Why LeBron Chose The 76ers To Chase Ring Five

LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers was not the comfortable choice. It was the “I want to win” choice and the ripple effects hit fast. We go live with an instant reaction to the news, starting with the shock factor: no hometown nostalgia, no reunion tour, no easy storyline. Just Philly, pressure, and a roster that suddenly looks built for a real title push.

We break down what the fit actually looks like next to Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Brown, and Joel Embiid, including the biggest on-court challenge: ball sharing and role clarity. LeBron as a facilitator and third option makes a lot of basketball sense, but the “favorites” label comes with a warning label too. If Embiid isn’t healthy in the playoffs, none of it matters, and we talk through what smart minutes management could look like to keep both Embiid and LeBron fresh when it counts.

Then we hit the twist that changes everything: the contract. LeBron taking a veteran minimum forces a totally different read on motivation, roster-building, and the inevitable ring chasing discourse. We debate whether that criticism is fair, how this compares to past superstar moves, and what a championship in Philadelphia would do for LeBron’s legacy, especially the idea of winning titles across four different franchises.

If you like NBA roster theory, Eastern Conference contender talk, and unfiltered reactions to league-shifting news, you’ll want this one. Subscribe, share this with a hoops friend, and leave a review with your prediction: do the 76ers win it all with LeBron?

Transcript

Live Reaction And Breaking News

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Welcome to a live edition instant reaction to the LeBron decision. How you doing, Eric?

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Doing good, doing good. Uh for news like this, we had to had to jump on uh obviously tonight to to discuss discuss the LeBron James latest team.

SPEAKER_00 0:25

Yeah. Um, I wouldn't say I was shocked, Eric, but um it was surprising that he didn't choose the comfortable things to do and with the other three teams we're gonna talk about. Um, but as always, everybody, I'm the game injury doc, aka Dr. Evan Jeffries. Um, on my right is Eric B. Mack. We are the host of the Hoops Rehab team show. Um, so you can find our podcast wherever you get your podcasts, Apple, Spotify, wherever it is, at the Hoops Rehab Show. We are live today, so if you are in the YouTube chat or you are on X, please hit the comments and we will get to them during the show. Um, but obviously, this is gonna be a full LeBron, full NBA show talking about everything and everything LeBron. Eric, you ready to get it cracking?

SPEAKER_01 1:18

Yep, yep. We've obviously, you know, I mean at the show, but we've been talking about LeBron for a lot of the past eight years, and so it kind of continues to his new team, but yeah, uh I'm ready.

SPEAKER_00 1:30

Yeah, so obviously we've been waiting quite some time to figure out where LeBron is gonna go. This is the longest it's ever gone in his four decisions. Um, I think we're at the 23rd day or something like that. Can't I can't keep track anymore? Yep, but breaking news comes.

First Impressions Of The Philly Choice

SPEAKER_00 1:49

He sends out a series of tweets, which were just incredible. Like when when a player kind of at least talks about it, you don't just hear report first, and then you get the Shams tweet right after confirming that he's signing with Philadelphia. What were your gut and initial reactions to that signing, Eric?

SPEAKER_01 2:08

Well, so you know, I we talked about it earlier this week. I I just really thought this was gonna be the week. I I think as it goes further along. I mean, it's already gone too long, but um uh you know, it I figured Wednesday or Thursday, but once Friday came, I'm like, shoot, I guess not. You know, I guess we're gonna have to wait another week. Um, but I did not see his tweet, I just saw the the Shams um uh update first before anything, and then I saw his tweets, uh LeBron's tweets after. But yeah, I mean, like you said, I mean, I I can't say um I'm I I guess I'm mildly surprised. So out of those teams that we talked about, and we talked the other night about the reasons why he would go or wouldn't go to all teams, and I would say, other than like a little bit of the noise, I would have had Philly probably last on the list. Um, again, just like you said, just because of the comfortability, really no ties with Philadelphia, just the way the city of Philadelphia, how they have like that um uh reputation, right? The fan base, you know, tend to be uh a little bit harsh. They they will accept you, obviously. But if if things go sour, they'll turn on you quick. And uh I I think that's something that that was kind of like okay. And then obviously the Jalen Brown thing that maybe was overblown, maybe it wasn't a big deal, but it just seemed like it was. So yeah, all signs pointed to other teams. So when I heard the news, I was uh pretty surprised. Um, I would have been shocked if it was one of the other teams, or if it was a team that we didn't like really talk about, that's where I would have been shocked. But what about you? Did you have um uh I'm sure you were kind of kind of surprised as you mentioned?

