AD for Lilliard?

[thunderc]

AD for Dame and CJ would be more equal comp

Lillard is the best player in the conversation and it’s not close

 

[AD2022MVP]

Wrong!

Dame doesn’t fit LeBron as well. They are both ball dominant perimeter players.

AD fits beautifully well.

Sure, LeBron and Lillard would make it work like LeBron and Wade made it work, but they aren’t complimentary pieces in the way LeBron and AD are.

It is a no brainer to not do this deal.

You aren't factoring in AD's injury proneness. AD may fit better but when he is in and out of lineup it's hard to keep a flow to the offense. Wade's game is different than Lillard's. Wade prefers to drive and pull up for the midrange while Lillard prefers to pull up from deep. Lebron always played best with outside shooters especially ones that shot the 3 well. Factoring in AD's injury proneness and Lillard's complementary shooting style, Lillard would be a better fit. I really believe AD was good for one ring, his body and movement is too awkward for him not to get injured every season, similar to Emiid. Lakers need to unload the guy for the best possible package now while Lebron still has some good years in him, otherwise there will many more seasons as the one we just saw.

 

[trojanfan12]

No fn way we want Kuzma

Kuzma would actually probably fit in with OKC better than he does the Lakers. He gets kind of a bad rep because he has struggled to adjust to Lebron and AD.

His defense has improved to where it's almost a strength. His offense is inconsistent, imo, because his opportunities are inconsistent. End result, some games he'll look like an all star on offense, some games look like he's never seen a basketball before...but most games he's what I think is where he'll be for his career...A solid role player who can help your team and even "play above his pay grade" occasionally, but isn't going to be the difference in whether your team gets to the playoffs or not.

On a rebuilding team like OKC, that's likely to be young, he should be pretty good. When you eventually get star level players, you can see how he fits with them and move him if he doesn't fit well.

 

[tlance]

You aren't factoring in AD's injury proneness. AD may fit better but when he is in and out of lineup it's hard to keep a flow to the offense. Wade's game is different than Lillard's. Wade prefers to drive and pull up for the midrange while Lillard prefers to pull up from deep. Lebron always played best with outside shooters especially ones that shot the 3 well. Factoring in AD's injury proneness and Lillard's complementary shooting style, Lillard would be a better fit. I really believe AD was good for one ring, his body and movement is too awkward for him not to get injured every season, similar to Emiid. Lakers need to unload the guy for the best possible package now while Lebron still has some good years in him, otherwise there will many more seasons as the one we just saw.

Nah.

AD isn’t as injury prone as you think.

He is king of day to day injuries, but those are the type that guys sit with in the regular season and play through in the playoffs.

Very rarely has he had major injuries that have caused him to miss more than a week or miss a playoff game.

I think you are overreacting here.

Lillard might be safer, but I don’t think he is good enough to bring a title to LA with an aging LeBron. AD is.

 

[AD2022MVP]

Nah.

AD isn’t as injury prone as you think.

He is king of day to day injuries, but those are the type that guys sit with in the regular season and play through in the playoffs.

Very rarely has he had major injuries that have caused him to miss more than a week or miss a playoff game.

I think you are overreacting here.

Lillard might be safer, but I don’t think he is good enough to bring a title to LA with an aging LeBron. AD is.

I hope you're right. Next season will be more telling considering AD will have an extended rest with his season ending early. I'm reminded that Steph Curry had a number of ankle injuries early in his career that he was able to overcome and has been relatively healthy since. It may be a process of him learning to play smarter to avoid injuries and increase his longevity. AD does it on both ends and is the best defender in the league when he's healthy and on top of his game. It would be shame for the Lakers to give up on him without giving him at least a couple of more years and rebooting when Lebron decides to retire.

 

[DJ]

Kuzma would actually probably fit in with OKC better than he does the Lakers. He gets kind of a bad rep because he has struggled to adjust to Lebron and AD.

His defense has improved to where it's almost a strength. His offense is inconsistent, imo, because his opportunities are inconsistent. End result, some games he'll look like an all star on offense, some games look like he's never seen a basketball before...but most games he's what I think is where he'll be for his career...A solid role player who can help your team and even "play above his pay grade" occasionally, but isn't going to be the difference in whether your team gets to the playoffs or not.

