The Herd with Colin Cowherd - What's Wright - Best of NBA: Nico Harrison FIRED, LeBron James RETURNS to Lakers, Wemby's MONSTER start | Nick Wright

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet.  Nick Wright's best moments from the 2025-2026 NBA season! Nick reacts to the Dallas Mavericks firing Nico Harrison less than a year after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James' year 23 debut for LA, and Victor Wembanyama's dominant start with the San Antonio Spurs. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Tim McMahon, who is as plugged into the Mavs as anyone with respect to Mark Stein, uh, telegraphed this a bit yesterday on the Great Hoop Collective podcast with he and Wendy and my pal Tim Bond Timps, uh, talking that Nico Harrison could be fired. and Nico Harrison, now, I don't want to incorrectly report this as we record live or we broadcast live at 10.34 a.m. Eastern. Nico Harrison has not yet been fired in a truly mortifying end to a truly indefensible nine-month reign of terror. Niko Harrison has a meeting with Mab's ownership in 25 minutes where he will be fired. I got to tell you, I'm not sure I'd show up to that meeting. If Shams has it and the whole world knows that, you know what, guys, this can be a Zoom.

So the impacts and implications of this are far reaching. most notable is the following. And this might sound shocking. This might sound drastic. But I believe this to be true. Teams around the league should immediately call Dallas and ask about Anthony Davis's availability. Certainly teams around the league that would be in. interested and this probably is going to have to be something far later once you

see him if he returns pre-trade deadline should ask about Kyrie Irving and that is because the Dallas Mavericks are now in total build around Cooper flag try to rebuild our draft capital to keep in mind they do not either have they either don't have well, they either don't have a pick or don't have their own pick in the next four drafts. They had gone all in around historically great superstar Luca Donchich, and then, because of ego and hubris, Luca Dancich was traded in the middle of the night, in the type of move that,

If there were ever cause for a fan base to file a class action lawsuit against management, this would be it. You had one of the greatest players ever at the very beginning of the prime of his career. And I said it at the time and I will say it again. and because of nothing more than power and ego, you lit the franchise on fire. Power and ego. Everyone was searching for why Nico would have done this. And the only logical, and it's not logical,

but the only reasonable explanation was he didn't like the fact that someone within the, organization had more power than him and that someone was luca so we got him out of there and it will go down in the annals of sports history as one of the single greatest gaps in a front office has ever made. That is not an overreaction. That is not an overstatement. That is simply what it was the moment it happened and now is being exacerbated night in, night out, as Luca, instead of coming off an injury as he was last year, reminds everyone, yes, I am the guy who dragged a Dallas Maverick's team to the conference finals when I was 22 and to the NBA finals when I was 24.

And now I'm 26 and I have more first team all MBAs under my belt than Steph Curry does. And you got rid of me. And I don't, I also don't think this is an overstatement. Nico Harrison will never work in an NBA front office again. He's going to have to work for Nike or an agency or something. But this is, you cannot recover from something like this. And the arrogance that less than, you know, we are a dozen games into this season.

And Nico, after they spun a 1.8% lottery, ball chance into Cooper Flag. The fact that he said, do you see the vision now, was one of the most tone-deaf, ludicrous statements, and I'm not a Mavs fan. Hell, I'm an adopted, I guess,

Laker fan because that's who Braun plays for. So the Lakers getting Luca, who's my second favorite player, was and he and brawn playing together was a true dream and i'm still mad about this trade on behalf of mad fans i can't imagine what this is this was a sports felony inflicted upon a fan base and yes now the the villain has been captured and is facing justice but it doesn't change the havoc he reeked and the long-term impact on your fandom. So I want to just revisit before we get to last night's game, before we get to football,

what I said off the top. And credit to Tim Bond Tims, he's been talking about this for a while, but now it is to me a more, because it was never going to happen with Nico in charge. But the Dallas Mavericks have to consider a fire sale. So let me, let me, I want to give everyone the actual draft pick situation for Dallas. In 2026, they have their pick. So my apologies, I said that wrong. 2026 they have their pick this year they have their pick and maybe that's good because right now they're terrible

in 2027 their pick basically totally unprotected protected protected only for spots one or two so unprotected goes to charlotte in 28 jesus the rich get richer the thunder can swap with them. In 2029, their pick goes somewhere in a swap. And they do have the Lakers pick. And in 2030, my God,

the Spurs can swap with them. So first of all, in 2028 and 2030, the Mavericks' first round pick is going to go to the Thunder and then the spurs. Holy shit. In 2029, their pick goes somewhere.

