Woj reacts to LeBron James' overheard message after Lakers win hints at injury return

Nobody said that. I don't know why. Because I've seen people be scared when they actually line up to him, but they're not scared thinking about that match. Right. You hear anybody from that era talk about going against Jordan, there's a fear. So when you have people that fear a player, then that's telling you something different already, that Jordan's just that guy. All right. Former teammate LeBron, what do you take from the comments? Yeah, well, look, I played in the decade of 1990 to 2000. I believe a guy won six rings during that time. So I played against Jordan a little bit. The one thing I had a problem with is the word fear. I didn't fear Michael Jordan. I don't know that anybody that did. That word to me is pretty strong. Now, can you say that you understood what you were getting into, this relentless attacking player? I've never played against anybody that was that relentless. Every time they touched it, they wanted to go. I think that nature, right, that killer instinct and how he wanted to go at you is what he's talking about. When it comes to LeBron, the nature of their game is different. Right? The way he approaches it, the way he has to facilitate, set the table, play point guard, get people involved. I think, really, that's what Mario Chalmers is talking about. I didn't take this as disparaging toward LeBron. It was more complimentary toward Michael Jordan. But, again, if I'm using the word fear, the only guy that even approached that in my time in the league was Shaq. And it wasn't for me because I didn't have to guard him. But centers, like, you know, you could see, like, lacing up their shoes the night they got to go against Shaq because he could not only beat you, he could put you in a sports center clip for eternity. Right? And embarrass you. And so he was the only guy physically, I think, that approached that category. But I really don't think Chalmers was going hard at LeBron. I think this is more about complimenting Jordan. Speaking of LeBron, what about the health? What about the foot? When are we going to give us an update? Listen, there's just two-plus weeks left in the regular season. I think the Lakers are hopeful that they're going to get LeBron James back either before the play-in or the Western Conference playoffs. There's, right now, a half game out of that final play-in spot. You're seeing a lot of jockeying in the West. But this is a serious foot injury. I think they're still optimism, though, that they will get him back before this season is over, whether that's at the very tail end of the regular season, or maybe it's right at the start of the play-in. Speaking of the league, you know, the NBA is remembering one of the all-time greats and the author of one of the most iconic moments in league history. Hall of Famer and Knicks legend Willis Reed. He died yesterday at the age of 80. Known simply as, really, the captain. Reed was the rookie of the year in 1965. He was MVP in 1970. But his place in history was forever etched on May 8, 1970 in the Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers. Here comes Willis. And, of course, the crowd goes wild. Take a listen to this. Yes. Marv Albert said those words. The iconic call as Reed missed Game 6 with that severe thigh injury, stunned the sellout crowd. He walked out of the tunnel, then scored the first two baskets of the game. Really, his only points of the game. That emotion just lift, propelled the Knicks to a championship. Reed's Knicks would win another one in 73. His number 19 was the first retired by the franchise. And, of course, he was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1982. Green is off today, but he tweeted this. His perspective on Willis Reed. Quote, there have been greater players than Willis Reed. There has never been a greater leader. Rest in peace, captain. Fans of the Knicks will love you until the end of time. All right, Sal Powell joins us back here at the desk. Listen, you grew up during the great Knicks championship era. In your opinion, the legacy of Willis Reed. You guys all remember 1970, right? See this right here? I was 16 years old in 1970, so I remember exactly the moment where I was, and I was in my bedroom on Long Island listening to the game on the radio, and I can just remember how emotional it was for young Knicks fans like myself, just how important he was as a player with Clyde Frazier, Barnett, DeBuscher. DeBuscher went to my church, St. Ann's in Garden City, Long Island. So, you know, it was all part of the Knicks family there, and I remember interviewing him many years later when he was the GM of the Nets, and he was just this gentle giant of a man. Right, Woj? Right, Legs? He was just unbelievably kind and sincere and wanted to tell me everything he knew about basketball, and you could just tell, that's what made him a great leader on the court, and then he built great teams off the court. Remember, Woj? Yeah, I knew Willis Reed as a front office executive with the Nets, with New Orleans. Nobody that I've ever been around in the NBA more respected and beloved by his peers, and not just the players who played with him, the guys who played against them, and then as a front office executive, a mentor to young black executives in the league, young black coaches in the league. He was a head coach in the NBA. He was a head coach at Creighton on the college level. You know, he had a whole second act after a Hall of Fame playing career. I don't know if the end, I don't think this is a hole the NBA can fill. The void of losing Willis Reed and his place in history, it is unmatched. You talk about a mountain of a man and fighter. Peter McConville, who oversees this show, about them over time. Hopefully, whatever it is, it makes sense. But I will stay where I'm wanted. I will stay where I'm needed and treated correct. End quote. Okay, so with that, I got Tim Legler here with me. We got Woj back in here. I guess, Woj, what are you hearing? Is this window for the Celtics now closing when you talk about this great pairing of Tatum and Brown? First of all, I think every window in the NBA is limited. Whether players are under contract or going to become a free agent. Because having a player signed to an extension doesn't mean you're going to have him. Because the day a player asks out, he's typically going to get a trade. Listen, I don't think Jalen Brown was happy that he was involved in trade discussions with the Nets last summer with Kevin Durant. But, I think Boston knows with Jalen Brown, with Jason Tatum, you have to treat every year as though this is your best chance to win one, and then win another. Because as talented as Boston is, probably the deepest roster in the league, this is a year-to-year proposition in the NBA. He's got one year left on his deal. He could do an extension next summer. Again, with a new collective bargaining agreement and the ability to do a richer percentage of your contract as an extension, he could get more money than might be available right now under the CBA. But, I think for Boston, they understand the urgency of winning now. And I think with Jalen Brown, listen, he is a thoughtful individual. And not every player is going to give up his leverage when he talks publicly about it. I didn't think the comment was that incendiary. I thought it was, he left it open-ended. Well, I thought the interesting thing, Legs, was that he not only said that, but he also said that he was concerned when he heard about his name being bandied about when Kevin Durant, so much so that he said he got on a three-way with Stephens and Jason Tatum, and he said, I had to ask Stephens personally, are you trying to trade me and Jason Tatum? I heard you've been working out with Katie. Have you been pushing for this? When you hear a player make these kind of statements, what do you take from it? And something else he said, which was kind of funny to me, he said, I'm from the South. When you come in your house in the South, you come in the front door. You don't operate in the back door. Basically, what he was saying was all the behind-the-scenes talk about possibly being traded and no one was coming to him and talking to him directly. So, he was putting his message out there. I agree with Woj. I don't think what he said was all that bad. Really, what he's doing is being realistic about the nature of the NBA. The Celtics are going to take care of their business interests and that's all he's saying. So, he's prepared for anything and I thought the comments were actually kind of refreshing because he was open and honest. As far as, are there, is there window closing? Possibly with these two guys, but here's the thing, he's an asset one way or another. So, if Jalen Brown isn't in a Celtics uniform, he's not walking out the door without compensation. But, he'll be moved and they're going to get back incredibly valuable assets and they have a top five player in the NBA on their roster. So, that window is...