Transcript of Did You Forget LeBron James Still Has To Sign With Someone? | Local Hour

Summer is pretty much my favorite time to be a sports fan. The biggest soccer tournament of the summer just wrapped up. Baseball's on every night. Racing never takes a weekend off. And my calendar basically revolves around first pitches, green flags, and whatever game everybody's texting about. I realized I'm the MVP of my group. I'm always the friend that says, "Hey, I've got it. I've got a place. I've got some ice cold Miller Lite. I got the TV. I got a big comfy blue leather couch. Come on over." That's the behavior of a Miller Time MVP. I almost never watch the big ones alone. I'd much rather be with my friends. And if I am alone, we're texting, we're sipping on our Miller Lites, toasting the day, toasting the big games. For me, Miller Lite is just a part of a big game routine. It's brewed for taste with simple ingredients, clean, refreshing, and easy to drink, especially in the Miami heat. It's a true American pilsner and the original light beer since 1975. An all-American summer starts with an all-American beer, Miller Lite. Go to millerlite.com/dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

I wanna begin in the obvious place, issuing an apology but also demanding one. I apologize to the audience for being too emotional yesterday to give you my most complete thoughts on the corrupt and tragic ruination of the single best program in television history, 60 Minutes. I'm sorry, my heartbreak is real and impacted my professionalism, but I was wounded like a rat cornered in a cage and I had to chew my way out. Rattled by what happened earlier in the day on the Dan Le Batard Show. So I demand an on-air apology from Mike Ryan and that meathead Tony, who doesn't know his ass from his elbow, for laughing at the idea that I might have some expertise and critically discerning analysis on the blasphemy presented— befalle the most journalistically excellent program in the history of American television. Shame on them. And may that shame be eternal. Alright, everybody calm down. Now that I've gathered myself after a day of isolation to heal, I'd like to revisit why 60 Minutes has always meant so much to me, to my parents, to my children, and every generation of Zaslow, even though we've gone 100 years without producing a female who has had access to electronic information.

My late grandmother used to tell us Zaslow kids about remembering where she was when Mike Wallace and Harry Reasoner premiered the program on September 24, 1968, at least in part because she was having sex with my grandfather at the time, and the excellence of the show immediately distracted her from her vigorous lovemaking. She was alive at the time. I don't know when the magic moment was for me, exactly. Maybe it was the story about Hitler's secret archive in December of 2006. Or It could've been the chilling events surrounding the deadly 1970 Pioneer Hotel fire in Tucson, Arizona. Or Scott Pelley's report from Newton, Iowa, where the closing of an appliance factory caused a negative effect on the community's economy. But somewhere along the line, I actually fell in love with a news program, and was bathed in the illumination that TV had never made anything better. Sure, some people remember the big tobacco whistleblower story, or the WikiLeaks stuff, or the the report on the process of trying accused terrorists in Guantanamo Bay. Those helped my favorite program win over 120 Emmys. Yeah, how many did your favorite program win? But the reason Steve Kroft has been a bit of a life guide for me over the years is because of all the adventures and learning I've done with this program.

It's like traveling the world while sitting on the Zazzle Mansion family room couch in my underwear. I need a new couch. This one's not— it's not comfortable. How else would I know about the advancement in bionic limbs, the impact of goat farms on developing nations, or how the liquidation business profits from natural disasters and tragedies. Don't even get me started on the phenomenon of false confessions, or that interview with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. No one but 60 Minutes takes the time to examine the 40 million errors in the U.S. credit reporting system. No one but 60 Minutes has ever taken me behind the scenes at the New York Ballet. Oh, and the curmudgeonly whimsy of Andy Rooney— be still my heart expecting that apology from Mike and Tony tomorrow! Embargo back on! To join the Black Parade... Okay look at everyone here it's a Friday show everybody give up for Friday yeah we made it to Friday there you go we got the whole crew here Roy and Jeremy and Chris and Mike Ryan And Tony, look at Dave Dameshek still on the East Coast. Hello, Dave Dameshek. Dave Dameshek has to unmute himself.

Hello, Dave Dameshek.

I'm not muted. That's not on me. That's on Miami. I'm ready to roll.

Let's go.

It's football season. Training camp is underway, and apparently we need it back there behind the glass.

All right, so we got a lot going on today. There's a lot happening. But first, there needs to be an update. From yesterday. So I was challenged. I was challenged to see a couple movies. Everybody knows I'm a movie guy. I was challenged to see a couple movies. By the way, I'm going to see The Odyssey for a second time today. I'm very excited. It's gonna— am I gonna like it as much a second time? I don't know. It's not that— Dave, it's— I don't know that it's that common that you love a movie the second viewing as much as you did the first one, right? That's probably pretty uncommon, no?

