LeBron James Discussion: Not Returning To The Lakers

I’m neither offering nor accepting excuses for Lebron. He simply didn’t lead or get it done. #dobetter

 

I really hope these two massive fails force teams to rethink the 3 star plan. Two + middle tier players is a much better route.

Closest thing that works is what the Bucks have going. I don't consider Middleton and Holiday stars though. They're one tier below, but still high end #2s and #3s. I think the big reason it works is they're two way players. That's the only way that works, all three have to be able to get it done on both sides of the ball.

 

i generally agree that 2 legit stars and a team build to maximize them is the path. that said, three stars is better than two. the problem is that the lakers didn't have three stars. they had two and a guy paid like a star who isn't. westbrook isn't as good as jrue holiday or khris middleton. bkn has basically never played three stars despite having them this year.

golden state's and miami's 3-star teams worked...pretty well, tbh. okc's would have had they not burned it down, too.

the truth is that it's REALLY hard to actually get three legit stars on the same team. you basically have a pseudostar in there somewhere except in rare cases.

what these failures might do is stop gms from pretending like a 3-star team is a sure thing and thus building rosters with that goal in mind (thanks, morey). imo, it's another way that gms have figured out how to create job security: "i'm chasing the dynasty! eyes on the big prize!" justifies home run swings and misses instead of hitting singles and stealing bases, which is harder.

 

I like Lebron James, as a basketball player and a person. I’m glad he decided to become a Laker. He made watching the Lakers fun again. I hope to continue watching him play in a Lakers jersey. By winning a championship, his Lakers tenure is already an immense success

He is still an elite player. The offense should continue to run through him. His defensive lapses are now being highly over-exaggerated. He’s nowhere near the top of the list of the problems on this team.

I love seeing his activity on social media. It’s fun to have insight into the lives of our star player, and I enjoy hearing what he has to say about the rest of the NBA.

I think my opinion here represents the majority of Laker fans. Without Lebron, I might see myself losing interest in spending money on the Laker product. But with him here, I will continue to buy tickets to see him live even as he continues to age (and probably buy a few more jerseys too).

Jeanie if you’re reading this, we love Lebron! Sign him to an extension and align your draft capital to have a shot at Bronny too, we want the James/Klutch family at the forefront of the organization for the next decade!

 

I don't love LeBron. He may not be a criminal and great on the court, but he's a fake. Most whom get to that level of power and resources turn into fakes if they are weak minded. He's not very educated and has the constant need to feel validated for everything. He's the kind of person I teach my kids to watch out for as they get older.

 

agree in spirit, though i think his defense was problematic, i don't think bronny will be worth much, and i'm not sure having the team run by an agency is a good long term plan.

but again, he did save the franchise from becoming the knicks. basically by himself.

 

Lebron is yesterday's news. Couldn't even take this team to the playoffs Next!

 

Well to be honest, even I only agree with my post in spirit

In actuality, yeah there are some real concerns to be had about the extent to which we give control to Lebron’s camp, and for how long we do so.

I was mainly just bored and trying to bring balance to the Force, because I find a lot of the Lebron hate pretty bizarre.

 

It was really well done fake news?

 

Enjoy it Bron. Feel free to stay out there until training camp. You know... after free agency, after Russ is traded, and after Rob hires a new coach

 

This thread has become indistinguishable from a Lebron thread on a C Bags message board.

 

You know I made a similar point on another thread here but the answer is probably no. Teams can’t help themselves.

I don’t think it’s necessarily wrong to get your stars input on moves. It just shouldn’t be the final say.

 

Overall, signing LeBron remains a nobrainer to me both on and off the court. I wish we’d gotten more rings out of the deal but that’s how it goes in sports.


Also, unlike the folks who apparently have some form of selective amnesia and can’t remember how trash we were before LeBron, I do remember that and as I’ve said multiple times, I greatly prefer not revisiting that. At any point during the Carlos Boozer days had someone come and offered me the chance to have LeBron for 5 to 6 years but you will only win one ring, I’d have taken that. Still feel that way. Watching guys we passed on in the draft like Tatum only reinforces that for me (though I do tip my hat to Ingram and would love to see him lead the Pelicans over the Suns).

I’ve also never been sold that the whole “LeBron leaves teams worse” argument is the slam dunk guys seem to think it is. You lose one of the greatest guys of all time in pretty much anything in life, it’s going to set an organization back and be tough recovering from. Did teams make some questionable moves to try and maximize the window of a generational talent? Yeah and I don’t fault them for that. Especially Cleveland who there’s no telling how long it might have taken to win a ring without him.

so yeah, I’m good with LeBron and all the extras that come with him. This year was an absolute train wreck but thanks for the ring.

 

i feel like a lot of the lebron hate in here has a lot to do with the person he is off the court and his political views

he deserves to be blamed for blowing up a title contender, but wanting to get rid of one of the best players in the world is laughable. sorry, but i'll take lebron and the 2020 title over more 10th place finished with BI and lonzo ball leading the way. russ needs to go, but lebron is still putting up elite numbers and with the right cast around him and AD (one that can defend,) this is still a title contending core

 

i agree that chip was worth the cost but future looking bleek, no cap space till bron/wb are gone and no draft stock to trade for the next star, more than likely this team gona look like tanking years once Bron is gone

 

Lebron's political views are not the issue. He is a buffoon. He is an excuse machine whom has to tell everyone every other week who he wants to play with whom aren't on his team. THAT is the reason why I do not like him. Real leaders take responsibility for their team/business/organizations failures even if it isn't their fault. His "leadership" qualities are a fallacy. The reason why he has won in his career is because he is insanely talented. That's it.

 

i honestly don't want cap space unless a huge name is available and hasn't committed to his current franchise. there's nothing like that on the horizon for another couple years. so i also don't foresee tanking, as we don't own picks until 4 or 5 years from now. i actually think we'll be ok once we dig out from westbrook, one way or another.

and i agree with ox that lebron's leadership has always left something to be desired. he's a great player, but he points fingers and hides from accountability way too often for my taste. the way his group tried to distance themselves from the westbrook stuff was ridiculous. own your mistakes, man.

 

My two cents: BI is never gonna get there, though he might get close. He has tons of talent and skill, but he's completely dead behind the eyes. All the basketball greats were/are not only extremely talented, but they combined their physical prowess with intelligence and fierce competitiveness. BI just doesn't have "it."