The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

[Statlanta]

but how frustrating it must be to be a fan of AD.

Is anyone here actually a fan of AD? I mean where's AD own PC Board Thread?
Given his shenanigans with Klutch, how he shuns the spotlight in favor of LBJ, and how he quit on the Pelicans I doubt it. The vast majority are Laker fans or LeBron fans who don't care about AD.

A true AD fan would bring up that he's never missed a playoff game until this season and that he's played 75% of each season except this season and the Klutch infected "That's All Folks" season.

[Baski]

LeBron averaged 3.8 free throws per game this series. Going to assume that's a career low.

You'd have to go back to the 2016 1st round to find one just barely lower (3.75). But there have been series with very low rates in between.

On a positive note, it highlights one of my favourite things about LeBron: He makes shots. Doesnt depend on FTs as much as others do for scoring. The man can give you 30 on 1 FTM. Thats why he scores so much more than anyone in the POs. The nights where he gets 10+ are the historic 35-50 pt nights. For other players those are your career 25-35 pt nights.

[dcstanley]

This Phoenix team is certainly better than Boston or Toronto which were like the main rivals for LeBron in the east.

What? They're not "certainly" better than any of those teams. All credit to Phoenix as a deserving 2-seed but don't act like the current WC seeding is an accurate portrayal of their actual strength.

The reason why they are the 7th seed this year is the western conference aswell, you pay the price there.

No the reason they're 7th is that their 2 biggest stars, as well as other key players, missed a huge chunk of the season. It's not a conference thing. Do you honestly think the Lakers are 7th seed material in this Western Conference? Be honest.

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

Phoenix probably wouldn't have even been favored against the 2020 Rockets that the Lakers beat in five. Hell, they might lose against the Nuggets this season who are starting Austin Rivers at PG over Jamal Murray (who essentially performed like prime Dame Lillard in the bubble).

[Gooner]

What? They're not "certainly" better than any of those teams. All credit to Phoenix as a deserving 2-seed but don't act like the current WC seeding is an accurate portrayal of their actual strength.


No the reason they're 7th is that their 2 biggest stars, as well as other key players, missed a huge chunk of the season. It's not a conference thing. Do you honestly think the Lakers are 7th seed material in this Western Conference? Be honest.

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

Phoenix probably wouldn't have even been favored against the 2020 Rockets that the Lakers beat in five. Hell, they might lose against the Nuggets this season who are starting Austin Rivers at PG over Jamal Murray (who essentially performed like prime Dame Lillard in the bubble).

Houston barely beat OKC with CP3 in the bubble, I think this Phoenix team would knock them out. I got Phoenix over Denver in 5, they have all the pieces and great coaching.

[Heej]

Dennis Schroeder was the worst signing I've seen on a LeBron team in my entire life. I haven't been paying much attention to this season but I swear to God it feels like Schroeder is a 20% 3 point shooter. I've never once trusted him to hit an open 3. This guy is a goddamn Freemason throwing up all those bricks. Hope they flip him for someone that's actually good.

[Baski]

This Phoenix team is certainly better than Boston or Toronto which were like the main rivals for LeBron in the east.

What? They're not "certainly" better than any of those teams. All credit to Phoenix as a deserving 2-seed but don't act like the current WC seeding is an accurate portrayal of their actual strength.

The reason why they are the 7th seed this year is the western conference aswell, you pay the price there.

No the reason they're 7th is that their 2 biggest stars, as well as other key players, missed a huge chunk of the season. It's not a conference thing. Do you honestly think the Lakers are 7th seed material in this Western Conference? Be honest.

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that.

Based on what? Why do you believe so? I see no reason that the 60-win Hawks can't get the 2-seed in this WC and eliminate this broken Lakers team in 6 games. Please share your reasoning.

Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

How much bigger? Big enough that this Lakers team would beat the Bucks, Sixers or Nets? Or that their anaemic offense would overcome the No. 3 ranked Kinicks defense? You can't seriously think this low of the Eastern conference. Doesn't make sense to me.

