LeBron and the Lakers so he had a he he had a comment when you asked him about basically you know I'm paraphrasing the Lakers striking out in free agency and he seemed very calm and rational about oh it's a business this that and the other I kind of laughed because I said I told Lindsay let's hold that cut for posterity and let's see what it sounds like and what he says on like January 31st or like February 1st about where this roster is um did you also internally chuckle when he said that because you've been around him for so long well I mean yeah I think just because he says it on July 7th doesn't mean that he won't feel a certain way in late January early February but I actually took it as kind of an olive branch towards Rob pinka and jeie bus like listen you guys took care of me with this contract I worked with you a little bit I mean it wasn't like a grand amount of money that he gave back in the large scheme of things considering how much you know money he's been him helping the team avoid the second apron that the team helping him out and having his son achieve his NBA Dream and it sounds like he's going to be a willing partner in managing kind of the atmosphere the tone the expectations around this team and you know how it is like he he's the same guy who could in an instant turn up the volume put the heat on Rob pinka we saw him do it back you know the Russell Westbrook season at All-Star break in Cleveland and he's saying hey you know you know who's pretty good as a GM Sam pry he gets deals done he's not doing that right now and I think that will allow the Lakers to go about their business um quite frankly in a in a better fashion you know some say that LeBron by going about his business that way this year kind of hurt Russell Westbrook's trade value and put the Lakers in a tougher position to get a deal done um um what he's projecting right now is kind of a a patient partner um and I think that will help the Lakers in the long run Dave you Can the Lakers win with what they have just said something really interesting that LeBron will be a partner in managing expectations and then you hit him with you know do you think this team can win with what it's got he said he does you pressed him on it does he really does he really believe that the Lakers are Championship contenders with what they've got you know what I don't think he would say that this roster one to 15 is going to be the best team in the league but I do genuinely believe that he thinks that they have kind of the foundation to go into the Year and have some positive momentum identify the things that they clearly need to upgrade on and one thing I would say that is no secret it's been involved in my reporting ever since the season ended they really got to find another impact big man um but beyond that you know see you know let's see if Gabe Vincent and Jared vanderbelt look like the players they thought they were GNA have last year let's see if Cam reddish can stay healthy for more than 10 games at a time uh and then armed with those two first future first round picks that they're able to trade armed with some amenable contracts of younger players you know we're talking the max Christies the ruy hachimura uh you could even throw in jayen hood saino and possibly even Dalton connect in that conversation what can that get them and um you know listen I think they're a far way away from a championship right now but I don't think they're far away from being a competitive team right now and you know if you're competitive for a couple months and then you make some tweaks in January and February you know maybe they could maybe they could make a run uh because I don't think anyone said go you know not too many people I'd say going into last year's playoffs the Dallas is going to be in the finals and and look what happens yeah no I I agree Which teams are better in the West with that part I think they'll be in the mix um I'm I'm just curious as to how many teams though in the west we saw that last year like 47 wins Is Not a Bad season um but it gets you the seventh seat or the eighth seat you know what I'm saying like in the Western Conference and that's kind of the challenge they find themselves in let me ask you a big picture West conversation if you had to look at it um cuz we did this exercise the other day and I'm curious to see where you are how many teams do you think are definitively better than them on paper right now in the West in the west or okay in the west I mean obviously and you know I'll say obvious because they've had such a good offseason but maybe it's not so obvious because the Lakers did play them really well last year but OKC was number one team in the west and they only got better adding hartenstein adding Caruso yep uh you know okay so you start there I think you go Minnesota uh even though they lost a really key contributor in Kyle Anderson uh you know I I think you're probably going to say Dallas just because you know Luca is you know that special and they came off a finals run and they added Klay Thompson uh I don't know like beyond that you're just say definitively you know Denver obviously has had their number but that was such a competitive series kcp is a big loss yeah I I don't I don't say the Denver's definitively better than the Lakers they they are you know they have the edge of course I'll say that but like how about the Kings I don't think no I'm not going oh see I'm there I'm not I mean Kings had their number last year as well I'll I'll I'll say that but you know I I don't know you got to see how this Dem Mar Rosen thing is got to fit with them um Harrison Baron even though he's you know limited was was a great role