Was Lebron's Lakers stay a success?

[queridiculo]

People really forgetting what a disaster the Lakers were before Lebron arrived.

[ballzboyee]

Sure, he won a championship. What more can you ask?

[Sofia]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

How many times do we have to go over this. The 4 month layoff benefitted certain teams much more than others, like older, injury-prone teams. Especially when the Lakers were still able to (illegally) practice together as a team during the layoff while other teams had guys who didn’t even touch a basketball during that stint.

They still won it and that’s impressive, but the conditions of that chip were very obviously different than any other playoffs, before or since. It’s something less than a real championship but more than the IST.

You mean the 49-14 Lakers who had a 6 game lead over 2nd place in the conference at the time, easily the best team in the west?

What injuries did they get to rehab with the break? Their full rotation played in the 6+ games before the shut down started.

Why didn’t other teams also get a chance to rest? The Rockets and the Bucks were within 3 months of the Lakers average age (29.5 years), but I’ve never heard those of teams benefiting from the rest.

[FarBeyondDriven]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

except there is. No travel. No distractions. Months off to rest (helps older Lebron and injury prone AD). No fans so less anxiety for those who aren't clutch. Half the players didn't want to be there. They then faced the overrated Blazers who had no size. The Rockets who had even less size. Then the young ascending Nuggets before Jokic had arrived. They were sleep walking through those Western Conference playoffs. Then they faced the Heat who are arguably the weakest Finals team in history.

Outside of that season, his stay in LA was kinda bad right? Point is, I don't think it was the right move and good for his legacy imo. Outside of that bubble and the almost as weak WCF run where they got embarrassed and swept it was a disaster. He made the playoffs every year from 2006 until he went to LA in 2019 and got to at least the second round every season. He goes to LA then he fails to make the playoffs twice and gets bounced in the first round twice. Sure, that sounds fine for most mortals but the guy was making all-NBA teams and had a top 5-10 player in AD next to him. He's still one of the best. I'm not questioning his greatness. I'm questioning the decision to go to LA and how little success they had compared to the rest of his career.

[Johnny Tomala]

You have a very strong opinion about this question. Are you asking to see if someone can change your mind or is it just bait?

Since LeBron went to LA, the only team who has won more than 1 ring is Golden State. You can call LA's ring meaningless, but it isn't. Simple facts. I'm not sure LA wins with those players you just listed. Ingram still hasn't even won a playoff game since leaving LA. Ball is very injury prone and hasn't been playing. Kuzma is okay as a piece as well as the others, but they don't win a ring without AD.

I'd say any time you win a ring, especially when everyone said LeBron going to LA was not a basketball move. Imagine winning a ring when you're not even going there for basketball reasons (allegedly)

No, GSW has only won 1 title during LBJ time in Lakers.

[Froob]

Yes he gave the Lakers a championship after KB24
Nobody else would've won them a ring besides LeBron

Yeah this

[FarBeyondDriven]

People really forgetting what a disaster the Lakers were before Lebron arrived.

they won 35 games and missed the playoffs with a bunch of 19-21 y/o kids the year before he came. His first year with that same roster they improved by a whopping two games and won 37 games and again missed the playoffs. After that season they added a top 5 player in AD, Green, Rondo, Dwight and AB. It was a completely different team than the ones that you're talking about as being a disaster. You seem to have given Lebron credit for changing that but he really didn't as evidenced by them only winning two more games when he joined. What changed them was adding a top 5 talent and a slew of veterans.

[nikster]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

How many times do we have to go over this. The 4 month layoff benefitted certain teams much more than others, like older, injury-prone teams. Especially when the Lakers were still able to (illegally) practice together as a team during the layoff while other teams had guys who didn’t even touch a basketball during that stint.

They still won it and that’s impressive, but the conditions of that chip were very obviously different than any other playoffs, before or since. It’s something less than a real championship but more than the IST.

