FIRST TAKE — Stephen A. & Perkins react to Heat post link to future LeBron James press conference

[0:00] and LeBron watch 2026. [0:02] It has been 22 days and counting [0:04] since LeBron told the Lakers he would play elsewhere this season [0:07] and his free agency decision still looms. [0:10] So naturally, we're all looking for clues on the Kings next destination [0:14] and the Miami Heat caused a bit of an uproar Tuesday night [0:18] when they posted a link to a scheduled live stream titled [0:20] quote, LeBron James introductory press conference [0:24] followed by the date July 27 to the YouTube channel belonging to the team. [0:29] So a team spokesperson spoke to Shams [0:31] and said that the club's social media department [0:33] was preparing for the possibility of James signing [0:36] and mistakenly posted the link to the team's YouTube page. [0:40] We've got Kendrick Perkins here, ESPN Radio host of Unsportsmanlike, [0:44] Evan Cohen as well. [0:46] So, Perk, I gotta ask you, something or nothing here with the leak, [0:51] if you want to call it that, that we saw from the Miami Heat yesterday. [0:54] Well, first of all, good morning and happy Wednesday. [1:00] You know what? [1:01] This is a sign right now that we're getting closer to the decision. [1:06] This is something. [1:07] This is something. [1:09] There's no way, now listen, this wasn't leaked by accident, okay? [1:14] This wasn't, those things don't just happen under Pat Riley's watch. [1:19] Now, I will say this, this is something because this means that Miami [1:24] is really in the hunt. [1:26] They're in the thick of this. [1:27] Like, LeBron James could possibly end up back in South Beach, [1:32] you know, with Eric Sposher, Giannis, and Bam out of the Bayou. [1:36] So I'm not gonna sit up and act like it's nothing. [1:38] I mean, we still wanna make, hear from LeBron James himself, but at the end of [1:44] the day, any information that we get or we could dive into, because I know all of us [1:50] across the board have been, across the world, in the basketball world, has become [1:56] investigators. [1:57] Like, everybody's sitting up here investigating, trying to figure it out, and [2:01] trying to solve the problem, because there are no clues whatsoever. [2:05] This is actually the first real big clue that we've been able to see from an [2:12] organization that, that LeBron James has interest in. [2:16] Yeah, and it's important to note, Evan, that the post was deleted eventually. [2:20] Um, but I can't help but think. [2:23] I mean, so Perk says this is not leaked by accident, and I know that Pat Riley [2:27] isn't running the YouTube channel, and he's not running the social media [2:30] strategy for this organization, but do you think it's something, or just a big nothing? [2:35] I think it's something, and it's the exact reason why LeBron is reconsidering the heat, [2:38] because they're the most prepared team in the NBA. [2:41] That's what all of this is about. [2:43] It's about every aspect of this organization being prepared for the possibility [2:47] of arguably the second greatest player ever, where his best stint as an NBA player [2:52] came in the four years of Miami, of returning to Miami. [2:55] So it's not only the strength and conditioning, it's not only Eric Spolscher and his basketball [2:58] staff, it's literally the entire organization. [3:01] Sales, marketing, social media, everyone is ready for the possibility of this. [3:06] And LeBron James, in his 40s, is a grown man with children and a wife, and he's a real [3:13] person that cares about those kinds of things. [3:15] He doesn't want to go into a childlike organization. [3:18] And I'm not naming names with other organizations. [3:20] He knows what he's walking into, the most prepared. [3:24] They know what's going to happen if they get him. [3:26] They know what's going to happen if they don't get him. [3:28] They know who's going to be on his team if he is in Miami. [3:31] And they know who's going to be on their team if he's not. [3:33] Every part of this organization is buttoned up. [3:37] And that's why he wants to go back, because they're ready for anything that could happen. [3:41] Apparently not so buttoned up that they let this thing out there. [3:43] But I mean, it could, again, it could just be a clerical error here that they wanted to be prepared. [3:51] I mean, you said they're the most prepared team here. [3:53] So maybe they are trying to prepare in the event that something happens. [3:56] But they did give a specific date per July 27th. [4:00] So I say all that to say. [4:01] That's it. [4:02] Yeah, the 