You are off yr ****ing nut m8

I'm a Bucks fan and am expecting them to outperform prolly 4-5 teams capone has ranked above them next year, but Bud didn't even have a winning record his first year in Atl. Obv he has more to work with from the jump in Mil but installing systems and continuity takes time, and with headcases like Bledsoe and Jabari (guessing he'll resign) around, who knows what the timeline for that could be. Acting like they're a lock for ~60 wins isn't a hot take, it's just stupid.

I think their best case scenario is 50-55 wins in the reg season. Mvp is def in play for Giannis tho

Sounds like a damn monster movie!

This has never actually happened.

This. I don't see why any star players would want to play with Lebron. He is going to dominate the ball over and over again and make it look like your game has declined, and then complain about you not playing well. Other than Bosh, who had to totally change his game in order to play with Lebron, it doesn't seem like any other star players have chosen to play with him in their prime. He was forced onto Kyrie, who left quickly, and Love was traded to Cavs.

I see Harden getting extremely frustrated by playing with Lebron. But it would be popcorn worthy.

LOL at a lot of this.

Yes Lebron dominates the ball but so do a lot of players considered all time greats. This year was about as bad as it could be because Kyrie was gone and Hill isn't the playmaker Lebron is. Kyrie had much higher assist #s than Hill. Wade was also fine with Lebron, is that forgotten? Pretty sure they wanted to play together as well; likewise the only reason it started fading is because Wade got old/injury prone.

If given consistent trusted teammates, I'm pretty sure he'd have no issue sharing the ball like he has with Kyrie and Wade this is especially true as Lebron gets older. Pretty sure he realizes that him shouldering a ton of load both passing and shooting isn't good for his team but that's what he had to do to win in the playoffs. He's deferred in the past to other great players. This year, Love just wasn't that great in the playoffs. And while Hill, TT, and others showed up occasionally in the playoffs they were far from consistent especially away from home. Like did you watch the games and were like, wow I wish Clarkson or Hill would just start dominating the ball over Lebron and they're going to crush whoever their facing? If you did, you're watching a completely different game than I was. It was sweet when some of the role players stepped up. But that was few and far between in the playoffs.

I'm betting if Lebron wasn't living in Cleveland and playing for the Cleveland org that others players wouldn't mind playing with Lebron. Cavs aren't the most attractive market, this was especially true during the first run in Cleveland--additionally, I'm pretty sure the players know the owner/GM are pretty dumb.

I also don't particularly love the system that Lue was running nor do I think Lue is a good coach and luckboxed a title.

Toronto promote Nick Nurse to HC. Not sure who he is but I guess it's better than taking some re-tread from another team.

Feels like it's Luol Deng's destiny to bookend Lebron's tenure in Cleveland. Lonzo + Deng to the cavs in a sign and trade for Lebron. Good Guy Koby Altman will have taken on 2 of the 3 worst Lakers assets to help out Lebron's next chapter.

Would give the lakers something like 75m in cap space. Either A. Sign 1 year deals around Lebron and make your move to form a big 3 in 2019 with Lebron as head recruiter or B. Sign PG + a few other small pieces

This. I think a lot are getting caught up on what Lebron has done in the past and not giving him any credit for being a ridiculously smart player who knows what needs to change about his game.

If I were Cleveland I would do it as long as I got 3 unprotected 1st round picks. This year, 2020, and 2022. (Do the Lakers have their 1st this year? if no- then 2024)

The 76ers have the Lakers 1st (#10).

The Lakers have the Cavs 1st (#25).

I would like to see LeBron do another Decision live on primetime TV.

He can punch through a paper wall to reveal the logo of which team he's going to.

Lebron is amazing. I think he is at least on par with Jordan and should surpass him in a few years. But he is not the best player to play with other great players. For instance, Bosh and Love both severely regressed when paired with Lebron. Bosh had to completely rework his game just to fit in. I'm not saying that it was bad for the team (maybe the team is better with Lebron being Lebron and making other great players change their game to suit him). But it's pretty obvious that Lebron isn't an exactly great fit next to other great players. If he was, they wouldn't have to completely rework their game in order to play with him. He has a very hard time sitting back and letting others be playmakers. He's a great play maker and great passer, but part of playing with other greats is letting them do their thing from time to time (which is not just shooting once Lebron drives and dishes it out to them).