SPEAKER_00 3:52

Yeah, I mean, to me, all along, that was the best choice if he wants to win a NBA championship. So I wasn't like surprised by that decision.

Why Winning Beats Comfort

SPEAKER_00 4:03

I guess I was just more of like the storylines, right? I felt that obviously going home to Cleveland, he's coming home, kind of finished his career there, and go back to Miami, right? That's another story chapter that he has, right? Yep, and you got the fun go play with Steph, kind of retirement tour there with Steph, which would be a lot of fun. And then you got Philadelphia, and you just know that's for winning, and that's what he was talking about. I don't know how much fun he's gonna have in Philly, like I'm sure he's gonna have fun, but when you look at, I think he chose winning over just playing with his boys or playing with Steph, playing with Draymond, things like that. Um, I know he's really close with Maxie, so I think that's one of the things that um I'm sure like helped him make his decision. I'll be curious to see how his relationship is with Jalen Brown, right? Like, do they talk? Um, I mean, we obviously know what Jalen Brown said about Brawny and how uh LeBron responded. Yeah, I'm sure they've squashed it, right? You know, I'm sure they've talked and like uh they they're probably not buddy buddy, but it'll be interesting dynamic as the season progresses.

SPEAKER_01 5:11

Yeah, yeah. It was, yeah, it's I know there was a lot of talk with that. Like, so obviously, not only just the Bronny thing, but when Jalen Brown wasn't selected to the Olympics, not that it was LeBron's fault, but there was just talk of kind of the whole Nike like crew, and it was like there was like certain particular reasons why he wasn't selected. So I feel like it kind of was deeper than that. But then again, maybe maybe we just kind of saw it wrong, or maybe it's like, you know what? Um, it's something that can be kind of mended if there even is anything. So yeah, I think I don't know. I think if LeBron would have gone to any of the East teams, it would have made like those three teams better. Um, I personally think LeBron, and I think we talked about it, I don't know about it on the show or off off air, that I think LeBron was waiting to see if like any trades happen, if like Golden State traded for Anthony Davis, that somebody go get Kyrie Irving. You know what I mean? Like, I really think he probably had Philly in the back of his mind, but he was waiting for something. And when he probably realized there was really nothing that was gonna happen, he knew he had to make a decision um rather quick. And he was like, Hey, let me just go to a team um that's probably like just the most equipped to to um winning. Although I think Miami would have been there too, but we talked about it obviously, the fit and all that, yeah, which we're gonna talk a little bit about it too here with Philly. But but yeah, overall, it's just gonna be weird seeing him in a 76 or jersey.

SPEAKER_00 6:36

Yeah, that's the weird thing.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Yeah, there's been a lot of greats, like, right? I mean, obviously, there's been a few that have stayed with their teams, like Kobe Duncan and um uh Dirk, right? For example, uh, you know, uh, but we always see like Patrick Ewing like in a Seattle Seahawks uh Seahawks, Seattle Sonics jersey. Um don't remember that. Akeem Olajuan in like a Toronto Toronto, even even Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards jersey. But you know, my point is it's gonna be one of those weird things.

SPEAKER_00 7:08

I will say, with those scenarios, did they win a championship, Eric, or come close to any of that?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

Yeah, it was their yeah, they weren't even really a key contributor in those teams, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:20

So I I think that's the only difference, right? Like we we feel like LeBron still can give a lot in this game.

