What's with the hatred of LeBron? He's dominated this game for 5+ years, led a respectable life off the court, is a business role model for any athlete, looked out for his boys by incorporating them into his business efforts, has children that are on a promising track to replicate what he has done. If flopping is all you can point to then that's nothing and the hate is unwarranted. If you want to hate flopping then hate the sport of soccer. If LeBron comes to the Lakers, he will fit right in. And if he flops our way to a champuonship, I'm sure all the hate from those offended disappears immediately.
Barns, it depends on the type of free agent they are (Bird, early-bird, non-bird, etc). Their annual can either be 5% or 8% increases or decreases based on the 1st year of their contract but in Bron's case it would be 5%. Now that George is traded he is looking at 5% raises as well. But we're sitting on Lopez and we can offer him 8% raises or cuts depending on if we want to retain him or use in a S&T. Dude is no hack, he still has value in a league that needs stretch players in the front court. Also, per Woj, the Suns are out of the running for Millsap, and will use their cap space for salary dumps with young assets attached. Magic and Pelinka need to reach out and get rid of this Deng contract asap. I read great posts by Real and Doc explaining our cap situation in terms to fitting these guys next summer. But I can truly see Bron, George with either Lopez staying or moving to bring in another 2nd tier talent. If we can't move Deng then we stretch him next summer and take a 7.4M cap hit for the next 5 years. Thanks Jim/Mitch. :Mitchthumb:
We don't have a thread yet at LakersBall where this kind of talk about LeBron is appropriate. Perhaps you can start one in the NBA section where those that are his fans can get together. I'm not so sure about his "respectable life". I get all my news from Yahoo and they have been running this front page advertisement off and on for a week now, mentioning Marc Cuban's Shark Tank and there are quotes in there coming from LeBron. So it has to be true, right? Or .... why doesn't he sue them and make it stop? () https://owtlett.com/me/gen/i1209/in...n-6_1&pid=ak0n.pYGBTvCuwg--&sxid=6es7738565nv And then .... OMG what a big fibber. Look at this below will you, that illustrates his personality and completely ignores the fact that Kobe used to eat him up in the post and he's no Jesus Christ. Too much more to list for now. A good start for you though would be the new "Why I Like LeBron" thread in the NBA section.
I don't hate on LeBron at all. He's one of my favorite players actually. The way he plays the game is the right way. Good teammate and leader. He's been the most dominant player in the league for a long time now and would welcome him to the Lakers. It'd be a great day because it would in all likelihood mean we have two of the ten best players in the league on this team along with a couple of great young players in Ingram and Ball.
If by chance LeBron ever ends up being a Laker, then I expect you and others to not cheer for him. Fair enough.
You DO realize when he comes everything in the L.A. press, ESPN, world wide press, Pluto ..... it's going to be about LeBron and the story about how he is now chasing history (albeit with his 3rd team quitting, carpetbagging move) ..... and making the horrible Lakers respectable again and showing them how to win. Yes I am going to hate that with a passion. With our home grown young talent here and Paul George coming home THE top story is ALWAYS going to be about LeBron.
No it doesn't. Couldn't stand Dwight Howard. Still had to root for him. Hated Ron Artest too before he was a Laker. It's part of it.
Malone and Artest weren't the egomaniac LeBron is. Malone and Artest weren't flopping drama queens. Kobe and Malone and Artest got along fabulously because they were all cut from the same cloth.
Why do I dislike "check my stats" ??? If I have to explain it, I'm not sure you'd understand. But I would be curious what Kobe could do with Bron's physical gifts.
LeBron is a 3x champion so not being cut from the same cloth hasn't stopped him from being the best player in the world and winning 3 rings against stiff competition in the Finals.
Great. Cheer for him. I would much rather see it done with Paul George and Westbrook or anyone else joining forces here. Never said LeBron is not a great player. DO NOT LIKE the guy. I admire the way he can play the game.