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Tea leaves all seem to point to LA, but it's hard for me to believe that LeBron would give up on winning more titles. The Lakers don't have enough of a foundation at this point, even with LeBron AND Paul George.
If they trade Lonzo Ball now what would they get for him? Look at his rookie numbers: 36% FG, .305 3pt%, and .451 FT% (!). These days a point guard who can't shoot threes is a liability, and one who can't shoot free throws has always been a liability.
This Lakers team won 35 games last year. They're even worse than what Lebron would have if he returned to Cleveland. And apparently the Lakers don't have their own pick, since they pick at 25. The Cavs have the 8th pick.
Tea leaves all seem to point to LA, but it's hard for me to believe that LeBron would give up on winning more titles. The Lakers don't have enough of a foundation at this point, even with LeBron AND Paul George.
If they trade Lonzo Ball now what would they get for him? Look at his rookie numbers: 36% FG, .305 3pt%, and .451 FT% (!). These days a point guard who can't shoot threes is a liability, and one who can't shoot free throws has always been a liability.
This Lakers team won 35 games last year. They're even worse than what Lebron would have if he returned to Cleveland. And apparently the Lakers don't have their own pick, since they pick at 25. The Cavs have the 8th pick.
The Lakers have the Cavs number one pick they got in the trade for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.
In all honesty, you take LeBron away from the Cavs, and they play the Lakers in a seven game series. I think the Lakers beat them!!!
With LeBron on the Lakers, they are a 50 win team, and maybe a 4th seed in the west. That is just with LeBron, if you add Paul George and we still have Kuzma, Ingrim, Ball, and maybe Randle with another year under their belts. We could be a three seed.
The Lakers have the Cavs number one pick they got in the trade for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.
In all honesty, you take LeBron away from the Cavs, and they play the Lakers in a seven game series. I think the Lakers beat them!!!
With LeBron on the Lakers, they are a 50 win team, and maybe a 4th seed in the west. That is just with LeBron, if you add Paul George and we still have Kuzma, Ingrim, Ball, and maybe Randle with another year under their belts. We could be a three seed.
and Lebron on the sixers is likely a one or two seed in the east
Lebron on Rockets simply isn’t a championship team. At first glance Warriors and Celtics are safest bets. Timberwolves, Spurs, and Pelicans would be interesting prospects as well. Even if the Lakers manage to get Lebron, George, and pull of an unlikely trade for Kawhi I still don’t see that getting it done. So with all that in mind if he wants a shot of atleast making finals, he needs to form another super team in the East, join Celtics, or join Warriors. I doubt he will join Warriors or Celtics, and Celtics will be tough competition for whoever in the east. LA has so much else pulling him that way, so ultimately it’s that or play point center(?) for the Warriors on a cheap contract. GS is close to LA, so he might as well give it a shot at playing a year or two there cause it’s not like he needs the money, but of course then he’d be trading some of his stat padding for a ring.
People like to throw out that Lebron didn’t join Celtics in 2010, but he made a super team that made him confident to say they’d win 8 rings. He has 2 rings and 4 finals for that effort. He then went to Cavs in large part due to ideal setting of playing with elite pg, other pieces being in place, and getting to play GM. He promised a ring there rightfully expecting downturn of Spurs with aging players and not expecting Warriors, but people are fooling themselves if it was just about returning back to Cleveland. He could blame 2015 on injuries, lucked out in 2016, and then things started falling apart last year. So here we will have Lebron leaving his supposed beloved Cavs, but is anyone really surprised. Does it matter if he joins the Warriors and promises a ring there too?
The Lakers have the Cavs number one pick they got in the trade for Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson.
In all honesty, you take LeBron away from the Cavs, and they play the Lakers in a seven game series. I think the Lakers beat them!!!
With LeBron on the Lakers, they are a 50 win team, and maybe a 4th seed in the west. That is just with LeBron, if you add Paul George and we still have Kuzma, Ingrim, Ball, and maybe Randle with another year under their belts. We could be a three seed.
Three seed level team isn't what goings to attract Lebron though.
He also doesn't have enough prime years left to wait for Ball to learn how to shoot.
If Lakers are going to make a real move, they're going to need to gut their youth and add a 3rd bigtime player to George and Lebron.
Look on the bright side though. This is the first time in YEARS that Laker Fans thinking they could get bigtime free agents to seriously consider them isn't delusional propaganda by local sports talk radio and the Lakers trying to sell season tix and skyboxes for <30win squads.
Three seed level team isn't what goings to attract Lebron though.
He also doesn't have enough prime years left to wait for Ball to learn how to shoot.
If Lakers are going to make a real move, they're going to need to gut their youth and add a 3rd bigtime player to George and Lebron.
Look on the bright side though. This is the first time in YEARS that Laker Fans thinking they could get bigtime free agents to seriously consider them isn't delusional propaganda by local sports talk radio and the Lakers trying to sell season tix and skyboxes for <30win squads.
Well Kawhi just told the Spurs he wants out of San Antonio and that LA was where he wants to be traded. Knowing he can opt out after next year, no other team will offer what it will take to make a trade for him. Only the Lakers will offer like a Kuzma and either Ball or Ingram, preferably Ball and two future number one picks could be enough.
I don't think another team will risk losing him after one season to offer more than that.
If the Lakers have even a glimmer of hope to land Lebron, George, and now possibly Kawhi in the starting lineup, you best believe that team is getting gutted, even if it means getting Lebron and Kawhi as 1 or 2 year rentals. They've gotten nothing from Randle and Ball is just off his rookie season, where he showed promise as a floor general, but disappointed in his 3's and finishing around the glass. Sure, the Lakers drafted Ball, but if they have a chance to rise to stardom, than he's a casualty of that. Who I'd really be disappointed to see moved is Brandon Ingram, and I believe they'd have to move him to make any deal work. I think Kyle Kuzma will be retained. Now, if somehow the Lakers could keep Ingram and Kuzma, while obtaining Lebron, George, and Kawhi, then this Laker team is fun to watch. I don't think it will be like the Miami Heat of 2011, but I think that same kind of "we got next" formation would be there. That starting lineup gelling together is exciting.
OKC tried it themselves with Westbrook, George, and Melo. Just imagine if Melo was able to turn back time? Think about how much more exciting that team would have been!
Philly won 52 games without Lebron. I think they are the smart play and an instant 60-win team and Finals contender if he goes there. Other option is to collude with two other stars on meeting somewhere, a la 2010, and make that leap...
One thing for sure, we always get the Lebron story wrong. We got it wrong in 2010 and 2014 in the lead up to his free agency. We have it wrong this year too...
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