Transcription
See, everybody is taking shots at LeBron right now, and Rick Buker exposed this whole situation. And I made a video about Rick Buker exposing it that, you know, not many teams are really interested in that. It's all propaganda pushing LeBron's image and protecting LeBron's image and stuff like that. He also said that the Lakers really let go of him by not offering him an extension and so on. But that's Rick Buker.
Now we have Colin Cowherd, who comes out pretty much, um, set starts saying the same thing about LeBron James. And actually, actually says something that that got me cracking up, that LeBron James thinks so much of himself, and he compares himself to the Godfather from the movie Godfather, like he's sitting on the chair in charge of everybody. That's what LeBron James. So let's talk about it.
>> [music] [music] >>
All right, so this clip by Colin Cowherd was, uh, was hilarious to me. Um, yes, he does talk about LeBron James and how, you know, the whole him splitting up with the Lakers was handled. And he mentions Ramona Shelburne's story and stuff like that, and and and how she kind of exposes it like it was really different than what such sports is telling us, and Rich Paul is telling us, and LeBron James and stuff like that. And I've said this before, I don't even think the story that Colin and Ramona is 100% true because they're trying to keep it in the middle, and I think it's really not. But the most hilarious part of this, um, this comment by Colin Cowherd comes when he starts comparing LeBron James to the Godfather. That that LeBron thinks of himself like the Godfather, like he's the Godfather of the team, of the NBA, and he's kind of in charge of everybody and telling everybody what to do and how to do it and how to set it up. And if you don't do it the way I want it, then, you know, you're pretty much screwed. So, um, I want you to listen to these comments because it's really hilarious, and it cracked the heck out of, you know, out of me that, you know, he he said it and he gave that comparison because I think that comparison goes with LeBron James' ego freaking perfectly. So, take a listen to Colin Cowherd, and I'll come I'll come back right after.
>> So, Ramona Shelburne is a great reporter and covers the NBA and a lot of Lakers stuff. And so, she has a really interesting story today. And I'm just going to give you the two things, um, two biggest things to put my arms around here to simplify it, cuz it's it's I strongly encourage you to go read it. She says about LeBron and the Lakers, "He might have been willing to take a pay cut from 52 and 1/2 million he'd made the season before, sources told Ramona. If the Lakers explained how they planned on relocating the money."
>> So, that automatically gives you the image of LeBron James on this big chair sitting like he's the Godfather waiting for the Lakers to come on their knees and tell him, "Listen, we need you. We we we will give you a contract, but we can't give you the max, but this is what we're willing to do and get you and and stuff like that. Will you please please accept our offer?" That's what LeBron James expected, and it didn't happen. They just basically nudged them into getting the F out of the Los Angeles and letting him know that his services were no longer required. Let's keep going.
>> Okay, it was the final year of an 8-year marriage that was often transactional and cold, and I think Ramona nailed it. We talked about this. Maybe I'm saying that because I agree with her, but I said this last week. This was not a love affair. It was transactional. It never felt like Kobe. It never felt like Worthy. It never felt like Michael Cooper. It never felt like, I mean, it it was a transactional relationship. And LeBron sort of aged out of the Lakers plans. And LeBron has always loved that movie, The Godfather. He He He It's his favorite movie or one of his favorite movies. You know, in The Godfather, we all know this is, you know, people pay their their respects to you.
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Right? And if indeed you do leave Cleveland twice, or you do leave Miami, I hey, it's nothing personal. It's just business. Right? It's just business. Well, that's what the Lakers said. It's nothing personal. This was always transactional. You didn't feel like a founder. You were more of a consultant, and the Lakers moved on. So, and now now it can. And I also think the Lakers were classy about it. Uh, you know, the Lakers allowed Rich Paul and LeBron to win the press conference, to win the post move social media. Say, "We love him. It was great. We'll miss you." LeBron can retweet it. But we're going to let you guys win the exit. And, you know, when when I The interesting part of this is when Ramona reports, according to her sources, that LeBron was willing to take a pay cut, but LeBron wanted to see how the money was being spent, and the Lakers are like, "We're not going through you anymore. We're going to spend it how we want to spend it." And LeBron took that as, "Things have changed." But I My question was always, do the Lakers have the courage to move off LeBron? Cuz LeBron's people were like, "Okay, I'll take the cut. What are you doing with it?" And that may have worked 5 years ago, but now it was, "No, we're not going to ask you for permission to make moves on Walker Kessler. We like him, we're buying him." So, it it this always felt LeBron and the Lakers were creating an alliance. Two great houses, right? Um, and now one is on its way to do something else. I I still think it's like I keep hearing about Cleveland, and I've said I think Golden State, Cleveland make the most sense. I think Golden State, LeBron fits. I don't think he makes I think he makes Cleveland better, but I think he's a bad fit. I mean, what did I criticize all year about LeBron in LA? Luka doesn't defend, Austin Reaves tries, but he's not a great defender. At this point, LeBron isn't either. So, redundant offensively, liability similar defensively. Harden doesn't play defense, Donovan Mitchell doesn't play defense, and LeBron at this point doesn't want to play any defense. So, I don't think I don't think he solves the problems for Cleveland. Would he make them better? Yeah, but not a championship level team. I do think he solves the Warriors problems. The Warriors need another play initiator if Steph Curry gets banged up or in foul trouble. They need another play initiator, and despite his age, LeBron is healthy a lot.
>> So, as I said, this these comments from Colin Cowherd were ridiculously funny to me. And if it's not funny to you, I don't know what to tell you. But looking at LeBron James, and even before this whole, you know, he said he wanted to let to go and stuff like that when the season ended, Rich Paul was saying that they want an extension from the Lakers, but the Lakers have to present
>> [clears throat] >>
a plan. And if they want to give him less money, they have to come in with the plan, and they have to explain themselves to Mr. LeBron James, the godfather of basketball, of what they're going to do with his money, and why they need him to take less, and what players they're going to bring, and hope and pray that he's going to accept their plan, and graciously stay a Laker. That's what LeBron James expected. Unfortunately, the Lakers had other plans, and they said, "You know something? We don't need your drama. We don't We don't need your circus. We don't want this crap anymore." And I think this was a lot to do with the new ownership of the Lakers. They just didn't want to They just didn't want to They didn't want They want the circus. And I'm thinking sooner or later they're going to get rid of Bronny. They're either going to trade him, they're going to waive him, or they're simply not going to play him. That's That's pretty much what the Lakers are going to do. So, in my opinion, um, this is a perfect representation of what LeBron James thought about himself throughout his career, what he still thinks about himself at this point of his career, even though nobody else views him that way, and and and wants to treat him that way. And I believe that late that the the the the teams that are interested in him are zero. Cleveland is probably the only team that's willing to give him his contract for one more season, to give him that farewell tour, to create that buzz around the team, and maybe possibly get super lucky and maybe win it. So, I don't know. Let me know what you guys think. This was hilarious for me to watch. That's my kids in the background having fun. And uh, you know, like, share, subscribe, and I'll see you guys in the next one. Peace.