If LeBron James & KD never became ring chasers, where would they be in all-time list?

[Marcus_Shart]

Durant on the other hand would be an LS swapped Miata. CHEAT CODE

[The4thHorseman]

Lebron is obviously crucial in every title he's won. Doesn't mean he'd win them organically though. If he stayed in Cleveland he doesn't get past Boston till 2013 for example. Probably loses to the Spurs that year, and the next, then Golden State comes on the scene. Who knows how it would have shook out, but I doubt he has 3 or as many finals appearances. Durant may have beat Boston in 2012 as well.

May have hurt Durants legacy more than he helped his own

What does "organically" mean in this context?

Players change teams frequently due to trades and free agency. Teams and players are always seeking out the best situation with the best chance to win championships. The only exceptions are players who are willing to go to a lesser team for a bigger role or more money (which we often judge negatively), and sometimes geographic location, players who don't have a choice because they have limited suitors in free agency, and teams who are trying to save money or sacrifice current success for (they hope) a better chance to win a ring in the future.

Everyone is chasing rings because winning rings is the competitive object of the sport.

Which ways to do it are "organic" and which aren't?

Well, Durant left a contending team he had made the finals with for a team that had already won. He was able to do so only because of a once in a lifetime freak spike in the cap, and some lucky timing between injuries and contracts for said team.

Lebron colluded with 3 of his buddies to try and create a super team, and it's revisionist history to say otherwise. Those stars didn't align by chance. The whole premise of the thread is if they didn't do these things. Not whether they were right/wrong/warranted etc.

If it was planned way in advance, then why did LeBron try to get Bosh to sign with Cleveland that off-season?

https://www.fearthesword.com/2010/7/6/1554543/broussard-lebron-wants-chris-bosh

You say the stars didn't align by chance and you're right. After the 2010 season, all 3 players became UFA and now had 7yrs in the league which meant they could sign their first max deal of their careers. Making sure that they were free agents the first year eligible for a max deal was very smart on their part.

[Marcus_Shart]

Where did I say it was planned WAY in advance? They all took slightly less money to make it work. Oh, and yes it was smart. Smarter than Melo for sure.