POLL: Will you blame Lebron if he leaves this summer?

[Cavatt]

It's a bad story if he leaves. Just is. I don't blame him, but if he joins Houston, it is the "Same as KD" but he will get more criticism.

I don't think getting more rings on a stacked team does it. It is just chasing Golden State.

Really hate How Lue has integrated guys all year. Terrible job

 

[cavsfever]

If he does, fans should burn jerseys.

DURANT jerseys.

LOL this wins the thread

 

[Coyote850]

Golden State got KD for 1reason: Beat Lebron. The Cavs in turn traded their 2nd best player...…….. Can't blame Lebron if he wants out. I'll wish him well and cheer that he beats the fuck outa GS next year.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

I don't get why LeBron has this weird pass with you guys

He can switch teams for a 3rd time and that won't bother anyone? 3 times he will have left for greener pastures. Why is it that if LeBron isn't in position to win every single year then everyone feels terrible for him and totally excuses him going to another team? Who else is held to this standard?

There were plenty of years Kobe had no fucking shot to win a title and he didn't just go to a better team. They retooled and he won 2 more championships. Duncan went like 25 years between championships

All other teams are allowed to rebuild or have an off year, but LeBron gets this weird pity party and he is encouraged to go to Houston?

It's one of the big problems with basketball in my opinion. People encourage just stacking up and having 2-3 superteams per year having the only way to win a title.

LeBron will have left 3 different teams for greener pastures in his career. At some point just fucking stay somewhere and make it work.

One lost year doesn't always have to mean everything is over and the sky has fallen. You can go 2 years without winning a championship and that doesn't mean you can't ever win one again without finding a new team

such an odd thought process when discussing this

 

[Flight479]

I don't get why LeBron has this weird pass with you guys

He can switch teams for a 3rd time and that won't bother anyone? 3 times he will have left for greener pastures. Why is it that if LeBron isn't in position to win every single year then everyone feels terrible for him and totally excuses him going to another team? Who else is held to this standard?

There were plenty of years Kobe had no fucking shot to win a title and he didn't just go to a better team. They retooled and he won 2 more championships. Duncan went like 25 years between championships

All other teams are allowed to rebuild or have an off year, but LeBron gets this weird pity party and he is encouraged to go to Houston?

It's one of the big problems with basketball in my opinion. People encourage just stacking up and having 2-3 superteams per year having the only way to win a title.

LeBron will have left 3 different teams for greener pastures in his career. At some point just fucking stay somewhere and make it work.

One lost year doesn't always have to mean everything is over and the sky has fallen. You can go 2 years without winning a championship and that doesn't mean you can't ever win one again without finding a new team

such an odd thought process when discussing this

This isn’t just one year though. Last year the finals was 4-1, and this year a sweep could possibly be the result. I’m thinking it’s more about being competitive on the finals stage. While the actual games are, the actual result does not reflect this. Unfortunately with Gilbert at the helm drafting and moves have been a near disaster. This isn’t like he’s up and leaving the Spurs management.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

This isn’t just one year though. Last year the finals was 4-1, and this year a sweep could possibly be the result. I’m thinking it’s more about being competitive on the finals stage. While the actual games are, the actual result does not reflect this. Unfortunately with Gilbert at the helm drafting and moves have been a near disaster. This isn’t like he’s up and leaving the Spurs management.

Well speaking of that Spurs management, Duncan wasn't even in the Finals to lose for 6 years in between Finals appearances

Duncan is a top 10 player of all time. That's why I'm using him as a comparison.

Again, why is LeBron held to a different standard where instead of being expected to retool and make it work he can continuously just go to greener pastures?

There were 2 years where we were either the 2nd or 3rd best team in the NBA and since it wasn't the 1st he is not only justified in leaving but should leave?

I don't agree with that at all

 

[noisymicrophone]

There were plenty of years Kobe had no fucking shot to win a title and he didn't just go to a better team. They retooled and he won 2 more championships. Duncan went like 25 years between championships

I think there's a difference between well run organizations like the Lakers and the Spurs vs ours. There was a level of hope there. Duncan's teams were always competitive at the very least. We are capped salary wise with no hope of overcoming this team in the next couple of years. Assuming our front office is competent (big assumption) and we retool in say 2 years LeBron will be 35/36.

Do you realistically foresee a scenario where he stays here and wins again?

 

[iWx]

If he leaves fine but wherever he goes he better beat the damn Warriors.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

I think there's a difference between well run organizations like the Lakers and the Spurs vs ours. There was a level of hope there. Duncan's teams were always competitive at the very least. We are capped salary wise with no hope of overcoming this team in the next couple of years. Assuming our front office is competent (big assumption) and we retool in say 2 years LeBron will be 35/36.

