Knicks and Pacers???? Those are garbage teams compared to true contenders over the years. Shaq/Kobe, Celtics Big 3, GSW...those teams are just crap thats like saying LA Clippers with Elton Brand and Cassel were amazing lol.
Are you serious? Patrick Ewing was a ridiculous force. Top-50 all-time. Routed by the Bulls consistently. What, you're going to start taking away credit from Hakeem the Dream because he fought a "nobody" like Patrick Ewing?? Had Hakeem not existed, Patrick would have a championship ring in his house today. Reggie Miller's Pacers weren't great, they never had enough to win a chip. But boy did they come across a lot of competition out in the East. Even had to run into Charles Barkley as a 76ers. Jordan's Bulls obviously dominated everyone. I never said Shaq/Kobe, Celtics, GSW were bad teams. I said Lebron LOST to them, have losing record to GSW in the Finals, losing record to Mavs, losing record to SAS. He just failed to make the finals when he came across Celtics' Big 3 and Dwight's Magic.
Top 50 is different from top 15 which is what you keep saying about Bird. Ewing maybe top 50 but how does he make Bird better than Lebron? Jordan's Bulls never came up against great teams like Lebron. Garnett's celtics, GSW and Duncan's Spurs would kill all the teams Jordan's Bulls had defeated. A lot of the other stars during Jordan's time were playing on horrible teams like Hakeem or Drexler or even Wilkins. Jordan had the 2nd best wing player on his team and he had amazing role players and an amazing coach, none of his opponents can even boast the same except for maybe Stockton and Malone but those two were 2nd tier stars. Lebron has a lot more in common with Hakeem, he was a trabscendental player playing on a garbage team. Now he has a lot of help but he is also getting old and looks past his prime. But in his first Cavs stint and during his Miami days, the only thing that held Lebron back were teammates. If he sucked so much why would he put up ridiculous stats?
MJ had TWO 3-peats, in the 90s packed w/ ridiculous talent. We don't know if how Bulls vs Rockets would've worked out if Jordan had never retired, but MJ could potentially have 8 straight championships had he not retired. Lebron ain't pulling that feat off in the 90s, no chance in hell. Esp when he can't team hop like he done in the past decade. Charles Barkley's Suns, Pistons (Isaiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Adrian Dantley), Allen Iverson w/ 76ers, Gary Payton's Supersonics, Utah Jazz (John Stockton, Karl Malone), Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Shaq & Penny (Magic). You kidding me? With hand checking, none of the teams you list would make the NBA Finals, except MAYBE Boston Celtics 2008 team. You got Rasheed Wallace talking smack about 04 Pistons beating the **** out of GSW today if they had hand check rules. You'd think they'd last vs Bad Boy Pistons? About SAS. David Robinson and Tim Duncan played in the 90s, with Tim Duncan being drafted in 1997. They lost in 98 playoffs to the Utah Jazz, who MJ beat to secure his second 3-peat. Granted, they won immediately after the Bulls, which makes me believe Tim Duncan is also top-10. But yeah, Timmy wasn't going to take down a prime MJ. You're gonna try to put Pippen in your top-10? You were saying how bad Patrick Ewing was, swap him with Pippen and MJ would take him to 6 chips. MJ basically made Pippen. Who did Lebron make, Kyrie? No matter where he went, he'd team up w/ 2 other all-stars, and then go on to lose half or more of his finals appearances. Give MJ one all-star and he'll win everything. Give Hakeem NO all-stars, he'll win everything. Give Lebron 2 all-stars, and he'll win HALF, and leave your city at the end, leaving a damn mess.
