What Will LeBron Do This Summer?

[trojanfan12]

No thanks. Not enough of a defender for my liking.

Yeah, defense will always be an issue. But I think the Lakers are athletic enough to "hide" him a bit on defense.

I just think that, combined with what he can do on offense, would counter his defensive shortcomings.

But I've always been a bit of a Kevin Love fan (which pisses me off because he's a Bruin lol). So I may be a tad bias.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Jerry Buss era was nuch more successful than the James era.

andwithout James and without Jerry the Lakers and Cavs have won the same thing.

A lot of those advantages the Lakers relied on for year and years have dried up and blown away in the wind. The financial advantages, the location advantages, the pull of ownership etc. have been thoroughly mitigated by the modern game. No longer does a player have to play in LA or NY or CHI to be a huge star. As i said- even 10 years ago the biggest endorsers in the game were located in Orlando and Cleveland. That simply was not possible during the Lakers Showtime heyday of the 80's. Now its the rule- not the exception. The Lakers can no longer rely on just being the Lakers to attract talent. That should be something that has become painfully obvious to you by now. This is no longer the 80's where you can sell Jerry Buss, more money, and the attraction of a national television audience to players as they can get those things anywhere. Those institutional advantages have been significantly and thoroughly mitigated.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Cavs history at drafting players isn't that great....it's why you gave up the drafting philosophy and welcomed James back and went after vets.

LeBron and Kyrie were decent.

Certainly better than the Lakers draft history the last few years. 4 top 6 picks and not one franchise cornerstone.

Cavs went after vets because thats what LeBron wanted, wants, and will likely, always want.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

andwithout James and without Jerry the Lakers and Cavs have won the same thing.

A lot of those advantages the Lakers relied on for year and years have dried up and blown away in the wind. The financial advantages, the location advantages, the pull of ownership etc. have been thoroughly mitigated by the modern game. No longer does a player have to play in LA or NY or CHI to be a huge star. As i said- even 10 years ago the biggest endorsers in the game were located in Orlando and Cleveland. That simply was not possible during the Lakers Showtime heyday of the 80's. Now its the rule- not the exception. The Lakers can no longer rely on just being the Lakers to attract talent. That should be something that has become painfully obvious to you by now. This is no longer the 80's where you can sell Jerry Buss, more money, and the attraction of a national television audience to players as they can get those things anywhere. Those institutional advantages have been significantly and thoroughly mitigated.

I just spent the weekend in Clevaland area.
Dont get me wrong, I prefer the type of people who live there vs S. Florida, but for a professional athlete, unless you are getting overpaid, its just not a place you would chose to live.

 

[shopson67]

The Lakers can no longer rely on just being the Lakers to attract talent. That should be something that has become painfully obvious to you by now. This is no longer the 80's where you can sell Jerry Buss, more money, and the attraction of a national television audience to players as they can get those things anywhere. Those institutional advantages have been significantly and thoroughly mitigated.

This is such a misunderstanding of what really got all of those players to the Lakers. It was superior GMs like Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak, not just nice weather and locale. Sure, it may help a little to have good weather and Hollywood nearby, but Jerry West wasn't relying on those things. He chased Shaq and made all the moves necessary so that Shaq would come once the Magic low-balled him. Most of the Lakers legends were obtained by draft or trade. Sure, free agents joined the championship teams to chase rings in lesser roles, but that happens everywhere. Superior front office talent is what got it done.....until Dr Buss passed and left the team in the hands of his idiot son. He then chased away Phil (and picked Pringles over Phil later) and put Mitch under his thumb to do his bidding. Lakers are still recovering from his missteps (soft-ass Dwight, old-ass Nash, overbidding for Deng and Mozgov, etc).

 

[DJ]

andwithout James and without Jerry the Lakers and Cavs have won the same thing.

A lot of those advantages the Lakers relied on for year and years have dried up and blown away in the wind. The financial advantages, the location advantages, the pull of ownership etc. have been thoroughly mitigated by the modern game. No longer does a player have to play in LA or NY or CHI to be a huge star. As i said- even 10 years ago the biggest endorsers in the game were located in Orlando and Cleveland. That simply was not possible during the Lakers Showtime heyday of the 80's. Now its the rule- not the exception. The Lakers can no longer rely on just being the Lakers to attract talent. That should be something that has become painfully obvious to you by now. This is no longer the 80's where you can sell Jerry Buss, more money, and the attraction of a national television audience to players as they can get those things anywhere. Those institutional advantages have been significantly and thoroughly mitigated.

