Lebron is capable of leading the 2002 and 2002 Wizards in the playoffs.

[Lebron23]

Richard Hamilton, Chris Whitney, Byron Russell, Jerry Stackhouse, and Larry Hughes were all better than Dennis Schroeder. Montrezz Harrell, and Markieff Morris.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/2002.html

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/2003.html

Jordan without Phil Jackson and Pippen never elevated the game of his teammates. Even Stackhouse criticized him for leading his team in field goal attempts per game instead of being a better leader for his team.

[Axe]

2002 and 2002 wizards

[Lebron23]

2002 and 2002 wizards

I actually thought they would make it into the playoffs in 2003. Richard Hamilton averaged 29.8 ppg.

[8Ball]

Any LeBron can take that team to playoffs. From rookie to year 18.

[TheGoatest]

The number #1 seeds in the east in Jordan's Wizards seasons:

2001-02: New Jersey Nets - 52 wins
2002-03: Detroit Pistons - 50 wins

Literally the #1 and #2 in lowest wins for a 1st seed since the introduction of the 3-point line. And Jordan failed to make the playoffs either of those two seasons.

[Kiddlovesnets]

MJ is capable of leading 2011, 2014 Heat and 2015 Cavs to championship.

[zeerghit]

MJ is capable of leading 2011, 2014 Heat and 2015 Cavs to championship.

no chance

[HoopsNY]

Richard Hamilton, Chris Whitney, Byron Russell, Jerry Stackhouse, and Larry Hughes were all better than Dennis Schroeder. Montrezz Harrell, and Markieff Morris.

Hamilton was a shooter and that was it. He had no playmaking or defensive abilities, wasn't very athletic, and didn't run in transition very well. Not to mention, Hamilton was just 23, and missed a lot of games due to injuries that season that he played alongside MJ.

Don't forget that LeBron had Larry Hughes on his team, coming off his best season. How did that turn out?

And I'm sorry, but Chris Whitney and Byron Russell??? You're kidding me, right? Harrell and Schroder are far better players than those two. Stackhouse was a cancer to any team and just a scorer who provided no leadership, defensive ability, playmaking ability, or efficiency.


Jordan without Phil Jackson and Pippen never elevated the game of his teammates. Even Stackhouse criticized him for leading his team in field goal attempts per game instead of being a better leader for his team.

This is an interesting reach. LeBron went 27-7-7 (basically his career averages) with Cleveland in 2004-05 with an All-Star teammate in Ilgauskas, and still didn't make the playoffs.

So I highly doubt he goes anywhere with that Wizards team. Before MJ got there, that Wizards team barely won 19 games. In his first year, the team won 37 games, a +18 increase. MJ played in 60 games that season and had the team on a 41 win pace, at the age of 39.

20 year old LeBron's team with an All-Star teammate won 42 games and missed the playoffs, going 27-7-7.

And what's this about "elevating a teammates" without Phil and Scottie? Phil didn't become the head coach until the 1989-90 season. Chicago had already made it to the ECF the year prior, and in 1988, Chicago won 50 games.

MJ's first season, Chicago had a +11 win differential and became a playoff team. Let's look at some numbers.

1983-84: 22nd (out of 23 teams) ORTG
1984-85: 11th ORTG
1985-86: 8th ORTG
1986-87: 12th ORTG
1987-88: 9th ORTG

Scottie's first season doesn't come until the 1987-88 season, but he was a bench player then averaging 7 PPG. You're going to attribute Chicago's leap in success to a rookie averaging 7 PPG?

[Kiddlovesnets]

no chance

He would. MJ would have completely destroyed Curry, and there was no chance Iguodala could defend MJ. MJ would drop 43-45ppg like he did in 1993, and the Cavs won the series 4-2.

[RRR3]

You’d have to be pretty delusional not to think current LeBron is worth 6 more wins than Wizards MJ. Because the Wizards missed the playoffs by 6 wins each year.

[TheGoatest]

Let's not forget the other end of their careers as well:

Age 22: Jordan loses to Terry Cummings in the playoffs with a 23 ppg on 55% shooting guy as his #2.
Age 22: LeBron beats the Billups-Hamilton-Wallace-Prince Pistons with Daniel "half of the forum will have to look up who I am" Gibson as his 2nd leading scorer

LeBron just wipes the floor with Jordan, on both ends of their careers.

