Stephen A. proposes a trade to the Knicks 👀 ‘LEBRON JAMES WHAT’S UP?!’ | First Take

Stephen A. proposes a trade to the Knicks 👀 ‘LEBRON JAMES WHAT’S UP?!’ | First Take

Should LeBron want to be traded I think it’s something he should entertain at some point I mean when I look at the Western Conference and I look at the Los Angeles Lakers and I look at the way they play last night not withstanding the Lakers have been a subpar team

Throughout this year uh it was nice to see Austin Reeves get loose last night it’s very touching very touching good to having you showed up okay very touching okay and D’Angelo Russell since be inserted into the starting lineup he’s looked fabulous for the most part we get

All of that if they continue to look the way that they’ve looked last night without their two superstars imagine if Anthony Davis by the way Anthony Davis that was a fly I like the outfit that was pretty fly my brother with the shades and the and the turtleneck and

The jacket I got to admit so if you see me rocking something like that in the future I’ll give you credit I got it from you I really like the look but having said all of that let me say this to you if you’re LeBron James now far be

It for me to go this far because we all know how much I love Southern California the weather is just fabulous the town is beautiful uh oh they got some some issues politically they need to address but the bottom line is it’s it’s La it’s

La la we get that right so we understand it but when you look at the team the Clippers are better the Denver Nuggets are better the Minnesota Timberwolves and Oklahoma City Thunder are not going anywhere the Sacramento King some would argue is better and so when you look at

It and you’re talking about five or six teams within your conference that are better than you okay and then you look to the Future what about when Clark and step Adams come back in Memphis and John Morant comes back healthy how am I to look at your squad the future for so

Many other teams look bright in the Western Conference not so much for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers and so when I take it from that perspective and I think about the fact that you’re willing to leave anyway because anywhere that bronny ends up going is where you want to be because

You want to play with your son which is what he’s been on the record as saying assuming he’s going to be good enough to be on the NBA level and I root for that kid I really really do and I hope that all his aspirations and all his dreams

Come true for him and his wonderful family at the end of the day I’m just looking at it from the standpoint that where are the Lakers going unless they show me that they can make a run like they did last year to the Western Conference Finals I’m just not sold on

What I’m seeing from them as it pertains to their future and as a result of that LeBron James with in 39 in his 21st season in the league still being spectacular I want to see that brother in meaningful games and I don’t know if the Lakers can give it to them in the

Future so I think it’s something they should never consider letting them go because he’s box office and it’s Tinsel Town and you need that box office Al low subra and attraction but if I’m LeBron James um I might want to consider it in the short run in in in a short period of

Time instead of the long run go ahead Wendy Oh I thought it was Monica um okay I’m gonna tell you what um what LeBron wants and it’s actually kind of been the same thing that he’s wanted since he was a teenager what LeBron wants is to maximize the opportunity to maximize his

Career to maximize his earnings to maximize his power to maximize what he can run what he can raise for charity to maximize the lives he can impact and to maximize what his team can do in an individual season and that has really been you know what he has wanted when

You look at the way he has operated year-over-year he knows he is extremely aware he knows exactly where the Lakers are he knows that they’re not favorites but what he wants is the Lakers to have the gas pedal down the same level as he did he wanted the same from the Cavs he

Wanted the same from the Heat and so you know I agree with you Stephen A this team is not a team that you fear but they’re a confounding team because they win the inseason tournament where they’re the most dominant team they go in they win in Boston they win in

Oklahoma City they beat the Clippers a couple of weeks ago they have that impressive win over the Warriors I understand the Warriors are not that great but to go into that environment on a night when Steph was playing like that and win so you see that it’s not like

He’s playing for the Pistons here he sees that they have the opportunity to potentially put something together and so what he wants is the Lakers to gas themselves like he gasses himself and that is what this you know passive aggressive stuff that he’s already doing is about he’s done the

Same thing in the past when he wanted the calves or the heat to do it and he’s gotten generally it’s taken some turns and it’s taken some grief and it’s taken some upset stomachs but he’s generally gotten what he’s wanted and for the most part you can find you can quibble with

Me on this for the most part he has maximized most of his Seasons so I do not think he wants to be traded now I will say this it is also a longstanding tenant of the Laker organization started by Dr bus totally followed on by his daughter jeie that the most important

Thing in La is to treat the Stars well because you because you’re not only operating with the Stars that you have today you’re always recruiting the stars of tomorrow that is the Laker way and they they did it with Kobe and they will do it with LeBron I do not think they’re

Headed down this path but one more thing guys and then I’ll let you go I will just point out LeBron has been a Laker for six years okay he has never once in those six years ever been in position to be a free agent after the season this is

Just a statement of fact it is not an implication of anything it is not sources said it is just a statement of fact when he was in Cleveland before he was there for four years okay he was he put himself to be a free agent after three of those he constantly left

Himself options because he wasn’t sure about being Cleveland and eventually he left he has never done that in La he has signed three contracts but now he does have an option so it is so while I back up everything I just said I will also say that he has an option in his

Contract and his son is very likely going to be in the draft those are two things that just need to be said and before you go two things one number one let me make sure everybody knows I was just throwing out stepen Adams because I was just throwing out a name from

Memphis but I’m fully aware that W reported last night that he’s going to get traded to the Rockets which I think is a plus for the Houston Rockets by the way number two I think the most important thing to peel from Wendy is that stars need to be treated special

That’s applicable Beyond I do need to I do beond basketball that latest ratings announcement I was thinking of making a call but foro and them and just telling them your paycheck and I need to at least be at 10% I mean when we got to take care of stars stars stars should be

