LeBron to LA

LondonSox

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I'm close to wondering if LeBron is creating a reality show rather than a team.

If he knows he can't win he just wants to distract people so much with noise they can't focus on what they are most mad at.
 

Beomoose

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I'm close to wondering if LeBron is creating a reality show rather than a team.

If he knows he can't win he just wants to distract people so much with noise they can't focus on what they are most mad at.
Nah, if this isn't a title run then this is hanging with Kimye, going to the beach, getting treated like a god in the country's hypest city instead of Cleveland, etc etc.
 

Kliq

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I honestly don’t know what he’s doing. The Lakers do not look like a great team even with LeBron; and so I’m surprised he went there when he could have gone somewhere else that would give him a better shot at the title. Since he chose LA; are we going to see the same maniacal, driven, competitor, or someone that is preoccupied with other aspects of his celebrity? Because a driven, hyper-competitive LeBron doesn’t go to LA without assurance a suitable supporting cast will join him. Right now this feels like an aging European star coming over for their MLS run.
 

reggiecleveland

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I didn't think he was going anywhere else. The only chance to enhance his fame is to bring back showtime. A title in Philly or Houston does little to enhance his legacy. But to win LA makes him the biggest thing ever because he media and every celebrity would go nuts. If they can't win, he can calmly go off to be an A-lister living the life.
 

lars10

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I honestly don’t know what he’s doing. The Lakers do not look like a great team even with LeBron; and so I’m surprised he went there when he could have gone somewhere else that would give him a better shot at the title. Since he chose LA; are we going to see the same maniacal, driven, competitor, or someone that is preoccupied with other aspects of his celebrity? Because a driven, hyper-competitive LeBron doesn’t go to LA without assurance a suitable supporting cast will join him. Right now this feels like an aging European star coming over for their MLS run.
I don’t think the plan is for this year.. the money opens up next year.. which is why everyone is signing for one year.. also, hasn’t LeBron spoken about wanting to get into entertainment after his career? I think LeBron is thinking post career, while also knowing this year isn’t probably in the cards for a championship run.

I’m just happy he actually has to play solid teams in the regular season and playoffs.. no coasting this year.

Edit: or at least he can’t take as many games off in the playoffs
 

Kliq

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LeBron doesn’t have infinite years left in his prime to just waste a year in LA not competing for a title. I agree this seems like a move for LeBron the celebrity more than LeBron the basketball player. His biggest motivation to moving to Miami and then back to Cleveland was to win championships; I don’t think that is the case here. That’s why I feel this is like an MLS run for him; he’s trying to enhance his celebrity and winning a title is secondary.

I also don’t buy the idea that winning a title in LA would take his star to a dramatically higher level. He’s already the second most famous player to ever play the game; and one title isn’t going to surpass Jordan. I know the Lakers are the NBA’s marquee franchise; but I don’t really see a LeBron title being an enormous legacy-defining moment that will turn him into a god in Los Angeles. The Lakers are supposed to win championships, and anchoring one title team just allows you crack the Top 10 Lakers of all time list. If he was really looking to shape the best narrative about his career as a player, he probably should have stayed and tried to win in Cleveland.
 

lars10

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LeBron doesn’t have infinite years left in his prime to just waste a year in LA not competing for a title. I agree this seems like a move for LeBron the celebrity more than LeBron the basketball player. His biggest motivation to moving to Miami and then back to Cleveland was to win championships; I don’t think that is the case here. That’s why I feel this is like an MLS run for him; he’s trying to enhance his celebrity and winning a title is secondary.

I also don’t buy the idea that winning a title in LA would take his star to a dramatically higher level. He’s already the second most famous player to ever play the game; and one title isn’t going to surpass Jordan. I know the Lakers are the NBA’s marquee franchise; but I don’t really see a LeBron title being an enormous legacy-defining moment that will turn him into a god in Los Angeles. The Lakers are supposed to win championships, and anchoring one title team just allows you crack the Top 10 Lakers of all time list. If he was really looking to shape the best narrative about his career as a player, he probably should have stayed and tried to win in Cleveland.
How many players have won championships with three different teams as the team’s best player? That’s got to be worth something.
 

