LeBron James?

[esqtvd]

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[mkwest]

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[Captain Ballmer]

Or in other words; Lebron, you know... just stay the hell away from my team, my city and my MARKET.

[MartinToVaught]

Meh. Not really putting too much stock in Blake's answer to a no-win question.

[Ranma]

Yeah, I get the sense that Griffin is insecure and overprotective of his position as the top dog for the Clippers. He seems to be sabotaging our chances with him, to be honest. If it was a no-win situation with regards to his comments, then why did he cite New York, of all places, unless he either knew something or is trying to send a message? Maybe it was a poorly executed joke given Griffin's penchant for dabbling in comedy.

Griffin could very well believe that Chris Paul and LeBron James want to play together and New York would make a lot of sense since Carmelo Anthony is currently playing there, however, Melo is angling for a trade to send himself to Houston. Would LeBron join the Rockets with Paul, Anthony, and James Harden on the roster? Would that team even have enough cap space and assets to make it happen? Unlikely.

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[MartinToVaught]

What was he supposed to say? "LeBron's definitely coming to the Clippers next year"? Then he looks like a fool if he's wrong and opens the Clippers up to a tampering investigation if he's right.

The idea that Blake is "overprotective of his role" based on his response to a stupid question on a podcast is absurd. He also said he loved the idea of LeBron on the Clippers and it would be "insane" (in a good way). Does that sound like someone who's insecure about their role to you?

[Ranma]

What was he supposed to say? "LeBron's definitely coming to the Clippers next year"? Then he looks like a fool if he's wrong and opens the Clippers up to a tampering investigation if he's right.

The idea that Blake is "overprotective of his role" based on his response to a stupid question on a podcast is absurd. He also said he loved the idea of LeBron on the Clippers and it would be "insane" (in a good way). Does that sound like someone who's insecure about their role to you?

I seem to recall Griffin saying that he loved the idea of LeBron to the Clippers and it being "insane", but that was a few years ago unless he reiterated that statement in the latest interview, but also just because he follows up in saying that doesn't necessarily mean that he means it instead of being an obligatory statement depending on the context of the conversation.

While NBA teams are subject to tampering investigations, players have, by and large, not been harshly penalized or even investigated in spite of technically, by rule, being subject to such vigilance. It's highly unlikely that the Clippers would be seriously considered for investigation into tampering unless Ballmer or a front office executive followed up in similar fashion. Also, unless a paper trail is found, the team would most likely be penalized with a fine only. You don't think that a recruiting statement by a player would be worth the fine?

Like I said, if that's what Griffin thinks, then fine, but I have a hard time believing that myself when most everything points to LeBron to LA, so yeah, it comes off as BG being insecure. It's not like he didn't exhibit such behavior during Chris Paul's time as top dog with the Clippers either, so there could be resentment with CP3 and LeBron's close relationship, which may (or not) have soured him on embracing the idea of LeBron to the Clippers.

Seriously, with players such as Draymond Green openly recruiting Kevin Durant and C.J. McCollum doing the same with Carmelo Anthony, you mean to tell me that you're worried about Griffin saying something positive in an attempt to recruit LeBron to join him when the penalty would be a slap on the wrist? Please.

I'm all for following the rules, but we don't have to penalize ourselves like Mitch Kupchak did with the Lakers when everyone else is engaging in gray-to-black-area tactics. If Griffin is concerned about his credibility, I find him saying something out of left field like LeBron to the Knicks being particulary odd, especially when other players are proactively recruiting star players, free agent or otherwise. Worrying about non-enforced tampering rules on players is an absurd excuse for Blake's comments. Or maybe Griffin is angling to add NBA insider to his list of occupational interests.

[Ranma]

Ric Bucher, BleacherReport.com (8/25/17)

The prevailing sentiment among the league executives B/R contacted remains that when it comes time to exercise the option on his final contract year with the Cavaliers, James won't.

"He's out," a Western Conference scout says.

"Foregone conclusion," one Eastern Conference general manager adds.

"I don't see him staying in Cleveland," another thinks.

With all that in mind, league executives not only expect James to leave but have circled his destination—the Los Angeles Lakers—for a host of reasons. The top three are:

• Setting up his post-playing career in TV and movie production.

• Attempting the unique feat of leading three different teams to a championship.

• Creating a path to an ownership stake in the Lakers.

