Around the NBA (4.0) *Non-Celtics Talk*

[FlatearthZorro]

LeBron at 40 is better than 70% of the NBA talent.

The way he he affects winning is not the same tho. His effort on defense is legit abysmal and has been abysmal, but the East wasn't as good so he got a pass. In the West teams fight hard to make the playoffs and it becomes a lot more obvious, regardless of how many pts he can score, if he continues not playing on defense till the playoffs, the Lakers will be in trouble. I don't think he has the gas tank anymore to go hard on D and O. He hasn't had it for a while.

Lakers defense last year was still above average and a lot of that had to do with Lebron. It was the Lakers offense that was bad thanks to LA surrounding Lebron with too many players that couldn't shoot well. I agree that on more than a few plays Lebron rests on defense but he still gets enough boards/blocks/steals to be a clear positive on the defensive end. It is just that he isn't playing defense as well as he can.

I actually agree with you Lebron can't go very hard on defense and offense like he could when Cavs won it all but I suspect he can at least play the level of defense he did in 2017 NBA Finals and frankly probably above that. In that series, I thought he was saving his energy for offense since Cavs didn't even have Kyrie but now with AD, they have another guy that can get you 25 points per game in the playoffs.

With Lebron next year, it will all be about whether he avoids injury. If the Lakers avoid major injury, they will be a tough out. Realistically, they will be the only team with 2 top 10 players and their is at least a slight chance they add a third top 10 player in Leonard. Lebron will be declining but as long as he doesn't suffer a debilitating injury, he should be better than someone like a Karl Malone at a comparable age.

Physically Malone is a one of a kind(huge douche as a person tho), I dunno if LBJ can remain as healthy as Malone, I think LBJ has 2 years to win another title and that's about it. I don't think LAL can compete for a title with him as their best or 2nd best player when he's 38. Oh and LBJ's stats weren't as good on defense this year, there was a bit of a drop off. Also if Kuzma is a main guy for them, he ranked 58th out of 60 PFs in defensive ratings. Dude can't play defense at all and is kind of a bad match on offense as well for the Lakers as his 3 point shooting is LARGELY overrating at .308, >5 attempts a game.

[Zaschrona]

Lol at the Knicks. They really traded away Porzingis to clear cap space and are going to wind up with absolutely nobody. Next time you start feeling sorry for having to root for the Celtics, just be glad you're not a Knicks fan.

I think that trade was good for Knicks. The only bad move they did was to stretch Noah, they should just waive him to have him off the books earlier. Picks they received were really good, they should just continue to tank for another year and taking on bad contracts for some extra assets. Porzingis is somehow overrated and does not really suit their timeline, plus he wanted out. They should develop their young players, especially Robinson and they are on a right track, just need to be patient.

[soxfan2003]

The way he he affects winning is not the same tho. His effort on defense is legit abysmal and has been abysmal, but the East wasn't as good so he got a pass. In the West teams fight hard to make the playoffs and it becomes a lot more obvious, regardless of how many pts he can score, if he continues not playing on defense till the playoffs, the Lakers will be in trouble. I don't think he has the gas tank anymore to go hard on D and O. He hasn't had it for a while.

Lakers defense last year was still above average and a lot of that had to do with Lebron. It was the Lakers offense that was bad thanks to LA surrounding Lebron with too many players that couldn't shoot well. I agree that on more than a few plays Lebron rests on defense but he still gets enough boards/blocks/steals to be a clear positive on the defensive end. It is just that he isn't playing defense as well as he can.

I actually agree with you Lebron can't go very hard on defense and offense like he could when Cavs won it all but I suspect he can at least play the level of defense he did in 2017 NBA Finals and frankly probably above that. In that series, I thought he was saving his energy for offense since Cavs didn't even have Kyrie but now with AD, they have another guy that can get you 25 points per game in the playoffs.

With Lebron next year, it will all be about whether he avoids injury. If the Lakers avoid major injury, they will be a tough out. Realistically, they will be the only team with 2 top 10 players and their is at least a slight chance they add a third top 10 player in Leonard. Lebron will be declining but as long as he doesn't suffer a debilitating injury, he should be better than someone like a Karl Malone at a comparable age.

