Which of LeBron's running mates would MJ have the best chemistry with? Irving, Love, Wade, Bosh, Davis or Doncic?

[bonita_the_frog]

I think MJ didn't like players who didn't play defense, so I would say Luka would be the worst no matter how the offense would work. I would also leave Love out. Wade played same position and neither of them are PG's, so even if they probably would make it work, it is a question mark for their chemistry. But Heat Bosh and AD would most likely work with any player, so they would work well and they would have provided enough post scoring, which was quite popular in MJ's era. So I think either of them would work really well, but I chose Bosh because he was more willing 3 point shooter, even though 3 point shooting was not as popular as it is now.

Me too I chose Bosh, he can score from everywhere, and can stretch the D so MJ can post-up and drive while Bosh can spot-up from everywhere.
And if MJ wants to stay on the perimeter, he can feed Bosh downlow (and Bosh is also great at taking his man off the dribble from the high-post).

Whereas AD isn't a 3-point shooter, so can't stretch the D enough, and Love stretches the D with his shooting but is lacking at the defensive end.
Plus of course I'd never trust AD's health, and also I have concerns over Doncic's health in addition to his poor defense...

Irving is too unprofessional, and Wade is the best player in the poll and ticks very box except for 3-point shooting.
Bosh ticks every box.

[Lalouie]

you can eliminate anyone who's a scorer because unlike LeBron, MJ didn't need any scorers.

take ad and make an already very good defensive team very great

[MavsDirk41]

I think MJ didn't like players who didn't play defense, so I would say Luka would be the worst no matter how the offense would work. I would also leave Love out. Wade played same position and neither of them are PG's, so even if they probably would make it work, it is a question mark for their chemistry. But Heat Bosh and AD would most likely work with any player, so they would work well and they would have provided enough post scoring, which was quite popular in MJ's era. So I think either of them would work really well, but I chose Bosh because he was more willing 3 point shooter, even though 3 point shooting was not as popular as it is now.

Me too I chose Bosh, he can score from everywhere, and can stretch the D so MJ can post-up and drive while Bosh can spot-up from everywhere.
And if MJ wants to stay on the perimeter, he can feed Bosh downlow (and Bosh is also great at taking his man off the dribble from the high-post).

Whereas AD isn't a 3-point shooter, so can't stretch the D enough, and Love stretches the D with his shooting but is lacking at the defensive end.
Plus of course I'd never trust AD's health, and also I have concerns over Doncic's health in addition to his poor defense...

Irving is too unprofessional, and Wade is the best player in the poll and ticks very box except for 3-point shooting.
Bosh ticks every box.

Irving has been great since coming to Dallas. He was a great #2 to Luka and didnt cause a stink after the Mavs traded Luka to LA. He has embraced his role of a veteran leader here in Dallas. He wasnt my pick in the poll but i think he could play with Jordan. He would be the primary ball handler and secondary type scorer. Again, he wasnt my pick but it could work.

[jbsays]

Is Pippen still on the team? If so, AD is the obvious answer because Bulls wouldn't need scoring from him, but he could anchor the defense while being the best offensive big the Bulls had during Jordan's tenure. The perimeter guys would have less of a role with Jordan and Pippen, although maybe Pippen is the one who gets less of a role on the offensive end? Ron Harper wasn't really a PG until he joined the Bulls. Even after tearing his ACL he still put up 20ppg, 6rpg, 4.6apg, and 2 steals per game his last season on the Clippers. So, if you add a perimeter guy (Wade, Luka, or Kyrie) to Jordan and Pippen one of them could likely fill a similar role. Whereas AD's scoring would likely go down, he'd still be a force on defense and help more so as legit scoring big.

If you take Pippen out of the equation it is a lot harder to choose. Pippen did handle the ball a ton during both 3 peats. So if he's not there then Wade, Luka, or Kyrie would make more sense. With Wade you could potentially put MJ at the 3. With any of those guys instead of Pippen you're giving up something defensively though. Pippen was long and strong. Wade would be closest in that regard so I guess if Pippen isn't there I'd say Wade with MJ moving to the three.

Either way I wouldn't take Love.

[CodeBreaker]

Luka and MJ backcourt would be ridiculous lol

[celtics543]

It's got to be either Bosh, AD, or Love. I think I'd go Bosh for personality and ability.