The first motive is obvious. He already has founded a Los Angeles-based production company, SpringHill Entertainment, and has developed several shows already. James and his two childhood friends-turned-business partners from Akron, Ohio—agent Rich Paul and business manager Maverick Carter—have all purchased homes in Los Angeles in the last two years as well.

The second is a byproduct of the presumptive dynasty built by the Warriors. LeBron has relinquished his goal of Michael Jordan's collection of six championship rings, a league source says.

"That was once his obsession," the source says. "But even if LeBron thinks he has five good years left, he's not thinking he's going to beat Golden State four out of the next five years. I don't think he's making it about that anymore. When he said, 'I don't have anything left to prove' during the Finals, that's where that came from."

Did Kyrie Trade Convince LeBron to Stay in Cleveland? NBA Execs Doubtful

[MartinToVaught]

The media is so desperate for everyone to sign with the Lakers, it's not even funny. Really just shows how bad the Warriors superteam is for the league. If the league was in a healthy place right now, its media partners wouldn't be leaning so hard on the old reliable Lakers/Celtics rivalry crutch.

[Neddy]

The media is so desperate for everyone to sign with the Lakers, it's not even funny. Really just shows how bad the Warriors superteam is for the league. If the league was in a healthy place right now, its media partners wouldn't be leaning so hard on the old reliable Lakers/Celtics rivalry crutch.

what a stupid joke.

just because the fLakers got a rook from LA area with a blowhard dad, suddenly they are a true contender in making?

Celts have some credibility with Kyrie, Gordon, and Horford trio, but they are just as suspect as our old big 3 for the last few years. coming from the east they may make the finals at some point but they have no chance unless the Warriors suffer major injury to a couple of their core players, and even then it is questionable unless those two are named Curry and Durant.

we still own LA. let Lebron join the fLakers with Ball next season, and still they won't be able to compete in anyway with that damn team in bay area.

and I freaking hate the Warriors now. I used to like the Chris/Mitch/Tim ran RunTMC Warriors back in the day.

[nickhx2]

rather lebron just join us, let's do that instead

[esqtvd]

The media is so desperate for everyone to sign with the Lakers, it's not even funny. Really just shows how bad the Warriors superteam is for the league. If the league was in a healthy place right now, its media partners wouldn't be leaning so hard on the old reliable Lakers/Celtics rivalry crutch.

what a stupid joke.

just because the fLakers got a rook from LA area with a blowhard dad, suddenly they are a true contender in making?

Celts have some credibility with Kyrie, Gordon, and Horford trio, but they are just as suspect as our old big 3 for the last few years. coming from the east they may make the finals at some point but they have no chance unless the Warriors suffer major injury to a couple of their core players, and even then it is questionable unless those two are named Curry and Durant.

we still own LA. let Lebron join the fLakers with Ball next season, and still they won't be able to compete in anyway with that damn team in bay area.

and I freaking hate the Warriors now. I used to like the Chris/Mitch/Tim ran RunTMC Warriors back in the day.

Dude. +1000.

Celts have...11 new players? Repeating our Big 3? I'll take CP3, BG and DJ over Ainge's new sal cap mess right f****ING NOW.

Great call, man.

we still own LA. let Lebron join the fLakers with Ball next season, and still they won't be able to compete...

I'm gonna cleverly cut off yr quote there. Righteous. We still own LA until further notice. And even if LeBron does the Laker thing, I don't want that for us. It would have been cool if CP3 had brought in his BFF in to put him over the hump. But LeBron has no connection whatsoever with our Clippers team now.

I'm much so more stoked that Jerry West is here than if Lebron came here tomorrow.

This IS Real GM, right?

[Ranma]

I've been waving the LeBron-to-Clippers flag for years now, but at this point, I can't ignore the signs pointing in favor of the Lakers right now. If LeBron James is less concerned about winning as many rings as possible, but is aiming to win another title with a different team that would put his championship conquests as spanning across the country, the Lakers would make a lot more sense right now than the Clippers, especially with his aims for team ownership and to operate as a Hollywood mogul in La La Land.

Could the Clippers offer the same things? Sure, to a lesser extent. Ballmer could offer part ownership. The Clippers would have a new arena coming up in a few years, which may even have room for offices for LeBron's production company. However, whatever the Clippers can offer, the Lakers would trump us with the historical and legacy edge.

The Lakers are the more beloved brand in Los Angeles and most everyone in Southern California, if not the nation, wants it to be rehabilitated. LeBron would get more cachet and good will in bringing the Lakers back to glory than making history with the Clippers. It may be less so from a historical perspective, but from a publicity standpoint, he'd make out more in the short-term.