I remember as a child I went to see Return of the Jedi twice. I don't think I've ever gone back to the theater, at least within the first month, to see the same movie twice.

I can't remember the last time I saw a movie in the theater for a second time. So I'm going today, I'm taking my father, alright? Little father-son bonding, alright? I'm taking my father, he has not seen The Odyssey, he would never see a movie in the theater two times, so I'm taking him for the first time. I'm very excited for that, but I was challenged yesterday by the show, and specifically Mike Ryan, to swatch a couple of movies. Now, Dave, have you ever seen a movie called The Coffee Table?

Never even heard of it.

I had never heard of it either. Mike, do you want to give a quick synopsis to those out there also who have not heard of The Coffee Table?

Yeah, this, uh, this couple that's been going through some things invite some family over for dinner.

Okay, that's a very short synopsis. He leaves out a major detail, but I—

they go shopping for a coffee table. Yeah, the family argues about the coffee table, and the, the guy's like, nah, I want this coffee table. And then, you know, they have dinner.

I can just tell by the look in Zazz's eye he might not have seen all of it, but he watched some of it last night. Okay, uh, and what genre would you call this, first of all?

Dramatic.

Dark. The genre is dark, alright? Dark and disturbing is the genre. And it's subtitles, alright?

It's a foreign language film. It's high art. It's cinema.

Yeah, so you gotta be able to read, alright? And I decided, okay, you know, I got home yesterday afternoon, I'm like, I got a little bit of time here.

That's a solid 3 o'clock in the afternoon movie.

That's exactly what I did, okay? It was like 3 o'clock, and I decide, alright, and you know what I did? I was lying on the couch in the Zaslav mansion living room, and I decided I'm just gonna watch it on my phone. I pulled it up on my phone. I was just lying down, like, let's just rock the phone viewing here. And so I pulled it up on my phone, and if I can tell you, I couldn't get through it. I just couldn't.

Why? What happened?

I couldn't get through it. They're like, What happened? The thing happened, and which, you know, you saw coming from a mile away.

You saw that thing coming.

Yes, of course you saw the thing happening.

You saw that thing coming from a mile away.

Our setup, I think, set you up for that. I don't know. All right, but still, like, it's a pretty jarring thing that happens. Yes, it's a— Dave, it's a very jarring and dark thing, disturbing thing that happens in the movie like 25 minutes in, and this movie is slow as all hell.

Pacing. And it's a great film.

I, I can't tell if you're being serious.

No, no, I'm 100% being serious in terms of like being able to draw something out of the viewer. I think the performances are great. I do think it's high art, no doubt.

I, I lasted about 30, 35 minutes into the movie. I'm like, I can't do this anymore, it's, it, it's too much for me.

Well, but there's, you know, there's a fallout.

Yeah, well, I didn't see the fallout.

Oh, the fallout, it leads to the best scenes.

Really?

They go through with the dinner party while the thing is there.

Do both of them know about the thing?

One of them knows about the thing.

Well, of course one of them knows about the thing.

The whole film is an exercise in tension building and like, it's a dark comedy, I think.

I'd leave out the word after dark.

Should we do a spoiler alert and say it?

No, it's a dark comedy.

No, I mean, no, you shouldn't. This is a dreadful conversation. No one knows this movie that you two are talking about.

I was gonna say, are we selling it for you, Dave?

Did we sell it? I can see where it's not You know what, ironically, yes, you have.

I am definitely now going to watch it to see what this big thing is in it. But also, I don't like that Zaslow— he, listen, he's patronizing you, Mike, by saying, I'm gonna watch this movie, but he watched it on his cell phone at 3 o'clock. Much as we have, uh, system quarterbacks and system bands out there, we have system movies. This is not an appropriate place or time to consume a movie based on the in-depth details you two have provided each other.

Okay.

Yeah, I don't think he gave this a real shot. I'd like him to try again.

This is fair, what you're bringing up here, Dave. But I will add, the reason that I decided to watch it on my phone while just lying down in the Zaslav Mansion living room couch is because I was ashamed. I was afraid of my wife seeing what I'm watching or my son seeing what I'm watching. I didn't want to have to explain while I'm watching. A, what the hell this movie is, and B, when whatever terrible thing happens, I didn't want to have to explain what I'm watching here.

I'm a firm believer that this is a dark comedy because I think—

It's a dark.

