NBA (whenever)...

[DarthFed]

Ben Simmons targeting an NBA return:

If LeBron comes to Miami, this could work. Simmons needs structure, and I believe everyone from the top (Pat Riley), to the coach (Eric Spolestra), and the players (LeBron and Giannis) would hold him accountable.

LeBron made players like Marcus Smart, DeAndre Ayton, and Luke Kennard look serviceable. Imagine what he (and Giannis) could do with Simmons if he can buy into the Heat culture.

Smart has always been more than serviceable, and I’d say Ayton still mostly stunk. But either way, those are at least serious NBA players. Simmons going to a team with LeBron, Giannis, and Bam would be a disaster of a fit. They’d laugh his weak ass out of the gym after a week. The guy has no desire to play, he just wants to get paid

 

[Murat B.]

Morant is a franchise player with the right environment and the coach. What a steal !

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Smart has always been more than serviceable, and I’d say Ayton still mostly stunk. But either way, those are at least serious NBA players. Simmons going to a team with LeBron, Giannis, and Bam would be a disaster of a fit. They’d laugh his weak ass out of the gym after a week. The guy has no desire to play, he just wants to get paid

It will come down to whether Ben buys in. If he's willing, LeBron/Giannis/Bam/Pat/Eric will do their part to at least try to make it work. If Ben doesn't buy in, well, he is going to be cut within the first week.

 

[AnonymousFan]

Porzingis and Horford both returning...

 

[Federberg]

Porzingis and Horford both returning...

surely this puts the nail in the coffin for the AD part of the fantasy. As I suspected, Rich Paul using his media flunkies to get a deal for his guys. Happy to keep Porzingis. Let's see if we can find another guy who can create his own shot!

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

surely this puts the nail in the coffin for the AD part of the fantasy. As I suspected, Rich Paul using his media flunkies to get a deal for his guys. Happy to keep Porzingis. Let's see if we can find another guy who can create his own shot!

Not really, Golden State could sweeten the pot and add Moody or Podz along with Butler. Then, Butler could be bought out.

Regardless if Golden State pulls off the AD trade, I think LeBron is going to leave the Lakers, and will go to either GS or Miami. This reminds me a lot of the Tom Brady situation during the 2020 NFL offseason, when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. LeBron feels disrespected by the Lakers, like Brady did with the Patriots. Whether he lands with GS or Miami, you are going to see a very motivated LeBron, and he will be there for multiple (2 or 3) years, like Brady was in Tampa Bay.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Not really, Golden State could sweeten the pot and add Moody or Podz along with Butler. Then, Butler could be bought out.

Regardless if Golden State pulls off the AD trade, I think LeBron is going to leave the Lakers, and will go to either GS or Miami. This reminds me a lot of the Tom Brady situation during the 2020 NFL offseason, when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. LeBron feels disrespected by the Lakers, like Brady did with the Patriots. Whether he lands with GS or Miami, you are going to see a very motivated LeBron, and he will be there for multiple (2 or 3) years, like Brady was in Tampa Bay.

Good post..what about Bronny?

 

[Federberg]

Not really, Golden State could sweeten the pot and add Moody or Podz along with Butler. Then, Butler could be bought out.

Regardless if Golden State pulls off the AD trade, I think LeBron is going to leave the Lakers, and will go to either GS or Miami. This reminds me a lot of the Tom Brady situation during the 2020 NFL offseason, when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. LeBron feels disrespected by the Lakers, like Brady did with the Patriots. Whether he lands with GS or Miami, you are going to see a very motivated LeBron, and he will be there for multiple (2 or 3) years, like Brady was in Tampa Bay.

lol! You lost me with comparing LeBron to Brady.

The problem with your thesis is that the Wizards would want draft capital along with a matching salaries trade. This is the Golden State Warriors we're talking about here. Not the Sacramento Kings. They're not going to have their pants pulled down by the Wizards. Let's be realistic. Not when there's no guarantee you'll get much playing time from Street Clothes. Personally I think the Warriors like Jimmy. This stinks of agents trying to get leverage for their guys.

