LeBron, AD, Westbrook only played 21 games together; went 11-10

[Im Still Ballin]

It wasn't a good fit. You'd think they'd have built some more chemistry with more time playing together.

Fully healthy, they'd have won 45-50 games at best.

I was optimistic this would work, but Westbrook completely fell off a cliff. He was still a productive player last season. He was only 18 months removed from playing some of the best basketball of his career in Houston.

It wasn't even a matter of scheme or lineups for Russ. He just sucked. Missing shots he would've never done so in the past. His shot quality isn't the issue at all.



[Cranjis] There are 4,657 players in our 2013-22 database at @The_BBall_Index. In our Overall Shot Making metric, which looks at shooting proficiency adjusting for shot quality, 2021-22 Westbrook ranks dead last. His shooting this year has been the worst we’ve seen in a ~decade.

https://twitter.com/tim_nba/status/1504895437773361156?s=21


Combine that with his mega-max salary and he's one of the worst value contracts ever.

Luckily there is a kicker: his contract is expiring next season. There'll be several suitors looking to offload some players. Tobias Harris and Malcolm Brogdon are two names to keep an eye on.

Of course, it'll all come down to whether or not LeBron and AD can stay healthy. If they can, and if they get a Tobias Harris or Malcom Brogdon, they might just have another run in them.

[Spurs m8]

I hope they can put in a better effort in Cancun

[John_Connor]

lebron played zero defense and didn't try and get others going

AD checked out after that ring

Westbrook is a shell of himself physically and can't manufacture points at a high enough efficiency to contribute


the coach doesn't make adjustments in the offensive or defensive strategy. just throwing different role players in and out of the lineup


they have poor leadership. finger pointing. lack of accountability for their star players. nobody owns up to their own mistakes.


it's the culmination of complete and utter entitlement and laziness. it perfectly represents this generation in a nutshell


trade everyone if you want any kind of improvement.

[Spurs m8]

lebron played zero defense and didn't try and get others going

AD checked out after that ring

Westbrook is a shell of himself physically and can't manufacture points at a high enough efficiency to contribute


the coach doesn't make adjustments in the offensive or defensive strategy. just throwing different role players in and out of the lineup


they have poor leadership. finger pointing. lack of accountability for their star players. nobody owns up to their own mistakes.


it's the culmination of complete and utter entitlement and laziness. it perfectly represents this generation in a nutshell


trade everyone if you want any kind of improvement.

:applause:

[WhiteKyrie]

.500? Big deal.

[Spurs m8]

.500? Big deal.

Exactly

Would have finished around eighth...cool

[2swift4u]

honestly I never expected them to be very successful. AD is a joke, the dude is always injured, Westbrook has zero bball IQ and Lebron played rather well but apparently can't or doesn't want to play 100% on both ends anymore.

[Nb1]

The problem is the only guy that had to be injured played all the games. If WB was injured and Bron played with AD they’d easy win the title. Just like last year where they were destroying the suns before the injuries.

[RogueBorg]

I swear Lebronstans have the absolute lowest set of standards. 11-10, maybe they should give them a trophy of something.

[Im Still Ballin]

The problem is the only guy that had to be injured played all the games. If WB was injured and Bron played with AD they’d easy win the title. Just like last year where they were destroying the suns before the injuries.

Healthy LeBron + healthy AD is probably good enough for a +4 to +5 SRS. That's with the poor construction of certain aspects of this team, such as a lack of perimeter defense. With the right, high-quality roleplayers, they were around a +7 to +8 SRS in '20.

The right retooling in the offseason could get them back to that ballpark. It all depends on if they can trade Westbrook's expiring contract for a Tobias Harris/Malcolm Brogdon type of player. A team like OKC would be more than willing to help out if there are draft picks available to them.

LeBron, AD and Tobias Harris would be formidable. At that point, it's simply about acquiring the right roleplayers to compliment that trio.

[bladefd]

Healthy LeBron + healthy AD is probably good enough for a +4 to +5 SRS. That's with the poor construction of certain aspects of this team, such as a lack of perimeter defense. With the right, high-quality roleplayers, they were around a +7 to +8 SRS in '20.

The right retooling in the offseason could get them back to that ballpark. It all depends on if they can trade Westbrook's expiring contract for a Tobias Harris/Malcolm Brogdon type of player. A team like OKC would be more than willing to help out if there are draft picks available to them.

LeBron, AD and Tobias Harris would be formidable. At that point, it's simply about acquiring the right roleplayers to compliment that trio.

I would agree with you. We do need a decent backup for AD though. Guy is always hurt. I would consider slashing AD's minutes to 25mpg in regular season. I just don't know who would be a decent cheap backup to give us solid 15mpg at center off the bench every night. Depends on who is available I guess for the MLE.

Other than that, I would also try to trade THT+Nunn (nunn is opting in) for a guard on the trade market over the summer.

The bench needs to be completely rebuilt. I would only bring back Reaves (2nd unit) and Gabriel/Johnson (both 3rd unit & injury backups). I don't want to see anyone else from this year's bench. Monk is going to be overpaid, and he is too streaky/unreliable tbh (does not play defense either) - he can go too.

[Airupthere]

Did they banana boat?

[Micku]

I would agree with you. We do need a decent backup for AD though. Guy is always hurt. I would consider slashing AD's minutes to 25mpg in regular season. I just don't know who would be a decent cheap backup to give us solid 15mpg at center off the bench every night. Depends on who is available I guess for the MLE.

