A hollywood ending, p.36
A Hollywood Ending, page 36
a $21 million, ten-thousand-square-foot home: Dave McMenamin, “LeBron James of Cleveland Cavaliers Purchases Los Angeles Vacation Home for Nearly $21 Million,” ESPN, November 11, 2015.
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How about PG?: Dahntay Jones, interview by Paul George, Podcast P, February 2024.
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“He was selling like a motherfucker”: Jones, interview by George.
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You’re both cool: Jones, interview by George.
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I’m gonna try to make this happen: Jones, interview by George.
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he urged the Cavs: Jason Lloyd, “As Tensions Mount, the Distance Between LeBron James and the Cavaliers Is Growing,” The Athletic, February 6, 2018.
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Do not trade Kyrie: Joe Vardon, “LeBron James: Cavaliers’ Trading of Kyrie Irving Was ‘Beginning of the End for Everything,’ ” New York Times, November 19, 2018.
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“At that point in time”: Vardon, “LeBron James.”
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“All I want us to do”: Tania Ganguli, “Lakers Looking Mostly for Growth in Ultra-Competitive Western Conference,” Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2017.
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Dr. Buss had always intended: Tania Ganguli, “Johnny Buss Distances Himself from Siblings and the Lakers,” Los Angeles Times, June 18, 2017.
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spent countless hours: Mike Trudell, “Jesse Buss Q and A,” NBA.com, September 19, 2022.
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“I think Koby did”: Dave McMenamin, “New-Look Cavaliers Provide Reason for Optimism, but Questions Remain,” ESPN, February 22, 2018.
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LeBron and his family left: Lee Jenkins, “Inside LeBron James’s Third Free-Agency Decision,” Sports Illustrated, July 1, 2018.
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“I wanted to help Jeanie”: LeBron James, X, October 5, 2024.
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Maria Shriver and Gavin Newsom: Jenkins, “Inside LeBron James’s Third Free-Agency Decision.”
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boarded a private plane: Jenkins, “Inside LeBron James’s Third Free-Agency Decision.”
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“Call the Lakers”: Jenkins, “Inside LeBron James’s Third Free-Agency Decision.”
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Paul texted Jeanie one word: Ramona Shelburne, “How LeBron James’ Decision Instantly Changed Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA,” ESPN, July 11, 2018.
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“I love the young guys”: Rachel Nichols, “LeBron: ‘I’ve Always Been a Part of Beating the Odds in Life,’ ” ESPN, July 30, 2018.
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You have to have a superstar: Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers (Hulu, 2022), Episode 10.
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5. “LeBron’s Gonna Trade You”
“I thought it was the best thing”: Dave McMenamin, “How a Busted Trade Request Got Anthony Davis to Los Angeles,” ESPN, October 8, 2019.
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since attending his basketball camps: Adam Zagoria, “The Bond Between LeBron James and Anthony Davis Began at LeBron’s Camp a Decade Ago,” Forbes, October 2020.
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“We were dogshit”: Anthony Davis, interview by D’Angelo Russell, The Backyard Podcast, February 2024.
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“That would be amazing”: Dave McMenamin, “LeBron James: Los Angeles Lakers Getting Anthony Davis Would Be ‘Amazing,’ ” ESPN, December 19, 2018.
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“I don’t really care”: Zach Lowe, “Anthony Davis, Though Flattered by LeBron James’ Comments, Says Focus Is on New Orleans Pelicans,” ESPN, December 20, 2018.
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reports surfaced that Davis had dinner: Chris Haynes, “Sources: LeBron James, Anthony Davis Meet for Postgame Dinner,” Yahoo Sports, December 22, 2018.
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Paul informed the Pelicans: Tania Ganguli and Broderick Turner, “Lakers’ Trade Offer for Anthony Davis Now Includes Veterans and Two First-Round Picks,” Los Angeles Times, February 4, 2019.
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spent the week urging Demps: Adrian Wojnarowski, “Magic Johnson, Lakers Competing with Pelicans Desire to Wait on Anthony Davis,” ESPN, February 5, 2019.
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6. Can You Feel the Magic?
“ ‘Can you do this for me?’ ”: Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers (Hulu, 2022), Episode 5.
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“He was hard, man”: Legacy, Episode 5.