It is dark, but no, it's a comedy because at the heart of it, like, the movie revolves around like what's scarier for the main male character, coming to grips with what happened or having to tell his wife. And that's the tug of war. The joke is it's a scarier proposition to have to tell his wife that this thing happened than the thing actually that happened.

No one knows what you're talking about! What are you talking about?

You talk about this obscure foreign film.

What are you talking about? Think about the most horrific thing that can possibly happen to someone.

All right, that's enough of that.

Pretty wide range of answers to that.

You lose, Carson Beck throws an interception on the final drive.

Roy, have you seen this movie? No. Okay, no. So then what's the worst thing that could possibly happen? I think there's a big range of responses to that one.

No, there's a definitive answer, and if you see this movie, you will, you will be aware of what that answer is.

I mean, okay, Carson Beck can't fit the ball through the zone.

I couldn't get through it. Like, and you know what? It reminded me, like, you got me to try it. All right. I couldn't get through it. It reminded me of when, like, I was dared to go see The Human Centipede, and which I never saw.

That is so crass.

I never saw Human Centipede.

Human Centipede is crass.

This is—

You've seen Human Centipede?

Yes, it's crass. This is high art, great performances. This challenges the audience in ways that obviously shakes some people off the branch. But I'm glad that you gave it a shot.

I did.

You gave up.

That's not a rare thing. A lot of people check out on it. I get it.

I couldn't get through it.

I don't judge anybody that decides this is not for me because the act is a horrific act. But what is funny to me is that you took to a palate cleanser, and that palate cleanser was The Lighthouse.

That's right. I watched a double feature yesterday, Dave. I watched a double feature because I was also challenged to watch The Lighthouse with, uh, with Willem Dafoe It's Willem, by the way. It's not William. If you say William Dafoe, you sound like an asshole. It's Willem Dafoe. All right. Show some respect. Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. Dave, have you seen The Lighthouse?

Oh, I've seen it multiple times.

Multiple times.

I love it. It is a hysterical movie to me, but it is sort of a heavy lift because what I would say is if you've not seen the picture before and a lot of people just reject movies that are black and white, that's, that's a barrier for some people. But I really do encourage you to have the subtitles on. It's very difficult to follow what they're specifically saying, not just because the language, but also they're drunk for most of the movie. It's, it's magnificent and bizarre.

I had The Lighthouse on my watch list, like on my queue for a long time, for at least a year. And yesterday I was challenged. I was challenged. So, all right, I'm gonna watch The Lighthouse. Little double feature. All right. What was the last time you saw a double feature in the theater? Do you remember, Dave?

I don't know that I've ever actually— I think I once saw— I went to see The Twilight Zone: The Movie as a little kid. My mom dropped me and maybe Greg Schuwer off at the movie theater in Monroeville, and we consumed Return of the— we did Twilight Zone and then immediately walked out and went to see Return of the Jedi again. I think that might be the time I referred to 5 minutes ago where I saw the same movie twice.

No, but what I'm actually asking is when a theater actually showed— Oh, never, never sold a double feature.

Tarantino owns a movie theater in Los Angeles and regularly shows that. And I love the double bill, the idea of it. I just don't. Want to sit through 4 and a half hours.

I've seen a double feature before. The Skylake— there used to be a movie theater in Skylake. Skylake Movie Theater. Dollar movie theater. It was $1 to go to the theater to see movies. Skylake Movie Theater. And they used to show double features. I went one time.

The last time I did a double feature was Barbenheimer.

But that wasn't double feature. I was, I'm gonna see this and I'm gonna see this.

Right.

I mean, they don't do double features. Like, they don't put those out.

But I stayed— You don't think anywhere does a double feature anymore?

I stayed in the movie theater. I went from one movie to another. I bought tickets to both. Okay.

All right. Wow. Sucker move. Why don't you just get up and go to the other theater?

Oh, why? Because they sell seats now. It was Barbie and Oppenheimer. You think I can just like find one casually?

That's a problem. Good answer, Mike. Good answer.

Thank you.

So you couldn't go Barbie and then Oppenheimer. You have to go Oppenheimer and then Barbie, right?

That's the order that I did it. Yeah, that's the order that I did it.

Smart.

So yeah, my palate cleanser yesterday, going from The Coffee Table to The Lighthouse.

I watch it every Christmas.

And I was about an hour into The Lighthouse. Couldn't get through it.

What? What? Why? Because of how it made you feel or you didn't like it?

It was just like, what is happening here?

You miss like all the great parts.

