NBA superstar LeBron James is making headlines with Pablo Torre, the investigative reporter who was the first domino in the Kawhi Leonard–Clippers saga, who is now reportedly looking into the former Los Angeles Lakers star’s deal with Fanatics.
However, just a few days into Torre’s public investigation into James, who is now on the Philadelphia 76ers, one of his old teammates with the Lakers, Carmelo Anthony, is calling out the reporter and claiming he has no reason to look into the NBA’s all-time leading scorer for perhaps circumventing the salary cap, as seen with Leonard and the Clippers.
On his podcast, Anthony directly warned Torre, now one of many urging him not to look into the former Laker and current 76ers star.
Carmelo Anthony Calls Out Pablo Torre Amid LeBron James Investigation
Speaking on the latest episode of his show, 7 PM in Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony, the Hall of Fame player, close friend, and former James teammate with the Lakers, said he didn’t like what he’s seen so far about Torre’s newest investigation.
“I’m taking a chopper and getting from New York to Philly at six to six-thirty in the morning. So Pablo, why the (expletive) you talking about? The owners are snitches,” Anthony said.
“If we, as players, were saying something about the owners, that owner would find out who the (expletive) was saying that,” he added. “And we would be in a situation where we could be (expletive) up.”
Anthony’s co-host, Monica McNutt, pushed back on the notion that Torre is singularly targeting James, which his former Lakers teammate agreed with.
“I don’t want you to stop being a journalist, because you do great journalism, and I respect you as a journalist.”
Still, while Anthony made it clear he wasn’t happy about Torre’s comments, he urged the reporter to instead go after the NBA owners who tipped him on the story, rather than the superstar former teammate of his and close friend.
“Don’t do that…I respect the journalism, but if we going to keep it a buck, keep it a buck,” Anthony said. “Tell us who the owners are. Because if we were saying, as a player, we’re saying something about the owners, that owner would find out who the (expletive) was saying that (expletive).”
“The Clippers (expletive), cool… You won an award with it. You won a Peabody with that. Now, you’re coming over here to this side of it. This ain’t got nothing to do with nothing.”
What Has The Reporter Said So Far?
Torre first brought up his interest in a new investigation into James when speaking at a live event, saying that owners around the NBA urged him to look into the former Lakers star after he was seen flying to Philadelphia in a Fanatics-branded helicopter.
“It’s something that I also have been watching, of course,” Torre said. “I know that Fanatics logo, I saw that. I was also a little mad that I didn’t get to get that one first.”
“On that story specifically, I will say that we’re very interested. And we are, of course, looking into all the ways that is both a good story, as well as something of interest to the league.”
On the latest episode of his show, Pablo Torre Finds Out, the reporter then added more to the story, which then caused Anthony to make his comments, calling him out for the investigation.
“This is raising questions… around Fanatics and the contract LeBron signed,” Torre explained. “He shocked the league, all of us, you will recall, by signing a two-year, $8 million contract with the Sixers.
“His salary this year is just $3.88 million, aka the veteran minimum, after a month of just will he or won’t he? He was making $52.6 million with the Lakers last year. That’s about a 93% pay cut.”
Torre is still very early in the investigation, but just days after he made his original comments, Anthony is just one of many who have criticized him for looking into the NBA’s all-time leading scorer after leaving the Lakers to join the 76ers on a veteran minimum contract.
Ex-LeBron Lakers Teammate, Close Friend Calls Out Pablo Torre Investigation