On a rebuilding team like OKC, that's likely to be young, he should be pretty good. When you eventually get star level players, you can see how he fits with them and move him if he doesn't fit well.

Yeah....I think he would fit well with OKC. And he would get more PT than Horford since they shut him down for the season to play the youngsters.

 

[The Q]

Yeah....I think he would fit well with OKC. And he would get more PT than Horford since they shut him down for the season to play the youngsters.

Okc definitely does it if 22 is thrown in

 

[DJ]

Okc definitely does it if 22 is thrown in

???

 

[The Q]

???

the Lakers pick this year

 

[DJ]

the Lakers pick this year

No.

A 2nd rounder plus the players already mentioned.

 

[trojanfan12]

Okc definitely does it if 22 is thrown in

I'd be a little surprised if they threw in the 22 for Horford. They seem to really like Chris Duarte, who should still be available at 22.

 

[UK Cowboy]

Lillard is the best player in the conversation and it’s not close

Lakers would laugh in their face and hang up

 

[thunderc]

Lakers would laugh in their face and hang up

The call will never come

 

[gohusk]

Why would Dame even want to play with James? He's top 5 in the league and the ball needs to go through him. You think he'd be ok turning into a spot up shooter because a guy who's not as good as him at this point needs to dominate the ball?

 

[tlance]

I hope you're right. Next season will be more telling considering AD will have an extended rest with his season ending early. I'm reminded that Steph Curry had a number of ankle injuries early in his career that he was able to overcome and has been relatively healthy since. It may be a process of him learning to play smarter to avoid injuries and increase his longevity. AD does it on both ends and is the best defender in the league when he's healthy and on top of his game. It would be shame for the Lakers to give up on him without giving him at least a couple of more years and rebooting when Lebron decides to retire.

1 thing that I believe would help both AD and Embiid is they need to stay off the ground.

Both have a habit of going down too easily. Sometimes because they are attempting off balance shots near the rim, sometimes they are flopping.

But I just think there is more risk involved when a 7 footer hits the deck vs. a smaller guard.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Occasionally is ok, but those two do it all the time.

 

[shopson67]

1 thing that I believe would help both AD and Embiid is they need to stay off the ground.

Both have a habit of going down too easily. Sometimes because they are attempting off balance shots near the rim, sometimes they are flopping.

But I just think there is more risk involved when a 7 footer hits the deck vs. a smaller guard.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Occasionally is ok, but those two do it all the time.

That was bugging the hell out of me in the playoffs. AD and Drummond both are are far too often on the floor after a shot, with no hope of getting back on defense (especially against a team like the Suns).

 

[trojanfan12]

That was bugging the hell out of me in the playoffs. AD and Drummond both are are far too often on the floor after a shot, with no hope of getting back on defense (especially against a team like the Suns).

I think AD ends up on the floor a lot because he can move like a guard (he actually was a top point guard in high school before he had a growth spurt). At 7 feet, it's a lot easier to lose his balance when making those kinds of moves, but making them is what makes him special compared to other bigs.

Drummonds just clumsy. lol

 

[AD2022MVP]

1 thing that I believe would help both AD and Embiid is they need to stay off the ground.

Both have a habit of going down too easily. Sometimes because they are attempting off balance shots near the rim, sometimes they are flopping.

But I just think there is more risk involved when a 7 footer hits the deck vs. a smaller guard.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Occasionally is ok, but those two do it all the time.

Good point. Didn't think of that. Now that you mention it, they are hitting the floor way too often. Reminds of Wade but like you said it isn't as risky for a smaller player but even then Wade wasn't the most durable player either. It's observations like yours that AD should take under consideration in order to adjust his game to increase his durability. It seems to me Lebron doesn't try to take unnecessary falls the older he gets which is probably why he has been able to play at a high level for so long.

 

[DJ]

I'd be a little surprised if they threw in the 22 for Horford. They seem to really like Chris Duarte, who should still be available at 22.

Yeah, no way we include that. We need more than just Horford with a bunch of possible FA's that we will need to replace.

 

[DJ]

Lillard is the best player in the conversation and it’s not close

I agree. Especially, since he doesn't get hurt.