Other than that, I would also try to trade THT+Nunn (nunn is opting in) for a guard on the trade market over the summer.

The bench needs to be completely rebuilt. I would only bring back Reaves (2nd unit) and Gabriel/Johnson (both 3rd unit & injury backups). I don't want to see anyone else from this year's bench. Monk is going to be overpaid, and he is too streaky/unreliable tbh (does not play defense either) - he can go too.


I would keep Reaves and Melo. I like Melo, but they have to be some solid rotation to hide his weakness.

This team didn't gel well. If they could, they have to get defensive players and 3 pt shooters to space the floor. Easier said than done. They don't really need a 3rd star, they should just concentrate on their duo. But AD gets hurt too much. He always have a history of that, so I don't know what they could do with him other than play him like how Pop plays Duncan when he played lol. Their scouts got to really look for those high energy, play hard guys.

As mentioned before tho, this is the most disappointing superteam ever. If they could, they gott'a get rid of Westbrook. He just doesn't fit with LeBron. But getting rid of Westbrook won't solve their problems. They need a make over top to bottom other than LBJ and AD. Either that or they get some genius coach who can make the lineup work.

[3ba11]

MJ went 30-30 in 2002 with a 19-win Wizards cast

So he would've titled with AD + Westbrook/MJ backcourt.. That's scary

[kabacho]

I would consider slashing AD's minutes to 25mpg in regular season. I just don't know who would be a decent cheap backup to give us solid 15mpg at center off the bench every night.

Someone like McGee you mean?

[kabacho]

Other than that, I would also try to trade THT+Nunn (nunn is opting in) for a guard on the trade market over the summer.

What happened to the THT hype? :lol

[AlternativeAcc.]

2010 Heat started 9-8

That's why LeBron has always had the toughest road

Constantly having to start over and build chemistry year after year is exhausting

[Akeem34TheDream]

2010 Heat started 9-8

That's why LeBron has always had the toughest road

Constantly having to start over and build chemistry year after year is exhausting

Like KD?

[Spurs m8]

Like KD?

Alternative Acc is such a lying little fvckface

[bladefd]

What happened to the THT hype? :lol

I never thought much of him, but Lakers front-office was big on his potential. I thought they should have traded him last year for Lowry..

[AlternativeAcc.]

Like KD?

KD ended up being right

He won two FMVPS in dominant fashion and nobody gives him credit, they bring up narrative instead of play (which is what casual fans do)

Thats a tough road to take

[Full Court]

A superteam with no less than THREE stars on the court....

gets a record of 11-10. Ponder that deeply, Bronies.

Most underachieving team in the history of the NBA.

[kawhileonard2]

Team was loaded.

[bison]

Team was loaded.

It was front loaded. We gave all our money and assets for Westbrook that we had to fill the rest of the roster with washed up journeymen who can’t play D and g league players. The NBA right now is about roster depth, ball movement, length and youth. Having big 3 doesn’t work anymore. But apparently LeGM didn’t get the memo.

[Im Still Ballin]

It was front loaded. We gave all our money and assets for Westbrook that we had to fill the rest of the roster with washed up journeymen who can’t play D and g league players. The NBA right now is about roster depth, ball movement, length and youth. Having big 3 doesn’t work anymore. But apparently LeGM didn’t get the memo.

It's all about the big two + high-quality roleplayers that can shoot, defend, and pass.

[coin24]

It was front loaded. We gave all our money and assets for Westbrook that we had to fill the rest of the roster with washed up journeymen who can’t play D and g league players. The NBA right now is about roster depth, ball movement, length and youth. Having big 3 doesn’t work anymore. But apparently LeGM didn’t get the memo.

That’s what happens when you let an illiterate ghetto moron like bran make any decisions

[TheMan]

That’s what happens when you let an illiterate ghetto moron like bran make any decisions

LeGM

[2swift4u]

A superteam with no less than THREE stars on the court....

gets a record of 11-10. Ponder that deeply, Bronies.

Most underachieving team in the history of the NBA.

I think you are forgetting the Nets. On paper they had a way better team a couple of years ago whit KD, Kyrie, Harden etc. and they didn't achieve anything either.

[Full Court]

I think you are forgetting the Nets. On paper they had a way better team a couple of years ago whit KD, Kyrie, Harden etc. and they didn't achieve anything either.

They achieved the playoffs.

Lakers are most definitely the most underachieving team in the the history of the sport.

[ImKobe]

I think you are forgetting the Nets. On paper they had a way better team a couple of years ago whit KD, Kyrie, Harden etc. and they didn't achieve anything either.

They were an inch from eliminating the champs without Kyrie and with an injured Harden. Lakers have been a joke 3 out of the 4 Bran seasons.

[PP34Deuce]

Lebron james is not a number 1 consistent option anymore. He's a very good number 2. AD is a number 2.

It would take lebron taking a backseat to roster influencing moves and him just playing solid 2 way basketball.

[Johnny32]

Lebron james is not a number 1 consistent option anymore. He's a very good number 2. AD is a number 2.

It would take lebron taking a backseat to roster influencing moves and him just playing solid 2 way basketball.

lmao

[PP34Deuce]

lmao

What's funny? Lebron used to get a bucket whenever he wanted. He can't sustain for whole games or half.

[Axe]

What's funny? Lebron used to get a bucket whenever he wanted. He can't sustain for whole games or half.
Yep, kong is getting old. He can't even play proper defense rn like he used to back then.