S.I.’s Chris Mannix Talks Celtics, Lakers, Thunder, Clippers & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

S.I.’s Chris Mannix Talks Celtics, Lakers, Thunder, Clippers & More with Rich Eisen | Full Interview

from Sports Illustrated in studio as there’s a duckboat parade going down in the city of Boston is none other than Chris MX good to see you sir how are you good to see you rich there’s a parade going on right now man pretty wild one based on the videos that I’ve seen they’re uh they’re pretty good at celebrating in Boston in June especially no doubt about that a lot of practice manx a lot of practice stop it enough just saying it’s just it’s just uh 13 parades in 22 years what do you it’s been a lot it has been a lot title town the reason why the Celtics are celebrating today is why as opposed to when well I guess just um wh why did they win it all ination I mean it’s always Talent right and they have a collection of not only Elite Talent but modern NBA Talent where they have versatility with you know four guys that can guard five different positions they have great length at all those positions they’ve got solid depth at least they had it when porzingis was healthy and able to play um look they didn’t rely on one guy to win this series Jaylen Brown won finals MVP and and I didn’t have a vote I would have voted for him but this was about Jaylen Brown defending LCA donic Jason Tatum playing a complete series when it comes to rebounding and defense and playmaking Drew holiday having some massive moments uh christas porzingis first two games like he was a Difference Maker in those first two games and Derek white making timely shots they are a a a elite team in this modern era where they have all the pieces you need or you’d want to win a championship and Tatum’s up next to get the supermax he’ll get his money uh the two things the Celtics have to deal with this summer is the Jason Tatum extension which is as simple as here’s the most we can possibly offer you and you put your signature there it’s probably going to be in the neighborhood of $315 million which I think will at the time qualify for the richest contract in NBA history until like Luc is up a year from then it all just keeps going like dominoes um so that’s an easy one um the Derek white extension is coming up as well he’s got one year left on his contract my understanding is the Celtics going to extend him um one thing Wick grpe the owner of the Celtics has said to Brad Stevens and people in the organization is if you have guys that impact winning championships don’t worry about me paying them I’m going to pay them Derek White unquestionably had an impact on this team winning a championship so I would expect Derek white who’s going to be 30 years old this summer still very much in his prime uh to get a multi-year extension this off season and so when he says paying them it’s it’s the luxury tax is what he’s basically saying and the Celtics are in the tax right now um I forget the number they had to pay they’re going to have to pay uh this year but they’re look they’re a taxpaying team but this ownership group I think is willing to pay that tax uh for the right mix of players and let’s be clear like they’re in the tax but they’re not Golden State in the tax they’re not some of these teams that you know the Clippers in the tax like they’re they’re payers but it’s not to the level that some of these other teams that didn’t achieve what the Celtics have achieved are in another reason why Brad Stevens is who he is and so um the Mavericks aftermath is what what’s the takeaway here look I I I think when you have a team that was a effectively put together five or six months ago right because two key players Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington 40% of their starting lineup was not on the team before the trade deadline you add them to the mix and the fact that you get to the finals is a pretty impressive accomplishment I I think the Mavs now have a group that they can build on and organically grow from look PJ Washington Jaden Hardy these guys are 25 years old and younger they’re going to get to get better uh just by natural progression Derek Lively I’m calling it right now Derek Lively is the most improved player next year I I believe that Derrik Lively was phenomenal this year as a Defender as a rim protector as a rebounder uh he’s 20 years old I think he’s going to go into this off season and hone his offensive game you saw at the end of uh I think it was game four he made a three-point shot I don’t think he made a he didn’t make a three all season long for the Mavericks this is a guy that has has shown in practice that he can be a good three-point shooter so if Derrik Lively who already has kind of these Tyson Chandler s qualities to him in terms of rebounding in defense can add a three-point shot to his game all of a sudden you’ve got a very different Dallas Mavericks team then what is the major if you will takeaway the league is going to have the association’s going to have from the Celtics winning it now that we’re in the roster building portion of the calendar year what do you think the takeaway is there I think