Why new Lakers owners are moving OFF LeBron James | Colin Cowherd NBA

Why new Lakers owners are moving OFF LeBron James | Colin Cowherd NBA

J-Mack, it was a if you’re a Laker fan, it was a disheartening day, but um they got new owners and new owners have come. You know, you ever drive by that restaurant, it says under new management and uh they’re going to change the entire menu. They’re not going to tweak. So, I think I want to read everybody JMack 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 Finny Smith exit disaster. Lakers gave up three draft picks for less than 50 games of Dorian Finny Smith. GM Rob Pelinka 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. Uh we’re changing the kitchen staff. We’re changing the entire menu. This is not about a better chicken parm. Uh 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 bestrun 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. Uh Luke Cornet, Celtics. Now he’s the Spurs and Brook Lopez to the Clippers. So let’s let’s not forget this. Put the pompoms down. The Lakers got throttled in the first round. They lost convincingly in the first round. And they are worse today without Dorian Finny 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 is a knockoff. I know what grandma told you. It’s not a Van Go. 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 Freddy 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 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 Yic 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 sidekick to Steph, Jimmy Butler last year. So, it it’s just you 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 a little bit until Harbaugh. Yeah, they’re there. They’re selling you on that. That’s not what it is. So, the Rams brilliantly run. The Dodgers immaculately 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 guys say we’re going to do what we’re going to do cuz we know what winning looks like. It’s Otani and Bett, not 41-year-old LeBron and perpetually out of shape or an average shape Luca. Okay, Jac, let me bring you in here. Um I I 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 1920 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 that’s a pretty clear signal that LeBron, we know you want championships, but getting rid of Dorian Finny 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 that we’re it we we’re not we’re not a championship team. We 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 Giannis and make it try to make it go this year. Well, next summer maybe Giannis is like, “Hey, I’m done. It’s over.” And then Luca and Giannis join forces in LA. 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 just get me to the East. Just trade me, Lakers. I 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 in a long time that LeBron 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, uh, LeBron was an allNBA player last year, averaged like 257 and seven,
and he’s paired with Luca Donuch. So, you have two of the 10 best players in the league. Yeah.
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 Hallebertton,
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. Like, 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, Chad Homegrren, Jay 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, they they Houston extends Jabari 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 Finny 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 maybe not in the East, but in the West. So, the the great advantage KD saw that with Houston. I don’t I don’t I don’t Shenon can drop 28 on any night. Amen. 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 is a guy that misses games that gets banged up. There are 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, there 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.
So, the ultimate sign of respect was paid to Nicole Joic of the Denver Nuggets who is the most layered, productive, essential player in the NBA. There’s a lot of good players, SGA and Giannis and the aging KD, Luca Lebron, but there’s one Jokic. 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. 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 is 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 OKC, it’s Denver. And I don’t disagree that that Joic does not need KD. He doesn’t need Giannis. 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 Jokic today is on a roster that does not have another allstar. Even after the trade, they do not have another all-star. And yet in the loaded West, they are odds on favorites today because of getting Cam Johnson and Bruce Brown to meet OKC in the Western Conference Finals. So again, it just this guy doesn’t need much. I think my my take is if you if I had to flip a coin today and s 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. uh was completely overwhelmingly cuz Michael Porter was so inconsistent and they couldn’t shoot threes. They were basically it was Jokic Gordon against OKC and they took him seven and they took them seven. So I love what they did. Um I I 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 threes.

Colin Cowherd explains why the new owners of the Los Angeles Lakers are moving off of LeBron James by not giving him any say in free agency and expecting more from Luka Doncic after trading Anthony Davis for him from the Dallas Mavericks earlier this year. Colin also reacts to Dorian Finney-Smith leaving for the Houston Rockets and discusses whether Nikola Jokic will win another title with the Denver Nuggets after they traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson.

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