- 29/06/2025
Stephen A. Smith and Bobby Marks sound off on LeBron James opting in with the Lakers for $52.6M and what it means for their championship window. With Luka Doncic's future in doubt and the Lakers targeting Clint Capela, this explosive First Take segment breaks down all the latest NBA trade rumors and bold predictions. Could this be the move that takes the LakeShow back to the top? đ„ Donât miss this intense NBA drama!
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#LeBronJames #LukaDoncic #Lakers #ClintCapela #NBATradeRumors #NBANews #FirstTake #StephenASmith #BobbyMarks #LakersNation #NBAFreeAgency #BronnyJames #LakeShow #Mavericks #NBADrama #TazobeSports
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00:00So let's bring in NBA front office inside of Bobby Marks to look at some of the biggest offseason storylines and Bobby, let's start with the NBA champion Thunder. What do you have your eyes on with them?
00:13Well, they made a minor move yesterday when they cleared out a roster spot and traded Dylan Jones to Oklahoma City. That keeps him at $15 million, but my eyes are on the extensions this offseason. It could be awfully expensive in Oklahoma City, potentially $800 million.
00:27And it starts with Shea Gildress Alexander. He is Supermax eligible. Four years, $293 million. Gildress Alexander is eligible for. He would be the first player ever to earn $80 million in one season.
00:40Then there's Jalen Williams and, of course, Chet Holmgren. Both players are rookie-scale extension eligible up until October 20th. Five for potentially $247 million.
00:50We could get this past this summer. Three players, a potential of $800 million in Oklahoma City.
00:57Yeah, as we've learned with the Boston Celtics, if you win a championship, you're going to have to eventually pay.
01:03Now, elsewhere in the West, the Lakers have a 12-20 record in the postseason since winning the championship in 2020.
01:09So as it goes down with L.A., what do you have your eyes on there?
01:13Well, they're going to be aggressive. Rob Holenka, the general manager, said that after the offseason,
01:17that they're going to go out and get a center. Two players today, LeBron James and Doreen Finney-Smith, have player options.
01:24So certainly pay attention to that. I would expect LeBron, of course, to opt into that contract.
01:28Here's what they have. They've got the $5.7 million tax mid-level exception.
01:33This is for free agency. They'll go out and get a center.
01:35If they can't do that, they're going to explore the trade market.
01:39They've got $60 million in expiring contracts with Rui Hachimora, Maxi Kleber, and Gabe Vincent.
01:44They've got one first-round pick in either 2031 or 2032, and they have that one young prospect in Dolphin Connect.
01:52So I would expect the Lakers to explore the free agency market, might have to do some bargain shopping, and also to be active in trades.
02:00Yeah, and as we know as well, L.A. can offer Luka a four-year $229 million extension on August 2nd.
02:08But now let's go towards the East, because the Bucs were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for a third straight year.
02:15What should we be watching out for in Milwaukee?
02:19Well, GM John Horse has always been aggressive, trying to add around Giannis Antetokounmpo.
02:24When you look at the Drew Holiday trade from years ago, and certainly Damian Lillard a few years ago,
02:28this is going to be a little bit more challenging as far as how to build around Giannis.
02:32They've got a number of players who potentially could be free agents, Brooke Lopez, Torian Prince, Gary Trent Jr., Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr.
02:41They must have flexibility.
02:43They have the non-tax mid-level exception, which is at $14.1 million.
02:47They have the flexibility to go out and make a trade.
02:50But similar to the Lakers, they just have that one first-round pick in 2031 or 2032 to go out and make a trade.
02:57So keep an eye on the Lakers and, of course, Milwaukee over the next 48 hours.
03:01I would expect both teams to be extremely busy.
03:04Yeah, everyone is fascinated with what's going on in Milwaukee, especially as it comes down towards Giannis.
03:09He's under contract until the 2026-27 season with a $62.8 million player option, which is crazy for 2027 and 2028.
03:18Bobby, appreciate your insight.
03:20Out of the final year of his current contract, he'll be eligible for an even larger sum.
03:23So despite declining, both sides remain motivated to find a deal next summer.
03:28Tim McMahon, we've got more party.
03:30Joe Fortenbaugh, live from Vegas, clearly evident by his outfit.
03:33He's set for the big UFC fight.
03:35We'll get into that a little bit later with DC and Peter Rosenberg in the building.
03:39By the way, I saw you at Fanatics, but you had already walked by me, so I didn't get to say hi.
03:43And you had your baby with you.
03:44Oh, you know how cool you would have made me?
03:46The cred you would have given me for a Molly Karam, hello, a Fanatics festival?
03:50I forgive you.
03:51All right.
03:51Peter, tell me this.
03:52Do the Lakers currently have enough to be contenders?