Physically Malone is a one of a kind(huge douche as a person tho), I dunno if LBJ can remain as healthy as Malone, I think LBJ has 2 years to win another title and that's about it. I don't think LAL can compete for a title with him as their best or 2nd best player when he's 38. Oh and LBJ's stats weren't as good on defense this year, there was a bit of a drop off. Also if Kuzma is a main guy for them, he ranked 58th out of 60 PFs in defensive ratings. Dude can't play defense at all and is kind of a bad match on offense as well for the Lakers as his 3 point shooting is LARGELY overrating at .308, >5 attempts a game.

Lebron is more of a one of a kind than Malone. Injuries can happen to anyone but going into his mid 30's, Lebron better.

Kuzma is a better shooter than that. Shot very well from 3 in 2017-18. End of the day, Lakers defense was still 12th in the NBA this year despite Lebron and Ball missing a bunch of games. Is Lebron's defense slipping? Sure but it is still a net positive and he can step it up.

I don't think Kuzma will end up a main guy for Lakers. They will have 2-3 main guys and 4-6 other players supporting them. Kuzma will just be one of those 4-6 even if he ends up one of the lead support players. I think when you factor in defense/offense/fit with Lebron, Kuzma is a god player with Lebron capable of playing 25 MPG.

I tend to agree with you that Lakers have 2 year window with Lebron as their 2nd best player at least. After that, they would at least need someone else besides Davis in all likelihood which they may or may not do via free agency.

Lebron has 3 years left on his deal so Lakers may end up having to decide whether or not to have cap room them. Maybe they want Lebron to move back to Cleveland then so they can sign younger max player to pair with Davis. Tough to predict.

[Brett43]

LeBron at 40 is better than 70% of the NBA talent.

Remember what happened with MJ. At age 35 he won a title with the bulls - 1998. By the time he was 40, he was still a very good player, but no longer what we all remembered. So he retired for good. LeBron is only human.

[Brett43]

Lol at the Knicks. They really traded away Porzingis to clear cap space and are going to wind up with absolutely nobody. Next time you start feeling sorry for having to root for the Celtics, just be glad you're not a Knicks fan.

I think that trade was good for Knicks. The only bad move they did was to stretch Noah, they should just waive him to have him off the books earlier. Picks they received were really good, they should just continue to tank for another year and taking on bad contracts for some extra assets. Porzingis is somehow overrated and does not really suit their timeline, plus he wanted out. They should develop their young players, especially Robinson and they are on a right track, just need to be patient.

The Knicks’ only bad move was to stretch Noah? I can think of some other not-so-great moves in the last 15 years. Every time they get something good going they screw it up.

[soxfan2003]

LeBron at 40 is better than 70% of the NBA talent.

Remember what happened with MJ. At age 35 he won a title with the bulls - 1998. By the time he was 40, he was still a very good player, but no longer what we all remembered. So he retired for good. LeBron is only human.

Even at 35 MJ was no longer MJ. He was still winning due to expansion/water down NBA and strength of his teammates. That all being said, Lebron is bigger/stronger/taller than MJ so he may be able to stay as a legit top 20 player longer than MJ would have. Lebron does have a lot of mileage but tough to know if that will really cost him with one big injury or not.

Previous poster was arguably saying Lebron at 40 will be better than all but around ~135 NBA players. That could be true if he avoids the big injury but obviously players outside of the top 75 are usually not top 3 players on a championship team. I am not sure when Lebron's son would be eligible for the NBA but if he makes it, he may end up going to the team that drafts him. It would be pretty amazing/historic to see his son throw an alley oop to his father.

[Darth Celtic]

LeBron at 40 is better than 70% of the NBA talent.

Remember what happened with MJ. At age 35 he won a title with the bulls - 1998. By the time he was 40, he was still a very good player, but no longer what we all remembered. So he retired for good. LeBron is only human.

Even at 35 MJ was no longer MJ. He was still winning due to expansion/water down NBA and strength of his teammates. That all being said, Lebron is bigger/stronger/taller than MJ so he may be able to stay as a legit top 20 player longer than MJ would have. Lebron does have a lot of mileage but tough to know if that will really cost him with one big injury or not.

Previous poster was arguably saying Lebron at 40 will be better than all but around ~135 NBA players. That could be true if he avoids the big injury but obviously players outside of the top 75 are usually not top 3 players on a championship team. I am not sure when Lebron's son would be eligible for the NBA but if he makes it, he may end up going to the team that drafts him. It would be pretty amazing/historic to see his son throw an alley oop to his father.

also assuming Lebron's son ends up being good enough to draft and play in the nba.

[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

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[bigfoot_cryptozoology]

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When in doubt, take the blond...