27th. [4:03] That to me is sticking out. [4:04] This wasn't just a CBD. [4:07] What do you make of the date the 27th? [4:09] Right. [4:11] And it comes, if I'm not mistaken, fresh off the WNBA All-Star weekend. [4:18] Like, so that's the thing. [4:19] If the timer was set on the YouTube page for the Miami Heat on the 27th, that means the rest of the teams that are pursuing LeBron James must know that the time is coming. [4:35] Like you said, it wasn't said TB. [4:37] No, no, no, the 27th, which is Monday. [4:41] Okay. [4:41] Monday, the 27th of July. [4:44] And so, again, this is something where we know that LeBron James is having conversations with these teams. [4:53] Right. [4:53] We know that Rich Paul is having conversations with these teams. [4:57] Right. [4:58] We heard Pat Riley, right, come out and say during Giannis' press conference that, hey, we landed one big fish, but we're still going after another, which he was referring to LeBron James because there's no other big fish out there. [5:14] They got a couple goldfish and some catfish, but it's, you know what I'm saying? [5:19] He's trying to land that tuna. [5:21] He's trying to land that other record. [5:23] And, again, Pat Riley also said he doesn't have time to wait. [5:28] He's not trying to wait two or three years to try to win the championship. [5:32] He basically said he wants to win now. [5:35] I believe, and I said this the other day, I believe that Miami is leading the charge right now for us being the frontrunner to land LeBron James. [5:46] Evan, Courtney, think about this for a second. [5:50] Why in the hell would you want to go from living in L.A., blue skies, great weather for the last eight and a half years, to going to any city that's going to be dealing with snow? [6:04] Like, seriously, like LeBron James is at that point of his life, and any athlete, former athlete, or current athlete could tell you, your body just feels a lot better when you're able to wake up in warmer weather year-round. [6:22] I'm just saying. [6:23] And I think it's a great point all around about Miami gives him the best chance of winning and winning immediately. [6:29] And I think when you look at the LeBron James arc, he's not done. [6:33] Like, that's the other part of this. [6:34] We're talking about this retirement tour, this swan song. [6:37] What player that ever just 21-7-6 would say they're done? [6:41] He has never said, I want to leave on a high note. [6:43] Has not said that, right? [6:45] He also has not said this is his last year. [6:47] In fact, he has alluded to more than one year, which I would also then argue, Perk and Courtney, that doesn't mean one team. [6:55] He doesn't necessarily have one team left. [6:58] It could be multiple teams that right now Miami gives him the best chance to do what he does best, which is handle the ball as a point forward. [7:07] If he wants to go somewhere for his life, which is important, obviously wife and kids, then the Golden State Warriors make the most sense. [7:13] He could be with his friends. [7:14] They could win basketball games, and he can fly back and forth between L.A. and the Bay. [7:19] But if he wants to win and he knows exactly what he's signing up for, Miami is it. [7:25] Do you know that when he played for the Miami Heat for those four years, between 10 and 14, [7:29] the owner, the team president, the general manager, and the head coach then are the same people that are in that exact same spot right now? [7:38] Not one person has changed. [7:39] Not one. [7:41] Oh, go back to Cleveland. [7:42] Is Ty Lue there? [7:44] Did I miss something? [7:46] Is David Griffin there as the general manager? [7:51] Kobe Altman was there. [7:51] I get it. [7:52] Mike Gansey, okay, in Philly. [7:53] He was there with him in Cleveland, but he wasn't there with him in Philly. [7:57] Miami is the exact same team. [7:58] It's a no-brainer if basketball and winning basketball is where he wants to be. [8:03] It does feel like there's unfinished business with the Heat, too, and the way that it ended [8:07] and obviously where he went after that. [8:09] And from a basketball fit and from an off-court fit, it might all make sense in terms of how it lines up. [8:15] But there is something to be said about the idea of how much longer he's going to play. [8:19] So we know there are still teams that play for LeBron whenever he does announce his decision. [8:23] What we don't know is how much longer he plans on playing. [8:26] But if you ask his agent, Rich Paul, we should not be expecting a retirement announcement, not just yet. [8:32] Take a listen. [8:33] Take a listen. [8:33] Take a listen.