03:56I'm going to go with yes.
03:57And I think it's going to be very popular this offseason to talk about the demise.
04:01I see you shaking your head, Tim, all the way out there wherever you are.
04:04Dallas.
04:05Dallas, exactly.
04:06And I'm not surprised to hear it, but I don't have some sort of incredible math that is my reason, Molly.
04:11My reason is you have a team that's led by LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
04:14And this year, at least, we'll have Austin Reeves.
04:16Three great players up top, including maybe the greatest of all time and maybe the most talented offensive player in the league right now, Luka Doncic.
04:23We can all act as if it's impossible that they could get there.
04:27But we also just saw the Indiana Pacers take the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games.
04:32So let's not act as great as OKC is.
04:35And they are a great team.
04:36They were taken to seven games two times throughout the playoffs, including did anyone realistically think about the Indiana Pacers challenging and making it to a seventh game for the NBA finals?
04:45So I'm sorry.
04:46No, I cannot rule out a LeBron James and Luka Doncic-led Los Angeles Lakers this year.
04:51I can't.
04:52Tim?
04:52Well, I got some math for you.
04:56They got bounced in five games in the first round by a Timberwolves team that got bounced in five games by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
05:04So how does that add up to the Lakers are closed?
05:07Look, Luka Doncic is doing his part.
05:09He responded to J.J. Reddick's subtle challenge of getting in championship shape.
05:15He looks lean right now.
05:17That's obviously a huge part.
05:18But this roster is not a contender caliber roster.
05:23Rob Palenka's got to get that Fonzie jacket on, roll those sleeves up again, and go get Luka, that lob threat that they know they need.
05:31That's why they pulled off the trade for Mark Williams before they changed their mind after taking a look at the physical.
05:36If you don't have a legitimate lob threat rim protector, you're not putting Luka and the Lakers in position to make a championship run.
05:45I don't know how they do it.
05:46I don't know who it is.
05:47Go make that move, and then we can have a conversation about whether the Lakers can challenge this OKC squad, much less the Minnesota Timberwolves.
05:55Vegas, Joe, need you to be the tiebreaker on this one.
05:57So the slickest thing Peter said was when he was pandering to Molly about giving him street kid at Fanatics Fest.
06:06Everything after that was nice.
06:08We go way back since Hot 97 days.
06:10But well laid out.
06:12Well laid out.
06:13I love Peter.
06:14He knows it.
06:15I'm sitting with Tim here.
06:16In the modern NBA, your offense is your floor, OK?
06:20The team that ranked dead last in scoring this season would have ranked in the top five in the NBA in scoring 10 years ago.
06:27Everyone can score.
06:28The question is who can get stops.
06:31Over the last 25 years, 22 NBA champions have been top 10 in defensive efficiency.
06:3815 of those 25 champions have been top five in defensive efficiency.
06:43Oklahoma City, hey, look at that.
06:45Number one in defensive efficiency.
06:47You have to get stops if you want a chance to win in this league.
06:52Because late in the playoffs, when a team's legs start to go and everyone ratchets up the defensive intensity, you watch the shooting percentages fall off a cliff.
07:01Look at Oklahoma shooting in the finals versus where they were in the regular season.
07:05Guys are D-ing up.
07:06You're going to have off nights.
07:08You need multiple paths to victory if you're going to win four and seven.
07:12And some nights, that's going to include just big defensive efforts.
07:16The Lakers don't have that.
07:17Luka doesn't play D.
07:18Austin Reeves doesn't play D, which means 40% of the five guys on the floor aren't going to help you get stops.
07:24And ultimately, that will be the Lakers' demise as currently constructed.
07:28Peter, do you want to defend yourself?
07:29Listen, these are two very valid arguments.
07:32And I'm not going to refute that defense in this version of the NBA is a major key.
07:37And it will be tough for the Lakers.
07:38I'll also say this, though.
07:39It's year two of J.J. Redick.
07:40It will be truly year one of J.J. Redick and Luka Doncic.
07:44We'll see what kind of shape he's able to get into.
07:46We know he's not going to become, you know, Gary Payton overnight.
07:49I'm not expecting a defensive player of the year will work for Luka Doncic, but we will see what they're capable of.
07:54But I just refuse to in this moment, and we all exist as prisoners of the moment.
07:58Right now, it feels like that was year one of an OKC dynasty.
08:02Let's talk about that midway through next season.
08:03You think that's fair, Tim, to say we're a little premature on OKC dynasty?
08:10I mean, everyone was telling me they were too soft to win a championship in the first place.
08:14They won one with a bunch of ascending talent.
08:16I don't think it'll be the last one they win.
08:18I will point this out.
08:20Luka Doncic has been part of very good defenses before.