You don't love the acting performances. Oh, I know the acting.

I know the acting was really good. Obviously, the acting was really good, but they're just—

there was a scene that did it.

They're just drunk and arguing the whole time.

That's not the only thing. But yeah, that's a huge part of it.

Yeah.

I couldn't get through it.

But it reaches a critical mass.

Well, I don't— I may not have gotten to the critical mass.

It's a journey into psychosis.

Yeah, you know, he's having the hallucinations, and I just— I don't know. I couldn't do it.

I—

two movies you gave me yesterday, I couldn't get through either one of them. And I'm not proud of that because I wanted to see The Lighthouse and I wanted to like The Lighthouse. I couldn't get through.

You didn't laugh, Dave? No, no, this is definitely a dark comedy.

It's a dark.

I, I, I find it, like I say already, I think it's a really funny movie. Dafoe is hysterical in it, and so is Pattinson. Um, I go back to the idea of a system movie though. Like, I don't think this is— you're sitting in Miami in summertime in the middle of the day, I assume. I can't imagine indulging The Lighthouse there. You know, it's a good— it is a good later in the evening type of picture I watch. You mentioned Christmas. I have a weird system movie, which is Misery around Christmas. It for me puts me in the mood. I know that's weird, but the snow and everything, it really— it takes me back to my youth and I enjoy watching it. It really does put me in the mood for the seasons.

Is the breaking the ankle scene still like the most shocking scene you've ever witnessed? Because I know for everyone who first saw the movie for the first time, This is the most shocking thing you've ever seen in a movie. Is it still the most shocking thing?

No.

Well, you get— now you know what's coming. And when she— when she reveals that, uh, that board that she's gonna put his ankles between, uh, it's dynamite stuff to be watching that.

Oh, kids—

and I watch it with my kids too, by the way— is like, oh kid, you're in for a treat coming up here.

How about when Ethan Hunt is jumping from one roof to the other roof and then breaks his ankle on the fall?

Yeah, he actually legit got hurt, legit broke his ankle and kept running. That's a message to everybody that the great ones sell their bodies, not their head. That was in Fallout, I think, right? So you're saying that the most shocking thing you've ever seen in a movie, not even 24 hours removed from watching The Coffee Table when the thing happens, is that scene in Misery? Would you like to take that back?

Uh, no, I don't want to take it back because the scene in Misery is a really tough watch.

You quit watching The Coffee Table because of what happened.

Yeah, but I kind of felt like I knew what was coming. I told you.

How do you emotionally prepare for that?

I don't know. I don't know what to tell you, man.

It rolls.

I didn't enjoy it.

Like, do you hear the plop sound?

Yeah. All right. Dave, are you going to watch it now? We sold you on watching The Coffee Table.

I—

You know how to read, right? It's in subtitles. We mentioned subtitles, right?

I'll get through that element of it. Yes, I'm going to watch that. I think more stunning is an admission by Buddy Badowski, producer extraordinaire of Football America and Pitch Clock and otherwise. He admitted on purpose he's never seen The Matrix. How's that possible? How do you— how are you a guy and you're like 25, 30, or whatever he is? How, how would it be possible to not have it permeate its way into your brain, even if you tried to avoid it? How do you avoid The Matrix?

I also haven't seen it.

Everybody knows you haven't seen it. Everybody knows you've never seen The Matrix.

What does that mean?

You know what it means. Everybody knows you've never seen The Matrix.

Summer is pretty much my favorite time to be a sports fan. The biggest soccer tournament of the summer just wrapped up, baseball's on every night, racing never takes a weekend off, and my calendar basically revolves around first pitches, green flags, and whatever game everybody's texting about. I realized I'm the MVP of my group. I'm always the friend that says, "Hey, I've got it. I've got a place, I've got some ice-cold Miller Lite, I got the TV, I got a big comfy blue leather couch." Come on over! That's the behavior of a Miller Time MVP. I almost never watch the big ones alone. I'd much rather be with my friends. And if I am alone, we're texting. We're sipping on our Miller Lites, toasting the day, toasting the big games. For me, Miller Lite is just a part of a big game routine. It's brewed for taste with simple ingredients, clean, refreshing, and easy to drink, especially in the Miami heat. It's a true American pilsner and the original light beer since 1975. An all-American summer starts with an all-American beer, Miller Lite. Go to millerlite.com/dan to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer.

It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.

Dan Levitar, Jessica thinks you're pathetic.

I saw the look on her face. It can never be the lane to victory.

No, I think Jeremy's pathetic.

