The Lebron Thread | 2021 & Offseason

[nzahir]

If we are going to lose Rondo and have no decent replacement and lose KCP unless we give him a big deal, I wouldn’t be opposed to cp3 (if it allows us to give KCP a 2 year deal worth 28M)

Not a cap expert though, but could we have
Cp3, KCP, Lebron, AD, Dwight (bae)
AC, THT?, Kuzma, Boogie (min) and the MLE?

Then go for 2022 FA, some really nice guys and even young/prime age guys.

[D.Brasco]

People talk about how freaky Giannis and especially Zion now are with their combination of size and athleticism but Miami era LeBron was a different breed himself. Not quite as quick as in his first Cavs stint but even more massive with still about 95%+ of the athleticism.





6'8", 272 lbs according to Riley.

[The Master]

People talk about how freaky Giannis and especially Zion now are with their combination of size and athleticism but Miami era LeBron was a different breed himself.

I'm completely fine with opinions that Giannis is 'freakier' athlete than LeBron - I mean, he's much less skilled than LeBron (even '09 version), yet he's been able to produce similar boxscore numbers in regular season. But I would definitely call LeBron (probably) the most versatile athlete we've ever seen in basketball: 6'9 270lbs train who was able to play lockdown D against athletic point guards, with first step of a point guard, size of power forward, strength of a center, destroying people's career with chasedown blocks - and a longevity that makes 35yo LeBron still among 98 percentile of NBA players from athleticism's standpoint.

[Heej]

I saw a compilation of dunks throughout his career from every season. The most jarring difference was the difference in the height for the dunk selected for 2014 and 2015 in Cleveland. He had an entire chunk of height chopped off from his vertical that season due to the back thing and ever since then every dunk has been on a lower plane. He was different in Miami man goddamn.

[thebigbird]

I saw a compilation of dunks throughout his career from every season. The most jarring difference was the difference in the height for the dunk selected for 2014 and 2015 in Cleveland. He had an entire chunk of height chopped off from his vertical that season due to the back thing and ever since then every dunk has been on a lower plane. He was different in Miami man goddamn.

How does 2020 compare to 2015?

[Heej]

I saw a compilation of dunks throughout his career from every season. The most jarring difference was the difference in the height for the dunk selected for 2014 and 2015 in Cleveland. He had an entire chunk of height chopped off from his vertical that season due to the back thing and ever since then every dunk has been on a lower plane. He was different in Miami man goddamn.

How does 2020 compare to 2015?

Not too far off. If 2009 was a 10 then in 2014 it dropped from a 9 to a 7.5 in 2015 and now it's a 7. Wish I could find the IG video

Edit: NVM found it

[MyUniBroDavis]

I saw a compilation of dunks throughout his career from every season. The most jarring difference was the difference in the height for the dunk selected for 2014 and 2015 in Cleveland. He had an entire chunk of height chopped off from his vertical that season due to the back thing and ever since then every dunk has been on a lower plane. He was different in Miami man goddamn.

How does 2020 compare to 2015?

Not too far off. If 2009 was a 10 then in 2014 it dropped from a 9 to a 7.5 in 2015 and now it's a 7. Wish I could find the IG video

His back isnt as wonky on drives when hes trying to really go for it imp tho, i do think hes not getting up as high but part of that might be a personal decision, even trough hes def lost explosiveness. The caruso alley oop his head was a but over the rim so id still say his verts at least 40+, he just either isnt as effortlessly explosive or is being more mindful of landings

Compared to late cavs beon and 2015 esp at least, early bron was different breed lol

[KTM_2813]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

[xb3at band1tx]

Yeah just to piggyback on the 2015 discussion, that was the year where he looked the most human.

[thebigbird]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

I think that a serious injury is the only thing that will stop him from staying an elite player. He was such an insane athlete that even with diminished athleticism he’s still in the upper tier in the NBA. He’ll still be huge at 6’8 250 no matter how old he is. His vision and his mental game are only getting better as he ages.