Cesar Crespo

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How many players have won championships with three different teams as the team’s best player? That’s got to be worth something.
Only 2 players have won championships on 3 teams. Both were decent but not great.
 

soxhop411

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I see lavar is already starting to mouth off to Lebron
LaVar Ball says his son will make LeBron James 'better' - as long as Lonzo has the ball
After LeBron James announced he was joining the Lakers, it was only a matter of time - like nanoseconds - before LaVar Ball, who had been predicting the move for months, weighed in on it. Ac cording to the outspoken patriarch, his son Lonzo will not only mesh well with James but make the former Cavaliers superstar "better" - as long as the Los Angeles point guard has the basketball in his hands.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/basketball/ct-spt-lebron-james-lavar-ball-20180704-story.html

"How you gonna give my son the best player in the game?" Ball said. "Lonzo makes everybody better including him."
https://www.si.com/nba/2018/07/03/lavar-ball-lebron-james-lonzo-ball-comments
 
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LondonSox

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Rumour is that the ball camp leaked the menicus injury to make him harder to move. Which the Lakers are not happy about.
Would today also said he might need surgery too (corrected himself from suggesting he DOES need surgery)
 

Kliq

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How many players have won championships with three different teams as the team’s best player? That’s got to be worth something.
That would be still true if he went to Houston or Philly or anywhere else. My point is that being in LA, because of the general popularity of the team, would not significantly enhance his legacy if he were to win a championship in comparison to any other team.

Any championship LeBron wins in the future is going to greatly enhance his legacy. I just think the move to LA; particularly now that he has a Frankenstein supporting cast; is more about LeBron’s fame and post-playing career, than about winning championships (which were imo the primary motivators in his previous free agency moves).
 

snowmanny

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Rumour is that the ball camp leaked the menicus injury to make him harder to move. Which the Lakers are not happy about.
Would today also said he might need surgery too (corrected himself from suggesting he DOES need surgery)
It is a problem because I would think that one of the Kawhi deal permutations would be one of the forwards to SA plus Ball to team #3 for draft picks that get flipped to SA. But wouldn't LA have to reveal the injury anyway and wouldn't it show up during the physical?
 

soxhop411

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Rumour is that the ball camp leaked the menicus injury to make him harder to move. Which the Lakers are not happy about.
Would today also said he might need surgery too (corrected himself from suggesting he DOES need surgery)
At a certain point if Lavar keeps mouthing off lebron night just give him away for peanuts to avoid the headaches he brings
 

LondonSox

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It is a problem because I would think that one of the Kawhi deal permutations would be one of the forwards to SA plus Ball to team #3 for draft picks that get flipped to SA. But wouldn't LA have to reveal the injury anyway and wouldn't it show up during the physical?
Yeah this is my thought too, if he had a knee injury it's gonna come out unless the Lakers are absolute scum bags. Oh
 

reggiecleveland

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That would be still true if he went to Houston or Philly or anywhere else. My point is that being in LA, because of the general popularity of the team, would not significantly enhance his legacy if he were to win a championship in comparison to any other team.

Any championship LeBron wins in the future is going to greatly enhance his legacy. I just think the move to LA; particularly now that he has a Frankenstein supporting cast; is more about LeBron’s fame and post-playing career, than about winning championships (which were imo the primary motivators in his previous free agency moves).
So Tim Duncan gets as much attention for his rigs as Kobe and Magic? If Duncan had been a LAker he would be in on every GOAT discussion. Among basketball purists Duncan gets respect, but Kobe would not be such an "icon" if not Laker.
 

