FULL NBA Today | Bradley Beal Nears Clippers, LeBron to Mavs? Lakers Pursue Lauri Markkanen?

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12/07/2025

🔥 On NBA Today, insiders unpack three impactful stories:

Bradley Beal is on the verge of being bought out by the Suns—the Clippers are the frontrunners to sign him using their taxpayer mid-level exception, with the Bucks, Lakers, Warriors, Heat, and Timberwolves also in the mix

LeBron James is reportedly on the trade market again, with renewed buzz linking him to the Mavericks, raising speculation about his Lakers future.

The Lakers are targeting Lauri Markkanen as a third star alongside LeBron and Luka—a trade package involving assets like Austin Reaves reportedly could swing the deal

Don't miss expert takes on how Beal to L.A. reshapes the Clippers, what a LeBron-to-Dallas swap might mean, and why Markkanen could be LA’s next big splash.

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#NBAToday #BradleyBeal #Clippers #LeBronJames #Mavericks #LauriMarkkanen #Lakers #NBAOffseason

Keyword Tags (Inside Description):
Bradley Beal buyout news, Clippers favorite for Beal, LeBron Mavericks trade, Lakers Markkanen trade talks, NBA Today analysis, Beal L.A. move, LeBron’s offseason options

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00:00So while the Warriors, they round out their slate tonight, here in the desert, Steph Curry is out in Lake Tahoe at American Century Championship Celebrity Golf Tournament,

00:08stinking both no-look jumpers and long-range putts.

00:14Steph also had a little bit of fun from the tee box. Check him out, impersonating LeBron James.

00:21As he welcomed him to the golf community.

00:23I mean, he looks like him a little bit, a little exaggerated.

00:30Hey, man, listen, everybody can't do everything like Steph can.

00:34Steph spoke on the bronze golf game during yesterday's media availability. Take a listen to this.

00:40I talked to him last week and he told me how much fun he had.

00:45You know, there's something to work with with that swing, though. That's kind of what I was going for.

00:49Do you think he could play out here and maybe even be a competitor?

00:53Out here?

00:56I mean, Charles plays him probably.

01:02Okay, so in case you were wondering, Charles Barkley is a 7,500 to 1 odds to win this weekend.

01:09That's pretty damn bad. I don't know.

01:11Does you need golf?

01:12I'm probably about a 7,500 to 1.

01:14That's what I'm assuming.

01:15You're not a golfer?

01:16No, at all.

01:16And that's why he should have better odds than me.

01:18So I know he ain't good.

01:20Are you a golfer, Bobby?

01:21I'm not.

01:21I played once and I think my clubs wound up in a tree.

01:24So not good.

01:25I tell you what, there's probably a better chance of me growing hair than Charles Barkley winning that golf tournament.

01:29Yeah.

01:31Hey, we don't do any ball slander over here.

01:34Okay, so it's pretty interesting that Steph said that he's talked to James over the last week, especially if you consider the story that Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne released this morning on ESPN.com about the state of the limbo between the Lakers and LeBron after a very eventful six months.

01:49The story read, in part, the gigantic trade that had landed Doncic in L.A. had formed sudden new realities, one of which was James' eventually becoming an expiring contract for the first time in his 23-year career.

02:04It was the strongest sign yet that the end of the Lakers' tenure was near.

02:09Later in the story, Ramona and Wendy both reported, quote, a handful of teams, including Golden State Warriors, who tried to trade for James in 23-24, considered again whether to make an offer, sources said.

02:20It was abundantly clear that the 21-time All-Stars time as the face of the Lakers had for the first time a planned end date, even if James' record-setting NBA career did not yet.

02:31Whether the 25-26 season is to be James' final season in the NBA is up to him, but if he wanted the kind of Hollywood ending that only the Lakers can give legends of the game, the release date was set.

02:47Very interesting.

02:48Your thoughts, UD, as you take your head.

02:52I mean, once again, I'm going to say it to my camera, we are sensitive.

02:57We want to feel appreciated.

02:58We want to feel wanted, especially a guy like LeBron James, who's accomplished what he's accomplished.

03:02When you talk about what he's done as a Laker, what, 10, 15-year slump, they go to the finals, they get one, he brings them back, and all of a sudden everybody's talking about the Lakers again.

03:10I understand how LeBron feels.

03:12He wants to put himself in a situation to win a championship.

03:15That is not a championship roster right now.

03:16So I look at that situation and I say to myself, if he's unhappy, if he's disgruntled, you want to connect the group.

03:22You don't want any squares in your circle.

03:23That does not fit.

03:24So you don't want to disconnect the LeBron James in that locker room.

03:27To the Lakers, rightfully so.

03:30This is the future.

03:31Luka Doncic is your future.

03:32We are preparing for the future.

03:33LeBron James is not a part of that future right now.

03:36So both sides have a point.

03:37Will they figure it out and meet in the middle?

03:39I don't know.

