LeBron Wins NBA Title in 2016: Best for Eastern Conference?

[Mahoner]

It's something that I just started wondering about as the Finals is about to get underway on Thursday...

In the presented scenario, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors and win the NBA title in 2016. Is that a best case for the rest of the Eastern Conference? Maybe the league?

Some of the potential ripple effects:

1) Biggest one - A championship goes to Cleveland. We all know the story - Cleveland hasn't won a major championship since 1964 when the Browns did it (and I'm not counting the Ravens). That's alotta losing for a long time. But the potential to end the drought is on the cusp, so it's a feel good story. NBA has a nice storyline that plays out "Local boy comes home and delivers championship". And really - isn't this among the reasons why LeBron said he wanted to come back to Cleveland? Now, let's say that promise is delivered. So what does that mean then? Well, Cleveland's happy cause they're now a champion and LeBron adds to his legacy. On the surface level that's cool but what happens going forward?

2) "The Drive" - Say what you will about LBJ, but he's a pretty driven guy. More so than his current teammates I'd argue. If those same teammates (in particular a Kevin Love/Kyrie Irving/JR Smith...) are they going to have that same drive - and therefore the same high level of performance - if they win a title in 2016? I'm not so sure. I think they'd be just as happy to get 1 title and not necessarily go for a dynasty. Which leads me to my next point...

2) LeBron and Free Agency - Like I stated before, LeBron said he'd come back to the Cleveland to help get that 'chip. He does it, this year. He can opt out and go somewhere he wants. LeBron did what he said he was going to do. He doesn't have to come back to the Cavs. Maybe he joins Wade back in Miami? Maybe he tries to align his boyz and create a superteam of LBJ/Melo/Wade/Paul? Couldn't be for 2016/2017 season but they could try in a year or two?

4) The Rest of the Eastern Conference - It's already been established with LeBron going to the Finals 6 times in a row that the team he is on in the East reigns supreme. Numbers don't lie. So what does that mean for the other 14 teams? They're screwed. Or are they? A less driven Cavs squad OR a less talented Cavs squad if LeBron James bolts means that all of a sudden 2 through 10 could see daylight to the Finals. After the draft and/or a couple of smart moves by GM's make a pretender into a contender overnight.

5) The Rest of the Western Conference - Now, outside of Golden State which already won a championship in 2015 and (assumably) loses in a Finals in 2016 is still a really, really good team. Borderline dynasty in the making. But if you're a player on a Western team not named San Antonio, do you have an allegiance to your current team? If you view the Eastern Conference like "I'd only have to get through 1 team to get to the finals instead of the grindhouse of the Western playoffs" wouldn't they consider leaving their team/conference?

I know it's alotta if's written in there, but I really think that depending on how the Finals play out - at least the speculation can start should the Cavs win it this year and what happens with LeBron going forward.

[RCM88x]

We need new things to say other than "the east is terrible" so yes.

[MarvinGaye1983]

If Cleveland wins the championship this year then they would be the first NBA Champions from the Eastern Conference since 2013.

[Throwback24]

If Cleveland wins the championship this year then they would be the first NBA Champions from the Eastern Conference since 2013.

Roy Hibbert and his verticality was still a thing back then

[WestGOAT]

Cleveland winning the title is good for Cleveland, rest of the Eastern Conferences doesn't get ****.

[Merc_Porto]

Cleveland winning the title is good for Cleveland, rest of the Eastern Conferences doesn't get ****.

lol THIS

[The Penguin]

Fans on internet message boards care about how the East stacks up against the West, players do not. We've seen countless times where guys could have joined teams in the East for an "easier" path to the title and no one has since KG, who was traded. (I guess Melo did, but that had less to do with path to the title and more to do with his brand).

The best thing for the other teams in the East is Lebron either pulling a Jordan and shockingly retiring or deciding to join CP3 in LA with the Clippers or Lakers. Going back to Miami changes nothing. In regards to public perception between the conferences, it doesn't matter, this is not college football and no committee is going to disqualify the East champ from the Finals because of lack of competition.

[NBAfan3024]

Cavs winning the title doesn't suddenly mean the east isn't terrible.

[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Even if the cavs win it changes nothing. Why? This season is not even over yet and all of us already know that team Lebron will be in the finals in 2017 and in 2018 and in 2019 and in 2020. You get the idea. Until more than one team has a shot at making it to the finals the east will continue to be awful.