you saw some a move already yday when Oklahoma City acquired Alex Kusa now Oklahoma City has looked at the blueprint that the Celtics laid out there for how they built their team in recent years and effectively mimicked it right like they’ve got highlevel talent Shay guilders Alexander at the top of it but everyone on that roster does a little bit of everything they they rebound they playmake they defend they can score they’ve got a bunch of four five tool guys on that roster now you add Alex Caruso and if the South have a great bunch of wing defenders in Drew holiday Derek white and Jaylen Brown now you look at Oklahoma City with Shay with Lou Dort with Alex Caruso a two-time all defensive player they’ve got a similar type of of mix there so I think the that Oklahoma City just with that one small mov has repositioned itself to be the number one seed next year and and I think be the favorite to K the Western Conference next season and I’ve got Chris manx here on the Rich Eisen show let’s talk Los Angeles basketball ball because uh obviously one hire just happened down the street for the Lakers and the free agency period has a big huge Domino first to Tumble in this city let’s talk about JJ reck off the off the uh the jump what’s your opinion of his hiring so I probably wouldn’t have hired JJ reick if I was running a team mostly because like I’m a fan of hiring guys that have the qualific for the job basically like I like hiring assistant coaches I think that assistant coaches who grind who who put in their time too often get overlooked like Sam Cassell is on the bench in Boston Sam Cassell had a comparable career to JJ reck played 15 Seasons won three championships made an All-Star team won all-nba team when Sam Cassell retired in 2008 he didn’t go into media though I think if you know Sam Cassell he he would be great at the media he went and learned on Flip Saunders bench in Washington on Doc Rivers benches he was a key member of Joe moula staff what does Sam Cassell have to do to earn a head coaching opportunities a former player a point guard a lot of respect Championship pedigree Sam Cassel would have been a top my list but I also would have gone down to Sean Sweeney who was Jason kids top Lieutenant uh you’ve got David Adelman in Denver terrific one I could name a dozen assistants that that I think are are are I would have gone for if I was hiring for that Lakers job but Rich it could not matter one bit I put this in my column on si.com today M they could have hired Eric spola had Ty leou is’s lead assistant and Tom Tibido as his defensive coordinator and it would not matter one bit because the Lakers roster is the problem the Lakers have a roster that is good but not great and has almost no room to significantly improve right like they had some injuries last year people will point out Jared Vanderbilt out for a while Gabe Vincent missed most of the Season those are problematic but they also had great health from their Stars Anthony Davis played 76 games LeBron James played 81 Austin Reeves or 71 LeBron James played all or Austin Reeves played all 82 so the lake I don’t think health is going to be a differen maker the Lakers are going to make a trade this summer there’s no doubt about that they’ve got three first round draft picks to deal maybe it’s Trey young maybe it’s jeon Murray maybe it’s Zack LaVine but given what they’re going to have to give up to get one of those guys I don’t see either one of those guys any one of those guys making a measurable difference so to me when people talk about the impact that JJ reic can make oh he he he can connect with players really well or the negatives of it that he’s too close to LeBron James I’m here to tell you it does not matter because I don’t think any coach is going to make a measurable difference with the Lakers because I think their roster is kind of stuck and I don’t think they can improve enough in a conference where everyone’s improving I just mentioned the Caruso deal Dallas is going to get better Denver’s going to be back look below them in the standings Houston’s going to be better Victor wanyama is coming with San Antonio and he’s going to get some help this off season the western conference outside of Portland which is going to get clobbered every night the Western Conference 1 through 14 is going to be hell this year for the Lakers and I think that’s going to put them right back in the same position that they’re in right now yeah and you didn’t even mention Minnesota right and they’re right at the top as well is what you just described so expertly on might de um is the reason why Dan Hurley said no what are you hearing about that you know I I think I I don’t think it’s one thing right like I I think Dan Hurley from what I’ve been able to glean like looked at the Lakers as a long-term situation like he was offered what five sixe deal so he was looking at the Lakers Beyond the LeBron James era I I think for Dan Hurley two things came into play one his family’s affection for the Northeast they you know his wife his kids they they love that area of the country and two coming back to a top five College basketball program with a chance to etch