FIRST TAKE | “LeBron trade rumors are buzzing right now” – Stephen A. on Lakers vs Knicks; Who win?

FIRST TAKE | “LeBron trade rumors are buzzing right now” – Stephen A. on Lakers vs Knicks; Who win?

[Applause] this crowd is Bonkers right now so is [Applause] Brunson that boy badson drives pulls up jump shot got it jayen buson BN to play basketball nine straight wins by the Knicks you’re on the garden floor hearing MVP chance and you’re going to the all-star game I mean

I got I got nothing to say I got nothing to say so awesome so happy for him Chicago guy too the NBA All-Star Game is right around the corner and Jaylen Brunson is showing why he was chosen in the Knicks win over the Pacers Brunson tallied his

19 30-point game of the season which tied Hall of Famer Bernard King as well as dick Barnet for the most 30-point games prior to the all-star break in Nicks history NBA analist Kendrick Perkins joins us now here on Sports Center and perk what are you seeing out

Of Jaylen Brunson during this n game win streak that has impressed you I’m seeing a guy that should be in the MVP conversation I’m seeing a guy that’s been under overlooked and undervalued since he arrived in New York and been in the and been wearing the Knicks jersey

On the front of his chest look when you look when you think about jayen Bronson we talk they I hear in the football space they talk about game managers and Game Changers well he the combination of both you’re not going to speed him up he’s not going to turn the ball over and

He’s an excellent leader along with being a hell of a basketball player so what I think when I think about Jaylen Brunson and how he has the Knicks number three in the Eastern Conference knocking at the door of the Milwaukee Bucks for the number two spot averaging 27 right

Now for the year 32 over the last nine games he should be in the MVP conversation yeah you’re not wrong I mean they’re only a half game behind the bucks right now and the Knicks have only lost one game since the start of the new year which is crazy but look the Brunson

And the Knicks are going to have a tall task tomorrow night they have to face to the Lakers and a little news today LeBron James agent rich rich Paul told our windhorse our Brian windhorse that LeBron won’t be traded or asked for a trade before next Thursday’s trade

Deadline and so I know there’s been a lot of speculation about LeBron maybe being on the move or asking for a trade but what was your reaction to this well I knew LeBron wasn’t getting traded the question is which one of his teammates is getting traded that’s the

Question at the end of the day LeBron James is 39 years old right and he wants to win and compete every single season for a championship and he knows that this roster is not good enough and so they have to make changes they need to get quicker around the perimeter because

In order to be in the Western Conference you have to have Elite Wing play that’s why you see the Knicks right in the East they went out and got ogan anobi it’s the most important position in the NBA for his teams trying to win a championship and that makes sense let’s

Focus in on on the task at hand though with the Lakers tomorrow night because the reality is perk that the Lakers won last night against the Boston Celtics without LeBron James and without Anthony Davis they’re still getting it done we know the Knicks are winning this game on

ABC tomorrow night how do you think it goes down at the Garden oh it’s going down and and you know the beautiful thing about the New York Knicks I understand that they’re missing you know uh Mitchell and I understand Julius Randle is not going to be there but this

Team is pluging plug and replac right like when it comes down to culture and identity they don’t care they’re going to go out there and compete night in and night out like we saw last night we saw precious and hardstein they both dominated the interior you saw jayen

Bronson do what he do Josh Hart two a couple nights ago triple double last night double figure rebounds they have culture and they’re one of the few teams in the NBA that actually still play defense they actually still defend it’s going to be a showdown it’s going to be

A movie I wish I was there yeah I’m looking forward to it too you know I tried to find the line for tomorrow’s game who’s favorite there is no line right now because LeBron James status is still up in the air for tomorrow night again Knicks and Lakers at the Gard should be

A okay to be clear Han wasn’t saying that the Lakers should trade LeBron however Stephen A should LeBron want to be traded I think it’s something he should entertain at some point 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 we 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 because I really 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 CU we all know how much I love Southern California the weather is just fabulous the town is beautiful oh whole they got 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 Stephen 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 looked 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 of lawence TR 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’s 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 calves 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 won 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 maximize 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 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 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 in 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 then 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 doable beond

After that latest ratings announcement I was thinking of making a call but foro and them just telling them you’re 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 thinking Ste

Stephen I appreciate you saying that speaking me I’m just bring it back to the Wendy I’m G to stand for this okay uh oh he’s he’s 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 you don’t tell us his name 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 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 talk to him I talk to him I talk to him in intervals in in in small doses small doses I’ll talk to him one minute and then I’ll ignore him for two months and 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 meca you see that defense you see Tom tho coaching this defense did did you see that brother Jaylen Brunson and what he does do you see Julius Randall in a Workhorse that he is you know Mitchell Robertson’s coming back you know that

Right I’ve heard I mean har Stein’s a big body active he’s been fing in admirably since Mitchell Robinson has stepped away Dante deeno that brother’s been playing Tibido has got them as the top rated defensive team since the OG and anovi trade LeBron James there’s very few things that are

More valuable than t Town la la Los Angeles California purple and gold but if you ever wanted to leave the New York Knicks got by 11 picks over the next seven years 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 can give you some of that that’s the New York Nicks and LeBron going from from crypto.com Arena to Madison Square Garden yo bro LBJ baby what’s up it’s orange and blue sky 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 theit square guarden he went to Barclay Center in Brooklyn LeBron James what’s up you talking about Championship baby the

Eastern Conference Giannis and and and and and Jason 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 Kendrick Parkin being crazy all of this LeBron in New York with this team this

Defense Wendy Wendy talk to me wendyy I’m gonna say three facts I’m just gonna say three facts Molly three facts one LeBron is building a 100 million dollar compound in Beverly Hills I know two you know I know that LeBron has a 50 that option for next

Year for LeBron is 50 million 5-0 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 you something right now he he he he he go to the crib he go

To the crib listen man he go to Crib in off season he go to crib it’s the mecca baby I ain’t asking him to go from Staples or crypto.com and La the Barclays and traffic on Atlantic Avenue I’m not asking them to go from near to Toronto something 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 dream New York Nicks got 11 picks over the next seven years what the Lakers need they need picks and they need some contributors the New York

Nicks 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 din with your wife going put your in your poet you got

To do something with them damn I mean you utili 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 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 coming to the Garden on Saturday on ABC is they to call for 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 First Blood Your tower has been Destroyed an ally deated an enemy has been defeated you have defeated an enemy an enemy has defeated an enemy has defeated an enemy has been defeated you have an enemy double Kill enemy double kill an enemy has deated Deated kill triple kill an ally has deated minute has for spee An enemy has deated an ally enemy has been defeated you have defeated an enemy BL team you have deated an enemy your team destroyed a tower okay Spee First Blood an enemy has defeated triple Kill enemy double kill enemy triple kill an ally has been Domina an enemy has been defeated fore spe Spee go Behind an enemy has been defeated fore spee speech my Al has Deated Ally has double kill Tri Kill speee team destroyed Tower an enemy deated double kill K Tri to you have been defeated legendary

FIRST TAKE | “LeBron trade rumors are buzzing right now” – Stephen A. on Lakers vs Knicks; Who win?