Kliq

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To what degree do NBA players in general care about LaVar Ball and what he has to say? I know the media and fans find his gimmick entertaining; but do the players themselves really care? To the degree they would demand Lonzo would be traded? Everything I’ve heard is that Lonzo is a relaxed dude that people enjoy playing with. I don’t recall any player publicly saying how much they don’t like LaVar and wouldn’t want to play with his son.

I keep hearing that eventually Lonzo is going to have to tell his Dad to shut-up; but what if none of the players really care? LaVar is hardly the first loudmouth to say negative things about a team to get attention.
 

Kliq

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So Tim Duncan gets as much attention for his rigs as Kobe and Magic? If Duncan had been a LAker he would be in on every GOAT discussion. Among basketball purists Duncan gets respect, but Kobe would not be such an "icon" if not Laker.
I understand where your coming from. Success on the Lakers generally leads to more attention than success on other teams. However; we’re talking about LeBron James here, who is already in the GOAT discussion and could retire today with an insane resume. I don’t think he really needs any additional boosts by being a Laker as far as fame is concerned (his move to LA is more about absorbing the celebrity/media culture that exists in LA imo). I suppose that more annoying Laker fans will become LeBron supporters in the GOAT discussion but that seems rather insignificant.

The Kobe vs Duncan example has a bunch of other factors besides Kobe playing for a marquee team and Duncan playing for a small market team. Kobe plays a more marketable style of basketball; full of slam dunks and 60 point scoring nights; Duncan played a more effective, but less marketable game. Kobe also began his prime right after Jordan had finished; meaning both Nike and the public in general were looking for another, hyper-athletic, high scoring guard and Kobe matched Jordan in that regard even if he couldn’t match his efficiency.
 

soxhop411

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To what degree do NBA players in general care about LaVar Ball and what he has to say? I know the media and fans find his gimmick entertaining; but do the players themselves really care? To the degree they would demand Lonzo would be traded? Everything I’ve heard is that Lonzo is a relaxed dude that people enjoy playing with. I don’t recall any player publicly saying how much they don’t like LaVar and wouldn’t want to play with his son.

I keep hearing that eventually Lonzo is going to have to tell his Dad to shut-up; but what if none of the players really care? LaVar is hardly the first loudmouth to say negative things about a team to get attention.

Umm I think lavar is the first parent of a player on a team to constantly do something like this.
 

Kliq

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Umm I think lavar is the first parent of a player on a team to constantly do something like this.
I get that he has a connection with team; as opposed to be a big mouth pundit on sports radio or something like that. Where is the evidence that LaVar’s big mouth has made players less likely to want to play with Lonzo? I think the LaVar comments get a lot of media play because they generate clicks; but I’m not convinced it really effects NBA Players the way people seem to think it does.
 

Philip Jeff Frye

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I understand where your coming from. Success on the Lakers generally leads to more attention than success on other teams. However; we’re talking about LeBron James here, who is already in the GOAT discussion and could retire today with an insane resume. I don’t think he really needs any additional boosts by being a Laker as far as fame is concerned (his move to LA is more about absorbing the celebrity/media culture that exists in LA imo). I suppose that more annoying Laker fans will become LeBron supporters in the GOAT discussion but that seems rather insignificant.
Not only that, but unless Lebron wins like three titles with the Lakers, where is he going to place in the Laker pantheon? Certainly behind Magic, Kareem, Chamberlin, West, O'Neal, Bryant, arguably behind several others. He's almost certainly not going to be remembered as a Laker great.
 
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Jed Zeppelin

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That would be still true if he went to Houston or Philly or anywhere else. My point is that being in LA, because of the general popularity of the team, would not significantly enhance his legacy if he were to win a championship in comparison to any other team.

