(LOCK THREAD) The LeBron James - 22-23 NBA Season Thread -NBA's All-Time Scoring Leader!

[MisterHibachi]

Initial thoughts, I would start D Lo, Reaves or Beasley, Vando, LeBron and AD. I think the real question is whether to start a wing (Vando or Rui) or start big with Bamba.

[LikeABosh]

Pelinka is a moron.

He did a good job with the DLo trade and then ruins it by trading PatBev+Bryant for Bamba.

You lose your POA defender to pair with DLo, now you got no one to help DLo defend. Perimeter scoring was bad before? You've seen nothing.

Vando is the POA defender now. He's one of the best. But hopefully they don't use him as a PF too much.

LeBron team just traded a 3+D guard for a backup big..

You're going to see why this is a disaster

Beverly was a very mid player. I'm not too concerned

[MartinToVaught]

Pelinka is a moron.

He did a good job with the DLo trade and then ruins it by trading PatBev+Bryant for Bamba.

You lose your POA defender to pair with DLo, now you got no one to help DLo defend. Perimeter scoring was bad before? You've seen nothing.

I don't even think the DLo trade was all that amazing, but I'm not all that high on DLo in general. Vanderbilt was the prize of the deal, but as good as he is, I'm not sure he alone is providing quite the boost that this trade is hyped up to be.

[zimpy27]

Who cares about guard defense. Vandy did a great job on Ja Morant last post-season.

Look up lineup data on DLo and you'll see that PatBev was the secret of his success. Vando is needed for wing defense.

What? I am a Timberwolves fan. What are you wanting me to look at?

Lineup data +/-

DLo.with.and without PatBev

[zimpy27]

Vando is the POA defender now. He's one of the best. But hopefully they don't use him as a PF too much.

LeBron team just traded a 3+D guard for a backup big..

You're going to see why this is a disaster

Beverly was a very mid player. I'm not too concerned

He's been their best shooter the past few months, takes few shots away from LeBron, hustles and plays tough defense even with little rim protection.

[dcstanley]

The way I see it, they got better on both sides of the floor. Better offensively by replacing non-shooters with versatile shooters (Russell and Beasley can shoot off screens, shoot pull-up jumpers, shoot open catch and shoot jumpers, etc) and better defensively by adding a wing stopper in Vanderbilt, more size in the rotation, and replacing some of the more destructive defensive players (Bryant and Westbrook). Perimeter defense is a weakness now but they have far less weaknesses than before. The offense should be legit.

[LikeABosh]

LeBron team just traded a 3+D guard for a backup big..

You're going to see why this is a disaster

Beverly was a very mid player. I'm not too concerned

He's been their best shooter the past few months, takes few shots away from LeBron, hustles and plays tough defense even with little rim protection.

And that's sad.

He's a decent role player, but I think they're set on guards. I wouldn't want to play him over Dlo, Beasley, or Reaves. Dennis is one of the few decent playmakers besides LeBron so I can't really argue Bev over him either. He also had one of the worst line stats on the Lakers which is the total opposite of his time in Minny. He's just older now and I'm not really worried about losing what he brings

[Colbinii]

Look up lineup data on DLo and you'll see that PatBev was the secret of his success. Vando is needed for wing defense.

What? I am a Timberwolves fan. What are you wanting me to look at?

Lineup data +/-

DLo.with.and without PatBev

Im confused.

That was just the starting line-up of Beverley/Russell/ANT/Vanderbilt/Towns. That was one of the better starting line-ups in the NBA in 2022--in 450 minutes with a rating of +12.3.

Now, I am guessing you looked at these numbers and tried to conclude everything is tied to Beverley.
Dlo/Towns: +6.3
Dlo/Edwards: +6.5
Dlo/Vanderbilt: +6.0
Dlo/Beverley: +8.6

You need to realize the minutes with Beverley is only 757, meaning well over half of the minutes shared with Dlo/Beverley also included Towns, Edwards and Vanderbilt together. Meanwhile, Dlo/Towns played over 1400 minutes together while the other two [Vanderbilt/Edwards] were well over 1000 minutes together.

[dcstanley]

could have traded lonnie + schroeder for bamba instead. I would have preferred that.

[letskissbro]

Didn't get a single two-way role player.

[zimpy27]

What? I am a Timberwolves fan. What are you wanting me to look at?

Lineup data +/-

DLo.with.and without PatBev

Im confused.

That was just the starting line-up of Beverley/Russell/ANT/Vanderbilt/Towns. That was one of the better starting line-ups in the NBA in 2022--in 450 minutes with a rating of +12.3.

