At the end of a journalist’s shift, we just want transparency. That’s it. We want to ask questions, and get real answers. For example, when associates of LeBron James pop up in federal investigations involving steroids or sports betting, we have questions. And to be fair, LeBron answered the questions directed his way about federal agents chatting with business partner Maverick Carter over his use of an illegal bookie in Washington D.C. to place multiple wagers ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 in 2021.

“Maverick’s his own man and at the end of the day, gambling is legal,” James said Thursday. “I mean, you can go on your phone right now and do whatever you want. And he has no affiliation with the NBA or NFL, so he can do what he wants to do.”

James also said he had only heard about the feds talking with Carter in the “last 24 hours.” You see, I can believe that, but anyone with a friend who gambles that much, knows they gamble, especially if James and Carter are as close as they appear to be. It’s impossible for gamblers not to tell you about bad beats, locks, or big wins.

So, some examples of questions to ask James would be: Do you gamble? Has Maverick ever asked for your input on a bet? What do you think of sports betting in general? What are your thoughts on the recent run of athlete- or coach-involved sports gambling scandals? Has the legalization of sports gambling contributed to those incidents?

I understand that if I peppered the King with questions like that, my access might be shut off, but if human history has taught us anything, it’s that the only dumb questions come from the annoying middle-aged student at your local community college.

We get it, Joan, you read the material. Now shut up so this jackass will dismiss us.

I mean, LeBron is averaging 24, 7, and 6 on 33 minutes per game at age 38, and parts of his inner circle were linked to steroid providers with links to other athletes. No one, to my knowledge, has even asked him about it.

I hate to even say the word “conspiracy” for fear of evoking Stop the Steal lunatics, but I rewatched All the President’s Men over the Thanksgiving holiday, and I have a lot of questions.

You know what kind of juicy, off-the-record stuff you hear in newsrooms? The best kind of juicy, off-the-record stuff. Maybe LeBron really does want to be like Mike, and seeks to replicate Jordan’s infamous unconfirmed forced retirement. People are weird, man, especially uber-famous people.

Look at Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. They seemed normal once, then got super famous, and now one won’t stop injecting Botox into his forehead, and the other thinks sunscreen is a lie.

Imagine being LeBron James, and holding every record in the NBA, but no matter what you do, there are people who still think Jordan is better. That has to lead to some sort of complex, right?

There’s also a discussion to be had over how much the public cares about gambling anymore. I feel like bookies are viewed through the same lens as weed dealers at this point, and should be because it’s legal. That doesn’t mean it’s not a vice though, and just because there hasn’t been an official fixing scandal in a major American sports doesn’t mean one isn’t happening.

Does anyone even know if James gambles? I feel like we would’ve heard stories if he was a degenerate, but I’m not sure. His image is maintained a lot more artfully than his hairline, so it’s hard to say.