Russell Westbrook trade to Jazz brings D’Angelo Russell back to L.A. after awkward exit I The Rush
The Lakers sent Russell Westbrook to the Utah Jazz in a three-team trade that will bring D’Angelo Russell back to L.A. following his awkward and controversial exit in 2017. Damar Hamlin is in Arizona for Super Bowl week festivities where he accepted an NFL Players Association award, while the NFLPA’s medical director made a shocking comment about the Bills safety’s future in the league. Plus, if you didn’t care for the Pro Bowl game being converted from tackle to flag football, Roger Goodell revealed who was responsible for the change.
Video Transcript
DAMAR HAMLIN: I plan to never take this position for granted, and always have an urgent approach in making a difference in the community where I come from, and also communities across the world. Thank you.
JARED QUAY: Damar Hamlin is here in Phoenix celebrating the Super Bowl festivities and accepting the NFL Players Association Alan Page Community Award. And for all of you conspiracy crazies out there thinking this is a hologram Hamlin, Yahoo's own Jori Epstein took this video and saw him in the flesh. So please, move on.
Anyways, the Bills safety was suited and booted and looking great, a little more than five weeks after he went into cardiac arrest on the field during a game. In part because of Hamlin's quick and miraculous recovery from a near-death experience, a lot of people are wondering if he will ever play in the NFL again. NFLPA medical director Dr. Thom Mayer was asked that very question on the Sirius XM show, Doctor Radio.
DR. THOM MAYER: I don't want to get into HIPAA issues, but I guarantee you, I guarantee you, Veronica, that Damar Hamlin will play professional football again.
JARED QUAY: Whoa! Way to spoil some network's opportunity for The Decision, Damar Hamlin edition. I'll tell you what. I know Damar would come back and play, if the NFL became a flag football league.
- So you're telling me there's a chance?
JARED QUAY: Not exactly. If you're wondering where the idea to turn the Pro Bowl into a flag football game came from, look no further.
[DRAKE, "TOOSIE SLIDE"]
(SINGING) Hey, yeah, two hundred on my brother's block. Whoa, yeah, petal off a--
JARED QUAY: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it was actually Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson who suggested changing the Pro Bowl from a contact sport into a flag game. So if you don't like it, don't call the commissioner. Call Russ to wage your complaints.
Wilson ain't the only Russ to be the subject of a whole lot of complaints these days. The Lakers' Russell Westbrook era has not gone smoothly. And according to reports, the guard and head coach Darvin Ham were arguing during halftime of Lebron's record setting game. And just a few hours later, poof! Russ was dealt to the Jazz as part of a beefy three team trade, that brought the previously traded Laker D'Angelo Russell back to the city of angels.
- Whoa!
JARED QUAY: If you recall, D'Angelo was a promising young player in 2016 when he uploaded a video online of then teammate Nick Young admitting to cheating on his fiancee rapper Iggy Azalea, in what was described as a prank gone wrong. Man, "The Bachelor", "Real Housewives", they don't got nothing on the NBA. Sports is the best reality TV, y'all.
And that's why advertisers are paying $7 million for a 30 second commercial to air during the Super Bowl.
- That's a lot of dough.
- A lot of dough.
JARED QUAY: And I'm here for the drama, man. For $7 million and 30 seconds, it better be like mini, little "Interstellar". They need Christopher Nolan directing it.