[bonita_the_frog]

Is Pippen still on the team? If so, AD is the obvious answer because Bulls wouldn't need scoring from him, but he could anchor the defense while being the best offensive big the Bulls had during Jordan's tenure. The perimeter guys would have less of a role with Jordan and Pippen, although maybe Pippen is the one who gets less of a role on the offensive end? Ron Harper wasn't really a PG until he joined the Bulls. Even after tearing his ACL he still put up 20ppg, 6rpg, 4.6apg, and 2 steals per game his last season on the Clippers. So, if you add a perimeter guy (Wade, Luka, or Kyrie) to Jordan and Pippen one of them could likely fill a similar role. Whereas AD's scoring would likely go down, he'd still be a force on defense and help more so as legit scoring big.

If you take Pippen out of the equation it is a lot harder to choose. Pippen did handle the ball a ton during both 3 peats. So if he's not there then Wade, Luka, or Kyrie would make more sense. With Wade you could potentially put MJ at the 3. With any of those guys instead of Pippen you're giving up something defensively though. Pippen was long and strong. Wade would be closest in that regard so I guess if Pippen isn't there I'd say Wade with MJ moving to the three.

Either way I wouldn't take Love.

Nobody is in the team, this is just about MJ's running mate.
Put any generic supporting cast in, just make sure none of them are as good as the running mate (offensively at least).
Whoever you choose in the poll, is MJ's #2.

Interestingly the Bulls were a better defensive team without Pippen in 1997-98...
1995-96 = Bulls conceded 92.9
1996-97 = Bulls conceded 92.3
1997-98 = Bulls conceded 89.6
1997-98 = Bulls conceded 88.2 in the first 35 games of the season (Pippen DNP)

[dhsilv2]

Whereas AD would hog the post, so MJ wouldn't be able to post up much.

What? The triangle is 3 posts...there's no post to hog.

[bonita_the_frog]

Whereas AD would hog the post, so MJ wouldn't be able to post up much.

What? The triangle is 3 posts...there's no post to hog.

Oh, I was putting MJ into LeBron's Cavs, Heat and Lakers, so Triangle wasn't a consideration.

[EmpireFalls]

Bosh and AD.

Don’t think MJ scales up as well next to a volume shooter which Wade, Luka, Kyrie very much are. I say shooter because there’s a distinction: he can live with volume ball handlers as the system required a lot of off-ball play but it’s hard to imagine him being optimized with another guard taking 25-30 shots a game.

Bosh and AD are the perfect defensive and offensive fits with him as they’re strong rollers, unselfish offensive rebounders, skilled enough in the post, and obviously elite switchable defenders.

Overall, in LBJ’s place, MJ doesn’t win any titles in the first Cleveland stint, wins 2011 but loses 2014, likely loses 2016 due to not fitting as well next to Kyrie as LBJ did but wins 2015, wins 2020 as well. So 5 rings total I’d say.

[RLPH]

Chemistry : Wade all day long.

Basketball fit ? AD, K.Love

[The4thHorseman]

Bosh and AD.

Don’t think MJ scales up as well next to a volume shooter which Wade, Luka, Kyrie very much are. I say shooter because there’s a distinction: he can live with volume ball handlers as the system required a lot of off-ball play but it’s hard to imagine him being optimized with another guard taking 25-30 shots a game.

Bosh and AD are the perfect defensive and offensive fits with him as they’re strong rollers, unselfish offensive rebounders, skilled enough in the post, and obviously elite switchable defenders.

Overall, in LBJ’s place, MJ doesn’t win any titles in the first Cleveland stint, wins 2011 but loses 2014, likely loses 2016 due to not fitting as well next to Kyrie as LBJ did but wins 2015, wins 2020 as well. So 5 rings total I’d say.

It's not like we're talking about putting a fresh MJ into every year you referred to above, cause obviously James wasn't in those years. There's no way that Jordan plays consecutive seasons from 2004-2020, that's a given.

[JinKaz69]

Overall, in LBJ’s place, MJ doesn’t win any titles in the first Cleveland stint, wins 2011 but loses 2014, likely loses 2016 due to not fitting as well next to Kyrie as LBJ did but wins 2015, wins 2020 as well. So 5 rings total I’d say.

