The LeBron James Thread

[USF11]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

You know the only thing that is gonna stop Lebron from coming to the Bulls is the Ego's of Paxson and Reinsdorf.

We wouldnt trade Loul Deng for Pau Gasol because Jerry didnt want to pay for the luxury tax.

Which is absurd since the Bulls sell out the stadium as much as any team in the league.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

So the secret to success in the NBA is simply capspace? How many teams over the years have had capspace and NOT gotten a playoff team out of it. That's what Chicago has over both the Knicks and Nets, they currently are a playoff team, neither of them are. The Bulls were a playoff team this year and last year, how about the Knicks and Nets? The Bulls are a team that will fight you til the end as LeBron saw first hand in the playoffs this year. Would the Knicks or Nets continue fighting hard in a pinch?

Maybe. Maybe if they won 40 some games. Maybe if the Knicks roster wasn't assembled just for the shear sake of shedding salaries with being competitive as an afterthought. Chicago made the playoffs because they're a good defensive team. I feel like if NJ had relatively the same roster (or at least key players) in place+a couple years under Skiles that they could have done the same. Look at Milwaukee, I'm not convinced their roster is that much better than NJ's either.

Capspace doesn't get you everything like intangibles and it certainly isn't a perfect science. That's the problem with the Knicks, while everyone is talking about what other teams HAVE, they're defense, your argument is what they CAN get. It's not what they are guaranteed to get, it's not what they're guaranteed to have when the guy gets there it's what they're hoping that they can get. Not saying I'm writing them off in this, but that's why a lot of people are and why they are not out in front for landing Bron or Bosh.

Of course cap space doesnt get you intangibles. It can get you players with intangibles. Everybody's arguments are also what they "can" get too. You Chicago guys figure you can get Bosh by only giving up Gibson or you can find someone to take Hinrich or Deng to free up more cap space. Or you can get shooters to put around LeBron.

From reading this thread, one would conclude the Knicks have only an outside chance because:
1.) New York is inferior to some cities like DC and at least on par with Chicago. So that makes it a non-factor. Despite the fact LeBron said NY was his favorite city...
2.) NY has the ability to sign 2 max FA's outright, that gives them little to no advantage
3.) The likelihood of getting someone of value for Eddy Curry's 10 mil expiring isn't high.
4.) Even though LeBron has played for D'Antoni and likes his coaching, teams with coaching vacancies have an advantage

Frankly, I don't understand how Chicago even got so much attention to begin with. Was it just because Bill Simmons wrote a column about it?

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

WOW! Didn't realize the Nets made the playoffs last year?

Just because a team doesn't make the playoffs doesn't mean they have an inferior roster to teams that do.

[Altimus]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

We're not talking about a 41 win team to a 35 win team. It's 41 to 12. Has to mean something.

You don't think something like that will factor in the decision making process? A two year Playoff team with a roster that lost two scoring threats this season, faced big injuries but yet snuck in compared to a team roster that could barely get double digit wins?

I'm not saying it's huge but it has to count for something.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Come on now Alt, it's 61 wins not 41. 41 is the number of points the Packers scored on the Bears last season

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Maybe. Maybe if they won 40 some games. Maybe if the Knicks roster wasn't assembled just for the shear sake of shedding salaries with being competitive as an afterthought. Chicago made the playoffs because they're a good defensive team. I feel like if NJ had relatively the same roster (or at least key players) in place+a couple years under Skiles that they could have done the same. Look at Milwaukee, I'm not convinced their roster is that much better than NJ's either.

Dude, the Knicks haven't made the playoffs in six or seven years and haven't won 40 games in almost ten, shedding salaries is not the reason they didn't make the playoffs this season. You're also aware that the only players left on the Bulls roster that played under Skiles is Hinrich, Deng and Noah right? It's pretty interesting how you make it so easy for the Bulls to have made the playoffs and just any team could have done it. They're roster isn't THAT much better than NJ's but they're key pieces are indeed better.

Of course cap space doesnt get you intangibles. It can get you players with intangibles. Everybody's arguments are also what they "can" get too. You Chicago guys figure you can get Bosh by only giving up Gibson or you can find someone to take Hinrich or Deng to free up more cap space. Or you can get shooters to put around LeBron.

