basketball092

LeBron to LA? Err... Sam Smith? You're nuts. E-mail
Written by Don   
Thursday, 05 November 2009 15:42
Sam Smith of Bulls.com states:
"Well, at least I'm fairly sure now where LeBron James is going to be playing next season.
Los Angeles, most likely with the Lakers."  (Will LeBron join Kobe in L.A.?)
Say what?

I would hazard a guess and state that the one destination that we can safely say LeBron will not end up is LA Lakers.  Smith's pretty detailed with his reasoning, as one would expect.

"The big reason I believe this could occur and work is because James is an unusual superstar. Jordan never would do it, and I doubt Kobe would. But you watched James in the Olympics and he seemed to embrace the supporting role, rebounding and moving the ball. He's always said he wants to play with those Olympic teammates, and it doesn't seem like the Cavs payroll can accommodate that."

LBJMVPReally?
Reports had James as very competitive with "whose team is this?" - and EVERYONE on the team wanted to "play with those Olympic teammates".
LeBron James just won an MVP, wants to be seen as one of the greatest to ever play the game, and Smith can see him taking on... no, wait embracing a supporting role?  The guy who wore the "MVP/LBJ" t-shirt?  "Check my stats"?  Ummm... no.

Equally so with Kobe.  Sure, Kobe may have kicked up one helluva tantrum to get a good team around him, but sharing it with LeBron James wasn't part of the idea, I'm sure.  Gasol, Odom, Bynum, and even Artest - fine.  But the man who would be King is on a completely different level of "share".

Kobe and LeBron as they are now couldn't co-exist on the same team, not for a whole season.  Simply put, there's not enough ball - nor enough limelight for them both in the same team.  LeBron's an awesome player - and with a bit of luck will be counted as one of the all-time greats.
I believe history will put that same epithet on Kobe. 

It's not a criticism to state that LeBron's ego is too big for him to take a backseat to Kobe.  Why should he?  As it stands at the moment, he's probably the better player.  It's not a denunciation to believe that Kobe wouldn't play second-fiddle to LeBron either - and why should he?  He's the more accomplished player.

No... no single team's big enough for LeBron and Kobe.
And that's as it should be.  Having both of them on the one team would make the NBA a much smaller place, and we'd be poorer for it.
From a Lakers fan - I'm fine with LA having Kobe, someone else can have LBJ.

Sam, stick to making the inane comments about the Bulls.

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Comments (8)Add Comment
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written by Clips, November 05, 2009
Spot on. I don't think there is a doorway big enough to fit those giant heads through side by side. Bron to LAC smilies/wink.gif
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he's not going past the cuyahoga
written by steveo, November 06, 2009
I just don't see him leaving. Someone from ohio would probably try and shoot him.
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written by Spoonybard3000, November 06, 2009
Does Smith actually check on team payroll before drawing these conclusions? How exactly does he think LA would pull this off? As much fun as everyone is having talking about how egotistical these two players are, that has nothing to do where LeBron will or won’t go next year. He’s going to get a max contract somewhere, and the Lakers aren’t going to be handing any more of those out. They’ve already done their shopping, and they have the team they want.
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written by lol, November 06, 2009
bynum + farmar for LBJ... McHale couldnt even pull dat one off.
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written by Fahad, November 06, 2009
I thought about this for a while now and I have to agree with the guy, Lebron wants to be a global icon and a winner, the ONLY team that will provide both is LA, NY can provide the global image but will keep him from winning a ring for atleast 3 years, cleveland has a CHANCE of producing a ring in the next 3 years, but if he goes to LA I really cannot find a team that can beat them in a 7 game series for the next 6 years (No major injury issues ofcourse).

And even if LA does not offer a max contract he will be making WAAAAY more money from his endorsements and his nike clothing line.

But in reality no one really knows what will happen other than lebron and I doubt that will change before he actually says what he wants which will be at the end of the year.
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written by ClarissaJenkins, November 06, 2009
This is pre-last season thinking, for lack of a better phrase.

Lebron is a changed man. I mean, Shaq? As a Phoenician, I can tell you, he's getting desperate. He must have had a semi-meltdown over losing in the Eastern Conference finals, and I can hardly blame him for not wanting to talk to the press. He was essentially referring himself as Jesus with those "Witness" t-shirts...now that's some regrettable shit.

He has probably realized that he can't win it all alone. And he knows that. As the author says, he's a good ball sharer. It's why he's such a great passer, and it's what makes him more fantastic to watch than Jordan at times. It's also why he probaby won't go to New York. He can't repair that piece of shit by himself and he wouldn't want to.

I see him either going to Miami or Los Angeles. D-Wade and Lebron would be a vicious matchup and hard for any team to deal with. Who else is going to compete with the Lakers? The Celtics? Negro, please. The Magic don't stand a chance without Turgolu, that is, unless Dwight Howard finally pops his cherry and learns to play like a man. God, what I-nay, nearly anyone else would do with that 7'1 body of his.
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written by pattycakes, November 07, 2009
agreed altho lebron is not a better player...would you trust him to go to the line to sink two free throws at the end of the game...? your best player...not best freet throw shooter will take that shot...sorry LBJ "better than kobe" is still premature...its possible (highly doubt it)
with-malice
Ummm... no
written by with-malice, November 07, 2009
Sorry, LBJ's a "changed man" after 7 games? Because Shaq's there? Sorry Clarissa, but Shaq's no-where NEAR the player he was - it's not like LeBron's sharing anything by having him in Cleveland. And probably had a meltdown? He did. We all *witnessed* that.

Now, you say Miami or LA? So... tell me: where are either team going to get the cap space to provide room for him? Hell, the Heat are going to be lucky enough if they can hold onto Wade - much less James.

No, at this stage of the game, if LBJ leaves it will be for either MSG or soon-to-be-Brooklyn.

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