I can't figure it out. It says two most favorable of Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix to Houston, and then other to Brooklyn. Via Dallas and Phoenix to Brooklyn, via Dallas or Phoenix to Houston, via Houston, swap for Dallas or Phoenix. I don't get it. But whatever. The Mavs will not, after this coming year's draft, they do not have, control of their first until 2031, until Cooper Flag is in the midst of his second contract.

So they need to recoup picks. They need to figure out like Clay Thompson's contract is fully underwater. Kyrie's an interesting one. And I, it's just, and by the way, they're three and eight. and I think, let me check, I think they have literally the worst offense in the NBA. I know, so let's just check in real quick. Defense wins championships,

because that's all we heard from this guy. All we heard from him. Their offense is, oh, is it no longer dead last? the hold on let me i had it i thought they were dead last maybe i'm wrong because that says they're 14th right now uh so oh that's last year i'm looking at last year it's like hold on a second this can't be correct it can't be the mavericks having the 15th offense no chance all right here we go oh no it fair is fair they don't have the worst offense in the basketball they have the second worst offense and basketball to the Pacers,

whose best player, tore his Achilles in game seven of the finals, and second best, or third best player left the team. Now, I mean, this is just perfect. Just Chef's Kiss, perfect. Defense wins championships. The Dallas Mavericks are three and eight. They fired Nico Harrison.

They currently have the third best defense in basketball. Maybe that was a miscalculation. Because you have the six. second worst offense in basketball. Good luck, Mavs fans. I feel sick for you. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor Hard Rock Bet, Florida's Sportsbook, and the official sportsbook partner of your favorite Florida teams like the Jags, Bucks, Heat, Magic, and Panthers. Week 18, playoff spots on the line.

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We have some big news. What's the news, 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. people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts.

We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how did 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, 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. Keith Gianmanca seemed like a mild-mannered suburban dad, but secretly, he became someone else, a master of disguise who went on a crime spree. At the time, did it seem like a crazy idea? It seemed very crazy. But I felt so desperate that I felt it was the quickest, easiest way out.

Did you allow yourself to think about how it could go wrong and what that might look like? No. I didn't want to manifest that. I was trying to manifest success. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life. That is not the look of an innocent man.

This is going to change my life and my family dynamic forever because everything that had existed prior in my reality is now untrue. Listen to Deep Cover the Family Man on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out,

help on the internet. Help! Somebody, please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike! I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice! Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man.

If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This week on Crimless, we're joined by our first ever guest. Sorry, our first ever human guest.

I don't think I could be in the same room with Shamrock the parrot. I'd be too nervous. That's right. The very funny Will Ferrell joins Rory Scovel and me, Josh Dean, for an episode dedicated to the many crimes committed by people also named Will Ferrell. They called to his fellow officer for the nippers. What are the nippers? Very good question.

No, I was thinking, would that be a good name for like a salad dressing, Simple assault. And it's a play on word, salt? Maybe not. I say we invest and we see. There's only one way to know. This did not amuse the cops. By the way, normally the cops are amused, but this did not abuse the cops.

Will even comes clean about some of his own crimes. I didn't get caught. You know why? If you don't want to be suspected of anything, you whistle as you walk. Listen to crime lists on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. It's your responsibility to not just seek help, but to identify that you need help. This is Mental Health Awareness Month. Tune in to the podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay, and take real steps toward healing, growth,

and becoming your best self. When you hear the word healing, what does that mean for you? What came right back to mine are the three Ps that I live by, I'll go through the process of healing so that patience, that perseverance and that prayer equals healing to me. From understanding your mental health to doing the work, we break down practical tools, real conversations, and the mindset shifts you need to move forward and thrive. You matter too. Your mental health is your responsibility, not your wife, not your partner, not your children, not the church, not the pastor, not the council. It's your responsibility.

