• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

2021 NBA Offseason Thread

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Status
Not open for further replies.
Would likely have to be a buyout. Or trade picks late in the 2020s. But when you have AD and Lebron you do that. As we have seen, picks can be acquired...Windler, KPJ, etc.

The Lakers cannot trade any first rounders. You can only go 7 years in advance. With the unique protections involved, I don't believe the Lakers can trade any first round picks until as early as 2027 which means not this season.. or maybe they can trade their 2027 1st? But yeah that's not gonna happen lol.

Also they don;t have a lot of great salary outgoing because Green, AD and Bron are not going to be traded. I guess they could trade KCP, Kuzma and Cousins for something but that's not getting you anything special.

The Lakers lack flexibility to improve beyond minimum buyout contracts for the most.

Their biggest weakness is a secondary ball-handler/playmaker that can be effective alongside LBJ(Rondo is not the answer). They also really need a big wing defender and I know they want Iguodala badly but that's pretty unlikely. Memphis is going to trade him for something.

If LeBron can maintain this level for another year after this season, I think next year they could have a pretty good shot at the title though I still think the Clippers are just a terrible match-up for them and can AD hold up over the course of a long playoff run? At some point they have to sit him, right? To heal that shoulder?
 
Yep. The PG13/Kawhi Clippers are totally comparable to the 14-15 Knicks. Great post.

Of course it's just 1 game, first game of the season, etc...I just don't see how the Lakers match-up with the Clippers in a 7 game series and win 4 of them. Kawhi has also always given LeBron absolute fits in the playoffs. Their lack of a secondary ball-handler is going to be a disaster when they have to go against PG/Beverley/George hawking the perimeter.

If the Lakers and Clippers play a relatively healthy series I'll bet pretty much whatever amount you'd like to RCF that the Clippers win. Better team, better roster.
When has Kawhi ever "given LeBron absolute fits" in the playoffs?
 
Man. Luka could win the MVP THIS year. He's right there with Giannis on my board right now. He is absolutely insane. I just cannot believe how good he is so early. I also can't believe we were one Dinwiddie-the-god prayer from deep from having him in a Cavs uniform *cries uncontrollably*
 
When has Kawhi ever "given LeBron absolute fits" in the playoffs?

When they blitzed Miami 4-1 in 2014? And Kawhi was named Finals MVP?

Bron still got his "numbers" but go rewatch that series- Kawhi was a step quicker than him the entire time. Hounded him into a lot of bad turnovers. I mean, the proof is in the pudding.
 
AD also needs about a month off for his shoulder to get to 100%. It's the worst kept secret in the league. Just FYI. He also is risking further injury and needing offseason surgery. Same initial injury as PG13 had last year before he made it way worse playing. There's your inside info for the day.
 
When they blitzed Miami 4-1 in 2014? And Kawhi was named Finals MVP?

Bron still got his "numbers" but go rewatch that series- Kawhi was a step quicker than him the entire time. Hounded him into a lot of bad turnovers. I mean, the proof is in the pudding.
LeBron averaged 28 ppg on 68% TS in that series. He averaged 3.8 turnovers per game in that series, which is only 0.2 higher than his career playoff average. Kawhi got the Andre Iguodala finals MVP that year. They lost that series because the rest of the team was old and Wade was washed, averaging 15 ppg on 50% TS in the series, not becUae Kawhi "gave LeBron fits." Kawhi was a role player.
 
LeBron averaged 28 ppg on 68% TS in that series. He averaged 3.8 turnovers per game in that series, which is only 0.2 higher than his career playoff average. Kawhi got the Andre Iguodala finals MVP that year. They lost that series because the rest of the team was old and Wade was washed, averaging 15 ppg on 50% TS in the series, not becUae Kawhi "gave LeBron fits." Kawhi was a role player.

Okay dude I knew you were going to basically shoot back with basketball reference shit but I watched that entire series start to finish and Kawhi dominated game 3. 29 points 1TO. LeBron had 22 points and 7 turnovers. Role player my ass. Only took 14 shots because Kawhi was all over him. Kawhi dominated the most important game of that series and took over that series. Yes LeBron's basketball reference page always looks pretty but calling Kawhi an Andre Iguodala MVP is just ignoring the facts and I'm done talking to you about it because I remember what I saw with my own eyes.

When LBJ fails it's ALWAYs his teammates fault, of course. I forgot. My bad. I'll write Klutch an apology letter.
 
Okay dude I knew you were going to basically shoot back with basketball reference shit but I watched that entire series start to finish and Kawhi dominated game 3. 29 points 1TO. LeBron had 22 points and 7 turnovers. Role player my ass. Only took 14 shots because Kawhi was all over him. Kawhi dominated the most important game of that series and took over that series. Yes LeBron's basketball reference page always looks pretty but calling Kawhi an Andre Iguodala MVP is just ignoring the facts and I'm done talking to you about it because I remember what I saw with my own eyes.

When LBJ fails it's ALWAYs his teammates fault, of course. I forgot. My bad. I'll write Klutch an apology letter.
"How dare you shoot back with facts!"

You don't have an objective mind when discussing LeBron. Why should we trust your memory from five and a half years ago?. Your response to my response shows it. You take LeBron's worst game of the series and Kawhi's best game of the series to try to prove your point. And hey, I don't have an objective mind with LeBron either. That's when you look to the facts. Game 1, 25 points, 4 turnovers. Game 2, 35 points and 4 turnovers. Game 4, 28 points, 3 turnovers. Game 5, 31 points, 1 turnover.
 
