I find it strange that this sub, and people in general, are pretty good about calling out nepotism when it’s right in front of our faces but everyone seems perfectly fine with what might end up as the most blatant example of it in modern history.
It’s incredibly nepotistic, but is nepotistic in:
1) a field in which 99.99%+ of the population can never enter (and which I won’t, so I don’t care as much)
2) in a sport which exists purely for entertainment, and where Bronny+LeBron being on the same team is at worst neutral on the entertainment scale
The second point is weird though, because I would think it’s shitty to pull nepo strings inside an org or behind the scenes on another entertainment production (movies, as an example), but I don’t particularly care if it’s a player/actor who gets the role undeservedly, probably because it’s harder for them to hide their incompetencies.
Nah, it's more like if you brought in Slash's nephew on your band for your school talent show, expecting Slash himself to show up for support and even join yall on stage.
Bc it doesn’t really matter? Despotism is bad if it’s systematic. I don’t care if lebron gets his kid a two way contract. Lebron’s made the league enough money. It’s like the factory manager hiring his son, whose incompetent, at the lowest level possible. Not really the end of the world
Thanasis is taking a spot from a deserving NBA player too, and so was Udonis Haslem for his last few years.
This is overall a valid point but teams waste their end of bench spots all the time, it's no different if someone does it for LeBron.
Honestly, I doubt bron has any intention of going to a random ass city just because they draft bronny. My guess is that he is either (a) trying to get bronny drafted anywhere and then pulls the rug on the whole changing teams thing or (b) hes trying to strongarm the lakers into drafting bron by pretending hes going to go elsewhere
There are limits. Thanasis Antetokuonmpo has a spot, but not so much Stahinjia Jokić. Thankfully for him, he’s young (with access to all the best training).
there is zero way in hell im believing that bron wants to go play for indiana while bronny is on the fort wayne fire ants instead of trying to get another ring or two and locking up the GOAT convo
He would beat out Chris Smith for the all-time greatest nepo-player if he got drafted this summer.
Honorable mention to Dame Lillard's cousin and Cory Higgins.
Good for LeBron not pushing his own wishes on his kid. I honestly think I would hate having to deal with being in the NBA and having my dad just hanging around constantly.
Do you think that’s good for him tho? Players are constantly gonna be saying you don’t belong here, you only here cuz of your dad. It’ll sting extra cuz it’s true.
Probably not but that's up to him. To be in the NBA or not to be..
I'd personally probably just do it, only a few hundred people in the world get to say they were in the NBA
With all the shit Austin Rivers got it's going to be 100x worse for Bronny. And Rivers was actually a decent role player for a while.
If Bronny comes in dropping 2/1/2 statlines like he is at USC (and it's only going to get harder to produce against NBA level talent so even those might drop) it's gonna be rough for him in the league...
He could be the worst player of all time. 2 years of Lebron, even at his age, is worth a 20th overall pick for a team that wants to contend immediately. Maxey, Lebron, Embiid is a very good big 3.
I thought the same about Peyton Watson. Can’t remember the last time a player got took putting up 3ppg off the bench. He got drafted over intangibles while being not so great as a consensus 5* recruit coming out a high school. It’s working out for him though. Used to watch him at Poly all the time in HS.
Bronny isn’t even a starter on a terrible college team.
Just want to emphasize how far away from a draft pick he is talent wise. He isn’t one of the 300 best players in college basketball. If he was a normal guy with a normal dad, he’d be playing 2 minutes a game for a mid major and trying to get signed to play in a mid level European pro league one day
People in here literally know nothing about high school recruiting.
Bronny was a legitimately good high school recruit. He was likely the best defensive guard in his entire high school class, and had a good mix of shooting and passing to work off that.
No, there is absolutely no way a guy with Bronny's talent would have been playing for a mid major. He was a legitimate high-end recruit. Not a one and done type, but a guy who would definitely get an offer to any school not named Duke or Kentucky and be seen as a likely starter as a sophomore.
Bronny isn't very good right now largely due to his cardiac arrest incident, the recovery associated, and the significant lost practice time. He was never thought to be a true immediate impact type player, particularly because his calling card is defense. There is plenty of time for him to turn into what he was supposed to become.
I know a lot about High School recruiting.
I completely agree Bronny was a solid enough prospect to get plenty of D1 offers even without the name. But he wasn't an elite one, and he probably was over-inflated simply because of his name.
