LeBron giving AD No. 23? (Via Chris Haynes/Yahoo! Sports)
Panels:
First Half Only:
Second Half Only:
Guest Analyst:
First Half
Monologue: NBA is about to go from extreme certainty to extreme uncertainty
Of course, you have know what has happened in the times since:
Who is your 2020 champ right now?
“I had Houston. Daryl Morey is panicking right now. Now with the Lakers going for broke, I’m going with them” – Barnes
“Warriors. You still have a team that knows how to win. All these other teams, I don’t know who anybody has yet” – Shelburne
The Lakers are trading Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga and Jemerrio Jones to Wizards as part of the Anthony Davis deal with New Orleans, league sources tell @ZachLowe_NBA and me. Deal clears contracts and creates more cap space for free agency.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2019
Free agent Kawhi Leonard is expected to allow the Toronto Raptors to make the final meeting presentation among the teams visiting with him in Los Angeles next week, league sources tell ESPN. The incumbent often prefers to go last in trying to convince a player to stay with team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2019
Lakers in pole position for top-tier free agent now?
Shelburne:
“The only max guys that I would consider at this point are Kyrie or Kawhi. If you’re not allowed to get those two guys, you strategically build a team that fits LeBron and AD. Kuzma is a great third option. To me, they’re definitely heading in the right direction” – Barnes
KD injury:
June 27, 2001 – Kwame Brown selected first overall by the Washington Wizards!
Kanter on Zion: “I feel like he’s Julius Randle with hops” (Via Colin Cowherd)
Randle scored 45 points vs the Blazers back in March; scored 2 points with Kanter officially guarding him
Yo @EnesKanter last time you guarded me I had 45 relax bro lol
— Julius Randle (@J30_RANDLE) June 26, 2019
Think Space Jam 2 will live up to the the hype (Via TMZ Sports)
Does Rooney have Steph range?
Danny Green at the Raptors parade: “We cannot give Marc the mic” (Via Inside the Green Room with Danny Green Podcast)
Moving on…
Is Boston Kemba’s best option?
They are the “frontrunners” to sign him, per Woj
“I like their young core. They proved what they can do already. Picking up Kemba who is a solid player is not a bad choice” –Â Barnes
“I like it for Boston in the sense that he’ll run the offense and he’ll the way Brad Stevens likes to play. He’s also going to facilitate in a way where their young core can shine” – Shelburne
Nichols and Barnes:
Should the Hornets have traded Kemba?
“My understanding is they want to try to make the playoffs, which is admirable” – Shelburne
Second Half
P.J. Tucker: “I argue with Chris and James more than James and Chris argue” (Via Sam Amick/The Athletic)
“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I think Chris and Daryl are doing a good job of trying to put those fires out. But I’m less on what is said and just reading body language. You can tell between those two there’s been some friction. They need to figure out what’s going on over there” – Barnes
Barnes:
“If they’re not on the same page, I don’t know how it can work” – Friedell
Iguodala: “Older players hate on Steph because he took their shine”
“I’ve seen it. You can feel it from other players in the league. When you talk to people about Steph, there’s this resentment because he has changed the way the game is played” – Friedell
“He’s the golden boy. He came in and destroyed record books, won championships, beat LeBron, he’s done a lot of things that probably angered other players and other fans and that’s why I don’t think he gets the respect he deserves. He’s the perfect example of what the NBA needs to be represented as and people don’t like that either” – Barnes
Arenas: “Defense in the 90s wasn’t better, they just hacked who they couldn’t stop” (Via “No Chill” podcast)
“The league wants points. There’s a whole shift change. People want to score. Rarely are they getting paid to stop people” – Friedell
“There’s more emphasis on playing defense back then. The way the game is constructed now and how they want nothing about scoring, highlights and dunks, there’s an emphasis on not touching people at all. It’s really a free path” – Barnes
Nelson: Suggesting a Ewing for Shaq trade “cost me my job” with the Knicks
Via HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel:
Panel’s reaction:
NBA Free Agency: Best/Worst outcomes for every West team (E+) by Kevin Pelton and Andre Snellings
Best free agent fit to join LeBron & AD?
$32M in salary cap space to start free agency
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports that LeBron will wear #6 again, now that he’s given #23 to Anthony Davis
“Strategically build this roster if you can’t land another superstar” – Barnes
“The wild move: Jimmy Butler. He has always wanted to play for the Lakers in Los Angeles” – Friedell
Would JB be a fit for the Lakers:
Secure the bag
Sources: Patrick Beverley seeking 3 year/$40+ million deal (Via Tim MacMahon)
Possible landings spots: Mavs, Lakers, Bulls and Clippers
Max trolling
Like Butler clapping back at his haters online?
How should Capela, Gordon, Tucker feel right now?
All are on the trade block in separate deals, per Woj
“These guys have probably set up shop in Houston, they have families and they’re used to what’s going on, but this is the wild game of what the NBA is and that’s why you see so many superstars taking their future in their own hands. They should be frustrated, but also use that as motivation and a chip on your shoulder” – Barnes
“There’s a human element that gets lost here sometimes. They’ve been through it all, they know what’s going on” – Friedell
The Boston Celtics are hiring Kara Lawson as an assistant coach, league sources tell ESPN. Lawson, an ex-WNBA and Olympic champion, has been an NBA commentator with ESPN and the TV analyst for the Washington Wizards.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 27, 2019
“Shoutout to Pop because he started this trend and I like having these basketball minded women coming in and bringing a different view to men, which can help” – Barnes
