Lakers vs. Knicks

[Full Court]

Knicks have started off 10-0.

[Full Court]

Yikes! Just saw my post count, so I needed to hurry up and make another post.

[ImKobe]

How can this team be so horrible at moving the ****ing ball? jfc

[Full Court]

End of first, Knicks up 36-20.

[Shogon]

I don't care if the Lakers win this game. They're ****ing hot garbage, lol.

There isn't a single player in the league that could turn them around including Steph.

They have no identity, their ball movement overall is poor, they don't have a ton of action off ball and nobody can shoot, lol. Ironically, these are all Steph's strengths so that may seem contradictory but nah... he wouldn't change the entire roster.

The roster is just poorly constructed and the coaching staff isn't maximizing it either.

Maybe... MAYBE if everyone gets healthy. Maybe.

[lakerstekkenn]

The Lakers need a coaching change big time Frank lost the team somehow, they probably don't agree with his system, they need a new voice system before it's too late.

[Shogon]

Oh and how could I forget... their defense is ASS.

They're 24th in ORtg and 20th in DRtg.

LMAO.

They'd have to get an absolute stud 3 & D guy in place of Westbrook to have a prayer of winning the title this year and the roster would need to stay healthy.

In other words... no. But we'll see what happens with the trade deadline.

[n00bie]

The Lakers need a coaching change big time Frank lost the team somehow, they probably don't agree with his system, they need a new voice system before it's too late.

You really think it's the coach's fault?? Or MAYBE this team is made up of players that were good 10 years ago, and all have mental / ego issues?

Westbrook - psycho
LeBron - entitled diva
Howard - cry baby / closet homosexual
Davis - Sexual abuse trauma from an@l rape
Carmelo - drama queen that has never made a team better
Jordan - Way past his prime. Was only good because he could jump

This team is a big joke. Entertaining to watch tho.

[MrFonzworth]

I don't care if the Lakers win this game. They're ****ing hot garbage, lol.

There isn't a single player in the league that could turn them around including Steph.

They have no identity, their ball movement overall is poor, they don't have a ton of action off ball and nobody can shoot, lol. Ironically, these are all Steph's strengths so that may seem contradictory but nah... he wouldn't change the entire roster.

The roster is just poorly constructed and the coaching staff isn't maximizing it either.

Maybe... MAYBE if everyone gets healthy. Maybe.

I see this autistic incel is still watching the NBA everyday after swearing he will stop after LeBron's mickey mouse ring

[Full Court]

Three point game now. Since Lebum is out, Lakers might actually have a chance.

[bison]

Mounting that 25 point comeback took a lot out of the lakers it seems. They look gassed out now.

[bladefd]

Lakers keep chucking up horrendous 3s.. Drive the hell in for high percentage shots instead of chucking 3s. Unbelievable what I'm seeing out there, but I guess this is modern basketball...

[Full Court]

Lakers suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[SouBeachTalents]

I give them credit from bouncing back from such an atrocious start and actually make this a game, but they've looked terrible all year, regardless of who's playing or not.

[Im Still Ballin]

I give them credit from bouncing back from such an atrocious start and actually make this a game, but they've looked terrible all year, regardless of who's playing or not.

I wouldn't be surprised if they're much stronger in the second half of the season. Getting Ariza and Nunn back will help things; LeBron and Westbrook will mesh better as time goes on.

We'll see.

[Axe]

You made a thread about a lakers game with kong not even playing? :confusedshrug:

[Axe]

I see this autistic incel is still watching the NBA everyday after swearing he will stop after LeBron's mickey mouse ring
:oldlol:

[Thenameless]

The Laker brain trust should now be considering the answer to the question "what can we get for Russ?"

Hopefully, something big happens at the trade deadline in order to salvage the season, but I'm okay with trading him in the off-season as well.

[bison]

The Laker brain trust should now be considering the answer to the question "what can we get for Russ?"

Hopefully, something big happens at the trade deadline in order to salvage the season, but I'm okay with trading him in the off-season as well.

I’d wait until Xmas to hit the panic button, if they are still at .500 by then.

[getting_old]

The Knicks are playing at 50% of their energy and skill compared to last year.

Painful to watch them lumber around so far this year

Maybe Payton quietly doing his thing as a starter was more effective than we thought...