Now, I am guessing you looked at these numbers and tried to conclude everything is tied to Beverley.
Dlo/Towns: +6.3
Dlo/Edwards: +6.5
Dlo/Vanderbilt: +6.0
Dlo/Beverley: +8.6

You need to realize the minutes with Beverley is only 757, meaning well over half of the minutes shared with Dlo/Beverley also included Towns, Edwards and Vanderbilt together. Meanwhile, Dlo/Towns played over 1400 minutes together while the other two [Vanderbilt/Edwards] were well over 1000 minutes together.

Even when Wolves played they had Vando, Ant and Bev as perimeter defenders while DLo was quarterbacking defense.

Bev, DLo, LeBron, Vando, Davis
That made sense defensively. That's a good squad.

Now you just have Beasley or Lonnie as the starting SG. Lakers only have Vando on the perimeter properly now.

Anyway, you will see what happens here.

[Slava]

Maybe Lebron goes back to playing PG?

[zimpy27]

Beverly was a very mid player. I'm not too concerned

He's been their best shooter the past few months, takes few shots away from LeBron, hustles and plays tough defense even with little rim protection.

And that's sad.

He's a decent role player, but I think they're set on guards. I wouldn't want to play him over Dlo, Beasley, or Reaves. Dennis is one of the few decent playmakers besides LeBron so I can't really argue Bev over him either. He also had one of the worst line stats on the Lakers which is the total opposite of his time in Minny. He's just older now and I'm not really worried about losing what he brings

I will remind you of this

[Statlanta]

They took the Jazz two best players and they took a guy who was having a hot streak on one of the play in teams. Portland also doing tank moves basically gives them a shot in the play-in games.

[nzahir]

Bamba sucks. I think Bev is the type of player whose value increases in the playoffs. LA’s perimeter defense is absolutely tragic now with Russell, Beasley, Walker, and Schroder.

My thoughts too. If Reaves and Christie get more minutes I'm okay with it overall.. Schroeder and Walker shouldn't even be in the rotation tbh.

I would have traded Walker instead of Bev.

I think Dennis can play a bit, who else would be our backup pg?

Def no to Lonnie

[nzahir]

Sooo is that it?

I don't love the Bev move if we aren't getting another guard defender tbh or upgrading for Beasley, but it is what it is

Was hoping for GTJ or Bogdan there

Are we starting Bamba and going big or going

Dlo, Reaves, Bron, Rui, AD
Dennis, Beasley, TBJ/Christie, Vando, Bamba
Lonnie, Gabriel

Random notes for around the league:

Denver **** up big imo. They should have gotten another guy at least. Bench is so weak imo. Already was weak and now they moved Hyland. They needed to get a replacement there and another wing. Maybe buyout market? But a deal for OG would have been big for them or even DFS

LAC somehow keep adding useful guys for nothing somehow, just unbelievable. I do worry a bit Russ can be useful for that team, lot of shooting and no ball handling. But he will also make some awful plays late in a close game and likely screw them

Doubt Bamba would be in rotation he barely played in Orlando

I thought Bamba was clashing there, but o well

I think he can fill in Bryant's role

I would have preffered Bev and Bryant, but I guess we wanted to recoup some 2nds and felt like Bryant would go somewhere after this year anyways

[nzahir]

Bamba sucks. I think Bev is the type of player whose value increases in the playoffs. LA’s perimeter defense is absolutely tragic now with Russell, Beasley, Walker, and Schroder.

Agreed.. Pelinka managed to accidentally create a balances roster yesterday. Then trashed it. Just clear he has no idea what he's doing.

Bev was a great fit with DLo.

DLo's best plus/minus was with Bev and Vando, in playoffs he was best with Bev. This is so damn annoying.

Bev did fit well, but was potentially a bit of a small guard lineup

But got to move on, guess we valued those 2nds for Bryant

[nzahir]

Initial thoughts, I would start D Lo, Reaves or Beasley, Vando, LeBron and AD. I think the real question is whether to start a wing (Vando or Rui) or start big with Bamba.

Beasley must come off the bench

Yes the real Q is go with Rui/Vando or Bamba

I feel like Vando will fit best with Bamba

Dlo, Reaves, Rui, Bron, AD
Dennis, Beasley, Troy Brown/Christie, Vando, Bamba

Depth: Lonnie, Gabriel

Could/Should have been

Dlo, Bev, Rui, Bron, AD
Dennis, Beasley, Reaves, Vando, Bryant

Depth: Christie, Troy Brown, Lonnie, Gabriel

Or maybe we really are planning to go big with Bamba and be like the Bucks with drop coverage?

[MyUniBroDavis]

Y’all are stupid if y’all are mad rn btw lol

Russ/Bev/nunn/JTA/Jones/TB out

Rui/Dangelo/Vanderbilt/Beasley/Bamba in

That’s crazy lol

[Cavsfansince84]

Just getting to the play in will still be a struggle unless AD comes back at a 28/12 type level and wants to play good defense. Then the Lakers might get on a roll which is all it would take. One 5-6 game win streak then play .500 in the other games.