Fit Questions And Ball Sharing

SPEAKER_00 7:26

Um I I think my thing was that I'm sure what changed his decision as time went on was the Jalen Brown uh trade, right? I mean, that pretty much threw everything out. He probably had some ideas of where he was gonna go. He probably was likely either going home to Cleveland or Miami or something like that, or maybe the Golden State thing. Um, and then that really, really made him think. And you know, I I think as far as a fit, I mean, it was easy plug and play at the four. Like, I mean, like out of all the teams, it's like I never liked the LeBron Giannis band fit. Yeah, I felt it'd be fun with Steph, Draymond, and LeBron, Cleveland. He can he would have been able to slide right in at that at that three, but you still got it. It's a little clunky with Evan Mobley and Jared Allen as your two bigs, right? Like I always felt that was kind of clunky. Yeah, you slide him right in this lineup, it is just all right. I don't think it's uh easier transition for him um to be on the team. Now, you do have a bunch of people that are gonna need the ball, right? So that's the biggest difference. Maxie scored he averaged 29.6 points a game. I think Jalen Brown is around that, around 28-29 as well. And Bede even averaged 26-27 last year. LeBron averaged 20, right? So, like, you're gonna have a lot of mouths to feed, and we oh we know we're gonna hear that. I think it's gonna come down to a couple things, and one of the main things is gonna be health, and that's the health of LeBron, and that's the health of Joel and Bede. Because if you don't have those two, I don't think they're winning the championship.

SPEAKER_01 9:08

Right.

SPEAKER_00 9:09

I I think it can go two ways. It can go, this could save Joel Embiid, right? Because you have all this depth that you can actually create a structured program where he's playing 20 to 25 minutes a game, right, for a good portion of the season while the rest of the guys are picking up all the slack, and then so he stays fresh at the end of the season. And likely you're gonna have to do similar things with LeBron. I know LeBron plays as many minutes as possible, he just does his thing, but he's gotta be somewhere around 30 um in his 24th season, right? Like I would imagine he's in that 30-32 range, right? So I think those are the biggest things. Can they stay healthy? And are they the favorites of the East right now, Eric? Just what their team is stacked. Are they the favorites? Or the Knicks have something to say about it?

SPEAKER_01 10:05

Um, I would, yeah, I would call them the early favorites, but I will say, uh, as you just talked about, uh, I mean, the big like elephant in the room is is um just health and just obviously wear and tear. And and I don't, I I truly think it's gonna take time. I don't know, they're gonna have a good record, but I don't think they're gonna be like for sure one seed. And I don't think they really need to. Um, I just think it's gonna take time. Um I I do think they're the favorites, but obviously you are gonna have to throw in your Knicks in in Miami. Um I you know, I think teams like you know Detroit and Cleveland are not on the now on the outside looking in uh Indiana.

SPEAKER_00 10:48

You know, do you do you I don't want to go on tangent, but do you really think Miami's gonna be that good right now? As is?

SPEAKER_01 10:55

As is, I think, I mean, obviously, I I think just if again, I guess that's every team, if healthy, I think they'll be better than what what they have been. Um, but I'll have to put him at like three at this point or four. Um I'm debating if I'm gonna really put him ahead of like um Cleveland or Detroit, you know, it's kind of they're in that territory,

Health And The East Favorites Debate

SPEAKER_01 11:21

I think.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

Okay, let's go through these teams real quick. I'm just gonna put the Knicks up there at one. Right, just because they're a champion. Yeah, you got a a one seed last year in Detroit. So just I'm just thinking about the East, right? That's two.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Yep, yep.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

You got this Philly team, obviously. That's the three teams right there. You got a Miami team, four, right? You got I mean, I would even still put in you know, putting Cleveland in there, right? So that's a five team, that's five teams there. Toronto, if they keep if they have kawaii, if they get that trade to go through and you have Toronto at Kawhi, Kawhi, you're up to like six deep right there, and we're already forgetting about a couple teams, right? You got to be good. Um, I don't know if you said Indiana. Indiana's gonna be back. That's eight. We're up to eight. I wonder who am I missing? I'm missing one more person right now.

SPEAKER_01 12:12

Did you say Boston?

SPEAKER_00 12:13

Yeah, I said Boston.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Uh I'm just I'm looking through them. No sh not Charlotte, no more Bulls, Nets, Pacers. We said uh you said hawks, you said Raptors, Cavs. Did you say calves?