08:24He went to the finals last year with the Mavericks.
08:27What did they do, though?
08:28They went out and drafted a big-time lob threat rim protector in Derek Lively II and then traded for another one in Daniel Gafford.
08:35If you want to maximize Luka, you've got to get that piece.
08:39I'm not breaking news to Rob Palenka.
08:41He knows it.
08:42He's just got to figure out the path to do it.
08:45Joe, I'll give you the final word, then we'll go west coast, east coast.
08:47The dynasty conversation is the worst thing we do as professional sports talk commentators,
08:55especially when we're not even close to actually meeting the threshold of a dynasty.
09:00It's one championship.
09:01It's a phenomenal championship.
09:03Let's let that rest for a second.
09:05Do you have any idea how hard it is just to stay healthy,
09:08healthy enough to be in contention to win a championship?
09:12We discount that.
09:14We discount health in such a spectacular fashion.
09:16Two years ago, the Niners were in the Super Bowl,
09:19and then last year a lot of people loved them to get back to the Super Bowl.
09:22They went from being one of the healthiest teams in the NFL
09:24to one of the unhealthiest teams in the NFL.
09:27It happens year after year.
09:29Chet Holmgren missed a bunch of games.
09:31Maybe he's healthier this year, but maybe SGA isn't.
09:34Everybody's coming for him, so the final word is going to have nothing to do
09:37with anything regarding the topic you originally set up.
09:40This is a classic Fortinball swerve late in the conversation.
09:43I love it.
09:43No more dynasty talk.
09:44Let's give it at least another season.
09:46You know what, Joe?
09:47I love the feeling right there, and I love what you just said
09:51in appreciating the moment, the championship, letting it breathe a little bit.
09:55I do this program called First Take 240 days a year.
09:58So we will be talking about dynasties and looking forward.
10:02On today's explosive segment of First Take, Stephen A. Smith and Bobby Marks unpacked
10:07what could be one of the most pivotal moments of this NBA offseason.
10:11LeBron James officially opting in to his $52.6 million player option for the 2025-26 season,
10:20Luka Doncic's uncertain path with the Dallas Mavericks,
10:23and a surprising twist in the Lakers' free agency strategy as reports emerge about their interest
10:29in signing veteran big man Clint Capella.
10:32From the very beginning, Stephen A. didn't hold back, passionately declaring that LeBron's
10:38decision to stay with the Lakers isn't just about locking in a paycheck.
10:41It's a calculated move that signals he's still fully committed to chasing one last ring,
10:47especially now that his son, Bronny James, is on the roster.
10:50According to him, this is about legacy, about family, and about ending things on his own terms,
10:56in purple and gold.
10:58Meanwhile, Bobby Marks offered a more technical breakdown,
11:02explaining that LeBron opting in gives the Lakers short-term cap clarity
11:06and opens the door for them to aggressively pursue missing pieces around him and Anthony Davis.
11:11That's where Clint Capella comes in.
11:14The former Rockets and Hawks big man may not be the flashiest name,
11:18but his defensive presence, rebounding dominance, and experience anchoring the paint
11:23are exactly what this Lakers team has been missing.
11:27Capella could take immense pressure off A.D.,
11:29allowing him to shift to his more natural power-forward spot,
11:33and could make the Lakers a top-five defensive team if paired properly.
11:37But the conversation didn't stop there.
11:39Stephen A. brought up the ongoing Luka Doncic drama in Dallas,
11:45questioning whether the Mavs are truly building a team worthy of its prime years.
11:49There's been talk of frustration behind the scenes,
11:52and even though Luka hasn't made any public demands,
11:55his body language and recent playoff exits have sparked rumors
11:58that a superstar shakeup could be inevitable.
12:02Bobby Marks emphasized that while Luka is under contract,
12:05the league has seen crazy things, stars forcing trades,
12:09windows closing faster than expected,
12:12and organisms panicking when their cornerstones get restless.
12:16The idea of LeBron possibly laying the groundwork to bring Luka to L.A.,
12:20whether now or in the near future,
12:23isn't as far-fetched as it sounds,
12:25especially with his influence in the Lakers' market power.
12:28The panel also discussed how the Lakers,
12:31after years of questionable roster decisions,
12:34might finally be waking up and building with purpose.
12:38With LeBron committed,
12:39Bronny drafted,
12:40and names like Capella on their radar,
12:42there's a growing belief that this might not just be a farewell tour,
12:46it might be a serious title push.
12:49And in a loaded Western conference featuring powerhouses like Denver,
12:53Minnesota,
12:54OKC,
12:54and Dallas,
12:56the Lakers know they can't afford to waste another season.
12:58The next few days of free agency could determine whether this is just hype
13:02or the beginning of something massive in Los Angeles.
Recommandations
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