Any championship LeBron wins in the future is going to greatly enhance his legacy. I just think the move to LA; particularly now that he has a Frankenstein supporting cast; is more about LeBron’s fame and post-playing career, than about winning championships (which were imo the primary motivators in his previous free agency moves).
I believe the family stuff too, especially with regards to the surprising length of the deal. Bronny starts high school in 2019, and because of this LeBron knows he can be around for it (as much as any NBA player could at least).
 

soxhop411

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I get that he has a connection with team; as opposed to be a big mouth pundit on sports radio or something like that. Where is the evidence that LaVar’s big mouth has made players less likely to want to play with Lonzo? I think the LaVar comments get a lot of media play because they generate clicks; but I’m not convinced it really effects NBA Players the way people seem to think it does.
Lavar was running his mouth when the lakers were rebuilding...

Its a whole different story if he keeps running his mouth when they are in the playoff hunt and trying to get the best playoff seed possible
 

JakeRae

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I believe the family stuff too, especially with regards to the surprising length of the deal. Bronny starts high school in 2019, and because of this LeBron knows he can be around for it (as much as any NBA player could at least).
4 years locks him in until his son is draft eligible if 1 and done is ended. He will then go wherever his son is drafted.
 

soxhop411

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I Mean an easy comparison can be made with Tebow.

The Mets are a tire fire right now and calling up Tebow will make them more money and keep them in the news.

If the Mets were in a playoff hunt I doubt they would call him up due to the sideshow/distractions he would have brought to a team fighting for the WC/Division

If lavar tries to pull the same shit he did last year while the lakers are in a battle for a top seed would not shock me to see lebron pull an ultimatum. I doubt he wants to deal with that shit and the endless questions he will be asked about the family. Lebron is a competitor and hates distractions
 

ThePrideofShiner

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Not only that, but unless Lebron wins like three titles with the Lakers, where is he going to place in the Laker pantheon? Certainly behind Magic, Kareem, Chamberlin, West, O'Neal, Bryant, arguably behind several others. He's almost certainly not going to be remembered as a Laker great.
I think an interesting comparison is where does Garnett rank as an all-time Celtics great? Granted, Garnett didn't win three titles before coming to Boston.

Maybe Walton would be a good comparison?
 

Marbleheader

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Walton is way down the list. He was a one hit wonder. At least KG stuck around for a bit. As much as I love Garnett, he's still behind Pierce, Bird, McHale, Parish , Cowens, Havlicek, Russell, Cousy, Heinsohn, etc. The Celtics never had a major free agent until the past few years, so it's hard to find a comp. Dennis Johnson won before he came here and is up in the rafters, but he and LeBron are apples and oranges.
 

BigSoxFan

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I think an interesting comparison is where does Garnett rank as an all-time Celtics great? Granted, Garnett didn't win three titles before coming to Boston.

Maybe Walton would be a good comparison?
Walton started 2 games for the Celtics over 2 seasons. He was a valuable piece but KG anchored an elite squad for 5 years. I’d say he’s well entrenched in the second tier of Celtics greats.
 

reggiecleveland

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Not only that, but unless Lebron wins like three titles with the Lakers, where is he going to place in the Laker pantheon? Certainly behind Magic, Kareem, Chamberlin, West, O'Neal, Bryant, arguably behind several others. He's almost certainly not going to be remembered as a Laker great.
Wilt and West won one.
I still think he wins one or two, or even gets the Lakers to the edge and he gets more immediate fame from nonhoops people. I don't think he needs to do, and it won't change what any of us who are hardcore hoops fans will think, but it is a big challenge. I hope yuo are right and he is easing into a new life, because I hate the Lakers, and I hate how star players twist everything to end up there.
 

Eddie Jurak

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LeBron doesn’t have infinite years left in his prime to just waste a year in LA not competing for a title.
Even with no major moves, his Laker team as it stands today is better than the detritus he played with last year.
 

Kliq

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Even with no major moves, his Laker team as it stands today is better than the detritus he played with last year.
This is debatable. In Cleveland he had at least one other All-Star level player, as well as reliable spot-up shooters. He was in a weak situation but isn't like this is a huge upgrade.
 

Sam Ray Not

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Now all they need to do is to play in the Eastern Conference without Kyrie and Hayward.
And be one year closer to his physical prime.

