Once I got the OK from LeBron, when he signed off on it...

[td450]

From Woj - "Lakers free agent Jared Dudley on pitching LeBron James on his candidacy, "Once I got the OK from LeBron, when he signed off on it...we were going to make it happen.""

For those of you worried about the Lakers, the seeds of their destruction are already sown.

[Birdman]

I just dont see Leonard playing with James..

[__ramonezy__]

I just dont see Leonard playing with James..

... at least we hope not

[Roy H.]

I just dont see Leonard playing with James..

Yeah, I don't see Kawhi deferring to James.

The only way I can see Kawhi buying in is if James says "This is your team", like Wade did the second year in Miami.  If James cedes being the focal point of the offense to Kawhi, it could potentially work.  Then, Kawhi assumes the heavy lifting on offense (a role he likes) without necessarily having to be in the spotlight all of the time.  Plus, he cements his place in history as an all-time great, as he'd show the world that he's currently better than Lebron with them standing side by side.

And, who knows?  Maybe Lebron would.  Kyrie took more shots than Lebron in Cleveland.  Maybe Lebron becomes even more deferential to a better player.

[NKY fan]

I don’t understand how is Lebron pretending that he won’t be running the show... also it sounded pretty embarrassing that he supposedly told kawhi he (Lebron) will try to be a better teammate...
if kawhi goes to the lakers it would be because that is his dream as a kid (there are conflicting reports about what team he was a fan growing up) not because he will play with Lebron..
if anythjnf he should be hoping Lebron is out of the lakers in 2 years so they (kawhi and Davis!m) can lure another max agent

[Donoghus]

I think anyone with half a brain realizes that Lebron & his team run the show in LA. 

[Moranis]

I'm not sure that means what is being portrayed here either.

[Fafnir]

I think anyone with half a brain realizes that Lebron & his team run the show in LA.

Yup. After the story with the 2nd round Klutch client it was incredibly clear.

[PhoSita]

How many years will it be before we see a player actually installed as a team's official GM?  Is that against the CBA?  I guess the team couldn't pay the guy a salary.


Or maybe just have the player's agent act as the GM.

I mean, we already have teams where part of team ownership / management has close (i.e. family or similar) ties to a prominent agent or agency.


LeBron and Klutch already own the Lakers.  I'm just wondering how long it'll be before we see that type of setup become official.

[Fafnir]

How many years will it be before we see a player actually installed as a team's official GM?  Is that against the CBA?  I guess the team couldn't pay the guy a salary.


Or maybe just have the player's agent act as the GM.

I mean, we already have teams where part of team ownership / management has close (i.e. family or similar) ties to a prominent agent or agency.


LeBron and Klutch already own the Lakers.  I'm just wondering how long it'll be before we see that type of setup become official.

You can't be a player/coach, player/GM, player/president anymore. CBA made it illegal to have the dual role.

[Walker Wiggle]

The NBA is at risk of becoming what it was in the 70s, when players ran the league -- and not in a good way -- and it turned off a generation of fans. You essentially needed a miracle from Magic and Bird to dig out of the popularity hole.

Players, agents, and GMs rigging the rules? Guys getting around the salary cap with movie credit promises? Top players making plans to partner up a year in advance of their free agency? Rampant tampering?

Unless this gets cleaned up, it is a matter of time before the impact on the bottom line starts to become clear. Kawhi signing with LAL won't be the root cause of the problem, but boy, it can sure serve as an accelerant.

[Rosco917]

The NBA is at risk of becoming what it was in the 70s, when players ran the league -- and not in a good way -- and it turned off a generation of fans. You essentially needed a miracle from Magic and Bird to dig out of the popularity hole.

Players, agents, and GMs rigging the rules? Guys getting around the salary cap with movie credit promises? Top players making plans to partner up a year in advance of their free agency? Rampant tampering?

Unless this gets cleaned up, it is a matter of time before the impact on the bottom line starts to become clear. Kawhi signing with LAL won't be the root cause of the problem, but boy, it can sure serve as an accelerant.

A big TP.

[Donoghus]

The NBA is at risk of becoming what it was in the 70s, when players ran the league -- and not in a good way -- and it turned off a generation of fans. You essentially needed a miracle from Magic and Bird to dig out of the popularity hole.

Players, agents, and GMs rigging the rules? Guys getting around the salary cap with movie credit promises? Top players making plans to partner up a year in advance of their free agency? Rampant tampering?

Unless this gets cleaned up, it is a matter of time before the impact on the bottom line starts to become clear. Kawhi signing with LAL won't be the root cause of the problem, but boy, it can sure serve as an accelerant.

At least there isn't the drug problem this time around.

[Vermont Green]

I just dont see Leonard playing with James..

It is interesting that Kawhi and his Uncle Dennis talked to Magic, not LeBron.  Reports were that he was concerned about front office disfunction and being able to bring in his own medical people.  Maybe he is talking to LeBron behind the scenes but to me, this is setting it up that Kawhi has no intention of deferring to LeBron. 

He is going to make his deal with management, not LeBron, and then do whatever he wants to do.  He probably did exactly this in Toronto for one season but had issues in San Antonio with Popovich and the organization when they wouldn't let him do whatever he wanted.  To me, this is setting up for problems with LeBron and Kawhi.

[PhoSita]

How many years will it be before we see a player actually installed as a team's official GM?  Is that against the CBA?  I guess the team couldn't pay the guy a salary.


Or maybe just have the player's agent act as the GM.

I mean, we already have teams where part of team ownership / management has close (i.e. family or similar) ties to a prominent agent or agency.


LeBron and Klutch already own the Lakers.  I'm just wondering how long it'll be before we see that type of setup become official.

You can't be a player/coach, player/GM, player/president anymore. CBA made it illegal to have the dual role.

Maybe the next CBA should eliminate that prohibition.

Because we've got a league where the players, in many cases, are essentially running the team.

Why maintain the charade?


I'd prefer a situation where LeBron is the actual GM, coach, and franchise player as opposed to one where some poor sap has to be the fall guy anytime something going wrong, meanwhile the GM pretends to be calling the shots when in reality Rich Paul is the GM of the Lakers and yet also is representing players under contract with other teams.