Signing(s): LeBron signs with the Lakers

[BKIslandersFan]

Lebron is on his end phase as a basketball player, he owes LA at least 1 title in his 4 years there so I'm sure that will come. He wants to retire in California and have business ventures once he's gone from basketball...so I see no issue with this.

The challenge for Lebron is now to go through Golden State in the same conference.

I don’t see how he can win a title with Lakers though.

 

[Winger98]

Yeah it wouldn't be cheap to have a private trainer/chep/nutritionist. Money well spent if you ask me.

have to wonder how much has been tax deductible, too. It's not a stretch to argue it's a business expense.

 

[Stylizer1]

Btw, read an article, where was written, than LeBron spend 1 500 000 USD per year to his training and overall body fitness. What?

HGH is expensive.

 

[Stylizer1]

Lebron is on his end phase as a basketball player, he owes LA at least 1 title in his 4 years there so I'm sure that will come. He wants to retire in California and have business ventures once he's gone from basketball...so I see no issue with this.

The challenge for Lebron is now to go through Golden State in the same conference.

I wonder if he cries if he wins?

 

[darko]

HGH is expensive.

Not that expensive. He's clearly supplementing when off cycle.

 

[EpochLink]

I wonder if he cries if he wins?

Beating Golden State or winning a ring with LA?

 

[Stylizer1]

Beating Golden State or winning a ring with LA?

winning a ring

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

You have zero sense of humour.

Based on?

 

[EpochLink]

winning a ring

Not sure if he'll cry, probably be satisfied.

 

[darko]

Based on?

Your last few posts in this thread.

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

Your last few posts in this thread.

Based on your last few posts you have no sense of humor so perhaps you're not the best judge

 

[Voight]

The Lakers don't want this LeBron team to look anything like the Cavs

You had to think Magic went over these moves with LeBron before he signed.

 

[dahrougem2]

I like the Lakers signings. The McGee one was interesting to me but I don't think he'll play very much. But I've always loved Rondo and Lance as players in general.

A little surprised at how much money KCP got, but he's a LeBron guy so I guess that's why.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

KCP is a 38% 3-point shooter and should have MANY open looks playing with Lebron. I think he will have a career-high in PPG this year, around 16 I'd say. A 4 point improvement on his career average.

 

[Terry Yake]

The 3 main beat writers (Dave McMenamin-ESPN, Joe Vardon-Cleveland.com, and Jason Lloyd-The Athletic) that covered the Cavs over the past 4 years just did a podcast together, giving an inside look at the Cavs team and the relationships between the players.

A lot of interesting notes from the podcast:

• Vardon and McMenamin were notified by LeBron's camp (or maybe the Cavs camp. They were vague on this) on Thursday, before lebron opted out, that the Lakers decision was pretty much a done deal.
  
  
• Immediately after the 2016 Championship, someone important in LeBron's camp told Vardon that LeBron's next plan was to go to the Lakers to 'play with his friends' (Vardon believes the 'friends' part meant the banana boat)
  
  
• Kyrie never made strong relationships within the Cavs organization/FO, both before and while LeBron was in CLE. Kyrie didn't like Mike Brown because Larry Hughes, a client of Kyrie's agent, already had a bad relationship with Brown. There was also serious debate within the Cavs to choose Dion Waiters over Kyrie at one point.
  
  
• Kyrie didn't like Lue very much, especially after Ty Lue told the media that "players need to put their brands aside", meaning Love and Kyrie need to stop worrying about endorsements and trust LeBron to lead the team. Ty Lue admitted to Dave McMenamin that Kyrie has treated him like a stranger since day 1 and that it is 'impossible to break through to him'. (which may have been why Kyrie made those remarks this year about coaching styles)
  
  
• Kyrie did not appreciate LeBron questions directed at him. McMenamin was writing a story about LeBron's improved 3 point shot but Kyrie was annoyed when he approached him about any noticeable changes in LeBron's technique. The media also made a deal about LeBron wearing the "I can't breathe" shirts, despite Kyrie being the first Cav to wear it. All 3 reporters believe this clearly bothered Kyrie.
  
  
• Lloyd approached Lebron at the start of this past season and told him that 'you and Kyrie hid the poor status of the relationship very well the past few years' and LeBron agreed (although Lloyd could not reveal the exact quote)
  
  
• Kyrie and his camp considered leaving after the championship but decided otherwise. Kyrie's father wanted a bigger role in the organization and did not appreciate LeBron's friend, Randy Mims, having a position within the organization.
  
  
• A big reason why Kyrie wanted out of CLE last year is because he felt the team was built to support LeBron's strengths, and if LeBron left, Kyrie would only be left with those parts that benefitted LeBron's game. Kyrie also told FO that he would opt for surgery if they didn't trade him last year.
  
  
• The flat earth drama really bothered Kyrie. Didn't like that he was receiving attention now instead of about more serious topics (political and social) like Lebron
  
  
• LeBron and Love's relationship was rocky in the very first year because Love came to camp out of shape.
  