If he goes to a team with other great players, in order to beat the Warriors, he is going to have to take more of a backseat than he typically has in the past. Otherwise, if Lebron is just going to dominate the ball constantly, there isn't that much difference between playing with other greats or playing with good shooters/role players.

LeBron being lazy off the ball is really the crux of it. That's why he doesn't play well with others (of elite talent), that's why the Warriors play well together.

Basketball is basketball ftmp, he tries to play it on his terms tho (like a different faceted Kobe really).

Why do you think Bosh and Love changed their games that much? They just went from #1 options on bad squads to #3 options on great/good squads. It's really hard for 3 options to all have elite stats--their stats especially TS% increased. Don't you think Klay has sacrificed some of his counting stats to play with the Warriors especially with KD? This isn't some new phenomenon, 3rd fiddles on great squads likely always have to make sacrifices--

I think LeBron is like Harden in that they’re almost always in situations that require them to be hyper ball dominant that they don’t have many opportunities to move off ball and are too tired to do so on the rare occasion they’re not on the ball. So, an offense built like Houston w/LBJ would probably be all time good.

I remember LeBron cutting well on occasion in the MIA days when Wade was on-ball.

Dan LeBatard: HE IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD BUT HE MAY NOT BE THE BEST PLAYER ON THIS TEAM!

It's common knowledge that Bosh completely changed his game. I feel like some people forget how much of a load he carried in Toronto. He basically became a spot up shooter. Same with Love. Before playing with Lebron, the offense would run through them. When paired with Lebron, this almost never happens. Obviously, you want the offense to run through Lebron more often than not, but the offense could run through other players much more often than he lets it. He's not nearly as good off the ball, or is not willing to play off the ball, as compared to other greats.

Klay has definitely sacrificed some stats, as does any 3rd option who is a great player. But Klay is more than just a spot up shooter with the warriors. He still gets plays called for him and does much more than he would be allowed to if he was on Cleveland with Lebron.

I don't think this is happening but lemme toss it out there since we got 9 days until the draft and 3 weeks until FA starts.....

Why doesn't KD just go to the Lakers and take Playoff P with him?

Given the age of the two players, LA would be wise to take KD over LeBron. He immediately weakens the Warriors and they can't really replace him because of their cap situation. I'd probably make the Lakers the fav to win the title if this happened (not accounting for what LeBron would then do)

Then you win a few rings in LA and people are no longer saying you just hopped onto the Warriors train, they're gonna start saying the only reason you didn't win in OKC was for other reasons (Russ, Brooks, Presti, owners, etc)

This is a legitimate pathway for him to be remembered as the best player of this generation if it pans out.

It's a boss move. Don't think he would do it and he already told Nichols he'll be back in GS but just something I thought of.

KD already said he's re-signing. Really, you think PG/KD and the LAL roster is better than GSW - KD, Celtics with GH/KI, or Philly/Houston with Lebron?

Yeah, I mean GS would be in trouble - KD. Iggy/Liv are getting old, Curry's had durability issues. Hard to see them playing another 100 game season and crushing if he just left.

Randle-George-Ingram-Durant-Lonzo-Kuzma is a really nice team imo

I said not accounting for where LeBron goes but I would say that team is on par with Celts and better than Philly.

And if LeBron goes to LA with a similar type team, I'll feel the same way. But GS will still be GS then and the favs.

IDK, Celtics with GH, KI, Horford, Tatum, JB seems better than that LAL lineup and the only comparable lineups to that to me are GSW and Philly/Houston if they get Lebron.

Seems comparable to me. That's an eastern conference team as well.

I still think it would be a good/savvy move for KD even if it isn't gonna happen.

KD to LAL + PG would give GSW a run. Watching PG on OKC you could see him wasting away with those ball hogs there. I see more of the same with LBJ, but obviously he can win titles almost on his own.

If CP is part of the LBJ deal then I say skip it. CP is now a 25 mpg player who can fall off the map at any time who wants max money. That could ruin an org for years.

If KD went to the Lakers his approval rating would skyrocket.

Twittergate would be a thing of the past.

Purple and Gold is forever.

I think you guys are underestimating the blow that would be to GS to lose KD right now and get nothing back in return. They wouldn't still be the 73 win Warriors.

Bogut/Barnes/Barbosa are gone, Liv and Iggy are not close to the players they were 2-3 years ago. Curry/Klay/Green would be going on their 5th season of this run.

I would definitely like a KD-Laker squad over them.

I think GS losing KD for nothing would be an extremely severe blow.