"How dare you shoot back with facts!"

You don't have an objective mind when discussing LeBron

Coming from you this is rich.

LeBron is the 2nd best player of all time and the gap between him and Jordan is much smaller than the gap between him and whoever you have at #3. Don't act like I don't give LeBron his rightful props just because I also am willing to criticize him.


That's when you look to the facts. Game 1 Loss . Game 4 Loss Game 5 Loss
True. Facts.



Kawhi is in the middle of his prime. LeBron is about to turn 35 coming off his first major injury of his career and missed the playoffs while Kawhi dominated and de-throned the Warriors (partial thanks to KD's injury of course).

I just think Kawhi currently has the throne. Maybe Bron can reclaim it, but I have my doubts. Kawhi has a better roster, a better coach. The Lakers have been better than expected so far but I think they're missing a critical piece that will doom them against a team as complete as the Clippers. Obviously injuries can change everything, but I think AD currently is at a bigger risk than George or Kawhi to not be available later this year.


Bron is so great that even when guys gave him fits, of course they didn't shut him down. But Kawhi in that series was the first time I've seen LeBron look at who was guarding him and NOT want the ball, lol. That game 3 was insane, and he got outplayed in the most pivotal game of the series. Fact. He only shot 14 times because he was sick of Kawhi forcing him into throwing it away.
 
Last edited:
Coming from you this is rich.
I mean, in my post I said that I don't have an objective mind when it comes to LeBron either...

LeBron is the 2nd best player of all time and the gap between him and Jordan is much smaller than the gap between him and whoever you have at #3. Don't act like I don't give LeBron his rightful props just because I also am willing to criticize him.



True. Facts.



Kawhi is in the middle of his prime. LeBron is about to turn 35 coming off his first major injury of his career and missed the playoffs while Kawhi dominated and de-throned the Warriors (partial thanks to KD's injury of course).

I just think Kawhi currently has the throne. Maybe Bron can reclaim it, but I have my doubts. Kawhi has a better roster, a better coach. The Lakers have been better than expected so far but I think they're missing a critical piece that will doom them against a team as complete as the Clippers. Obviously injuries can change everything, but I think AD currently is at a bigger risk than George or Kawhi to not be available later this year.


Bron is so great that even when guys gave him fits, of course they didn't shut him down. But Kawhi in that series was the first time I've seen LeBron look at who was guarding him and NOT want the ball, lol. That game 3 was insane, and he got outplayed in the most pivotal game of the series. Fact. He only shot 14 times because he was sick of Kawhi forcing him into throwing it away.

Kawhi is in the middle of his prime, but he is worse on the defensive end now than he was when he played for the Spurs. He was good on that end in the playoffs last year, but the Raptors had an insane defensive supporting cast surrounding him. I'm just not sure Kawhi's body can handle an entire regular season + playoffs in the West. Maybe Paul George coming back will make everything fine for them, but if I'm being completely honest George does not scare me at all in the playoffs.

It comes down to what kind of player Lebron will be when the playoffs get here. If he can be the LeBron we saw in the Dallas game this year then I believe they will beat the Clippers. I still wouldn't pick anyone in the NBA over that Lebron in a 7 game series. But, I have no idea if he can be that LeBron when April gets here. Like you said, he will be 35. The last couple games have been shit for him. Passive facilitator Lebron pisses me off. Just shoot the ball.
 
Last edited:
My recollection of that finals was Kawhi being good enough offensively that LeBron had to give a lot of effort on both ends of the court. LeBron was dominant offensively, but because Leonard was so good on him, the Spurs were able to play it as more of a true 1 on 1.

I think you're both right. Kawhi was nowhere near the superstar that he is today. That happened a couple years later. He won the finals MVP because he was on the winning team (much like Iguodala), and had the most impact on the other team's best player to help them win. He was also their second leading scorer on efficient offense.

That said, LeBron was still dominant as a scorer. His shooting percentages show that Leonard didn't really stop him at all, but rather made him work extremely hard for everything and limit his total game impact outside of his own amazing offense.

LeBron wasn't able to be both a great scorer and a great distributor in that series, and his team wasn't able to step up and help him with either role. That, combined, with Miami's once-great team defense falling apart made the series anything but competitive.
 
AD also needs about a month off for his shoulder to get to 100%. It's the worst kept secret in the league. Just FYI. He also is risking further injury and needing offseason surgery. Same initial injury as PG13 had last year before he made it way worse playing. There's your inside info for the day.

If this is true the Lakers are being idiots, because AD and Lebron healthy in the playoffs is the second most important thing for their future (after getting into the playoffs). Is their thinking that if they stack up wins now they can afford to rest him later?
 
LeBron averaged 28 ppg on 68% TS in that series. He averaged 3.8 turnovers per game in that series, which is only 0.2 higher than his career playoff average. Kawhi got the Andre Iguodala finals MVP that year. They lost that series because the rest of the team was old and Wade was washed, averaging 15 ppg on 50% TS in the series, not becUae Kawhi "gave LeBron fits." Kawhi was a role player.

What was his assist to turnover ratio? That is usually the indicator of a bad Lebron game. Takes it on himself and has a hard time getting his team involved.
 
What was his assist to turnover ratio? That is usually the indicator of a bad Lebron game. Takes it on himself and has a hard time getting his team involved.

Good call. Lebron averaged only 4 APG in the 2014 Finals, which has got to be his lowest ever for a playoff series. An A-TO ratio of almost 1. That is some good defense.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top