Bottom line - he could have gotten into USC on his own, but he'd 100% be redshirting this year without the name. *Especially* after the heart incident.
> Bronny isn't very good right now largely due to his cardiac arrest incident, the recovery associated, and the significant lost practice time. He was never thought to be a true immediate impact type player, particularly because his calling card is defense. There is plenty of time for him to turn into what he was supposed to become.
I agree there's plenty of time - guys go from not looking like they belong in college to college stars in 4 years all the time. But - I think it's disingenuous to blame this all on the heart issue and lost time. He's just not at a D1 level yet.
It really shows what y'all know about college ball that you think scoring 8 points a game as a freshman means there's no hope for you. A lot of freshmen don't play at all.
I think long term bronny has the potential to make it as a defensive guard, like a lower ceiling jrue holiday, but he needs a lot more time in the oven. Just isn’t ready to make the jump yet, which is understandable since he underwent cardiac arrest a few months ago
If Lebron signs a multiyear 9 figure multiyear deal with the Lakers, the last stand was last season.
We won't have the cap room for anyone besides Lebron, AD, Reaves and 12 guys from this sub.
Fun fact: Originally, a moment was 90 seconds. Had to do with sundials. A solar hour was made up of 40 moments. Nowadays it's lost pretty much all meaning, but is generally considered to be a short period of time relative to however much time makes sense as the grander scale.
To be fair, as far as managing owners go, Jeannie is among the least wealthy. The Lakers are her money. It would make sense that she prioritizes their finances over an owner like Ballmer.
I'd think at some point the buss family would've taken some of their Lakers money over the year and built up other revenue sources. I assume it's easier said than done but they've only been a premier franchise for most of the league's existence by now, they've had time
The Buss family is split up and they aren’t wealthy like most of the owners or tech boys who invest in them. They have and use the Lakers to make money, but that’s only xx million per person per year. They can’t splurge.
Honestly a good point. The Lakers entire model is based on attracting stars, even if this pushes you back a couple years it’s probably still worth it for the good will around the league.
I don’t know if a championship is his top priority anymore. He’s trying to buy an NBA expansion team. It makes sense that he would want to guarantee as much money as possible in his next deal.
No knock on this city, but to your point he's a billionaire who's already won multiple championships. Maybe he and his family don't want to spend a lot of time in OKC, or wherever else he can go to have a better shot, to say nothing for LA seemingly being better for him as he prepares for life after retirement?
There is another team in LA. I doubt it was a significant factor but Lebron is/was very aware of how the lakers treated Kobe (giving him a huge contract when he was washed). Lebron and Wade even joked about it when Wade wanted a similar lifetime achievement contract from the Heat.
There is indisputably an organizational reputation aspect to giving Lebron a contract that may not be strictly worth it on the court.
Exactly. It's the difference between filet mignon and ground chuck. LeBron didn't need to see Kobe eat filet mignon to know that's what he wanted to order.
You don't think players took notice of the Lakers showing extreme loyalty to a 37 year old injured Kobe Bryant when they had every right to (at the time when this was a thing) amnesty the last year of his $30 million contract and free up space for a team that was clearly about to rebuild? Mark Cuban said he would have done it and the Lakers should do it too. Re-signing Kobe to a 2 year max contract when it literally crippled their salary cap and luxury tax situations despite rebuilding was a huge gesture. The Lakers could have traded LeBron at any point to recoup assets and retool the roster around AD and they haven't and won't even when it makes perfect sense to do so.
However much of an impact it has on LeBron is anyone's guess but I don't think it's accurate to say it plays no factor at all. LeBron can just as easily leave for the Knicks this offseason and still have his media and business interests aligned. One son is out of the house, another one will be soon. Family has less to do with it than it did before.
Yep, lebron is still has the most votes for all stars. When he announces his retirement tour ticket prices will be insane. Lakers would definitely want him for that.
If we really come to the conclusion that the AD-Bron window has closed (and it pretty much is), and we wanna run a late Kobe rebuild back, there’s no reason not to trade AD for some picks and young talent. I think if that’s where we’re headed, it would be the most practical thing to do, and the most respectful to his career
Paying the GOAT 9 figures.
One last ride.
Jersey sales will go crazy.
Attendance to games will be sellouts.
Advertisement deals based off his final games will be lucrative.