Jeremy, you should hear him back here.

Delivering the most absurd theater kid basketball analysis line that I've ever heard from him.

Jeremy Tatché. My dad was talking about the adjustments that Spo made and criticizing him last night.

And Jeremy, just back here.

His adjustments were spectacular.

It's just like they lost.

They're down 0-2.

This is the Dan Levitan Show. So we wake up this morning and it's another morning of not knowing where LeBron James is going to play basketball next season. And Mike Ryan had a very interesting revelation.

I hope he gets— I hope he goes to your town so I can laugh because you think he'll make you a contender.

Who's that impression of?

The sports guy.

Oh, oh, do some more.

What part of Massachusetts is that?

Let me hear some more.

I don't do a good Simmons, but that's what I'm doing right now.

That's maybe the worst Simmons I've ever heard. Hey, man, that's a bad impression.

I'm the Heat media.

We brought this up yesterday. Dave, was Bill Simmons chastising this show when he talked about the Miami media being annoying?

I mean, how would I possibly know what he's doing? But yes. No. Yeah, I think that was intended as a shot at you guys. I'm not sure, but that's how I took it.

Mike, you woke up this morning and you had forgotten about LeBron.

Yeah, I was— it was actually last night. I was just doing my stuff. I'm like, oh man, like LeBron could make a decision at any moment. I think he's waiting a little too long because I know the intention is to also—

it's losing its steam.

Yeah, I think so. Because I had forgotten that he hadn't made his decision yet. It is, you know, like we're one Shams notification away from feeling fully alive or feel like, or feeling something right. And this whole— now we've entered the doldrums. I felt like at the beginning of the week we had the wind at our backs, Sazh. And now I was tweeting. Yeah. And now it— that feels like it was ages ago.

One of the most fun parts of this though, right, is when we find out from LeBron when he makes his decision, the finger-pointing and the laughing at whatever media member has been dead wrong throughout this. That's become one of the most fun things about the NBA transaction cycle, right, is being able to point and laugh at the media members.

Well, there's only one fan base that I think gets laughed at and mocked if he decides to go to any of the teams that's not that team.

And I think that's us.

I do think, yeah, I think that there are fair criticisms of Miami Heat media. And I do think that this fan base, for obvious reasons, has worked itself into a lather and has emotionally put itself out there in ways that if he doesn't come here, we hate him again and it leaves us open to hurt.

But don't you feel Miami media throughout this process? I don't think Miami media has been crazy throughout this process. I would say no, that the other media has been— has embarrassed themselves more.

We're not embarrassing.

They are with all of the back and forth, right?

I mean, I mean, like, we have a certain Boston media member not named Bill Simmons who seemingly every day is trying to come up with a different theory as to how and why LeBron isn't going to come to Miami. Me and just please pick Golden State, or please pick Cleveland. I mean, come on, like, it's definitely not the Miami— we— the way this has all been positioned has been, look, this is the best fit.

Michael Holley.

No different than the way Giannis or Spo or Riley, Scott Sollak, which is just, hey, if you come here, awesome, it's the best fit for you, we'll go over the top. But otherwise, like, that's fine, go join some other team and, and enjoy not being as competitive.

Probably are.

To be fair, I don't know of any other fan base that has made any other noise. Like, maybe we're just siloed here, but like, I don't see Philly fans talking about it.

Cleveland fans are loud about it. Cleveland fans are loud about it. Cleveland fans are loud about it.

They must be over there. I don't see them whatsoever.

Dude, do I look like I want to talk to Goldhammer?

All right. So if LeBron picks Miami, Cleveland's going to be pissed and embarrass themselves.

Until next year.

You think so?

No, I mean, that's what they talked about. I just saw maybe 2 days ago Cleveland Sports Radio discussing the idea that they pick Miami. If he picks Miami. They're going to be viscerally angry. They're going to— but it's like, again, yeah, it's the second time that theoretically he would have built them up.

Yeah.

Union. And then they were just in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Yeah.

This year.

Yes.

So why would they be upset about a 40-year-old? Because he's not—

but it's not him going to Miami.

It's Miami specifically.

Yeah, I can see that. The Miami thing, man, that's what gives this thing juice. Yeah. Is that, you know, there's one place that makes people feel— that's why I think him picking Miami is the best thing for the league.