Do you realistically foresee a scenario where he stays here and wins again?

Yes, I do.

And I think LeBron will too.

FFS we were a ref debacle and one additional reliable shot creator from being up 2-1 this year

Golden State is in their twilight years. Klay and Draymond contracts will be up next year and the year after respectively. We come off of a TON of money in the summer of '19, a marque free agent year

There is tons of hope if you're willing to look more than 2 months in the future at a time

 

[WorldFreeB]

Anywhere he goes he's playing for second place...if the warriors keep that team together.
I don't see how Lebron coexists with Harden, they are both so ball dominant.
Chris Paul is going to be 33 and he's going to start breaking down. I don't think Houston works. They would have to shed tons of salary as well.
Maybe Philly but Embiid got those glass feet and Simmons can't shoot....He's better off staying here building the team, hopefully they can steal another championship. If he leaves and fails he's going to look like a dope.

 

[cavsfever]

Yes, it's huge stakes if he leaves -- it becomes totally necessary to win a championship. Cleveland is the only place where it is at all acceptable for him to lose.

I think Boston could give him a real chance to win it all. Say they ditch Kyrie, they could roll out Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Lebron, and Horford as an ultimately switchable "death lineup" -- everyone an offensive threat, size everywhere, and pretty solid defense. If they want a conventional PG replace one of that lineup with Smart (if they can keep him) or Rozier. Baynes, Morris, and Monroe off the bench. Stevens obviously is a plus as a coach but he seems a bit overrated to me -- a great coach would have beaten us this year.

People are sleeping on LA I think. If he can team up with Kawhi or even PGIII there, they have a lot of decent pieces. Ingram is looking like he might be ready to make a leap, when you consider Kuzma and Ball are rookies they have impressive potential (Ball is not a great jump shooter but he is INFINITELY better than Simmons), and Randle and Lopez are a solid front line.

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Well, I was one of the handful that didn't hate him when he left the first time, so I definitely won't be mad this time should he leave. I'll be disappointed that it didn't work out for the long haul, but so freaking grateful that the GOAT was on my favorite basketball team, not once but twice. That's some pretty cool stuff right there. Hopefully, we're all being needlessly pessimistic, though!

 

[bee-eazy13]

I don't get why LeBron has this weird pass with you guys

He can switch teams for a 3rd time and that won't bother anyone? 3 times he will have left for greener pastures. Why is it that if LeBron isn't in position to win every single year then everyone feels terrible for him and totally excuses him going to another team? Who else is held to this standard?

There were plenty of years Kobe had no fucking shot to win a title and he didn't just go to a better team. They retooled and he won 2 more championships. Duncan went like 25 years between championships

All other teams are allowed to rebuild or have an off year, but LeBron gets this weird pity party and he is encouraged to go to Houston?

It's one of the big problems with basketball in my opinion. People encourage just stacking up and having 2-3 superteams per year having the only way to win a title.

LeBron will have left 3 different teams for greener pastures in his career. At some point just fucking stay somewhere and make it work.

One lost year doesn't always have to mean everything is over and the sky has fallen. You can go 2 years without winning a championship and that doesn't mean you can't ever win one again without finding a new team

such an odd thought process when discussing this

It’s simple. Blame the media. Since day 1...nobody has been held to a higher standard than Lebron....not kobe nor Duncan. Instead of praising lebrons efforts to drag this sorry ass team and coach to the finals...all they’re gonna bring up is him losing again...never mind that golden state is levels above us and the rest of the league.

The media wants to rip him at every opportunity for not winning. So no matter how legendary he is...if people are just gonna discredit him for not winning under circumstances no player in history would either (besides 2011)...I really can’t blame him if he’s just sick and tired of all that noise and goes to a team that can actually win.

We know how great he is...but the masses don’t care. They just love to see him lose. If the media was more rational about his career...he probably would stay.

 

[noisymicrophone]

I think Boston could give him a real chance to win it all. Say they ditch Kyrie, they could roll out Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Lebron, and Horford as an ultimately switchable "death lineup" -- everyone an offensive threat, size everywhere, and pretty solid defense. If they want a conventional PG replace one of that lineup with Smart (if they can keep him) or Rozier. Baynes, Morris, and Monroe off the bench. Stevens obviously is a plus as a coach but he seems a bit overrated to me -- a great coach would have beaten us this year.

Call me petty but I'd love to see this happen in a sign and trade. Get to see LeBron compete for a championship while Kyrie's pouty ass comes back to help us in the tankathon.

 

[Jscc]

No. LeBron better get a standing ovation upon his first return too. He has played all 82 games + 18 post-season. Many of the latter all 48 minutes. He refused to allow a concussion and getting his eye poked out stop him. Not much more he can do.