03:39But LeBron James being happy, that should be his main purpose and his main goal.

03:43And I respect that.

03:44I'll tell you what, I think we're in uncharted territory.

03:47I don't, I've never, and UD and Choms, you've been around this for a long time.

03:50I don't remember a situation like this.

03:52It's almost like going back and looking at like the 97 Bulls and Jordan as great as he was.

03:57And then you add another generational player.

04:00And now you're waiting to buy time to build around that younger player here.

04:04And I think for LeBron James, who's still at a top 10 All-NBA, second team All-NBA, who

04:10still plays at a high level, it is going to be fascinating to watch a player that has

04:15a no-trade clause and that can basically dictate as far as if there ever isn't another

04:19ending outside of Los Angeles here.

04:22And where the Lakers are, they've got the potential of going free agent shopping next offseason.

04:28But that's in 2026.

04:30We still have another year to get through that.

04:32Yes.

04:32So, to me, Rich Paul was very clear in his comments that he gave me the day LeBron James

04:42exercised a player option for the first time in his career for almost $53 million.

04:48And it was abundantly clear to me that day LeBron James' feelings are, and he's understanding

04:54that the Lakers are moving forward here, building for the future.

04:57And that means building around Luka Doncic and that being their number one priority.

05:00He understands it.

05:02He supports it.

05:03He gets where they want to go.

05:05So, threading that line of building for now, as well as building for the future, that is

05:10a tough, you know, through line that the Lakers are trying to balance here, where you have

05:15LeBron James, who came to your organization in 2018.

05:18You went to the NBA Finals.

05:19You went to another Western Conference Finals appearance.

05:21So, you won a championship in 2020.

05:23So, they've had a level of success here in Los Angeles.

05:26But then, how do you map out the next few years as LeBron James is entering, whether he

05:32has one year left, two years left, or three years left.

05:34So, the Lakers have to balance that aspect of it.

05:37And they are building, you know, more and more around Luka Doncic and what that means,

05:42trying to compete.

05:43But on the same token, LeBron James has earned the right, as Udonis Haslam just said.

05:48And he's earned the right to end his career on his terms when it comes to how many years,

05:53whether he has one year left, two years left, or three years left, and potentially how he

05:56wants his last year to play out in terms of comfort and just everything around him in

06:01a team environment.

06:02So, do you think that that means that he could end his career in L.A. or elsewhere, UD?

06:07He could definitely possibly end it elsewhere.

06:09If this is his last go-around, I think he wants to be comfortable.

06:12He wants to enjoy it.

06:13He wants to put himself in a situation, most importantly, to win a championship.

06:16That was the big thing for him this summer, looking at what moves they were going to

06:20make, the pieces, the center situation, which is huge for unlocking him and Luka, who can

06:24get to the rim, catch those lobs, vertical space, and open up everything.

06:28If he can put himself in that situation in another organization, I think he will explore

06:32that.

06:32Where do you think would make sense?

06:34I mean, he's talking to Steph.

06:36Who's going to turn down the chef?

06:38If chef cooking up something, I'm showing up for dinner.

06:40For sure.

06:40That's for damn sure.

06:41If chef cooking, I'm showing.

06:42I think the interesting thing to follow is where this Lakers team is during the course

06:47of the season, and a really difficult Western Conference, where a lot of the other teams

06:51have gotten significantly better here.

06:54When you look at Oklahoma City returns to their same group, Denver has gotten better.

06:58Minnesota brings back Nas Reed and Julius Randall.

07:01Dallas, of course, we're waiting on Kyrie Irving here.

07:03Where are they?

07:04If they're struggling, let's say we get into December, what direction do you go?

07:08And if you don't think you're a playoff team or a top six team, do you start to go,

07:13do you look at moving him potentially with, of course, as far as where he wants to go?

07:18I think that's, if there's not a clear path for them to win a championship, I think that's

07:21going to be the most interesting thing to watch.

07:23You just named six teams, so we know they ain't top six.

07:26And we left the Clippers out, so they ain't top seven either.

07:29It'd be very interesting to see LeBron go literally anywhere.

07:32So TBD on that.

07:33Coming up tonight, it was a good one.

07:35NBA stars in attendance for Cooper Flagg, Mavs, Lakers, Summer League matchup.

07:39First quarter, we start.

07:40Cooper Flagg with a steal, drives, fast break, and the slam.

07:46Mavs down one, now in the fourth.

07:50Oh, yeah.

07:51DJ Stewart drives to the lane, Flagg with a block.

07:53He drives, finds an open.

07:56Ryan Nimhard, 4-3.

07:59Dallas wins 87-85.

08:04Flagg filled up the stat sheet in his debut, going for 10 points, 6 boards, 4 assists,

08:09and 3 steals.

08:10He also drew 9 Lakers fouls and turned it over just once.

08:15We'll talk a little bit more about Cooper and his debut a little later in the show.

08:18As you know, everyone is in Vegas right now.