[ImKobe]

The Laker brain trust should now be considering the answer to the question "what can we get for Russ?"

Hopefully, something big happens at the trade deadline in order to salvage the season, but I'm okay with trading him in the off-season as well.

Ben Simmons? Not sure if even that is in play at this point, though I do think Russ could fit on the Sixers quite well and Simmons is a Klutch client so I wouldn't be surprised if they went for it if the Russ thing doesn't get any better.

[RRR3]

Ben Simmons? Not sure if even that is in play at this point, though I do think Russ could fit on the Sixers quite well and Simmons is a Klutch client so I wouldn't be surprised if they went for it if the Russ thing doesn't get any better.
What happened to MVP AD? :facepalm

Dude decided he didn’t have to try anymore after he won a ring. Hasn’t been the same player he was ever since smh. Can’t blame it all on Westbrook, he underachieved last year too.

[ImKobe]

What happened to MVP AD? :facepalm

Dude decided he didn’t have to try anymore after he won a ring. Hasn’t been the same player he was ever since smh. Can’t blame it all on Westbrook, he underachieved last year too.

He's been just fine this season but the rest of the team hasn't played up to par, though Russ has been playing better after a horrible start to the season. That's not enough to consistently win games. Jokic is having an all-time season and the Nuggets are .500 and only 8 - 6 when he's been healthy. Giannis has played up to his MVP standards and the Bucks are 10 - 8 because of injuries. Lakers are no different with Lebron missing 11 games and guys being in & out of lineups.

[RRR3]

He's been just fine this season but the rest of the team hasn't played up to par, though Russ has been playing better after a horrible start to the season. That's not enough to consistently win games. Jokic is having an all-time season and the Nuggets are .500 and only 8 - 6 when he's been healthy. Giannis has played up to his MVP standards and the Bucks are 10 - 8 because of injuries. Lakers are no different with Lebron missing 11 games and guys being in & out of lineups.
He's been bad by the standards he set for himself and you know it. Hasn't looked like the same player after the 2020 season ended.

[Phoenix]

AD lacks leadership intangibles and you see it in situations when he has to, well.......lead. He's a walking 28/12 guy but sometimes you just don't really feel the impact of those numbers.

[ImKobe]

He's been bad by the standards he set for himself and you know it. Hasn't looked like the same player after the 2020 season ended.

How has he been bad? 26/9/4 2.2 blocks a game on 53.6%FG since exiting the Portland game is bad? Tied for most 30+ pt games this season is bad? Being top 10 in scoring, rebounding and 2nd in blocks is bad? Imagine blaming the only consistent player on the team lmao.

[RRR3]

How has he been bad? 26/9/4 2.2 blocks a game on 53.6%FG since exiting the Portland game is bad? Tied for most 30+ pt games this season is bad? Being top 10 in scoring, rebounding and 2nd in blocks is bad? Imagine blaming the only consistent player on the team lmao.
Compare his stats to his numbers from 2018-2020.

[jlip]

AD lacks leadership intangibles and you see it in situations when he has to, well.......lead. He's a walking 28/12 guy but sometimes you just don't really feel the impact of those numbers.

Not just that, but AD doesn't really play like a "big man". I understand that the days of the traditional big man are over, but as I was watching AD the other day, I observed that he rarely "fights" for post position. He is very easily moved. Then it appears that his favorite spot is above the elbow where he faces up as opposed to even attempting to post up either in the paint or on the block. Also, a lot of his rebounding is again not due to boxing out or fighting for position. With many of his rebounds he either was just in the right place at the right time or was simply taller or more athletic than the closest player. It may seem as though I'm nitpicking, but I feel that playing "big" provides more impact for a big.

[ImKobe]

Compare his stats to his numbers from 2018-2020.

26/9/4 1.4 spg 2.2 bpg 53.6%FG since the Portland game, he averaged 26/9/3 1.5 spg 2.3 bpg 50.3%FG in 2020.. Aside from his FT shooting, his production is almost the same and he hasn't had Lebron for most of the season and is playing with Russ, who often struggles getting him the ball in the half court. He's the same player, but the team around him is considerably worse right now.

