Does the new NBA Era begin when LeBron retires, or are we already in it?

[gouki88]

The Lakers were a Davis injury away from making the Finals again this year.  Certainly way too early to write them off for next year, but they obviously have a lot of work to do with free agents and the roster in general.

Care to lend us your crystal ball? It's not as if they got bounced in the Conference Finals because of injury - they were eliminated in 6 in the first round. Claims like this are very lacking in logic, which you supposedly covet

[Celtics4ever]

Time waits for no man.

Is Lebron finished as a top-tier player?

Consider that Barry Bonds had an OPS of 1.400 at age 40. That’s your answer.

We know Bonds did steroids and it is suspected but never proven LeBron did.

[terra haute]

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Baseball is a lot different sport than basketball as well

[Surferdad]

In my opinion, the new era of the NBA started with Steph Curry's rise to stardom.  He changed the calculus on 3-point shooting, and now the 3-point shot is a coveted skills above all other skills.  In fact, players with no other skills are now being considered and making it onto teams in the hopes they can become the next Curry.  Most of them are not becoming stars.

Let me be clear: I am not saying Curry is the best player or the most dominant player in the league.  He simply marks a new era in the NBA and they way the game is played.

[slamtheking]

The Lakers were a Davis injury away from making the Finals again this year.  Certainly way too early to write them off for next year, but they obviously have a lot of work to do with free agents and the roster in general.

Care to lend us your crystal ball? It's not as if they got bounced in the Conference Finals because of injury - they were eliminated in 6 in the first round. Claims like this are very lacking in logic, which you supposedly covet

it's because it supports his precious theory that a team can't win without a top 5 player in the league -- a theory that's getting wrecked in this postseason.   only team left with a player that would be in the discussion for top 5 is the Bucks with Giannis.  Clips are kind of proving the point that even if you have a top 5 player, you can still win even if that player is out (Kawhi who's in the discussion but might not make the cut depending on opinion)

[ausbacker]

Time waits for no man.

Is Lebron finished as a top-tier player?

Consider that Barry Bonds had an OPS of 1.400 at age 40. That’s your answer.

We know Bonds did steroids and it is suspected but never proven LeBron did.

I'm betting on growth hormone.

[BMark]

By my count, there are 9 dominant players; none with the ability to dominate the others:

Antetokounmpo
Leonard
Curry
Doncic
Jokic
James
Lillard
Durant
Davis

It is possible for a breakout, but I don't see it. For C's fans, it should be noted that none of those guys can dominate Tatum or Brown either.

LeBron turns 37 early next season. He might have one last chance if everything goes right for him.

For now, we are in a place where a lot of teams could steal a title.

Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, and Devin Booker probably do not approve this message.

Harden as well

[Moranis]

The Lakers were a Davis injury away from making the Finals again this year.  Certainly way too early to write them off for next year, but they obviously have a lot of work to do with free agents and the roster in general.

Care to lend us your crystal ball? It's not as if they got bounced in the Conference Finals because of injury - they were eliminated in 6 in the first round. Claims like this are very lacking in logic, which you supposedly covet

Because they were in a close game in game 4 against the Suns, having won the prior two games (and game 3 easily) when Davis got hurt. I absolutely believe, and it is logical to think so, that the Lakers would have finished out game 4 at home and gone up 3-1.  They weren't going to lose a series when they were up 3-1.  In round 2, they then would have beaten Denver handily just like Phoenix did (we also saw that series last year when Denver had Murray and it wasn't close).  And they'd have also beaten the Clippers without Leonard and done so easily.  Now if Leonard played that would have made the series a lot different, but even with Leonard the Lakers would have been favored because Davis is a tough match-up for the Clippers.  That would have put them into the Finals.

And I want to be clear, if Davis doesn't get hurt in game 4 with the Lakers up 2-1, do you think the Lakers end up losing that series to Phoenix? Because that is pretty much the only team that could have stopped them from getting to the Finals, aside from a Kawhi-led Clippers team. 

[BMark]

In my opinion, the new era of the NBA started with Steph Curry's rise to stardom.  He changed the calculus on 3-point shooting, and now the 3-point shot is a coveted skills above all other skills.  In fact, players with no other skills are now being considered and making it onto teams in the hopes they can become the next Curry.  Most of them are not becoming stars.

Let me be clear: I am not saying Curry is the best player or the most dominant player in the league.  He simply marks a new era in the NBA and they way the game is played.

Agree that Curry helped change the style of play, but LeBron changed the whole player/team dynamic.  Has there ever been a player as individually powerful in the league as LeBron?  Magic maybe, but his biggest power play was to get Westhead fired.

Lebron has gotten the Cavs and the Heat to change their roster to suit him without regard to what would happen to the team once he left. 

[timpiker]

Time waits for no man.

Is Lebron finished as a top-tier player?

Consider that Barry Bonds had an OPS of 1.400 at age 40. That’s your answer.

We know Bonds did steroids and it is suspected but never proven LeBron did.

He does have a swelled head. 

[Big333223]

Lebron turns 37  in December.

I think we're going to look back on last year's championship as the last hurrah of the Lebron era. He'll still be an all star but I think he's done as an MVP candidate.

This year, if Giannis, Booker, or Young wins a ring it'll feel all the more like a transition. And, hopefully, next year the NBA enters the Tatum era.