your name in history books as a uh as a three-time three consecutive uh NCAA Champion I mean I if I was Dan Hurley I probably would have taken the job because you can always go back to college and find a great coaching job but I I will never uh criticize a guy for you know choosing like your better life like the lifestyle choosing lifestyle you like over one maybe you don’t and but you just described what a what a difficult roster situation it was you still would have counseled Dan Hurley to take the job yeah yeah again because and look it could mean the same thing for JJ reic like if he’s there for five or six years maybe he gets the opportunity correct to grow with that group but reic I think is the fourth coach in the last six years with the Lakers they just cycle through these guys um because the expect the expectations in Los Angeles don’t match the reality of the situation people expect the Lakers because they’ve got LeBron because they’ve got ad two guys that were all NBA players this year they were still playing at a really high level LeBron played like 35 36 minutes per game in his 71 games this year this was the most durable Davis has been at any time since very early in his career um but the the the roster doesn’t support them the roster is not going to push them to that level that those other teams we mentioned are on so short term I think the Lakers are problematic for a head coach long term if they play things right they could be a great situation interesting and the money wasn’t an issue with hurle I mean mean you live in LA um I know I’m just saying this you know if it was 6 for 70 that’s that’s south of pop that’s south of spolo that’s South so it’s about south of Monty Williams to be honest who’s now collecting more to not coach for the next five years um I do think that if the Lakers really wanted Dan Hurley they could have come higher right because I’m not a tax expert but the taxes in California you can just use half you just say are significantly worse than the taxes in Connecticut like that’s a reality um but even if you take the taxes the equation like if you come at like 6 years 90 million 100 million like that is making a guy an offer he can’t refuse and look I think Dan Hurley said it in one of the 97 interviews he did in the aftermath of of uh rejecting that deal like that economics were a factor that he could if there was a bigger offer it probably would have been more difficult to turn down I think that’s something that’s a factor in all this but I do think Dan Hurley likes Connecticut his family likes concut the situation there for him is perfect he got a bump in pay the nil money is going to flow through Yukon as well um I again I’ll never begrudge a guy for choosing a lifestyle over anything else Chris Mannington Sports illustrator here on the Rich Eisen show let’s talk clippers because Paul George is the biggest domino right and what his decision is going to be what what what are his options do you think here well the two free agent options um are Philadelphia and Orlando um two teams that have had different levels of interest in Paul George over the last few months you saw on ESPN joid basically just asked him do you want to get hitch you check this box you know I mean I just love that I love I love everything about Joel embiid he’s he’s one of the best guys to cover uh in the NBA I think Paul George makes a ton of sense in uh in Philadelphia yeah you’re probably going to have to offer him a four-year max level contract to to lure him away uh from the clippers but if I’m the 76ers given my situation where MB the clock’s kind of ticking he’s 30 31 years old he’s often injured you you’re looking at a two or threee window Max for Joel embi to to be the best player on a championship team Tyrese Maxi is just coming into the prime of his career I wouldn’t hesitate if I was the the Sixers to offer Paul George that type of contract I also wouldn’t hesitate either if I was the Orlando Magic the Orlando Magic have not succeeded in recent years at luring Big Time free agents to Orlando you watch the way the magic played last season especially in the playoffs against Cleveland what are they missing a score they need a wing score you know Paulo banero very good player fron Vagner very good player they need help in the scoring Department Paul George could help them and they’re in one of these these windows Rich where uh they have money to spend right now but in a couple of years when they got to pay Paulo when they got to pay France when they going to pay jayen sugs all the guys that are young and inexpensive are about to be older and really expensive for that team so the window for them to sign someone big is right now so if I’m Orlando I’m also looking at Paul George and I’m saying you know what it’s a risk because he’s probably going to be 35 36 years old by the time the contract is out but this is the kind of risk for us that’s worth taking well what’s his thoughts on staying put though right I think all things being equal he he probably would want to be in LA but it was interesting that when kawh Leonard signed his contract uh extension months ago uh and then the Clippers