[Winter]

Heat won twice already. Until there is another team(s) from East show contender ability, there is not much. West always has 2 to 3 team with that potential year in year out and few teams maybe the dark horse but not that surprise if they won Championship.

It will be great for Cleveland, and he will be remembered by local as the greatest.

[Greatness]

If Cleveland wins the championship this year then they would be the first NBA Champions from the Eastern Conference since 2013.

I mean that's just two seasons

[dautjazz]

If Cleveland wins the championship this year then they would be the first NBA Champions from the Eastern Conference since 2013.

Oh the good old days.

[baller16]

People keep bringing this "East is weak" narrative up all the time. Then why don't **** FA's come to the damn East? Seriously,it makes no sense. Why waste your time battling it out in the tough Western conference when the only barrier you have to overcome in the East is just Lebron. Damn, are all NBA players that scared of LBJ?

[bmurph128]

People keep bringing this "East is weak" narrative all the time. Then why don't **** FA's come to the damn East? Seriously,it makes no sense. Why waste your time battling it out in the tough Western conference when the only barrier you have to overcome in the East is just Lebron. Damn, are all NBA players that scared of LBJ?

Yes.

People talk about the East being weak, but LeBron is still better than every player out West. It is interesting that players join Western Conference teams rather than coming out to the "weaker" East.

[Tacoma]

People keep bringing this "East is weak" narrative all the time. Then why don't **** FA's come to the damn East? Seriously,it makes no sense. Why waste your time battling it out in the tough Western conference when the only barrier you have to overcome in the East is just Lebron. Damn, are all NBA players that scared of LBJ?

Yes.

People talk about the East being weak, but LeBron is still better than every player out West. It is interesting that players join Western Conference teams rather than coming out to the "weaker" East.

No. The East being weak and LeBron being the best player are not mutually exclusive. We can have both and we do. That LeBron has only won 2 of 6 Finals shows that LeBron's teams would have lost before the Finals had they been in the West in those other 4 years.

And the West is better not because players choosing to join the West rather than coming out East. Take a look at this year's All NBA First team: LeBron, Kawhi, DeAndre, Curry & Westbook. All these West players have played only for teams that drafted them. Look at the All NBA 2nd Team: Durant, Green, Cousins, Paul & Lillard... all West players playing for teams that drafted them. So it's not about player movement, it's about drafting and the West is better at it.

[Geaux_Hawks]

People keep bringing this "East is weak" narrative all the time. Then why don't **** FA's come to the damn East? Seriously,it makes no sense. Why waste your time battling it out in the tough Western conference when the only barrier you have to overcome in the East is just Lebron. Damn, are all NBA players that scared of LBJ?

Yes.

People talk about the East being weak, but LeBron is still better than every player out West. It is interesting that players join Western Conference teams rather than coming out to the "weaker" East.

No. The East being weak and LeBron being the best player are not mutually exclusive. We can have both and we do. That LeBron has only won 2 of 6 Finals shows that LeBron's teams would have lost before the Finals had they been in the West in those other 4 years.

And the West is better not because players choosing to join the West rather than coming out East. Take a look at this year's All NBA First team: LeBron, Kawhi, DeAndre, Curry & Westbook. All these West players have played only for teams that drafted them. Look at the All NBA 2nd Team: Durant, Green, Cousins, Paul & Lillard... all West players playing for teams that drafted them. So it's not about player movement, it's about drafting and the West is better at it.

Paul was traded to LAC, but yes I do get your point because Paul was drafted in the west(Yeah I know it was irrelevant lol).

[Geaux_Hawks]

I would like to say number 5 will eventually take place. If you think about it, guys from the west have always tried coming East. Deron, Melo, Love, KG, & Ray have all made an attempt to come East although it was via trade. KG and Ray of course won a ring by doing so. Love was obviously teamed up with Lebron, making his decision to extend in Cleveland easy. Deron fell off a cliff, while Melo is choosing to live and die by NY for some reason.

I say that, to say this. KD is about to become a free agent. After beating what would have easily been the number one team in the east, you would have thought the Thunder were well on their way to the Finals, but no, they only managed to beat the 2nd best team in the west, and still had to continue on through the gauntlet to hopefully make the Finals. Unfortunately, his team ran out of gas trying to get their. Could it be because they had to battle so hard against 2 other teams that had a better record than them? Possibly considering how well they had to play to even get past the Spurs and then 3-1 against the Warriors.

