LeBron James is now the oldest player in NBA history to garner MVP votes. Wednesday, when the league announced the results, not surprisingly Shai Gilgeous-Alexander walked away with his first trophy, with Nikola Jokic the runner up. But down there in sixth was LeBron James. His first MVP votes came as a 19-year old with the Cavs in his rookie season. And now, he's finished 6th.

Pretty remarkable, and well-deserved after a season where he averaged over 24 points, and almost eight assists and rebounds per game.

So what does this mean going forward? LeBron has now played 141 games over the last two seasons, putting at least some of the durability and health questions to bed... except he's going to turn 41 this year so really, do those questions ever go away? Is it reasonable to expect more of the same from LBJ, especially knowing the team will be built around Luka Dončić, who will be assigned most of the heavy lifting offensively?

Plus, the debate about Shai and foul-hunting consumed NBA social media after the Thunder beat Minnesota in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Is "the discourse" on to something? Or does everyone need to get offline a little more?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron finishes sixth in MVP voting.

SEGMENT 2: What can LA expect from him going forward?

SEGMENT 3: Shai, the playoffs, officiating and how it all impacts the Lakers.

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The NBA announced its All Rookie squads, and (not surprisingly) Dalton Knecht wasn't among the 10 honored first year players. To his credit, Knecht was relatively close, finishing in a tie for 13th in vote total. It's a fair result for a guy who had a lot of highs and lows over the course of the season. His strong suits were clear (shooting, offense, athleticism) and his weaknesses (defense) equally so.

Now the Lakers, who have already shown a willingness to trade him, have to make a decision this offseason. Is the guy more valuable to them? Or as a lure to fill holes around the roster?

The goal for LA is to build a team that works for Luka Dončić. Knecht fits that profile. He can shoot, he can get to the rim, he can finish above it. On the other hand, he's one of about 2.5 human beings on the roster who have genuine value as players (as opposed to an expiring contract) in a trade (the others being Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura).

So Rob Pelinka, just as he does with Reaves, is going to be confronted with some tough choices about Knecht, too.

Plus... could LeBron actually leave? There's one at least semi-plausible scenario.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Knecht gets some All-Rookie love.

SEGMENT 2: What to do with DK?

SEGMENT 3: Could LeBron really go?

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NBA Squad Show: Conference Finals are set to COLLIDE as New NBA Era changes championship landscape

Can the Oklahoma City Thunder overcome the Minnesota Timberwolves' depth in the Western Conference Finals? As the NBA playoffs heat up, the Thunder's defensive prowess faces a stern test against the Timberwolves, who have been a force in the West all season.

Join Nick Engstad, Doug Norrie, and Ryland Styles as they break down the thrilling Game 7 between the Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder, and preview the upcoming conference finals. The discussion highlights key players like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Haliburton, while exploring how the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement is reshaping team-building strategies.

With insights into the Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the evolving NBA landscape.

Tune in for expert analysis and discover how these playoff battles could redefine the league's future.

0:00 Intro: Denver vs OKC Game Seven analysis

5:46 Western Conference Finals: Thunder vs Timberwolves

13:55 Eastern Conference Finals: Pacers vs Knicks

22:08 CBA impact on team building and roster depth

28:16 Draft lottery results and tanking strategies

There was a lot of feedback to Monday's show running down the league's (mostly) starting centers and judging whether they qualify as a "foundational piece," i.e. the level of player the Lakers reportedly would have to receive in order to send out Austin Reaves in a trade. In the process, we saw a variety of opinions on:

• AR's level as a player.
• His overall trade value.
• Whether we had the right players in the right categories.
• How much other stuff the Lakers might have to add to some of these hypothetical deals to make something happen.

And obviously, for the highest level players on the list of guys we decided were even theoretically possible, it might cost Reaves plus more. Maybe Dalton Knecht, maybe draft capital, maybe both. But what about going the other way? Brooklyn's Nic Claxton is broadly believed to be gettable without sacrificing Reaves. But what about Claxton and someone like Cam Johnson, who could fill some needs for LA? Would that (type of deal, playing for depth) be worth AR?

Plus... lots of former Lakers are playing big roles for conference finalists. Is it generating any nostalgia for Lakers fans?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: More Reaves-for-a-center talk.

SEGMENT 2: Is there an alternative to foundational pieces?

SEGMENT 3: Looking back at baby Lakers, all grown up.

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The Lakers, it is reported, would trade Austin Reaves for a "foundational piece." That doesn't have to be a center, necessarily, but certainly the five is LA's biggest need, and as LA's best trade chip, people are going to at least make those connections.

But practically speaking, who exactly would that mean? Like, sure, the Lakers would trade Austin for Nikola Jokic or Wemby... but that's not a world we live in. So what names out there are even remotely possible? And of the guys that are even more possible, would any of them actually be worth sacrificing Reaves? It's a tricky place, for sure. Because the list of names worthy of Reaves isn't long, and the list of gettable centers includes many where Reaves would be too high a price to pay.

It's a tough needle for Rob Pelinka to thread.

Meanwhile, the league may get some clarity on the Giannis situation, as he and the Bucks are expected to meet this week to talk about his future in Milwaukee. A resolution to this doesn't mean he's coming to the Lakers - he's not - but would help keep offseason movement robust, which does favor the Lakers. If everyone is waiting around to figure out Giannis's future, that hurts LA.

The Lakers need action.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Who are the centers that might be available for Reaves?

SEGMENT 2: What does the rest of the market look like?

SEGMENT 3: Giannis and Milwaukee and how it impacts LA.

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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)