[BillTheGOAT]

Raps would be back to being a joke if Kawhi leaves. Please God make it happen

Would make this offseason get off to a great start.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Raps would be back to being a joke if Kawhi leaves. Please God make it happen

Would make this offseason get off to a great start.

I'd rather he actually stay. Raptors match up well with the Lakers. We need a team out there to beat them so they don't catch us in titles.

[sam_I_am]

If Kyrie and Durant go to NY or Brooklyn together, I think Kyrie will lead his team to a pretty good season and the excitement will be through the roof for 2020. I wonder when we starting hearing how frustrated LaVert or Barrett are that coach is giving his pet Durant starting minutes when he isn’t deserving yet?

[Roddy]

Raps would be back to being a joke if Kawhi leaves. Please God make it happen

Would make this offseason get off to a great start.

I'd rather he actually stay. Raptors match up well with the Lakers. We need a team out there to beat them so they don't catch us in titles.

The Ultimate "F*** You Lebron" would be a Clippers team with Kawhi and Horford. LA beat LA.

[Jakeopp]

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[djFan71]

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So very glad that's not us. And I love bigs. Just not perpetually broken, immobile, cry-baby ones that think they shouldn't play center when they're 7'3".

[Jakeopp]

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[return2glory]

This is going to be an exciting 2 weeks coming up with trades and free agent signings.

Where does Leonard land? With Clippers or stay with the Raptors? Lakers with a small chance.

KD to Nets or Knicks? I say it makes more sense to recap with his dr who is part of the Nets medical staff. And it makes sense for him to join Kyrie there.

Where does Kemba end up. It would be cool if he comes to play for Boston.

Will Vuc play in Orlando?

Where will Horford end up? Clippers or Mavs or even Lakers?

DLO back to the Lakers?

[Celtics_History_Lesson]

This is going to be an exciting 2 weeks coming up with trades and free agent signings.

The Ainge Cartel passed on him six times in one draft.

Now the league is open for business, although a restricted free agent.

But, a restricted free agent on a team that spends a lot of money and which has many restricted and unrestricted free agents to address as well.



Pick a player.

PER 13.5
True Shooting % 59%
offensive rating 118


or someone like Jaylen Brown
PER 13.5
True Shooting % 55%
offensive rating 104




Jake Layman will be the news of free agency, as the player some expect to get the max but doesn't get the max and then makes huge contributions for his, maybe new, team.


One sign that Portland will pay those less-deserving, like Kanter and Hood, is that they moved out Evan Turner who did know how to play the Jake Layman way as he would deliver a variety of passes for Layman dunks, and threes.


The real reason for moving up the start of free agency is that you don't want NBA teams annoying Jake Layman, and his neighbors, by knocking on his door of his Boston house at 12:01am as they present him with contract offers.

[jc23]

LeBron at 40 is better than 70% of the NBA talent.

Remember what happened with MJ. At age 35 he won a title with the bulls - 1998. By the time he was 40, he was still a very good player, but no longer what we all remembered. So he retired for good. LeBron is only human.

Even at 35 MJ was no longer MJ. He was still winning due to expansion/water down NBA and strength of his teammates. That all being said, Lebron is bigger/stronger/taller than MJ so he may be able to stay as a legit top 20 player longer than MJ would have. Lebron does have a lot of mileage but tough to know if that will really cost him with one big injury or not.

Previous poster was arguably saying Lebron at 40 will be better than all but around ~135 NBA players. That could be true if he avoids the big injury but obviously players outside of the top 75 are usually not top 3 players on a championship team. I am not sure when Lebron's son would be eligible for the NBA but if he makes it, he may end up going to the team that drafts him. It would be pretty amazing/historic to see his son throw an alley oop to his father.

Being bigger at an older age is mostly beneficial in the post where lebron still does not enjoying being. I feel his injury last season was more a issue with his age and mileage then it was a fluke thing. Add that to the playstyle of todays game that will bump your stats but also take a greater toll on your body. If AD can stay healthy himself and be a workhorse it will help.

And MJ at 35 basically carried the Bulls that year to the finals, the second repeat team was not as deep as people remember. He was out of his prime by then and imo so is lebron right now.

That would be cool for him to plan to be a free agent the year his son is drafted and then sign on a vet min to play with him. Alot of pressure on the son to get into the league tho.

[Andrew McCeltic]

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So very glad that's not us. And I love bigs. Just not perpetually broken, immobile, cry-baby ones that think they shouldn't play center when they're 7'3".

Watch him take the QO