Watch him pass Kobe on the all time scoring list while playing for the Lakers Magic has to talk to him about flopping though. Big Ballers don't flop.
I'm already over my initial feelings about Lebron coming to the Lakers. I didn't love it at first but the bottom line is he's the number one star in the league and he makes us world's better than not having him. That's enough for me. I'll root for him in Purple and Gold.
How many years are we talking about here... 4 year contract? As long as we're not overpaying him during his declining years, I think I can live with it.
Aside from the obvious benefits of the LA market, I've heard rumors that LeBron's wife wants to be in LA year-round. They currently have a beach house out here. She'd like to reside here permanently. To me, that's one of the largest factors in our favor. Happy wife, happy life, gentlemen!
For me we basically need Lonzo to play like he did in Summer League and Brandon to look like he did that first game and that great stretch he had at the end of the season. Even if we don't make the playoffs if the trajectory is looking up for the Lakers and the team is competitive and exciting like we think they should be then I don't think it's a stretch to say we could be the most attractive destination next summer at least for the teams that have money to spend.
Both of your points. I really hate point #1 watching him roll past Kobe with his carpetbagging late arrival when Kobe and Magic too played their whole careers here as Lakers through the good years and the tough years. And yeah hate his ridiculous flopping. Kobe used a "balls" phrase and called those guys out years ago, saying they HAD NO balls. I'd think it would be offensive to an old schooler like Magic too.
The east is the easiest way to winning a ring for him. East is a joke. Competent management, that I agree with.
LeBron is not beating the Warriors by staying in Cleveland. They're capped out with no young assets. No real shot at another ring even in the East.
But playing for the lakers in the western conference gives him a better chance? I love seeing Ball, ingram and kuz play and I love what they bring, but it does not give him a better chance at a ring. You need to be in the finals to have a better chance and he's almost promised that with the cavs. A few years from now? I can see your point.
SAS would be his best choice if his decision only was based on the " best shot to get more rings" factor but I don't think it will be
I believe the cheap young talent along with signing or re-signing a player besides George that makes this all work where he gives it atleast a 2 year run. Plus when the stars come thats when you get the cheap ring chasers. So maybe no Randle,KCP,Lopez and we sign 2-3 guys with that money left over after Lebron/PG.
LeBron and Paul George are a great chance and, as has been pointed out over and over, we need Ball and Ingram to look like Kyrie and Wiggins. That's not to say they have to play like those two, but that they have to be exciting on that sort of level. If they look like future All-Stars, then we go from an outside shot to a likelihood.
I actually liken this more to Ball needs to be Kyrie (in terms of impact, not play style), and Ingram, Randle, Kuzman would all be bonuses. Lebron should look at PG-13 as being the Kevin Love addition since Wiggins never even suited up for the Cavs, and I don't think Lebron ever wanted him to. Our team really only needs to be be more promising or better than Kyrie + scrubs for it to be comparable to the Cleveland move. Cause we have two max slots and can bring in a player (PG-13) who is BETTER than Love was.
I agree, but in order to make the jump, don't we have to be more than what the teams were? At the time, Kyrie and Wiggins/Love felt like enough for him to contend. Now though the Warriors changed the game. He needs more than Kyrie and Wiggins/Love and a handful of decent role players. Is George/Ball/Ingram/one of Lopez or Randle or KCP on a cheaper deal better than the team he has now? We need it to be. My whole point is we need Ball and Ingram to look like they've got what it takes to be future All-Stars. So far Ingram has not done that and Ball is a Summer League GOAT, but we've got a long way to go. I'm optimistic, but there's an enormous amount of work to do.