08:21It's the center of the NBA universe.

08:22And look at who we have here.

08:23Mark Laurie and Alex Rodriguez, now officially the owners of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

08:29So I want to start from the beginning, guys.

08:31I know you guys are best friends.

08:32You guys do a lot together.

08:33When did you guys decide that you wanted to own an NBA team?

08:38Well, I'll tell you what.

08:40Mark and I took a run at the New York Mets, and it was an incredible process.

08:44It took about eight months.

08:46We were the second winners.

08:48And when that kind of fell through, we were very disappointed, and shortly after came

08:53this opportunity.

08:54And in a 5, 10-minute call, we said, let's go for it.

08:57Yeah, that was basically it.

08:59It was a blessing in disguise looking back now.

09:01We couldn't be happier.

09:03Alex, you personally, you and Michael Jordan, the two former athletes turned owners, governors,

09:10like not minority, but co-owners here with Mark Laurie.

09:13What does that make you feel, being in that position, to say you and Michael Jordan, like

09:18that's a prestigious role for you guys after being athletes?

09:21I mean, first of all, it's just an incredible honor, I mean, to be part of this incredible

09:26both leagues, WN and the NBA.

09:28Michael is someone who I looked up to for a very long time as Magic.

09:32Magic's been also a good friend and a great mentor.

09:34And I just think about that 12-year-old boy who saw his mom working two jobs and collecting

09:39food stamps.

09:40And to go from there to here with a great partner like Mark, I just could not be more

09:45honored.

09:46I want to know a little bit more about the dynamic between you two.

09:49This is the first time I've ever hanged out with you guys, and I've seen you guys kind

09:51of bickering back and forth.

09:52What is the business relationship between you guys, and how does that work out?

09:56Yeah, we're like co-chairmen, co-founders of a startup.

09:59I think that's the way we operate.

10:00We're great friends, as you said.

10:03And, you know, we share a common set of values, but we come at it with a complementary set

10:07of skills, and I think we always seem to get to a better answer when we're thinking about

10:13something together.

10:14So, yeah, I think it's been great, and it's only getting better with time.

10:20So, I think about it, Christine, from a basketball perspective, right?

10:24And Alex Rodriguez, Mark, Laurie, now you guys are going to be a luxury tax-paying team

10:29for the second straight year.

10:30Before that, this franchise hadn't done that in over 20 years.

10:34So, you guys are projected to be high spenders moving forward.

10:37How do you guys view that now?

10:39Like, do you guys want to continue to spend at a high level?

10:41How do you view spending in today's NBA?

10:44Yeah, I mean, you know, just like a startup, you're investing into the future enterprise

10:48value of the team, and that's on behalf of the fans.

10:52That's on behalf of the community and the players, right, as well as us.

10:58But, you know, the franchise values are increasing at a rapid rate, and we're taking that money

11:03and reinvesting it back in to create a winning culture, a sustainable culture of winning.

11:08So, yeah.

11:09Alex got paid a few times as an MLB player.

11:12So, now you're on the other side with Mark here, having to take care of players, coming

11:16up on deals.

11:17How do you view that as an owner?

11:18I mean, I just think that the NBA and the WNBA are two of the greatest leagues in the world.

11:22They're both global leagues.

11:23By far, two biggest assets are the fan base, the communities, and our players.

11:30I mean, if you think about the amount of talent that you have around the globe, 30% of our

11:34league comes from outside of the U.S.

11:36You can probably say it'll be 40% in the next 10 years.

11:39So, I think we're in a great place.

11:41I think players are our partners, and the league is growing, and it's just really an exciting

11:45time.

11:46Shams, I like that you just mentioned how much money A-Rod made when he was playing, because

11:50there's an article on .com right now that speculates that the first NBA player,

11:53to make $1 million a game could be Anthony Edwards.

11:57When you think about that, what comes to mind?

12:00What do you think about?

12:00Well, I think that's a sign that the game is very healthy.

12:02The revenues are growing.

12:03Obviously, we signed a new 11-year deal, media deal, which is very healthy.

12:07And look, without the players and without the fans, you have no league.

12:11So, that's what's really exciting.

12:13I'm a player.

12:14I think player first most of the time, all the time.

12:17And to see a guy like Anthony Edwards and his development over the last four or five years,

12:21you got to give him a lot of credit.

12:22I think there's a lot of speculation whether or not Anthony Edwards will be the face of

12:26the league, the face of the franchise.

12:27I know that you've been there before.

12:29What do you wish the public knew about how much it takes to be the face of a franchise

12:33and of a league?

12:34You know, I'll go first.

12:35And, Mark, I'd love to hear from you as well.

12:36I mean, probably different aspects of it.

12:38I remember sitting at a Miami Heat game a couple of years ago for the playoffs.

12:42And all Anthony Edwards talked about, and he sat right next to me for two games, how much

12:47he wanted to be in the Western Conference Finals, go to the finals, and win a title.

