NBA Los Angeles Lakers thread

[MMC]

I don’t understand why LeBron still insists on signing for the max every time. We just saw James f***ing Harden take a paycut to improve his team, yet billionaire LeBron still insists on the max. He’s still MVP caliber so I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve it but if he was serious about wanting to win he’d help facilitate it

 

[Terry Yake]

I don’t understand why LeBron still insists on signing for the max every time. We just saw James f***ing Harden take a paycut to improve his team, yet billionaire LeBron still insists on the max. He’s still MVP caliber so I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve it but if he was serious about wanting to win he’d help facilitate it

the lakers are already way over the cap. even if lebron had taken a massive paycut, they still wouldn't have cap space to sign anyone

 

[GKJ]

Heroics? They lost the game lol. Him breaking the record was a mathematical certainty and bound to happen this season barring serious injury.

One shift in sport is that today people are far more receptive and even embracing of stat-hunting ego trips of stars than they used to be, whether it's Lebron or Ovechkin, both at this point just presences that delay the required rebuild of their respective teams.

It's like that because you have so many people in newer generations with such short attention spans. In the 'embrace debate' era, so much is generated on who is and is not 'the best.' The margins of relevancy are so thin. The Capitals also aren't the Lakers. They have 2 eras where their franchise was worth a shit, and both times they had the preeminent goals-first goal scorer in the league. The LeBron-Lakers era has been underwhelming when you consider how it started, the only thing they have is to go all-in on LeBron and the scoring record. These guys are the mealtickets. Ovechkin chasing Gretzky will make the NHL more relevant than anything anyone else could do considering the league and players refuse to properly market themselves.

 

[John Price]

LOS ANGELES -- — LeBron James and Anthony Davis might finally have a supporting cast to help the Los Angeles Lakers make a push to get into the playoffs.

Malik Beasley scored 25 points and was one of eight players in double figures as the new-look Lakers returned from the All-Star break to beat the Golden State Warriors 124-111 on Thursday night.

Los Angeles (28-32) is 13th in the Western Conference but has won three of four since the trade deadline. They are 1 1/2 games out of a spot in the play-in tournament.

 

[frisco]

And LeBron is injured. It was a great three games while it lasted with the new guys. See you next season.

My Best-Carey

 

[Terry Yake]

AD is certainly doing his part with lebron out. all the injuries make people forget just how good he is

 

[Stylizer1]

AD is certainly doing his part with lebron out. all the injuries make people forget just how good he is

Having Lebron in the line up only helps Lebron.

 

[John Price]

AD is certainly doing his part with lebron out. all the injuries make people forget just how good he is

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I'd rather have the LAL retire my jersey than play my whole career for the Magic and go into the BB HoF.

 

[John Price]

Lakers won 3 straight without Lebron somehow. I declare this a play in team

 

[John Price]

Rui is BACK!

 

[Live in the Now]

He’s great when he isn’t trying to do too much. When he rushes one shot it seems like everything starts to go off the rails. Crazy that he was only the third best trade acquisition though. These deals were heists.

 

[John Price]

How do you lose to a sorry ass Houston team

 

[MMC]

 

[John Price]

Lakers guys like Beasley and Rui (when he shows up) are actually pretty decent

that said they lost to the Mavs and Houston. Probably still will make the playoffs as a play in team even without LeBron

 

[John Price]

 

[John Price]

https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/darvin-ham-explains-rui-hachimura-benching-listless-la-effort-in-loss-to-bulls-ak1987

 

[Say Hey Kid]

I call Reaves Cream Abdul-Jabbar.

 

[John Price]

Been negative and skeptical on the Lakers as a diehard fan but I'm pleasantly surprised they came this far

Don't expect them to beat Denver but crazier things have happened

 

[Power Man]

 

[MMC]

Please Trae and not Kyrie...

 

[Terry Yake]

i'd much rather they just stick with this current group that got them all the way to the WCF instead of swinging for the fences. last time they did that, they ended up with westbrick

 

[Hasbro]

i'd much rather they just stick with this current group that got them all the way to the WCF instead of swinging for the fences. last time they did that, they ended up with westbrick

And even though they were able turn the season around ditching Westbrick, that trade came back to bite them in the ass with Caldwell-Pope ending up a Nugget and having a good series.

 

[Hasbro]

Can’t imagine bringing in a looney antisemite like World B Flat would work well in LA.

 

[BostonBob]

Nice move by LeBron.

from espn.com:

In a nod to Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, LeBron James will change his uniform number from 6 back to 23 for the Los Angeles Lakers this coming season, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group told ESPN on Saturday.

"It's LeBron's decision," said Paul, James' longtime friend and agent. "He chose to out of respect for Bill Russell."

Last summer, after Russell died at the age of 88, the NBA retired No. 6 across the league -- the first time a player was honored in such a fashion. Current players wearing No. 6 at the time were grandfathered in and could keep the number should they so choose.

The timing of the league's announcement made it a logistical impossibility to stock enough replica James jerseys to meet fan demand before the 2022-23 season started. James' No. 6 Lakers uniform led all player jersey sales on NBAStore.com for the second half of 2022-23, according to a league announcement.

"For us to lose such an icon, it was heartbreaking for all of us," James told ESPN at the start of training camp in September. "I mean, no matter if you play the game, watch the game or a part of the game. We all know what Bill Russell meant to the NBA, obviously to the Celtics off the floor as well, as far as his heroism ... and what he meant to Black people, being able to speak about issues that are not comfortable.

"For me to be able to wear No. 6 this season -- I'm not sure if I'll continue to do it, but right now I'm going to wear it in honor of him. It means a lot to me."

Full story: LeBron to go back to No. 23 in honor of Russell