Treated special I mean that I was think Ste I appreciate you saying that what are the Lakers options I think becomes a question and so we started this conversation should he want to be traded he essentially could be a mercenary as I understand it the way

That this contract is set up it doesn’t mean it’s the end all Beall now I don’t know all of the next level layers on that but to me if the options are maximize in La seems like that’s a bleak Outlook even if they were to get dejonte

Murray like I don’t know that that pushes them over the hill over the top or the option to maximize elsewhere it seems like there are a great number of teams that would like to add LeBron in terms of putting themselves in a position to move the needle in a very

Real way so if we stick with where he has the best opportunity to maximize it doesn’t feel like it’s in LA right now it isn’t it isn’t okay let’s get that straight and a tribute to you for saying that thank you very much Eminem because that’s what she does when she got a

Great point to make I want to sit up here on National Television a matter of fact I’m going to do something I normally don’t do Wendy I’m going to stand for this okay uhoh he’s he’s is fired up today and I’m going to make a proposal to LeBron James oh God to

Virtually guarantee him a trip to the NBA finals if not a championship uhhuh this is the move now there’s a guy based out of Detroit I love him but I despise his ass too because he gets on my damn nerves because his name is Champ because

He thinks he’s he thinks he invented the game of basketball and he’s wrong most of the time okay and this is why people run away from him because we can’t listen to him 98% of the time cuz he’s damn wrong okay and and he doesn’t think

LeBron is a top 10 player all time I just dismiss him I just ignore him I actually block him half the time but I got love for him so I unblock him from time to time or whatever but I have to give credit where credit is due because

He mentioned this to me last night and again this morning all right when I talked to him I talk to him I talked to him in intervals in in small doses small doses I’ll talk to him one minute and then I’ll ignore him for two months then

I’ll talk to him again okay I listened to him last night and he brought this up this morning so I’m going to give my man champ credit what credit is due because I completely agree with him if LeBron James wants to put himself in position to win a

Championship get traded to the New York Knicks Center Stage Madison Square Garden the mecca you see that defense you see Tom tho coaching his defense did you see that brother jayen Brunson and what he does do you see Julius Randle and a Workhorse that he is you know Mitchell Robertson’s coming back you

Know that right I’ve heard I mean hardin’s a big body active he’s been feeling an admir Le since Mitchell Robinson has stepped away Dante dzo that brother’s been playing timido has got them as the top rated defensive team since the OG and anobi trade LeBron James there’s very few things that are

More valuable than titin Town la la Los Angeles California purple and gold but if you ever wanted to leave the New York Knicks got like 11 picks over the next seven years here for you’re the Los Angeles Lakers you need picks you need picks you need Personnel

Wendy you need picks and Personnel who’s the one team that could give you some of that it’s the New York Knicks and LeBron going went from from crypto.com Arena to Madison Square Garden yo bro LBJ baby what’s up it’s orange and blue skies baby let me tell you something right now

I know you’re a billionaire already but damn it that dude Dolan no no matter how bad he could be in other areas you know how to make your money Kevin Durant made that mistake by not coming to the Madison Square guarden he went to barlay Center in Brooklyn LeBron James what’s

Up you talk about Championship baby the Eastern Conference Giannis and and and and and Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston and Miami with Kendrick Perkins talking about how they should trade Jimmy Butler with his crazy self you understand what I’m saying I’m talking about kendri per

Is being crazy all of that LeBron in New York with this team this defense Wy Wendy talk to me wendyy I’m just gonna say three facts I’m just gonna say three facts Molly three facts one LeBron is building aund million compound in Beverly Hills I’m know two you know I know that LeBron

Has a 50 that option for next year for LeBron is 50 million 5 yes and three LeBron’s opt-in deadline is June 29th the draft is June 26 27th keep that in mind yes Miss means it’s possible let me tell something right now

He he he he he go to the crib he go to the crib listen man he go to Crib in offseason he go to C it’s the mecca baby I ain’t asking him to go from Staples or crypto.com and LA to Barclays and traffic on Atlantic Avenue I’m not

Asking them to go from near to Toronto or some I’m not asking them to go from some place like Orlando whatever we’re we’re talking New York City now I know it’s it’s p in the sky but damn it I could drink New York nck got 11 pcks

Over the next seven years what the Lakers need they need picks and they need some contributors the New York Knicks have the asset Leon Rose what the hell you going to do take it to the Grave with you you going to another somebody’s wedding you going to grab the

Picss with you you going out to dinner with your wife and going to put your pic in your pocket you got to do something with them damn pics I mean you utilize it LeBron at the Garden in New York City oh oh my goodness I Can Dream damn it I

Can Dream because LeBron with the New York Knicks they will go to the finals right now they will go to the finals right now with the finals right now mhm that’s what I’m saying I don’t disagree with you on that what I will say of this conversation he’s coming to the Garden

On Saturday he is come to the Garden on Saturday on ABC is they need to call for IT Crowd need to be LeBron what’s up New York orange and blue skies baby go New York go New York go come on LeBron that’s right that’s what they need to be

Doing to master Square Garden the biggest compliment in this conversation is that the Knicks are a team that a number of Big Time guys should want to be a part of they are playing that level of basketball they look that good it is that fun to watch absolutely he

Stephen A. Smith. Brian Windhorst and Monica McNutt debate where LeBron James should want to be traded.
#firsttake #nba

0:00 Should LeBron James want to be traded?
3:00 Brian Windhorst on what he thinks LeBron wants
7:30 LeBron’s opportunity isn’t in LA – Monica McNutt
8:40 Stephen A. makes a proposal for LeBron
9:15 Stephen A. says LeBron needs to go to the Knicks
11:20 Brian Windhorst shuts down Stephen A.’s proposal

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