>> Jimmy: HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD, I'M GOOD.
>> Jimmy: THANKS FOR COMING.
I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS FOR 
YOU.
IT'S WEIRD TO SEE YOU IN GREEN, 
THOUGH, I HAVE TO SAY.
IT'S LIKE IT'S UPSETTING IN A 
WAY. 
>> WELL, MAYBE I JUST WANT TO 
PAY, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE HOMAGE 
TO LARRY BIRD. 
>> Jimmy: YEAH, YEAH.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
OR HOMAGE TO ALL THE MONEY YOU 
JUST GAVE LeBRON. 
>> WE GAVE HIM A LOT. 
>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT, YOU DID. 
>> THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I 
GOT IN TROUBLE. 
>> Jimmy: I KNOW. 
>> MAKE SURE I DON'T GET IN 
TROUBLE TODAY. 
>> Jimmy: YOU KNOW, I GOT IN 
TROUBLE TOO.
PEOPLE WERE MAD AT ME BECAUSE 
THERE WAS A FINE ASSESSED.
THE LEAGUE TAKES THESE FREE 
AGENT CONVERSATIONS VERY 
SERIOUSLY. 
>> $500,000. 
>> Jimmy: $500,000 AS A RESULT 
OF YOUR APPEARANCE ON THIS SHOW.
>> AND WE HAVE A GOOD TIME TOO.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT THE THING I WOULD MAD AT, 
EVERYBODY OUT HERE, JIMMY DIDN'T
CALL ME TO SAY, HEY, I'MA THROW 
IN $100,000, $3 200,000. 
>> Jimmy: NO. 
>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO 
CALL SAYING, I'M GOING TO HELP 
YOU OUT. 
>> Jimmy: YEAH, NO.
WELL, DON'T YOU GET LIKE $800 
FOR BEING HERE?
[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S MY CONTRIBUTION. 
>> OKAY, YOU MADE YOUR 
CONTRIBUTION THAT WAY. 
>> Jimmy: A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO 
YOU ANNOUNCED IF YOU WERE UNABLE
AS PRESIDENT OF BASKETBALL 
OPERATIONS TO BRING A MAJOR FREE
AGENT TO THE LAKERS, YOU WOULD 
QUIT, YOU WOULD RESIGN, YOU 
WOULD CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A 
FAILURE.
AT THAT TIME DID YOU HAVE A GOOD
IDEA THAT YOU WERE GOING TO GET 
LeBRON?
>> NO. 
>> Jimmy: YOU DID NOT. 
>> NO.
BUT I HAD CONFIDENCE IN MYSELF 
AND ALSO THE LAKER BRAND, THE 
LAKER YOUNG PLAYERS THAT WE 
HAVE.
LUKE WALTON AS THE COACH.
YOU KNOW, ROB POLINKA AND I WILL
DO OUR HOMEWORK, AND WE REALLY 
THOUGHT WE HAD A GREAT PLAN TO 
INTRODUCE TO LeBRON.
WHEN YOU GOT AN OWNER LIKE 
JEANIE BUSS, I THINK ALL THOSE 
THINGS -- I THINK WE HAD A 
STRONG ARGUMENT TO HIM TO COME 
JOIN THE LAKERS.
AND SO I COULDN'T WAIT TO GET IN
FRONT OF HIM BECAUSE I HAD 
WATCHED ALL THE FILM ON HIM WHEN
HE WAS WITH CLEVELAND, THE FIRST
TIME, WHEN HE WAS WITH MIAMI, 
THEN WHEN HE WENT BACK TO 
CLEVELAND.
SO I HAD A SENSE OF HIS GAME.
AND WHAT HE WANTED IN TERMS OF 
WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR.
BUT I HAD TO GET IN FRONT OF HIM
TO JUST -- 
>> Jimmy: SELL HIM ON IT?
>> WHERE WE ARE, THAT'S RIGHT. 
>> Jimmy: IT'S INTERESTING HOW 
IT WORKS.
YOU MENTIONED THAT FINE.
BECAUSE THE RULES ARE VERY 
STRICT.
AT 9:01 P.M., THAT'S ON JUNE 
30th, THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE ABLE 
TO START SPEAKING TO LeBRON. 
>> THAT'S RIGHT. 
>> Jimmy: NOT A MINUTE BEFORE 
THAT. 