From reading this thread, one would conclude the Knicks have only an outside chance because:
1.) New York is inferior to some cities like DC and at least on par with Chicago. So that makes it a non-factor. Despite the fact LeBron said NY was his favorite city...
2.) NY has the ability to sign 2 max FA's outright, that gives them little to no advantage
3.) The likelihood of getting someone of value for Eddy Curry's 10 mil expiring isn't high.
4.) Even though LeBron has played for D'Antoni and likes his coaching, teams with coaching vacancies have an advantage

Frankly, I don't understand how Chicago even got so much attention to begin with. Was it just because Bill Simmons wrote a column about it?

The main point of Chicago arguments have been that without landing Bosh, the Bulls as currently constructed are better situation than the others. If the Bulls were to land LeBron and not get Bosh, they'd be a better squad with Bron than if the Knicks or Nets landed him minus Bosh. The Bulls arguments aren't based on what they can do, but what they already have. What they already have and still can do is better than the Knick's 'what we can get and what we can be if we get that' if that makes any sense.

[ehh]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Why is making the playoffs a big deal? Half the league makes the playoffs and half the teams that earn a playoff spot suck.

Not to mention half the reason the Nets had such a terrible record was because their entire team was injured the first third of the season.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Why is making the playoffs a big deal? Half the league makes the playoffs and half the teams that earn a playoff spot suck.

Not to mention half the reason the Nets had such a terrible record was because their entire team was injured the first third of the season.

Fair point, but it's not like the Nets have been playoff mainstays over the past few years. I doubt they'd actually have made the playoffs this year anyway. Can't say that with complete certainty, but it is a likely guess. But if the goal for free agents is a championship then making the playoffs is the start. If your prospective team doesn't have playoff caliber pieces already there, why sign there? I understand that the challenge of turning it around is there, it just begs the question though.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Dude, the Knicks haven't made the playoffs in six or seven years and haven't won 40 games in almost ten, shedding salaries is not the reason they didn't make the playoffs this season. You're also aware that the only players left on the Bulls roster that played under Skiles is Hinrich, Deng and Noah right? It's pretty interesting how you make it so easy for the Bulls to have made the playoffs and just any team could have done it. They're roster isn't THAT much better than NJ's but they're key pieces are indeed better.

I'm sure you didn't watch many knicks games this year but the reason we didn't make the playoffs is completely tied to that. It had to do with D'antoni's rotations because he wanted to showcase the vets in an attempt to increase their trade value even though they weren't very good. The goal wasn't to make the playoffs and hadn't been for the last couple years. It's been to put the team in position to court some max free agents. And you can debate how much better Chicago's pieces are vs NJ's.

The main point of Chicago arguments have been that without landing Bosh, the Bulls as currently constructed are better situation than the others. If the Bulls were to land LeBron and not get Bosh, they'd be a better squad with Bron than if the Knicks or Nets landed him minus Bosh. The Bulls arguments aren't based on what they can do, but what they already have. What they already have and still can do is better than the Knick's 'what we can get and what we can be if we get that' if that makes any sense.

The main point of the New York arguments is that if they get Lebron they will get someone else. The "what the Bulls have argument" isn't superior to what the Knicks can get.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

The main point of the New York arguments is that if they get Lebron they will get someone else. The "what the Bulls have argument" isn't superior to what the Knicks can get.

Actually it is because we're dealing with absolutes and uncertainties, fact vs ficition. What is an absolute and fact is that the Bulls have the pieces to be a playoff team and with LeBron they more than likely are still a playoff team which is the first part of the goal. Meanwhile what the Knicks can get is not an absolute, it's an uncertainty. They could not land Bosh because someone else beats them to it, because Bosh could decide he'd rather play with Wade in Miami than go with LeBron somewhere and the Knicks could end up with Boozer or Ama're who could get their deals and turn out like Rashard Lewis for all we know. Having a million dollars in your pocket is superior to a Powerball ticket that COULD MAYBE get you one hundred twenty million.

[Altimus]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Why is making the playoffs a big deal? Half the league makes the playoffs and half the teams that earn a playoff spot suck.

