The LeBron Thread 2021 Off-Season Edition

[falcolombardi]

I mean, if you're judging Kevin Love and Chris Bosh as 1st options then yeah, they're not particular good. Moreso Love on that end, because Bosh was a very, very good player.

But as #3s, both are pretty darn good options to have.

I think in Love's case, in 2018 he could probably be seen as one of the better players in the EC. He did make an all-star team that year, so we shouldn't act like he was garbage. Though undoubtedly Cleveland was a lot weaker without Kyrie. Its just that they went from overwhelming EC favorites, to basically sort of in the pack with the rest of the teams with the clear best player and no superstar opponent. If 2018 Cleveland had to go up against virtually any top 3-4 EC team this year, they'd get bounced fairly easily (and I'm not even high on Trae). The pacers were minutes away from doing just that, before Love had that late game run to save them. Just saying, LeBron + Love and role players is enough to beat teams beneath that caliber. It proves how great he was and how weak the east was at the same time, imo.

i absolutely agree they are (were kn love case) great players. what i mean is that they are overstated in how "super" they are

if love and kyrie is a unfair supporting cast then 80+% of championships had unfair supporting casts around their superstar. magic, bird, jordan, kobe championship teams all included

[homecourtloss]

I mean, if you're judging Kevin Love and Chris Bosh as 1st options then yeah, they're not particular good. Moreso Love on that end, because Bosh was a very, very good player.

But as #3s, both are pretty darn good options to have.

I think in Love's case, in 2018 he could probably be seen as one of the better players in the EC. He did make an all-star team that year, so we shouldn't act like he was garbage. Though undoubtedly Cleveland was a lot weaker without Kyrie. Its just that they went from overwhelming EC favorites, to basically sort of in the pack with the rest of the teams with the clear best player and no superstar opponent. If 2018 Cleveland had to go up against virtually any top 3-4 EC team this year, they'd get bounced fairly easily (and I'm not even high on Trae). The pacers were minutes away from doing just that, before Love had that late game run to save them. Just saying, LeBron + Love and role players is enough to beat teams beneath that caliber. It proves how great he was and how weak the east was at the same time, imo.

Love was fine in the regular season but was pretty terrible in the playoffs. He averaged 14.9 ppg on 51% TS as a second option.

People love to say that the East was super weak in 2018, but look at the East this year. The 1 seed Sixers got beat by the 5 seed Hawks. Milwaukee faced an injury-depleted Brooklyn team in the second round and the 5 seed Hawks in the eastern conference finals. If LeBron faced the teams that Milwaukee faced this year everyone would be talking about how weak the East was. The Cavs swept the 60 win Hawks in the ECF in 2015, the Bucks went to 6 games against the 5th seed Hawks in 2021, but the 60 win team was the "weak competition."

The east the Cavs went through in 2018 was stronger than the east that the Bucks just went through.
2018 Cavs:
48-34 Pacers
59-23 Raptors
55-27 Celtics

2021 Bucks:
40-32 Heat
48-24 injured Brooklyn
41-31 Hawks

You can't tell me that the Bucks went through a harder East this year than the Cavs went through in 2018. The Nets were injured, and they faced a fifth seed in the conference finals. Sure, on paper, it looked like the East was pretty good at the time that the playoffs started. But that wasn't the reality as the postseason unfolded.

Lebron played fewer minutes with Love and Kyrie in 2015 than KD played with Harden and Kyrie these playoffs.

2015 Cavs: Kyrie and Love played a total of 571 minutes [Kyrie played only 49 minutes vs. the Hawks]
2021 Nets: kyrie and Harden played a total of 647 minutes [Kyrie and Harden played 280 minutes vs. the Bucks]

But all we hear is “KD was ithe there by himself,” while LeBron played on sUpErTeAmS

[Mos_Heat]

Lowry is almost impossible cuz of hard cap issue. What i don't get is why are they targetting Westbrook, not someone like Brogdan, FVV or Kemba even? Yes, it would cost more. But trading for Westbrook is a definition of ALL IN move

Lowry is still possible

But every dollar counts with hard cap

3/57 deal?

17, 19, 21. Is that possible?

I’d prefer Brogdon or FVV as well if possible

Kemba...meh

Knees worry me and undersized for playoffs

Russ kills our spacing, worse on D

What do we gain?

Someone who can maybe help keep us afloat for when Bron sits?

That’s only like 5-10 min in higher stake playoff games

Lowry should be the main target still

3/57??? Of course not. He's gonna get at least 25 mil per year

[LikeABosh]

Cavs want to trade Sexton. Cavs want Caruso in FA

Hmmm....