It's time to stop putting your healing on hold and start doing something about it. Listen to Just Here with Dr. Jade on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or web. ever you get your podcast. Yeah, so as you know, we don't usually get too deep into basketball until Christmas, but we got to talk about some things going on in the NBA. Wimby yesterday apparently was crazy. I didn't catch this one, but I saw the highlights. Is it possible that this guy is already the best player in the league?

I mean, here's the thing, DeMonsei. No, no shame and not catching it live. Oh, yeah, I was watching Vijay Hedgecombe, welcome himself to the NBA. Oh, you were watching, so you were watching a different game. Yeah, I was watching Celtics. Oh, okay. Oh, that's, I thought, I assumed you meant you were, oh, good for you, buddy. Yeah.

Yeah, that's a VJ Edgecombe. All time record for points in a day. You, yep, and the Sixers won that game despite him being scored. And B and a no show on a show. And the almost got bad for Vijay with him missing those two free throws at the end. And the Celtics. Yes. Pull it through.

that would have been a damper on the night. That would have been a great win for them. Yeah. Yeah. And Maxie, our guy Maxie had 40. Cooked. But someone else had 40. And he's a 7 foot 5 problem.

So I was a gog at what I saw last night from Victor Wyn Mianama. So he is the best defensive player in basketball. we knew that was going to be the case. And he had three blocks, but that doesn't really explain it because he just dissuade so much action because of his length that I don't know what the advanced stat is for like shots not taken because you're scared. This guy's going to swat it into the first row. But he crushes in that. So we had, so here's a good comp. We had on the show yesterday, Akeem Olajuwon, all right?

And Akeem was never the best offensive player in the league. But there was a two-year period when Jordan was a year and a half when Jordan was retired. And those two years, when Akeem was the best. player in the league because he was far and away the best defensive player and those couple of years probably like the fifth or sixth best offensive player and those two things can combine to make you the best player it usually goes in the other direction the best player in the league joker is far and away the best offensive player and then just average defensively.

Right. And you deal with it. You know, it's very rare. You get prime, I shouldn't say it's very rare. It's just special. Prime Janus, prime Bronn, prime Jordan, prime Kobe. Kauai, though, also I think was never the best offense. On offense?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm talking about a guy who can win the scoring title while being the best defender in the league. Right. It's only a handful of guys. If Wimby's going to give you 40, let me put it like this. Here's why it's so scary to Monzae. And I loved that he only took two threes, that he is stronger, his handles better. I think Wimby, if Wimby averages 25 points a game, he might be the best player in the league.

Yeah. Like that you because of what he is defensively. And if he's going to put up 30, I, yeah, and I'm sorry to Joker and I'm sorry to Shay, but I just, I am, I'm ready to have the conversation that this guy might just be the best. Like the best player in the league right now would be in the beginning. I was probably more on the injury side. It was two things. It was two things.

One was the injury stuff, which still anybody that size, it worries me. But that's about, it was my skepticism on Wimby, I guess was here were the three different levels of it. I think it was him shooting too. Yes. So I didn't like the style he was playing. To me, he was trying to be Durant. And it's like, bro, you're a half foot taller than Durant. and Durant is one of the greatest pure shooters ever.

You're like the, so I didn't love that. The injuries potential concern me because literally every player in the history of the league seven four taller has dealt with injuries. And I don't consider the blood clot an injury. I do though. I look, I'm going to say it's a really dumb here. I feel like that they're more prone to though just because they're larger guys and all that. So that's, yeah. I was about to say that exact same thing. I was like, maybe this is dumb.

Maybe a doctor's listening is like, that's not how that works. But in my head, that's how it works. It's like, I don't know. There's more, there's more air and more just, you know, mileage for there to be clots. Like, I don't know. But so that part. And then the other part was I just thought we were setting him up to be a disappointment by saying if he's not. better than Akeem Olajuwon, he's underachieved.

I'm like, geez, Louise, man. Like, he walks into the league and it's, if you're not one of the 10 greatest players of all time, you've, you have failed. Yeah. With that said, I mean, I kind of get it.