Having said all that, you believe James goes to the Lakers....

 

[DJ]

This is such a misunderstanding of what really got all of those players to the Lakers. It was superior GMs like Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak, not just nice weather and locale. Sure, it may help a little to have good weather and Hollywood nearby, but Jerry West wasn't relying on those things. He chased Shaq and made all the moves necessary so that Shaq would come once the Magic low-balled him. Most of the Lakers legends were obtained by draft or trade. Sure, free agents joined the championship teams to chase rings in lesser roles, but that happens everywhere. Superior front office talent is what got it done.....until Dr Buss passed and left the team in the hands of his idiot son. He then chased away Phil (and picked Pringles over Phil later) and put Mitch under his thumb to do his bidding. Lakers are still recovering from his missteps (soft-ass Dwight, old-ass Nash, overbidding for Deng and Mozgov, etc).

Wiggy lives in Fantasyland.

 

[DJ]

I just spent the weekend in Clevaland area.
Dont get me wrong, I prefer the type of people who live there vs S. Florida, but for a professional athlete, unless you are getting overpaid, its just not a place you would chose to live.

Uh oh.....you're going to get a dissertation on medical facilities in Cleveland and the gentrification of downtown Cleveland.

 

[shopson67]

LeBron and Kyrie were decent.

Certainly better than the Lakers draft history the last few years. 4 top 6 picks and not one franchise cornerstone.

Cavs went after vets because thats what LeBron wanted, wants, and will likely, always want.

LOL. Cavs picks since Kyrie:

1.4 Tristan Thompson
1.4 Dion Waiters
1.1 Anthony Bennett
1.1 Andrew Wiggins

Lebron and Kyrie were no-brainers at #1. Anyone should be able to draft a star at #1, especially one that has his high school games regularly on ESPN like Lebron.

I'll take the Lakers recent picks over those last 4 any day of the week (and the Lakers haven't picked #1 overall since Worthy).

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Uh oh.....you're going to get a dissertation on medical facilities in Cleveland and the gentrification of downtown Cleveland.

Honestly, practically every stereotype about Cleveland is true.
Especially any women over age 35.
Obese and wearing a Cavs or Indians XXL T shirt.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

LOL. Cavs picks since Kyrie:

1.4 Tristan Thompson
1.4 Dion Waiters
1.1 Anthony Bennett
1.1 Andrew Wiggins

Lebron and Kyrie were no-brainers at #1. Anyone should be able to draft a star at #1, especially one that has his high school games regularly on ESPN like Lebron.

I'll take the Lakers recent picks over those last 4 any day of the week (and the Lakers haven't picked #1 overall since Worthy).

Wiggins was also supposed to be a no brainer, but the other 3 are horrific.

 

[WiggyRuss]

This is such a misunderstanding of what really got all of those players to the Lakers. It was superior GMs like Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak, not just nice weather and locale. Sure, it may help a little to have good weather and Hollywood nearby, but Jerry West wasn't relying on those things. He chased Shaq and made all the moves necessary so that Shaq would come once the Magic low-balled him. Most of the Lakers legends were obtained by draft or trade. Sure, free agents joined the championship teams to chase rings in lesser roles, but that happens everywhere. Superior front office talent is what got it done.....until Dr Buss passed and left the team in the hands of his idiot son. He then chased away Phil (and picked Pringles over Phil later) and put Mitch under his thumb to do his bidding. Lakers are still recovering from his missteps (soft-ass Dwight, old-ass Nash, overbidding for Deng and Mozgov, etc).

out of Ingram, Ball, Russell, Randle there is not one guy who's value has gone up since he was drafted by the Lakers- not one guy that has played and you said- FUCKING A we have a franchise cornerstone. Thats hard to do when you have 4 picks in the top 6

 

[WiggyRuss]

he

Uh oh.....you're going to get a dissertation on medical facilities in Cleveland and the gentrification of downtown Cleveland.

y its been good enough for LeBron 11 out of his 15 years. Kyrie reupped here and would sitll be here if not for LeBron coming in. Hayward would have signed an offer sheet here if not for LeBron coming back in 14.

who is that big free agent the Lakers have signed in the last 25 years?