SPEAKER_00 12:24

Cavs. I mean, you may you may have said um so I mean they're like it's eight or nine deep, like strong, like the east is much stronger than the West right now, if you think about it. The West is two top heavyweights, and then the rest is kind of like uh it could be a three seed, they could be a four seed, it could be a five seed, but you don't have like this is gonna be a battle for nine positions.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

Are you are you saying death taxes in Miami and playing territory?

SPEAKER_00 12:58

Is that is that what you're okay like? Philadelphia or Miami, where you're buying Philadelphia, right? New York, Miami.

SPEAKER_01 13:15

New York okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:17

Uh Toronto with a Kawhi or Miami. Toronto was a sixth seed this year.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

Yeah, I know. They kind of yeah. Uh I'm gonna go with Miami in that with that one.

SPEAKER_00 13:33

Uh Boston or Miami?

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Boston.

SPEAKER_00 13:38

Like finishing the higher seed, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Yeah, just especially higher seed. Boston's gonna have a I I I know people are gonna be like probably down on Boston, and and you know, they they obviously lost Jalen Brown, but I think they'll still have a pretty decent record. But who you say now?

SPEAKER_00 13:53

Uh Cleveland.

SPEAKER_01 13:55

I'm gonna go Miami for with that one.

SPEAKER_00 13:58

Okay, all right. So you're putting them in, and then you can round it out like with Indiana.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

I got Indiana, I think, better.

SPEAKER_00 14:06

Okay, uh, and then Atlanta.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

So I okay, I guess I guess I got him in a five-six, right?

SPEAKER_00 14:11

So, like you're looking at Miami, like trying to avoid being in the play-in again with the young. Yes, and to me, I I I don't unless they make some other moves, which I don't think financially they're gonna have a lot of those options. Um, I don't see him a top three or top four. Like, I'm I'm putting a lot of other teams ahead of them with that.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

Yeah, it's pretty like I mean, we talked about the other the other night, like you know, with with LeBron going there, Kawhi.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Washington is gonna be competitive.

SPEAKER_01 14:40

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:40

So they're gonna I'm not saying that like they're they're not gonna be a top six seed, but dude, they're gonna be in the battle for that sixth seed.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:48

Yeah, so like we're like nine, and you can put Orlando in the mix of just like being competitive. Like, there it's gonna be you're gonna have 10 solid teams.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

Yeah, you know, I I do feel bad for you know, like I mean, like teams like, for example, like the Hornets, yeah. Like Charlie's gonna be good, but how are they gonna fit in? And Hawks, like, there's gonna be those up-and-coming teams, it's gonna be like, Man, you gotta you gotta take it from some of these old old teams, you know, some of these old guys, yeah. But

The Shock Of A Vet Minimum

SPEAKER_01 15:18

but yeah, I mean, look, I I'm obviously I I mean, I think if we would have known all along, I mean, we didn't we didn't even talk about the contract that Lebron took, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_02 15:29

Christ, too.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

If we would have known all along, like that he was gonna be a minimum guy, I mean, it would have we would have gone a different direction.

SPEAKER_00 15:37

I think we thought Lakers, because they were the team that could even offer them anything close to a decent deal, but uh I'm not saying that he had to do anything about this last year, but when LeBron was talking about sacrificing money last year, never in my wildest dream I thought he would go for a vet minimum. But imagine if we had anything and what team we could have added onto last year if Raw signed for four million dollars. There's any team in this league getting LeBron as a veteran minimum is just I mean, yeah, easy work, right?

SPEAKER_01 16:15

Yeah, yeah, no, definitely. I mean, and you know, um I think once once these last couple weeks passed, we knew that it was gonna be uh uh and obviously not even close to what he what he was getting. I think he's like get, I don't know, I think it's like two percent of the of the of Philly's like uh salaries, uh crazy, yeah. Of their yeah, their salaries basically. Um and so yeah, I mean that that's another story. And obviously he signed a two-year deal. I'm assuming it's like a one-on-one, or I'm not too sure.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

I think it's a player option in the second season. So I mean, I'm sure it'll be one of those, like, you know, as long as he's good and healthy, he'll probably play two years and finish it off um and play 25 seasons, or you know, it just all goes to shit, and and you know, it's one of those seasons where he's like, I gotta hang it up. Yeah, um now a little line on the lines of that, Eric.