12:51And when I talked to him today, I mean, he's going to the gym two or three times a day,

12:55running stairs the other day at Twins Field.

12:58And he is 100% committed to being a great basketball player.

13:01Not a social media star, but one of the great basketball players of all time.

13:04Yeah, I mean, as a startup founder, I've never been a professional athlete before, but I

13:11definitely respect his work ethic.

13:13I mean, he's dialed in, and he really appreciates the game, and I think that's important.

13:18So you guys, when you guys start purchasing the team, there's multiple layers, right?

13:22Investing in the community, the players, building those dynamics back again with your fan base.

13:29Another thing also that I know has been in the works is a new arena plan at some point,

13:33whether it's in the 2030s, whatever.

13:35I know, Mark, you have a lot of great, bright ideas.

13:38As a creative type, how do you guys envision that whole process, and you personally, Mark,

13:43with your mind?

13:44Yeah, no, I think treat it with a clean slate.

13:47Look at the best of what's been done everywhere else and see where there's room for improvement.

13:52To introduce technology, to increase the fan experience, whether it be augmented reality

13:57or what have you.

13:59You know, when we do it, we're going to do it right, and we're going to push to

14:03create the best arena and the best fan experience in all sports.

14:07If you're going to do it, you've got to do it right.

14:09Is there anything innovative that you guys are planning to do when it comes to the fan

14:12experience specifically?

14:14Yeah, I mean, we just announced today that we signed a deal with Jump.

14:18Uh-huh.

14:18So Alex and I helped co-found Next Gen Ticketing Exchange.

14:22That's very cool.

14:23That's fully integrated fan experience that I think is going to take it to another level.

14:28You're able to, I just won't give you one little, you know, teaser.

14:31You're able to move from any seat to any other seat in the arena in real time during the game.

14:36So if somebody leaves fourth quarter, that seat frees up.

14:40Anybody in the arena could, in a reverse auction, move down to that seat.

14:43It could be $10, $5, whatever.

14:45So it's fully dynamic ticketing exchange, which should always keep seats full close to any

14:51sporting event.

14:51So that's just one piece of it.

14:53There's a lot of tentacles to it.

14:54So they would have to auction.

14:56They would have to auction to get that seat.

14:58It just automatically happens.

14:59Oh, okay.

15:00Like Uber.

15:00Oh, okay.

15:01And Christine, this actually started in a conversation Mark and I had probably four years ago,

15:05where we were always the kids that snuck into Yankee Stadium.

15:08That's right.

15:09Or Shea Stadium.

15:09It would be in the upper deck.

15:10We paid $2.

15:11and then the goal is by the 7th, 30th inning, you're all the way down behind home plate.

15:14Sneaking way down.

15:15Because you've got to be quicker than the ushers.

15:17And Mark, all of a sudden, like a week later, he's like, I got an idea.

15:20And boom, we started jump.

15:22Yeah.

15:22And that's how it started.

15:23I love that.

15:24Amazing.

15:24You could be sitting courtside by the end of the game.

15:26That's amazing.

15:26Well, guys, thank you so much for joining us and congratulations on all that you guys are

15:29doing.

15:30Thank you.

15:30Can't wait to see you.

15:31Thanks so much.

15:32All right.

15:32Let's get back to the action on the court last night.

15:34Time for our big three plays of the night.

15:37Number three, Carter Bryant.

15:41The number 14 pick in the draft out of Arizona.

15:45What did he do?

15:49There he is with a block off the backboard for the Spurs.

15:54He had five points and three blocks.

15:56At number two.

15:57He was a monster defensively.

16:02He was.

16:03Come on.

16:04Show your heart.

16:05All right.

16:05Number two.

16:07Labissier.

16:09He was also a monster.

16:12Let's see this.

16:13Put it back.

16:13Oh.

16:15That was crazy.

16:16Put him out on poster.

16:17Former Kentucky legend.

16:18Uh-huh.

16:20He had 14 points off the bench.

16:25All right.

16:26And number one play.

16:28Jamari.

16:29You know people say booyah.

16:30He was.

16:31Yay.

16:32Buzzer.

16:33Beater.

16:34Wait for it.

16:35There it is.

16:404-3.

16:42Should you storm the court during Summer League?

16:44When you hit game winners in Summer League.

16:46Is that what you should do?

16:47They want me to experiment, try some new things.

16:50Now I'm trying to be aggressive.

16:52That's new for me too.

16:53You know.

16:54I would say that might be one of the worst games of my life.

16:58To make sure I'm holding my ground.

16:59I got like half a foot on me.

17:03So.

17:04You know.

17:04It just kind of.

17:06What did you do?

17:07Nothing.

17:07Super flag.

17:08Wow.

17:09It was great.

17:10I mean.

17:11I watched the ball in college.

17:12Made the players.

17:14I feel most respectful.

17:15He's.

17:15I don't know if he's special.

