Bill Simmons went on WFAN with regular Bill Simmons Podcast guest Mike Francesa Tuesday to talk about a litany of subjects, but one segment in particular caught the eye.
The biggest NBA offseason storyline was LeBron James joining the Lakers, so it’s no surprise that came up. But the most interesting part of the conversation was how LaVar Ball will adjust to not having the brightest spotlight on the team anymore. According to Simmons, he might adjust by leaving the spotlight entirely. With incentive, of course, because that’s the only way LaVar Ball does anything. Via WFAN:
“Remember when Serena’s dad was an issue for a long time and then all of a sudden we kind of never heard from him anymore,” Simmons continued. “I have a feeling that’s where this is going to go. He’ll be getting a nice paycheck to not really be heard from that much.”
“Oh, he got hush money. That’s a big story if he got hush money,” Francesa said.
“Put him on the payroll to basically not talk and not make a big deal out of things,” said Simmons. “The other thing is…as Trump found out recently. You don’t want to be on the other side against LeBron. LeBron is the most popular team sports athlete we have had in America since I don’t know when. Anything he does people are all in at this point. LaVar Ball is losing against LeBron.”
Is this plausible? Maybe, in the sense that LaVar might realize he just won the lottery a second time (maybe third or fourth, to be honest, the first being a NBA-caliber son that he’s tried to use to promote his lesser-skilled sons) with LeBron joining the Lakers while still having a few prime years remaining. There’s no way this is bad for LaVar unless LeBron decides the Lakers would be better off with Lonzo not on the team. That’s a doomsday scenario for the Ball family, and anything LaVar can do to avoid that would be beneficial, and even he has to realize it.
But you wouldn’t think the Lakers would have to directly pay for that. But hey, this is Simmons we’re talking about. And at least no one’s going to suspend him for opinions this time around.
[WFAN]