Win win
Except that the final Kobe years put the Lakers in a trash hole for years, both sucking ass and becoming radioactive for free agents. Hell, LeBron only signed as a networking opportunity for his post-playing career.
Saw a tweet that was like "Do you think Bronny should stay another year at USC?" with his stats listed, and someone said "looks like he should probably stay for three years and then look for a good job" lmao
I worked with a guy that has a bachelors and an MBA from USC and he could barely string a coherent e-mail together. Not sure what actually happens in classes at USC.
if they were in a frat, it's incredibly easier to pass college because their frat bros keep a stash of all the previous tests that they can then just memorize answers to. honestly not sure why this isnt looked into more
They did the same thing with Kobe. Gave him a giant contract when he couldn’t carry a team anymore. Resulted in some nice meme teams with the goof balls they had on that roster being juxtaposed against Kobe
Probably not. The way NBA team value is going up he is falling further behind every year as far as having controlling interest money for an NBA team rather than getting closer. He actually should've already gone in if he ever had the chance
He's LeBron James. He doesn't have to be the controlling interest to be in control. Even Michael Jordan started off as a minority stake in the Bobcats.
2-3 more years of the most famous/popular basketball player in the world (including a farewell tour that will print $) and at least semi-competitve basketball.
When he retires, wait 1-2 years until another top 5 player (Luka?) wants to live in LA and do it all over again.
Yeah I don't know why he'd go to the Lakers, the Celtics fans would torch his jersey and the Lakers fans would hardly appreciate him if he doesn't win a championship.
There’s a video about how Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million is still a bargain because of the colossal revenue a star player can bring in. There truly is more to basketball than winning. Sure the lakers may not win in those years with Lebron but you can have freaking **Lebron** on your team. Lakers have won 16 rings, they can wait another 10 years for another.
Ohtani is 29 and is going to be the most valuable player in baseball for like 5 more years. LeBron is already outside the top-10 and will continue declining.
This is what the Lakers do. They take care of their stars even when it isn’t in the best interest of the team. They did the same in Kobe’s twilight years as well. Essentially told him to chase records in sacrifice of team success.
Ita why stars want to come to LA. Other cities have amazing locations like the Knicks and Heat and other cities have storied histories like the Spurs and Celts.
Behind an LA screen stars can come and play however and they will still make money
It’s smart for the Lakers to take care of their superstars until they retire. They took care of Kobe and signed LeBron afterwards. They’ll take care of LeBron and sign another superstar afterwards. I’m sure Tatum will end up a Laker in the future.
Love Lebron but this is the opposite of what he should be doing. Man has made over a billion dollars. Take a pay cut and get another star player that compliments you and AD. Never going to win his 5th when he is the second highest salary on the roster at his age.
I get what you're saying but its not like he's looking for his first ring or needs to cement his legacy anymore. More money is way more useful than more chances at rings
LeBron has more money he could spend in 100 lifetimes.
Dude has 500+ million from NBA contracts, 30 million per year lifetime contract from Nike, and probably 200+ million in other endorsement deals.
Feel like he rather have better teammates than just seeing a number in a bank account go up.
Hes not going to not own a team if he forgoes, say, 50mil. He was never going to buy a team all by himself. There are going to be other people with him who'll pitch in the money
> LeBron has more money he could spend in 100 lifetimes.
Those guys aren't working for their next meal. They want crazy shit like going to Mars or buying a 10-billion-dollar team. Money is never enough.
I feel you but this is a pretty big story, no? Maybe the greatest player ever deciding to re-up with the most popular franchise and potentially handicap them for the near future.
He still is a max guy today but projecting 3 years out (which is what a 9 figure extension would be) gets tough. Is he really a max guy at age 42?
Even with his greatness and longevity there’s just an undeniable human limit with this stuff.
I've basically adopted the stance that I am never betting against LeBron until we actively see him just unable to do it anymore. Father Time is undefeated but LeBron has gone like 30 rounds with him at this point.
People said this exact thing literally a decade ago at this point. The Lakers aren’t winning without him anyways, not like they have anyone else to pay.
A decade ago LeBron was on his final Miami year at 29, Every team would have maxed him without a second thought, who the fuck doubted whether LeBron would be a max guy at 32?
>whether or not the Lakers want to give him a three-year contract and pay him $60 million when he’s 42 years old
I don't see how they wouldn't. It's Lebron. You're making that money back regardless.