[trickshot]

I suppose. Schroeder is better but not by much. I guess I wouldn't mind it so much if they add could some solid shooters at the 2 and 3 so LeBron/AD can play small ball, but still...I'm sick of low IQ chuckers

westbrook is a extremely underated playmaker and passer even past his peak

he could run a mean second unit at least if he plays to his best level

I watched this guy straight up get ignored while teams openly doubled James Harden for an entire year.

It would be an awful trade.

When Harden was doubled all Westbrook had to do was be Draymond green and screen and roll 4v3 but he has no clue how basketball is played without the ball. You know, that probably means Westbrook might not get better playing beside even Curry.

[Greyhound]

Cavs want to trade Sexton. Cavs want Caruso in FA

Hmmm....

I am keeping Caruso, sorry. Hopefully Rob does not screw this up.

Another example of players who excel at their role being undervalued for a name.

[LikeABosh]

Cavs want to trade Sexton. Cavs want Caruso in FA

Hmmm....

I am keeping Caruso, sorry. Hopefully Rob does not screw this up,

Another example of players who excel at their role being undervalued for a name.

Sexton isn't a name tf. Westbrook is a name. I think you gotta be willing to trade some defense for offense with this team

[LikeABosh]

If Charlotte is going after Lonzo, I'm curious if they're ready to dump Rozier.

[Greyhound]

Cavs want to trade Sexton. Cavs want Caruso in FA

Hmmm....

I am keeping Caruso, sorry. Hopefully Rob does not screw this up,

Another example of players who excel at their role being undervalued for a name.

Sexton isn't a name tf. Westbrook is a name. I think you gotta be willing to trade some defense for offense with this team

Caruso is excellent at his role. I hope he is not traded for some sex name.

His impact is clear in the 20ish minutes he plays. Sacrifice defense someplace else.

[LikeABosh]

I am keeping Caruso, sorry. Hopefully Rob does not screw this up,

Another example of players who excel at their role being undervalued for a name.

Sexton isn't a name tf. Westbrook is a name. I think you gotta be willing to trade some defense for offense with this team

Caruso is excellent at his role. I hope he is not traded for some sex name.

His impact is clear in the 20ish minutes he plays. Sacrifice defense someplace else.

Anyways, Trez is likely to opt in according to one report. Should move him right away

[falcolombardi]

is sexton a good shooter?, can he lead the offense when lebron sits?, ks he at least a neutral defender that can stay on the court in the playoffs?

those are the 3 questions lakers need to answer more

they need shooters, a second playmaker to stagger with lebron and do so without sacrificing (much) defense

[LikeABosh]

is sexton a good shooter?, can he lead the offense when lebron sits?, ks he at least a neutral defender that can stay on the court in the playoffs?

those are the 3 questions lakers need to answer more

they need shooters, a second playmaker to stagger with lebron and do so without sacrificing (much) defense

He's below average in 3pt attempt rate, but above average in 3pt%. He doesn't shoot a ton of them and looking at his open/contested splits, it's because he just doesn't take many contested 3pters. 38% on open to very open this past season. So he's not elite and he looks to be more of a scorer than a pure shooter. Definitely way better than Westbrook and Schroder tho

Best thing about him is his finishing and ability to draw fouls. Top 15 in FTA. More than LeBron and AD surprisingly

[falcolombardi]

is sexton a good shooter?, can he lead the offense when lebron sits?, ks he at least a neutral defender that can stay on the court in the playoffs?

those are the 3 questions lakers need to answer more

they need shooters, a second playmaker to stagger with lebron and do so without sacrificing (much) defense

He's below average in 3pt attempt rate, but above average in 3pt%. He doesn't shoot a ton of them and looking at his open/contested splits, it's because he just doesn't take many contested 3pters. 38% on open to very open this past season. So he's not elite and he looks to be more of a scorer than a pure shooter. Definitely way better than Westbrook and Schroder tho

Best thing about him is his finishing and ability to draw fouls. Top 15 in FTA. More than LeBron and AD surprisingly

sounds good enough, can he run a pick and roll offense with davis when lebron sits (a big issue for the lakers is the lebron bench minutes offensively)

and more importantly is he at least a passable/neutral ish defender?

