Yaron Weitzman

penguinrandomhouse.comA Hollywood Ending by Yaron Weitzman: 9780385550222 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksNBA journalist Yaron Weitzman lays out the high stakes drama happening inside the Lakers' organization as they try to juggle the warring priorities between LeBron James and the Buss family. When LeBr...

21 Oct 2025

1) So my book comes out today. Maybe you've seen some viral headlines. Which is great, but the book is also much deeper and more nuanced than all that. I spent 3 years on it, interviewed nearly 300 people. If you care about these characters or this world in any way, I really think you'll like it.

nymag.comThe Unlikely Friendship Behind the Knicks’ Title RunLeon Rose and William Wesley went from kids at a South Jersey shoe store to kings of the NBA.

19h

"Uncle Wes, man, he's everybody's uncle," Karl-Anthony Towns told me. I asked what Wes does for the Knicks. "Think about an uncle, man—he does everything." My story for @nymag.com on World Wide Wes, Leon Rose and the friendship behind the Knicks' title: nymag.com/intelligence...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

nymag.comThe Unlikely Friendship Behind the Knicks’ Title RunLeon Rose and William Wesley went from kids at a South Jersey shoe store to kings of the NBA.

23h

A must read

Yaron Weitzman@yaronweitzman.bsky.social

Brunson was the catalyst, and OG's tip may be the moment fans remember most. But the true story behind the Knicks' title run is one of two outsiders coming together and conquering the sport. My @nymag.com story on Leon Rose and World Wide Wes. nymag.com/intelligence...

nymag.comThe Unlikely Friendship Behind the Knicks’ Title RunLeon Rose and William Wesley went from kids at a South Jersey shoe store to kings of the NBA.

23h

amazon.comAmazon.com: A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers: 9780385550222: Weitzman, Yaron: BooksAmazon.com: A Hollywood Ending: The Dreams and Drama of the LeBron Lakers: 9780385550222: Weitzman, Yaron: Books

Happy NBA season everyone! This is the perfect time to pick up a book that, if I may say so, is aging pretty well—and is on sale over at Amazon. Link 👇👇 👇 www.amazon.com/Hollywood-En...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

Patrick Sauer

@pjsauer.bsky.social

Hey @sixersnba.bsky.social bsky hive if you are a thing that exists, sign up for this dope newsletter and pre-game the process odyssey redux with @yaronweitzman.bsky.social on Gansey. Let’s get to clapping our hands, everybody for the Philadelphia… www.theringer.com/2026/10/13/n...

theringer.comThe Man Behind the NBA’s Most Audacious SuperteamHe was still learning everyone’s names. Then he landed Jaylen Brown and LeBron. Now Mike Gansey faces an even bigger challenge: making it all work.

Vertical 76@vertical76.bsky.social

Good morning! Have you signed up for our free daily newsletter on the #Sixers? If not, take a look at what you'll be missing every day! One sleep until Opening Night, and @austinkrell.bsky.social has you covered: www.vertical76.com/p/happy-lebr...

vertical76.comHappy LeBron James EveOne sleep until the 2026-27 Philadelphia 76ers odyssey begins

“With the star power we have, I want to build those relationships and try to help them,” Mike Gansey told me. New story, for @theringer.com.web.brid.gy: The Sixers’ new boss is a culture guy. Can that hold a superteam together? www.theringer.com/2026/10/13/n...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

Howard Beck

@howardbeck.bsky.social

Always great to see my pal @yaronweitzman.bsky.social writing for The Ringer.

"I love Mike Gansey,” Nets coach Jordi Fernandez said. Almost everyone I talked to used those exact words. New story, for @theringer.com.web.brid.gy/ @ringernba.bsky.social, on the Sixers’ new boss, the superteam he built and his plan for holding it together: www.theringer.com/2026/10/13/n...

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1) "I feel like I'm underpaid," LeBron told Anthony Davis and other teammates in November 2023, during a wide-ranging conversation in the visitors' locker room in Miami. (From my book, A HOLLYWOOD ENDING: THE DREAMS AND DRAMA OF THE LEBRON LAKERS.) www.amazon.com/Hollywood-En...

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5) "Give me two years; I'm a two-year man. "Second year in Miami — championship. "Second year back home — championship. "Second year with the Lakers — championship. "Give me two years. I'll figure it out."

Full story and more in the book: www.amazon.com/Hollywood-En...

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3) "And then when I went back home" — his 2014 return to Cleveland — "I probably should have gotten like 500. "And then, when I came to the Lakers the first time, I probably should have gotten like another 500."

