominant score. 18 play defense going to do just fine in Dallas. Now, J. Mac loves Luca. Jemak loves Luca.

He likes guys that shoot. So just saying he's 26. He's an old 26. Colin, Colin, my friend. I had to take some notes as you were jotting this down. Obviously, tomorrow's a big day here on the show. So I'm taking some extra notes. Did you really just say Luca's basically a stepback guy now?

Did you say that? That's kind of what he is. Did you say? No more dunks. By the way, 13 months ago, he put the Mavericks on his back and took them to the finals. Okay, then he played in the Olympics in the summer. Then he got hurt.

He barely played last year. He played 50 games due to the injury. Like, I can't believe you just called the guy. He has been hurt twice since the Olympics. That's what happens when you're not in great shape. Well, they made him run to the finals, and he was running everything on that offense. Then he played in the Olympics.

Like, that's a lot of basketball. Then he got hurt. He's got hurt again. He's working out. Let me just ask you, if Cooper Flagg, you would take over Luca. Is there anybody you're not taking over Cooper Flag? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, absolutely.

There's, I mean. Yonnis. First of all, Cooper Flag is the best domestic draft pick since LeBron. Okay, are you taking Wemby or Cooper Flagg right now? Right now you take Wemby. Is he such a dominant game-altering defensive? Would you take Wemby? SGA or Cooper Flag right now?

Going forward, I'd probably take Cooper Flag. I would, too. And I know that people are going to hate that because SGA's amazing. But, yeah, so I would put Cooper Flag in that like he's going to be pretty soon, a top 10 guy in the league, probably within the next five years. Is that safe to say? Oh, yes, absolutely. And I'm just saying my whole point is Avery Johnson said,

give me Cooper flag. And my take is, that's what I think. And that's not a knock on Luca. Luke is still a top 12 player in the league, top 10 player. Depending on the night, depending on his health. All right, hour two coming up. Urban Meyer, Albert Brewer & Moore. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers.

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel.

help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. In every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source

the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicalife-Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on. A Mormon Polo. ligamist and an Armenian businessman. Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis,

private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.