player yeah in terms of the spacing he provided for D Aaron Fox to do his thing that's not what dear Rosen does oh no no no Barnes Barnes is what I like to call an elite level role player is that what you like to call it George yes okay got it I believe MC miniman would you agree I don't know George an elite level role player Dave concur I'll I'll Echo that title there you go look at that sure but I'm not gonna I'm not actually well I totally agree why you brought them up I'm not ready to say that you know going into the year I'm picking the Kings to have more wins than the Lakers I'm not really ready to go there okay Dave um one of the things in this interview with LeBron uh was bronny talk and it's interesting because during the bronnie press conference bronnie was talking about his dad and now LeBron is talking about bronnie are we in for a full year of LeBron talking bronnie and bronnie talking LeBron that is to to be determined we're certainly in for a full train that and and we're certainly in for an early season theme of that but I I quite frankly and no one has told me this from the Lakers or from clutch and brony's representatives no one's told me the plan is that bronnie will play a lot in the G League no one has told me that and I've asked some people and it's it's we got to see what happens but I brought up this this example before klen Horton Tucker one year at college is a teenager when he's drafted in the second round by the Lakers represented by clutch sport spends most of the 1920 season in the G League gets his body right gets familiar with this level of competition gets a lot better as the year goes on gets his confidence up and then when they needed him was a contributor in the playoffs against Houston Rockets on the the Lakers way to an NBA championship in 2020 I think that's a blueprint for bronny right there you know the goal for bronny James should be a contributor on a winning team start there from there we can talk about him making millions of more dollars um possibly being an Allstar someday being a starter someday etc etc etc start just being a contributor on a winning team but the G The G League League part is a big part of the development like I don't think I think you know Cappy here wants to you know he loves the the drum of it he wants bronnie starting right next to him you know day one oh oh wait a second you can you can jump in on this Dave I have been trying to explain to George because he doesn't seem to understand ball the way I do but this is Hollywood this and when you've got a story like LeBron and bronnie in game one if for no other reason than to create the movie eventually bronnie starts right next to LeBron in game one oh jez I mean maybe he plays two minutes maybe he plays five minutes who cares it's the first game but from a Hollywood perspective bronnie starts game one so I mean we've all watched Rudy Rudy doesn't start game one of another Dame he they all put their Jersey on the coach on the coach's desk to get him a spot and he gets the sack and the last game of the season that's the better script right right but that that story wasn't even real CLA and working what that's real what are you talking about come on fake come on Joe Montana said it's not all that real but nonetheless your point does stand Dave I agree that is a much better storyline and to your point there seem there there is already a blueprint so it to me it makes all the sense of the world to put him in the best position to succeed throwing him to the Wolves both literally and figuratively potentially on who they play early on um is not the ideal plan I who's ton Horton Tucker's father Mr Horton Tucker okay all right just want to just want to point out that small difference that's all yeah there you go well I mean and listen there's already a part of the you know there was a a push from Rich Paul that Ron James would not be coming to any team on a two-way contract so the Lakers have abided by that so it's not like he's going to exclusively be spending time in the G league and then called up on certain occasions he's a full-fledged member of the roster that said I fully expect him to spend a good amount of time in the G League um getting better One Last Thing uh Dave One Last Thing Before we let you go Cappy um had his uh TSA pre-check revoked because well let's just say long story short he forgot to uh throw away some packaging um from uh you know something that's very legal particularly in California and um it's not exactly why I mean more or less right but nonetheless um you know so he's looking for some uh some some clear guest passes I got some Ramona's got some you will to give up some for Cappy if he needs it oh I got you happy absolutely we need to get you're kind of a second class citizen with your current status got so MC I called it I called it genp is what I called it I'm in genp that's right I'm in genp with the murderers you know and the drug dealers you know you have no idea I'm trying to make I'm trying to make alliances over here you know got the Muslim Brotherhood over here I got the nation all right got have a vacation coming up if you're going to be going with some loved ones or some friends you know you don't want to hold everybody up by not being able to get through so uh yeah tappy send me your your email I'll send over some oh you are an angel you know that you are an angel there it is I don't care what sodano says about you to me you're a great guy MCM excellent work with LeBron as always we appreciate uh the help and uh you chiming uh chiming in with us and joining us today yep thanks guys great to talk to you I man see it there he is the great Dave mcmin hold on a second