What was the whole negotiating the new contract thing like? What did it feel like while they're talking about you making deals, all that kind of stuff?

Yeah, it's weird, to be honest with you.

I'm glad that's behind us and we got that over with.

It's difficult because I've been here for five years.

It's going on my sixth year.

This is home to me.

I want to be here.

What's maybe the best part and maybe a hard part about learning to play off of a guy that talented?

There's golf everywhere, but w- what is that like going from where you grew up and the next thing you know you're playing for your favorite team in LA? That just must have been surreal.

Yeah, it was crazy.

Um, the night of the draft when we got the call and w- they were like, "We'll take you on a two-way," uh, you know, it was almost a no-brainer for me.

Uh, you know, 'cause you said, uh, I was a huge Kobe fan, so therefore I was a Laker fan.

[laughs]

...

I don't, one being traffic.

Traffic is horrible, but, um, like I said, when I'm able to golf year-round, uh, you know, you can't beat that.

How did you find out about the trade?

Uh, so we were in New York, and we just beat the shit out of...

I mean, I say beat the shit.

We, we beat the Knicks by, you know, 15 or so, but we basically controlled the whole game, and AD was hurt at the time, so.

But everything had felt like, you know, things were falling into place.

Like, everybody was kinda understanding their role.

Like, Max Christie was playing at a high level.

Yeah, he's nuts.

[laughs] Uh, how did you find out about LeBron's plans?

Uh, I was actually at Pinehurst playing golf.

Uh, DLo had this, uh, little Ryder Cup style thing out there, and so I was out there playing, and, uh, I think my girlfriend texted me and was like, uh, "No LeBron," or something.

I was like...

So I pulled up Instagram, and it was all over that, and I, I texted him, and I was like, "I was having a great day on the golf course till you ruined it." But, uh, yeah, no, I mean, he's, he's been, you know, probably the biggest impact on my career since I've been in LA, so nothing but love and respect and, you know, wish him nothing but the best.

Really?

Yeah.

I think...

[laughs] Uh, how did you find out about LeBron's plans?

Uh, I was actually at Pinehurst playing golf.

Uh, DLo had this, um, little Ryder Cup style thing out there, and so I was out there playing.

And, uh, I think my girlfriend texted me and was like, uh, "No LeBron" or something.

I was like...

So I pulled up Instagram, and it was all over that, and I, I texted him, and I was like, "I was having a great day on the golf course till you ruined it." But, uh, yeah, no, I mean, he's, he's been, you know, probably the biggest impact on my career since I've been in LA, so nothing but love and respect and, you know, wish him nothing but the best.

Really?

Yeah.

[laughs] Uh, how did you find out about LeBron's plans?

Uh, I was actually at Pinehurst playing golf.

Uh, DLo had this, uh, little Ryder Cup style thing out there, and so I was out there playing and, uh, I think my girlfriend texted me and was like, uh, "No LeBron" or something.

I was like...

So I pulled up Instagram, and it was all over that.

And I, I texted him and I was like, "I was having a great day on the golf course till you ruined it." But, uh, yeah.

No, I mean, he's, he's been, you know, probably the biggest impact on my career since I've been in LA, so nothing but love and respect and, you know, wish him nothing but the best.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

While also like trying to deal with that anniversary and grieve that.

And then it just has been like, seems like one thing after another lately.

But I always turn to my higher power, and I always turn to my sponsor, and I always turn to the program of Narcotics Anonymous, because that's what keeps me clean.

And not just what keeps me clean, that's what keeps me sane.

And if I didn't have the rooms and the people in these rooms checking on me, and like that I can call at any time, like I'd, I would be a wreck, dude.

I don't know where I would be, you know? And so like, yeah, I, I share about everything today, man.

I'm gonna make a commitment, man, you know?

Is it deservingly so early on, and you finally, you know, have been playing with a chip on your shoulder to kind of gain to where you are now?

I think that it w- I mean, I think all of it was a blessing in disguise.

Obviously, I wish it was easy.

I wish, I wish looking back that it, it was, I was a five-star and I went to college for one year, and I'm going on nine years in the league instead of just five.

Um, it just makes life a lot easier, but the path that I had to take to get there is probably one of the reasons that I'm still being successful.

Like, I'm not, not overly athletic.

I'm not overly tall.

John Mallinger Country.

Here we go.

Yeah, so my agents, Reggie back there, um, they set up a plan, and the plan was, you know, we knew, uh, LA had a two-way open, um, on draft night, and knew it was a situation to where, you know, I could possibly step in, get a contract, 'cause I, I don't know how many guys were actually under contract at that time.

Uh, there was a lot of free agents, a lot of signings to be done, and, oh, we knew that going in.

They called at 42, and, and, uh, they came up to me, and, you know, it's every kid's dream of hearing their name called on draft night, and I'm no different.

Um, but no, it, it came down to, to sticking to a plan, and that's what we did.

Mm.

And obviously they take the lead, um, by one.

Julius Randle makes a layup.