[Greatness]

I'm worried that the Lakers seem to think health was the only issue with the team this season. They really need to address the shooting, but I'm afraid they'll mostly just run it back with the thought that if healthy, they would've went farther.

[HeartBreakKid]

but how frustrating it must be to be a fan of AD.

Is anyone here actually a fan of AD? I mean where's AD own PC Board Thread?
Given his shenanigans with Klutch, how he shuns the spotlight in favor of LBJ, and how he quit on the Pelicans I doubt it. The vast majority are Laker fans or LeBron fans who don't care about AD.

A true AD fan would bring up that he's never missed a playoff game until this season and that he's played 75% of each season except this season and the Klutch infected "That's All Folks" season.

Anthony Davis never had fandom even before the Klutch thing.

Hardly anyone knows knew who Anthony Davis was outside of basketball fans and he was a top ten player/superstar for years. Even as a championship Laker I still feel like most people who do not follow basketball really know who he is.

Most superstars in the NBA are recognizable names in pop culture in USA even among non basketball fans. Davis never came close to that. He's very much a player people are largely indifferent toward. Awful nickname probably didn't help.

[Colbinii]

Don't feed the trolls guys.

Remember, an ignore feature is on this forum for a reason.

[eminence]

Don't see a ton of available moves to address the roster, Kuzma+1st to try to land a decent starter looks like the only real option at first glance outside of vets for the minimum/exceptions. Barnes/Adams/Bertans/Thad Young/Rubio are the 1st names to come to mind that make some sense and are in the right salary range, decent chance not all would require that added 1st.

@ Adams, Thad or Ricky. Just what the Lakers need.....more players that cant shoot

Frank Vogel can coach a top defense even with less than ideal players. They lost Danny, Dwight, Rondo, Bradley, Javale and brought in Denis, Trez, Marc, Drummond and Wes with Ad missing nearly 40 games and Bron missing nearly 30 games and their defense was better this season

that 3rd quarter stretch gives some hope we could still see Bron dominate with the right spacing

Adams is obviously filling a different hole than the shooting hole.

Rubio's passing in most scenarios makes up for a lack of shooting and I believe it would work out fine in LA.

Thad Young, I'll admit that's throwing **** at the wall, the Lakers don't have many options though.

If shooting is all one wants, then Bertans is the guy to go after.

[thebigbird]

No blame being thrown, but how frustrating it must be to be a fan of AD.

Like, can you actually build around a star that you can almost always expect to miss large chunks of the season? The Lakers did everything they could to keep him healthy and he still went down, twice. How do you deal with the constant stress worrying about whether he's injured or not?
Makes me wonder how big of a championship window the Lakers will have once Lebron is gone, if they'll have one at all.

They should trade AD for Dame, lol. The Lakers screwed up by hedging their bets and trying to compete while also staying competitive in a “post-LeBron” NBA. It’s what kept them from moving THT for Lowry. You have LeBron on your team, your window is now. Do what you have to do to stack chips before it’s too late.

[thebigbird]

This Phoenix team is certainly better than Boston or Toronto which were like the main rivals for LeBron in the east.

What? They're not "certainly" better than any of those teams. All credit to Phoenix as a deserving 2-seed but don't act like the current WC seeding is an accurate portrayal of their actual strength.

The reason why they are the 7th seed this year is the western conference aswell, you pay the price there.

No the reason they're 7th is that their 2 biggest stars, as well as other key players, missed a huge chunk of the season. It's not a conference thing. Do you honestly think the Lakers are 7th seed material in this Western Conference? Be honest.

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

LeBron got injured because an eastern conference player dove on his ankle like it was a football. Really no idea what that has to do with playing in the West or “paying the bigger price for that in the West.”

[Gooner]

What? They're not "certainly" better than any of those teams. All credit to Phoenix as a deserving 2-seed but don't act like the current WC seeding is an accurate portrayal of their actual strength.


No the reason they're 7th is that their 2 biggest stars, as well as other key players, missed a huge chunk of the season. It's not a conference thing. Do you honestly think the Lakers are 7th seed material in this Western Conference? Be honest.