I think it's hard to argue at this point that the most likely case is him winning "one or two" in LA. Of course it's possible, like anything, but if the over/under is one, the under seems like a pretty easy bet to me. He'll be 34 next year, a common inflection point year for NBA players; he's up against the prime Warriors, young Celtics, and 27 other teams; Luke Walton may or may not be an NBA-caliber head coach; and Magic to date seems to have no clue what he's doing. People are already talking about this as a "punt year" — and then we're talking about LeBron at age 35.
 

cheech13

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Even with no major moves, his Laker team as it stands today is better than the detritus he played with last year.
I don't know if that's true. It's certainly a better long-term situation given that the players around him are mostly young and improving and the contracts are all movable, but on a pure talent basis Cleveland's roster last year was still equal or better. The Lakers don't have anyone as good as Kevin Love, and Hill, Korver, Smith and Thompson were all reliable role players even if they were overpaid. The Lakers roster is filled with a lot of talented guys that haven't done much other than rack up stats on putrid teams.
 

cheech13

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Lillard was first-team All-NBA and is under contract through 2021. What exactly are the Lakers giving up to get him? You'd think it would start with at least two of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma plus picks.
 

E5 Yaz

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Lillard was first-team All-NBA and is under contract through 2021. What exactly are the Lakers giving up to get him? You'd think it would start with at least two of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma plus picks.
You don't understand ... SOSH can totally see it getting done
 

BigSoxFan

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Lillard was first-team All-NBA and is under contract through 2021. What exactly are the Lakers giving up to get him? You'd think it would start with at least two of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma plus picks.
I don't think there's any combination of the Lakers' young players that would be worth it for Portland to trade Lillard to a rival team in their division while he has 3 years left on his contract.
 

Sam Ray Not

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I don't think there's any combination of the Lakers' young players that would be worth it for Portland to trade Lillard to a rival team in their division while he has 3 years left on his contract.
Not in their division (anymore) but overall point taken: the Blazers, like a lot of teams, are likely to be something less than neutral when it comes to facilitating the rebirth of the Lakeshow.
 

BigSoxFan

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Not in their division (anymore) but overall point taken: the Blazers, like a lot of teams, are likely to be something less than neutral when it comes to facilitating the rebirth of the Lakeshow.
Whoops, I'm clearly stuck in the past. I agree that teams aren't going to be willing to help out the Lakers. I could possibly see Toronto being willing to deal DeRozan for Ingram/Kuzma/filler. I'm sure Love could be had from Cleveland but I doubt he's what LeBron wants.
 

djbayko

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I don't think there's any combination of the Lakers' young players that would be worth it for Portland to trade Lillard to a rival team in their division while he has 3 years left on his contract.
Right. If Magic is trying to make Pop blink, he should come up with something more believable.
 

DJnVa

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Whoops, I'm clearly stuck in the past. I agree that teams aren't going to be willing to help out the Lakers.
I get what you're saying, but even if Portland had no history with the Lakers, teams don't make trades to "help out" the other team anyway. All trades are made from the POV that if you make it, you are helping yourself somehow--from getting draft picks you covet to ridding yourself of salary to getting something from a guy that could walk soon.

If Portland thought that it could get a return that made sense, they'd make the deal. But with Lilliard signed for 3 more years, there's simply no deal there that makes any sense that we can fathom.
 

DJnVa

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Everyone calm down, Magic Johnson knows what he's doing!!

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/24003187/lakers-signings-part-magic-plan-nba

What Johnson pitched to James was a team stocked with tough-minded playmakers like Stephenson and Rondo who could free up James to finish in the lanes and from the post, rather than having to create the lion's share of the offense himself. Rondo and Stephenson are also defensively versatile, as their length enables them to be effective defenders in switches. That also follows with the talents of the 6-foot-6 Ball, who showed the ability to be an elite rebounder and defender for a guard in his rookie year.