[limbo]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

Karl Malone played 36 mpg (81 games) and averaged 21/8/5 at 39 years of age...

LeBron is one of the greatest athletes of all-time + he's arguably the best athlete i've ever seen at taking care of his body.

I don't know how long he can continue to be a Top 5 RS player with a claim of best player on the planet in the postseason, but i'm quite confident he can play at an all-star level until he's 40. His strength, skill, vision isn't going to disappear into thin air. His athleticism is still going to be very good in his late 30's, imo. His shooting is streaky, but i don't believe we will see another drastic shooting decline like we had in 2015... The only thing that can derail him at this point is a serious injury.

The real question for me is, is he willing to go beyond 40? I'm almost certain he won't retire until he gets the all-time scoring record, and Bronny gets into the league. After then it's a bunch of questions marks.

The problem with legendary players like LeBron is there's this weird psychological phenomenon with people, when they will actually think higher of you as a basketball player and your legacy, if they don't see you retire on a low note... This is where MJ messed up. The only blemish on his otherwise perfect story arc is coming back to the Wizards and being a mediocre player that can't even help a team reach the Playoffs... That's why every Jordan stan, the media, all the documentaries about Jordan ALWAYS leave that part of his career out, like it didn't happen... Because it ruins his 'legacy'...

That's why i can see LeBron retire sooner. If LeBron retired after still being arguably one of the best players in the league come Playoff time, then he's leaving the game on top and people's imagination will forever wonder, maybe LeBron could've squeezed another year, or two, or three...

[Heej]

I'd want LeBron to play for as long as he can be the second best player on a title team where the third best player is just a little worse. Once it gets to the point where he's even with the third best guy he should call it quits cuz then it's just gonna be people saying he got carried lmaoooo

[D.Brasco]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

His role model as he's admitted for an over 40 athlete is Tom Brady, who right now at 43 is having a great season in the NFL.

LeBron and Tom devote more resources and take care of their bodies better than maybe any other high level pros in history.

At this pace barring an injury knock on wood I can see LJ remaining elite until his late 30s.

[frica]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

His role model as he's admitted for an over 40 athlete is Tom Brady, who right now at 43 is having a great season in the NFL.

LeBron and Tom devote more resources and take care of their bodies better than maybe any other high level pros in history.

At this pace barring an injury knock on wood I can see LJ remaining elite until his late 30s.

Firat Arslan still had great stamina for a boxer nearing 50...
Bernard Hopkins was legit world class at 50.

Lebron ain't ****.

[homecourtloss]

At this point, my main question is: How long can he remain an elite player? It's frankly getting a bit absurd. He just performed at a top-five level in the regular season and a top-two level in the playoffs. Barring injury, it's looking realistic that he could still be a top-ten player at 40. That's a big "barring" though.

His role model as he's admitted for an over 40 athlete is Tom Brady, who right now at 43 is having a great season in the NFL.

LeBron and Tom devote more resources and take care of their bodies better than maybe any other high level pros in history.

At this pace barring an injury knock on wood I can see LJ remaining elite until his late 30s.

Firat Arslan still had great stamina for a boxer nearing 50...
Bernard Hopkins was legit world class at 50.

Lebron ain't ****.

Ok

[Heej]

His role model as he's admitted for an over 40 athlete is Tom Brady, who right now at 43 is having a great season in the NFL.

LeBron and Tom devote more resources and take care of their bodies better than maybe any other high level pros in history.

At this pace barring an injury knock on wood I can see LJ remaining elite until his late 30s.

Firat Arslan still had great stamina for a boxer nearing 50...
Bernard Hopkins was legit world class at 50.

Lebron ain't ****.