17:17You want the ball in his hands.

17:19And so he's a great decision maker.

17:21He did that at Duke.

17:22And also in high school.

17:23So.

17:24You get to see it tonight.

17:25Like.

17:25He's going to have some mistakes.

17:27We all did.

17:27We all threw it in the stands once in a while.

17:29But I think.

17:30Just his poise.

17:32As an 18 year old.

17:33Is incredible.

17:36Alright.

17:36So flag.

17:37Shot.

17:37Just 5 for 21 from the floor.

17:39But tough shooting nights.

17:40From a Summer League opener.

17:41Are pretty common.

17:42For top draft.

17:43Picks.

17:45Victor Womanyama.

17:46Went 2 for 13 in his debut.

17:47Before starring in his second game.

17:49While Cade Cunningham.

17:50Made only 5 of 17 shots.

17:51In his opener.

17:53I didn't give us a proper introduction.

17:54Christine Williamson.

17:55Bobby Marks.

17:55Shom Sharania.

17:56And Udonis Haslam here.

17:58Start with the good UD.

17:59What did you see from Cooper.

18:00That you liked last night.

18:01Well the defense.

18:02The activity defensively.

18:03Often times.

18:03And everybody on this panel can tell you.

18:05It's hard to get young guys.

18:06To play weak side defense.

18:08To take your 2-9.

18:08Which is people at home.

18:10Be in the paint.

18:10When the ball is on the other side.

18:11You see his first deal.

18:12Was him from being on the help side.

18:14Getting out on the break.

18:15You see the block.

18:16That's once again.

18:16Him being on the help side.

18:17Being the low man.

18:18Getting that block.

18:19And then getting out in transition.

18:20And not just going down hill.

18:21Being overly aggressive.

18:23Making the right play.

18:24At the right time.

18:25I know he felt like that was the worst game of his career.

18:27Cooper you probably going to have worse games in the NBA.

18:29But that is not a bad game to start with.

18:31That is something that we see.

18:32And guys that know basketball say.

18:34Okay.

18:34That's something to work with.

18:35You got something there Dallas.

18:37I thought him being uncomfortable.

18:39Was probably the most important thing I saw.

18:41And before the game.

18:42I walked out with Jason Kidd.

18:44And I said.

18:44We going to see him at point guard.

18:45And he goes.

18:46First possession.

18:47And you saw that with Cooper.

18:48And basically what the Lakers did.

18:49They threw a double at him.

18:50I've never seen that before in a summer league game.

18:52They threw a double at him.

18:53And we saw him primarily at point guard.

18:55And UD you know.

18:56That this is about experimenting.

18:58Summer league is all about experiment.

18:59We can throw five for 21 out the window.

19:01It's about putting a player in an uncomfortable position.

19:04Kind of getting him out of his comfort level.

19:05And we saw that.

19:06And what I'll remember from this game is the block.

19:09And then the transition as far as the assist to win this game.

19:12Do you remember your first game UD ever playing in the NBA?

19:15Because I would imagine there's not only the pressure of playing for the first time.

19:19But when you think about how much pressure Coop has.

19:21I know we said he doesn't have that much pressure.

19:22He's going to the Mavs.

19:23But wouldn't that be a factor in how he played last night?

19:26Yeah.

19:27I think so.

19:27Any young guy comes in.

19:28Any young guy when you're stepping into the summer league.

19:30Except for undrafted guys like myself.

19:32Undrafted guys like myself.

19:33You got to put up numbers.

19:34You got to turn heads.

19:35You cannot have a bad offensive game.

19:37But a guy like Cooper Flagg.

19:38You're not judging him off his numbers at the end of the game.

19:40You're really judging him like Bobby said.

19:41How does he deal in uncomfortable situations?

19:43Can he get comfortable being uncomfortable?

19:45In high stress situations.

19:46Is he going to make the right play?

19:48Is he going to get guys involved?

19:49Is he going to get guys open?

19:50And offensively.

19:51When he came down and he had an open side.

19:53And he had a mismatch.

19:54He recognized that space.

19:55And he took advantage of that every single time.

19:57That is encouraging for an 18-year-old young man.

19:59Yeah.

19:59He's so young.

20:00You talked to Mark Cuban after his debut.

20:02What did he say?

20:02Yeah.

20:03I spoke to Mark Cuban last night and today.

20:04Just for his overall thoughts.

20:06Being there with Patrick Dumont.

20:07The owner.

20:08Kyrie Irving.

20:08That whole team.

20:10He said to me that Cooper Flagg is a far better passer than they anticipated.

20:13When he came in for Summer League workouts.

20:16He said his size, vision, his IQ.

20:19They're already elite.

20:20They feel like every single game that goes by Mark Cuban said he's going to learn more

20:23and more about the game.

20:24He was getting to his spots.

20:26He was getting his shots off.

20:27He was making an impact on both ends of the floor.

20:29Those are all positive signs for a template for him moving forward.