>> NOT A MINUTE BEFORE. 
>> Jimmy: YOU DO GO TO HIS 
HOUSE.
DID HE INVITE YOU TO HIS HOUSE.
DO YOU CALL AND SAY, I'D LIKE TO
COME TO YOUR HOUSE?
>> THAT'S GOOD.
[ LAUGHTER ]
YEAH WE HAD TO CALL AND ASK FOR 
PERMISSION.
>> Jimmy: I SEE, YES. 
>> TO HAVE A MEETING.
BUT ROB CALLED, HIS AGENT.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT RICH 
PAWS, HIS AGENT.
WE TALKED AND SAID LeBRON WOULD 
LOVE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE 
LAKERS BUT HE WANTS TO HAVE IT 
WITH MAGIC SO THAT'S WHAT 
HAPPENED. 
>> Jimmy: THEN WERE YOU EXCITED?
GREAT, I GET TO BE IN THERE BY 
MYSELF?
OR DID YOU RATHER ROB WAS THERE,
THE WHOLE TEAM WAS THERE?
>> I WAS READY, MAN. 
>> Jimmy: YOU WERE READY TO DO 
IT. 
>> YEAH, YEAH.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
I WORK BEST BY MYSELF.
I SHOWED UP AT 8:00.
>> Jimmy: YOU SHOWED UP AT 8:00.
BEFORE YOU TOOK THIS MEETING 
WITH LeBRON, DID YOU SPEAK TO 
LONZO BALL'S FATHER TO MAKE SURE
IT WAS OKAY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
OKAY TO RECRUIT HIM TO BE A PART
OF THE TEAM?
>> I WOULD HAVE CALLED YOU FIRST
BEFORE I CALLED LAVAR BALL, 
TRUST ME.
[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]
NO, I DIDN'T CALLA VAUR. 
>> Jimmy: YOU DID NOT CALL, 
OKAY. 
>> NO, AND ASK PERMISSION.
SO I GOT TO 8:00 -- 
>> Jimmy: YOU'RE AN HOUR EARLY, 
WHAT DID YOU DO, SIT IN THE CAR?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
I'M AN ON-TIME GUY.
I WAS JUST HOPING THAT I DIDN'T 
HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY.
>> Jimmy: IT WOULD BE A WEIRD 
WAY TO START. 
>> EXACTLY.
I WOULD HAVE GOT FINED BECAUSE I
HAD TO GO EARLY, RIGHT?
>> Jimmy: YEAH, RIGHT.
THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANPEE, YEA.
YOU GET TO LeBRON'S HOUSE. 
>> I'M SITTING OUT THERE.
I WAIT FOR 9:00.
SO AT 9:00 I INCH TO THE GHATE.
>> Jimmy: OKAY. 
>> I DON'T RING THE BUZZER TILL 
9:01.
>> Jimmy: THEY REALLY HAVE YOU 
PARANOID. 
>> OH, MAN.
THEY HAD ME SO SCARED. 
>> Jimmy: IT'S CRAZY. 
>> BECAUSE YOUR HALF MILLION 
DOLLARS I WAS THINKING ABOUT 
THAT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: YEAH.
AND IT WASN'T LIKE THAT BACK 
WHEN YOU WERE --
>> NO. 
>> Jimmy: -- PLAYING, RIGHT?
IT WAS DIFFERENT. 
>> IT'S DIFFERENT NOW. 
>> Jimmy: YOU SIT DOWN WITH 
LeBRON.
AND HOW DO YOU OPEN IT?
LIKE HOW DO YOU START?
DOES HE START, DO YOU START?
>> OF COURSE HE GREETED ME AT 
THE DOOR.
WE SAT DOWN.
AND I TELL YOU SOMETHING, JIMMY.
THIS GUY IS SO SMART. 
>> Jimmy: WHAT WAS HE WEARING?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THERE'S SOME SHORTS, YOU 
KNOW.
HE HAD ON HIS LeBRON NIKE GEAR. 
>> Jimmy: OKAY, ALL RIGHT. 
>> AND LOOKING VERY SHARP. 
>> Jimmy: GOTCHA. 
>> YOU KNOW.
VERY RELAXED.
>> Jimmy: UH-HUH. 
>> WE JUST, YOU KNOW, STARTED 
TALKING ABOUT HOW WE BOTH GREW 
UP, FIRST.