said they want to bring back Paul George Paul George said a lot of the the same things nothing happened we’re in that window right now Rich where we saw contracts being announced Malik monk in Sacramento among others we’re in that window where the Clippers could extend Paul George they’re the only ones who can actually do something right now it seems apparent to me and most of the teams I talk to Across the NBA that Paul George is going to free agency what happens there is is anyone’s guess but it seems more likely than not right now that Paul George you come July 1st or what is it end of June 30th is going to be a free agent and then LeBron’s free agency right I mean Rich Paul already said you can you can he’s not taking some sort of minimum discount to become the the fourth horseman in Phoenix you know so um what how does that play out for him you know my my understanding is that the Lakers are willing to give LeBron whatever contract he wants so whether it’s an extension on top of the current deal or a brand new contract I I think he’s going to be back back uh in Los Angeles but by going to free agency and opting out he can get a three-year deal worth little north of $150 million but he can also get a no trade clause with that deal which you know I don’t know if LeBron necessarily needs but there has been some chatter about trading LeBron in recent years uh as the Lakers have kind of deteriorated by getting the no trade clause he could have some power over them in that particular situation so I I I I have not heard anything to suggest that LeBron won’t be back with the Lakers in some form or another and do you feel if Paul George Goes to Philadelphia that that that puts them on what footing with the Celtics it just doesn’t it it feels like that that that is the most aggressive manuver they can make to get as close to Boston as possible I would agree um but how like I’m just wondering if while they’re you know in their duckboats they’re they’re just also just shaking off whatever moves could possibly be made you know you saw last year with Denver where the Nuggets won a championship and there was optimism that they could run it back yes but they did have some free agents right they had Bruce Brown that left they had Jeff Green that left and among the reasons Denver came up short this year is because their young players Christian Brown um and and the collection of younger guys that were on that roster just didn’t match that same level of production that Denver got uh from the veterans last season the Celtics don’t have that problem like everybody’s under contract for next year Sam how’s got a team option they’ll either pick that up or or give him a new deal their top seven top eight will be back with this team next season so they’re not worried about replacing some of the important role players on that team their confidence comes from this group that just went 16 and three and we could laugh and dismiss the whole ah you know they didn’t get to play the full strength bucks or they didn’t play the full strength Knicks I they didn’t play the Timberwolves or the Nuggets who cares they went 16 and three that is the best Mark in the postseason of any Celtics team in the 78e history of that franchise that was impressive and the Celtics believe they are well positioned to do it again yeah the only reason why the 85 86 Celtics didn’t go 16 and three is they weren’t required to play a 16th game to win yeah like they they swept the they they would have gotten that four game sweep of the Bulls in the first round of that playoffs if they had to yeah uh so Jake Paul Mike Tyson back on so ah your favorite fight that’s your favorite fight de Town come on now it’s back on event it’s an event it’s back on it’s back on in November right is that what it is November I believe a Friday night in at Cowboy stadium okay AT&T Stadium uh Jake Paul Mike Tyson back on back on the co-main event Katy Taylor Amanda serono two also on that card so yeah the the show will go on okay and uh you’re still I mean a little more Runway Mike’s going to have get rid of that ulcer he’s going to come he’s going to show up and this is going to be you guys what get more fun videos you guys get me in trouble how do I get you in trouble get me in trouble because you’re so exuberant and enthusiastic about this fight we are ridiculous say ridiculous Chris when I talk about it it comes across as being negative I’m not trying to be negative about Mike Tyson Jake Paul I think it is going to be a huge event the fact they’re putting it in AT&T Stadium speaks to how big an event it’s going to be I said right here on the show I think it’s going to do more uh more bigger numbers than any fight in modern boxing history yeah all I’ve been saying on Netflix yeah is don’t expect Tyson versus Holyfield or don’t expect Tyson versus Trevor berbick if you want to go even further back to have a a virtuoso Tyson performance just remember he’s 58 years old this month a couple days now he’s 58 uh years old um and the fact that he had an ulcer that cost him his training time does make me a little bit worried about his ability to just ramp up his training once again and be