He's on his way. This is special. This is really, really special. And I don't, don't know what you're going to do with him. And it does, he has become, after one game, De Manzee must watch every night. And it makes me at least. With LeBron leaving. Well, yeah, there's that too. Well, there's that too. Well, there's a female.

But yeah, but also and so a couple things. It makes me take the spurs seriously. I mean, they obviously didn't even have Fox. And they beat the math by third. Yeah, the baths. And well, so that's the other piece of it. If you were to ask me going into yesterday, okay, if you are, if you can have any player in the league to try to slow down Wimby on the defensive end, who is your number one draft pick? it would have been AD.

Like, that's the other problem. Like, is there anyone in the league, de Monzae, better, in theory, equipped to deal with Wembe? On the Celtics. I think his last name is vet. Some vet. Okay. All right, you're, I don't know who you're talking about and you're being ridiculous. There is the, the, I mean, maybe you're not.

No, the, I don't. But no, nobody's guarding the man. What do you want to be? Nobody can guard him. The, he's a freak of nature. Hold on. Who are you talking about? Are you talking about Quetta? Quetta, quetta. Oh, okay. All right. Yeah, okay. You were being silly. Uh, no, I'm just saying like, AD is seven feet, can play on the perimeter, can play down low, has been one of the best defenders of his era.

Yes. And Wimby made him look silly. I don't, so, so like, who? Who is the Spurs? What's the Spurs next game? So the Spurs next game is, their next three games are New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto. The hell's anybody going to do? Like, who on New Orleans is going to be like, it's Trey Murphy? I don't think New Orleans, or I guess, Misi?

I don't know, man. This is, so I do think, I do think, DeMonte, it's on the board that he's the best player in the league this year. Yeah. And that would be. And his mind is right, too. Like, I just don't see it. It's like he's going to do everything possible to stay afloat. I see him taking care of his body, taking care of himself in the off-season.

Yeah. Oh, yeah. We haven't had a guy. be in the argument for there's only been i'm just want to make sure i get this right the only no one since brawn has had a real argument that they were the best player in the league in year three like brawn in year three was second in mvp voting he had a real argument Tim Duncan in year three might have been the best player in the league, but he was a four-year college player.

Shaq in year three was, I think, let me, I want to see if I have this, had an argument, he was second in MVP voting and Jordan was retired. And they made the finals, but lost to a team. Those are best player in the league. argument by year three it's just the holy grail of NBA guys really and this is this is something else this is really really something else I'm amazed by it and I I'm I'm in loss of words I didn't understand what I was watching last night and we'll see how it continues.

Oh, wow. What's the MVP odds? Yeah, so he climbed to top two in MVP odds at plus 275, and he was around plus 1,200 in the preseason. So do you see after these three games, him potentially being the favorite? I mean, I don't see. I mean, maybe.

Here's the thing. The thing is this, I, just in principle, if yesterday I could have gotten a bet at 12 to 1, I can't bet it today at less than 3 to 1. And I feel like there's a lot of those tickets out there, I feel like. Wimby MVP plus, yeah, I feel like there's a lot of those out there. Oh, yeah. And I would have told you, I would have told you one day ago, those are dumb tickets, just because I would have said, you know,

coming off injury. Well, he's coming off an injury. He might not play enough games. And it's so hard to win MVP if you're not a top three seed. And, you know, how many games are the Spurs really going to win? By the way, if you're thinking about upgrading to the all new iPhone 17 pro, designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever, but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way to the store or transferring all your data.

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Get all your stuff transferred, get you set up on the network. Visit BoostMobile.com to get started. Delivery available for select devices purchased at boostmobile.com. Terms, of course, do apply. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news?

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. And, well, 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, 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. Keith Giamanka seemed like a mild-mannered suburban dad, but secretly, he became someone else, a master of disguise who went on a crime spree. At the time, did it seem like a crazy idea? It seemed very crazy, but I felt so desperate that I felt it was the quickest, easiest way out. Did you allow yourself to think about how it could go

wrong on what that might look like. No, I didn't want to manifest that. I was trying to manifest success. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life? That is not the look of an innocent man. This is going to change my life and my family dynamic forever,

because everything that had existed prior in my reality is now untrue. Listen to deep cover. The Family Man. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help!

Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives. Helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions.

Psych! I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice! Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrat, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hippocrat as part of the My Cultura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week on Crimless, we're joined by our first ever guest. Sorry, our first ever human guest. I don't think I could be in the same room with Shamrock the pair. I'd be too nervous. That's right. The very funny, Will Ferrell joins Rory Scovel and me, Josh Dean, for an episode dedicated to the many crimes committed by people also named Will Ferrell. They called to his fellow officer for the nippers. What are the nippers? Very good question.

No, I was thinking, would that be a good name for like a salad dressing? Simple assault. And it's a play on word, salt? Maybe not. I say we invest and we see. There's only one way to know. This did not amuse the cops. By the way, normally the cops are amused, but this did not abuse the cops.

Will even comes clean about some of his own crimes. I didn't get caught. You know why? if you don't want to be suspected of anything, you whistle as you walk. Listen to crime lists on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It's your responsibility to not just seek help,

but to identify that you need help. This is Mental Health Awareness Month. Tune in to the podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay, and take real steps toward healing, growth, and becoming your best self. When you hear the word healing, what does that mean for you?

What came right back to mine or the three P's that I live by, I'll go through the process of healing so that patience, that perseverance, and that prayer equals healing to me. From understanding your mental health to doing the work, we break down practical tools, real conversations, and the mindset shifts you need to move forward and thrive. You matter too. Your mental health is your responsibility, not your wife, not your partner, not your children, not the church, not the pastor, not the counselor.

It's your responsibility. It's time to stop putting your healing on hold and start doing something about it. Listen to Just Here With Dr. Jay on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. LeBron's back. And I have a lot of takes. So no athlete in my lifetime has generally. generated more idiotic and immediately self-refuting opinions than LeBron. And I think it's because he's been for basically as long as daily sports television has

existed, LeBron has been one of, if not the main character. And because he has played, you know, throughout the entirety of this. medium and because he has been at the eye of the NBA storm, which while the NBA has never in his career been the country's most popular sport, but it has been at various times in his career the country's most talked about sport when it comes to sports debate and sports TV and sports talk radio, LeBron is the LeBron. Commentariat has spawned just some truly ridiculous and upon reflection hilarious moments. And these are from, for me, friends and foes alike.

I mean, we are 12. 12? Is that right? No, it's not right. 13 years ago, my dear pal, Dan Lebitard announced LeBron was on the downside and Miami had gotten the best of him. That was 13 years ago. And I'm going to talk about guys that I love and adore, so it doesn't seem like I'm trying to take cheap shots here. famously, the owner and founder of this company, my mentor, Colin,

eight years ago, said, LeBron, hang it up whenever you want. The NBA's got it from here. It was actually nine years ago. And that's an all-time clip, A, because LeBron would go on to win multiple championships after that. but B, because he was saying that Ben Simmons is going to take over. Listen, Colin, I was as high on Ben Simmons as just about anybody.

I have to hold that L as well. And there, of course, is all the skip stuff with the clutch and then the latest Stephen A stuff with the real personal, I don't like that guy. So much of it just outright silliness. And then we got an unexpected dose of it in the week's lead in the week or so leading up to lebron making his debut which was hey will lebron be able to fit in with the lakers even though we saw luca and lebron and austin reeds play

together last year hey will lebron actually make the lakers worse will he screw up what they have going on these were real conversations real discussions about the most malleable, most flexible as far as how he can help your team player in NBA history, about arguably the only guy in the history of the league that can legitimately and has literally made an all-MBA team

at all five positions on the court. Check his basketball reference for that. Was an All-N-B-A center one year for the Lakers and an All-M-B-A point guard the year after that for the Lakers late-stage LeBron? Was an All-N-B-A shooting guard as a young player early and then obviously All-MBA small forward and power forward throughout his career?

