Lebron James out, further treatment on knee

[Celtics2021]

As a side note, the Lakers don’t own their draft pick this year.  They sent it to New Orleans in the AD trade.  But New Orleans then put a protected trade on it to Memphis in the Adams-Valanciunas trade, such that Memphis gets if it lands between 11-30 and New Orleans is it’s top 10.  At present that pick is tied for 12th, a half game out of 10th (assuming the Lakers didn’t advance through the play-in games).  So this injury could have a pretty big impact to decide whether a bad team (New Orleans) gets a top 10 pick or a really good team (Memphis) winds up with a late lottery pick.

[Kiorrik]

Man. I feel him.

Currently play 4 games a week and am struggling with a hecking painful achilles on top of some other soreness :')

Turning 40 in a handful of months.

This stuff aint as easy as it was at 20. And even then it was a mess of breaks, tears and surgery.

[hpantazo]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

[Sophomore]

As a side note, the Lakers don’t own their draft pick this year.  They sent it to New Orleans in the AD trade.  But New Orleans then put a protected trade on it to Memphis in the Adams-Valanciunas trade, such that Memphis gets if it lands between 11-30 and New Orleans is it’s top 10.  At present that pick is tied for 12th, a half game out of 10th (assuming the Lakers didn’t advance through the play-in games).  So this injury could have a pretty big impact to decide whether a bad team (New Orleans) gets a top 10 pick or a really good team (Memphis) winds up with a late lottery pick.

Another reason to hope the lakers crash out of the playoffs!

Be a shame if the lakers won the lottery but traded the pick…..

[Moranis]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

[hpantazo]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

Sure, but if you're building a team right now, building it around a 37 year old just doesn't make any sense, and that team no longer looks like a contender and already traded away all their picks and prospects.

[Moranis]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

Sure, but if you're building a team right now, building it around a 37 year old just doesn't make any sense, and that team no longer looks like a contender and already traded away all their picks and prospects.

True, but if they trade Lebron for something like Simmons, they aren't winning the title anytime soon anyway.  Lebron gives them a real shot at the title in the next couple.

[cons]

LeBron would be great on the Celtics at this point.
Veteran playmaker. Leader. Teach the Js how to win.

Maybe his knee really limits him.
Maybe the Lakers season continues to crash.

Maybe it leads to him leaving and looking to ring chase w younger stars.

Maybe I’m way way off here. 😂

But that would be something, right?  😂

[celticsclay]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

Sure, but if you're building a team right now, building it around a 37 year old just doesn't make any sense, and that team no longer looks like a contender and already traded away all their picks and prospects.

True, but if they trade Lebron for something like Simmons, they aren't winning the title anytime soon anyway.  Lebron gives them a real shot at the title in the next couple.

Why couldn’t a team with simmons, ad and Westbrook or whatever else they get compete for the title. Simmons for Lebron would be a steal for the lakers, especially if Lebron is the process of breaking down.

[celticsclay]

Did he bang it or twist it, or is it an overuse issue? If it's overuse/age, he's on his way to Kemba Walker territory.

Even then I still think he’d be a top 10 player.  He’s big without being out of shape.  I think he could be effective into his early 40s, even with injuries.

I don’t understand what you mean by this. It’s obviously just speculation but if his knees became like Kemba it wouldn’t matter if he was 25 he just wouldn’t be able to stay on the floor (which is why Kemba went from all star to a guy making 4 million and out of his teams rotation).

Kemba sits in part because he’s ineffective, mostly because he can’t play Thibs’ defense.  If he can’t score, he doesn’t contribute.  That’s why he sat. (BTW, he’s been back in the rotation and starting for awhile now).

Lebron can post-up, rebound, pass.  Size and elite passing ability matter.  And, Lebron has a long way to go before his knees are like Kemba’s.  Kemba had had “overuse” knee injuries for awhile now.  Those knees have been detiorating since his surgery in Charlotte.

The main reason Kemba got back in the rotation is cause rose got hurt. Not cause he was playing better consistently. Don’t think thibs is going to keep his favorite player in the league plastered to bench when he returns.

Right.  You’re missing the point.  Kemba sits, not because of pain but because he can’t / doesn’t do the Things Thibs wants. 