But why is— and by the way, that is the best thing about the NBA. Let's tear the Band-Aid off. It is the asset collection conversation that rolls on through the trade deadline and otherwise in the draft more than any other sport. I feel like if they get that piece and we pair with that, it's putting a puzzle together. Maybe it's the limited number of individuals who comprise an NBA rotation that makes it so fascinating. But First of all, I have to say again that the best— if, if it's a title that he wants more than anything else, the Spurs are the answer. They're, they're not even in play here. The Sixers, I think, are their second best chance, his second best chance at getting a title, if that's the goal. What— Cleveland prodigal son, third act, that's how he finishes his career up. What exactly is the appeal of Miami? Explain it to me. To LeBron?

Uh, lifestyle, coach.

Okay, two guys, two guys on the team that will play defense so he doesn't have to.

Yeah, I think that's a major—

yeah, major—

I'm not, I'm not falling for this. Again, that's a national narrative that, that Miami stinks. Now Miami has its challenges without LeBron James, but I do think— so does everybody— but I do think that LeBron immediately corrects a lot of the glaring issues that are on this roster right now. And microwaves a title contender.

Yeah, their biggest issue right now is having a guy who can close the game with the ball in his hands that is not named Giannis or Bam, specifically because of the, the individual limitations to their game. Giannis isn't a great free-throw shooter. You send him to the line in closing things out. But like, the appeal is obviously that you'd be getting the best coach in basketball, you'd be getting an established culture, and you'd be getting a team that does have all of the supplementary pieces. They have defensive-oriented guards, they have defensive-oriented wings, they have defensive-oriented big men, and everybody's really switchable on that team. Plus, as Zazz highlighted yesterday, they actually do have a lot of really good shooting on this team. And Fonseca, Shams said it yesterday—

you say that like with a tone, I don't like it.

He's a good shooter. And, and Shams said it yesterday, like he said Cleveland, Miami, Golden State, Philly, and Minnesota, those are the teams they're choosing from. Those are the teams, they're set, they're not waiting on Anthony Davis. And he said, this is— and this is a quote— this is going to be based on happiness, chance to contend for a championship, join a culture.

And Dave, like, part of the appeal here that's not really discussed by the national media all that much is Miami is best set to build beyond just this offseason. They have a ton of flexibility coming up in the next offseason should LeBron try to prolong his career.

And if I could also add, Dave, you know, as opposed to a team like Cleveland and a team like Philadelphia, You go to Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey is going to have the ball in his hands. Jalen Brown—

I was just going to say this, as I think Tashay picked up on that. Continue. I'm sorry. Yeah, I think that's exactly right. If you have an ego after, after being in a situation in LA, yes, where you brought a title to the town and it wasn't completely honored in the way it should have been because it was a COVID one and Anthony Davis was the best player really for that playoff run. And now Luka arrives and like, hey, LeBron, take a back seat to this guy.

I—

yes, continues.

He was essentially— and he played the role great this past year, but he got moved to the third option on the Lakers. And in Philly, you got two guys who are going to be the ball handlers. In Cleveland, you have two guys who are going to be the ball handlers before LeBron. You come to Miami, you got the ball in your hand, like you are the guy making the plays, and you don't have to do all the scoring because you do have two other big-time scoring options, one of them who's a top 3 probably player in the entire league in Giannis. So you do in Miami get to have the ball, you get to make the plays, and you get to also show everybody— and he clearly likes this idea, it's why, you know, it's July 24th and he still doesn't have a team yet— because he likes being able to show everybody, I'm still the guy, I'm still the center of attention. You get to be the guy, or at least attempt to be the guy, with the ball in your hands all the time and prove that you're not a third option if you come to Miami.

Right. I think that is the appeal. If he wants to be the man in the last 30 seconds, the last 2 minutes of a game, Miami— I can't disagree with you and Tashay. I think that's, that's the opportunity that the Heat provides.

Timberwolves there at the end of the list. As did you see who reached out to LeBron to recruit him over to Minnesota?

Tom Gugliotta.

Lamelo Ball.

What on earth would Lamelo Ball tell LeBron James to get him to go over to Minnesota?

Does he even pick up that call?

I'm leaving. I'll leave if you come here. That would help. It's like, LeBron, I'm here. Danny B had a pretty good idea that LeBron— this has gone almost a month— that LeBron should have approached this like every day he removes a team from the list.

Oh, that'd be so dramatic.

It is, you know, it's June 15th. And I'm here to announce the Raptors. The Raptors are no longer in play.

Oh, that'd be— it'd be so insulting to the team. It's like, all right, we knew you didn't want to play for us, but really, us before them?

What makes us worse than the Kings?