That that guy that can play all five, and certainly the younger version of him, and to a degree the older version of him, can guard all five, that that guy was going to screw up a team. And then LeBron comes in, keeps his double-digit point streak alive, which is going to be a very fun and funny thing

to watch this year, because it's obviously an untouchable record. and we'll get more on the LeBron untouchable record stuff in a moment. But he wants to keep it going. But he is, I believe, going to play a very different style this year. That game, Tuesday night, that's the few of shots he's ever taken in a game he didn't leave with injury. And speaking of the double-digit point streak, one of those games that he left with injury

because there's only been two games in his career he took fewer than seven shots, which is what he took Tuesday night. One, he didn't play the second half because he took an elbow from DeKimbe Matumbo, and one, he left early when Solomon Hill fell into his ankle and derailed the Lakers title defense

in the 2021 season. but that game involves one of my favorite LeBron moments of all time, which is Solomon Hill falls into his ankle. LeBron recognizes he has suffered the first truly significant injury of his entire career up to that point and is going to be out months and is sitting at the first. seven points and the streak is dead. And despite suffering and injury that is going to knock him out for the next two months, he pretends he's not hurt badly, stays in the game, gets the ball, takes a corner three, hits it, keeps the doubled figure point streak alive, and then is out for the majority of the rest of the season. But that's sidebar. LeBron being dropped in as a team's ultimate Swiss

army knife and LeBron taking pride in that ability. And LeBron then saying after the game with a smile, yeah, I heard what was being said, I've been a, you know, you could put me on any team and I would make it work. It's just obviously true. And people say that about Kevin Durant all the time. Like, oh, you just drop him in anywhere. And yes, that's true about other players. Great players, you drop them in and they would make any team better. The distinction is, can you drop a player in,

and can they instantly do at a high level the exact. thing that team needs them to do. This Lakers team right now might need LeBron to be more facilitator, cutter, screener than score. Unlike some of the other great players in this league, he has the skill set at 40 in year 23 to be excellent at all at anything. Now is he the best player in the league anymore? Of course not. Is he a top five player in the league anymore? No. But is he still have a legitimate shot

at being right around top 10? And is he assuredly, when he's healthy, still a top 15 guy in the league? Yes. And that guy with that malleability helps any team in the history of basketball. Now, is it all right now a moot point for the whole NBA because of who and what OKC is? Maybe.

Everybody might be playing for second this year, but we'll see. Things happen. And there's an element of, I don't want to say lack of appreciation, but numbness to what we are seeing at this moment. And this is something that, you know, I've said before, but I don't know that people, like, fully take it in. And especially because, you know, Steph is playing at such a high level at an advanced age. Durant is playing at such a high level at an advanced stage. But see, whether you want to focus on the age 40 part or the. the year 23 part,

it being without precedent is such a wild understatement. Like Kobe Bryant, the late great Kobe Bryant, how old do you think Kobe was when he played in his final playoff game with the Lakers? I'm going to give it a pause so you can actually think about it. How old was Kobe and he, his final career playoff game.

Are you shocked when I tell you the answer to that is 32? Kobe Bryant did not play in a playoff game with the Lakers after the age of 32. Like a little context to that. LeBron joined the Lakers. when he was 34. So obviously, Jordan was done with the Bulls at 35, 36. Obviously, we've never seen a player play in a year 23, and the only one to get to a year 22 was Vince.

I said this a couple years ago, and people laughed. I think we are now seeing it in real time, he'll simply never be bad. And he could easily play, again, not an MVP level, but a high level throughout his 40s. Again, again, barring, you're always at this age, a catastrophic injury away, but he's ducked that up to this point in his career.

and people can have the argument about the greatest player of all time. I, that is going to age so well on my end and so poorly for so many other folks, because it is, when it does come to, and this isn't the whole discussion, but it is at least a piece of it, the record books, with the way things are going right now as far as injuries, load management, guys not being able to make it through a full season.