ready to get into the ring in mid November if this fight goes off I’ll be there I I I will will watch this fight I’m dying to see Taylor torronto too I think that is is a huge fight yes um but I’ll be there covering this event I will be in addition to my Sports Illustrated duties I will agree to be the official Rich Eisen correspondent from from the ground I would first of all expect no less I will be the uh it’s a must it’s a must because out of anybody that you talk this fight with who has more enthusiasm for this fight than everybody in this studio no one has more enthusiasm CU When Tyson comes out of the tunnel DMX all black it’s going to be amaz when that happens all right it I kind of view this in the same way that there when when I was training for my 40 a few years ago chrismax uh I did I ran a 40 yard dash I ran at the Super Bowl in Atlanta uh I ran a 40 yard dash with Usain Bolt and there is a photograph of me and you bolt coming out of the start and in that photograph it’s a shot of me side by side with Usain Bol there’s a snapshot in time where I am stride for stride with the fastest man on on on Earth and you can’t you can’t take that away from me okay I’m just saying that’s the way we’re going to think about Tyson when he’s coming out of that tunnel we haven’t seen anything in the aftermath but he’s going to be there and we’re going to sit here and say just maybe maybe just maybe just maybe he lands that one punch and the 58-year-old makes us all feel like we’re 28 all over I encourage that enthusiasm I think people should watch uh because it is going to be an incredible event and I am looking forward to seeing Tyson come out of the tunnel hopefully he’s got the the towel with a hole cut in it you know over his head all old school Mike Tyson all I’m saying is if a fight that is over eight two-minute rounds turns out to be less than you expect it to be don’t go on social media and belly ache about it all right like don’t be like oh my God I can’t believe what I just watched if it’s great and there’s a big Knockout by all means go on Twitter and and say I want to see a rematch or say mikee Tyson is back but if it turns out they kind of hold each other for for 16 minutes of of boxing action do not complain about the outcome well then you could just watch the Brady roast right after it on Netflix you know and and but again pview that moment where they’re they’re touching gloves and they’re about to start and that’s all the Tyson’s back in the ring and and any he’s got a puncher’s chance that’s the whole idea again it is similar to look at that photograph right there on the screen that’s me in my whole get up on planet Earth stride for stride with Usain Bolt you can’t take that away from right at the beginning I’m sure right yeah I yeah that’s all I’m saying that’s all I’m saying is we we’re not seeing what happens at the Finish now what happens at the finish of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson might be a complete dominating performance by Jake Paul and we’re all like ah you know but for that moment I will always have that on my wall no one can ever take that away from me I’m surprised it’s not on the the wall behind you correct it can be we could probably put it in there should be yes I would too like I have a picture I about 15 years ago I boxed Juan manuell Marquez former world champion he flew to New York City to to box me for a story I was writing about what it takes to and to be a fighter and he beat the bag out of me for three rounds but I do have one picture where I’m landing like a clean right hand and it’s it’s like bouncing off his face he’s kind of squinting going back so in that moment I’m allowed to tell people that I hurt that is correct because there’s a photographic evidence that you landed a punch on him and I was stride for stride with Usain Bolt we don’t have to mention that it was yard one of 40 yes I’m just saying he’s a notoriously slow starter well and I’m and as you know I’ve got only one speed and he learned it that day very good it’s I don’t know it’s not good okay uh you and your facts Chris manx here on the Rich Eisen show all right you made a what’s more likely specifically for NBA edition let’s go all right go ahead and hit it hit it what what more likely Never Say Never but never all right um what do you have over there Chris well let’s get the ridiculous out of the way since it is uh duckboat Day Parade M who’s more likely to finish their careers with more NBA titles this is for you TJ Stephen Clay or Tatum and brown Stephen Clay or Tatam and brown who’s going to finish their careers with more NBA titles oh Stephen Clay only I mean winning four is incredibly difficult like I think Tatum and brown have one or two left in them but getting to four is is tough H yeah 2022 hurt yeah I I I I think four is they’re already they’re in the clubhouse right and you’re assuming they don’t win another one right well klay’s not going to be on the team next year so have how many players individually have four like there’s only it’s a pretty small Club as it is that’s true so yeah well how many does PJ Tucker have I’m serious by the way Steve cerr Robert Ory