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

LeBron got injured because an eastern conference player dove on his ankle like it was a football. Really no idea what that has to do with playing in the West or “paying the bigger price for that in the West.”

Solomon Hill made a natural basketball play, it was just bad luck. It was really disappointing to see people attack him for nothing.

[Mazter]

It's like we all forgot that this team started 21-6 before the first AD injury. Then AD missed 31 games, LeBron 27, Gasol 20 and Schroder 11 and they went 21-24 in those games. But it was a disaster waiting to happen. Just 71 days rest between 2 seasons is just not done, especially if it is a season that technically lasted 360 days. The injuries were just a consequence of that. Because of that, other than an aging LeBron, I don't directly see roster problems. Could be better of course, but the long summer is going to do wonders for this hobbling team.

[Gooner]

No blame being thrown, but how frustrating it must be to be a fan of AD.

Like, can you actually build around a star that you can almost always expect to miss large chunks of the season? The Lakers did everything they could to keep him healthy and he still went down, twice. How do you deal with the constant stress worrying about whether he's injured or not?
Makes me wonder how big of a championship window the Lakers will have once Lebron is gone, if they'll have one at all.

They should trade AD for Dame, lol. The Lakers screwed up by hedging their bets and trying to compete while also staying competitive in a “post-LeBron” NBA. It’s what kept them from moving THT for Lowry. You have LeBron on your team, your window is now. Do what you have to do to stack chips before it’s too late.

I'm afraid it's too late already.

[thebigbird]

Phoenix is better than Atlanta, Toronto and Boston teams that LeBron faced in the conference finals when he was in Cleveland, I don't think anyone can disagree with that. Injuries played the part for sure, but you pay the bigger price for that in the west.

LeBron got injured because an eastern conference player dove on his ankle like it was a football. Really no idea what that has to do with playing in the West or “paying the bigger price for that in the West.”

Solomon Hill made a natural basketball play, it was just bad luck. It was really disappointing to see people attack him for nothing.

“Natural basketball play”

Read on Twitter

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My high school football coach would be proud of that form.

[K9J]

lakers should end the joke about his shoothers, even with the worst physical lebron in a playoff round and davis out 3 games if all the players who only need to be ready for make wide opens 3pt (did about 35%) lakers would have had a chance to win the serie
except gasol and mclemore with 2-6 all shoot less than 30%, with lebron and david you need 3 elite shooters so pelinka should work about it

[Gooner]

It's like we all forgot that this team started 21-6 before the first AD injury. Then AD missed 31 games, LeBron 27, Gasol 20 and Schroder 11 and they went 21-24 in those games. But it was a disaster waiting to happen. Just 71 days rest between 2 seasons is just not done, especially if it is a season that technically lasted 360 days. The injuries were just a consequence of that. Because of that, other than an aging LeBron, I don't directly see roster problems. Could be better of course, but the long summer is going to do wonders for this hobbling team.

71 days is a lot, look at the other sports, even European basketball and players participating in national team competitions. It's just the nature of the sport, injuries can happen to anyone.

[thebigbird]

Just compare this LeBron from the Cavs game earlier in the year to the LeBron we saw in this past series to see how much the ankle was affecting him. This game was on January 25th. He didn’t fall off a cliff in four months. It’s the ankle. It’s like watching two completely different players. He needs a long offseason to heal up.

Read on Twitter

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[magicman1978]

It's like we all forgot that this team started 21-6 before the first AD injury. Then AD missed 31 games, LeBron 27, Gasol 20 and Schroder 11 and they went 21-24 in those games. But it was a disaster waiting to happen. Just 71 days rest between 2 seasons is just not done, especially if it is a season that technically lasted 360 days. The injuries were just a consequence of that. Because of that, other than an aging LeBron, I don't directly see roster problems. Could be better of course, but the long summer is going to do wonders for this hobbling team.

They could have used anther shooter, but I agree - if AD was hurt last year and Bron was less than a 100%, people would have been questioning that team's roster as well.