  
• Kyrie did not talk to any of his teammates between last years Indiana and Toronto series. Not even during practices.
  
  
• The most dejected the reporters have ever seen LeBron after a game was after Game 6 Finals in 2015. Lebron sat at his locker for about an hour with a towel over his head. The second most dejected was after Game 1 this year. After winning two Game 7's, hitting 2 buzzer beaters, beating higher seeds, with a new team and without Kyrie, scoring 51 points against the Warriors, all the air went out of him.
  
  
• LeBron did not just hit the whiteboard once. He bashed at it several times.
  
  
• The JR Smith soup throwing story is one of ESPN'S top 10 stories of the year. They believe the thing that started the drama may have just been simple teasing or a shooting competition that escalated
  
  
• Wade played a major role in the mid-season team meeting. Cavs felt like locker room was irreparable after that and was a reason he was shipped back to Miami
  
  
• LeBron would always talk to McMenamin about LA (Hotspots and restaurants), as Dave used to cover the Lakers. Lloyd joked with LeBron throughout the year about him leaving after this season but LeBron genuinely seemed unsure of his decision
  
  
• Cavs had two players on their radar during the draft. Trae Young, who Gilbert wanted, and Sexton who most of the organization wanted. They had considered Porter until his medical records came out.
  
  
• They all believe that after hearing Klay's post-Game 4 remarks about basketball being a "man's game" and that LeBron must have "gotten his feelings hurt", LeBron's demeanor shifted entirely and was the turning point of the 2016 Finals. Lebron was in a good mood during shootaround that morning until he heard about those comments. I recommend everyone to watch LeBron's reaction if you haven't seen it already.

 

[Voight]

I like the Lakers signings. The McGee one was interesting to me but I don't think he'll play very much. But I've always loved Rondo and Lance as players in general.

A little surprised at how much money KCP got, but he's a LeBron guy so I guess that's why.

You got it.

Hence how Thompson got 94 million and JR Smith nearly 60 million. If LeBron likes you or his best friend/agent is yours as well, you're set.

 

[Five Alarm Fire]

Lakers are trying to build defense around LeBron rather than one-dimensional shooting. They will be much different than the Cavs.

 

[Voight]

"I didn't like the coach because my agents other client didn't like him"

Thats some petty ass stupid shit.

& no offence Kyrie, but LeBron is the only, or one of the few players who get asked questions that aren't basketball related. You gotta be a top guy for those questions.

Wanted a bigger role for his dad...... need to realize that LeBron is the best player in the league, someone who the franchise is forever indebted to.... obviously one of his best friends is going to have a big role.

I believed the stories that LeBron's people leaked a year ago about going out west. How the only thing stopping him was his family or winning another championship. At this point he's won almost every award, has his championships & Gold Medals, he's never going to catch Jordan, so why not live in LA full time, relax a bit more, do more acting, have more business opportunities and have a lot more options for your sons in terms of schooling & basketball. He will never lose his competitive spirit but he's tired from carrying his teams the last 15 years.

I think his plan was always to give CLE 4 years in his second stint - he gave Miami four so in his mind he should give the Cavs/fans four more chances to win. He came back a superior and much better player than the first time so I think he felt like he owed the people of CLE-AKR-CAN. Its like a lot of people have said - he spent the first 26 years of his life in Cleveland, Miami was the college experience he never had, and that a lot of regular people get, an opportunity to grow up outside your hometown.

Btw, Terry do you have a link to this podcast?

 

[Voight]

This was pretty funny, especially because its true

 

[EpochLink]

This was pretty funny, especially because its true

With Lebron's good looks and charisma, I am sure he can put his foot in the door into Hollywood. His size and physical stature, probably future movie action star?

 

[Stylizer1]

With Lebron's good looks and charisma, I am sure he can put his foot in the door into Hollywood. His size and physical stature, probably future movie action star?

Good looks? He is probably one of the ugliest superstars in any sport.

 

[EpochLink]

Good looks? He is probably one of the ugliest superstars in any sport.

LMAO

Maybe he can be Michael B. Jordan's new opponent in Creed 4

 

[Voight]

With Lebron's good looks and charisma, I am sure he can put his foot in the door into Hollywood. His size and physical stature, probably future movie action star?

I believe his ideal scenario is to be like The Rock, make way more post-playing career acting in movies and doing every. single. action. movie possible.

I really liked his short performance in Trainwreck, even tho the other 99.5% was garbage.

 

[MMC]

My dream is for Kobe to come out of retirement for a year or two to play with LeBron.

 

[Avs_19]

My dream is for Kobe to come out of retirement for a year or two to play with LeBron.

Just when I think it can't get much worse for LeBron than Rondo, Lance, and JaVale, you go ahead and suggest something like this. He'd be well within his right to demand a trade in that scenario.