Snapshot · The Bill Simmons Podcast
The Lakers signed Walker Kessler — who played only 5 games last season due to injury — to a 4-year, $130 million deal, surrendering 2031 and 2033 first-round picks plus swaps.
Where this was said
At 1:11:31 · chapter starts 1:08:45
The Lakers section is the episode's comic relief after the grim Celtics analysis. Bill Simmons had spent the morning gleefully texting Laker fans about their offseason before his own team's trade blindsided him. Now he surveys the carnage: Kessler gets $130M on a 4-year deal despite playing 5 games; Quinton Grimes and Mamou get $60M and $52M respectively; LeBron is gone; and meaningful draft capital has been surrendered. [1] — Bill Simmons "The Lakers gave up two first-round picks and $130 million for Walker Kessler, who played 5 games last year. They have no answer for SGA, An…" 1:11:30 Kirk Goldsberry, as a Spurs partisan, isn't remotely scared by this roster. The most damning data point: the last time an NBA team with three white players as its best three won a championship was the 1958 St. Louis Hawks. Bill and Chris agree the team appears to have been assembled to suit Luka Dončić's preferences — rim-runner, secondary handler, shooters — rather than with any coherent defensive identity.
The Lakers gave up two first-round picks and $130 million for Walker Kessler, who played 5 games last year. They have no answer for SGA, Anthony Edwards, or Jamal Murray. Even a Spurs fan isn't scared. This is the franchise of Kareem and Shaq settling for depth-chart filler.
The last time an NBA champion had three white players as its best players was the 1958 St. Louis Hawks — a historical stat raised as a humorous indictment of the new-look Lakers.
Boston signed Mitchell Robinson for 3 years and $47 million — a deal the Knicks declined in order to stay under the second apron.
Jaylen Brown guarded Luka Dončić to win Finals MVP, made the shot in the Indiana series, bridged generations across the Boston community, and never gave anything less than everything on the court. Whatever the analytics say, he showed up. Every. Single. Night.
Thomas's wife is already ranked in the top 2,000 CrossFit athletes in the world — roughly the top 1% — and Thomas wants her to pursue the sport professionally now that he is graduating law school.
Research shows athletes who mentally imagine practicing basketball or soccer have better performance than those who do not include imagination in their training.
Rico Verhoeven dominated approximately 10 of 12 rounds against undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk before a controversial post-bell stoppage.
Rico's appeal confirmed the fight was stopped after the bell rang, and the ringside doctor found no concussion or disorientation — yet the result was never overturned.
Glory Kickboxing uses 5 judges rather than boxing's 3, which Joe Rogan argues reduces the chance of a corrupt or incompetent minority swinging the result.
Rico Verhoeven had only one professional boxing match before fighting undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk for the WBC title.
Despite having just one pro boxing match, Rico Verhoeven had been training boxing for 15 years alongside his kickboxing career.
Rico used a full 6 months to transition from kickboxing stance to a proper boxing stance under trainer Peter Fury, calling it essential rewiring.
Rico Verhoeven has had approximately 75 professional kickboxing fights, giving him a massive combat sports experience advantage over pure boxers.
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