Oh, that'd be more insulting than the decision. I mean, this would be a, a sequel to the original game show, which went over great. LeBron, definitely do that. By the way, uh, serendipity. Who did I just run into in Manhattan in a coffee shop? And said hello to Jim Gray.

Really?

Host of The Decision.

What's he up to these days?

He must have enjoyed that.

Did you catch up?

We didn't catch up. You know what I did say to him? Because I'm a, you know, I'm a weathered old media vet myself. I said, tough day for the industry. It was the day that the ESPN heads got lopped off. And we, we tisk tisk at the state of our chosen path. How do you feel?

Ravi, Ravi, 33 years.

That's basically—

you got to pay your respect. That's a good job out of you there, Dave. Dan Levitar.

Hey, uh, Damachek, you know about that Jadakiss?

Dave Damachek.

No, I don't.

Okay, I figured.

This is the Dan Levitar Show. Why is it assumed— and this is some Boston media has done this as well— where it's like, if If he was going to choose the Miami Heat, he would have already chosen them. What would he still be waiting for? The Heat's roster is already set. Hold on a second. Did I miss the memo that the Heat, they're locked in to this current team? They can't— they're not allowed to make trades. They're not allowed to sign anybody. Other teams can still maneuver, but the Miami Heat, their roster is set. So if LeBron was going to go there, if he liked that roster, If he liked that situation, he would have already signed there. Did I miss that memo?

Why doesn't that apply to all the other teams? I think the one—

they can still make moves, he cannot.

I feel like it applies the most to Cleveland. Like, why would he draw this out if he was just going to end up landing back home? But it seems like an asinine take when there are very clearly available free agents that are waiting for where LeBron goes.

It's because you have, you have some of these media members, they're afraid of him coming to Miami. They are. There is There is an anti-Miami bias. I mean, do I think sometimes the anti-Miami stuff is a little bit main character syndrome? Yes, I think the Miami Hurricane fan has a lot of that. I do. I gotta be honest.

No, no, no, no, no. That is an actual persecuted fan base.

It is. I think it's a little over the top sometimes.

Man, kiss my ass.

Sometimes.

Kiss my ass. I think there's a little bit. Kiss my ass. We took a bunch of kids to Benihana. Alright, that's all we did.

Kiss my ass.

We took kids to Benihana and they tried to shut our program down. Gator guy.

Let me just make this clear real quick. I'm not going to kiss anyone's ass. All right? I'm not kissing your ass.

Kiss my ass. I had to go through 2 months of having a team we beat ranked ahead of us.

I do. I'm not kissing anyone's ass. Let's be clear about that. I do think that sometimes there's a little bit of a persecution complex.

I think you should— you should suck it.

I'm not going to do that either.

You should suck it.

I'll never do that. I'm not going to do that either. But, but I think in this case there is media who are afraid of him coming to the Heat. They don't like the idea that Miami is going to be good. They don't like the idea that the Heat are going to be good. They don't like the Heat fans. And they also don't like the Heat media, which, I mean, let's be honest, I mean, you know, the Miami media could be, you know, Latino, you know, take it or leave it.

But when national voices talk about the Miami sports media, they're talking about you guys. Who do you think they're talking about?

Like this show?

I mean, what, what, uh, um, sports outlet out of Miami transcends Miami besides The Levitard Show, right?

What could Boston not like about us?

You answer. Well, uh, Miami should be upset with Boston still for what, uh, neck roll Steve Grogan and company did in the Orange Bowl way back when.

I thought you were gonna say Flutie. That one still hurts, and I wasn't even alive for it.

So I want to show you guys something. Is it going to happen this weekend? Is there any chance it happens this weekend? No, right?

I don't—

let me just say for the record, it's spiritually insane if LeBron doesn't go to Cleveland. I'm sorry, Miami, but if he doesn't go after dragging it out this long, he didn't learn a lesson from the decision. I, I always say that LeBron leaving Cleveland could have been spun in such a way that Listen, I've had it with the bourgeoisie. We are at the player level, at the working class level. We are striking a blow for the proletariat. We're going bosh. And Ray Allen and me, we're joining forces. We don't need GMs or executives or billionaires weighing in on this. We're going to forge a team that is going to be a super team. It was the handling of it, like I'm taking my talents to South Beach, that was so offensive to Cleveland and the chip on the shoulder that they have up there. If he does that again by dragging this all out, like, you're in play, Cleveland, I might come home one last time, and then he goes to Miami again. Shame the devil.

You, you might be surprised, Dave, but Chris Bosh, he gave, uh, he gave where he thinks is the best destination for LeBron to choose. Here it is.