You mean the 49-14 Lakers who had a 6 game lead over 2nd place in the conference at the time, easily the best team in the west?

What injuries did they get to rehab with the break? Their full rotation played in the 6+ games before the shut down started.

Why didn’t other teams also get a chance to rest? The Rockets and the Bucks were within 3 months of the Lakers average age (29.5 years), but I’ve never heard those of teams benefiting from the rest.

Lakers are the only Contender to lose a rotation player due to the bubble (Bradley) which for some reason is consistently overlooked.

And their main competition going into the bubble was the Clipppers, who had their only healthy season since then.

[QingJames]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

How many times do we have to go over this. The 4 month layoff benefitted certain teams much more than others, like older, injury-prone teams. Especially when the Lakers were still able to (illegally) practice together as a team during the layoff while other teams had guys who didn’t even touch a basketball during that stint.

They still won it and that’s impressive, but the conditions of that chip were very obviously different than any other playoffs, before or since. It’s something less than a real championship but more than the IST.

You mean the 49-14 Lakers who had a 6 game lead over 2nd place in the conference at the time, easily the best team in the west?

What injuries did they get to rehab with the break? Their full rotation played in the 6+ games before the shut down started.

Why didn’t other teams also get a chance to rest? The Rockets and the Bucks were within 3 months of the Lakers average age (29.5 years), but I’ve never heard those of teams benefiting from the rest.

Brother, are you really going to tell me that an entire offseason’s worth of rest and recovery time didn’t benefit the famously fragile AD? Or a 35 year old LeBron? Or a 32 year old Danny Green? Or a 34 year old Dwight Howard who played crucial minutes for them in their run? Or a 33 year old Rajon Rondo? Or the oft-injured Alex Caruso?

Cmon man. The Lakers were a good team all year, but that’s no guarantee of postseason success. It’s nonsense to just chalk them a title had the season never been suspended when they indisputably benefited from the 4 months off more than any other team. The bubble win was impressive but obviously every real ring ever won under the rigours of a real postseason is more valuable than that ring.

[Zadeh]

For lakers no, missing play off two times is nor execusable.

For any other team it may be success (except Boston or spurs) but for lakers it is total failure. Lakers avarage championship run is every 4,5 years.
Missing play-off is every 6,3 years.

In lebron tenure in six years; Lakers get just one championship that is lower than theirs average championship years but missing play-off two times, that double of theirs failure.

[ChiTownHero1992]

NO! I've said this numerous times and no one can convince me otherwise....he came to LA planning to win and be competitive multiple times....instead:

1x Ring (hihgly disputed amongst fans)
2x Missed Playoffs
2x In the Play-In Game
Soon to be 3 Fired Head Coaches
Traded for/traded numerous players, that "didn't work out" yet went on to other teams and are stars or great role players

This is a massive bust of a stint IMO

Missed Playoffs
Contested Championship by Fans/Critics
Lost in 1st Round
Missed Playoffs
Swept in Conference Finals
Lost in 1st Round

Looks successful right....any other player with that 6 year stint and we'd be saying that is terrible

[Evenacus]

You can call it that, a title is a title. One in 5 years is more then some franchises all time but these are the Lakers and they have higher expectations. Imho, LeBron stay in LA hasn't achieved what was expected, especially with AD being a part of the story.
Issue is going forward, he ain't getting better and Lakers have all but mortgaged their future for him. If they proceed with this story and draft Bronny I predict it won't be successful. He still is an asset of the court but for how long. Lakers should not offer him a three year contract, but that is a very, very hard decision to make. They probably can't trade him without him consenting and I don't see him doing that.

[infinite11285]

Yes he gave the Lakers a championship

The thread should’ve ended right here.

Without that ring, the Lakers would be on a 15-year championship drought.

[indiegrind]

Absolutely,

I don't see how this is even a question.
Another ring, all time scoring leader, and still one of the best players in the league at this age. This run has put him legitimately in the goat discussion.

