2019 Offseason Thread

[shopson67]

How about both?

Lakers need an athlete or 2 more so than Melo, IMO

Lakers need defenders, preferably a wing and a PF.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

All guess work.

I can just as easily present the opposite case.

George never took the meeting with the Lakers last year, not because he didn’t want to play with LeBron, but because he enjoyed playing in OKC with Russ.

Then, in the midst of PG’s career best season, he and Russ had a falling out because PG realized Russ was always going to be about his stats. So PG requested a trade to LAC because it gave him a better opportunity to win.

Bottom line is that star players don’t tend to stick with Russ in OKC. LeBron has brought in a co-star to play with him in LA and the Lakers were in the top 3 for both PG and Leonard even though they chose the other team in LA.

It is possible that most stars don’t want to play with either LeBron or Russ. But given the history of both players, there is a lot more evidence favoring guys wanting to play with LBJ.

Playing with LeBron in the East, was a near guaranteed trip to the Finals.
Of course no way to know what others who didnt join Lakers were thinking, but the only player who did (AD) is a Klutch guy.

 

[bksballer89]

Lakers need defenders, preferably a wing and a PF.

Yep. I think the Lakers defense is going to be very avg at best right now. Not a lot of solid defenders. Vogel will have to work his magic to say the least.

 

[tlance]

Playing with LeBron in the East, was a near guaranteed trip to the Finals.
Of course no way to know what others who didnt join Lakers were thinking, but the only player who did (AD) is a Klutch guy.

All true.

But LeBron is being knocked because players have chosen not to join his team in free agency.

We are talking about multiple stars who have left Russ.

Now, if AD leaves LA next year then there might be a case to be made here.

 

[bksballer89]

All true.

But LeBron is being knocked because players have chosen not to join his team in free agency.

We are talking about multiple stars who have left Russ.

Now, if AD leaves LA next year then there might be a case to be made here.

You also have to consider where Russ plays. Unlike Lebron, he is playing in a small market. Not many players want to play in OKC.

The one star Lebron had in his small market (CLE) forced his way out of there as well.

 

[tlance]

You also have to consider where Russ plays. Unlike Lebron, he is playing in a small market. Not many players want to play in OKC.

The one star Lebron had in his small market (CLE) forced his way out of there as well.

True.

And then Kyrie also at least considered the possibility of reuniting with LeBron in LA.

 

[bksballer89]

True.

And then Kyrie also at least considered the possibility of reuniting with LeBron in LA.

True but that's a bigger market as we both know. You have to think most stars don't want to play in OKC just due to it being a smaller market. They prefer to play in a bigger market

 

[trojanfan12]

I dont get the Russ hate

He needs to take less shots and wherever he goes he needs to rely on his teammates more but he's still an elite guy

Your 2nd sentence answers the first.

No one is saying that he's not an elite player, but he's a solo act. His inability to stop himself from playing hero ball, even with another star player on his team, looks to have driven off 2 star players now.

Unless and until he learns to trust and involve his teammates ala MJ and Kobe, he's always going to be a fun player to watch, but not one who can lead a team to a title.

 

[trojanfan12]

westbrook had 3 coaches in his career....they are all bad coaches imo

And?

At what point is it the players responsibility to figure out the holes in his game and fix them himself?

 

[bksballer89]

No one is saying that he's not an elite player, but he's a solo act. His inability to stop himself from playing hero ball, even with another star player on his team, looks to have driven off 2 star players now.

Did you miss all of last year? This is what I talk about with the ridiculous Russ hate.

He took a backseat all of last year to PG-13 which led to PG-13 being a final 3 MVP candidate. This changed when PG had his shoulder injury which will now require him to miss some of next season. It is very possible/likely that George told Russ how serious his injury was and asked Russ to be more aggressive but up until that shoulder injury, Russ pretty clearly took a backseat to George. Heck, George even took most of the shots at end of game.

 

[Shanemansj13]

So what is the reason some players don't want to play with Lebron? I think it's bc they want to beat him. They want to have a chance to take down the greatest, I think it is less about the person/player Lebron is.

 

[trojanfan12]

"The Logo strikes again".

Dudes been reading my posts. lol

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

All true.

But LeBron is being knocked because players have chosen not to join his team in free agency.

We are talking about multiple stars who have left Russ.

Now, if AD leaves LA next year then there might be a case to be made here.

Its a circle of guessing.
Possibly PG regretted more not going to LA vs not wanting to play with Westbrook?

 

[bksballer89]

And?

At what point is it the players responsibility to figure out the holes in his game and fix them himself?

At what point is it the coach responsibility to run a legit offensive system? The Thunder offensive philosophy under Brooks and Donovan been trash.

 

[Wamu]

You also have to consider where Russ plays. Unlike Lebron, he is playing in a small market. Not many players want to play in OKC.

The one star Lebron had in his small market (CLE) forced his way out of there as well.

Shouldn't it be mentioned that the one star LeBron had also forced his way outta Boston?

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

True.

And then Kyrie also at least considered the possibility of reuniting with LeBron in LA.

Then reconsidered, and didn’t.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Shouldn't it be mentioned that the one star LeBron had also forced his way outta Boston?

No.
He was a FA.
He didnt have to force anything.

 

[bksballer89]

Shouldn't it be mentioned that the one star LeBron had also forced his way outta Boston?

He didn't force his way out of anything.

He was a free agent

 

[trojanfan12]

being in the middle is the worst place to be in the NBA

Mostly agree. But I think it depends on how you get there and what you have when you do.

For example, your Cavs are trying to build through the draft and gather assets to make a trade.

Assuming their plan works, at some point they will almost certainly be a "middle of the pack" team. But, if they're middle of the pack with young players who are improving and have some assets to make a trade or 2, then being in the middle would be a good thing.

But, if you're in the middle with veterans and/or no assets to improve your team...that is the worst place to be.

 

[bksballer89]

Westbrook post AS numbers (around the same time PG-13 shoulder injury happened)

25.5 PPG, 9.8 APG, & 10.8 RPG on 45% shooting and 34% from 3.

Do you guys not understand how ridiculous those numbers are?