Championship Odds And Embiid’s Ceiling

SPEAKER_00 17:11

Do the Philadelphia 76ers win a championship with LeBron there?

SPEAKER_01 17:17

Uh I I'm gonna say no. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:21

And your reasoning?

SPEAKER_01 17:23

I think that like first, uh so I think it's gonna be I mean, maybe two years max. I think it's gonna be probably one year. Um, I think they'll get to either the conference finals. Um, I I think at minimum conference finals. Um, and I just think one of the West teams end up taking them, just as simple for that reason. Like I just think either Spurs or or Thunder. Um probably the Thunder. I'm thinking winning next year. Um yeah, I think it's just as simple as like once you get to the finals, you're gonna face one of these young teams. And then also uh I don't know. I'm just wondering, like, do they need like a top notch and they don't need a top notch embiat to have a good season and and get through the first couple rounds and whatnot. But I think they do need that to win a championship. And I just don't know if if if he's got that in the tank. I mean, I haven't seen it in a while, so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

I I honestly that's what it boils down to me. If they can find a way to have Embiid playing in the playoffs and not like limping around, like barely moving Embiid, things like that. Um, I I think that's a huge difference if they if they have a shell of Embiid or don't even have them. I think that makes a big difference on how far this team can get.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

But Eric, I'll play a little prediction with you because this is what I've been thinking about, and I've been and you know I've been talking about this for a long, long time, especially for the last thing that I say in this prediction. But I got a prediction for you. It's a little long-winded, but it's a prediction. So I think LeBron will win a championship in one of these two years, he'll get his fifth ring. I do think he will play the 25th season or 25th season, so that's the year they'll kind of go out, whether or not if he goes out of a championship in the first year or second, and then he'll play in the Olympics in 28, because that's the year that he's retiring, he'll be 43 at that point. He will win the gold medal, Eric, or they will win the gold medal, and he'll retire. And as soon as he retires, Eric, he will be the owner of the new expansion Las Vegas team in 28 when they announce and you know who's gonna be the president of that team, Eric?

SPEAKER_01 19:54

Rich Paul.

SPEAKER_00 19:55

Oh it's gonna happen. I'm gonna tell you right now, mark my words, what are we at? 724 uh 2026. I even sent out a tweet, so I'm gonna say that tweet and I'm gonna repost that when it happens.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

So Rich Paul's gonna leave um being a leave, leave agents, leave his agency and and be a president of LeBron.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

Yeah, you you heard you heard on, I don't know if you heard on the game over when they were talking about like would you ever leave to do what Leon Rose is doing and things like that. And he's like, Well, you understand I'm a I'm a businessman, I own this business, and it's gotta be a deal that I can't return or can't refuse. If your owner is LeBron James, yeah, what do you think that deal is gonna be? So yeah, I just I'm telling you right now, the NBA would just like 25 seasons out of LeBron, and then you give them the keys to a franchise. I swear to you, this would be one of the biggest things the NBA can ever do.

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Yeah, I mean, if that if that's that's probably the storybook ending that he's he's hoping for. Um, you know, I know a lot of folks will have a lot to say about that. And with Rich Paul, I mean, yeah, there is a trend of of agents going into um the front office. Obviously, we our very own uh Rapalenka um has done that, you know, and so there's been a lot of some other folks too. But um, I don't know. Yeah, I what I what do you I mean and what do you think? Do you could because obviously uh I mean I don't know if you've seen, but the people that really wanted him out of LA are now kind of like wow, all right. Now you go now you're kind of like ring chasing. Do you think it was

Ring Chasing And Legacy Math

SPEAKER_01 21:35

in your opinion? Was it a weak weak move?