4) Later in the conversation, he explained why. "Certain players, it's just basketball. With me, I come with everything, I change the whole sh*t. I win a championship in every city I've been in, every team I've played for, we won a championship. Every team."

2) Now that he's a free agent once again, it's worth noting LeBron's perspective on his value to a franchise — and how long he feels it takes him to transform a team. "When I came here, twenty-five years old, I should have got, like, four years, 450, something like that," he said.

1 July

Most agree that the Russell Westbrook trade is what broke the relationship between LeBron and the Lakers (and derailed the rest of the tenure). But whose fault was the deal? Here, via my book, A HOLLYWOOD ENDING: THE DREAMS AND DRAMA OF THE LEBRON LAKERS, is how the trade actually went down:

1 July

TLDR Version: LeBron initiated talks with Westbrook. Then Pelinka and the front office singed off www.amazon.com/Hollywood-En...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

When LeBron arrived in LA, most assumed it would be his last stop. So why did his marriage with the Lakers end in divorce? We might have published a year early, but if you want to know how we reached this point, A HOLLYWOOD ENDING has the full story: www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWCBCB4L

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sports.yahoo.comWhat will the Lakers look like with top Dodgers execs helping lead the way? That's the big question in L.A.The franchise's new owner has empowered a couple of venerated baseball executives to spearhead a transformation.

Been clear for a couple of years that Lakers were ready to move on from LBJ. And with a new ownership group in place, you can bet Pelinka feels he needs to nail this offseason which likely played a role in the Lakers seemingly deciding not to offer LeBron major $$$. sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/...

theringer.comHow Will Smith Split LeBron and Russell Westbrook for GoodHow one bad trade, one fake smile, and one celebrity cameo turned the 2022 Lakers’ season upside down

If you want to know where the LeBron-Lakers relationship fractured, you can point to two moments. The first: The Westbrook trade, which was a disaster exacerbated by a visit from...Will Smith! (Yes, you read that correctly.) www.theringer.com/2025/10/20/n...

The other: The Luka trade. LeBron basically found out about it when Bronny shared a breaking news tweet in the team group chat. Oh, and it also signaled the Lakers handing the keys to someone else. www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWCBCB4L

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You don't have to just take my word for it, either. - The New Yorker: "insights extend beyond the team's road to victory." - WSJ: "gossipy book with plenty to dish" (I think that's a compliment?) - Publishers Weekly: "a must-read for pro hoops fans" www.amazon.com/dp/B0DWCBCB4L

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1) So there's this idea floating around that one reason the Knicks turned things around was because James Dolan was so consumed by the Sphere that he stopped meddling with the basketball operation. Easy narrative. Also false. A few examples...

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4) His son Quentin doesn't just work for the team. He's the Senior Vice President of Player Performance/Science Leader. That's not a title-only role.

5) There are plenty of other examples. These are just three public ones. None of this is a criticism of Dolan. But the idea that he faded into the background in recent years isn't accurate.

2) Dolan regularly met with Thibs and Mike Brown in his office after games — and not briefly. Ask any reporter who covered games at MSG. Postgame press conferences started late all the time because the coach was in with Dolan.

3) Did everyone forget that Dolan was in player exit meetings last year? Or that he was the driving force behind the decision to replace Thibs? That, obviously, turned out to be the correct call. But firing your HC after the team's best season in 25 years is not the move of a hands-off owner.

youtube.comInside the Knicks Rise to NBA Champions: How New York Built An Improbable ChampYouTube video by Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

16 June

Had a lot of fun talking about Knicks dark days with @mikevorkunov.bsky.social (like the time PR yelled at Mike for chasing down Phil Jackson across the practice court) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuul...

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Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

@businessdecisionmv.bsky.social

7 June

There are some big decisions that will decide the future of the L.A. Lakers now that they have a new owner. And now is the time. With @yaronweitzman.bsky.social 📺https://youtube.com/shorts/ozx8cYFZoKU?feature=share

Yaron Weitzman reposted

youtu.beCould You Buy the Knicks Soon? Kind of.YouTube video by Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

5 June

Knicks are in the NBA Finals. Why are James Dolan + MSG Sports planning to spin off the Knicks & Rangers? Got into it with @yaronweitzman.bsky.social + @brandolightshed.bsky.social YouTube: youtu.be/54cNQUqhL5g?... Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/7gIa... Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

youtube.comCould You Buy the Knicks Soon? Kind of.YouTube video by Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

5 June

James Dolan is spinning the Knicks into a separate public company. What does that mean, is a sale on the table, & how soon can you start gifting bar mitzvah kids Knicks stock? @mikevorkunov.bsky.social and I spoke with @brandolightshed.bsky.social to find out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=54cN...