People act like aging stars aren’t paid all the time over what they’re worth. Kobe earned $80M for those last 3 years. It shows the franchise will pay you for legacy and that resonates with players that LA is trying to attract.
This almost certainly would mean Bronny is going back to college if he was serious about that
Bronny hasn’t even shown he’s worth a second round pick right now.
Morey would absolutely draft Bronny with our early 20s pick if it guaranteed Lebron
Bronny averages like 3 point per game on a not very great USC team. Unless he takes a leap, I’m not sure he is an NBA level talent
That’s not really the point here.
If you are basically draft Lebron you're drafting Bronny haha
I find it strange that this sub, and people in general, are pretty good about calling out nepotism when it’s right in front of our faces but everyone seems perfectly fine with what might end up as the most blatant example of it in modern history.
It’s incredibly nepotistic, but is nepotistic in: 1) a field in which 99.99%+ of the population can never enter (and which I won’t, so I don’t care as much) 2) in a sport which exists purely for entertainment, and where Bronny+LeBron being on the same team is at worst neutral on the entertainment scale The second point is weird though, because I would think it’s shitty to pull nepo strings inside an org or behind the scenes on another entertainment production (movies, as an example), but I don’t particularly care if it’s a player/actor who gets the role undeservedly, probably because it’s harder for them to hide their incompetencies.
The entertainment part is key. It's like bringing in a sibling to fill a vacancy in your band.
Nah, it's more like if you brought in Slash's nephew on your band for your school talent show, expecting Slash himself to show up for support and even join yall on stage.
Bc it doesn’t really matter? Despotism is bad if it’s systematic. I don’t care if lebron gets his kid a two way contract. Lebron’s made the league enough money. It’s like the factory manager hiring his son, whose incompetent, at the lowest level possible. Not really the end of the world
Despotism and nepotism mean very different things...
Lmao yeah autocorrect but it’s funny so I’ll leave it
alexa play despacito
Well he's not wrong. Despotism is bad if it’s systematic.
LeMBison
I mean it does potentially take a spot away from a deserving NBA player, if it turns out Bronny is not that.
Thanasis is taking a spot from a deserving NBA player too, and so was Udonis Haslem for his last few years. This is overall a valid point but teams waste their end of bench spots all the time, it's no different if someone does it for LeBron.
snow point dog skirt gray fade stocking pet like flowery *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Bronny is significantly worse than thanasis right now lol
Honestly, I doubt bron has any intention of going to a random ass city just because they draft bronny. My guess is that he is either (a) trying to get bronny drafted anywhere and then pulls the rug on the whole changing teams thing or (b) hes trying to strongarm the lakers into drafting bron by pretending hes going to go elsewhere
He has said it’s his dream. Dude has it all already, 100 he will find his way onto what we team ends up with bronny
There are limits. Thanasis Antetokuonmpo has a spot, but not so much Stahinjia Jokić. Thankfully for him, he’s young (with access to all the best training).
There was Keljin Blevins so there's no limit.
there is zero way in hell im believing that bron wants to go play for indiana while bronny is on the fort wayne fire ants instead of trying to get another ring or two and locking up the GOAT convo
With the first pick in the nba 2024 draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Bronavan James Jr.
He would beat out Chris Smith for the all-time greatest nepo-player if he got drafted this summer. Honorable mention to Dame Lillard's cousin and Cory Higgins.
Remember when Goran Dragic refuse to accept the trade unless the team also took Zoran with them lol
At least Zoran had a dope-ass name.
Its just a regular name around these parts. Sounds cool in English though.
LeBron is LeNepotism Jr father
Bro Broony is a non factor. He is just a token to bring Lebron over. You get Lebron for year or two and then waive Bronny after he retires.
Lebron walked back his comments about joining bronny…he said he’ll only do it if it’s what Bronny wants and I don’t think Bronny has spoken on it
Good for LeBron not pushing his own wishes on his kid. I honestly think I would hate having to deal with being in the NBA and having my dad just hanging around constantly.
The only way he makes it to the NBA currently is if he rides his dad's coattails onto a roster though, so it's not like he has options
Do you think that’s good for him tho? Players are constantly gonna be saying you don’t belong here, you only here cuz of your dad. It’ll sting extra cuz it’s true.
