Do the Lakers "owe" something to Lebron?

[Ryoga Hibiki]

I find very frustrating when most analysts put the question in those terms.
LeBron had a big influence in the way the current team has been shaped and he freely decided to join and extend multiple times.
The Lakers FO duty is to maximize short and long term results of the franchise and nothing else, in my view. It can coincide with LeBron's interest the moment there's a great opportunity that would make them contenders and/or a player good for the long term.
But that team's success should be their only priority.

That's why I don't like this kind of comments:

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You're talking about nothing if you have no idea about what you can get back for those picks.

[Zvaart]

Salary.

[Dupp]

They're wasting his twilight years and THEIR potential window.

[jbk1234]

The assumption is that they could get someone or someones with those picks who would matter enough is the key to the entirety of his opininon. It's absurd that he ducks the question when it's put to him.

And to answer the question, no organization owes any player the next decade or so of their future. LBJ had the option of not extending and walking this summer, but he chose the money.

[jbk1234]

Double post

[Ballerhogger]

They got him AD and competent team and won a title . They’ve signed players he perferred to play with . . He’s benefited from Hollywood scene and has made multiply movies last few years. He’s quite happy here

[Phreak50]

They're wasting his twilight years and THEIR potential window.

If reports are true they he chose the Westbrook trade over Derozan then it's his own fault.

[Ein Sof]

Yes, a goddamn statue.

[hippesthippo]

It depends. On the surface, I'd say no, but if the Lakers made promises to Lebron when he re-signed then I'd say yes.

[TheSheriff]

The Lakers don’t owe Any player the future of their franchise for a short term playoff run. They owe their fans more.

[elchengue20]

Lol, it's not like they "owe" him anything, they just have a top 2 player all time whos showing he still can play like a top 5 player in any Playoff series, you don't take that for granted.

A couple of picks don't garantee nothing, its stupid to not go all in right now. Also, Lakers can rebuild thru FA if they are looked as a winning franchise by the players.

[Jables]

The Lakers are bigger than LeBron. He went there for a reason and it had nothing to do with being a well run organisation, went there for the same reason 90% of superstars did, money, media profile, weather, celebrity benefits that LA provides. They got the best players in the league before LeBron, they'll get the best players in the league after LeBron, give or take a couple of **** years.

They'll go all in because that's what the Lakers do, not because of LeBron, they don't get punished for it. Only thing is they've already gutten their team enough with **** trades to appease LeBron.

If any franchise owes a player, it's a guy whos taken salary cuts and sticks by them in the bad times. LeBron has never seen truly bad times, he cuts and runs until a team can get superstars around him again. And that's fine, he has the power to do so and he's weathered most of the criticism for it, he doesn't owe anybody anything, they certainly don't owe him anything though.

[druggas]

The Lakers are bigger than LeBron.

[JN61]

They're wasting his twilight years and THEIR potential window.

If reports are true they he chose the Westbrook trade over Derozan then it's his own fault.

He isn't leading any team to a championship so kinda a moot point who he selected.

[dhsilv2]

They're wasting his twilight years and THEIR potential window.

If reports are true they he chose the Westbrook trade over Derozan then it's his own fault.

That's like asking someone how they want to be tortured!

[Memories]

The **** is this?

This is some incredible cringe of a title. Lakers are paying Lebron are they not? They’re not holding him against his will, he signed an extension knowing the roster situation, and if the complaint is about the roster not being good enough, he only has himself to blame for being the big voice in trading an absurd package for a guy now making $47 million coming off the bench. All because he was scared **** of the Nets when they got Harden, and didn’t want to play PG anymore despite that being how he won the title last time.

Lakers right now are actually acting competently this time by not just throwing away their last of their 1st round pick resources for some over the hill scrub. In Lebron’s world, he would have traded those picks already for John Wall or something stupid like that.

[Colbinii]

They don't owe it to LeBron, they owe it to their fanbase. They sign the GOAT, trade for AD, extend them both, and then sit on picks 4 and 6 years from now when their best championship window for the next Decade is now. If I were in their fan base I would be livid.

[Colbinii]

They're wasting his twilight years and THEIR potential window.

If reports are true they he chose the Westbrook trade over Derozan then it's his own fault.

But how is that preventing them from trading their picks.

[It isn't]

[bradybunch]

Not just the Lakers.

Everyone owes him.

If you walk this planet, you're indebted to the LeKing.

Haaaaaaalp LeKing!

[LFAHFN22]

I don't normally engage in discussions revolving around LeBron, primarily because his legion of worshippers normally cannot be reasoned with.

As a lifelong Laker fan, I cannot help but wonder. . . What potential trade involving any number of the Lakers assets would yield a noteworthy return capable of saving this season, if Davis isn't healthy?