Ok

Loll *crickets*

[MyUniBroDavis]

I'd want LeBron to play for as long as he can be the second best player on a title team where the third best player is just a little worse. Once it gets to the point where he's even with the third best guy he should call it quits cuz then it's just gonna be people saying he got carried lmaoooo

Hes prolly gonna quit the year aft bronny comes lol, but hes not gonna win the last year since hell be back in cleveland


I feel at times were taking this 2020 run for granted. I mean, there were a few games here and there where it seemed like he was strugfling to get going but if we really think about it, in terms of times he deferred vs times where it looked like he couldnt get going that happened like, maybe a game a series, and he always figured it out a game or two later

Offensively it was technucally one of his most effecient scoring postseasons with far less spacing than his other years, and defensively he was probably as impactful as ever, he seemed even smarter than before on that end making up for lost athleticism.

Looking back on it in terms of legitimate two way runs this has to be up there. When you think about the standards we hold lebron to in terms of consistency That we dont really hold other players to.

He had like 2-3, maybe 4-5 if we really stretch it where he had legitimately inneffecient scoring nights, and maybe like 2 of those games in actually felt he was getting stopped vs him being off or deferring to AD who was hot.

Thats about the same as the best runs from pretty much anyone else as well though, like was he legitimately getting stopped or was he having gams where he wasnt feeling it and we assumed it was that because hes not as athletic as he used to be

I get it definately looked more like that at times and he definately lost a step since a few years ago, but the fact that he always figured it out makes me think its not so much he lost a step for his struggles than he had a few games not feeling it and we overreacted. Def a game or two where he scored fine but wasnt as assertive, but i think thats a mix of AD as well. Keep in mind this was his best defensive run since 2016, im actually curious at comparing his D now vs back then pre 2016 since his defense did seem really, really dominant at times.

On a skim through looking at this run in terms of consistent effeciency it compared favorably to the runs of guys like shaq bird magic and duncan for sure, not even that mich worse than jordans runs or even his own former runs

I mean the fact that AD had a run comparable in terms of level of play to top big man runs ever if we are being objective, and lebron had a better run than him is kind of a huge deal.

I mean the fact that ADs run is good enough that duncan fans now hate him show how how good his run was lmao. But comparing it to runs that led to titles, esp since the load argument doesnt work since bron ran the offense, wouldnt it be fair to put 2020 brons run right up there? Especially since he was a key part of defensive adjustments in literally 3/4 series

I think its partially because of how consistent ADs scoring was as well, but both we all time levels in terms of that, i mean bron had the same games shooting less than 50% than 2000 shaq lol

[nzahir]

Say KCP was going to leave unless we gave him at least a 2 year around 30M deal (I think we can do that, right?), what should/would we do?

I doubt we would ruin 2021 for KCP

Could we do a deal for Cp3 (DG, Avery, Mcgee, Cook, 1st, and maybe THT) where we bring KCP back and keep AC and Kuzma?

Do we then still have the mle and bae to use?

[trickshot]

If we are going to lose Rondo and have no decent replacement and lose KCP unless we give him a big deal, I wouldn’t be opposed to cp3 (if it allows us to give KCP a 2 year deal worth 28M)

Not a cap expert though, but could we have
Cp3, KCP, Lebron, AD, Dwight (bae)
AC, THT?, Kuzma, Boogie (min) and the MLE?

Then go for 2022 FA, some really nice guys and even young/prime age guys.

How does that work? The stuff about Lakers landing another big name this offseason through trade is unrealistic. Lakers don't have the salary to send back until their players are signed and many of them should be asking for no-trade clauses if they even get the impression they are just going to be sent to Washington or Oklahoma once the ink is dry. After all they can get the same money in a city they actually want to be in

[andyhop]

I'd want LeBron to play for as long as he can be the second best player on a title team where the third best player is just a little worse. Once it gets to the point where he's even with the third best guy he should call it quits cuz then it's just gonna be people saying he got carried lmaoooo

I think he should play as long as he wants to and someone is willing to give him a deal.

It makes no sense to me the way people try and rush players into retirement just because they aren't as good as they used to be.