LeBron James Discussion: Not Returning To The Lakers

I said Westbrook AND George. No, Westbrook alone isn't enough, but Westbrook and Durant got OKC to the WCF and got up 3-1 on the Warriors. So give him another superstar plus an up and coming supporting cast and yes I think we're damn good. I want George first, and then I honestly take Westbrook over LeBron if I have that choice because Westbrook is younger, and has not had nearly the same amount of deep playoff runs as LeBron. When he DID get to the Finals though, he was a beast. So if George is the scorer and star, decent 2 way player, yet not necessarily the killer or clutch player, Westbrook certainly is.

I personally am not saying I don't want LeBron because of some perceived off court issues or because he's a drama queen, I'm saying it's mainly age. If he were 28-30 this isn't a discussion, but we're taking about signing him for 34-38/39 here. If Westbrook isn't an option, then I'm ok with LeBron, what I'm saying is I look at the younger options first. I'm also saying we don't need to worry about guys that shoot a lot so much, because Lonzo doesn't care about scoring, and him running with Westbrook would be a sight to see.

 

I hear you, but I don't see it. I love Paul George, but he's not better than Durant and that didn't work in OKC. I think they're going to be a Top 4 team, but LeBron next to either of them is the 2nd best team in the West.

I'd do back flips for 2/3 of Westbrook, LeBron, and George, but LeBron as one of the pieces makes the other piece a lot, lot better. I know as he ages he'll decline, but he's one of the greats and he's adjusted his game well over the years. It's possible he breaks down, but at the same time Westbrook has missed large chunks of seasons even though he's younger. Both of them are freak athletes, but if I were betting on one of them to break, it's probably Westbrook honestly.

 

I guess we just agree to disagree then. Westbrook missed 1 game last year, 2 games the year before that. I'll take a 29/30 year old Westbrook over a 34 year old LeBron, and especially that LeBron at the end of his deal at 38 or 39. No, George is not Durant, but he is a franchise player and he's damn good, and if Lonzo and Ingram work out like we hope they're better than what Durant and Westbrook had around them. If Lopez has a good season and we could keep him too and sign those 2 guys, that's a hell of a team. Built for now AND 4/5 years from now, not now and a 2 year window, maybe.

Of course all Westbrook has to do is sign that extension on the table in OKC and this all ends immediately, but he hasn't yet. Until he does, that gives us an entire season to see what George and he look like together.

 

My thought isn't that Lebron wouldn't immediately make us contenders, it's that I'd rather contend with someone else.

 

Lebron should be the one bending the knee to the Lakers, a la Cersei.

 

I'm not saying I wouldn't take Westbrook, I'm saying I'm taking anybody that's willing to come. The thought that we should turn away LeBron because he's a jerk makes zero sense to me unless we're all real comfortable with 30 wins. You (not you) can't deal with a pompous, talented jerk? Every single one of our own stars has their own flaws, and some of them are definitely worse than LeBron's. Your reasoning that he'll be older makes more sense than the arguments I've been reading, but yes we'll agree to disagree on Westbrook. Yes he had two healthy seasons, but the two seasons before that he averaged 56.5 games. Two of the last three seasons Westbrook lead the league in usage percentage too with last year's usage over 40%! Even Kobe never had a usage percentage that high. Something has to give. Signing him long-term is still a dangerous proposition. If you favor him over LeBron long-term, I get you, but I'm not saying either bet is a particularly great one the last year or two of a four year deal.

 

Right and while Durant/Westbrook were contenders they a) were never good enough and b) were better than George/Westbrook. The closest OKC got, they were destroyed in the Finals. The second closest they got, they lost to GS who got way better by adding Durant. So now it's not Durant/Westbrook vs. Curry/Klay/Green, it's George/Westbrook vs. Curry/Klay/Green/Durant. That OKC team is probably Top 4 team and will probably be a 2nd round exit if everyone on every team stays healthy.

Nothing is a foregone conclusion, especially since the league is still waiting to see what Lonzo and Ingram are. If Lonzo and Ingram are great, then I think it's a good that we're getting at least one of the big three names out there (LeBron, George, Westbrook) and probably two. Why? Because why would Westbrook stay in OKC with George with a cast that's not great and not really movable when they both could go to LA to continue playing together, make more money, and have a better cast with a better team in a better city?