they’ve got okay enough for two hands all right so would you agree with that TJ would you go with Stephen Clay absolutely okay very good what else you got then Chris I disagree with you guys Texas Superstar to win an MVP or Championship first Luca or wmi uh either either either Luka the I mean Luca I was he third in MVP voting this year second I forget what it was um he’s right there on the doorstep I think his team’s going to be better next year uh voters you know one of the things I think worked against Luca was that they were the five seed this year I think they’re going to be a little bit better as a team next year because of the things we talked about Derek Lively um and if he puts up the same kind of numbers he did this year on a team that is the first second or even third seed next year uh I think he’s going to be a strong strong favorite to win MVP that said you in the first segment talking about how deep the western conference is you’re like oh and here comes wmy y for year two I mean the the way he was playing towards the end of the regular season uh just some of the videos that would pop up in the palm of my hand of a block shot here running the floor there then a block shot there then a three-pointer there all in the same sequence yeah I lost track that happened multiple times and so I’m not talking about a title there but I guess you can’t be an MVP on a team that’s like battling for the for the playin seed number 10 is that what you’re saying you really can’t like the Westbrook one when he was sixth with Oklahoma City that year usually it’s reserved for teams that are in the top uh players on teams in the top three we’re asking the question now yes sir um before San Antonio does anything right like and San Antonio is one of the teams to watch this off season including next week leading into the draft they’ve got two lottery picks inside the top eight they’ve got cap space they’ve got movable contracts they need a point guard to play opposite wanyama think of what he did this year with effectively what Jeremy soan a power forward starting at point guard for much of the year they are going to land a quality point guard uh either via trade or a free agency this off season and that is going to make web go to another level every great big man needs a great point guard to to play off of and I think web minyama is going to get that guy I think he’s going to be I think he’s going to be an all NBA player next season I think that’s my my prediction of the wimy jump what else Chris to be a more competitive tournament what’s more likely here the NBA Playoffs that just happened or the upcoming uh Summer Olympic men’s basketball o um interesting the Summer Olympics uh you know the the USA team is like suiting up the Avengers for this like they’re they’re sending their best once again but I mean look at the teams that are out there USA Basketball might not be the best team in North America like Canada just released its roster and I think Andrew Wiggins is probably going to be a part of it Jamal Murray Andrew Wiggins Shay guildes Alexander Dylan Brooks they are stacked up in Canada with with really high level NBA players of whom have been playing together for multiple Cycles the thing that trips the US team up is that they keep you know Reinventing the roster they keep bringing new guys back in instead of having the same team over and over again that develops consistency what made them the redeem team a great team was that they were part of what the the 2003 tournament the 2004 Olympics 2008 all the way up to 2012 a lot of the same guys on that roster this team some of the guys will be back but it’s like LeBron’s back uh you’re bringing Jason Tatum back like just a bunch of guys that are not used to playing against each other whereas France Slovenia Canada uh I think Giannis is going to play I Believe for for Greece like these are a bunch of guys that are used to to playing with each other I think that’s going to be an ultra competitive tournament I don’t I wouldn’t even make the US team the favorite going to that tournament really yeah okay yeah I I I’d have to agree with that um as opposed to we just saw 16 and three Victorious Champion how many g s were in the playoffs not that many right one Minesota played with uh Denver Denver into game seven trying to think Eastern Conference did they go I don’t know it was I think the magic didn’t the Magic in the first round two game sevens that’s it what else yeah uh who takes their team to the finals first uh in the west Shay or ant I’m going to say shay because just a second before I said Thunder were the favorites to to win the conference uh the organic growth in Oklahoma City Chad Shay all the young guys Jaylen Williams like they’re all just going to be better naturally next year they got another Wing Defender and Alex Caruso uh they’ve still got 37 draft picks over the next four years that they can potentially deal for a rebounder and and I think Sam pry is going to find up getting that guy um Minnesota’s kind of in a weird place right now I I think if they run this whole thing back they’re still you know one of the best teams in the Western Conference