SPEAKER_00 21:38

Yeah, he's a hundred percent ring chasing. Um, and there's no doubt about it. That's why I said, like, when they talk about he wanted to have fun, happiness, and and ring and and have a chance to win. This is a hundred percent driven by a chance of winning. Um, and so I I was doing something at first. My first thought was this is weak, I don't like it, and then I kind of had to. Digest a little bit. And I realize that think about this, Eric. Yes, he could have been comfortable and gone back to teams he's been with or done something new with Steph.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 22:12

But if he wins a championship with another team, he'll be the only player in the NBA to win four championships with four different or one championship with four different teams.

SPEAKER_02 22:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

So to me, I I understand the move. It's different. LeBron has always been bold. He doesn't care what people say. I wouldn't say this is the exact same move as like a KD, because KD lost in the conference finals, went to the team that beat him that won a championship. This is a team that hasn't won a championship. It you know wasn't even thought about being a championship contender, really. Yes, Jalen Brown made him um a much more valuable team.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 22:52

Um, but I I do think that this is a little different scenario than like say a KD. But no matter what, he's gonna get hated on this decision.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

Yeah, oh yeah, it's definitely definitely different than KD because he's not he's not in his prime. And of course, people are gonna say, well, he was in his prime when in 2010 when he teamed up with um Wade and Bosch. And and it's just even though he I don't even want to say he started it because it was probably the Celtics getting like KG and Ray Allen who probably started the uh era of kind of stars coming together. Um I guess it happened in the past too, with like when like Charles Barkley going to Houston. There was a couple of times, but um, so yeah, I I guess I myself wouldn't classify it as a weak move because he's not in his prime. Um, and but he knows what he's doing, right? Like he could have I think obviously a good story would have been going to Cleveland. Um, but I think he knew in his heart that if he went to Cleveland, they probably were not, they were gonna be good, but they weren't gonna be a championship contender, I don't think. Miami we talked about the how the how the fit, yeah. Um Golden State, fun, amazing, but weren't gonna beat San Antonio or OKC. And so I just think it was a calculated decision. Um I guess we won't know, but if they do go on and win a championship, we'll have to see how it plays out. Do you think it's because LeBron joined, or do you think a team like Philly could have got there anyways?

SPEAKER_00 24:32

And we won't know. That's a good question. Yeah, we'll never know. But yeah, I don't think like Philly would win this year if it wasn't because then I think you're relying on definitely the health of Joel Embiid, right? Like solely, like right, like if it was like I think Maxi, VJ Comb, uh Edgecombe, and um Jalen Brown can get you probably 50 wins on their own, yeah, right. But I think when you get down to the playoffs and things like that, like a tough New York team would be very difficult to manage with Kat and things like that. Um, I think it would be difficult for them. Um I selfishly wanted to see Jalen Brown with his own team like that and not have to have like LeBron there, right? I understand the move and and understand like where LeBron's making it, but you know, now Jalen's like I went from having Tatum to now I got Maxie, LeBron, like I got him beat. There's so many people there.

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_00 25:29

That is not really his own team, which is fine. I mean, that's not his fault. He was traded there, right? Um, but I I still want to see him kind of go out and be the man along with Maxie. And and to be honest, I think LeBron is gonna be a much more facilitator role. I mean, which he has been. And this year he played that role with the Lakers when he became the third option. I think this will be a prime example of him being the third option again um on a really, really good team.

SPEAKER_01 25:55

Yeah, that's what I was kind of wondering. I'm like, is he does he not want to play third fiddle? Is that part of the reason why he left? But but then now he's probably gonna do that anyways with OKC. I mean, OKC with Philly, but it's gonna be, like you said, probably more of like a facilitator role. And so um it's just crazy if you're if you think about it. Like when the Philadelphia 76ers, when they got swept by the Knicks this last playoffs, I guarantee you they did not know that they end up going into next season with Jalen Brown and LeBron James. So it's it just goes to show you really truly know you don't know what could happen. You may have things mapped out, and you may think, like, oh man, this team can't get that person, they can't get that person. Like, bam. Same thing with like Luca, for example, for the Lakers. But um, yeah, it's gonna be a fun season. Obviously, Philly's gonna get a ton of uh nationally televised games now. It'll be interesting to see when they come to LA. There'll only be one time LeBron will be coming to LA, at least against uh the Lakers. Yeah, I'm assuming that'll be Christmas or so.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

Yeah, probably. Um we'll see. Tell me the first game of the season, Eric. I know you're what you're gonna say.