20:32UD, when you think about Coop's game, a lot of people said he didn't have weaknesses.

20:36But what is something that you think he should work on, if anything?

20:39He's got to get a little stronger.

20:40We watched him try to back down Bronny.

20:41And he wasn't really moving Bronny.

20:43And Bronny's, what, a year removed from college?

20:44But also, he came out early, too.

20:46So, these are two young men.

20:47But that's nothing to really worry about because most young guys, when they come in his league,

20:50they have to adjust to the physicality.

20:52They have to adjust to the strength.

20:53They're not playing against kids anymore.

20:54They're playing against grown men.

20:55You have to guard your yard.

20:56So, understanding just the physicality of the game, getting stronger, that's something that will come with time.

21:00I think Jason Kidd and Dallas Mavericks understand that.

21:02Yeah, he has a plenty of long career to figure that stuff out.

21:05All right, let's keep it in the West.

21:07Sun star Devin Booker has agreed to a two-year projected $145 million maximum contract extension with the franchise through the 2029-30 season.

21:16The highest annual extension salary in NBA history.

21:20Here is Booker signing his contract next to the man who will sign those checks, Matt Ishbia.

21:27So, here's the thing, Booker's $72.7 million projected average annual value passes SGA's Supermax deal for the highest in NBA history.

21:35And as you can see here, no deal had even reached $63 million per year before this week.

21:43Shams, what exactly does this mean for Booker and the Suns?

21:47Christine, for starters, Devin Booker is Mr. Phoenix.

21:50I'm told the entire Suns roster flew out Wednesday to be there for him, to celebrate and honor his extension.

21:57I'm told they surprised him with a team dinner at Delilah at the win.

22:01So, everything about Devin Booker has been commitment back to the franchise.

22:05He's said publicly, privately, behind the scenes, he wants to retire in Phoenix.

22:09He wants to bring a championship to Phoenix.

22:11And Booker, Suns owner Matt Ishbia met for an hour before this agreement to finalize not only the contract,

22:18but discuss how they would be moving forward through the next couple years.

22:21This is a Suns team that has had a lot of transition.

22:23They have had a complete roster overhaul.

22:26So, what is the partnership, the vision of the future looks like?

22:29They are on the same page.

22:30They're aligned now.

22:31And this cements him as the face of that franchise moving forward.

22:34Five years, $316 million on his Suns contract moving forward.

22:39Bobby, what does this mean for the future?

22:40Well, I mean, I looked at that graphic, and I remember when the salary cap used to be $73 million.

22:45And now we have it for one player here.

22:47I think for Phoenix, the one constant is always going to be Devin Booker, who was drafted in 2015.

22:52As much as the ups and downs his organization has had, and certainly going to the NBA Finals,

22:57he's been that one constant presence.

22:59I think for the organization moving forward, they had a two-year window with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal and Devin Booker.

23:05And the most important thing to do is to pivot from that, and that's what they're doing right now.

23:10And the most important thing to learn is that what gets teams in trouble is when you're stubborn.

23:14When you're stubborn, hang on to players that maybe have not, you know, gotten you to further into playoffs than you think.

23:20And I think that's where we're thinking where Phoenix is going.

23:23A good draft would come on mile watch.

23:25They added Jalen Green and certainly Dylan Brooks here.

23:27But it's a change in direction.

23:29But as we said, the one constant is Devin Booker.

23:31Yeah, I agree with you a thousand percent.

23:32Devin Booker is the constant.

23:34He's the guy that we knew was going to be there.

23:35If there's anything that they have gone through, he's the one rose that has grown from this concrete.

23:40Like, nothing else has been good about that.

23:42But I'll say this.

23:43Like, when you look at the Phoenix Suns, it's about what's going to be around Devin Booker.

23:47Like, you lost James Jones.

23:48You continue to lose coaches.

23:50You continue to make different moves.

23:51So, praise to Devin Booker.

23:54He deserves it.

23:55We are happy.

23:56But that does nothing for me.

23:57Yeah.

23:57I need to see what you're going to put around him.

23:59I need to see what's next with the coaching staff.

24:02And I need to see how that works and how it puts together.

24:03Like, you got Jalen Green, you got some young pieces, you got defensive wings now, you went

24:08and got some bigs now, you got a couple of bigs.

24:09So, you got a lot of different pieces.

24:11I just want to see how it all works together.

24:12But congratulations to Booker.

24:13He definitely deserves it.

24:14A really good point there from UD, because the next question is what's going to happen

24:17with Bradley Beal.

24:19Shams, what is the latest with him?

24:20The Suns are working through a resolution on his future.

24:23These are conversations that have been going on.

24:25You think about buyout via stretch and wave.

24:29But Bradley Beal also has a lot of say in this as well.

24:32They're going to stretch his contract.

24:34He would have to give up about $13.9 million.

24:38And then the other side of that is finding the next home.

24:41So, these are conversations that are very fluid.