AND HOW WE HAD PROBABLY THE SAME
EXPECTATIONS OF, YOU KNOW, 
PEOPLE EXPECTED US TO WIN AND BE
GOOD AND WE BOTH MIDWEST BOYS, 
HIM FROM OHIO, ME FROM MICHIGAN.
WE STARTED THAT DIRECTION.
THEN WE HEADED TOWARD THE 
LAKERS.
AND HE BROKE DOWN EVERY PLAYER 
ON OUR TEAM.
THEIR STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES.
HE ALREADY KNEW, YOU KNOW, THE 
GUYS ON OUR TEAM.
>> Jimmy: YOU WERE IMPRESSED BY 
THAT?
>> I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH 
THAT.
THE FACT THAT HE KNEW HE COULD 
FIT INTO THIS YOUNG CORE THAT WE
HAD.
AND SO WE JUST STARTED A 
DIALOGUE.
AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT, YOU KNOW,
TWO HOURS HAD PASSED ALREADY.
BUT IT WAS A LOT OF LAKER 
EXPECTATIONS AND OFFENSE, 
DEFENSE, YOU KNOW.
HOW HE LIKES TO PLAY.
AND WHAT WAS GREAT IS THIS IS 
HOW HE WANTS TO PLAY TODAY.
RIGHT?
THE WAY THE LAKERS PLAY, WITH 
PACE.
HE'S GOING TO REALLY TAKE OUR 
PLAYERS TO THIS LEVEL. 
>> Jimmy: SURE HE IS. 
>> MAKE THEM SO MUCH BETTER. 
>> Jimmy: 24 HOURS AFTER THAT 
GOLDEN STATE, WHICH THEY ALREADY
HAVE THIS UNBELIEVABLE TEAM, 
THEY SIGN DeMARCUS COUSINS, 
WHO'S ANOTHER ALL-STAR. 
>> RIGHT. 
>> Jimmy: IS THAT DISPIRITING 
WHEN YOU HEAR THAT?
>> NO, NO, I LOVE COMPETITION.
I LOVE CHASING THE BEST.
THEY'RE THE BEST, SO WE'LL LOOK 
FORWARD TO PLAYING AGAINST THEM.
>> Jimmy: I SEE.
DO YOU THINK AT THIS POINT THE 
LAKERS, THE WAY THE TEAM IS 
SITUATED RIGHT NOW, COULD BEAT 
GOLDEN STATE?
>> I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WILL 
LOOK FORWARD TO THAT CHALLENGE, 
RIGHT?
EVERYBODY EXPECTS GOLDEN STATE 
TO WIN AGAIN.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE 
CHALLENGE AND TO PLAY THEM IN 
THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS. 
>> Jimmy: RIGHT. 
>> IF WE COULD GET TO THAT 
POSITION.
SO I'M NOT -- I'M A COMPETITOR.
SO I'M NOT SCARED OF GOLDEN 
STATE.
I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT GOLDEN 
STATE.
THEY DON'T KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A REALLY 
SOLID TEAM, A GOOD TEAM, A 
COMPETITIVE TEAM, AND A 
TOUGH-MINDED TEAM.
AND WE GOT GUYS NOW WHO ARE 
WINNERS.
LeBRON JAMES BRINGS A 
CHAMPIONSHIP MENTALITY TO OUR 
TEAM.
SO DOES RONDO.
HE'S WON A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 
BOSTON. 
>> Jimmy: SURE, YEAH. 
>> AND THEN JaVALE McGEE, WHO 
USED TO PLAY FOR GOLDEN STATE, 
HE'S WON TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS. 
>> Jimmy: BEFORE YOU SIGN THESE 
GUYS, DO YOU TALK TO LeBRON 
ABOUT IT?
>> OH, FOR SURE. 
>> Jimmy: YOU DO. 
>> FOR SURE. 
>> Jimmy: THAT WAS A COURTESY 
THAT WAS EXTENDED TO YOU AS 
WELL?
>> EXACTLY.
DR. BUSS, BEFORE WE MADE MOVES, 
HE WOULD ALWAYS COME TO ME WHAT 
DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS GUY?
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS 
TRADE?
AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DO 
THE SAME.
BECAUSE LeBRON HAS PLAYED 
AGAINST THESE GUYS.
SO HE KNOWS THEM EVEN BETTER 
THAN MYSELF. 