[RRR3]

26/9/4 1.4 spg 2.2 bpg 53.6%FG since the Portland game, he averaged 26/9/3 1.5 spg 2.3 bpg 50.3%FG in 2020.. Aside from his FT shooting, his production is almost the same and he hasn't had Lebron for most of the season and is playing with Russ, who often struggles getting him the ball in the half court. He's the same player, but the team around him is considerably worse right now.
You don’t get to remove stats. They all count. His advanced stats are also considerably worse and you know it. Meltdown.

[1987_Lakers]

AD lacks leadership intangibles and you see it in situations when he has to, well.......lead. He's a walking 28/12 guy but sometimes you just don't really feel the impact of those numbers.

Yea, this should have been obvious to everyone when how underwhelming his team was with the Pelicans despite him putting Shaq like numbers, this year he has shown he can't lead a team without LeBron. He's a great player, but not a superstar in my book and he should thank LeBron for gifting him a title in 2020.

[Phoenix]

Not just that, but AD doesn't really play like a "big man". I understand that the days of the traditional big man are over, but as I was watching AD the other day, I observed that he rarely "fights" for post position. He is very easily moved. Then it appears that his favorite spot is above the elbow where he faces up as opposed to even attempting to post up either in the paint or on the block. Also, a lot of his rebounding is again not due to boxing out or fighting for position. With many of his rebounds he either was just in the right place at the right time or was simply taller or more athletic than the closest player. It may seem as though I'm nitpicking, but I feel that playing "big" provides more impact for a big.

Yeah, it's why not all numbers are created equal. Giannis drops the same 28/12 and while he doesnt play like a traditional big either, he does play with a 'force' that AD doesn't, an 'imposing his will if you prefer. AD is a top tier talent, and hes not playing 'bad', it's just.....I don't know. He seemed hungrier before winning the chip. You'd think a guy like that winning a ring at 27 playing like he did would start competing for MVPs if he wasn't already. Something is missing, it's not talent, it's not numbers.....something.

[RRR3]

Yeah, it's why not all numbers are created equal. Giannis drops the same 28/12 and while he doesnt play like a traditional big either, he does play with a 'force' that AD doesn't, an 'imposing his will if you prefer. AD is a top tier talent, and hes not playing 'bad', it's just.....I don't know. He seemed hungrier before winning the chip. You'd think a guy like that winning a ring at 27 playing like he did would start competing for MVPs if he wasn't already. Something is missing, it's not talent, it's not numbers.....something.
It’s like he decided he never had to try hard again after winning a ring.

[ImKobe]

Yeah, it's why not all numbers are created equal. Giannis drops the same 28/12 and while he doesnt play like a traditional big either, he does play with a 'force' that AD doesn't, an 'imposing his will if you prefer. AD is a top tier talent, and hes not playing 'bad', it's just.....I don't know. He seemed hungrier before winning the chip. You'd think a guy like that winning a ring at 27 playing like he did would start competing for MVPs if he wasn't already. Something is missing, it's not talent, it's not numbers.....something.

So, you're saying Duncan wasn't as good as Shaq because he wasn't a highlight reel? He's the same exact player, the only issue here is that his help hasn't been anywhere near as good as it was in 2020. Bucks didn't look great before Middleton's return either and it wasn't because they won a ring and Giannis wasn't hungry anymore, it's that teammates matter and no player in the league can win on a consistent basis without a solid supporting cast. We're 1 month into the season and the Lakers have been mediocre with their injuries, just like the Bucks, who have won 4 straight and are still sitting at 8th in the EC and are 1 game ahead of the 11th place (Hawks, another great team that's struggled AND they've mostly been at full health minus Hunter) in their Conference.

[Phoenix]

So, you're saying Duncan wasn't as good as Shaq because he wasn't a highlight reel?.

Where the hell did you derive that from based on what I said? I said sweet fukk all about 'highlights' and nothing even infers that's what I meant. I barely skimmed the rest of your post because I cant get past how off you are just on that point alone.

[SATAN]

"I have nothing to prove" - Anthony Davis

[ImKobe]

Where the hell did you derive that from based on what I said? I said sweet fukk all about 'highlights' and nothing even infers that's what I meant. I barely skimmed the rest of your post because I cant get past how off you are just on that point alone.

Shaq played with imposing will while Duncan took bank shots all game.. guess which player was more impactful. AD's doing the same things he did in 2020, y'all just hating for no reason because you can't point to his numbers lmao.