LeBron's longevity records are going to, when people look back on them in 40 years, it's going to be like if you look at complete games in baseball right now, and you're like, A guy had 40 in one year? Like all of these games, minutes, points, the playoff records are going to be

Chamberlain-esque, untouchable, and farcical in the numbers to future generations. And I'm very, very interested to see the full role. Braun takes on with the Lakers because in game one of year 23, he was like, okay, I'll be late stage Magic Johnson. And that's pretty damn good. There's one other Braun adjacent thing I wanted to talk about. and this is one of those things that I imagine will do well on social media or YouTube or and might cause me a little grief, but I just, I can't leave it unaddressed. And I don't, I'm not, I'm not trying to start anything, but this is so, it was maddening when I heard it. So, the greatest sports podcaster of all time, the guy who in some ways invented the medium, and a guy I like a lot, Bill Simmons brought the mailbag back, which is awesome.

It's vintage Simmons, it's part of the reason that he's who he is, and it's awesome. and because I'm a fan, I was listening. And he gets asked about the biggest sliding doors moments in NBA history. And he goes to the Draymond groin shot of LeBron in game four of the 2016 finals, which is. a legitimate sliding doors moment. There's no doubt about it. And he talks about how if the Warriors win that title,

Durant can't go, you know, to Golden State. So then who wins the next two? Does LeBron ever win in Cleveland? Does LeBron ever go to the Lakers? That is, you know, what does it mean for Steph? Back-to-back championships, he and LeBron, then at that moment would have been two, he would have had back-to-back league MVP's including a unanimous.

There are, it's, Simmons talks about all of it and he's correct about that being a sliding doors moment. But there's two pieces of that commentary that are just, one is enraging and it's not about Bill. And the other one is, he just must talk to very different NBA people than me. Because what Bill said was the conspiracy theory that people believe more than any other conspiracy is that the NBA suspended Draymond because they wanted Cleveland to win the title.

and I've literally never heard that. Now, I certainly have heard the conspiracy that they suspended Dremond because they hoped the series would go longer than five. But the idea that in real time, anyone outside of the Cavs locker room, me and Zach Lackerel, low. We're all on the record during this. Everyone's doing media. Nobody else when that suspension came down, said, oh, well, now I think the Cavs are going to win. That Warriors team was considered the greatest team of all time and had dominated the Cavs through the first four games of that series. So the first point is the idea that that, it is widely thought in NBA circles that the Draymond suspension was going to lead to the

Cavs winning the championship we were all there in real time that was not a thing and then and then to the opinion piece of it nothing is more maddening for me as a brawn fan then the fact that when that happened and then the Cavs win game five by 15

and LeBron scores 41 points the entire media asserts that would have never happened if Dremont was there. The Cavs winning by double digits and LeBron scoring 40 plus never happens if Dremont's there. And then in game six, when Dremont is there, LeBron scores 41 and the

Cavs win by 15 points. Game five of those finals, no Dremont. Bronz scores, Brongos, I'll give you exact stat line, just so we all are on the same page. 41, 16, and 7 on 55% from the field, 63% from 3, and the Cavs win by 15. So again, 41, 16, 7, 55, 63 splits, 15 point win. Game 6 of the finals, 41, 8, 11, on 6. 65-75 splits and the Cavs win by 14. Like, what are we talking about? What are we talking about?

Oh, hold on. I got to do that because I'm sure. I have to fix that. I have to fix that. I apologize. I gave you the wrong field goal percentages. Let me do that again because I want this to be accurate. I gave you.

So game five of the finals, no Draymond, 41, 16, and 7 on 53-50 splits in a 15-point win, game 6 of the finals with Draymond, 41-8-11 on 59-50 splits in a 14-point win. It's just revisionist history. it's the the only other reason that's relevant to me right now is that that game happened 10 seasons ago and this guy's still playing. It's just a career that will never be

even remotely approached. And it's, if you're listening to this right now and a sports fan of this era, the fact that we got to

experience, Tom Brady going more than 20 years of elite in the mix every single year, 10 Super Bowl appearances across multiple teams, while experiencing LeBron doing the exact same thing in the NBA, It's just unreal. Just unreal. 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. Nice. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to us.

We get to ask other 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. 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. Every family has its secrets. But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life? That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are?

I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to deep cover the family man on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Someday into right now with Buddy by Jake Radio. Non-stop workout music and expert tips 24-7. Hey, head over to IHeart.com. Search Body by Jake Radio and stream it for free right now. Awesome health and wellness tips 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. It's for Vietnam. They're pouring patril all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021.

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