And another thing, hearing folks saying Draymond would sacrifice his money to get a MLE for billionaire Lebron James is one of the funniest things suggested. Yes Draymond kisses Lebron's ass sometimes. But he doesn't eat it!

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

It looks like LeBron to the Warriors is happening, as well as Kawhi going back to Toronto:

 

[DarthFed]

lol! You lost me with comparing LeBron to Brady.

The problem with your thesis is that the Wizards would want draft capital along with a matching salaries trade. This is the Golden State Warriors we're talking about here. Not the Sacramento Kings. They're not going to have their pants pulled down by the Wizards. Let's be realistic. Not when there's no guarantee you'll get much playing time from Street Clothes. Personally I think the Warriors like Jimmy. This stinks of agents trying to get leverage for their guys.

And another thing, hearing folks saying Draymond would sacrifice his money to get a MLE for billionaire Lebron James is one of the funniest things suggested. Yes Draymond kisses Lebron's ass sometimes. But he doesn't eat it!

Teams with very short windows sometimes do desperate things. The LeBron-Brady comparison isn’t that far fetched. Brady was far from the best QB in the league those years with Tampa, and looked washed up the year he left the Pats, but joined/formed a very talented team and won 1 more.

The Warriors are currently not a contender and Curry probably has just a couple years left. If you have LeBron and AD and the latter actually manages to stay healthy…huge if of course, then that is a scary team in the playoffs regardless of age. Butler is old and will be coming off a major injury. While he has fit in well with Golden State he’s also a fairly unpredictable guy in the locker room, one that already has wacky ass Draymond.

 

[Murat B.]

If it is Ingram+Dick+ a draft pick, I am happy to have Kawhi back. If they include CMB in the deal, no way. That guy is a big part of our future.

 

[Federberg]

Teams with very short windows sometimes do desperate things. The LeBron-Brady comparison isn’t that far fetched. Brady was far from the best QB in the league those years with Tampa, and looked washed up the year he left the Pats, but joined/formed a very talented team and won 1 more.

The Warriors are currently not a contender and Curry probably has just a couple years left. If you have LeBron and AD and the latter actually manages to stay healthy…huge if of course, then that is a scary team in the playoffs regardless of age. Butler is old and will be coming off a major injury. While he has fit in well with Golden State he’s also a fairly unpredictable guy in the locker room, one that already has wacky ass Draymond.

lol! It's very far from fetched. You've just proved it... "Brady was far from the best QB in the league those years with Tampa" AND he still won. LeBron was top 3 in the league when he went to Miami and shat the bed against Dallas. Ended up winning 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 and sure as hell not 6!

Jimmy and Draymond fit together really well. They respect the hell out of each other. They actually have similar values on the basketball court, certainly in terms of what it takes to win. But it's not really about that. Let's not compare a guy who over achieved and turned into a serial winner, vs a guy who's thrown teammates and coaches under the bus and still has a losing finals record. It's unfair to Tom

As for LeBron joining, while I've been clear I hate the idea, I haven't ruled out the possibility. I just didn't find the AD rumours credible at all. I still don't. What's in it for the Wizards? For choice I still believe Rich Paul is trying to get leverage for Lebron with the Lakers and for AD with the Wizards. We shall see

 

[Federberg]

Hmmm.., I like it

 

[DarthFed]

lol! It's very far from fetched. You've just proved it... "Brady was far from the best QB in the league those years with Tampa" AND he still won. LeBron was top 3 in the league when he went to Miami and shat the bed against Dallas. Ended up winning 2, not 3, not 4, not 5 and sure as hell not 6!