24:43They're ongoing.

24:44A lot of it is on Brad Beal, his representation, Mark Barlestein at Priority Sports.

24:49And the Suns working together to figure out just exactly when and if there is a resolution,

24:54if he is departing where for Bradley Beal to where he's going to give up that amount

24:58of money in a buyout.

24:59In my opinion, I kind of look at this as similar to the Camingo situation.

25:02It's time for Brad to go somewhere else where he can be free mentally as a basketball player

25:06and be his best version.

25:08I told you this before.

25:09We're sensitive.

25:10We want to be wanted.

25:11We want to feel like you want us on your team.

25:13Once that has lost from a basketball player, it's better off just for us to go somewhere else.

25:16Yeah.

25:17Yeah.

25:17We know how the Suns season ended last season.

25:19It was all Mosley joining us now.

25:22I mean, that DAP, I don't think I've ever connected on anything that good.

25:27That's a good DAP.

25:29The DAP around the world, if you will.

25:31I was excited.

25:32With Desmond Bain.

25:32Obviously, great to have him on your squad.

25:35How has it been having a vet like him on the team?

25:37It's been fantastic.

25:38Just talking to people throughout the league that have coached him, been around him.

25:42His ability to reach out to the guys has been good so far.

25:46He was in the gym the other day with Franz and Anthony Black already.

25:49Just his work ethic, his character, his care factor, just leadership that he brings to the

25:55table is going to be so special for us.

25:58I mean, for me, I look at you guys as a connected group.

26:01You guys really understand the power of connection.

26:03You guys, it's really, you understand who the two main guys are, but everyone stars in

26:08their role in that team.

26:09So when you bring a guy in from outside and you have a connected group.

26:12How do you see him fitting?

26:13I know you already reached out to guys and all that, but once you get in high intensity

26:16situations and timbers get deflaring, some of that stuff goes out the window.

26:19I'm a true believer in building those relationships and those connections off the basketball court.

26:24And that just helps you.

26:24When you're playing next to a brother as a teammate, it's different.

26:27How are those guys building that and how are you encouraging it?

26:29They're doing things throughout the summer.

26:30Like I said, Jalen's over in the other gym working out right now.

26:33Anthony Black's with him.

26:34These guys stay connected throughout the summer.

26:36They've reached out.

26:37They're texting each other.

26:38They're staying connected that way.

26:40And I think that's so important for this group, just to continue the chemistry of what our

26:44core guys have already built up until this point and adding Desmond, who is someone that

26:49fits that.

26:49He knows about that.

26:51He understands what it takes in order to win at a high level.

26:53That is the chemistry and the camaraderie you have, as well as the real live conversations

26:58that you have to have on a daily basis.

27:00Coach, every year we see that under the radar transaction that people really aren't talking

27:05about, and last year we saw Alex Caruso go to Oklahoma City.

27:09This year, Tyus Jones comes to the magic.

27:12How about his impact as far as, certainly from the locker room presence as far as a veteran,

27:17but also a guy that can run the offense for you?

27:19Well, it's so important.

27:21I mean, Tyus is connected more than people just see from the outside of what he's able

27:24to do on the court.

27:26You got to think he played with Desmond for years.

27:28He knows Paolo because of the Duke connection.

27:31He's from Minnesota, where Jalen Suggs is from Minnesota.

27:34He's the old head in Minnesota, to say.

27:37And then there's Wendell, who's also at Duke.

27:39So those connections go farther than the court.

27:42So that ability to have that in the locker room is huge.

27:46I mean, first and foremost for me, let me just give you credit.

27:48I think y'all got the most two-way players in the league.

27:49When I look at your roster and I play together, y'all, you run 17 pick and rolls and you still

27:53don't have a matchup you want to attack.

27:55So kudos to that, the guys that want to defend.

27:57But I'm going to get on the offensive end.

27:58Desmond Bang had a lot of experience handling the ball with Jai out.

28:02He got better at it.

28:03I saw it.

28:03They were able to win a couple games.

28:05He got comfortable doing it.

28:06Getting Suggs back.

28:07He's the guy who's able to handle the ball.

28:08You just also brought up Tyus.

28:10You're going to have a lot of different options out there to play with.

28:12Are your wheels already turning about how we're going to maneuver this and keep guys

28:15engaged and involved?

28:17The wheels have been turning.

28:18And I think that's the great part about it.

28:19I talked to Des's college coach, Jamie.

28:22He played point in Selman College.

28:23So when he got the ball in his hands in Memphis when Jai was out, he was able to

28:27control that offense and understand what he needed to do.

28:30And the biggest part for our guys is you want decision makers.

28:33You want guys that can make the right play at the right time for their teammates.

28:37And when you have that point guard mentality, you're able to get others involved the right

28:41way.

28:41And that's what we have.

28:42I mean, this is my last.

28:44So many people complain about the trade and say you gave up too much.

