The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

Ursusamericanus · Post #601 » by **Ursusamericanus** » Mon Jul 5, 2021 11:29 pm

For the sake of making predictions:

1. How much more time do you give LeBron?

2. How many more rings?

My guess is that he retires after 23 seasons, at the end of the 2025-2026 season, at age 41. And I think he squeezes out one more ring in that time, to retire with 5.

Reason being: I think, corny as it may be, he wants the indisputable GOAT longevity. 23 seasons would do it (VC had 22). And no doubt he wants more rings, but it'll be tough to win much more - so I am being (somewhat) conservative since two of his last three seasons were injury-plagued. I think one more ring is plausible and it gives him as many as Kobe, Duncan, and Magic.

falcolombardi · Post #602 » by **falcolombardi** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 12:27 am

i doubt he will be playing at 41 unless somehow he is still a star level player by then

i think he will try to win another ring and break the points record, anythingh else would be kinda pointless

may even "hurt" him in the general discourse by lowering his career stats

PistolPeteJR · Post #603 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 12:35 am

Guys come on. There is absolutely no way the Lakers can get Lonzo Ball or Zach Lavine.

I wonder if someone like Malik Beasley is possible; I think that’s more realistic, but still very unlikely.

Mos_Heat · Post #604 » by **Mos_Heat** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 11:02 am

PistolPeteJR wrote:Guys come on. There is absolutely no way the Lakers can get Lonzo Ball or Zach Lavine.

I wonder if someone like Malik Beasley is possible; I think that’s more realistic, but still very unlikely.

Yeah Lavine and Ball are out of reach. I don't think they have enough for Brogdon or FVV(if Raps go in full rebuild) either. The best realistic and relatively cheap target is Patty Mills. But knowing Pelinka, he's gonna overpay for Hield in the begining of the free agency

PistolPeteJR · Post #605 » by **PistolPeteJR** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 12:45 pm

Mos_Heat wrote:
PistolPeteJR wrote:Guys come on. There is absolutely no way the Lakers can get Lonzo Ball or Zach Lavine.

I wonder if someone like Malik Beasley is possible; I think that’s more realistic, but still very unlikely.

Yeah Lavine and Ball are out of reach. I don't think they have enough for Brogdon or FVV(if Raps go in full rebuild) either. The best realistic and relatively cheap target is Patty Mills. But knowing Pelinka, he's gonna overpay for Hield in the begining of the free agency

I really hope not. That said, I'd like to see the Lakers package Schroeder, Harrell, Kuz and a 1st and see what kind of two-player package that can net them. Ideally, a PG and a wing.

Is a deal with Cleveland for Sexton and Nance available for something like that, realistically speaking?

Mos_Heat · Post #606 » by **Mos_Heat** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 1:01 pm

PistolPeteJR wrote:
Mos_Heat wrote:
PistolPeteJR wrote:Guys come on. There is absolutely no way the Lakers can get Lonzo Ball or Zach Lavine.

I wonder if someone like Malik Beasley is possible; I think that’s more realistic, but still very unlikely.

Yeah Lavine and Ball are out of reach. I don't think they have enough for Brogdon or FVV(if Raps go in full rebuild) either. The best realistic and relatively cheap target is Patty Mills. But knowing Pelinka, he's gonna overpay for Hield in the begining of the free agency

I really hope not. That said, I'd like to see the Lakers package Schroeder, Harrell, Kuz and a 1st and see what kind of two-player package that can net them. Ideally, a PG and a wing.

Is a deal with Cleveland for Sexton and Nance available for something like that, realistically speaking?

If they can replace Schroeder with TPE or less expensive deal then it's closer. Still tho, would have to throw 2027 1st

RCM88x · Post #607 » by **RCM88x** » Tue Jul 6, 2021 1:59 pm

PistolPeteJR wrote:
Mos_Heat wrote:
PistolPeteJR wrote:Guys come on. There is absolutely no way the Lakers can get Lonzo Ball or Zach Lavine.

I wonder if someone like Malik Beasley is possible; I think that’s more realistic, but still very unlikely.

Yeah Lavine and Ball are out of reach. I don't think they have enough for Brogdon or FVV(if Raps go in full rebuild) either. The best realistic and relatively cheap target is Patty Mills. But knowing Pelinka, he's gonna overpay for Hield in the begining of the free agency

I really hope not. That said, I'd like to see the Lakers package Schroeder, Harrell, Kuz and a 1st and see what kind of two-player package that can net them. Ideally, a PG and a wing.

Is a deal with Cleveland for Sexton and Nance available for something like that, realistically speaking?

No, if Cleveland does look to package those two guys, the price would be far to high for the Lakers unless they give up a truckload of picks, and even then... I think the Cavs would want some players of value in exchange for them.

Regardless, I don't really think Sexton is the type of guy the Lakers want to aim for, nor is he someone that the current FO would appear to value that much (poor defender, undersized, young).

nzahir · Post #608 » by **nzahir** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 1:41 am

Feels so weird to not really have anyone to root for right now, last time I think I felt like this was 06.

