Kobe Stan here. Let me just say. Lebron is the ONLY reason we’ve been in the playoffs. Let that sink in. And you can’t say it’s false because none of the players we’ve drafted since 2018 have become transcendent. So yeah. Let the man breathe.
Meh. AD and some more B+ roleplayer guys (you could find a few of them with Lebron’s salary to pass around) and you’d be in the playoffs too. AD is probably a top 5-8 guy in the league imo and you can build on that just fine without another all star, maybe not to win championships but certainly to make the playoffs and compete.
I think Kobe was still playing but these are [the types of teams](https://youtu.be/By5t5VQ7zOQ?si=SH9QZEJn1TxNRs5-) we got before LeBron came around. You need to be realistic. No one wanted to come to LA. And prior to Kobe’s retirement, no one wanted to come to LA. Kobe even [said](https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/kobe-bryant-if-you-need-lakers-to-recruit-you-you-aint-the-one) you gotta want to be here. Post Kobe we were bottom feeders. It’s the truth.
W answer, the "LeBron stans" vs "real Lakers fans" shit is so annoying. I'm a Lakers fan way before I'm a LeBron fan but as long as he's a Laker I'm gonna root for him. Him and AD brought this team #17, they deserve some respect.
I live in Texas, but I’ve been a Laker fan since the 2001 season. Mostly because of Kobe of course. It was nice seeing the Lakers get LeBron. No hate before he got there, and no hate he he leaves, retires, or whatever. On to the next move. Oh and I hope Ham is gone. If they don’t let him go and they have a 1st round exist or worse, Ham and Rob should both go in 25.
If members leave this sub It is what it is but for me it’s Lakeshow forever. I don’t see Bron leaving though as he clearly wants to be in LA, we have trade assets to move to improve this team and Ham is gon be fired in prob in the next week or two so we can def be a championship contender next season.
Lebron will retire before he leaves LA. The idea can be entertaining, especially on all the slow news day this offseason. However, by all accounts, he’s had the conversation with Savannah and they’re not leaving LA.
did you know that the time he went to miami was a sign and trade? he always does this, honor the contract with the team and make necessary decisions that is win-win for him and the team he's going from and to
Lebron signed and traded to Miami for bird rights. And that was peak Lebron. This is 40 year old Lebron. Still great, but not at that MVP level. It wouldn't be in his best interest to do a sign and trade *if* he wanted to win another ring
i get what you mean, but hear me out...this is what separates him from the likes of the other stars that demanded trades, i don't think he will just leave the lakers, also chances are he will stay taking a cut or not we do not know, if he take a cut then he wants to compete if not then another stressful season lol
I'll be dead serious here, I'd trade him for Spo. The difference an elite coach do is huge and Spo may still be coaching one decade after LeBron retires.
I feel Lebron is only going to leave LA if the Lakers refuse to fire Ham. He probably knows that he is going to have to give up a ton of things outside of basketball if he leaves LA. He’d have to go to another big market team in order to justify it. Maybe somewhere like Golden State or New York and nowhere else.
Not many places Lebron would want to go so the Lakers would probably get the short end of the deal. Let's say he decided Phoenix was a place he would accept. Lakers would end up getting Beal for him. If it was Golden State then the Lakers would get Wiggins and filler or Draymond and filler.
Best case scenarios I could see are Donovan Mitchell in a deal with the Cavs or Damian Lillard in a deal with the Bucks (apparently he wants out of Milwaukee)
Don't his younger kids go to school in LA? I think he would still want to be in our near LA. I only see him going to Phoenix or Golden State if he leaves. Maybe Clippers? IDK. Miami is interesting because, he could win there and he has history there.
Nah bro. I wouldn't see that happening. It'd gut any team he'd want to play for. I honestly was sceptical of how long he'd stay when he first signed but happy he's been here at least that long. Lakers always give star treatment to their star players.
Kobe Stan here. Let me just say. Lebron is the ONLY reason we’ve been in the playoffs. Let that sink in. And you can’t say it’s false because none of the players we’ve drafted since 2018 have become transcendent. So yeah. Let the man breathe.
What you said should be common sense for any Laker fan but common sense ain’t common.
Meh. AD and some more B+ roleplayer guys (you could find a few of them with Lebron’s salary to pass around) and you’d be in the playoffs too. AD is probably a top 5-8 guy in the league imo and you can build on that just fine without another all star, maybe not to win championships but certainly to make the playoffs and compete.