[LikeABosh]

is sexton a good shooter?, can he lead the offense when lebron sits?, ks he at least a neutral defender that can stay on the court in the playoffs?

those are the 3 questions lakers need to answer more

they need shooters, a second playmaker to stagger with lebron and do so without sacrificing (much) defense

He's below average in 3pt attempt rate, but above average in 3pt%. He doesn't shoot a ton of them and looking at his open/contested splits, it's because he just doesn't take many contested 3pters. 38% on open to very open this past season. So he's not elite and he looks to be more of a scorer than a pure shooter. Definitely way better than Westbrook and Schroder tho

Best thing about him is his finishing and ability to draw fouls. Top 15 in FTA. More than LeBron and AD surprisingly

sounds good enough, can he run a pick and roll offense with davis when lebron sits (a big issue for the lakers is the lebron bench minutes offensively)

and more importantly is he at least a passable/neutral ish defender?

Yeah, I think he could handle it. He didn't have a ton of offensive talent in Cleveland next to him, but he seemed to find Allen/McGee on lobs off the pick n roll fairly well. He's looking to score more than anything else tho

Couldn't tell you much about his defense. Maybe someone else is able to post some advanced stats

[dcstanley]

Cranjis' Heat sources claim the Heat are likely going to let Kendrick Nunn walk. Would be a good get for the mini-MLE.

[Greyhound]

I don’t mind Sexton, but I would prefer if the Lakers held onto Caruso.

He is literally the one role player I would not touch. Guys who star in their role matter.

[LikeABosh]

From LA Times

DeRozan, who starred at Compton High and USC, has interest in returning home to play for the Lakers, even if it is for less than the $27.7 million he earned last season in San Antonio, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Though the Lakers didn’t acquire Lowry at the trade deadline, he remains interested in joining them, according to people with knowledge of his situation.

So now Lowry is interested in joining the Lakers? He said LA wasn't his preference near the trade deadline. Pelinka probably more willing to trade THT if it means keeping Lowry for a few years rather than as an expiring. S&T would hard cap the Lakers tho

[Mos_Heat]

Cranjis' Heat sources claim the Heat are likely going to let Kendrick Nunn walk. Would be a good get for the mini-MLE.

Nunn won't take mini MLE

[MisterHibachi]

From LA Times

DeRozan, who starred at Compton High and USC, has interest in returning home to play for the Lakers, even if it is for less than the $27.7 million he earned last season in San Antonio, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Though the Lakers didn’t acquire Lowry at the trade deadline, he remains interested in joining them, according to people with knowledge of his situation.

So now Lowry is interested in joining the Lakers? He said LA wasn't his preference near the trade deadline. Pelinka probably more willing to trade THT if it means keeping Lowry for a few years rather than as an expiring. S&T would hard cap the Lakers tho

If it's not a sign and trade, I think the most the Lakers could offer DeMar is the ~$5-6M tax payer MLE. That's a massive cut from his current salary, and I'm sure plenty of times would be willing to offer him $10-15M+. If he's willing to take that large of a discount, that's incredible. I think he would be great as a third guy. Lowry I think would have to be a sign and trade for sure, probably involving Dennis, and additional sweeteners like THT and maybe a pick. But it hard caps the Lakers, and I would hate it if it meant they can't keep Caruso.

Also wonder what Harrell is gonna do with his player option. I think there are rumors of Charlotte wanting him, but idk if they have cap room to sign him outright or not.

[LikeABosh]

From LA Times

DeRozan, who starred at Compton High and USC, has interest in returning home to play for the Lakers, even if it is for less than the $27.7 million he earned last season in San Antonio, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Though the Lakers didn’t acquire Lowry at the trade deadline, he remains interested in joining them, according to people with knowledge of his situation.

So now Lowry is interested in joining the Lakers? He said LA wasn't his preference near the trade deadline. Pelinka probably more willing to trade THT if it means keeping Lowry for a few years rather than as an expiring. S&T would hard cap the Lakers tho

If it's not a sign and trade, I think the most the Lakers could offer DeMar is the ~$5-6M tax payer MLE. That's a massive cut from his current salary, and I'm sure plenty of times would be willing to offer him $10-15M+. If he's willing to take that large of a discount, that's incredible. I think he would be great as a third guy. Lowry I think would have to be a sign and trade for sure, probably involving Dennis, and additional sweeteners like THT and maybe a pick. But it hard caps the Lakers, and I would hate it if it meant they can't keep Caruso.

Also wonder what Harrell is gonna do with his player option. I think there are rumors of Charlotte wanting him, but idk if they have cap room to sign him outright or not.

Spotrac says they have the full MLE (assuming Harrell opts out I think). Derozan opting in last year probably tells us that him and his agent don't think he's gonna get a contract that big again. So maybe full MLE is good enough?

I'm laughing at the idea of Derozan being on the team though. I like how he's been playing for the past few years, but LeBron/AD/Derozan is such a silly core