MJ would have won in 2007.
Young MJ was the GOAT slasher and would have absolutely demolished his opponents if he played during this era due to the rules (did you see what Wade did during 2005 & 2006 playoffs ? He would have been even uglier).
Also he would not have lost to Dwight in 2009.

[sikma42]

Skill wise id say AD. But I think MJ would start calling him soft for getting injured so much. I dont think he's soft, but pretty sure MJ would say this.

[EmpireFalls]

Overall, in LBJ’s place, MJ doesn’t win any titles in the first Cleveland stint, wins 2011 but loses 2014, likely loses 2016 due to not fitting as well next to Kyrie as LBJ did but wins 2015, wins 2020 as well. So 5 rings total I’d say.

MJ would have won in 2007.
Young MJ was the GOAT slasher and would have absolutely demolished his opponents if he played during this era due to the rules (did you see what Wade did during 2005 & 2006 playoffs ? He would have been even uglier).
Also he would not have lost to Dwight in 2009.

No im very confident he (and every other player in basketball history) would’ve lost in 2007. Laughable to suggest otherwise. The Spurs team was way better

LeBron played about as well as humanly possible in the 2009 series btw. He averaged 40.

[JinKaz69]

Overall, in LBJ’s place, MJ doesn’t win any titles in the first Cleveland stint, wins 2011 but loses 2014, likely loses 2016 due to not fitting as well next to Kyrie as LBJ did but wins 2015, wins 2020 as well. So 5 rings total I’d say.

MJ would have won in 2007.
Young MJ was the GOAT slasher and would have absolutely demolished his opponents if he played during this era due to the rules (did you see what Wade did during 2005 & 2006 playoffs ? He would have been even uglier).
Also he would not have lost to Dwight in 2009.

No im very confident he (and every other player in basketball history) would’ve lost in 2007. Laughable to suggest otherwise. The Spurs team was way better

LeBron played about as well as humanly possible in the 2009 series btw. He averaged 40.

That Spurs team were a good team but nothing special. Far from being the best Spurs team and part of the best champions from 00-10 era either.

MJ never lost as a favourite (the Cavs were favourite against the Magic).That Magic squad was good but not an insurmontable stacked one and far from being an all-time great team.

[The Laker Kid]

JR Smith. They can go drinking together and have instant chemistry.

[TheGeneral99]

AD or Bosh would be ideal, but Wade could fit with MJ as well.

[One Last Shot]

MJ would have won in 2007.
Young MJ was the GOAT slasher and would have absolutely demolished his opponents if he played during this era due to the rules (did you see what Wade did during 2005 & 2006 playoffs ? He would have been even uglier).
Also he would not have lost to Dwight in 2009.

No im very confident he (and every other player in basketball history) would’ve lost in 2007. Laughable to suggest otherwise. The Spurs team was way better

LeBron played about as well as humanly possible in the 2009 series btw. He averaged 40.

That Spurs team were a good team but nothing special. Far from being the best Spurs team and part of the best champions from 00-10 era either.

MJ never lost as a favourite (the Cavs were favourite against the Magic).That Magic squad was good but not an insurmontable stacked one and far from being an all-time great team.

Bulls was the favourite to beat the Magic in 1995, they lost that series with him choking in numerous key moments and MJ won't even make the Finals in 2007 with the Cavs, he's not built to carry a terrible squad to playoffs series win. He won 1 playoffs game in 5 years, got swept and miss the postseason twice without a stacked squad.

[bonita_the_frog]

Even 39-year-old MJ could carry the worst roster in the NBA... so safe to say Prime MJ can carry the 2007 Cavs.

In 2001-02 MJ had the Wizards at 26-21 before the knee tendinitis took over and he ended up only playing 60 of the 82 games.
That Wizards team won 9 games in a row, but finished 37-45 when Jordan missed about 20 games after the all-star break.

Wizards beat the East-leading New Jersey Nets by 22 (MJ scored 45 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and that was only 2 days after scoring 51), and beat the West-leading Sacramento Kings by 7.

Richard Hamilton 20.0 points, 2.7 assists, played 63 games
Laettner 7.1 points, played 57 games
Jahidi White 5.4 points 6.3 rebounds
Popeye Jones 7.0 points 7.3 rebounds
Chris Whitney 10.2 points 3.8 assists
Courtney Alexander 9.8 points, and retired the next year
Tyrone Nesby 6.3 points, and retired that year