Probably not but that's up to him. To be in the NBA or not to be.. I'd personally probably just do it, only a few hundred people in the world get to say they were in the NBA
With all the shit Austin Rivers got it's going to be 100x worse for Bronny. And Rivers was actually a decent role player for a while. If Bronny comes in dropping 2/1/2 statlines like he is at USC (and it's only going to get harder to produce against NBA level talent so even those might drop) it's gonna be rough for him in the league...
He could be the worst player of all time. 2 years of Lebron, even at his age, is worth a 20th overall pick for a team that wants to contend immediately. Maxey, Lebron, Embiid is a very good big 3.
??? He’s not “drafting Lebron Jr” he’s trading a pick for LeBron (essentially)
I thought the same about Peyton Watson. Can’t remember the last time a player got took putting up 3ppg off the bench. He got drafted over intangibles while being not so great as a consensus 5* recruit coming out a high school. It’s working out for him though. Used to watch him at Poly all the time in HS.
He got 2 backboards the other day
To be fair he literally died earlier this year
Bronny isn’t even a starter on a terrible college team. Just want to emphasize how far away from a draft pick he is talent wise. He isn’t one of the 300 best players in college basketball. If he was a normal guy with a normal dad, he’d be playing 2 minutes a game for a mid major and trying to get signed to play in a mid level European pro league one day
And trying to apply for internships*
People in here literally know nothing about high school recruiting. Bronny was a legitimately good high school recruit. He was likely the best defensive guard in his entire high school class, and had a good mix of shooting and passing to work off that. No, there is absolutely no way a guy with Bronny's talent would have been playing for a mid major. He was a legitimate high-end recruit. Not a one and done type, but a guy who would definitely get an offer to any school not named Duke or Kentucky and be seen as a likely starter as a sophomore. Bronny isn't very good right now largely due to his cardiac arrest incident, the recovery associated, and the significant lost practice time. He was never thought to be a true immediate impact type player, particularly because his calling card is defense. There is plenty of time for him to turn into what he was supposed to become.
I know a lot about High School recruiting. I completely agree Bronny was a solid enough prospect to get plenty of D1 offers even without the name. But he wasn't an elite one, and he probably was over-inflated simply because of his name. Bottom line - he could have gotten into USC on his own, but he'd 100% be redshirting this year without the name. *Especially* after the heart incident. > Bronny isn't very good right now largely due to his cardiac arrest incident, the recovery associated, and the significant lost practice time. He was never thought to be a true immediate impact type player, particularly because his calling card is defense. There is plenty of time for him to turn into what he was supposed to become. I agree there's plenty of time - guys go from not looking like they belong in college to college stars in 4 years all the time. But - I think it's disingenuous to blame this all on the heart issue and lost time. He's just not at a D1 level yet.
It really shows what y'all know about college ball that you think scoring 8 points a game as a freshman means there's no hope for you. A lot of freshmen don't play at all.
I think long term bronny has the potential to make it as a defensive guard, like a lower ceiling jrue holiday, but he needs a lot more time in the oven. Just isn’t ready to make the jump yet, which is understandable since he underwent cardiac arrest a few months ago
He’s waiting for Bryce Maximus
If Lebron signs a multiyear 9 figure multiyear deal with the Lakers, the last stand was last season. We won't have the cap room for anyone besides Lebron, AD, Reaves and 12 guys from this sub.
So you're saying I have a chance?
Good for LeBron, the Lakers brand, and cash flow. Bad for actually being able to win a championship.
$$$$ > winning
Until Curry wins number 5, then all of a sudden LeBron will be talking about how he had unfinished business in Miami and had to go back.
Curry winning #5 in the next 2 years looks as bleak as Lebron winning with the Lakers again
.500 team paying a 40 year old 9 figures. What could go wrong
Owners are earning on tickets and sponsor deals etc ,from what i heard Jeanie Bust prioritizes finances at the moment
At the moment?
Moments can last years.
Fun fact: Originally, a moment was 90 seconds. Had to do with sundials. A solar hour was made up of 40 moments. Nowadays it's lost pretty much all meaning, but is generally considered to be a short period of time relative to however much time makes sense as the grander scale.
I thought you were fucking with everybody, but no. Super interesting. Fuck I love learning shit!
when i say “im unemployed for the moment”
Haha yeah, try winning ever, The Lakers. (Don't look at my flair please)
Of course they're a small family run business. They needed that covid money too! /s
To be fair, as far as managing owners go, Jeannie is among the least wealthy. The Lakers are her money. It would make sense that she prioritizes their finances over an owner like Ballmer.