but they may have some decisions to make because of the finances on that team they’re a very expensive roster they could have new ownership coming in however that shakes out with A-Rod and Mark Lorry and Glen Taylor and that whole fight that’s going on in Minnesota so they may decide not to want to spend as much as they spent this year and that could cause that team to take half a step back which in the Western Conference that’s all you need to go from a conference finalist to a first round exit I’ve got one if you don’t mind and then we only have time for one more I got I got two more can I jump in and well I’m just going to cannibalize it it is your show do you have do you have one about bronie James no okay let me jump in if you don’t mind sorry not interested CU I got to send him off well what’s more likely at this point next week draft is over we are talking about Lebron leaving Los Angeles to play with his son because his Sun winds up in a spot that’s significant or it doesn’t matter cuz the Lakers use the 5050 the overall selection on him yeah I think it doesn’t matter um I I don’t get the sense that any team is overly interested in Brony right now like that could change the second round is where you take flyers right like just have some fun and go on basketball reference sometime look at the history of second round picks that’s what I’m saying if the Lakers are 55th overall like why not just remove any sort of part of the equation and just bring his son in here well yeah like I don’t think he gets past 55 basically is what I’m saying does he get picked by somebody before then I would call that extremely unlikely I’ve had some conversations with Team Executives like say like like the Knicks like they draft bronny somewhere in the second round like could they just dare LeBron to yeah fulfill his Destiny and come play in New York for for a year Philadelphia did they didn’t Rich Paul say he’s not going to sign a two-way he said he’s not going to sign a two-way we’ll see we’ll see how yeah everything ultimately shakes out for him like bronnie one way or the other is is going to spend all most are all next year in the G league right he’s just not he’s in the developmental phase he only played it was a dozen or so college basketball game so I I I I don’t think any team but the Lakers will draft him that’s my guess right now but I do think the Lakers at 55 where virtually no one of any consequence has ever been drafted before I do think they’ll use that pick on Brony okay last one of injured Superstar to finish their career with their current team Zion or Joel embiid uh I would say Joel embiid because he’s a little bit older and they’re not trading Joel embiid unless he demands it right like and maybe the same can be true with Zion but Joel embiid has this like he’s got this affection for Philadelphia like you know the process uh the city the passion they have for it um I don’t think Joel embiid wants to go anywhere and I think they’ve got a top executive in darl mury who just got a contract extension himself that is going to be aggressive in pursuing every veteran available via free agency and trade to surround Joel embiid with the right kind of talent sir I greatly appreciate it you’re awesome uh I love chatting with you and you’re also I’ll just say it on the air too you’re you’re you’re you’re you’re cool enough to say hey man I’m I’m in town um some people don’t do that so and and I appreciate it I really do value that thank you uh and we’re sing you off to uh another plane flight so thanks good news is Al X is literally around the corner you could be you could be through security by the time we finish up this I like that Chris manx everybody check him out and Sports Illustrated si.com catch the rich eyes and show every single day on the Roku Channel 12 to 3 Eastern for free

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix joins Rich Eisen in-studio to discuss how long the Boston Celtics can stay atop the NBA, if the Lakers hiring of JJ Redick was a smart move, Paul George’s options in free agency among the Clippers, 76ers and Orlando Magic, the chances LeBron James leaves L.A., previews the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight, and weighs in on the Celtics, Warriors, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Zion Williamson, Joel Embiid, and more in a special NBA-centric edition of ‘What’s More Likely.’

Tune in to the Emmy-nominated Rich Eisen Show live for FREE on The Roku Channel at https://go.roku.com/thericheisenshow and also streaming on Audacy, Sirius channel 161 and XM channel 206 (Online channel 998) weekdays from 12–3 PM ET!

Showcasing insightful sports expertise with an offbeat mix of humor and pop culture, The Rich Eisen Show attracts the most recognizable names in sports and entertainment.

Subscribe here to keep up with the internet’s best sports and pop culture commentary, interviews, and much more: https://bit.ly/2VjWSBC

FOLLOW US HERE:
https://www.instagram.com/richeisenshow/ https://www.twitter.com/RichEisenShow
https://www.facebook.com/RichEisenShow

@thericheisenshow

https://www.audacy.com/richeisen/listen

#richeisenshow #nba #basketball