The Clippers don't have his good buddy CP3 anymore and the Lakers have enough cap flexibility to sign 2 max-level free agents to go along with their young talent. We have Blake Griffin and Danilo Gallinari. The more I think about it, the more I see why BG would be against teaming up with LeBron. Not only would Blake chafe under LeBron's demanding leadership just like he did under CP3's, but Griffin is likely competing against LeBron for access to and attention from the entertainment industry.

LeBron was in the movie Trainwreck while Blake is working on putting together the sequels for The Rocketeer and White Men Can't Jump. LBJ would be invading BG's territory both in the L.A. sports scene and also the Hollywood one as well.

The Clippers are well poised for free agency with Jerry West likely leading the recruitment effort with Winger and Redden supporting him along with Ballmer's resources, but the Lakers have Earvin "Magic" Johnson to pitch to and serve as a guide for L. James to be a beloved icon in the city of Angels and gain part ownership in one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. I can't help but see the advantages in the Lakers' favor.

I still think we can recruit star players to join the Clippers, but the concern is if LBJ teams up with Paul George in purple-and-gold. Unless Chris Paul is coming back to the Clips and would be bringing Paul George along with him, I don't see LeBron choosing the Clippers over the Lakers with Doc Rivers and Blake Griffin as the selling points. We'll certainly get consideration and an audience with the King, but it's hard to deny the differences between the situations of the Lakers and Clippers.

Maybe something will change that will turn the tide in our favor, but until then, surf's up on the Laker's side of the beach.

[MartinToVaught]

I've been waving the LeBron-to-Clippers flag for years now, but at this point, I can't ignore the signs pointing in favor of the Lakers right now.

The only sign pointing to that right now is the media desperately insisting that it's going to happen - and how often have they been right about what LeBron is going to do?

LeBron would get more cachet and good will in bringing the Lakers back to glory than making history with the Clippers.

I disagree. Laker fans will never put LeBron ahead of Kobe, Shaq, Magic, Kareem, etc. even though in reality, he's better than anyone who's ever worn a Lakers uniform. If he wins rings with the Lakers, he's just another guy who won rings with the Lakers. If he doesn't win rings with the Lakers, it gives Kobe stans more ammo to use against his legacy. Despite the media's frantic attempts to convince us otherwise, the reality is that nothing LeBron could do in a Lakers uniform would significantly improve his legacy at this point.

In contrast, if LeBron comes to the Clippers and gives the longest-suffering fanbase in the NBA the ring(s) we deserve - after already ending Cleveland's title drought - it would be a massive boost to his legacy.

Just look at what ending the Red Sox' and Cubs' title droughts did for Theo Epstein's legacy. Other GMs have won more rings, but Theo will end up being remembered more than, say, Ed Barrow or George Weiss. There are few accomplishments more respected in pro sports than turning a struggling franchise into a champion. If LeBron can do it twice, even his biggest haters will have to give him props.

The more I thinking about it, the more I see why BG would be against teaming up with LeBron. Not only would Blake chafe under LeBron's demanding leadership just like he did under CP3's

Blake (and everyone else, for that matter) chafed under CP3's leadership style because CP3's leadership style was a failure. You're not much of a leader if your first instinct when things go wrong is to throw a childish tantrum and make your teammates take all the blame. When you act like that and then can't lead your team past the second round of the playoffs, your teammates aren't going to respect you and are going to get tired of being your scapegoat. The common spin is that CP3 is just competitive and his teammates are all losers who can't handle it - but history is full of competitive stars who have won more than CP3 has without treating their teammates like trash in the process. Tim Duncan comes to mind.

In contrast, LeBron's leadership style is proven to result in Finals appearances and rings. Additionally, unlike CP3, LeBron is known as a guy that players enjoy playing with. Totally different situation.

but Griffin is likely competing against LeBron for access to and attention from the entertainment industry.

LeBron already has access and attention from the entertainment industry and it hasn't affected Blake at all. In fact, being LeBron's teammate might end up opening doors for Blake that wouldn't have been open without him.

LeBron was in the movie Trainwreck while Blake is working on putting together the sequels for The Rocketeer and White Men Can't Jump. LBJ would be invading BG's territory both in the L.A. sports scene and also the Hollywood one as well.

You're proving my point here. LeBron already has a production company in LA right now and Blake still has multiple projects in the works regardless. It's not a zero-sum game.

