Lebron James to LA Lakers?

[Kold]

And given that situation that we most likely don't have a great chance at Lebron....for NEXT year, I'm more in favor in trying to build our team SA's way

 

[Hambombs]

I might sound like a homer. But lebron would be smart to team up with prime steph curry.

 

[gpm1976]

I might sound like a homer. But lebron would be smart to team up with prime steph curry.

That would be a good team..

I guess I didn't think of this before, but staying in the Eastern Conf. is HUGE draw for Lebron right because of how bad it is. Right now, Lebron can basically take an average team and make it to the playoffs. Head to the west and it's not so easily done. Put the Heat in the West this year and they don't make it out of the playoffs.

 

[Shanemansj13]

pass...

You only wish. He doesn't want to go there.

 

[trojanfan12]

I have always supported the theory that LA could be LBJ's next landing spot. That opinion changed when:

They bungled the Dwight events
They signed Kobe to a unrealistic deal for marketing purposes

I dont see how LA can win with just Lebron and Kobe. But if Lebron does want to wait for 3 to 4 years, they could build around him

It wouldn't be just Lebron and Kobe. They could also re-sign Pau and some of the young, athletic FA's that they had this past season. They can add Lebron and go over the salary cap re-signing their own FA's. The Lakers have no issue going over the cap if it means a contending team, which the addition of Lebron would make them.

 

[Sportsman]

Wouldn't be about getting Kobe a ring, it would be about getting himself more rings with an organization that knows how to get lots of them. People need to quit thinking about Kobe (hard to do because he does cast a large shadow). Kobe is the past. He has 2 years left. The Lakers aren't going to mortgage the future to get Kobe a ring now.

Obviously, landing Lebron would give them a chance to win now, but that's really the only move they can make where they can win now AND set themselves up for the future at the same time.

Lebron wants to end up above Kobe on the all-time greatest list and having Kobe's ring count continue to go up doesn't help Lebron's case when legacies are compared when both of them retire. Most fans are simpletons who point to ring count when comparing players. It is why Bill Russell is vastly overrated. I think Lebron wants to leave no doubt in the fans mind that he is better than Kobe.

I do think, however, that Kobe and Lebron would make a great duo, much better than Wade and Lebron. Kobe is a great outside shooter from anywhere on the floor, Wade is only good inside the 3 point line. Lebron needs another star who call fill it up from deep, it complements his game more than what Wade brings. If you keep Gasol, the trio of Lebron, Gasol and Kobe is enough to win a couple of rings. After that Kobe retires and you sign a top free agent to pair with lebron and the Lakers could win a couple of more rings. Lebron should, imo, seriously consider the Lakers but I know he won't so it is a moot point.

 

[Sportsman]

Everyone has overlooked the notion that Pat Riley is still running the Heat. Pat is a shrewed basketball president who has done pretty much everything concerned with basketball at the pro level (player, coach, won championships at both levels, GM, president).

As TJF12 has been stating, The Lakers will make their play for LBJ but Pat has LeBron's ear and LeBron ain't going anywhere. I highly suspect, if the Heat lose this series, Pat will re-work this team and they'll be back as it will include building around James. Wade is pretty much done. Bosh may or may not stay but Pat Riley will rebuild a bit and they'll be back for sure.

Riley stinks, he kept Spolestra as head coach...enuf said.

 

[lakersrule]

Lets see... No coach in L.A... Kobe is has two years left meaning there is no long term deal with the lakers which lebron is looking for.. Howard leaves, coach quits.. Nobody has mention of coming to the lakers... Basically L.A is in a rebuilding mood. If you said about the clippers then yea i would believe that. But not the lakers.

Lakers can afford to give Lebron a long term contract. Signing him practically completes any team's rebuild. I don't think it happens though.

I love this notion that because Dwight didn't resign, all of a sudden no one wants to come to the Lakers anymore. This is still a top franchise and an attractive destination. A lot of these future rookies gush plenty about the Lakers.

 

[trojanfan12]

Lebron wants to end up above Kobe on the all-time greatest list and having Kobe's ring count continue to go up doesn't help Lebron's case when legacies are compared when both of them retire. Most fans are simpletons who point to ring count when comparing players. It is why Bill Russell is vastly overrated. I think Lebron wants to leave no doubt in the fans mind that he is better than Kobe.

I do think, however, that Kobe and Lebron would make a great duo, much better than Wade and Lebron. Kobe is a great outside shooter from anywhere on the floor, Wade is only good inside the 3 point line. Lebron needs another star who call fill it up from deep, it complements his game more than what Wade brings. If you keep Gasol, the trio of Lebron, Gasol and Kobe is enough to win a couple of rings. After that Kobe retires and you sign a top free agent to pair with lebron and the Lakers could win a couple of more rings. Lebron should, imo, seriously consider the Lakers but I know he won't so it is a moot point.

What better way to prove he's better than Kobe than by being the reason Kobe got another ring or 2? I think Lebron is less motivated by catching MJ or Kobe than many seem to think. I think Lebron is about collecting as many rings as he can and let the chips fall where they may.