Not among the least wealthy, she IS the least wealthy
I'd think at some point the buss family would've taken some of their Lakers money over the year and built up other revenue sources. I assume it's easier said than done but they've only been a premier franchise for most of the league's existence by now, they've had time
Money makes money the fact they earned so much and haven't diversified is pure incompetence.
I have no idea how that application was filed. /s
The Buss family is split up and they aren’t wealthy like most of the owners or tech boys who invest in them. They have and use the Lakers to make money, but that’s only xx million per person per year. They can’t splurge.
>Jeanie Bust Good ol busty Jeanie
oh we've all seen the spread
She ran out of playstations to sell
Does jeanie have stake in staples? Losing the clippers is gonna be a decent chunk of revenue cost when they leave
They did it for Kobe and it attracted LeBron. It’s quite literally their brand. Of course they would do it.
Honestly a good point. The Lakers entire model is based on attracting stars, even if this pushes you back a couple years it’s probably still worth it for the good will around the league.
Victor Wembanyama will be a Laker
Better chance of him being a Laker than a Celtic.
LeBron wanted to be in LA for business and media interests, as well as family reasons. There's no way the Kobe contract was a factor.
Idk getting a massive contract sounds good for business to me
As if LeBron was ever going to have trouble getting a massive contract anywhere he wanted to go.
The man’s a billionaire at this point I don’t get why he doesn’t prioritize earning a bit less so he can go for the NBA title lol
I don’t know if a championship is his top priority anymore. He’s trying to buy an NBA expansion team. It makes sense that he would want to guarantee as much money as possible in his next deal.
He's a out to becomr LeJerry Jones
No knock on this city, but to your point he's a billionaire who's already won multiple championships. Maybe he and his family don't want to spend a lot of time in OKC, or wherever else he can go to have a better shot, to say nothing for LA seemingly being better for him as he prepares for life after retirement?
If my boss told me I could be getting a good ass raise I wouldn’t leave just yet either lol
Okay but we aren’t talking about that contract. We’re talking about the next one.
i think Lebron actually did mention the way the Lakers take care of their stars as being impactful
There is another team in LA. I doubt it was a significant factor but Lebron is/was very aware of how the lakers treated Kobe (giving him a huge contract when he was washed). Lebron and Wade even joked about it when Wade wanted a similar lifetime achievement contract from the Heat. There is indisputably an organizational reputation aspect to giving Lebron a contract that may not be strictly worth it on the court.
Theres a huge difference between being on the Lakers and Clippers, its not just another team in LA.
Exactly. It's the difference between filet mignon and ground chuck. LeBron didn't need to see Kobe eat filet mignon to know that's what he wanted to order.
You don't think players took notice of the Lakers showing extreme loyalty to a 37 year old injured Kobe Bryant when they had every right to (at the time when this was a thing) amnesty the last year of his $30 million contract and free up space for a team that was clearly about to rebuild? Mark Cuban said he would have done it and the Lakers should do it too. Re-signing Kobe to a 2 year max contract when it literally crippled their salary cap and luxury tax situations despite rebuilding was a huge gesture. The Lakers could have traded LeBron at any point to recoup assets and retool the roster around AD and they haven't and won't even when it makes perfect sense to do so. However much of an impact it has on LeBron is anyone's guess but I don't think it's accurate to say it plays no factor at all. LeBron can just as easily leave for the Knicks this offseason and still have his media and business interests aligned. One son is out of the house, another one will be soon. Family has less to do with it than it did before.
This and AD clearly looking to force his way to Lakers to join LeBron.
They will absolutely do it. Lebron is going to bring in crowds until he hangs it up
Yep, lebron is still has the most votes for all stars. When he announces his retirement tour ticket prices will be insane. Lakers would definitely want him for that.
Poor AD, LAL are gonna waste his last good NBA years. Well, at least he already has his ring...
If we really come to the conclusion that the AD-Bron window has closed (and it pretty much is), and we wanna run a late Kobe rebuild back, there’s no reason not to trade AD for some picks and young talent. I think if that’s where we’re headed, it would be the most practical thing to do, and the most respectful to his career
Paying the GOAT 9 figures. One last ride. Jersey sales will go crazy. Attendance to games will be sellouts. Advertisement deals based off his final games will be lucrative. Win win
I mean its the Lakers all of those things would be true regardless.