[SATAN]

AD out with an upset stomach again. Is AD an alcoholic?

[SATAN]

https://conexion360.mx/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/foto-web-ultra-cerveza-696x482.jpg

https://images.freshop.com/00018200967283/49dbe73d088ccdf23b6237085dc35b0c_large.png

[Phoenix]

Shaq played with imposing will while Duncan took bank shots all game.. guess which player was more impactful. AD's doing the same things he did in 2020, y'all just hating for no reason because you can't point to his numbers lmao.

Peak Shaq for impact( Duncan has the more decorated and consistent career and a better leader),but your arguments against Shaq( much like Tpols) is more about elevating Kobe. 2000-2002 Shaq, as a singular force in terms of impact, is probably matched by like 2 or 3 others in the history of the NBA. I'd never say Duncan doesn't have 'leadership intangibles', which is my critique of AD, as Tim was one of the great franchise anchors ever, so your continued commentary about highlights or whatever is...once again....out in left field.

Also, saying AD seems to lack leadership intangibles isn't 'hating', especially when I even made a point of saying he's not playing bad. He's playing like AD, which is how he played for the Pelicans....and although that team wasn't stacked with talent, they probably could have been better than they were if you swapped out AD for Giannis. That team never once broke 48 wins and they had enough to crack 50 a few times if AD is whatever you think he is.

[ImKobe]

Peak Shaq for impact( Duncan has the more decorated and consistent career and a better leader),but your arguments against Shaq( much like Tpols) is more about elevating Kobe. 2000-2002 Shaq, as a singular force in terms of impact, is probably matched by like 2 or 3 others in the history of the NBA.

Also, saying AD seems to lack leadership intangibles isn't 'hating', especially when I even made a point of saying he's not playing bad. Fukk are you on about?!

Peak Shaq could never do what Duncan did in 2003. It has nothing to do with Kobe in this case. Duncan was a tier above Shaq on the defensive end and he was a more versatile offensive player as a shooter & a playmaker & a more reliable FT shooter that didn't need an elite wing player to win championships.

Your only criticisms of Davis are that "it just doesn't look right" and "intangibles" when he's called out this team for their piss-poor effort and he's been their only consistent player all season. If you had any insight into AD, you'd know he's put on some weight to be more physical as a big man, which doesn't help him a lot when they're playing him out of position at the 4. He's the only Laker (other than Howard) that opposing teams don't want to attack on the defensive end and the entire game plan has been to draw him out of the paint to get easy layups on this team, which is not as hard to do with him playing the 4 a bunch as well. You can't really play him at the 5 full-time either because then you're playing Carmelo (who sucks on D because he can't move laterally) 30+ minutes a game as this team doesn't have any SF/PFs other than Lebron (who's been hurt and out of lineups) to play alongside him that would make sense on both ends as well. They've been playing THT at the 3 and while he's strong enough, he's only 6-4 and playing out of position. Westbrook can't even get him the ball in the post so that's another negative and you can't put Rondo out there with Russ as it's a terrible fit as well.

So yeah, AD has been his usual self, it's the awkward lineups and injuries that have been the problem here.

[Phoenix]

Peak Shaq could never do what Duncan did in 2003. It has nothing to do with Kobe in this case. Duncan was a tier above Shaq on the defensive end and he was a more versatile offensive player as a shooter & a playmaker & a more reliable FT shooter that didn't need an elite wing player to win championships.

Your only criticisms of Davis are that "it just doesn't look right" and "intangibles" when he's called out this team for their piss-poor effort and he's been their only consistent player all season. If you had any insight into AD, you'd know he's put on some weight to be more physical as a big man, which doesn't help him a lot when they're playing him out of position at the 4. He's the only Laker (other than Howard) that opposing teams don't want to attack on the defensive end and the entire game plan has been to draw him out of the paint to get easy layups on this team, which is not as hard to do with him playing the 4 a bunch as well. You can't really play him at the 5 full-time either because then you're playing Carmelo (who sucks on D because he can't move laterally) 30+ minutes a game as this team doesn't have any SF/PFs other than Lebron (who's been hurt and out of lineups) to play alongside him that would make sense on both ends as well. They've been playing THT at the 3 and while he's strong enough, he's only 6-4 and playing out of position. Westbrook can't even get him the ball in the post so that's another negative and you can't put Rondo out there with Russ as it's a terrible fit as well.

