DET - LAL - PHI (LeBron on the Move)

[bpcox05]

Ben Simmons and grant are not selling points to trade for Lebron

Why is that?

[Snakebites]

Yeah, put me in the camp of folks who think the notion of trading Lebron is pretty silly- it isn't going to happen.

Purely for the Pistons, I agree that we'd need some sort of handshake agreement with Russ- he won't want to play in Detroit and would make it even harder to develop our younger guys (we're already facing something of an uphill battle where that is concerned as is).

There’s a fair amount of people saying it won’t happen, it’s silly, etc. but not a lot of people actually providing reasoning.

Truthfully, it's because most of us think it's obvious.

First and foremost, moves like this DON'T happen. Top level guys like Lebron (and yes, he's still top level) don't get traded without a trade demand or some sort of other issue that made the situation untenable (for example the personal issues between Shaq and Kobe lead to Shaq's being traded in 2004- there's nothing like that here).

Lebron CHOSE to sign with the Lakers. Sure, he was hoping to win there (and already has done so, of course), but there were a lot of other reasons he chose to go to Los Angeles. Trading him will go over poorly with a player and agency that have a lot of power in NBA circles. This is connected to number one, by the way. It generally doesn't happen, and the return you offer here would not be worth that particular risk.

The reason people are writing this idea off without really feeling the need to elaborate is because you are proposing something that bears no resemblance to what actually happens in reality. You can argue all you want about how the Lakers "should" just blow it up and Lebron "should" be happy to move on from LA, but when you do so you are ignoring all but the most basic on-court factors, when in reality players and teams have to look at a fuller picture. And there's nothing wrong with any of that in and of itself, this board is all about fun hypotheticals. But that's really all this is.

[Resistance]

Well I think you'd have to somewhat buy into Davis being the top guy on a contending team. I mean the guy did average 28 PPG with a 61% TS%. It's hard to find #1 type players that can beat that. I think this more boils down to people saying they don't have that traditional go-to perimeter scorer that people have come to know & love.

Even though they don't have an elite perimeter scorer, you'd have to admit that they could be pretty special defensively with a core of Simmons, Grant, & Davis.

I also meant it in the sense of a #1 type of player having a spark/motor/drive that pushes average talent on the floor with him to overachieve.

I read enough LAL game threads to see that not many fans have faith in Davis being the lead (#1) to drag a a team to the top when LeBron is gone. Davis will show it at times, but not consistently.

It’s a fair critique.

I just have a very hard time seeing this current Lakers team reaching a championship. Davis, Simmons, and Grant are all on the same timeline and trading LeBron now reminds me of Belichick’s philosophy of it being better to trade a player 1 year too early than 1 year too late.

LeBron will be 37 by the end of the year. They have very minimal flexibility and avenues to improve this team over the next couple years to bring it back to a championship caliber team.

I agree that the current LAL team is going to struggle to win a championship because LeBron so far hasn't been able to drag a team forward as he has in past seasons. I understand your idea of LAL moving on and trying something else, but New Orleans didn't really impress when they had Davis as the #1 several seasons ago. The New Orleans FO at the time could have done better, but I don't have Davis jumping to the next level with the trade to the Lakers.


Westbrook, Davis and LeBron are all playing heavy minutes and the team is still stuck in the area of .500 even though the schedule has been favorable with more home than road games and relatively easy opponents so far.

Westbrook

Davis

LeBron


They can do as you have suggested and trade to try something different, but I don't see it leading to success because they will be without ac actual #1 player like LeBron used to be.

PHI Gets: LeBron James, Cory Joseph, Kent Bazemore, & Trevor Ariza
PHI Gives: Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Springer, Paul Reed, 2022 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2023 PHI 1st (Unprotected), 2024 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2025 PHI 1st (Pick Swap if it doesn't convey), 2026 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2027 PHI 1st (Unprotected), & 2028 PHI 1st (Pick Swap)

I have Philadelphia as foolish to give up that much for a player in apparent decline such as LeBron. I have Cory Joseph, Bazemore and Ariza as filler, so won't discuss them.


This is the same link to his stats as was given above.

LeBron

On similar MPG as in past seasons, his three point attempts are the highest they have ever been. His rebounding his down as well are his assists. It is possible that some of the decline in assists is because he is playing with Westbrook and/or the Lakers have poor shooters when LeBron does kick the ball out on a dribble drive. But those things wouldn't/shouldn't have his decline in rebounding.

I don't read every LAL game thread, but have read enough to see the concern that Lebron might not return to the level of play that he was at in past seasons.

[bpcox05]

Yeah, put me in the camp of folks who think the notion of trading Lebron is pretty silly- it isn't going to happen.

Purely for the Pistons, I agree that we'd need some sort of handshake agreement with Russ- he won't want to play in Detroit and would make it even harder to develop our younger guys (we're already facing something of an uphill battle where that is concerned as is).