Maybe the 80s were packed with ridiculous talent but it didn't have power teams which is what mattered in the end. You keep listing NBa players but forgot their team was garbage. Tim duncan played in the 90s!!! Shaq and Penny? Shaq was drafted 1992! Why are you including them in 80s conversation? Isiah Thomas Pistons weren't even Jordan's age, they were a couple years older thats why when MJ and Pippen peaked they couldn't keep up anymore. How many teams in Jordan's era had 2 superstars on one team besides the Bulls? There was only Stockton and Malone in Utah, and like I said both S&M are 2nd tier superstars. Jordan could have potentially won 8 rings, but those 8 rings had him playing on a team that can get to ECF without him. Which other team can even make the plaoffs without their superstar in the 80s? You think Lebron wouldn't have won in the 80s? Lebron would've dominated in the 80s if only because of handchecks. Lebron is Karl Malone with Kobe's athleticism, if he is allowed to handcheck people then he can just bully all the perimeter players in the league. Jordan is 6'5/6'6 and at least 10 pounds lighter than Lebron. Its such a joke you think NBA in the 80s had more talent than today. NBA in the 80s was mostly limited to the US, NBA today has the entire world as the talent pool. Compare 200M in the US during the 1980s vs 7B today you think the 200M sample size would have more talent? Just use your brain dude. Which profession has players getting WORSE when they have access to better technology/training than before?
Lebaby and westbrick...are 2 over rated superstars.... Lebaby please dont try to ruin our team here ....
Dude, you're all over the place. YOU mentioned MJ whose dominant years as a Bull was in the 90s. If you want to discuss Larry Bird, don't mention MJ. Be clear about what you want to talk about.
Cav's reporter Joe Vardon asked if LeBron has made any indication that he wants to leave Cleveland after this year: "I was talking to somebody close to him the other day, and their point was 'Well, where's he going to go?' And this was someone close to LeBron."
Woj/Lowe: Lowe: Do the Lakers have a plan B if LeBron/Paul George aren't going there? Cousins is now injured. Woj: Plan B is to sort of temper expectations going into free agency. Look at what we did this year. We drafted Kuzma, Ball & Josh Hart. Ball has had injuries lately but has shown he can be a really good player. Give the Lakers credit for nailing those picks. They can sell we made progress, drafting well & some guys to start building around. We can come back to this in 2019 & 2020. This doesn't have to be...they don't have the patience in LA. I don't think Magic has it. It's easier to sell missing in free agency when you're drafting well & some young players you can start building a foundation around. Kawhi is coming, Klay Thompson down the road in free agency you can try to target. If they do miss out this year,...given where this team is & even if they get LeBron, team isn't good enough to win. LeBron & PG? They'd be really good. Not the favorite. Not sure we'd say they're better than Houston. Houston has a balanced roster now. Lakers will have these 2 great players with a bunch of young guys not there yet. If you're the Lakers, you can go back to it in a year. Typically you know before July 1 if you really have a chance or not. If they feel like they don't, or one is [ready to sign] or whatever it'll be, they'll try to temper expectations & don't have to start giving up assets to get off contracts. They have money not easy to get off of. If you're in a rush to dump money, you'll have to renounce guys too. It allows them to not start attaching picks or young players they don't want to give away to get off money in a rush to sign those guys if they think they're coming.
"Breaking" just now on SportsCenter: Per a story that Woj/Ramona have coming out, the Lakers are now targeting the 2019 free agent class.
U sure? I heard this free agent class money is gonna be horrible. Bobby marks compares it to falling housing market where people overpaid for houses few years ago. Causing middle free agents to be underpaid in this class. Deandre, Bradley etc is not going to be paid a lot
Wouldn't surprise me. Paul George would sign with the Lakers in a heartbeat if LeBron was accompanying him. But by himself, I don't know. Especially with the amount of money OKC can pay him. So if OKC keeps George and LeBron goes elsewhere, it would make sense for the Lakers to save that cap room and punt to 2019. Don't hand out another bad contract like Mozgov just so they can say they signed someone.
Ben Simmons Alludes To 76ers Pursuing LeBron James In Free Agency _________________ _________________ LaVar Ball Says LeBron Will Sign with Lakers, Lonzo Will Make Him Better!
Would be a perfect fit for a drama queen. I don't want him on the Rockets. I also like the idea of making a non contender into a contender than creating another super team. The Rockets are already "super" enough to compete for the championship.