So yeah, AD has been his usual self, it's the awkward lineups and injuries that have been the problem here.

And you could also swing that the other way and say Duncan wouldn't have done what Shaq was doing in the years I specified as far as outright dominance and pretty much depleting your frontline using up fouls to put him on the line, which compromises the interior D. Also bear in mind that Duncan for most of his chips had guards who could close. Not on Kobe's level but let's not act like Ginobli or Parker were scrubs. He was a better leader than Shaq, more reliable and if given the choice of either over 15 years, I may take Duncan. I'm talking peak impact and dominance vs. consistency, leadership, culture building which is pretty much what the Shaq/Duncan argument boils down to. It's like debating Wilt vs Russell.

This Lakers roster from top to bottom isn't good in terms of construction. No arguments there. But I wasn't asleep the last decade seeing AD on the Pelicans. Top 5 talent, not a top 5 player. Yes there is a difference. This isn't a guy who has some history of leading squads annually to 50 win seasons and then showed up in LA and continued his winning ways. The Pelicans weren't THAT bad, and his own injury history probably deprived them of better records. Which I'm factoring into the equation.

[ImKobe]

And you could always swing that the other way and say Duncan wouldn't have done what Shaq was doing in the years I specified as far as outright dominance and pretty much depleting your frontline using up fouls to put him on the line. Also bear in mind that Duncan for most of his chips had guards who could close. Not on Kobe's level but let's not act like Ginobli or Parker were scrubs.

This Lakers roster from top to bottom isn't good. No arguments there. But I wasn't asleep the last decade seeing AD on the Pelicans. Top 5 talent, not a top 5 player. Yes there is a difference.

We've seen plenty of these guys who are considered top 5 struggle on bad teams. KG missed the Playoffs 3 years in a row in the middle of his damn prime, was he not top 5 in the league because the Wolves weren't good enough to win more than 33 and 32 games in '06 and '07? He had a mediocre HC and a bad supporting cast overall, that's exactly what AD went through in NO. Would we take Jokic out of the top 5 and say he's just not that good because the Nuggets might miss the POs this year due to injuries and a mediocre supporting cast?

[Phoenix]

We've seen plenty of these guys who are considered top 5 struggle on bad teams. KG missed the Playoffs 3 years in a row in the middle of his damn prime, was he not top 5 in the league because the Wolves weren't good enough to win more than 33 and 32 games in '06 and '07? He had a mediocre HC and a bad supporting cast overall, that's exactly what AD went through in NO. Would we take Jokic out of the top 5 and say he's just not that good because the Nuggets might miss the POs this year due to injuries and a mediocre supporting cast?

KG never did much of anything on the Wolves asides from that 2004 season with Cassell and Sprewell. He was the same 'second round virgin' that we give Tmac shit for asides from the aforementioned season and until he went to Boston and avoided being on the list of 'great players who never won a ring'. Question is, is AD really top 5? Over Giannis? KD? Steph? Kawhi when healthy? Embiid when healthy? Joker? Who you removing off that list to make room for him?

Hell, even your guy Kobe could massage 45 wins out of the Lakers with guys like Kwame Brown and Smush Parker starting( and the West in those years was stacked too). AD failed to hit that mark like 4-5 times between 2013 and 2020 with guys like Jrue, Tyreke and Eric Gordon.

[SATAN]

ImKobe literally has the worst hot takes I've ever seen.

[TheCorporation]

ImKobe literally has the worst hot takes I've ever seen.

He never has anything clever or funny to say either, just completely off the mark randomness. A true sign of ADHD.

[hold this L]

KG never did much of anything on the Wolves asides from that 2004 season with Cassell and Sprewell. He was the same 'second round virgin' that we give Tmac shit for asides from the aforementioned season and until he went to Boston and avoided being on the list of 'great players who never won a ring'. Question is, is AD really top 5? Over Giannis? KD? Steph? Kawhi when healthy? Embiid when healthy? Joker? Who you removing off that list to make room for him?

