The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

[trickshot]

Which one of LeBron’s teams could ever defeat a team like the Jazz two times in a row without him?

None, because everything revolves around LeBron. LeBron system has it's pros an cons.

The "LeBron system" is when the front office builds an atrocious team around LeBron so their only chance of being competitive is for him to do everything.

Notice how LeBron was an excellent off-ball player in Miami and had no problem letting Kyrie take more shots than him in Cleveland.

might have heard it somewhere and now uses it indiscriminately. Schroder, Drummond and Harrell etc aren't exactly fitting acquisitions for an isoball system.

Anyway one has to appreciate the Clippers for building a functional team with smarts and skill. The changes they made to last year's team are underrated.

[homecourtloss]

Different set of rules for KD and LeBron I see.

[thebigbird]

That series shows how crazy Bron’s 8 straight finals really were. The Nets should’ve blown through the bucks but they couldn’t get healthy. So many things can happen in the playoffs. Injuries can come at any moment. For 8 straight postseasons Bron stayed healthy and got his team to the finals.

[MisterHibachi]

I don't think the Nets give up on Joe Harris, but he would be great on the Lakers. Shooters next to LeBron are the key, and Harris would be a great fit, even given his atrocious performance this series.

[homecourtloss]

That series shows how crazy Bron’s 8 straight finals really were. The Nets should’ve blown through the bucks but they couldn’t get healthy. So many things can happen in the playoffs. Injuries can come at any moment. For 8 straight postseasons Bron stayed healthy and got his team to the finals.

Exactly. Remember 2018? Toronto was a massive betting favorite vs. the Cavs, Sixers were favored to win the East after dominating the first round and still LeBron made the finals.

2019: Raptors
2020: Heat
2021: Sixers/Bucks/Hawks
2022: Probably a new team

[thebigbird]

That series shows how crazy Bron’s 8 straight finals really were. The Nets should’ve blown through the bucks but they couldn’t get healthy. So many things can happen in the playoffs. Injuries can come at any moment. For 8 straight postseasons Bron stayed healthy and got his team to the finals.

Exactly. Remember 2018? Toronto was a massive betting favorite vs. the Cavs, Sixers were favored to win the East after dominating the first round and still LeBron made the finals.

2019: Raptors
2020: Heat
2021: Sixers/Bucks/Hawks
2022: Probably a new team

October-April: The East is looking strong this year, I don’t think LeBron can make it out.

June-October: The East was trash last year, Bron only won because everyone else was terrible.

Rinse and repeat year after year.

[LikeABosh]

I don't think the Nets give up on Joe Harris, but he would be great on the Lakers. Shooters next to LeBron are the key, and Harris would be a great fit, even given his atrocious performance this series.

Yeah, I mentioned it on the GB. Still shot 43% on 3's with +4ft of space throughout the playoffs. You will vomit if you look up those numbers for guys like Schroder and KCP

[MartinToVaught]

I don't think the Nets give up on Joe Harris, but he would be great on the Lakers. Shooters next to LeBron are the key, and Harris would be a great fit, even given his atrocious performance this series.

He was bad in the 2019 playoffs as well. He might just be a choke artist.

[Stalwart]

This Bucks team is better than almost all of the EC conference teams Lebron beat over the years.

[MisterHibachi]

This Bucks team is better than almost all of the EC conference teams Lebron beat over the years.

By definition, every team LeBron beats is bad, so sure.

[TheGOATRises007]

This Bucks team is better than almost all of the EC conference teams Lebron beat over the years.

By definition, every team LeBron beats is bad, so sure.

I mean I think they are, but it doesn't diminish Lebron's accomplishments.

You can only beat who's in front of you.

[Greyhound]

That wing better be able to be a #3 scorer then if we are losing Dennis and not getting a #3 scoring guard back

Lakers have more options than others think imo

Can always use Dennis in a sign and trade and absorb bad salary and an asset or use the exception we may get to absorb bad salary and an asset

Then try to package that asset, our 1st, 2nds, and other contracts (kuzma, maybe trez, alfonzo, maybe Marc, and would even consider KCP if the guy is right enough) for another key piece

My preferred option would be keeping Dennis and bringing him off the bench as the six man he was supposed to be from the beginning. Use the mid level on that starting cabler wing (or a Mo Harkless type for the minimum).

With a healthy LeBron and Davis, all that wing would need to be is a reliable double digit scorer (10-14 points) who can spot up for three and play competent defense.

Schroder isn't re-signing to play the sixth man role though.

You tell him whatever you need to for that signature. Then in training camp you inform him that he did not win the spot (LeBron did).

You then smooth it over by telling him that he is going to be a very important part of the team and he will have the opportunity to close games.

That’s that.

If he makes a stink about it, you package him to the highest bidder.

[TroubleS0me]

Read on Twitter

[TroubleS0me]

LBJ vs Pierce 2008 Game 7 2ECSF was great

[Mos_Heat]

For an anti-Durant crowd it's a good day. They wasted one of 3(?) shots at the title and I don't see how the Nets can be better from a roster standpoint next season. Obviously if healthy they are overwhelming favs, but it's just hard to imagine Kyrie being without injuries in the POs again

[JVL]

Different set of rules for KD and LeBron I see.

Always has been. A second round exit while scoring 40 is an argument for KD as the GOAT. For Lebron it means he's fallen out of the top 100 of all time. And suddenly Giannis is perceived as a top tier playoff performer again to prop up KD.

I can appreciate both players but to me it's also obvious that KD is a tier, or 2, lower than Lebron and that will never change at this point.

[Baski]

The Nets would have be very dumb to dump Harris because of this series. They 100% won't, but they would be so dumb if they even considered it.

[Gooner]

For an anti-Durant crowd it's a good day. They wasted one of 3(?) shots at the title and I don't see how the Nets can be better from a roster standpoint next season. Obviously if healthy they are overwhelming favs, but it's just hard to imagine Kyrie being without injuries in the POs again

They can be better if they fire Nash. This year Kyrie didn't have injuries until that dirty play by Giannis. He will load manage next season again like other 2 stars.

[MartinToVaught]

Different set of rules for KD and LeBron I see.

Always has been. A second round exit while scoring 40 is an argument for KD as the GOAT. For Lebron it means he's fallen out of the top 100 of all time. And suddenly Giannis is perceived as a top tier playoff performer again to prop up KD.

I can appreciate both players but to me it's also obvious that KD is a tier, or 2, lower than Lebron and that will never change at this point.

Imagine what would be said if LeBron had a performance like that in OT. We'd be listening to corny "LeAirball" and "Air James" jokes all offseason.

It's obnoxious how people want to crown Durant as the best player in the world but then hold him to the standards of, like, a fringe all-star.

[falcolombardi]

i think the main difference between durant and lebron is that durant only has to score efficiently for his backers to call him rhe best in the world

the nets, understandably with injuries and bucks tough defense, had a very mediocre offense overall, way below their average (even league average i think)

were it lebron he would get nitpicked for why his numbers didnt translate to impact and cuestioned if his style of play is ceiling raising

lebron peak scoring gets always disrespecred despite almost the same volume +efficiency as peak durant, if durant had the same lebron scoring numbers without the defense or playmaking manyvpeople would still call him better cause the aesthetics of hia style