Does this tarnish Lebron's Legacy?
- Thread starter SLAGuy
- Start date
First of all ... I don’t believe all 4 years will be mediocrity ... they may not win a championship, but the will better than mediocre.
Second, how is it really that much different than if he stayed in Cleveland ... most likely the Cavs would have struggled to get back to the finals.
While do think he would have be given credit for staying, but by going to the Lakers without another star (thus far) doesn’t seem as bad and will not take that big of hit ... if he actually had got KD to go with him or he signed to play with GS, then I think his legacy would have taken a hit.
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Second, how is it really that much different than if he stayed in Cleveland ... most likely the Cavs would have struggled to get back to the finals.
While do think he would have be given credit for staying, but by going to the Lakers without another star (thus far) doesn’t seem as bad and will not take that big of hit ... if he actually had got KD to go with him or he signed to play with GS, then I think his legacy would have taken a hit.
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tallmadge H2 dad
Active member
I agree with everything except the Cavs struggling to get to the Finals. The Cavs, with LeBron, in the East have a WAYYYYYY better chance of getting to the Finals than the Lakers. LeBron has seen his last Finals, let alone championship.
Lebron will play in at least 2 more finals and win at least 1 more title.
When the NBA season starts the Lakers will be the second best team in the West,just watch the Magic man...BAM!
Regular season??
Playoffs, maybe!
Taco MacArthur
Active member
Just because it's easier in the East than the West doesn't mean the Cavs wouldn't struggle to get to the Finals. Indy took them to 7. Celtics got more experienced and return their two best players. Philly gets more experienced. Agreed with joe, they'd have struggled to get back to the Finals.
But to answer the thread title: no.
14Red
Well-known member
LeBron is going to face the monster Western conference now. Look folks, if the Cavs were in the West, LeBron would have probably only made it to 3 or 4 finals in his career, and may have only one title at best. He's lived a great life in the weaker conference. The Lakers will struggle to make the playoffs next season unless they get alot more. Rondo, Stephenson, McGee and the band of kids there in no way can deal with the rest of the West. Golden State, Houston, Portland, Utah, New Orleans, Minnesota and San Antonio will all be better, and Denver may be right there with the Suns improving.
I've said this before, I respect LeBron as a basketball talent, he's a great father and man of the community in giving back. But I do not respect his persona as a man of character. What man, who's city has opened up to him, an owner who's paid him as much as he can, and has brought in and paid all his cronies over the years, simply turns his back on the city not once, but twice??
I really hate that pro sports has come to this. It's not illegal, it's certainly within his rights, but it's still not right. So to answer the question, does it tarnish his imagine...I say absolutely.
I've said this before, I respect LeBron as a basketball talent, he's a great father and man of the community in giving back. But I do not respect his persona as a man of character. What man, who's city has opened up to him, an owner who's paid him as much as he can, and has brought in and paid all his cronies over the years, simply turns his back on the city not once, but twice??
I really hate that pro sports has come to this. It's not illegal, it's certainly within his rights, but it's still not right. So to answer the question, does it tarnish his imagine...I say absolutely.
If my aunt had balls she would be my uncle.... you can play the if game until you are blue in the face but it doesn’t change the fact he has 3 titles. If he wins another with the Lakers his image will only get better.
Right at this moment the Lakers are the 3rd best team in the West behind GS and Houston if they get Kawhi they will be 2nd.
I'm not sure about that. OKC and even NO or Portland could be trouble for LAL. Getting Leonard changes that equation.
adselder09
Well-known member
Playoff team? Absolutely. 3rd best team in the West? :laugh: LeBron's Cavs finished 4th in the East. You'll come back and say, regular season doesn't matter - fair enough. If they're the 3rd best team in the West that means they win their 1st Round series - likely would need to finish top 4 to do that - and would bow out in the Conference Semifinals to Houston or Golden State. That's doable, but they need a lot more from the young guys to get there. Similar to what Boston got from their young guys this season.
Southwest Guy
Active member
His legacy is set. No matter what he does now he will still go down as one of the best players of all time.
nwwarrior09
Well-known member
I think his legacy is intact, and can improve if he wins another title in LA as the main guy.
3rd best team in the west this year? No way unless they get Kawhi or another major player via trade in the coming months. For the Lakers to have any chance of hosting in the first round with their current roster, LeBron has to play way, way harder both ways than he did last season (que the stat from a while ago about how much he walked/stood this year; starting to get very selective about going hard, especially on the defensive end). I can't see him doing that as he wants to stay fresh for the playoffs and preserve his career longevity.
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3rd best team in the west this year? No way unless they get Kawhi or another major player via trade in the coming months. For the Lakers to have any chance of hosting in the first round with their current roster, LeBron has to play way, way harder both ways than he did last season (que the stat from a while ago about how much he walked/stood this year; starting to get very selective about going hard, especially on the defensive end). I can't see him doing that as he wants to stay fresh for the playoffs and preserve his career longevity.
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clarkgriswold
Well-known member
It may give a small segment of NBA fandom a red *** now, but all will be forgotten in time, not unlike Jordan's baseball foray, years in retirement and time with Washington.
