Luke Walton and Spero Dedes (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Farther Off The Wall – After Spero Dedes declined the Lakers’ offer to step in as their new TV play-by-play man, Bill Macdonald was hired to replace Joel Meyers with just a one-year contract today. Industry sources say that Dedes has already accepted a job as the radio and TV play-by-play man for the New York Knicks, a contract that will allow him to continue working for CBS on the NFL and college basketball. Dedes, a New Jersey native and a graduate of Fordham University in New York, is represented by Sandy Montag, an agent who has clients such as Bob Costas and John Madden.
The job effectively is replacing Gus Johnson on Knicks’ radio games, but would allow Dedes to move to the TV side when Mike Breen leaves to do a network assignment for ESPN or ABC. Lakers media relations director John Black said the team had a “verbal agreement with Spero to be our new TV play-by-play announcer but he had a change of heart.” Dedes did not return a phone call for immediate comment — ironically, a radio spot for a car repair service airing on the Lakers’ KSPN-AM (710) flagship station has Dedes doing the voice over identifying himself as the Lakers’ radio voice.
The 31-year-old has been on the radio for six seasons, replacing Meyers, who moved from radio to TV when Paul Sunderland’s contract was not renewed. Sunderland was the first to step in for Hall of Famer Chick Hearn when he fell ill and passed away in 2002. When it came out that Meyers’ contract would not be renewed, Dedes was a natural choice to take over, but Dedes insisted there were too many options at the time for him to give the Lakers’ a solid confirmation and it would be presumptious to say he’d be hired. Dedes had been doing NFL games and college basketball games for CBS and had been a host for the NFL Network and NBA TV.
Damn you, Spero Dedes. What the hell are you thinking? The Knicks? The friggin’ Knicks. You left the Lakers for the Knicks? If this is true, you are a real tool. I don’t care about the part about still being able to do CBS and the NFL and college basketball and blah blah blah. We’re talking about the LAKERS. You had a “change of heart“?! I loved listening to you on the Lakers radio broadcast. Loved. I longed for the day you’d be the TV guy. That day was supposed to be day 2012, and this is what you do? The Knicks? You just made the biggest mistake of your career, buddy. I will still like your play-by-play, your witty commentary, and your buttery smooth voice that crawls up into my ears and wraps around my buds like a warm fuzzy blanket… but I will NOT be happy about it. Maybe I’ll just have a little “change of heart” about the man crush I have on your voice. I will forever be angered and saddened by this. Unless I find out the Lakers offered you $7 and the Knicks offered you $7 billion. Then it’s kind of understandable…ya big jerk.
-bp