LeBron James Discussion: Not Returning To The Lakers

It certainly does change the narrative in my mind somewhat. Sounds like if LeBron commits then Kyrie probably doesn’t ask out, and they possibly get PG, possibly win the title. That said, I actually don’t look at LeBron negatively for this one, because it’s Dan Gilbert, and it looks like he’s trying to purposely screw him over, and that is a very good thing. Wasn’t there a rumor Gilbert wants to sell the team too? That would have been much easier with those 3 players locked in, but LeBron leaving them scorched and unattractive, I really enjoying the thought of Gilbert suffering that.

 

I’m certainly no Gilbert fan but the Cavs with be screwed anyhow by his friends (TT and JR) contracts that Lebron helped them get.

 

Even better! F*** Dan Gilbert.

 

I still think he comes here, I think if LeBron asks he comes here. Personally I’d rather play 2nd fiddle to LeBron than Westbrook, one won’t take 40 shots. If he stays in OKC though, then the lights were too bright in LA, and it wasn’t meant to be. I think he wants to play in LA though, people love him in So-Cal.

 

This^

I've made my peace if he doesn't come and saved this just in case too:

 

Couldn't agree more on the Paul George front although there's a slight wrinkle to it.

Does the random pop up of Durant and Kawhi's names in LA correlating with the "George might stay" narrative interesting to anyone else? Maybe George got boxed out.

 

I dunno, I think PG and LeBron get along well, I think they’d want to play together. I can’t see Durant coming here at all, the idea of him leaving the Warriors after winning 2 rings in a row and going to play those former teammates likely in a playoff series the next season seems incredibly awkward and beyond what Durant is mentally capable of bearing. The dislike he’d get from those players AND the media I mean, his poor feelings would be so wounded he’d have to make 20 new burner twitter accounts. I also don’t think there’s a chance in hell the Spurs trade Kawhi to us, and no way they do it before the draft or free agency in order to help LeBron and PG make their decisions easier. I do think PG and LeBron plus the kids (hopefully Randle too, or a trade for a different 3rd star) is still the best play for us.

 

I don't see Durant coming here. And I'm ok with that. I'd like to challenge those guys and beat them.

 

I don't think there's any real reason for the Spurs not to trade Kawhi here if we offer the best package, which I think we can.

 

Spite. Not giving Kawhi what he wants. Not helping the Lakers become a title contending team. Not trading him to the same conference. The Pacers did the same thing with PG, and they were in the EAST. Still found anywhere they could to trade him that wasn’t us. It just so happened to work out for them that Oladipo broke out, because the player they traded for from OKC was not the player they got, it was luck, they accepted a weak package.

 

I think that's an argument against what you're saying they'll do though. Does Buford strike you as the kind of guy to take a worse trade just to be a d***? I don't think so. They'll take the best offer. Now of course we may not offer the best package, but I guess that's a different story.

 

Well, I guess “best offer” is subjective. They’ll SAY they took the best offer, same as Indy said, but it doesn’t mean it’s true. I just can’t see any team doing us any favors, I see teams trying to screw us over. The last time we did a blockbuster trade other owners wrote to the league to complain that’s how much they hate us and don’t want us to be good again. Nobody is helping us get Kawhi, like in a 3 team deal, the FO even unloading Mosgov still feels like a miracle to me. If they somehow unload Deng they have already delivered on half of what they set out to do.

 

Oh wait... I see what this is.