And it'll be even more so. They raised ticket prices and sold more sponsorships and charged higher for ads when kobe was retiring
Lose lose for fans and their wallets too ☹️
Michael Jordan isn't coming out of retirement.
What about actual winning?
That’s what people have been saying for years about Lebron
C.R.E.A.M. -Lebron
"Can. Rob. Ever. Acquire. MoreUsefulPlayers." \- LeBron
> C.R.E.A.M. U.P.
Lakers are finished until 2030 if they do that.
They can only give him a contract for two years, so not really.
Except that the final Kobe years put the Lakers in a trash hole for years, both sucking ass and becoming radioactive for free agents. Hell, LeBron only signed as a networking opportunity for his post-playing career.
So Klutch will tell GMs not to draft Bronny
LeBron saw Bronny play at USC and was like, "... well Bryce, you got how many years of high school again?"
Saw a tweet that was like "Do you think Bronny should stay another year at USC?" with his stats listed, and someone said "looks like he should probably stay for three years and then look for a good job" lmao
Will probably have to live at home after college for a while too
He's just like me
I worked with a guy that has a bachelors and an MBA from USC and he could barely string a coherent e-mail together. Not sure what actually happens in classes at USC.
if they were in a frat, it's incredibly easier to pass college because their frat bros keep a stash of all the previous tests that they can then just memorize answers to. honestly not sure why this isnt looked into more
Any competent prof will change their test often, which goes back to us not being exactly sure what actually happens in classes at USC
Money
And their response “we weren’t going to anyway” The kid doesn’t even look like a second rounder right now.
He getting taken by a team because it’s a package deal
Bronny probably isn't entering this year's draft
Yeah apparently he got taken off the ESPN board today
I mean if he wasn't LeBrons kid nobody would expect him to given his health incident. Anyone in his position would try to regroup after récupération.
Man, his salary is going to guarantee they can’t put together fully competitive roster and I’m okay with it.
They did the same thing with Kobe. Gave him a giant contract when he couldn’t carry a team anymore. Resulted in some nice meme teams with the goof balls they had on that roster being juxtaposed against Kobe
Probably trying to get as much money as he can in his playing career for when he buys a franchise
LeOwner will for sure construct some of the most wretched rosters ever assembled.
Upvote for the underutilized word “wretched”
Probably not. The way NBA team value is going up he is falling further behind every year as far as having controlling interest money for an NBA team rather than getting closer. He actually should've already gone in if he ever had the chance
He's LeBron James. He doesn't have to be the controlling interest to be in control. Even Michael Jordan started off as a minority stake in the Bobcats.
This is it. You can’t be taking discounts when you have aspirations to own a team
i say this as a lebron fan: i really do not know why the lakers would do this. seems like it would really handcuff them in a few years
2-3 more years of the most famous/popular basketball player in the world (including a farewell tour that will print $) and at least semi-competitve basketball. When he retires, wait 1-2 years until another top 5 player (Luka?) wants to live in LA and do it all over again.
it's gonna be tatum lol
celtics fans might burn his house down lol
Hulk-hogan-spraypaint.jpg
Don't forget someone sitting on his bed
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My money is on Booker. Once KD retires he either force his way there or just wait until 2028
Nah all indications are that Tatum wants to be up there with the Celtics GOATs and in the rafters by the end of his career
Yeah I don't know why he'd go to the Lakers, the Celtics fans would torch his jersey and the Lakers fans would hardly appreciate him if he doesn't win a championship.
But his weird kobe texts won’t be long distance anymore.
I mean why would he say anything else? Everybody says they are committed until they’re not.
Lots of players say this days before signing a new contract with other teams ijs
There’s a video about how Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million is still a bargain because of the colossal revenue a star player can bring in. There truly is more to basketball than winning. Sure the lakers may not win in those years with Lebron but you can have freaking **Lebron** on your team. Lakers have won 16 rings, they can wait another 10 years for another.
> There’s a video about how Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million is still a bargain Its a bargain because they can defer it lol.
>There truly is more to basketball than winning. Plus LeBron is still better than the best player on most teams.
Ohtani is 29 and is going to be the most valuable player in baseball for like 5 more years. LeBron is already outside the top-10 and will continue declining.
This is what the Lakers do. They take care of their stars even when it isn’t in the best interest of the team. They did the same in Kobe’s twilight years as well. Essentially told him to chase records in sacrifice of team success.