If I were in LeBron James's shoes, I would choose Miami, and here's why. Uh, if you really think about it, Where do people go when you're about to retire? You're retired. You know what I'm saying? You don't have to make nothing up in this situation. You see that he's picked up the sticks. He's got a new hobby in golf. Where can you golf all the time? Word, if you have Giannis and LeBron, we've seen this before too. LeBron, D-Wade, open court, they'd be a nightmare to stop. And they still have to fill out the team. They still have to get shooting and all that stuff. I understand that, but If you know anything about the Miami Heat, you know that they want to be competitive. They don't believe in wasted years. They are going to put a team around Giannis to be able to compete for a championship. So with all those things said, I think that is the best place for him.

All right. So Bosh thinks Miami is the best spot for LeBron. How about that?

The golf thing is so off-putting and he is out of touch with the average person if he thinks that is a charming element to his decision. I can play golf on fancy golf courses, that'll, that'll really win over the, uh, the Cleveland fans who are on the fence of like, do we honor LeBron's career or do we consider him a traitor as, uh, people from Northeast Ohio?

Dave, like, it was on Rich Paul's whiteboard. It's a part of the stuff he's taking happiness into consideration, and that's according to his agent.

Okay, listen, the idea that LeBron James isn't gonna be able to play golf for the rest of his life the day he retires— and by the way, the— it's not -17 degrees in Cleveland year-round. He's gonna be able to play golf there too. It's a slap in the face. Again, if he does this— again, I'm on the other side of the Ohio-Pennsylvania border as we speak here. People do have a chip on their shoulder about the lack of appeal that, you know, is sold to people. The idea that he would go down to Richie Rich South Beach again in favor of going back to Cleveland to— for the narrative If it matters to you how you're perceived and how you're going to be remembered, the three acts of Cleveland with, you know, Miami and L.A., fancy pants towns in between. That's a nice story. To go to Philly to chase a title would be bizarre. Minnesota, same thing. Miami, it would be redundant with the bad choice, or at least the look of why he went to Miami. I'm taking my talents to South Beach. Not one, not two. All that ridiculousness. Now, after stretching this out for a month, I think it really would play as a repeat.

He's aware of that.

I'm more convinced than ever that it's the best thing for the league that he picks Miami, because even to Dave, it seems like Miami is the only thing that's really drawing a reaction out of him. And I think it's the only place that he would pick that gets a negative reaction from these fan bases. And I don't think it's just the time he took to make the decision. Though people will point to that. But ultimately, at the heart of this is how could you pick Miami again over us?

Yep. Oh, Philly, I think, would be potentially worse if he doesn't get so out of bounds.

It's just so out of bounds. It's mercenary behavior at that point.

Oh, the reaction to him going to Philly would be worse, you mean? Because it's like, why? Why are you choosing?

I disagree. No, no. If it does, it would catch me by total surprise because none of that's out there right now. None of that. Kevin O'Connor's not trying to negative recruit Philadelphia.

The Philly and Minnesota thing being at the end of what Shams has to say, along with Golden State, Miami, and Cleveland, it feels like the reason that those two teams would even be in it are for the reason that the Knicks would have been had they not won the title, which is their two kind of sorry franchises over the last stretch and helping to put them over the edge.

What does he care about the story? What does he care about? No, but you get to go to that random city, a champion.

You get to go play with guys you'd enjoy playing with.

Okay. But the fact that the franchise never won a title, who gives a shit?

Yeah, but if you're going to like— the perfect example is like he could go to the Spurs and help the Spurs win a championship and play with Wemby and have the same sort of situation. But it's different because they've been a stable franchise, one that he played against in the finals. Like, there are certain narratives that matter to this story. LeBron cares about the way that he's perceived. And I do think the reason that the Miami thing does work in that respect, where he can justify it as this is a good thing, it draws a reaction out of people, is this was— this is the only place left in the career arc where there's still a kind of unfinished relationship.

So I'll be completely— like, I want to be fair because I say, why would LeBron care about winning the city of Minneapolis a championship? Like, who gives a shit? I would also say, based on what you just said right there, I don't think he gives a shit about that either. The idea of I have unfinished business in Miami. He won 2 championships.

No, but you just— it's basically you have a relationship there.

I know, but you have LA, you have Cleveland. Like, things were sour when I left and I want to make everything right there in Miami. I don't think he cares at all about that. If he comes here, it's because he knows the organization, he's familiar with it, he trusts the people, and it's a place that he feels like he can win. I don't do a good Simmons, but that's what I'm doing right now.