Lebron's most likely destination in 2018-2019

[thunderc]

But if that happens, Gay would likely be a cap casualty as well. I don't see Gay taking even less than he's making this season. It's understandable he took the contract he did considering his injury last year.

I think Cousins is an ideal fit in San Antonio. Great culture that could get the most out of his talent with minimal headache.

Is Popovich retiring or what? Cousins would either make him retire or land him in prison for assault.

 

[handicappers]

I say Spurs or Mavericks

He wouldn't get taxed so hard being a Texas resident AND Texas is home to the :

1. hottest women
2. best fans
3. best highway system
4. best economy
5. best education system
6. best BBQ

 

[tlance]

I say Spurs or Mavericks

He wouldn't get taxed so hard being a Texas resident AND Texas is home to the :

1. hottest women
2. best fans
3. best highway system
4. best economy
5. best education system
6. best BBQ

Dallas?

Do they have unlimited cap space next year? Because unless they can sign 3 max players, they won't have enough to recruit LeBron.

 

[trojanfan12]

take PG13 and Westbrick. that'd be good enough...

both are from out here anyways...

Don't need or want Westbrook. He'd be a score first point guard on a team whose offense is based on ball movement.

Where do you put Westbrook on a team what has:

PG- Ball
SG - George
SF - Ingram
PF - Randle
C - Zubac

Are you going to have Ball coming off the bench even though he seems like the perfect point guard for your system?

Do you start Westbrook at SG, George at SF and bring Ingram off the bench even though you've been touting him as one of the "faces of the franchise"?

Set aside your Lebron hatred for a second and consider a lineup of:

PG - Ball
SG - George
SF - Ingram
PF - Lebron
C - Zubac

That's as close to postionless, ball movement based offense as it gets. It also makes them at least solid on defense.

That lineup makes the Lakers a real threat to the Warriors. Especially if Zubac develops enough to help attack the Warriors in their one area of weakness.

 

[tlance]

Don't need or want Westbrook. He'd be a score first point guard on a team whose offense is based on ball movement.

Where do you put Westbrook on a team what has:

PG- Ball
SG - George
SF - Ingram
PF - Randle
C - Zubac

Are you going to have Ball coming off the bench even though he seems like the perfect point guard for your system?

Do you start Westbrook at SG, George at SF and bring Ingram off the bench even though you've been touting him as one of the "faces of the franchise"?

Set aside your Lebron hatred for a second and consider a lineup of:

PG - Ball
SG - George
SF - Ingram
PF - Lebron
C - Zubac

That's as close to postionless, ball movement based offense as it gets. It also makes them at least solid on defense.

That lineup makes the Lakers a real threat to the Warriors. Especially if Zubac develops enough to help attack the Warriors in their one area of weakness.

I agree.

Westbrook and George doesn't move the needle enough. I know @ChiefsLakers67 hates LeBron, but LeBron is a ball mover. Nothing stunts player development more than a ball dominant guard.

If you had LeBron and Ball on the court with Westbrook, I think that could work. But not Ball and George. Just not enough.

Besides, if George and Westbrook like playing together, they probably stay in OKC.

 

[trojanfan12]

I agree.

Westbrook and George doesn't move the needle enough. I know @ChiefsLakers67 hates LeBron, but LeBron is a ball mover. Nothing stunts player development more than a ball dominant guard.

If you had LeBron and Ball on the court with Westbrook, I think that could work. But not Ball and George. Just not enough.

Besides, if George and Westbrook like playing together, they probably stay in OKC.

Agree 100%.

As much as I like Westbrook, the only way I want him on the team is if he comes with Lebron. Lebron brings a level of respect from other players that George doesn't and between Ball and Lebron, they would have a great chance at curbing enough of Westbrooks score first mentality to make it work.

 

[CitySushi]

Is Popovich retiring or what? Cousins would either make him retire or land him in prison for assault.

Cousins hasn't had any real respectable presence as a coach during his career. Look at the turnstile of coaches he's gone through. The only real coach that had his ear was Mike Malone and the Kings got rid of him. Cousins was playing well and very under control during that time and I even remember a time when Malone was going off on the ref and Cousins was the one holding him back.

I think if there was anyone who could not only control, but get the most out of Cousins, it would be Pop. He's universally respected, takes no shit, gives equally to superstars and 14th men on the bench and most of all wouldn't hesitate to correct bad behavior.

 

[shopson67]

5. best education system

LOL.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education

 

[thunderc]

Cousins hasn't had any real respectable presence as a coach during his career. Look at the turnstile of coaches he's gone through. The only real coach that had his ear was Mike Malone and the Kings got rid of him. Cousins was playing well and very under control during that time and I even remember a time when Malone was going off on the ref and Cousins was the one holding him back.

I think if there was anyone who could not only control, but get the most out of Cousins, it would be Pop. He's universally respected, takes no shit, gives equally to superstars and 14th men on the bench and most of all wouldn't hesitate to correct bad behavior.

But you can't fix crazy.

 

[msgkings322]

I say Spurs or Mavericks

He wouldn't get taxed so hard being a Texas resident AND Texas is home to the :

1. hottest women
2. best fans
3. best highway system
4. best economy
5. best education system
6. best BBQ

Let's break this down

1. - TX is indeed right up there in terms of lady hotness, but so is FL, AZ, and southern CA (Lakers). LeBron also seems happily married, and the high end escorts most of these NBA guys use are hot in any city (except Cleveland obviously)

2. The hell? Uh, no. Not even football, TX focuses on high school and college more. NBA fans? No way.

3. Yeah this is usually what drives players to a team, they want good highways

4. It's solid but LeBron's economy will be fine no matter where he plays

5. LOLOLOLOLOLOL

6. North Carolina and KC might quibble but sure. Of course, LeBron can fly in the best BBQ anywhere he is.

Taxes, yeah that's a thing but FL has the same deal (and Memphis too). But again, at his level that don't matter.