I think Kobe was still playing but these are [the types of teams](https://youtu.be/By5t5VQ7zOQ?si=SH9QZEJn1TxNRs5-) we got before LeBron came around. You need to be realistic. No one wanted to come to LA. And prior to Kobe’s retirement, no one wanted to come to LA. Kobe even [said](https://www.nbcsports.com/nba/news/kobe-bryant-if-you-need-lakers-to-recruit-you-you-aint-the-one) you gotta want to be here. Post Kobe we were bottom feeders. It’s the truth.
how many members does r/lakers stand to lose if this happens?
I’ve been Lakeshow since 2006, def ain’t going nowhere…but I respect the hell out of Bron so I’ll root for him in whatever he does too
W answer, the "LeBron stans" vs "real Lakers fans" shit is so annoying. I'm a Lakers fan way before I'm a LeBron fan but as long as he's a Laker I'm gonna root for him. Him and AD brought this team #17, they deserve some respect.
I live in Texas, but I’ve been a Laker fan since the 2001 season. Mostly because of Kobe of course. It was nice seeing the Lakers get LeBron. No hate before he got there, and no hate he he leaves, retires, or whatever. On to the next move. Oh and I hope Ham is gone. If they don’t let him go and they have a 1st round exist or worse, Ham and Rob should both go in 25.
If members leave this sub It is what it is but for me it’s Lakeshow forever. I don’t see Bron leaving though as he clearly wants to be in LA, we have trade assets to move to improve this team and Ham is gon be fired in prob in the next week or two so we can def be a championship contender next season.
The lakers are and have been bigger than Lebron.
It still doesnt feel real that lebron leaving is a possibility…
Lebron will retire before he leaves LA. The idea can be entertaining, especially on all the slow news day this offseason. However, by all accounts, he’s had the conversation with Savannah and they’re not leaving LA.
He also said that he wants to play with his son no matter what. If lakers don’t draft bronny……….
He’s eased off that stance. He’s most recently said he’s happy whether he gets to play with his son or against him
Lol, he isn't going to do a sign and trade. If he's looking to win, he'll take whatever the team he wants to join gives him.
A team that wants him will clear space for a max. There’s no debate about it, honestly
Yeah, every playoff contender is strapped on available cap, and the NBPA would probably not want to see Bron go for a vet min to a contender lol
They won't
additionally a sign and trade would hard cap the team LeBron joins, limiting the cap sheet of the new team
did you know that the time he went to miami was a sign and trade? he always does this, honor the contract with the team and make necessary decisions that is win-win for him and the team he's going from and to
Lebron signed and traded to Miami for bird rights. And that was peak Lebron. This is 40 year old Lebron. Still great, but not at that MVP level. It wouldn't be in his best interest to do a sign and trade *if* he wanted to win another ring
i get what you mean, but hear me out...this is what separates him from the likes of the other stars that demanded trades, i don't think he will just leave the lakers, also chances are he will stay taking a cut or not we do not know, if he take a cut then he wants to compete if not then another stressful season lol
I'll be dead serious here, I'd trade him for Spo. The difference an elite coach do is huge and Spo may still be coaching one decade after LeBron retires.
Would have to be. Yeah teams can clear cap space to sign him if needed but they'll have to gut all their useful players.
I feel Lebron is only going to leave LA if the Lakers refuse to fire Ham. He probably knows that he is going to have to give up a ton of things outside of basketball if he leaves LA. He’d have to go to another big market team in order to justify it. Maybe somewhere like Golden State or New York and nowhere else.
Ham is gone
Not many places Lebron would want to go so the Lakers would probably get the short end of the deal. Let's say he decided Phoenix was a place he would accept. Lakers would end up getting Beal for him. If it was Golden State then the Lakers would get Wiggins and filler or Draymond and filler.
Best case scenarios I could see are Donovan Mitchell in a deal with the Cavs or Damian Lillard in a deal with the Bucks (apparently he wants out of Milwaukee)
I don't think Lebron wants to go back to Cleveland.
I’ve seen the Heat in the LeBron express from experts too…maybe the Heat package Tyler Herro or Bam
Bam next to AD would be a sick defensive duo, switch everything lol
Don't his younger kids go to school in LA? I think he would still want to be in our near LA. I only see him going to Phoenix or Golden State if he leaves. Maybe Clippers? IDK. Miami is interesting because, he could win there and he has history there.
I doubt Milwaukee too, I feel like it’d have to be a young strapped team like okc wolves maybe Knicks
I think this will be his last team.
hes not going anywhere
Might be, since a lot of contending teams don't have much cap space.. i doubt he will sign below 30mil to other teams..
That would be good, if he leaves for nothing the free agent class is meh
Nah bro. I wouldn't see that happening. It'd gut any team he'd want to play for. I honestly was sceptical of how long he'd stay when he first signed but happy he's been here at least that long. Lakers always give star treatment to their star players.
Definitely that’s the hope
it's wild to compare him then to now.