[infinite11285]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

except there is. No travel. No distractions. Months off to rest (helps older Lebron and injury prone AD). No fans so less anxiety for those who aren't clutch. Half the players didn't want to be there.

The Lakers were number #1 in the West prior to the shutdown. Also, under the same logic, wouldn't a team like the Clippers, with an injury-prone Kawhi & PG, or Philly, with Embiid, benefit just as much if not more? What about teams like the Bucks, Rockets, or Celtics?

[dhsilv2]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

The season had ended...that is the biggest issue beyond all else. So no...that money grab which was 100% what it was all about, is never going to get respected. And every team didn't have the same conditions during the 3 month break. And not all teams were invited to the bubble. Not nearly enough games were played to get teams back in condition or establish any kind of seeding given the layoff.

It was a complete joke how they went about it. And don't give us this people are only mad because of lebron crap. The forum was full of hate over this the second it was announced.

[dhsilv2]

“MiCkEy MoUsE rInG” is such a **** argument.

Every team played to the same conditions that they were presented with. Yeah there were no road games, but there were no home games either.

There’s other historical circumstances which you could make arguments as less valuable than recent rings, including one won through a pandemic.

except there is. No travel. No distractions. Months off to rest (helps older Lebron and injury prone AD). No fans so less anxiety for those who aren't clutch. Half the players didn't want to be there.

The Lakers were number #1 in the West prior to the shutdown. Also, under the same logic, wouldn't a team like the Clippers, with an injury-prone Kawhi & PG, or Philly, with Embiid, benefit just as much if not more? What about teams like the Bucks, Rockets, or Celtics?

It favored players who picked up a basketball over that break and kept in shape which was a mixed bag all throughout the league.

[CBS7]

LeBron hater here, I know the narrative is that the Mickey Mouse ring counts for less, but I'd argue it counts for more.
No travel, no crowd, no distractions, it was about basketball and nothing else. I know its not the same, but its hard to argue a championship that is MORE about basketball than anything else somehow counts for less.

Far less people would argue it doesn't count if LeBron didn't win it.

[infinite11285]

except there is. No travel. No distractions. Months off to rest (helps older Lebron and injury prone AD). No fans so less anxiety for those who aren't clutch. Half the players didn't want to be there.

The Lakers were number #1 in the West prior to the shutdown. Also, under the same logic, wouldn't a team like the Clippers, with an injury-prone Kawhi & PG, or Philly, with Embiid, benefit just as much if not more? What about teams like the Bucks, Rockets, or Celtics?

It favored players who picked up a basketball over that break and kept in shape which was a mixed bag all throughout the league.

All players had the option to decline the NBA's invitation. In fact, the Lakers starting PG opted out. Why make the poor decision to opt in despite being out of shape? Discrediting guys who remained professional and ready doesn't appear to make sense.

[PedroFlu]

Bubble was weird, sure, but those were the conditions available at the time. You had all teams and all available players playing. Lakers were already the best team of the League when it stopped.

They beat other teams fair and square, is the obvious truth here. To dismiss it is a very, very weak position, supported by weak arguments.

LeBron and Lakers won an abslutely legitimate chip.

Having said that, I'd range his tenure not exactly a success: they won and contented way less than expected - they had a real shot at a title only in 3 of those 6 seasons.

But also it definitely can't be labeled a faillure (1 title, + 1 or 2 contending seasons).

Id say all in all slightly under expectations for a LeBron team with an all timer in AD, I'll rate it a 5/10. They ran into a lot of trouble with injuries, roster construction, coaching, and mainly the Brick decision.

Lets call it slightly underwhelming. This is from the Lakers fans perspective. I think it fairly matches Lebron's fans perspective.

Thing is, if somehow a miracle happens and they get another ring in the next 2 seasons, it becomes a success. Problem is they're locked in this position now.. kind of a treadmill.