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“Teach the Lakers what it was like”: Scott Howard-Cooper, “Me-Me-Me-Me Turned Out to Be a Sour Note to Magic: Lakers: Attitude of the Players Was a Key Factor in His D,” Los Angeles Times, April 17, 1994.
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Fans welcomed him back: Jay Privman, “Johnson’s Victorious Lakers Bring Life Back to Forum,” New York Times, March 26, 1994.
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talking about drag-racing: Danny Schayes, “Schayes: Divorce Court for Coaches and Players; a Magic Johnson Tale,” Sheridan Hoops, March 9, 2015.
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You motherfuckers: Legacy, Episode 5.
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Vlade, give me the beeper: Schayes, “Divorce Court.”
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“Everybody cares about me, I, I, I”: Howard-Cooper, “Me-Me-Me-Me Turned Out to Be a Sour Note to Magic.”
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“Coaching requires a tremendous”: Scott Howard-Cooper, “Magic Passes a Last Time, Won’t Coach Next Year: Lakers: After a 105-100 Defeat by the Trail Blazers Eliminates L.A., He Says Losing Is Too Hard to Take,” Los Angeles Times, April 16, 1994.
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“I have 1,000 résumés”: Baxter Holmes, “Lakers 2.0: The Failed Reboot of the NBA’s Crown Jewel,” ESPN, May 29, 2019.
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a seventy-three-meter-long, $680,000-per-week yacht: TMZ Staff, “Magic Johnson Entering 18th Day on $700,000-Per-Week Yacht!,” TMZ, August 18, 2017.
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“Just to kind of do a deep dive”: Uninterrupted, More Than an Athlete (ESPN, November 2018), Episode 2.
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“2018–19: CORE PILLARS”: More Than an Athlete, Episode 2.
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“admonished” Walton: Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin, “Magic Johnson Admonishes Luke Walton After Los Angeles Lakers’ Slow Start,” ESPN, November 2, 2018.
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“Quit making this about”: “Magic: Don’t Treat Lakers ‘Like Babies’ After Davis Trade Talk,” Associated Press, February 11, 2019.
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“you’re always going to be”: Dave McMenamin, “Lakers’ Magic Johnson Says Pelicans Didn’t Act in Good Faith,” ESPN, February 10, 2019.
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“How am I supposed to answer that?”: McMenamin, “Lakers’ Magic Johnson Says Pelicans Didn’t Act in Good Faith.”
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“I almost look at Bullock”: Dave McMenamin, “GM Rob Pelinka Hopes Los Angeles Lakers Rally Like New England Patriots,” ESPN, February 8, 2019.
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the players met alone: Dave McMenamin, “How the Lakers Wasted Year 1 of LeBron,” ESPN, April 10, 2019.
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“I tried to get LeBron”: Rajon Rondo, interview by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, All the Smoke, December 2020.
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That July afternoon: Ramona Shelburne, “How LeBron James’ Decision Instantly Changed Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and NBA,” ESPN, July 11, 2018.
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“The rhythm is the answer”: Shelburne, “How LeBron James’ Decision Instantly Changed Los Angeles Lakers.”
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Even NBA commissioner Adam Silver: Holmes, “Lakers 2.0.”
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some street murals celebrating: Matt Bonesteel, “The LeBron James Mural in Los Angeles Got Vandalized Again, and Now It’s Gone,” Washington Post, July 12, 2018.
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“pursed his lips”: McMenamin, “How the Lakers Wasted Year 1 of LeBron.”
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You guys knew Magic was stepping down: Legacy, Episode 10.
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Magic just stepped down: LeBron James, The Shop, HBO, May 2019.
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“I was like, ‘Man’ ”: James, The Shop.
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7. A Rob Pelinka–Type
they would not be hiring someone: Ramona Shelburne, “Source: Lakers Will Not Hire Replacement for Magic,” ESPN, May 17, 2019.
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It wasn’t until: Paul Sullivan and Chicago Tribune, “Lake Forest Star Getting Noticed,” Chicago Tribune, February 8, 1988.
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a “Rob Pelinka–type”: Mitch Albom, Fab Five: Basketball, Trash Talk, the American Dream, 255.
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in his rusty Jeep: Rob Pelinka, interview by Adrian Wojnarowski, The Woj Pod, May 2018.
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had worked as a stringer: Dan McQuade, “Arn Tellem and Franz Lidz Are Going to the Hall of Fame,” Philadelphia, May 17, 2015.