Lebron — assuming the pain didn’t keep him out — would be much more effective.

Late career Washington version of MJ effective, sure. Top 10 player in the NBA effective, not even close.

There’s no way Lebron is shooting 41% like MJ did.  The man is scoring the 3rd most points per game of his career. 

Lebron could lose 25% of his production across the board and he’d still be averaging 22 / 6 / 5.

When your legs start to go from knee trouble, your shooting drops, and it all happens relatively fast. Lebron could still put up decent numbers for a few more years, but the days of performing as a top 10 player and impacting winning at that level, I can't see it happening.

Yeah I’m with you. I feel like people are really glossing over how banged Lebron has been since he got to LA.

[tazzmaniac]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

Sure, but if you're building a team right now, building it around a 37 year old just doesn't make any sense, and that team no longer looks like a contender and already traded away all their picks and prospects.

True, but if they trade Lebron for something like Simmons, they aren't winning the title anytime soon anyway.  Lebron gives them a real shot at the title in the next couple.

Why couldn’t a team with simmons, ad and Westbrook or whatever else they get compete for the title. Simmons for Lebron would be a steal for the lakers, especially if Lebron is the process of breaking down.

Because AD has never shown himself to be a #1 star on a championship contender.  Because it would be difficult to form a championship contender with either Simmons or Westbrook.  Doing so with both would be near impossible.  They'd be a terrible fit together.   

Simmons for Lebron as a straight up trade would be a steal for the Sixers.  The Sixers are competing for #1 seed in the East now.  Pairing Lebron and Embiid would make them an absolute beast. 

[celticsclay]

It will never happen, but if I were the Lakers GM, I'd trade Lebron while they can and rebuild around AD. Trade Lebron to the Sixers for Ben Simmons. Lebron's breaking down and will just leave to join whichever team drafts his son soon enough.

I think you could argue that Lebron will have more good/healthy seasons left than Davis has left.  Unlikely to happen of course, but not out of the realm of possibility either given just how injured Davis has been in his career.

Sure, but if you're building a team right now, building it around a 37 year old just doesn't make any sense, and that team no longer looks like a contender and already traded away all their picks and prospects.

True, but if they trade Lebron for something like Simmons, they aren't winning the title anytime soon anyway.  Lebron gives them a real shot at the title in the next couple.

Why couldn’t a team with simmons, ad and Westbrook or whatever else they get compete for the title. Simmons for Lebron would be a steal for the lakers, especially if Lebron is the process of breaking down.

Because AD has never shown himself to be a #1 star on a championship contender.  Because it would be difficult to form a championship contender with either Simmons or Westbrook.  Doing so with both would be near impossible.  They'd be a terrible fit together.   

Simmons for Lebron as a straight up trade would be a steal for the Sixers.  The Sixers are competing for #1 seed in the East now.  Pairing Lebron and Embiid would make them an absolute beast.

Depends on if Lebron is healthy for playoffs. If he isn’t and they get knocked out this year they probably never win a title with Embid. (Which is why they have been so careful to not take a crappy package back for Embid and want a star that is at least 5-6 years younger than Lebron.

[Birdman]

He just resting some, he be back next week

[boscel33]

It's an excuse for the way the Lakers are playing right now, lost three in a row and is 3-7 over their last 10.

[Roy H.]

Maybe I'm just crazy, but I think a couple of you are piling dirt on Lebron's grave a little too soon.  Yes, he's 38.  Yes, he's finally showing mortality with injuries.

But, in terms of numbers:

29.1 ppg (4th best in his career)
.588 eFG% (5th best in career)
62.5% 2PT% (best in his career)
2.8 3PM (best in his career)
1.1 blocks (3rd best in his career)
3.1 turnovers (3rd lowest in his career)

He's above his career averages in rebounds, FT%, FG%.  His points per 36 minutes are the highest of his career.

I want to see this trade, haha:

BRK trades:  Harden
BRK receives:  Lebron

PHI trades: Simmons
PHI receives:  Harden

LAL trades:  Lebron
LAL receives:  Simmons

The clear winner there is Brooklyn, right?  I think so, because Lebron is still a superstar.  For the next three seasons, I suspect he'll still be a top five-ish player in the NBA (clearly behind only Giannis, Jokic, Embiid and Durant).