[dankok8]

You’d have to be pretty delusional not to think current LeBron is worth 6 more wins than Wizards MJ. Because the Wizards missed the playoffs by 6 wins each year.

We saw Lebron miss the playoffs with in 2018-2019. His team went 28-27 with him in the lineup. This year in 2020-2021 in games without Davis his team is 9-7. The 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 Wizards were 30-30 and 37-45, respectively, with MJ in the lineup.

Obviously current Lebron is better than Wizards MJ... before anyone comes at me with that. But his stats are also inflated by this era.

[3ball]

You’d have to be pretty delusional not to think current LeBron is worth 6 more wins than Wizards MJ. Because the Wizards missed the playoffs by 6 wins each year.


Current lebron is only 36, while mj was 38.. lebron won't be shit at 38

02' Jordan was also on pace to make Playoffs before his injury anyway, and was 1 of 3 guys averaging 25/5/5 (MJ, Kobe, Tmac)

Ultimately, Lebron isn't capable of dragging a legit lottery team (a team that was lottery the prior year) to the Playoffs because he failed in 04', 05', and 19' - he only made the playoffs with developed, high seeds comprised of a few all-stars, gritty veterans and top defenses..

For example, he missed the playoffs with the East all-star center in 05', and needed to add a 22/6/5 all-defender along with the COY to make the 06' Playoffs.. he actually stole Hughes from Arenas and then beat him.

[TheGoatest]

to be fair to jordan, lebron isn't 40 years old. at 40 lebron would still probably be a better playe than jordan. if he decided to play that long. lebron at 35 was better than 98 jordan who was also 35. better playoff and impact numbers etc. what lebron is doing atm is uncharted territory.

To be even more fair, LeBron didn't take no multiple 2 year sabbaticals throughout his career.

[Kiddlovesnets]

lebron at 35 was better than 98 jordan who was also 35. better playoff and impact numbers etc. what lebron is doing atm is uncharted territory.

Nope, Lebron at 35 was not better than MJ at 35. Given that 98 Bulls team, Lebron would surely have lost against the Jazz, maybe even defeated by the Pacers.

[mehyaM24]

to be fair to jordan, lebron isn't 40 years old. at 40 lebron would still probably be a better player than jordan. if he decided to play that long. for example, lebron at 35 was better than 98 jordan who was also 35. better playoff and impact numbers etc.

what lebron is doing ATM is uncharted territory.

[dankok8]

to be fair to jordan, lebron isn't 40 years old. at 40 lebron would still probably be a better player than jordan. if he decided to play that long. lebron at 35 was better than 98 jordan who was also 35. better playoff and impact numbers etc. what lebron is doing atm is uncharted territory.

A 35-year old Lebron isn't better than 35-year old Jordan though. Not when you adjust for the fact that Jordan's league shot 4 TS% points less and had 10 fewer possessions in every game.

[3ball]

to be fair to jordan, lebron isn't 40 years old. at 40 lebron would still probably be a better player than jordan. if he decided to play that long. for example, lebron at 35 was better than 98 jordan who was also 35. better playoff and impact numbers etc.

what lebron is doing ATM is uncharted territory.


35-year Lebron = all-nba

35-year Jordan = all-nba.. scoring champ.. top 5 DPOY


There's levels to this

[mehyaM24]

A 35-year old Lebron isn't better than 35-year old Jordan though. Not when you adjust for the fact that Jordan's league shot 4 TS% points less and had 10 fewer possessions in every game.

of course lebron was better. impact stats adjust per 100 possessions. which means lebron STILL produced at a better clip.


To be even more fair, LeBron didn't take no multiple 2 year sabbaticals throughout his career.

less rest, less mileage & still didn't have the longevity lebron does. he retired at 35. that's a good point, goatest :applause:

[TheGoatest]

35 year old Jordan: 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the finals :oldlol:
He was breaking down like he needed a restoration. Aside from maybe his rookie season, he easily had the worst season of his entire career in 1997-98. Lowest ppg since his rookie season. Lowest fg% of his career. Lowest apg of his career. Third lowest rpg of his career. Every statistical category was below his career averages in 1997-98.

Meanwhile a 35 year old LeBron was capable of reinventing himself and averaged a career-high in assists, as well as above his average in rebounds at 35, despite playing career low minutes per game. Only idiots have the audacity to even question the fact that LeBron at 35 was way better than Jordan at 35.

[Axe]

MJ is capable of leading 2011, 2014 Heat and 2015 Cavs to championship.
Not without pippen tho