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That she was Mexican American: Jeff Pearlman, Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty, 185.
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take whatever business card: Mike Bresnahan, “Bryant Not Working with a Secret Agent,” Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2004.
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“I looked at it as a challenge”: John Heuser, Ann Arbor News, March 8, 2004.
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“I’d resign immediately”: “Pelinka and Client Criticized After Jazz Deal,” ESPN, July 12, 2004.
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first-ever televised ad: “Kobe’s First TV Ad for Nike Debuts,” Associated Press, February 8, 2006.
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“He just asked me”: Andre Iguodala and Carvell Wallace, The Sixth Man: A Memoir (New York: Blue Rider Press, 2019), p. 93.
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Pelinka called up Duke: Bresnahan, “Bryant Not Working with a Secret Agent.”
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“I need somebody who”: Lee Jenkins, “Lakers’ Rebuild Could Be Ready for Showtime,” Sports Illustrated, April 17, 2018.
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“I know how you work”: Pelinka, interview by Wojnarowski.
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He’d pop into coaches’ meetings: Baxter Holmes, “Lakers 2.0: The Failed Reboot of the NBA’s Crown Jewel,” ESPN, May 29, 2019.
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Kobe being wowed by: Holmes, “Lakers 2.0.”
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“Shut the fuck up”: Ken Berger, “In Taking Control of LeBron, Tyronn Lue Has Created a Monster in Cleveland,” CBS Sports, May 18, 2016.
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frustrated with LeBron’s passive play: Lee Jenkins, “Crowning the King: LeBron James Is Sports Illustrated’s 2016 Sportsperson of the Year,” Sports Illustrated, December 2016.
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Lue met with Pelinka: Kyle Goon, “Report: Lakers Meet with Ty Lue, Looking for Follow-Up Interviews Including Jeanie Buss,” Orange County Register, April 20, 2019.
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how he’d succeeded with LeBron: Joe Vardon, “Tyronn Lue Spelled Out How His Cavaliers’ Blueprint for LeBron James Applied to Lakers—Now What?,” The Athletic, May 9, 2019.
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“almost every day”: TMZ Staff, “Magic Johnson Says He’s Still Working for Lakers, Loves Team and LeBron,” TMZ, April 21, 2019.
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That Friday, after learning: Tania Ganguli and Broderick Turner, “Lakers Open Talks with Tyronn Lue to Become Their Next Head Coach,” Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2019.
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three-year, $18 million contract: Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin, “Lakers, Lue End Talks Without Deal, Sources Say,” ESPN, May 8, 2019.
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Lue was angry and offended: Ty Lue, interview by Stephen A. Smith, The Stephen A. Smith Show, December 6, 2024.
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Lue’s representatives informed the Lakers: Wojnarowski and McMenamin, “Lakers, Lue End Talks Without Deal.”
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they had decided to move on: Tania Ganguli, Twitter, May 8, 2019.
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“He said, ‘What do I gotta do?’ ”: Lue, interview by Smith.
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I’m gonna get all these questions: Frank Vogel, interview by Zach Lowe, The Lowe Post, October 2020.
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ESPN published a story by reporter Baxter Holmes: Holmes, “Lakers 2.0.”
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“We can hold on”: Zach Lowe, “What Happened at the Wildest NBA Lottery Ever Seen,” ESPN, May 15, 2019.
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“Ultimately, it was my decision”: Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers (Hulu, 2022), Episode 10.
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the Lakers had made a mistake: Ben Rohrbach, “Report: Lakers Had to Call Pelicans Back About Cap Space After Anthony Davis Deal,” Yahoo Sports, June 20, 2019.
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8. A Lion’s Pride
usually on trips organized by Nike: Dave McMenamin, “Inside LeBron James’ and Adam Silver’s Make-or-Break Moments in China,” ESPN, October 16, 2019.
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Sponsors pulled their support: Tania Ganguli, “Lakers in China: How the Team and NBA Navigated the Crisis amid Tumultuous Week,” Los Angeles Times, October 15, 2019.
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Adam Silver called a meeting: McMenamin, “Inside LeBron James’ and Adam Silver’s Make-or-Break Moments in China.”
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LeBron, annoyed, raised his hand: McMenamin, “Inside LeBron James’ and Adam Silver’s Make-or-Break Moments in China.”