 

[trojanfan12]

out of Ingram, Ball, Russell, Randle there is not one guy who's value has gone up since he was drafted by the Lakers- not one guy that has played and you said- FUCKING A we have a franchise cornerstone. Thats hard to do when you have 4 picks in the top 6

Ingram and Randle both played well enough last year that their value has gone up considerably.

 

[WiggyRuss]

This is such a misunderstanding of what really got all of those players to the Lakers. It was superior GMs like Jerry West and Mitch Kupchak, not just nice weather and locale. Sure, it may help a little to have good weather and Hollywood nearby, but Jerry West wasn't relying on those things. He chased Shaq and made all the moves necessary so that Shaq would come once the Magic low-balled him. Most of the Lakers legends were obtained by draft or trade. Sure, free agents joined the championship teams to chase rings in lesser roles, but that happens everywhere. Superior front office talent is what got it done.....until Dr Buss passed and left the team in the hands of his idiot son. He then chased away Phil (and picked Pringles over Phil later) and put Mitch under his thumb to do his bidding. Lakers are still recovering from his missteps (soft-ass Dwight, old-ass Nash, overbidding for Deng and Mozgov, etc).

cmon man.

for the longest time only certain teams were on national tv in the NBA. For the longest time in the NBA the Lakers enjoyed financial advantages that no other team enjoyed.

Now every team is on national TV--- now every fan can see every single game if they want to--- at one point, what was there? like a small handful of nationla games a week? You could watch the Celtics play a national game and the Lakers play a national game on a Sunday? . Now you can have HUGE endorsement deals in the dustbowl of OKC or the swamps of Orlando.

Now EVERY SINGLE owner has billions of billions of dollars. Those institutional advantages have been thoroughly mititaged by the modern game. To not admit that is to be in total denial.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Ingram and Randl both played well enough last year that their value has gone up considerably.

you think you could trade Ingram for the #2 pick? Or Randle for the #6 pick?

We both know thats not true. I agree Randle and Ingram's value went up this year but thats only becasue of teh state it was in the previous year(s) after they were drafted. Randle was kind of an after thought before having a nice year this year.

 

[trojanfan12]

he

y its been good enough for LeBron 11 out of his 15 years. Kyrie reupped here and would sitll be here if not for LeBron coming in. Hayward would have signed an offer sheet here if not for LeBron coming back in 14.

who is that big free agent the Lakers have signed in the last 25 years?

Considering the Lakers have gotten most of their great players via draft or trade...I'm gonna go with:

Shaq, Kobe and Pau to start with.

If you draft well and/or make the right trades, you only have to worry about signing your own FA's.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Having said all that, you believe James goes to the Lakers....

absolutely i think the Lakers are a candidate now since they have the ability to add 2 max guys and possibily trade for a third.

If the Lakers had cap room for 1 guy- the LeBron to Lakers rumors would be non-existent. Just like every other team, they have to sell winning. They can no longer sell the most money, or the most national coverage because those advantages no longer exist.

 

[trojanfan12]

you think you could trade Ingram for the #2 pick? Or Randle for the #6 pick?

We both know thats not true. I agree Randle and Ingram's value went up this year but thats only becasue of teh state it was in the previous year(s) after they were drafted. Randle was kind of an after thought before having a nice year this year.

Why are you trying to move the goal posts? What they could be gotten for wasn't discussed. You claimed their value hasn't gone up and you were wrong.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Why are you trying to move the goal posts? What they could be gotten for wasn't discussed. You claimed their value hasn't gone up and you were wrong.

their value has not gone up in relation to when they were drafted. If you start at a 10, and go down to a 5 and then back up to an 8, your value has not increased.

Thats what i meant by comparing them to the #2 and #6 pick

sicne they were drafted has their value gone up or down?

I cant believe you would argue that they are more valuable now then they were on draft day.