What if LeBron wins an MVP at 42?

[NZB2323]

I don’t even know if he’ll receive any 5th place votes.

Jokic
Luka
SGA
Giannis
Brunson
Tatum

I imagine the vast majority of voters will have 5 of the 6 players above on their ballot. Then next year Embiid will get votes if he hits the minimum game mark, and Wemby, Ja, Zion, Ant, ect. could get votes.

Lebron should make all-NBA, but he hasn’t even been the best player on his own team this year. That’s no knock against him, but he’s past his prime and AD had a solid season.

[tsherkin]

There are only 13 MVPs in league history who were 30+, and only three who were 33+... two of which were Karl Malone, who was also the oldest MVP at 35 (in the 49-game '99 lockout season).

This is a non-starter.

[Swish77]

It wouldn’t make him the GOAT. I think that debate has ended. We have seen the best of LeBron James. We have seen the best of Michael Jordan. The answer is MJ.

Stop.

If somehow LBJ had an MVP season and led his team deep into the playoffs it was be unprecedented.

Peak LBJ is right up there with anyone else. If he manages to win an MVP in 3 different decades it is just over for anyone else.

Keyword "manages" That means every other super star would have to get hurt or retire. This is a pipe dream.

[Patches Perry]

3 years in your late 30s and 40s is like a decade in your 20s in terms of athleticism. LeBron is ridiculous but I just don't see it happening. I think he could still be borderline all star though, if he chooses to play that long.

[YogurtProducer]

It wouldn’t make him the GOAT. I think that debate has ended. We have seen the best of LeBron James. We have seen the best of Michael Jordan. The answer is MJ.

Stop.

If somehow LBJ had an MVP season and led his team deep into the playoffs it was be unprecedented.

Peak LBJ is right up there with anyone else. If he manages to win an MVP in 3 different decades it is just over for anyone else.

Keyword "manages" That means every other super star would have to get hurt or retire. This is a pipe dream.

I never said it was going to happen, I would bet it would not, but the theoretical posted is "what if"

If LBJ wins an MVP at 42 (3 years from now), that would mean the guy won his first and last MVP 18 years apart. If we go even further and assume he makes a deep playoff run (or even were to win it) that would be such a significant accomplishment it would vault LBJ to the consensus GOAT.

It won't happen because it is just crazy to think it could, but if it did it would be enough for anyone who understands the insanity of the accomplishment to put him solely at #1.

[YogurtProducer]

There are only 13 MVPs in league history who were 30+, and only three who were 33+... two of which were Karl Malone, who was also the oldest MVP at 35 (in the 49-game '99 lockout season).

This is a non-starter.

The odds are so unfathomably low. His best chance would be to retire and take a year off, then come back rested.

But hey - I also thought Tom Brady was cooked about 3 different times in his career and he won a ring at 43

[Bank Shot]

What if MJ wins the MVP at 62? The odds are the same.

[tsherkin]

But hey - I also thought Tom Brady was cooked about 3 different times in his career and he won a ring at 43

QB and playing in the NBA aren't the same thing, though yes, Brady is a ridiculous freak. And there is a LOT of talent in the NBA right now.

[Swish77]

Stop.

If somehow LBJ had an MVP season and led his team deep into the playoffs it was be unprecedented.

Peak LBJ is right up there with anyone else. If he manages to win an MVP in 3 different decades it is just over for anyone else.

Keyword "manages" That means every other super star would have to get hurt or retire. This is a pipe dream.

I never said it was going to happen, I would bet it would not, but the theoretical posted is "what if"

If LBJ wins an MVP at 42 (3 years from now), that would mean the guy won his first and last MVP 18 years apart. If we go even further and assume he makes a deep playoff run (or even were to win it) that would be such a significant accomplishment it would vault LBJ to the consensus GOAT.

It won't happen because it is just crazy to think it could, but if it did it would be enough for anyone who understands the insanity of the accomplishment to put him solely at #1.

He will never be the consensus GOAT in my opinion. He jumped ship to win a chip. Kobe or MJ didnt jump ship plain and simple both guys stayed until the job of winning a chip was complete. LBJ had to leave the Cavs bc he wasnt good enough to win a chip with the Cavs. IF LBJ stayed with the Cavs throughout his career then Id be ok with him being the Goat but 3 different teams like come on now.

[KokoKaizer]

It wouldn’t make him the GOAT. I think that debate has ended. We have seen the best of LeBron James. We have seen the best of Michael Jordan. The answer is MJ.

Stop.

If somehow LBJ had an MVP season and led his team deep into the playoffs it was be unprecedented.

Peak LBJ is right up there with anyone else. If he manages to win an MVP in 3 different decades it is just over for anyone else.

Or hear me out: they both have a case and everybody should stop acting like their opinion on the matter is a fact.

I'm with you on this one, I'm really tired with this never ending threads about that...

[The-Stallion70]

3 years in your late 30s and 40s is like a decade in your 20s in terms of athleticism. LeBron is ridiculous but I just don't see it happening. I think he could still be borderline all star though, if he chooses to play that long.

This makes sense to us mere mortals but LeBron is something different.

His numbers are basically the same now as they were ten years ago.

