cupcakesnake wrote:Lakers are winning so everything is good but if they weren't, someone could make a topic titled:
Lakers defense since Bron's return
The Lakers offense indeed goes through the roof with Lebron on the floor (126 Ortg!!! vs. 118.3 when he's off.), but the impact on defense is crazier. The Lakers allow 124 points per 100 in 161 Lebron minutes so far (114.9 without him).
When you factor in both ends, the Lakers are playing slightly worse with Lebron.
They've played a bottom 5 quality schedule. At some point things will get tough, and that's when we'll find out if the Lakers are real. For what it's worth, I think the offense is obviously real. Luka/Reaves/Lebron is simply a hilarious amount of playmaking firepower, shooting, and rim pressure. The defense is a problem though. Their 3 best players are all very slow.
Very informative. Perhaps they should consider bringing him off the bench.
I know that would be a seismic and cataclysmic move, but in the name of winning, it might just be the best move for the Lakers.
If he pouts, so what. It'll be all over the news, but as you said, they're better (slightly) without him, so if he goes into his fake injury bag hoping for a trade partner, let him sit and wait for trade that will not happen this season.
There are a handful of teams that could use him, but practically none that can match his salary. He's a Laker this season whether he's happy or not. The Lakers have the leverage, so now, unlike any other time in his career, if Reddick wanted to move him to the bench, he'd have to either comply or look like a plum-fool in protestation.
If he were to protest a benching, he could embarrass himself worse than Scottie Poppen taking himself out of the last seconds of the game many years ago. This would be a permanent stain on his legacy.
If I'm the Lakers, I do it. They might as well set the table now for his imminent exit this summer, and it just might make them more lethal and balanced.