2 June

James Dolan on why the Knicks fired Thibs and hired Mike Brown (via @nypostsports.bsky.social) nypost.com/2026/06/02/s...

nypost.comInside look at how Leon Rose rebuilt the Knicks: ‘We need Quickley’It was time for the draft’s 23rd pick. The Knicks were on the clock. “We need Quickley, get Quickley,” William Wesley repeated, over and over and over and over. Wesley — the ubiquitous consultant/a…

27 May

With the Knicks in the Finals, it’s worth going back to the beginning of this era. In 2021, I wrote a behind-the-scenes deep dive for @nypostsports.bsky.social on Leon Rose’s vision. Feels like a good time to revisit — and give Rose his due: nypost.com/2021/03/09/h...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

youtube.comThe NBA's $10 Billion Question Is What Happens Next With the LakersYouTube video by Business Decision with Mike Vorkunov

26 May

The NBA's $10 billion question is what will Mark Walter do with the Lakers? On the Dodgers-ification of the Lakers, with @yaronweitzman.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbJH...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

Anthony Irwin

@anthonyirwinla.bsky.social

21 May

Going live with @yaronweitzman.bsky.social to talk about his latest piece, which offered some detail on the Lakers' efforts to Dodgerfy. youtube.com/live/_Eqfb4j...

youtube.comIs Rob Pelinka ACTUALLY As Safe As He Thinks He Is? Can Lakers Become Dodgers 2.0?YouTube video by Lakers Lounge

Yaron Weitzman reposted

Replying to @yaronweitzman.bsky.social

Included: - The Lakers offered Timberwolves assistant GM Steve Senior the job of executive VP of basketball operations. Senior decided to remain in Minnesota. - Dodgers executives have been involved in interviews for the Lakers’ new assistant GM roles. sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

What happens when one of the NBA’s most storied teams—long run like a tight-fisted mom-and-pop shop—is taken over by a free-spending ownership group with a track record of building one of sports’ most sophisticated operations? Story, for @yahoosports.bsky.social: sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/...

Yaron Weitzman reposted

A very smart story about one of the more interesting storylines to watch in the NBA

Yaron Weitzman@yaronweitzman.bsky.social

“[Friedman] knows that the Lakers are pretty antiquated. What he really wants to do is layer on the stuff they do with the Dodgers.” On the Dodgers' takeover of the Lakers, for @yahoosports.bsky.social: sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/...

Included: - Interactions between Dodgers executives and NBA player agents have been minimal so far. - During the playoffs, Austin Reaves conducted part of his oblique rehab with the Dodgers’ medical staff. sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/...

open.spotify.comSweeps Week

13 May

Went on the awesome Basketball Illuminati w/ @tomhaberstroh.bsky.social, @cornpuzzle.bsky.social and the Pulitzer winner to talk about: - Lakers' future - Sixers -The businessman suing the NBA for cutting him out of its deal with Emirates. You can listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/4aSj...

12 May

With the Lakers' season ending, gonna remind NBA/Lakers fans out there, if you're interested in reading about LeBron's tenure in LA, well have I got the book for you!

Yaron Weitzman@yaronweitzman.bsky.social

Yaron Weitzman reposted

frontofficesports.comNBA Cut Out Middleman From Lucrative Emirates Deal, Lawsuit SaysA lawsuit over the league’s airline sponsorship offers a rare window into how the league strikes deals.

11 May

How did the NBA land a massive global sponsorship deal w/ Emirates? A new lawsuit claiming the league cut out a middleman from the deal offers an unusually detailed glimpse into how the NBA conducts business. New story, for @frontofficesports.bsky.social: frontofficesports.com/nba-emirates...

frontofficesports.comNBA Cut Out Middleman From Lucrative Emirates Deal, Lawsuit SaysA lawsuit over the league’s airline sponsorship offers a rare window into how the league strikes deals.

11 May

collections.ushmm.orgCollections Search - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

14 Apr

1) Today is Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day. Three of my wife’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors. Though they are no longer with us, each devoted their life to ensuring future generations never forget...

14 Apr

2) Today is a day for the rest of us to do our part to carry that mission forward. Below is a recorded testimony from one of them. Never again. And may we never forget. collections.ushmm.org/search/catal...

Yaron Weitzman reposted