Hell, even your guy Kobe could massage 45 wins out of the Lakers with guys like Kwame Brown and Smush Parker starting( and the West in those years was stacked too). AD failed to hit that mark like 4-5 times between 2013 and 2020 with guys like Jrue, Tyreke and Eric Gordon.
I'd say there's a top 4 list. Steph, Giannis, KD, Joker. These guys are on another level.


After that, there's another tier with Lebron, AD, Kwhitter, Harden.

[Phoenix]

I'd say there's a top 4 list. Steph, Giannis, KD, Joker. These guys are on another level.


After that, there's another tier with Lebron, AD, Kwhitter, Harden.

And those are the guys where, if the conversation is 'would you build around 23 year old Steph or 23 year old Giannis'( based on the other thread of AD or Tatum).... then we can have that conversation of 'I'd take Steph/Giannis for reasons X,Y,Z'. I don't put AD in that conversation. I certainly don't put Tatum in it, so 'neither, I would do A,B C, instead' is a wrinkle to add to the mix.

[ImKobe]

KG never did much of anything on the Wolves asides from that 2004 season with Cassell and Sprewell. He was the same 'second round virgin' that we give Tmac shit for asides from the aforementioned season and until he went to Boston and avoided being on the list of 'great players who never won a ring'. Question is, is AD really top 5? Over Giannis? KD? Steph? Kawhi when healthy? Embiid when healthy? Joker? Who you removing off that list to make room for him?

Hell, even your guy Kobe could massage 45 wins out of the Lakers with guys like Kwame Brown and Smush Parker starting( and the West in those years was stacked too). AD failed to hit that mark like 4-5 times between 2013 and 2020 with guys like Jrue, Tyreke and Eric Gordon.

Kobe could get 45 because he's one of the GOATs. And yes, KG was one of the 5 best in the league but played on a shit team, you gave him two scorers and some depth and he went from the lottery to the best player on a championship team (though he didn't win the FMVP, like AD in 2020).



I love how you make the injury-prone argument for AD and then put Embiid and Kawhi (the two most injury-prone superstars) over him when Davis has been healthy for 4 of the last 5 seasons while these guys are constantly injured and need to take 20 games off just to make it to the POs lmao, and even then they end up getting hurt.


But right now, the list goes:

1. Steph
2. KD
3. Jokic
4. Giannis
5. AD

It's like splitting hairs but you have to give the players with the #1 seed the first 2 places at this point, it's too early so obviously Jokic won't keep up with the 35 PER average and the Lakers & Bucks won't finish that low in the standings but it's pretty safe to say that Davis is top 5 right now.

[Phoenix]

ike AD in 2020).



I love how you make the injury-prone argument for AD and then put Embiid and Kawhi (the two most injury-prone superstars) over him when Davis has been healthy for 4 of the last 5 seasons while these guys are constantly injured and need to take 20 games off just to make it to the POs lmao, and even then they end up getting hurt.


But right now, the list goes:

1. Steph
2. KD
3. Jokic
4. Giannis
5. AD

It's like splitting hairs but you have to give the players with the #1 seed the first 2 places at this point, it's too early so obviously Jokic won't keep up with the 35 PER average and the Lakers & Bucks won't finish that low in the standings but it's pretty safe to say that Davis is top 5 right now.

When all healthy, all things considered, I think Kawhi and Embiid are better. What I said wasn't hard to figure, which is why I added the caveat of 'health' to that consideration. If you want to squeeze AD in there at number 5 *now* it's because a couple of better players WHEN healthy are currently out. I also happen to think that when HEALTHY, Lebron is still better able to swing the course of a game than AD can, even with the Lakers shitty roster, but you're one of the biggest Lebron haters on the board so I don't really care what your response is to that line....nothing having to do with him will ever illicit anything but a 'hating' reply from you.

Speaking of AD's health 4 of the last 5 years, he's cracked 70 twice in 10 years. Last year he played 36 out of 72 games.

[ImKobe]

When all healthy, all things considered, I think Kawhi and Embiid are better. What I said wasn't hard to figure, which is why I added the caveat of 'health' to that consideration. If you want to squeeze AD in there at number 5 *now* it's because a couple of better players WHEN healthy are currently out. I also happen to think that when HEALTHY, Lebron is still better able to swing the course of a game than AD can, even with the Lakers shitty roster, but you're one of the biggest Lebron haters on the board so I don't really care what your response is to that line....nothing having to do with him will ever illicit anything but a 'hating' reply from you.