Compare that to Lebron's road to the Finals, and you see how the Cavs were able to sweep 2 of the 3 teams they played. The 3rd could have faced the same fate had they not had huge performances from their star players.

So knowing this, why wouldn't Durant try to go East for an easier path to the Finals knowing that if he can either beat Lebron or hope that a David vs. Goliath type triumph could happen then he will be in the Finals compared to having to run a gauntlet in the west?

2017 opens up the door for guys like Westbrook, or Griffin, or Heyward as well. AD or Cousins could force their way east.

[nbafan38]

I would like to say number 5 will eventually take place. If you think about it, guys from the west have always tried coming East. Deron, Melo, Love, KG, & Ray have all made an attempt to come East although it was via trade. KG and Ray of course won a ring by doing so. Love was obviously teamed up with Lebron, making his decision to extend in Cleveland easy. Deron fell off a cliff, while Melo is choosing to live and die by NY for some reason.

I say that, to say this. KD is about to become a free agent. After beating what would have easily been the number one team in the east, you would have thought the Thunder were well on their way to the Finals, but no, they only managed to beat the 2nd best team in the west, and still had to continue on through the gauntlet to hopefully make the Finals. Unfortunately, his team ran out of gas trying to get their. Could it be because they had to battle so hard against 2 other teams that had a better record than them? Possibly considering how well they had to play to even get past the Spurs and then 3-1 against the Warriors.

Compare that to Lebron's road to the Finals, and you see how the Cavs were able to sweep 2 of the 3 teams they played. The 3rd could have faced the same fate had they not had huge performances from their star players.

So knowing this, why wouldn't Durant try to go East for an easier path to the Finals knowing that if he can either beat Lebron or hope that a David vs. Goliath type triumph could happen then he will be in the Finals compared to having to run a gauntlet in the west?

2017 opens up the door for guys like Westbrook, or Griffin, or Heyward as well. AD or Cousins could force their way east.

Doesn't your first point kind of contradict your second point in a way, all these stars who have come east have failed to get to the finals except for KG and Ray meaning that coming east doesn't really increase ones odds of getting to the finals that much unless you're coming east to join Lebrons team or until Lebron declines.

[SK21209]

It's not as simple as questioning why star players aren't flocking to the weaker Eastern conference. I mean which player currently in the West had an opportunity to go East and join a well-run organization with promising talent?

[Geaux_Hawks]

I would like to say number 5 will eventually take place. If you think about it, guys from the west have always tried coming East. Deron, Melo, Love, KG, & Ray have all made an attempt to come East although it was via trade. KG and Ray of course won a ring by doing so. Love was obviously teamed up with Lebron, making his decision to extend in Cleveland easy. Deron fell off a cliff, while Melo is choosing to live and die by NY for some reason.

I say that, to say this. KD is about to become a free agent. After beating what would have easily been the number one team in the east, you would have thought the Thunder were well on their way to the Finals, but no, they only managed to beat the 2nd best team in the west, and still had to continue on through the gauntlet to hopefully make the Finals. Unfortunately, his team ran out of gas trying to get their. Could it be because they had to battle so hard against 2 other teams that had a better record than them? Possibly considering how well they had to play to even get past the Spurs and then 3-1 against the Warriors.

Compare that to Lebron's road to the Finals, and you see how the Cavs were able to sweep 2 of the 3 teams they played. The 3rd could have faced the same fate had they not had huge performances from their star players.

So knowing this, why wouldn't Durant try to go East for an easier path to the Finals knowing that if he can either beat Lebron or hope that a David vs. Goliath type triumph could happen then he will be in the Finals compared to having to run a gauntlet in the west?

2017 opens up the door for guys like Westbrook, or Griffin, or Heyward as well. AD or Cousins could force their way east.

Doesn't your first point kind of contradict your second point in a way, all these stars who have come east have failed to get to the finals except for KG and Ray meaning that coming east doesn't really increase ones odds of getting to the finals that much unless you're coming east to join Lebrons team or until Lebron declines.

Well it kind of doesn't considering Deron could have had the same injury issues, while Melo never even got a team worth anything around him(Knicks sold the entire farm when they could have waited since he wanted to sign with them anyway).