I agree with the 2nd paragraph entirely, including that Lebron ain't coming to L.A. The Lakers will make their offer, it will be very tempting, but he stays in Miami because he trusts Riley.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Phil Jackson is in NY ... I'm not ruling out the lure that might have on Lebron

 

[trojanfan12]

Phil Jackson is in NY ... I'm not ruling out the lure that might have on Lebron

The Knicks don't have the cap space. They'd have to just about gut their roster and become the Cavaliers when they had Lebron.

 

[Heatles84]

Phil Jackson is in NY ... I'm not ruling out the lure that might have on Lebron

I give LA a better chance than NY. Dolan will eventually start to get in Phil's way again. At least in LA, Mitch Kupchak is an actual decent GM.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

What better way to prove he's better than Kobe than by being the reason Kobe got another ring or 2? I think Lebron is less motivated by catching MJ or Kobe than many seem to think. I think Lebron is about collecting as many rings as he can and let the chips fall where they may.

I agree with the 2nd paragraph entirely, including that Lebron ain't coming to L.A. The Lakers will make their offer, it will be very tempting, but he stays in Miami because he trusts Riley.

He's not getting any rings joining THIS Kobe and THAT current roster.
If he ever goes to the Lakers, it would be after the ridiculous 48M Kobe contract is off the books and after a couple/few years of them rebuilding their roster.

 

[raptorlife4]

celtics

 

[trojanfan12]

He's not getting any rings joining THIS Kobe and THAT current roster.
If he ever goes to the Lakers, it would be after the ridiculous 48M Kobe contract is off the books and after a couple/few years of them rebuilding their roster.

They don't really have a current roster. That's the point. They can literally take this in any direction that they want.

As for THIS Kobe, he'd likely get at least as far as with THIS D-Wade. Unlike D-Wade, Kobe has developed a dependable jump shot. So, he would still be able to help more than Wade has.

Additionally, my stance hasn't changed. The Lakers are going to make a very tempting offer, Lebron will give it some good thought and he will remain in Miami.

 

[bigred472]

They can put a contending roster around him for the 2 years of Kobe's contract and then re-build around him when Kobe retires. The Lakers have so few players under contract right now that they can literally take the roster in any direction that they want. I'd think that would be pretty interesting, especially for someone like Lebron who is a great team player.

Howard is the one who fucked up the situation, not the Lakers. He came in and thought he knew more about how to win a title than anyone else in the organization.

-------
I don't think Kobe will be a factor for the rest of his career----too many injuries to believe he'll be any good. Having said that, LeBron would be stupid to consider the Lakers.

 

[Kinzu]

Lebron + Kobe would be like Pippen + Jordan all over again. If only it could have happened 4 or 5 years ago so they had enough time to win 3+ titles. Lebron needs that offensive player with a killer instinct playing next to him to really shine as he is not the type of player to command the ball and take over a game on his own. He had that with Wade in Miami for a few years, but Wade's knees have just failed him at this point.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

They don't really have a current roster. That's the point. They can literally take this in any direction that they want.

As for THIS Kobe, he'd likely get at least as far as with THIS D-Wade. Unlike D-Wade, Kobe has developed a dependable jump shot. So, he would still be able to help more than Wade has.

Additionally, my stance hasn't changed. The Lakers are going to make a very tempting offer, Lebron will give it some good thought and he will remain in Miami.

First of all, to be clear, I know you have never thought James was going to L.A. at this time.


As far as any direction, how can you say that when Kobe will make 24K? That can't change.


If anything, the Heat can go in any direction because all of their big contracts can end in 2.5 weeks if the players decide to opt out. They are 1000x in a potentially better situation.

And for both THIS Kobe and THIS Wade, neither will ever lead any team to any title, EVER again.
As far as saying who MAY be the bigger contributor, I say flip a coin, just depends on the day of the week and whose body is still functioning during the playoffs.

I have said Wade can't be depended on for a looooooong time now.

Others here (all non Heat fans) are the ones saying this is Wades team and that he is the leader, etc....

He has done ALOT for the Heat, which will never be forgotten, but if he wasn't so tight with James, I would say send him packing if he doesn't agree to a substantial pay cut.
I'm quite sure he and James will have that conversation though.

The problem would be trading him this year because who would want that contract when he still has another opt in next summer?

 

[LogicMan]

The Heat and Riley have continued to position themselves to re-roster and rebuild again. Riley got LBJ to take less money so that he could build great teams. That same opportunity exists again.

Lets all remember as time moves on just how much LBJ and Duncan for that matter left on the table for the goal of winning.

 

[trojanfan12]

Lebron + Kobe would be like Pippen + Jordan all over again. If only it could have happened 4 or 5 years ago so they had enough time to win 3+ titles. Lebron needs that offensive player with a killer instinct playing next to him to really shine as he is not the type of player to command the ball and take over a game on his own. He had that with Wade in Miami for a few years, but Wade's knees have just failed him at this point.

Yeah, I agree. I kind of feel a little sorry for Lebron and D-Wade. Lebron is doing everything he can and I believe D-Wade really wants to help, but his body just isn't responding. Regardless of what I think of the Heat, I don't like seeing great players bodies fail them like D-Wade's appears to be doing.