28:47But what I tell people is when you have guys like Wagner and you have guys like Paulo,

28:52these are guys that can dominate their one-on-one match.

28:54If you can give them just an inch more space offensively, it makes all the difference for

28:58these offensively talented guys.

29:00So people saying what you gave up for Desmond Bay, but they don't understand the impact

29:03that that's going to have for you guys offensively.

29:05And he's a dog defensively as well.

29:07Two-way player.

29:08Two-way player.

29:09And you said it's a difference between a step of Paulo getting down the lane and then a

29:13guy helping off the strong side corner or him staying hugged up.

29:16And that's the difference maker for us.

29:17And, you know, the guys that and the things we gave up, you talk about the chemistry in

29:21the locker room and what we're able to have with these guys bringing it, coming in.

29:25It's going to be incredible.

29:27I love how passionate UD is about this.

29:30Coach, I want to ask you, obviously, the Eastern Conference, it's kind of up in the air.

29:33When you think about all the pieces and the roster that you have is currently constructed,

29:36how do you feel like you guys stack up in the East?

29:38You know, I like where our team is.

29:40I like the moves we've made.

29:41You know, the DeVos family going in, our front office going in, understanding what we're

29:45capable of doing when we're healthy.

29:47I think that plays a big part in it.

29:49We talked about being top four, top five last year.

29:52And I think our guys are hungry enough to understand that we got to, you know, you got

29:55to play the year.

29:56You got to, you know, training camp is going to be a great level line of competition for

30:00each one of these guys.

30:01But I like where we stack up in the East.

30:03Well, I'm going to double up on what UD said as far as when you go.

30:07And it's not even really in trade when you trade draft picks that are in 2028 or 2030

30:13because, Coach, you know this, your roster is young.

30:16It's not like you're adding Desmond to a group of players in their mid-30s and this is the

30:21last run or you have a two-year window.

30:23But when you have, you just signed Paolo to that max contract.

30:27Franz was signed last year.

30:29You have Jalen who was signed to an extension.

30:31Suggs signed to an extension.

30:33Like this group could be together for the next three or four years in a world where

30:37we live in this world of like two-year windows, right?

30:40And we never want to say the window is always open, but this group could be together for

30:43a long period of time.

30:44And like UD said, that chemistry and that camaraderie goes so far.

30:49And when you have it with a young core group of guys that have gotten paid, the next step

30:53is to how do you create championship culture?

30:56How do you create that?

30:57It's about winning now, not about trying to get the check.

31:00You've done that.

31:01So now what's about the important part for the team and how can we build and keep growing

31:04and going there?

31:05All right.

31:05So we're here at Summer League, obviously.

31:07Let's talk about what your guys were able to do last night against the Kings.

31:12Four minutes left is where we start this one off.

31:15Tristan Da Silva?

31:16Yes.

31:18His ability to step up and play this year is going to be big for us.

31:21Very big.

31:22Another guy who's not bad defensively as well.

31:24His length, his size, his basketball IQ, Jace Richardson, his speed, his basketball IQ.

31:31We keep talking about the IQ of guys.

31:34That's so important.

31:35You want guys that can just continue to make the right play.

31:37Yeah.

31:38Just like that baseline.

31:39That's exactly right.

31:40Baseline drive, baseline drift.

31:42Make sure we got that corner field.

31:44What did you like?

31:45Good pass.

31:46What did you like out of what they were able to do last night against the Kings?

31:48Well, they started off a little bit slow, and I think that's first game jitters.

31:51But their ability to come back, and what we talk about us as a team is we're going to keep fighting no matter the score, no matter the time.

31:58And then now that they got comfortable within that first game under their belt, knowing what they're able to do, the quick passes, the quick decisions, making their teammates better.

32:07The energy that we have to bring every single night, both offensively and defensively, is going to be big for this group.

32:12What do you think are the biggest things that they need to work on in order to get to the team to where you want them to be in the Eastern Conference next season?

32:17I really think it's a mindset.

32:19I mean, our guys all work.

32:20They all work whether they're together in the gym or they're out on their own getting their work in.

32:24They all work.

32:24So the mindset of understanding what it takes to build and be a champion.

32:28And I think that's just championship habits, championship focus, understand the ability to communicate with each other at a high level, and push each other to a different degree.

32:37Coaches can put them in the best situation to be successful.

32:40We do that.

32:41But, again, on that court, they've got to be able to push each other willingly and hold each other accountable at that high level.

32:47Beautiful.

32:48Anything else, guys?

32:49I'm happy you said that.

32:50I mean, as great as you guys are, there were times where it was on the basketball court, and D-Wade LeBron would look at us and say, don't look at them.

32:56They can't help us right now.

32:58Yeah.

32:58What are we going to do?

32:59And that's why, to the point of the chemistry and the camaraderie, when you can hold your brothers on that court accountable, it changes levels for a team.

33:06Yes.

33:06All right, Coach.

33:07Well, good luck the rest of the way.