I like Giannis

But I also feel bad for cp3 with how his career has gone (in terms of injuries and bad moments)

FC93 · Post #609 » by **FC93** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 2:16 am

I like Giannis. I like great defensive players. Go Giannis (Suns gonna win though).

falcolombardi · Post #610 » by **falcolombardi** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 2:18 am

some places are suggesting interest in kemba walker and derozan? anyone would be ok with that?

i am intrigued by derozan, he is a good playmaker who can help lebron carry the load through the season but i dont know about his fit with lebron and salary is way too high

Post #611 » by **Fadeaway_J** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 2:39 am

falcolombardi wrote:some places are suggesting interest in kemba walker and derozan? anyone would be ok with that?

i am intrigued by derozan, he is a good playmaker who can help lebron carry the load through the season but i dont know about his fit with lebron and salary is way too high

He's also a terrible defender. No thanks.

thebigbird · Post #612 » by **thebigbird** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 3:36 am

Is Pelinka ever going to be interested in anyone with a serviceable 3 point shot or nah? So far he appears to think he’s building a team for 1980.

D.Brasco · Post #613 » by **D.Brasco** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 6:22 pm

Good to see Skip is on the case to find out out just who these anti-LeBron trolls are?

Read on Twitter

falcolombardi · Post #614 » by **falcolombardi** » Wed Jul 7, 2021 8:54 pm

https://www.pickswise.com/anti-social-media/

saw this posted on twitter and the fact that black athletes in predominantly white countries/sports dominate the list is sad yet expected

TroubleS0me · Post #615 » by **TroubleS0me** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 5:23 pm

Read on Twitter

homecourtloss · Post #616 » by **homecourtloss** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 5:26 pm

homecourtloss wrote:
thebigbird wrote:
falcolombardi wrote:i liked the suns but the wild ego they got is making me go 100% to bucks

seeing a lot of fans simultaneously bragging about beating the lakers and saying the lakers ring is worthless while also getting mad at people saying they benefitted from bad health of other teams

is pretty wild they dont are the similitudes between those asterisking 2020 ring and 2021 ring. they asterisk one while getting mad people asterisk the other

Only reason 2020 got asterisked is because LeBron won it. You think anyone’s putting an asterisk on that title of the Clippers beat LA in route to the title? In that timeline all the conversation would be about how Kawhi came to LeBron’s town and won a ring before him, he has as many rings as Lebron, is Kawhi better than LeBron, etc. They find any reason to discredit him. They discredit 2016 because draymond got suspended a game, and they discredit 2013 because of Ray Allen. Yet the Suns have played 3 straight rounds against teams missing their stars and it’s supposed to be legit or something.

Last year, GB was salivating at moving Kawhi ahead of James all time. If the Clippers won beating even the Rockets instead of the Lakers, Kawhi would be able “to win anywhere with any team in any environment, even a pure basketball environment with no fans, no hone court, just a basketball cyborg.” The very things asterisked for James would be the things lauded for Kawhi.

falcolombardi · Post #617 » by **falcolombardi** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 5:58 pm

is always odd to see people who way bubble doesnt count because it was slightly different

cause they usually will be the same ones who whine about "softness" and how old players were Men amongst men

yet they think a basketball player cannot play basketball in anythingh but a perfect environment? where is the mental toughness they always Claim to appreciate?

do they think players (including the superheroes and tough war veterans thst all the older players apparently were) are too fragile mentally to play basketball without fans?

hell, i will go further. if lebron and lakers said "is thought to play without fans, living in these hotels doesnt let us play at 100%, is hard to be separated from our families and have to play basketball in these conditions" (and they would be right by the way)

they would be SHREDDED, the "players today are so soft" and "jordan would play 100% in any environment " comments would have come instead

but now is lebron fault because (in the minds of these people) "it doesnt count, other players were not nentally strong enough to play 100% in the bubble" somehow

is almost as bad as saying the bubble doesnt count because it allowed davis to be healthy

trickshot · Post #618 » by **trickshot** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 6:26 pm

Did the Lakers wage a war on outside shooting and not tell anyone?

Post #619 » by **Texas Chuck** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 6:30 pm

Asterisks are stupid and not real and I can't take anyone seriously who attributes them. And I'm sorry but I take you far less seriously if you either add them due to a specific team/player or worse accuse others of doing it because of a persecution complex.

Every team is in the same league dealing with the same rules as everyone else. You emerge? You are the champion. Period. The end.

trickshot · Post #620 » by **trickshot** » Thu Jul 8, 2021 6:32 pm

D.Brasco wrote:Good to see Skip is on the case to find out out just who these anti-LeBron trolls are?

Read on Twitter

Lebron critics are a different level. I'm constantly confused by how much his biggest detractors love talking about him. We've left the realm of obsession. At least Skip makes a living off of it, most people do it for free. Sometimes think it's justified that he's self-absorbed. How many can have such an impact among those who even hate them?