“Brian Windhorst, you’re being a jacka**”: ESPN NBA Insiders go on NSFW tirades while debating LeBron James’ MVP candidature

ESPN writers Brian Windhorst, Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon got together to discuss a straw MVP poll put together by Bontemps.

It’s been a while since the MVP race featured LeBron James, but Brian Windhorst seems to believe the Lakers star has a real chance. Windhorst’s take might seem straight out of the left field on face value, but he has his reasons.

Windy can attribute his own rise to just being the de facto authority on all matters LeBron. He’s been covering the Akrom Hammer all the way through high school, so there’s obviously some favoritism here.

James has been out of action for nearly 4 weeks now. The Lakers were initially heavily disadvantaged by his absence, but they’ve rallied to become a more respectable outfit ever since.

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Brian Windhorst is adamant that LeBron James is still in the MVP race

Bontemps conducted a strawman poll that mirrors the actual MVP ballot. He put up several candidates’ names on his list, including the likes of Jokic, Embiid, LeBron, Harden, Dame, Steph, Giannis, Kawhi and Doncic.

One could say that it comprehensively covered at least all the real contenders for the Maurice Podoloff trophy. The results of the poll showed Jokic to be the winner by a landslide. What’s more is that many of the voters in this poll will also be having one real MVP ballot in their hands.

Windhorst didn’t quite agree with the sentiment that was gleaned from this

Windhorst: LeBron was way ahead and it was not a three-way race.

Bontemps: You can make up the rules to poll if you want, you want to do the poll in the future?

😭😭😭😭 Bontemps called him a Jackass https://t.co/XTbk1RkxRi pic.twitter.com/Wo4fdBtIuQ

— David Mai (@dmai21) April 16, 2021

Windhorst: No, I’m glad that you do it.

Bontemps: Okay, then maybe you should actually listen to people because you’re being a jackass

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It would be preposterous to give LeBron the award at this stage. His teammates have shown that they can at least tread water in his absence. Anthony Davis has been cleared for 5-on-5 activity and is due to make his comeback soon enough.

The Lakers remain favorites out West, and with good reason. It has always been an idiotic notion to count The King out.