LeBron will go anywhere he thinks he can win more rings, period.

 

[trojanfan12]

LeBron can fly in the best BBQ anywhere he is.

Better still, he can fly in any top Pitmaster he wants and have it made fresh. lol

 

[handicappers]

All the top pitmasters are either from Texas or currently in Texas. Tim Love is an All American all star Pitmaster and so are the Texas Highways. Due in part by the way that Texas governs itself and appropriates money to the right places. When Texas secedes, most players will want to be within the boundaries of the Lone Star state.

 

[shopson67]

How much BBQ do you think NBA athletes are really eating? Current athletes, not Barkley and Shaq.

 

[CitySushi]

But you can't fix crazy.

See I don't see Cousins as crazy. I see him as immature. There's a huge difference. His success with team USA and how he interacted with those teammates, coaching staff, and overall attitude, shows that in the right environment he can be useful.

Hell if Javale McGee can become a useful player under the right conditions I believe most people can. Javale was again not crazy, just considered unfocused. It took a certain team, with the right situation to get him to play at his peak. Cousins is an all-world talent and worth the risk based on the Spurs culture and coaching staff. Now if you're say the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls, that's probably not the right situation for him.

 

[shopson67]

When Texas secedes, most players will want to be within the boundaries of the Lone Star state.

Can you take Florida with you?

 

[tlance]

See I don't see Cousins as crazy. I see him as immature. There's a huge difference. His success with team USA and how he interacted with those teammates, coaching staff, and overall attitude, shows that in the right environment he can be useful.

Hell if Javale McGee can become a useful player under the right conditions I believe most people can. Javale was again not crazy, just considered unfocused. It took a certain team, with the right situation to get him to play at his peak. Cousins is an all-world talent and worth the risk based on the Spurs culture and coaching staff. Now if you're say the Brooklyn Nets or Chicago Bulls, that's probably not the right situation for him.

How about the Kings and Pelicans?

The list of places he doesn't fit is a lot longer than the list of places he could. I tend to agree that SA would be great for him. I also doubt that he is mature enough to realize that and choose it for himself.

 

[CitySushi]

How about the Kings and Pelicans?

The list of places he doesn't fit is a lot longer than the list of places he could. I tend to agree that SA would be great for him. I also doubt that he is mature enough to realize that and choose it for himself.

Both of those situations were/are totally dysfunctional. Kings are the KANGZ for a reason. Pelicans have been really bad with their front office. Gentry hasn't worked out as well as they had hoped for. They've had a ton of injuries too that have piled that on. The saving grace for them might be if AD can just step up and take that leadership role.

SA would be an ideal fit for him. But it remains to be seen what the Spurs will do. Maybe they don't want him because they view him as too much of a risk. You never know. But I think if you put Boogie on a team with an Alpha, solid front office/coaching staff and winning culture, you'd see improvements in his attitude and on-court demeanor. Off court everyone forgets that he's a really good dude.

If I'm Boogie, teams I would consider would be:

Spurs - Obv.
Lakers - Luke Walton is a true player's coach. If he can harness a guy like Draymond he could probably do much of the same with Boogie.
Jazz - Man could you imagine the inside out game they would have with him and Gobert as a tandem? Would be amazing. Quin Snyder seems to have the ear of his team.

Sleeper team:
Milwaukee - He'd be the perfect compliment to that team. Having one of the greatest point guards of all time as your coach in J-Kidd, would definitely help. Giannis is the man, Boogie would be an amazing #2 and probably one of the most unstoppable pick and rolls in the NBA.

 

[trojanfan12]

All the top pitmasters are either from Texas or currently in Texas. Tim Love is an All American all star Pitmaster and so are the Texas Highways. Due in part by the way that Texas governs itself and appropriates money to the right places. When Texas secedes, most players will want to be within the boundaries of the Lone Star state.

Can you take Florida with you?

Pretty sure no one would miss Arkansas either.

 

[Black Adam]

Pretty sure no one would miss Arkansas either.

as someone who's been there you're probably right...

 

[Logicallylethal]

Depending on how well Philly does this year, they could be a real contender for him. The reason being is that if their core shines, they'll all still be on rookie contracts and the 76ers will have a ton of cap space. They could realistically sign Lebron, sign another max free agent and still have their rookie core intact. If the 76ers make the playoffs this year, adding Lebron and another max free agent would put them atop the East.

But that's a huge if, depending on the progress of Philly.

Philly presents an interesting situation (Philadelphia 76ers 2018-19 Salary Cap)

They are projected to have 59 mil in cap. They can turn that into 67 mil if they can shed Bayless's 8 mil contract. Only problem is, Embid is going to be a restricted free agent.

Philly can shed 7 more mil of non guaranteed contracts if they cut J. Anderson, R. Holmes, TJ Mconnell, and T. Cabarrot. That would give them 74 mil to resign Embid and maybe enough to land 2 big name free agents. But that's going to depend on how much Embid will cost and what kind of a pay cut the big name free agents will be willing to take

I highly doubt someone like Lebron would come to Philly as the lone proven superstar even with all the young talent.

If I were Philly I'd pursue signing Lebron James and Avery Bradley

PG - Markelle Fultz
SG - Avery Bradley
SF - Lebron James
PF - Ben Simmons
C - Joel Embid

Bench - Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric

This lineup gives you great scoring with Fultz, Bron and Embid. A lock down defender in Bradley, James and Simmons who can guard multiple positions and Embid who is solid in the paint.