SPEAKER_01 27:01

Yeah, book it. It's gonna, it's so it's gonna be Knicks, right? The Knicks is they're gonna get the ring ceremony, right? At New York. Um, I originally back when things were kind of normal, I was gonna say probably like a Boston or something, but now for sure it'll be Philly.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

100% Philly. First game, home, get the rings, have LeBron there in medicine square garden. Uh that's gonna be that's gonna be wild.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

You could book it.

SPEAKER_00 27:27

Yeah, it's gonna be

Retirement Talk And What’s Next

SPEAKER_00 27:29

interesting. Um, but before we get out of here, do you believe LeBron is really this close to retiring?

SPEAKER_01 27:37

I'm glad you asked me that.

SPEAKER_00 27:38

I mean, just like let's listen. I don't know. I don't I mean, I don't have to read the the tweet verbatim.

SPEAKER_01 27:44

Yeah, if you have just the beginning, if you just have the beginning, I'll give you my mind.

SPEAKER_00 27:47

Let me let me get let me get the beginning because it starts off with I mean, hold on one second. Okay, so I thought I was done with this when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it. I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game. I was honest at the last press conference when I said I need to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. Eric. Uh I I'm not buying it. How much do you believe that?

SPEAKER_01 28:19

Uh two percent. I'll give him a little bit. I just don't. I mean, it doesn't really matter. I mean, whatever I think. I I mean, but because I think there's been a lot the last few seasons, LeBron has said that in his press conference, sure, right? And and I'm sure he's meant it, but I don't I I think he wouldn't have like left like that, like just kind of um, I mean, he was like, let's be honest, like he was kind of broken up with, right? From the late years, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:45

Um, he didn't want to leave on that sour.

SPEAKER_01 28:47

Yeah, and he's like, you know what? I'm like not gonna go out like that. Would it have mattered? Would his legacy probably would still be the same? But yeah, I'm not buying it. I think he had already planned to come back. It was just trying to find that perfect spot, and he probably believes that it's Philly, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 29:04

And I'm sure his body hurts, and I'm sure it takes a lot to get up and do what he's doing, and I'm sure we have to like reflect on that. We know damn well LeBron was not going out, like just losing in the first round and be like, All right, cool, I'm out now. I'm out, guys. There's no way that was gonna happen. I love how he put it. You know, this is my last decision. We know this is his last stop. Yeah, I mean, I can't imagine ever going past the two years that he's gonna go here, right? I mean, he didn't say numbers, but yeah, I can't imagine he goes any more than the two years, right? But we know this is his final destination.

SPEAKER_01 29:40

Yeah, yeah, whether if it's a year or two, could be, yeah. I mean, we'll have to see. I think it just all depends on how the season goes and how he feels. Yeah, I mean, there's no doubt uh in year 24 and age 42, yep. Um, or gonna be 42, right? Gonna be 42, yeah. Anybody forty two in December? Um, yeah, but I I really think you it was he was leaning on coming back. Um, but yeah, here we are. Should be should be fun, and just adds another twist to this uh coming up NBA season.

SPEAKER_00 30:11

Yeah, for sure. All right, you got anything else before we get out of here?

SPEAKER_01 30:16

That's it. Other than I guess, I mean uh well, there's still some chips to fall now with your commingas of the world and yeah, see if the Lakers make a move, anybody else make a move and you know Peyton Watson. So there's still some things to be had. Um, but yeah, it's it's almost like officially the offseason here where we'll probably not have much basketball, but obviously we'll we'll see what happens with the couple guys I just mentioned.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Yeah, and we've been teasing it, but there's some some big things happening in the works here. So stay tuned. Stay tuned for our next couple episodes as we kind of talk about what's going on with the hoops rehab show. All right, Eric, have a good weekend. We had to get on here, talk about LeBron, but the hoops rehab team is out, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 31:03

Have a good night, guys.