Lebron in the Mix

It’s pretty amazing that Lebron “Rushmore” James is still demanding this much attention as a free agent.

I’ve been advocating the idea of him going to the Pistons.  Yes, there are a lot of teams out there that could use LBJ.  When I made that suggestion for instance, that was before the Sixers acquired Brown.

Still, I can totally see Lebron helping Detroit win a championship, because more than anything last postseason they needed another superstar scorer.  More than on any other true ‘contender’ in this conversation, King James’s defensive deficiencies would have been mitigated in the Motor City, you know, before they lost Stewart

That’s why it’s kinda hard for me to envision him on the Nuggets or Timberwolves.  If this was prime, still-interested-in-playing-defense Lebron, him + Jokic would definitely win a championship.  And I guess with Watson around and moving James to the 3, it might work.  But then, what’s going to happen to Cam Johnson?  And you have to presume that Christian Braun isn’t particularly exuberant about sticking around.  You helped dudes win a championship, but now they’re more interested in signing a former rival.

With the T-Wolves, taking nothing away from Gobert + McDaniels, but the defensive burden, as a starting 4, would be too much.  Remember that the Spurs and Thunder are still out there.  You wouldn’t want, for instance, “the Highlander” being stuck in a situation where he has to defend Wemby during a history-defining possession.

LEBRON A SIXER?

That’s one of the reasons why, out of the teams he suggested, the Sixers may make the most sense, because he’ll not only be in the East but playing alongside Jaylen Brown.  It remains to be concluded, but Brown may be one of those Kawhi types who can elevate an entire team’s defense.  Lebron + Embiid being tasked with defending the box isn’t ideal and may not happen consistently anyway given Joel’s health.  But I think inspiration + talent can carry this squad through.  The Sixers haven’t won anything of late but still are one of the most respected franchises in the league.

It isn’t only about if James can still play at a high level.  It’s about, at his age and with his résumé, what would inspire him to play defense every time he’s on the court?

Son is in his 40s.  He can just forget shit for a couple seconds like ‘oh shit Lebron, dude just ran right by you’.  So you don’t want to put him on a team where he might get bored halfway through the season.

You wouldn’t want to put him on a squad, like the two aforementioned, where there’s a possibility that they could still be mediocre.  You know what I’m saying?  He’s going to take a below-average contract.  So you don’t want December rolling around and dude is like ‘man, I’m not getting paid anyway, so fuck it’.

SHOUTOUT TO DAVION MITCHELL

I also like the Heat, and this is something I would really like to point out in this post.  Notice when Lebron, via Rich Paul, was giving a shoutout to Miami’s roster, the first player he mentioned wasn’t Bam or Giannis but Davion Mitchell.  That, my friend, is inspiration.

Also, even more than the Pistons were last season, we have to now presume that Miami is a defensive juggernaut in the post.  Andrew Wiggins is another above-average defensive player I think.   The way dudes’ G core got gutted these past couple of seasons isn’t ideal.  But defensively, remember that Bam and Giannis can also play the perimeter.

A NAKED FACE

The reason I don’t think a reunion with the Cavs would work comes down to two words - the Beard.  There’s no reason to have both Lebron and Harden on the same squad, because both are (divas and) best on the ball.  It also kinda puzzles me sometimes how the Beard is still demanding near-max money, while Westbrook and CP3 can’t even get a contract.  I’m thinking maybe it’s because of his passing ability(?).

On paper, Lebron (and Bronny) back in Cleveland would work, but they would have to shave the Beard.  And I don’t even mean forcing him to play the 2 or come off the bench or anything like that.  I mean not even like having dude on the roster, because it’ll just be a distraction.

Lebron could help mitigate the fact that even though Cleveland has twin towers, they’re not necessarily a team that’s known for its ability to dominate the post offensively.  Allen is a defensive player, and Mobley plays more like a 3.  And you know, I’m tired of Evan bashing already.  Maybe that’s what he actually needs - unc.

It’s kinda strange how the Cavs have never just entrusted Spider with the point.  But that being said, having Lebron by his side makes more sense than Harden, even if they did make (and got embarrassed in) the Conference Finals.

OLD BUT SPRY

One of the reasons GM Lebron hasn’t been as successful in recent years is due to embracing these sorta nostalgic, dream team movements instead of thinking more logically.  He and D-Wade won Olympic gold in 2012, immediately became NBA teammates and proceeded to win a couple of championships (or something like that).  Well, they were both in their prime then.

Lebron and Carmelo have won a number of golds together, but by the time they teamed up stateside, both were in like twilight years type shit, besides having another relative agemate, Russell Westbrook, around.  That didn’t work at all.

Lebron recently won a highly-competitive gold medal alongside Curry.  Despite being surrounded by a bunch of younger players, it took Rushmore’s heroics - besides Steph’s magic - to emerge victorious.  So the first thing we as NBA fans were thinking is like ‘wow, what if they played on same the team?’  And yeah, I believe Lebron thinks like that also, like he doesn’t have common sense sometimes.  But the moment has passed.

The Warriors are the quintessential example of why you can’t embrace the geriatric movement in the modern NBA.  Or let me say that if they’re insisting on staying old, then they shoulda just kept Klay around (instead of doing him dirty).

