NBA 2017-2018 Season

[JasonM]

35 minutes ago, Maxx said:

LeBron’s only won 3 titles

Fair enough, but it's still just an insane situation the NBA is in now that LeBron James might join the best team in the league to make them even bestier. And I'm not saying LeBron shouldn't leave, because well, it's his career and he can do whatever he pleases. But as a non Cavs fan, this is also a ridiculous situation in general

The Cavs have done EVERYTHING to appease LeBron these past years. They traded for Kevin Love, they axed David Blatt and hired LBJ's boy Tyronn Lue in his stead (who has only been succesfull because LeBron is who he is). They built the entire team around LeBron James to a point where the second best player, a multiple-time All-Star, on the team forced himself out because he couldn't stand that his own career was completely overshadowed by everything Bron did.

They literally turned the entire team upside down at the trade deadline, just to somehow build a team capable enough to reach the playoffs. They gave his boys stupid lengthy contracts even though most people knew they were on the downturn and those contracts would cripple the team into the future. And the team is crippled now, because other than Bron and K-Love, nobody fucking showed up in the playoffs and Bron effectively brought the team to the finals on his own against teams that were better than the Cavs, but not better than King James.

I'm not gonna say this Cavs roster is Bron's fault, but in part it is his fault. Because the team throwed everything around just to make sure Bron could get his title runs, they sacrificed EVERYTHING to get Bron into the finals again, even if the team wasn't good and everything they'd be able to get was arguably worse.

This also isn't a 2009 'the decision' kind of affair either. That Cavs team had nothing going for them other than Bron, and they never had anything going for them other than Bron. That team was a shithole that never had a good supporting cast, ever. And that team was also willed through playoffs by a one man wrecking crew called LeBron James.

This is a team that had their support crew, their superstars. And they fucking tossed it all because even though he isn't at fault himself, the presence of LeBron James by effect is a toxic one. Everything revolves around him and it pushes anyone else to the wayside, regardless of how talented he is. Best thing Kyrie ever did was get traded to Boston, because even when Bron wasn't in Cleveland he was always in the shadow of the man.

It's an insane scenario, because this Cavaliers team beyond two men is utter crap, plain and simple. Old broken down players and a bunch of career role-player types with little true upward mobility. LeBron is 33 going on 34 next season, he's as good as he's ever been, and he has all the reasons to leave this dumpster fire of a team for a team that actually has a future.

But does he deserve to leave a team that he indirectly caused to implode? Does he deserve to go to a different team and be LeLegend there? Of course he does, but still, does he though?

Edited June 9, 2018 by Jasonmufc

[Pooker]

All very good points, @Jasonmufc. And I agree with it all. But it begs a question that I have been asking for years that nobody has been able to answer. 

If lebron is so good, why is it so hard to build a great team around him? They've tried everything...big men, lots of shooters, his buddies, revamping the entire team...so why cant lebron get it done with the group of guys the Cavs surround him with? Why does he need to play with two or three other superstars in order to win it all?

Is Lebron too good?

[Benjamin]

25 minutes ago, Jasonmufc said:

Fair enough, but it's still just an insane situation the NBA is in now that LeBron James might join the best team in the league to make them even bestier. And I'm not saying LeBron shouldn't leave, because well, it's his career and he can do whatever he pleases. But as a non Cavs fan, this is also a ridiculous situation in general

The Cavs have done EVERYTHING to appease LeBron these past years. They traded for Kevin Love, they axed David Blatt and hired LBJ's boy Tyronn Lue in his stead (who has only been succesfull because LeBron is who he is). They built the entire team around LeBron James to a point where the second best player, a multiple-time All-Star, on the team forced himself out because he couldn't stand that his own career was completely overshadowed by everything Bron did.

They literally turned the entire team upside down at the trade deadline, just to somehow build a team capable enough to reach the playoffs. They gave his boys stupid lengthy contracts even though most people knew they were on the downturn and those contracts would cripple the team into the future. And the team is crippled now, because other than Bron and K-Love, nobody fucking showed up in the playoffs and Bron effectively brought the team to the finals on his own against teams that were better than the Cavs, but not better than King James.

I'm not gonna say this Cavs roster is Bron's fault, but in part it is his fault. Because the team throwed everything around just to make sure Bron could get his title runs, they sacrificed EVERYTHING to get Bron into the finals again, even if the team wasn't good and everything they'd be able to get was arguably worse.

This also isn't a 2009 'the decision' kind of affair either. That Cavs team had nothing going for them other than Bron, and they never had anything going for them other than Bron. That team was a shithole that never had a good supporting cast, ever. And that team was also willed through playoffs by a one man wrecking crew called LeBron James.

This is a team that had their support crew, their superstars. And they fucking tossed it all because even though he isn't at fault himself, the presence of LeBron James by effect is a toxic one. Everything revolves around him and it pushes anyone else to the wayside, regardless of how talented he is. Best thing Kyrie ever did was get traded to Boston, because even when Bron wasn't in Cleveland he was always in the shadow of the man.

It's an insane scenario, because this Cavaliers team beyond two men is utter crap, plain and simple. Old broken down players and a bunch of career role-player types with little true upward mobility. LeBron is 33 going on 34 next season, he's as good as he's ever been, and he has all the reasons to leave this dumpster fire of a team for a team that actually has a future.

But does he deserve to leave a team that he indirectly caused to implode? Does he deserve to go to a different team and be LeLegend there? Of course he does, but still, does he though?

Of course he fucking does. He didn't cause any team to implode, Kyrie effectively did that by wanting to be traded. If people want to win championships in this day and age, superstars are going to have to team up. Kyrie wanted to be the star on his team, even though his best chance would probably be teaming with the guy that manages to get to the finals every year. I mean, it's good parity for the league, but if there's someone to blame for the Cavs being the Cavs, it's Kyrie.

[gunnar hendershow]

17 hours ago, Pooker said:

All very good points, @Jasonmufc. And I agree with it all. But it begs a question that I have been asking for years that nobody has been able to answer. 

If lebron is so good, why is it so hard to build a great team around him? They've tried everything...big men, lots of shooters, his buddies, revamping the entire team...so why cant lebron get it done with the group of guys the Cavs surround him with? Why does he need to play with two or three other superstars in order to win it all?

Is Lebron too good?

He's been to The Finals 8 years running. He makes everybody on his team better. And if there wasn't this ascendency of the Warriors the Cavs probably win 3 or 4 titles (maybe they drop it to Houston this year). Heck if Kyrie doesn't get hurt in 2015 maybe the Cavs win that year as well even in spite of Golden State. So it's not so much a matter of him being too good as it's a matter of a transcendent team arriving just as he gets to Cleveland.

[Tyrone]

 

Edited June 11, 2018 by Tyrone

[KJE]

Sounds like the Raptors are promoting Nick Nurse to head coach. I'm happy with this.