The Clippers are well poised for free agency with Jerry West likely leading the recruitment effort with Winger and Redden supporting him along with Ballmer's resources, but the Lakers have Earvin "Magic" Johnson to pitch to and serve as a guide for L. James to be a beloved icon in the city of Angels and gain part ownership in one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. I can't help but see the advantages in the Lakers' favor.

I think we have the advantage in the recruitment process. We have the guy who brought Shaq to LA and Durant to the Bay Area. As strong as the appeal of Magic might be, Jerry West has the clout to counteract that - and he and LeBron have a deep mutual respect for each other.

[og15]

Isn't the media always saying everyone is going to the Lakers? I think I've heard that for so many players now that I just expect it to happen, many times it is comical.

In terms of Blake's comments about Lebron, that was really not a question to make any controversy over. He really could have just said "I have no clue what Lebron will do, you never know, he'll make the best decision for himself and we'll see". If you listen to the podcast though, he very confidently says "I don't think Lebron is coming to LA period", and him mentioning New York was said in the sense of he thinks it is so unlikely that Lebron comes to LA that even New York would be more likely. Now, why does Blake think that? He said because he thinks something is brewing between Lebron and his group of guys.

Here's the link to the podcast: http://www.feralaudio.com/6-blake-griffin/

Blake's comments start at 46:30.

[Wammy Giveaway]

Isn't the media always saying everyone is going to the Lakers? I think I've heard that for so many players now that I just expect it to happen, many times it is comical.

There's a seed of truth to that. The Lakers were the first team in NBA history to start a dynasty by winning three championships in a row from 1952 to 1954, when the league itself was just getting started. The Lakers always went after the best of the best, superstar talent with Hollywood potential. The first true rivalry was Lakers-Celtics, and they've met 12 times in the Finals. What does this all mean?

The Lakers helped put the National Basketball Association on the map.

Even today, coming off their fourth trip to the lottery, the media still paints the Lakers as the savior of the NBA and basketball, that if it weren't for the purple and gold the sport would have remained a street recreation, and the league would have not lived to see a third or fourth season. What the Lakers have in heritage, history, and legacy, the Clippers completely lack.

What the red-white-blue need to do is continue their legacy of their own. The Clippers are never going to get that Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, or Tim Duncan type of impact player; they'll need to cultivate their own. The players I've listed here were all drafted by their teams, and they were able to bring at least one championship to the team who drafted him. The one retrospective mistake Clippers have made was being both jealous and envious of the kids who had better toys than theirs and would stoop to their lowest level just to feel that experience, and in the process, corrupt their sanity. If the Clippers can just be glad with who they have right now and not feel sorry for themselves about their failure to make the western conference finals under Chris Paul, then maybe the higher powers will reward them with an instant playoff appearance.

Let's allow the Clippers to create their own superstar. Who knows if Blake Griffin might be that guy, given his fall from grace and portrayal as an evil villain reckless on revenge. Maybe it takes a losing season and a return to the lottery to find that guy. The NBA works in mysterious ways nowadays.

[esqtvd]

Let's allow the Clippers to create their own superstar. Who knows if Blake Griffin might be that guy, given his fall from grace and portrayal as an evil villain reckless on revenge. Maybe it takes a losing season and a return to the lottery to find that guy. The NBA works in mysterious ways nowadays.

Clips winning the title with a Rent-a-LeBron would be like those Marlins teams in 1997 and 2003: here today, gone tomorrow and the stadium's empty again. We're kind of stuck with Blake for the immediate future if it's to have any resonance for us long-timers.

[MartinToVaught]

Clips winning the title with a Rent-a-LeBron would be like those Marlins teams in 1997 and 2003: here today, gone tomorrow and the stadium's empty again.

Clips winning the title with a Rent-a-LeBron would still be the Clips winning the title. After decades of failure, I'm not about to be picky here.

[Ranma]

I actually welcome MartinToVaught's comments since they echo a lot of what I've previously stated before and serve as a reminder that there's still realistic optimism for the Clippers. Having Jerry West alone puts us in the race, plus, with Steve Ballmer's resources and the new notable additions to the front office in Mike Winger and Trent Redden, we're in great position for free agency.

I've argued that West should revise a move from his own playbook in showing a mock LeBron jersey at the Clippers' practice facility to emphasize the point of being the first jersey retired by the organization in starting the lineage of greatness as opposed to joining the others in the Lakers' rafters. I've said that he (and any free agent) would have access to the L.A. market and Hollywood scene. Thanks to Mike Dunleavy, Sr., the Clippers still have a state-of-the-art practice facility with a new arena anticipated to open up practically next to the biggest sports venue project ever with the NFL's L.A. stadium under construction.