Jimmy Butler isn’t the problem per se but more like the scapegoat.  Some of these dudes, when they get hurt like that, you sometimes kinda wonder like why don’t you just retire already?  You know, you’re a sportsman, and you have to think about how your ridiculously-large contract is going to affect the team if you can’t play.

Meanwhile, you’re a journeyman type shit.  You know what I’m saying?  Once it becomes like every time you’re watching a dude play you’re afraid he’s gonna get hurt, like Paul George or some shit, then maybe it’s just time to retire or at least take a pay cut.   Having Lebron in town isn’t such a bad idea if Butler were replaced by a younger star.  And as for Kristaps, don’t even get me started.

CONCLUSION

Nothing is written in stone, and Philly has taken some (non-Brown related) losses this offseason, losing Grimes and Oubre.  But out of every squad on Rich Paul’s list, they seem the most logical as they currently stand, if LBJ wants to win an instant championship.  They’re still not a perfect match though, and that shows how much James's expectations may be unrealistic, at least in a single season.  You don’t want to put him in a situation where your team’s fate is up to his defense - unless he’s really, really inspired - night after night.

Trade Talk: Sabonis vs. Haliburton, Hield and Thompson

PACERS GET	KINGS GET
Tyrese Haliburton	Justin Holiday
Buddy Hield	Jeremy Lamb
Tristan Thompson	Domantas Sabonis
	2027 2nd rounder

I wrote about the Kings earlier this season, before even watching them play.  Well I did finally get a chance to watch them recently when they squared off against Golden State in Cali.  And Sacramento looked more like a really good college team than an NBA squad.  That's when I realized that having said earlier that their roster was rife was talent may have been a bit hasty of a conclusion.  But there is a lot of potential talent - players who, if they find themselves in a different environment, may prosper, blazi fukin blah.  Like it may be any basketball player's dream to make it to the NBA, but no one in their right mind would actually want to be drafted by the Kings.

The one player on Sacramento who really represented, outside of established vet and former-Warrior Harrison Barnes, was rookie Davion Mitchell.  And going back to being drafted by the Kings, he's someone I foresee like getting seriously injured before finding himself on a championship squad.  And no, I'm not trying to jinx dude or wish him bad luck or anything like that.  It's just that his style of play reminds me a lot of other ferocious little dudes like Allen Iverson and Derrick Rose, who went about expeditiously fucking their bodies up in the NBA.  But one thing I will say about Davion is that he does look quite diesel for a smaller NBA player, so who knows.

The one player who really underwhelmed me was Tyrese Hailburton.  And believe me, I'm not trying to diss dude.  It's just that I've been reading so much about him being the next big thing, and like he didn't really do shit against the Warriors.  It kinda reminded me of when the Cavs recently played the Warriors also in Cali, that night when Klay returned.  Darius Garland is a young All-Star, one of my personal favorites tbh.  But it's like Steph could have posterized him with him 3s if he really wanted to.  And the point is that no matter how 'promising' a player may be, like unless he comes into the NBA a straight-up star from the jump, then there's likely to always be a tier of players, albeit a small group, who is simply better.

So, it may be cool to watch Haliburton play alongside Malcolm Brogdon.  But who knows if the Pacers really intend on keep any of these new guys.  Buddy Hield is someone who, to my remembrance, has disappointed since coming into the NBA.  When I was watching him flunk against the Warriors I was saying to myself, 'yes, this looks exactly like the type of player GM Lebron would want to bring to LA, someone who will end up getting fans even more frustrated'.  And again, I'm not trying to diss dude.  But it's hard to imagine Indiana being intent on keeping him.

And then finally, there's Tristan Thompson who, for whatever reason, was benched against the Warriors, even though he wasn't listed as injured.  My general belief when it comes to professional athletes, especially the active ones, is that it's never a good thing when your name is in the news, or even worst gossip circles due to your off-court activities more than what you do on the court.  Bigmen age slower in the NBA, and Tristan Thompson is still supposed to be a contributor.  But now it's like he's someone you would want on your roster probably because, being affiliated with the Kardashians, he can sell some tickets.  And even then, it ain't really like that.  You know what I mean?  It ain't like having Kanye on your roster.

Then, there's Domantas Sabonis.  A few weeks ago, I salivated at the prospect of him potentially ending up on the Sixers.  But instead, damn.  But then again, who knows - maybe he'll be exactly what the doctor ordered alongside the likes of Harkless and Holmes and the rest of the gang.  And it's like now I'm looking the Kings' roster from that Warriors' game, and Marvin Bagley isn't even listed at all.  So it's like dang, dude is getting paid $10mil+ to sit somewhere and chill - my personal dream if I were to ever make it to the NBA.

CONCLUSION

When I first heard of this trade I felt sorry for Domantas.  But now it's like if he's not personally in a rush to win a championship, this isn't that bad of a move for him.  After all, even after parting ways with a trio of expendables, the Kings still have enticing trade chips in Bagley III and even D'Aaron Fox, if they decide to go there (which they probably won't now that they've traded Haliburton, unless they're thinking of maybe making Justin Holiday a permanent starter).

The Pacers look like they're tanking or resetting, except for the fact that they appear extremely loyal to Brogdon.  He's a player that, if not for injuries, would probably be a perennial all-star in today's NBA.  But tender he is, which then makes you question why Indiana seems so intent on keeping him as opposed to letting Malcolm explore greener pastures.