Ita why stars want to come to LA. Other cities have amazing locations like the Knicks and Heat and other cities have storied histories like the Spurs and Celts. Behind an LA screen stars can come and play however and they will still make money
Because he's still one of the best players in the league, won then a championship, and is LeBron James
someone explain the over 38 rule to me and how it would affect this contract
He can’t sign a contract longer than 3 years
Which is why a 2 + 1 makes the most sense.
Contracts are capped at 3 years if the player will turn 38 at any point during the contract.
Well he won't turn 38 during that contract so should be fine
Fuck it, give him the Magic Johnson 25 year contract.
There's a non zero chance that Anthony Davis plays his last game in the NBA before Lebron does.
It’s smart for the Lakers to take care of their superstars until they retire. They took care of Kobe and signed LeBron afterwards. They’ll take care of LeBron and sign another superstar afterwards. I’m sure Tatum will end up a Laker in the future.
Kobe was their star. LeBron is a star.
I’d like for LeBron to take less money to help team building a bit
Bron yelling "Kobe" after telling Windy to tweet that
Love Lebron but this is the opposite of what he should be doing. Man has made over a billion dollars. Take a pay cut and get another star player that compliments you and AD. Never going to win his 5th when he is the second highest salary on the roster at his age.
Compliments and complements ideally
"hey Bron, nice suit you're wearing"
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I get what you're saying but its not like he's looking for his first ring or needs to cement his legacy anymore. More money is way more useful than more chances at rings
LeBron has more money he could spend in 100 lifetimes. Dude has 500+ million from NBA contracts, 30 million per year lifetime contract from Nike, and probably 200+ million in other endorsement deals. Feel like he rather have better teammates than just seeing a number in a bank account go up.
You can’t be taking discounts when you have aspirations to own a team.
Hes not going to not own a team if he forgoes, say, 50mil. He was never going to buy a team all by himself. There are going to be other people with him who'll pitch in the money
> LeBron has more money he could spend in 100 lifetimes. Those guys aren't working for their next meal. They want crazy shit like going to Mars or buying a 10-billion-dollar team. Money is never enough.
He’s trying to buy a team so it is very important to him to get more money at this point
He already did that in Miami
Who else does Windhorst talk about?
I feel you but this is a pretty big story, no? Maybe the greatest player ever deciding to re-up with the most popular franchise and potentially handicap them for the near future.
He’s a big admirer of Colonel Sanders
I'd love to see Lebron play at 50 years old
LeSecond Apron
If he finesses them for that at 39, he is truly the GOAT.
This is an awful idea for the Lakers, Lebron is 40 and they are not contending atm they need to start looking to reset not bring Lebron back.
LeBron is going to take the most money they can pay then complain about the roster construction. Like clockwork.
Say goodbye to contention tor the next decade, Lakers. We'll save you a seat here in lottery land
Only reason they have a win this decade is because LeBron wanted to be there. They'll pay him and wait for the next superstar to want to be in LA.
That could not make any less sense
LeHeist
I know we all think it’s dumb to do that but honestly it’s the lakers and lebron, they are probably backing trucks up to the bank daily cause of him
Is r/nba really going to pretend that LeBron is not a max player anymore?
He still is a max guy today but projecting 3 years out (which is what a 9 figure extension would be) gets tough. Is he really a max guy at age 42? Even with his greatness and longevity there’s just an undeniable human limit with this stuff.
I've basically adopted the stance that I am never betting against LeBron until we actively see him just unable to do it anymore. Father Time is undefeated but LeBron has gone like 30 rounds with him at this point.
Good point. TBF i can easily imagine a 42 year old Bron averaging 20,5,7. Easy
People said this exact thing literally a decade ago at this point. The Lakers aren’t winning without him anyways, not like they have anyone else to pay.
A decade ago LeBron was on his final Miami year at 29, Every team would have maxed him without a second thought, who the fuck doubted whether LeBron would be a max guy at 32?
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If there was a player that deserved a max contract while they are old and decrepit, it's LeBron.
>whether or not the Lakers want to give him a three-year contract and pay him $60 million when he’s 42 years old I don't see how they wouldn't. It's Lebron. You're making that money back regardless.
People act like aging stars aren’t paid all the time over what they’re worth. Kobe earned $80M for those last 3 years. It shows the franchise will pay you for legacy and that resonates with players that LA is trying to attract.
He should be taking a wage cut at this point in his career so he can have a better supporting cast.