[YogurtProducer]

Keyword "manages" That means every other super star would have to get hurt or retire. This is a pipe dream.

I never said it was going to happen, I would bet it would not, but the theoretical posted is "what if"

If LBJ wins an MVP at 42 (3 years from now), that would mean the guy won his first and last MVP 18 years apart. If we go even further and assume he makes a deep playoff run (or even were to win it) that would be such a significant accomplishment it would vault LBJ to the consensus GOAT.

It won't happen because it is just crazy to think it could, but if it did it would be enough for anyone who understands the insanity of the accomplishment to put him solely at #1.

He will never be the consensus GOAT in my opinion. He jumped ship to win a chip. Kobe or MJ didnt jump ship plain and simple both guys stayed until the job of winning a chip was complete. LBJ had to leave the Cavs bc he wasnt good enough to win a chip with the Cavs. IF LBJ stayed with the Cavs throughout his career then Id be ok with him being the Goat but 3 different teams like come on now.

I mean MJ and Kobe also had significantly more talent placed around them from the team who drafted them.

[YogurtProducer]

But hey - I also thought Tom Brady was cooked about 3 different times in his career and he won a ring at 43

QB and playing in the NBA aren't the same thing, though yes, Brady is a ridiculous freak. And there is a LOT of talent in the NBA right now.

Exactly, it is much harder to do that in the NBA - which is why in the 0.000000000000000001% chance LBJ did it that would vault him into consensus goat territory.

[JustBuzzin]

Ladies and Gentlemen LeBron has nothing left to prove. His legacy is already set.

He's either the GOAT or he's the 2nd best player to ever play the game.

Please just let this man finish his career in peace. No wonder he has a full grey beard. People put a lot of pressure on this guy since high school. Not only did he live up to the hype he exceeded the hype. We will never see this again. Even Wemby is not getting this pressure LeBron got.

[CzBoobie]

LeBron isn’t a winning basketball player anymore, at least not during the regular season.

Meanwhile LeBron with +10 on/off. Not a winning player. If you said he is not very good at doing Pelinkas job, I would understand...

I couldn’t care less what the +/- says. If the guy is taking off every play that doesn’t involve him and not playing defense on top of it, he’s not playing winning basketball. Trust me, as a LeBron fanatic, this isn’t something I want to say, and I would love to be wrong about it. But it’s true.

I wonder who you think winning players on the Lakers are.

[tsherkin]

Exactly, it is much harder to do that in the NBA - which is why in the 0.000000000000000001% chance LBJ did it that would vault him into consensus goat territory.

But it's sort of daft, because there really isn't any chance that it'll happen. There are better guys in the league, he may not even be IN the league in 3 years, and even if he matches production, his impact isn't there. And he may well not even meet the minimum GP requirements. And it's more likely his minutes will keep dropping, etc.

Like, there's a reason that in the entire history of the NBA stretching back to the 55-56 season, no one has won an MVP past the age of 35 and only Karl Malone and Michael Jordan have done it at older than 34. The idea that nearly a decade deeper into his life, Lebron will, is frankly ludicrous.

EDIT: And that's not even accounting for up-and-comers who, in a couple of years will be in the MVP race.

[Swish77]

I never said it was going to happen, I would bet it would not, but the theoretical posted is "what if"

If LBJ wins an MVP at 42 (3 years from now), that would mean the guy won his first and last MVP 18 years apart. If we go even further and assume he makes a deep playoff run (or even were to win it) that would be such a significant accomplishment it would vault LBJ to the consensus GOAT.

It won't happen because it is just crazy to think it could, but if it did it would be enough for anyone who understands the insanity of the accomplishment to put him solely at #1.

He will never be the consensus GOAT in my opinion. He jumped ship to win a chip. Kobe or MJ didnt jump ship plain and simple both guys stayed until the job of winning a chip was complete. LBJ had to leave the Cavs bc he wasnt good enough to win a chip with the Cavs. IF LBJ stayed with the Cavs throughout his career then Id be ok with him being the Goat but 3 different teams like come on now.

I mean MJ and Kobe also had significantly more talent placed around them from the team who drafted them.

Bulls? Idk about that. Lakers did a overhaul of the team to get Shaq which was the same offseason Kobe was drafted.

[Profound23]

What if I win Powerball

[YogurtProducer]

He will never be the consensus GOAT in my opinion. He jumped ship to win a chip. Kobe or MJ didnt jump ship plain and simple both guys stayed until the job of winning a chip was complete. LBJ had to leave the Cavs bc he wasnt good enough to win a chip with the Cavs. IF LBJ stayed with the Cavs throughout his career then Id be ok with him being the Goat but 3 different teams like come on now.

I mean MJ and Kobe also had significantly more talent placed around them from the team who drafted them.

Bulls? Idk about that. Lakers did a overhaul of the team to get Shaq which was the same offseason Kobe was drafted.

Which teammate did LBJ have anywhere near Pippen? Hell - even Rodman?

[tsherkin]

Bulls? Idk about that.

Chicago did a dramatically superior job putting talent around Jordan compared to Cleveland around Lebron before he left to Miami. That isn't actually even close to a debatable point.