Lebron is a laker

a reply to: TerryMcGuire

You really think this Lakers team is more talented? Lance Stevenson is all heart less talent and thats about it. Theyre a first round loss until next year

a reply to: JDmOKI

I doubt the current roster will be the opening day roster next year.
Half the team will be replaced this month.

Winning is taking a backseat?

James explained to Johnson that he wants to help build a contender that lasts and believes the Lakers have the right mix of recruiters, assets and cap space to do it.

The Warriors are the now team. The Lakers were in a good position for the future. The NBA landscape after the now. But LA has no patience as a fan base. Magic Johnson even foolishly said if I don't make a free agent splash this year or next year. Fire me. So they made that splash. Now the Lakers at best get to be the third team in the West. After Houston and Golden State. After signing JaVale McGee and Lance Stephenson the Lakers are out of cap space. So if they trade for Kawhi Leonard, they will have to gut their team of young talent and/or give up future picks to get rid of the bad contracts currently on the team.

So? I see why Lebron did it. He gets to be in LA. Make a crap ton of money and be closer to the Studios so he can make Space Jam 3 through 27. I get it and I don't begrudge him for doing so. But after what happened in Cleveland, why would any franchise give the keys to him in the era of the Warriors domination. Lebron is a great player. But he whines to the media too much about the help he needs. Then forces his franchise to bring in the players he wants, at horrible contracts. Cleveland is in a bad spot right now. All those friends of Lebron that they have on their team with contracts that do not match their production. Lebron leaves his teams in bad spots after he is gone, and Lebron James has proven that he is a mercenary who leaves dead teams in his wake, not a franchise player.

But its all worth it for championships? True. But he only got one in Cleveland and two in Miami( after he promised 7). And those were with Kyrie(who left Cleveland because of Lebron) and Kevin love, and Dwayne and Bosh(the "now" super team of that era). You can not instantly pencil a, Lebron + last years Lakers team, in as the next NBA champs. Even if they get rid of their promising youth and future picks to bring in Kawhi and whomever else(Boogie maybe?). That still is not enough to overcome Houston and Golden State and the rest of the West. So the Lakers will get to the playoffs the next four years(no championships imho) then be in a worse position than they were in after Kobe. So they get to be a treadmill team for four years before they have to go into another rebuild with no assets. Should of just stuck with the current rebuild.

The only way this makes sense to me for the Lakers. Is if they stay where they are currently. No Kawhi, no gutting the team of young players and picks to bring in mercenary veterans chasing a ring. Stay pat with Lebron and the youth. Let Lebron teach the young players for a few years and have a young team + Lebron positioned for a run at the NBA championship every year after Lebron's initial Lakers contract is up. But does anyone think the Lakers have the patience to do that?

a reply to: karmicecstasy

They'll get beat in the first round. This is a business move

a reply to: JDmOKI

If they get Khawi as well it will be worth paying attention to them. Lebron is strong enough that even a mediocre team becomes a contender. Look at the Cavs. I don't think that James would have accepted that salary if that was all he was in it for. I think he wants another crown and may see things in the Lakers that can be molded around him, which is exactly what needs to be done with a big man like him.