There’s a fair amount of people saying it won’t happen, it’s silly, etc. but not a lot of people actually providing reasoning.

Truthfully, it's because most of us think it's obvious.

First and foremost, moves like this DON'T happen. Top level guys like Lebron (and yes, he's still top level) don't get traded without a trade demand or some sort of other issue that made the situation untenable (for example the personal issues between Shaq and Kobe lead to Shaq's being traded in 2004- there's nothing like that here).

Lebron CHOSE to sign with the Lakers. Sure, he was hoping to win there (and already has done so, of course), but there were a lot of other reasons he chose to go to Los Angeles. Trading him will go over poorly with a player and agency that have a lot of power in NBA circles. This is connected to number one, by the way. It generally doesn't happen, and the return you offer here would not be worth that particular risk.

The reason people are writing this idea off without really feeling the need to elaborate is because you are proposing something that bears no resemblance to what actually happens in reality. You can argue all you want about how the Lakers "should" just blow it up and Lebron "should" be happy to move on from LA, but when you do so you are ignoring all but the most basic on-court factors, when in reality players and teams have to look at a fuller picture. And there's nothing wrong with any of that in and of itself, this board is all about fun hypotheticals. But that's really all this is.

I don’t disagree with your premise that much.

I’m not saying LAL would go and trade LeBron behind his back. I would think there would be a conversation between ownership and LeBron about them not believing they can improve these enough to give him a shot a championship and working together on a trade that would be beneficial for both sides.

If we’re recognizing that this teams championship window is closing/closed, is it reasonable to expect that LeBron (or people close to LeBron) may think that way or will think that way soon? And if they are of that mindset, would they not see a trade like this as a way to give him a few more shots at a title to further his legacy?

[bpcox05]

I also meant it in the sense of a #1 type of player having a spark/motor/drive that pushes average talent on the floor with him to overachieve.

I read enough LAL game threads to see that not many fans have faith in Davis being the lead (#1) to drag a a team to the top when LeBron is gone. Davis will show it at times, but not consistently.

It’s a fair critique.

I just have a very hard time seeing this current Lakers team reaching a championship. Davis, Simmons, and Grant are all on the same timeline and trading LeBron now reminds me of Belichick’s philosophy of it being better to trade a player 1 year too early than 1 year too late.

LeBron will be 37 by the end of the year. They have very minimal flexibility and avenues to improve this team over the next couple years to bring it back to a championship caliber team.

I agree that the current LAL team is going to struggle to win a championship because LeBron so far hasn't been able to drag a team forward as he has in past seasons. I understand your idea of LAL moving on and trying something else, but New Orleans didn't really impress when they had Davis as the #1 several seasons ago. The New Orleans FO at the time could have done better, but I don't have Davis jumping to the next level with the trade to the Lakers.


Westbrook, Davis and LeBron are all playing heavy minutes and the team is still stuck in the area of .500 even though the schedule has been favorable with more home than road games and relatively easy opponents so far.

Westbrook

Davis

LeBron


They can do as you have suggested and trade to try something different, but I don't see it leading to success because they will be without ac actual #1 player like LeBron used to be.

PHI Gets: LeBron James, Cory Joseph, Kent Bazemore, & Trevor Ariza
PHI Gives: Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, Jaden Springer, Paul Reed, 2022 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2023 PHI 1st (Unprotected), 2024 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2025 PHI 1st (Pick Swap if it doesn't convey), 2026 PHI 1st (Pick Swap), 2027 PHI 1st (Unprotected), & 2028 PHI 1st (Pick Swap)

I have Philadelphia as foolish to give up that much for a player in apparent decline such as LeBron. I have Cory Joseph, Bazemore and Ariza as filler, so won't discuss them.


This is the same link to his stats as was given above.

LeBron

On similar MPG as in past seasons, his three point attempts are the highest they have ever been. His rebounding his down as well are his assists. It is possible that some of the decline in assists is because he is playing with Westbrook and/or the Lakers have poor shooters when LeBron does kick the ball out on a dribble drive. But those things wouldn't/shouldn't have his decline in rebounding.

I don't read every LAL game thread, but have read enough to see the concern that Lebron might not return to the level of play that he was at in past seasons.

Well a 24 year old Davis, Cousins, & Holiday trio won 48 games and were 1 win back from the 3rd seed. Personally, I think a Davis, Simmons, and Grant would be better.

[bpcox05]

Bump.

Wondering how people feel about this trade with Davis going down.

[JJ_PR]

Would you really mortgage your future for 37 year old LeBron? AND add Simmons as well? That's a tough pill to swallow if I'm Philly.

Detroit is making out like bandits here. This trade isn't salvageable imo.

[7r5ur]

Bump.

Wondering how people feel about this trade with Davis going down.

Lebron is just too massive a money maker for a team. It is a business after all. Hard to see him getting traded unless he demands it.