Neopolitan
Cooling Off
Well he's won 3 titles, where I'm pretty sure he had to beat the western conference champion. So I think he'd still have 3.
cabezadecaballo
Well-known member
Pretty amazing 3 hr roundtable on 92.3's Bull and Fox Show today with Dave McMenamin, Jason Lloyd, and Joe Vardon. They basically spilled their guts on the last 4 years. Fascinating stuff.
I was in and out of the car - more out, unfortunately - so I'll post a link to the podcast when they put it up.
I'm left with the impression that LeBron is indeed the greatest ever, and also that CatAlum may have been closer to the mark than many of us wanted to realize :laugh:
https://923thefan.radio.com/article...ion-jason-lloyd-dave-mcmenamin-and-joe-vardon
I was in and out of the car - more out, unfortunately - so I'll post a link to the podcast when they put it up.
I'm left with the impression that LeBron is indeed the greatest ever, and also that CatAlum may have been closer to the mark than many of us wanted to realize :laugh:
https://923thefan.radio.com/article...ion-jason-lloyd-dave-mcmenamin-and-joe-vardon
Neopolitan
Cooling Off
Haven't listened to all of it, but what I've heard was good.
The most interesting thing to me was apparently Kyrie never wanted Lebron back in the first place. Reportedly telling people "we don't need him."
Was Kyrie not watching the same Cavs team I was prior to Lebron coming back? Just more evidence that he's delusional.
The most interesting thing to me was apparently Kyrie never wanted Lebron back in the first place. Reportedly telling people "we don't need him."
Was Kyrie not watching the same Cavs team I was prior to Lebron coming back? Just more evidence that he's delusional.
wolves82
Well-known member
When the NBA season starts the Lakers will be the second best team in the West,just watch the Magic man...BAM!
Wow. Not even close. I'm a huge Lebron fan, and he will take the Lakers from awful into the playoffs, but unless they add Kawhi they are maybe a 5-6 seed at best with the current roster.
I like Kuzma, Ingram a lot. Lopez and Randle are OK. Lonzo is a decent point but can't shoot, and let's face it, LBJ will have the ball a lot. And since LBJ will have the ball a lot, Isaiah will likely have to go - he can't play with Lebron - we've seen that.
Golden State and Houston are clearly superior. I'd take Minnesota and OKC ahead of the Lakers. Possibly Portland. And Denver is improving fast. Lakers might get a 5-6 seed.
14Red
Well-known member
At some point, probably 20-25 years ago, many NBA fans became fans of players and not teams. The NBA began marketing individual players over teams.
This is dangerous for fan bases. These guy are now predisposed to knowing they will likely not play in one city their entire career. We've also made winning titles too important to a legacy. Individuals don't win titles, teams do.
This is dangerous for fan bases. These guy are now predisposed to knowing they will likely not play in one city their entire career. We've also made winning titles too important to a legacy. Individuals don't win titles, teams do.
Michael Bluth
Well-known member
Kyrie comes off really bad in that. It has changed my opinion of the entire debacle from it being a Cavs/LeBron issue to it mainly being a Kyrie issue
Southwest Guy
Active member
Seriously. I was a fan of Oscar Robinson at UC and for the Royals. Didn't take away from supporting the team.
arizonawildcat
Well-known member
I think that will enhance his legacy, rather than diminish it.
14Red
Well-known member
So is his legacy going to be more attached to basketball accomplishments, or social activism??
Frankly, I could care less what a professional athletes political views are. LeBron is a great basketball player, that's it. I think this whole mess diminshes his basketball career.
LeBron, is an incredible athlete, one of the best basketball players ever. Has been in the athletic spotlight since age 12. He was a millionaire at age 18.
He has NO IDEA what normal people go through. He went to a private high school and was getting things normal high schoolers could only dream of. Remember him driving a Hummer in high school? See alot of those in your local high school's parking lot?
LeBron beats to his own drum, and in today's world, when you have the kind of money he does, you can do that. The Shop is nothing more than rich athletes who have little in common with any normal people anymore. Google Jason Whitlock and his take on this. It is spot on. Whitlock isn't afraid of Lebron or the seemingly kid gloves much of the rest of the media takes with him. Again, these are all my opinons. LeBron is a great man, great husband/ father and has never had any transgressions. But he's also very sensitive, and difficult at times. Complex man.
snowman33
Active member
Totally agree. Lebron brought a championship to Cleveland which is what he wanted to do and what we all wanted as Cavs fans. I wish him the best of luck but my focus is on the Cavs. Lebron is one of the best ever and I'm grateful for all he did for the Cavs.
14Red
Well-known member
And the ship is sinking fast. Say what you want about LeBron and his greatness, he brings alot of baggage and drama to every place he's been. The only guy that's been able to reign him in was Pat Reilly. LeBron tried to get Spolstra out, Reilly said look LeBron, you worry about playing and I'll handle the other stuff and they won two titles that way.
LeBron can't just play. He over manages the team and locker rooms. My feelings will be how many titles could LeBron had won if he just worried about playing and not running the franchise?
LeBron can't just play. He over manages the team and locker rooms. My feelings will be how many titles could LeBron had won if he just worried about playing and not running the franchise?