I know all that, but we can't ignore the advantages the Lakers still have on us, slight or otherwise. I mentioned before that for all the progress we've made this off-season, the Clippers' organization still has holes in its infrastructure. Even if we fill those holes before L. James' free agency, the arena in Inglewood won't be ready for a few years, so he'll be using the locker room in Staples Center that is second fiddle to the Lakers' in the meantime.

Yes, even if he and Blake Griffin would be on the same team, LeBron would have access to the Hollywood scene as a movie mogul wannabe, but guess what? Baron Davis and Elton Brand had the same access and aspirations under Sterling's ownership. With the Buss family and Magic Johnson's connections, LeBron would have a leg up on Griffin towards joining the Hollywood in-crowd.

Speaking of which, I listened to Griffin's comments on the podcast og15 cited and he seems to genuinely think that New York has a better chance, but that was with the idea of that team presenting a situation for the Brotherhood to come together, which means that had we retained Chris Paul, the Clippers would be favorites for him in Los Angeles, much like Michael Eaves had said. The Knicks make very little sense to me. Why would LeBron leave one dysfunctional organization with a bad owner for another even if it did operate out of Madison Square Garden? Lest we forget, Brotherhood member and lifetime MSG admirer Carmelo Anthony is trying to leave New York despite the fact that his kids still reside in the area.

Either ownership situation in Los Angeles provides a better situation than James L. Dolan's Knickerbockers. The Lakers will have more readily available salary cap room to sign 2 maximum-level free agents. And for all the talk about LeBron wanting to forge his own legacy, which he is already doing in an unconventional manner, he is also noted for being a student with great respect and admiration for NBA history. The Lakers, whether we like it or not, have the more storied franchise with the more prestigious brand. It'd be like a baseball player choosing between whether to wear Yankee pinstripes or the Mets' colors. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain both started out with different organizations before cementing their respective legacies as Laker greats.

I agree with Wammy Giveaway in that getting our very own homegrown superstar is invaluable, which was primarily the impetus for why I advocated for going for the full rebuild. At the same time, that is far from an assured course of action with the element of luck involved so the retooling option the Clippers undertook this off-season is an impressive and arguably better alternative since it affords us more control over our own destiny. This would have been a depressing state of affairs under Doc Rivers, but under new management with guidance from the Logo, it is more inspired now albeit with more work to be done.

Still, we now have capable architects for the rebuild movement, but the Lakers already have a tried and true model in their brand. We can only hope that their new leadership makes missteps for us to capitalize on. I'm certainly not saying that we're out of contention for big-time free agents. Quite the contrary, as L.A. seems to be the hot destination right now in light of the juggernaut in Golden State. I'm just not counting on LeBron being the likely option, which is why I'm turning my focus to Paul George and/or Russell Westbrook with an anticipated attempt at Klay Thompson down the line.

Losing Chris Paul was doubly damaging in that we lost a superstar-caliber player and a player who drew other like-minded and similarly talented players to him. He along with Jerry West would have given players like Kevin Durant and LeBron James something to seriously consider. Blake Griffin and Doc Rivers...not so much, which is why I've stated that I think their respective days with the organization are numbered.

Of course, both Rivers and Griffin have the upcoming season to prove themselves again in order to change hearts and minds, but it's quite a lot to expect drastic improvement from Griffin even if he is reinventing himself this late into his career. Rivers, on the other hand, has the more difficult task of changing the perception of him now that more things have come to light. His reputation certainly isn't helped if a respected player like Chris Paul thinks lowly of him now.

We'll see how things play out next summer, so it'll be a bit refreshing to witness what our new faces can do under the coaching of a supposedly focused Doc Rivers.

[MartinToVaught]

I think Kawhi Leonard will be the Plan B, not PG, Klay or Westbrook. I saw a stat the other day about the amount of money guaranteed to players age 37 and older. The Spurs guaranteed $44.5 million; the rest of the NBA combined guaranteed only $25.8 million. The vaunted Spurs front office has done an uncharacteristically terrible job of building a supporting cast around Kawhi - their regular-season success at this point is heavily dependent on Kawhi himself and Pop's coaching.

Kawhi was born and raised in LA, played his college ball in SoCal, and Jerry West has said he's a huge fan. If the Spurs don't get it together quickly, I really think he could be available in 2019.