Jimmy and Draymond fit together really well. They respect the hell out of each other. They actually have similar values on the basketball court, certainly in terms of what it takes to win. But it's not really about that. Let's not compare a guy who over achieved and turned into a serial winner, vs a guy who's thrown teammates and coaches under the bus and still has a losing finals record. It's unfair to Tom

As for LeBron joining, while I've been clear I hate the idea, I haven't ruled out the possibility. I just didn't find the AD rumours credible at all. I still don't. What's in it for the Wizards? For choice I still believe Rich Paul is trying to get leverage for Lebron with the Lakers and for AD with the Wizards. We shall see

I won’t get into a cross-sport pissing match but if you look at Brady’s playoff performances it may actually shock you. He also was more of a game manager for the first few rings anyways…part of the reason you can’t just count rings in sports. On a related note, how do you feel about those putting Tom above MJ since it is 7 vs 6? Exactly.

Jimmy and Draymond get along so far, but that can change really fucking quick, let’s be real. The Wizards are not going to keep AD long term anyways, they’d be stupid to. They should take the best option to shed his salary and get back draft capital and young players

 

[Federberg]

Well Warriors have to be favourites I guess.

 

[Federberg]

I won’t get into a cross-sport pissing match but if you look at Brady’s playoff performances it may actually shock you. He also was more of a game manager for the first few rings anyways…part of the reason you can’t just count rings in sports. On a related note, how do you feel about those putting Tom above MJ since it is 7 vs 6? Exactly.

Jimmy and Draymond get along so far, but that can change really fucking quick, let’s be real. The Wizards are not going to keep AD long term anyways, they’d be stupid to. They should take the best option to shed his salary and get back draft capital and young players

I completely agree with you about cross sports comparisons. They make no sense to me. But Brady has a more valid shout as goat than LeBron. We can at least agree on that right?

Btw, re: a QB being a game manager, personally I respect it. At the end of the day you still have to execute. Look at Aaron Rodgers he's got a gunslinger of an arm but acts like a game manager because he never wants to risk racking up interceptions. I don't care how a QB does it, win baby! I would also add Russell Wilson would have two rings, and Brady one less, if he had just "managed" that last play. Being a slinger is romantic, but doing what you need to do in the moment is what makes the most sense to me

 

[Federberg]

sounds like Kahwi to the Raptors is happening.

 

[Federberg]

PLEASE!!!

 

[DarthFed]

I completely agree with you about cross sports comparisons. They make no sense to me. But Brady has a more valid shout as goat than LeBron. We can at least agree on that right?

Btw, re: a QB being a game manager, personally I respect it. At the end of the day you still have to execute. Look at Aaron Rodgers he's got a gunslinger of an arm but acts like a game manager because he never wants to risk racking up interceptions. I don't care how a QB does it, win baby! I would also add Russell Wilson would have two rings, and Brady one less, if he had just "managed" that last play. Being a slinger is romantic, but doing what you need to do in the moment is what makes the most sense to me

Oh I totally agree that Brady is the GOAT for QB’s and it’s not close. And you probably have to put him above Rice as overall GOAT of football, but it is painful to do that when you dig into the details. Tom had many absurd bounces go his way but 7 rings when the next closest QB has 4 is very telling.

I do think part of the reason basketball players are more legendary in America is that they determine outcomes a lot more than the superstars of football and baseball. I made the argument awhile back, forget if it was here, but when you look at it in that light the greatest bball players are almost always going to be the greatest athletes, at least for sports here. Brady may be the exception because 7 is absurd, but even then very few have him overall ahead of MJ and I don’t see it being close.

 

[Federberg]

Oh I totally agree that Brady is the GOAT for QB’s and it’s not close. And you probably have to put him above Rice as overall GOAT of football, but it is painful to do that when you dig into the details. Tom had many absurd bounces go his way but 7 rings when the next closest QB has 4 is very telling.

I do think part of the reason basketball players are more legendary in America is that they determine outcomes a lot more than the superstars of football and baseball. I made the argument awhile back, forget if it was here, but when you look at it in that light the greatest bball players are almost always going to be the greatest athletes, at least for sports here. Brady may be the exception because 7 is absurd, but even then very few have him overall ahead of MJ and I don’t see it being close.

I agree with almost everything that you say. But my NFL goat is Lawrence Taylor