>> Jimmy: RIGHT, YEAH. 
>> HE KNOWS WHAT'S UP HERE, HE 
KNOWS WHAT'S IN HERE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT, TO KNOW IF 
THEY'RE SMART, IF THEY'RE TOUGH,
IF THEY'RE TOUGH-MINDED, THAT'S 
IMPORTANT. 
>> Jimmy: DENZEL WASHINGTON WAS 
HERE LAST WEEK.
AND I WAS ASKING HIM, HE'S 
OBVIOUSLY A LAKERS FAN.
I ASKED HIM IF HE CALLED YOU 
AFTER THE LAKERS SIGNED LeBRON.
HE SAID HE DID CALL YOU AND YOU 
RUSHED HIM OFF THE TELEPHONE.
>> YOU KNOW I LOVE DENZEL. 
>> Jimmy: WHO DOESN'T LOVE 
DENZEL?
>> I HELPED DENZEL GET HIS 
SEASON TICKETS ON THE FLOOR 
THERE, RIGHT?
LONG, LONG TIME AGO. 
>> Jimmy: HE NEEDED HELP?
>> OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. 
>> Jimmy: REALLY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> HE NEEDED HELP, YOU KNOW.
I HELPED HIM OUT, YOU KNOW.
TOLD HIM TO CALL DR. BUSS, THAT 
WHOLE THING. 
>> Jimmy: WHO ELSE CALLED YOU?
>> EVERYBODY. 
>> Jimmy: JACK NICHOLSON?
>> EVERYBODY. 
>> Jimmy: POPE FRANCIS, DID HE 
MAKE A PHONE CALL?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> EVERYBODY BUT THE POPE.
BUT I SAID SOME PRAYERS.
SO HOPEFULLY THE POPE PUT THEM 
UP TO GOD FOR ME TO GET LeBRON. 
>> Jimmy: HONESTLY, DID YOU AT 
ANY POINT STOP AND PRAY THAT GOD
WOULD BRING YOU LeBRON JAMES TO 
YOUR TEAM?
>> NO, I DIDN'T PRAY FOR LeBRON.
BUT I PRAYED FOR SUCCESS IN FREE
AGENCY.
>> Jimmy: YOU DID.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> SO, YOU KNOW -- LISTEN, THIS 
HAS CHANGED THE NBA FOR THE 
BETTER.
IT HAS CHANGED LOS ANGELES AND 
LAKER NATION FOR THE BETTER. 
>> Jimmy: IT HAS CHANGED 
CLEVELAND FOR THE MUCH WORSE.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT.
HE BROUGHT THEM THE 
CHAMPIONSHIP. 
>> Jimmy: HE CERTAINLY DID. 
>> HE DELIVERED TO CLEVELAND. 
>> Jimmy: AND I REMEMBER 
SOMETHING THAT LeBRON TOLD ME 
MANY YEARS AGO WHEN WE HOSTED 
THE ESPYs TOGETHER.
AFTER WHEN PEOPLE WERE SO UPSET 
WITH HIM FOR LEAVING CLEVELAND.
HE SAID, I'M FROM AKRON.
I'M NOT FROM CLEVELAND.
THEY MAKE FUN OF US HERE.
YOU KNOW?
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS 
INTERESTING.
>> BUT HE'S -- LISTEN.
HE IS A WONDERFUL MAN.
SMART.
HE'S A BUSINESSMAN AS WELL.
OWNS SOCCER TEAMS.
OWNED DIFFERENT BUSINESSES.
PIZZA, ON AND ON AND ON. 
>> Jimmy: YES, HE'S VERY RICH.
>> YES, YES.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> Jimmy: DID YOU SAY TO HIM, 
YOU'RE LOADED, YOU'VE GOT SOCCER
TEAMS, PIZZA, MAYBE WE CAN DO 
THIS FOR HALF PRICE?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET 
A DISCOUNT, I DIDN'T GET ONE. 
>> Jimmy: YOU DIDN'T ASK.
YOU'VE GOT TO ASK FOR THAT 
DISCOUNT. 
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I WANTED HIM 
SO BAD, I DIDN'T WANT WHEN TO 
MESS UP. 
>> Jimmy: RIGHT, YEAH.
NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO MESS UP 
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 
>> NO, NO, LeBRON, I'MA PAY YOU 
WHATEVER YOU WANT. 