Not to mention half the reason the Nets had such a terrible record was because their entire team was injured the first third of the season.

It's not about the Playoffs, it's about the standings. As I said 41 to 12 is a huge difference. No one can argue that.

Then again it has been a while since the Knicks made the Playoffs so I would understand why it wouldn't be a big deal to some.

A roster that wins is a roster than wins. There is all there is to that. The Bulls roster has won for the last two years and that is the core that the Bulls present. A winning core. NJ and NY don't. It's pretty simple I would think.

[Dice]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

Just because a team doesn't make the playoffs doesn't mean they have an inferior roster to teams that do.

We're not talking about a 41 win team to a 35 win team. It's 41 to 12. Has to mean something.

You don't think something like that will factor in the decision making process? A two year Playoff team with a roster that lost two scoring threats this season, faced big injuries but yet snuck in compared to a team roster that could barely get double digit wins?

I'm not saying it's huge but it has to count for something.

And let me add that the Bulls lost their second best player in Noah for a signifacnt amount of time. Lost Deng and Hinrich for some time. Even lost Rose for a couple of games. And if I could remember, the Bulls at one time had Rose and Noah, their two best players, out of the line up. And they still made the playoffs.

Injuries or not, your not suppose to just win 12 games. When you only win 12 games, your team needs a major overhaul.

[Altimus]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

And let me add that the Bulls lost their second best player in Noah for a signifacnt amount of time. Lost Deng and Hinrich for some time. Even lost Rose for a couple of games. And if I could remember, the Bulls at one time had Rose and Noah, their two best players, out of the line up. And they still made the playoffs.

Injuries or not, your not suppose to just win 12 games. When you only win 12 games, your team needs a major overhaul.

This. The Bulls for a couple games had a starting line of:

Miller
Warrick
Johnson
Murray
Law

Yikes! Even with having injuries all of March and losing 11 out 12 but yet they found a way to fight back and get into the Playoffs. Yeah there is no award for getting in and losing in the 1st round. However, you don't get in by mistake and the bottom like is the Bulls were a .500 team while facing many issues of their own. Injuries, roster moves, head coaching controversy all year long. So if we're going to make excuses for the other teams, lets for the Bulls as well.

[King_B_Mack]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

And let me add that the Bulls lost their second best player in Noah for a signifacnt amount of time. Lost Deng and Hinrich for some time. Even lost Rose for a couple of games. And if I could remember, the Bulls at one time had Rose and Noah, their two best players, out of the line up. And they still made the playoffs.

Injuries or not, your not suppose to just win 12 games. When you only win 12 games, your team needs a major overhaul.

This. The Bulls for a couple games had a starting line of:

Miller
Warrick
Johnson
Murray
Law

Yikes! Even with having injuries all of March and losing 11 out 12 but yet they found a way to fight back and get into the Playoffs. Yeah there is no award for getting in and losing in the 1st round. However, you don't get in by mistake and the bottom like is the Bulls were a .500 team while facing many issues of their own. Injuries, roster moves, head coaching controversy all year long. So if we're going to make excuses for the other teams, lets for the Bulls as well.

Joakim Noah - 64 Games played - 54 started
Luol Deng - 70 Games played - 69 started
Kirk Hinrich - 74 Games played - 53 started
Derrick Rose - 78 Games played - 78 started

Just adding. As they said most of those missed games were missed at the same time. So if we wanna play the injury card...yeah.

[Vince]

Re: The Official "Where is LeBron going?" Thread

This. The Bulls for a couple games had a starting line of:

Miller
Warrick
Johnson
Murray
Law

Yikes! Even with having injuries all of March and losing 11 out 12 but yet they found a way to fight back and get into the Playoffs. Yeah there is no award for getting in and losing in the 1st round. However, you don't get in by mistake and the bottom like is the Bulls were a .500 team while facing many issues of their own. Injuries, roster moves, head coaching controversy all year long. So if we're going to make excuses for the other teams, lets for the Bulls as well.

We gave y'all the 8th spot..And I truly mean no disrespect to your team, because on paper you guys have the better roster, but the Raptors collapsed in a big way. From 5th to 9th...Sad.