What if Denver had won the 2003 lottery?

[rand]

Denver was tied for the worst record in the league but only received the #3 pick in the lottery. What if the Nuggets had won the #1 pick instead and landed LeBron, how many titles do they win?

Assume LeBron stays through the 2010 season and then leaves. Also assume the rest of the roster remains the same. Beyond Carmelo they had some pretty good players in those seasons even apart from Billups. Iverson, Nene, Camby, Chris Andersen, Kenyon Martin, Najera, JR Smith, Kleiza, Andre Miller, Boykins, Earl Watson.

2009 is an obvious candidate since even with Melo they pushed the Lakers to 6 but would Denver be the frontrunner in any other season?

[ShotCreator]

Titles on the table every year from 08-10.

I think they would’ve had the GOAT playoff offense and would’ve ran through the NBA with ease in 2009 and 2010.

So much synergy for LeBron across the roster.

Billups is a perfect fit for LeBron at PG, and he was a damn good guard that year.

JR synergized with LeBron as most a stiff, washed up spot up shooter with declining defense.

When he was young, he was an animal on both ends. Strong cutter, slasher, defender.

Nene would’ve been the best big LeBron played with after AD. Yes, better than Bosh. Much better defender. And way better and catch and finish guy.

We saw him turn Andersen into a roll guy shooting close to 100% from the field.

They would have walked through the Lakers. And that was a great Lakers team in 09 but they wouldn’t have been equipped to deal with that roster.

The 17 Cavs were probably a +9 team due to offense alone. I think this Nuggets team is much better. All-around. They pulverize the league. I would see them sweeping more opponents than not in 09 and 10.

[93 Phillies]

Even with Melo and the guys you mentioned, adding LeBron changes everything. I’d say 2009 they definitely have a shot at a title, maybe even more. They had good pieces, but LeBron’s presence would’ve made them serious contenders from pretty early on

[Hook_Em]

Memphis is a better what if. They were a 50 win team in 2004.

[OdomFan]

Denver was tied for the worst record in the league but only received the #3 pick in the lottery. What if the Nuggets had won the #1 pick instead and landed LeBron, how many titles do they win?

Assume LeBron stays through the 2010 season and then leaves. Also assume the rest of the roster remains the same. Beyond Carmelo they had some pretty good players in those seasons even apart from Billups. Iverson, Nene, Camby, Chris Andersen, Kenyon Martin, Najera, JR Smith, Kleiza, Andre Miller, Boykins, Earl Watson.

2009 is an obvious candidate since even with Melo they pushed the Lakers to 6 but would Denver be the frontrunner in any other season?

you can't assume the team would have built around Lebron the exact same way. It would be a completely different team. Thats why these threads never make sense.

[giberish]

Denver was tied for the worst record in the league but only received the #3 pick in the lottery. What if the Nuggets had won the #1 pick instead and landed LeBron, how many titles do they win?

Assume LeBron stays through the 2010 season and then leaves. Also assume the rest of the roster remains the same. Beyond Carmelo they had some pretty good players in those seasons even apart from Billups. Iverson, Nene, Camby, Chris Andersen, Kenyon Martin, Najera, JR Smith, Kleiza, Andre Miller, Boykins, Earl Watson.

2009 is an obvious candidate since even with Melo they pushed the Lakers to 6 but would Denver be the frontrunner in any other season?

you can't assume the team would have built around Lebron the exact same way. It would be a completely different team. Thats why these threads never make sense.

IIn this case at least it could have been. LeBron and Melo were both nominally SF's - though big enough to play some PF. LeBron would have been slightly higher salary his 1st 4 years but I don't know that that changes much.

[OdomFan]

Denver was tied for the worst record in the league but only received the #3 pick in the lottery. What if the Nuggets had won the #1 pick instead and landed LeBron, how many titles do they win?

Assume LeBron stays through the 2010 season and then leaves. Also assume the rest of the roster remains the same. Beyond Carmelo they had some pretty good players in those seasons even apart from Billups. Iverson, Nene, Camby, Chris Andersen, Kenyon Martin, Najera, JR Smith, Kleiza, Andre Miller, Boykins, Earl Watson.

2009 is an obvious candidate since even with Melo they pushed the Lakers to 6 but would Denver be the frontrunner in any other season?

you can't assume the team would have built around Lebron the exact same way. It would be a completely different team. Thats why these threads never make sense.

IIn this case at least it could have been. LeBron and Melo were both nominally SF's - though big enough to play some PF. LeBron would have been slightly higher salary his 1st 4 years but I don't know that that changes much.

Yeah but they're different kinds of small forward. Melo is more of a scorer which allowed Andre Miller to do majority of the floor general stuff at point guard.

Lebron is a point forward. Maybe he starts his career at shooting guard like he did with Cleveland, maybe not. Either way I think eventually the Nuggets would look to move Miller and others to build around Lebron in a different way.

[Johnny Tomala]

They would have definitely won a title in 2009. With KG injured the title window opened for other teams. Nuggets should have beaten Lakers even with Melo (they were better in Game 1 and 3 which they lost due to stupid inbounds). With LBJ instead of Melo, they won the series and then smoke weak Magic team that had no business being in NBA Finals.

[Basileus777]

Denver was tied for the worst record in the league but only received the #3 pick in the lottery. What if the Nuggets had won the #1 pick instead and landed LeBron, how many titles do they win?

Assume LeBron stays through the 2010 season and then leaves. Also assume the rest of the roster remains the same. Beyond Carmelo they had some pretty good players in those seasons even apart from Billups. Iverson, Nene, Camby, Chris Andersen, Kenyon Martin, Najera, JR Smith, Kleiza, Andre Miller, Boykins, Earl Watson.

2009 is an obvious candidate since even with Melo they pushed the Lakers to 6 but would Denver be the frontrunner in any other season?

you can't assume the team would have built around Lebron the exact same way. It would be a completely different team. Thats why these threads never make sense.

IIn this case at least it could have been. LeBron and Melo were both nominally SF's - though big enough to play some PF. LeBron would have been slightly higher salary his 1st 4 years but I don't know that that changes much.

There's a good chance that if LeBron isn't in the East to beat the Pistons in the playoffs Billups never gets traded for Iverson.