Speaking of AD's health 4 of the last 5 years, he's cracked 70 twice in 10 years. Last year he played 36 out of 72 games.

Cool. He played 75 in 2017 and 2018 and was healthy in '19 and got shut down because of the trade request. He was healthy in 2020 too and that was a shortened season. So that's 4 healthy years in a row in the middle of his prime and we're giving him the injury-prone tag off one season after coming back from a short break from the Finals? Lebron's been hurt 3 times in the past 4 years, Kawhi's had three season-ending injuries in the last 5 years, Embiid has not finished a single season/Playoffs healthy and has not played more than 64 RS games in a season.

Lebron can swing games but he's almost 37 years old, there's no such thing as being "healthy" really at this point, unless he can get another 4 months off before a Playoff run. He's not capable of playing a full season + Playoffs at the highest level, though I still think he's somewhere in the top 10 come Playoff time and even some of his biggest supporters here have been objective about his age/decline and see that he can no longer get by defenders and that he's just not nearly as dominant as he used to be. He takes too many threes (though he's shot well, so far) and doesn't get to the line nearly as much as he used to and he often takes his time getting back on D in transition, even when the Lakers were in do-or-die mode against the Suns in the POs in elimination last year. There's a visible decline there but he's still All-NBA level, there's no doubt that AD is the most valuable player on this team as he's really the only 2-way player left after all that they gave up for Russ.

[Phoenix]

Cool. He played 75 in 2017 and 2018 and was healthy in '19 and got shut down because of the trade request. He was healthy in 2020 too and that was a shortened season. So that's 4 healthy years in a row in the middle of his prime and we're giving him the injury-prone tag off one season after coming back from a short break from the Finals? Lebron's been hurt 3 times in the past 4 years, Kawhi's had three season-ending injuries in the last 5 years, Embiid has not finished a single season/Playoffs healthy and has not played more than 64 RS games in a season.

Lebron can swing games but he's almost 37 years old, there's no such thing as being "healthy" really at this point, unless he can get another 4 months off before a Playoff run. He's not capable of playing a full season + Playoffs at the highest level, though I still think he's somewhere in the top 10 come Playoff time and even some of his biggest supporters here have been objective about his age/decline and see that he can no longer get by defenders and that he's just not nearly as dominant as he used to be. He takes too many threes (though he's shot well, so far) and doesn't get to the line nearly as much as he used to and he often takes his time getting back on D in transition, even when the Lakers were in do-or-die mode against the Suns in the POs in elimination last year. There's a visible decline there but he's still All-NBA level, there's no doubt that AD is the most valuable player on this team as he's really the only 2-way player left after all that they gave up for Russ.

2019 was a lost season because he got shut down for the trade request as you said. So your contention is that I should give this guy max dollars and then somewhere down the line if he's unhappy he hijacks the team by sitting out?

Yeah, the reply to that is 'Cool'.

[ImKobe]

2019 was a lost season because he got shut down for the trade request as you said. So your contention is that I should give this guy max dollars and then somewhere down the line if he's unhappy he hijacks the team by sitting out?

Yeah, the reply to that is 'Cool'.

Well yeah, the Pelicans are one of the worst franchises (who had 7 years to buld around him) and it's been even more obvious since the AD trade. If you think you're as bad at building a Playoff team/contender as they are, then yeah, he's going to want out. Which superstar would willingly play their entire career for a loser franchise?

[Phoenix]

Well yeah, the Pelicans are one of the worst franchises (who had 7 years to buld around him) and it's been even more obvious since the AD trade. If you think you're as bad at building a Playoff team/contender as they are, then yeah, he's going to want out. Which superstar would willingly play their entire career for a loser franchise?

I'm not in agreement with players resorting to sulking on the sidelines to force themselves off a team( same with Kawhi in San Antonio).That lack of agreement doesn't matter as an armchair quarterback on a random website, but as a GM with max money to throw around, I'd be looking at the players history and tendencies and not strictly their talent.

AD was a free agent in 2015. If the organization was shit back then he was under no obligation to resign. In case you think I have some personal vendetta against AD, while I think *when healthy* Kawhi is better I wouldn't give him a max contract either based on his history of being both injury-prone and a prima donna.