IT or LBJ?

Sentient Meat · Franchise Player Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Posts: 12978

I think the analogy here might be whether you'd pick a 29 year old Nash, or a 34 year old Kobe. An offensive powerhouse who can't play defense, or a two way player who is a proven champion.

Interesting thing, is that Nash's prime years were between 30 and 36... we just happened to get him right when he got the fluke injury. I still firmly believe if Nash didn't break his leg that he would have really contributed as his game and skill set didn't rely on speed. Kobe on the other hand, had one of his best years before the Achilles... and probably would have been good for three years instead of a terrible burden on the team at the end.

If Isaiah is healthy and willing to play as he's been playing, I think he might be another Nash who could really flourish with this team, I also think LeBron would be LeBron for three more years... which means we'd compete for the title immediately and then a transfer would slowly begin where he'd be carrying us, to we'd be carrying him with the youngsters towards the last year or so.

If LeBron was only a player and not a semi owner/GM... no question he still is the safest option. He's the better player. However, LeBron is way more dangerous than IT as a potential cancer, and if he makes us even give away one of Lonzo/BI/Randle/Kuzma... all of the sudden maybe his benefit is negated and then the balance shifts in favor of healthy Isaiah... because then you are talking about IT plus Lonzo, IT plus BI, IT plus Randle, IT plus Kuzma vs. an old LeBron. I think LeBron is the superior player but I think he is a much bigger risk in losing personnel... I also think he will be more expensive which will also cost us a player... which could cost us Randle, or bench depth.

But also IT is a significant risk because of his health and size. If he balls out the rest of the year... you can probably eliminate health as a worry... but you still need to worry about how long he can maintain the athleticism necessary to compensate for his size. However, he's extremely crafty and still is able to get off his shot even with the injury so this is why I brought up the Nash analogy.

If you notice the people posting that considering Isaiah is absurd... it's mostly the same haters that remained silent and lurking last night. They would have said the same thing if we were deciding between a 29 year old Nash and a 34 year old Kobe too (assuming these were players who never were originally Lakers, so you'd remove the loyalty factor) They cannot imagine someone who doesn't fit within their comfortable paradigm of a 6 foot 6 player with 7 foot wingspan with a 48 inch vertical as being a viable choice. You'll notice they reject almost every player who doesn't fit this vision in all their free agent or draft discussions. I won't argue that this is the prototypical perfect NBA player body type today... but then these geniuses would have never drafted players like Bird, Stockton, or Nash.

Keep your minds open people... and look at the facts and not only the exterior.

yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

Who has been an all-NBA performer under 5'10 at ages 30 and beyond (IT turns 30 next February)?

The opportunity cost, in this hypo, is passing on LBJ b/c of IT.

It is absurd.
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PHILosophize · Franchise Player Joined: 05 Nov 2012 Posts: 10758

this must be a joke
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yinoma2001 · Retired Number Joined: 19 Jun 2010 Posts: 119487

Sentient Meat · Franchise Player Joined: 04 Jul 2014 Posts: 12978

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kobe_4_mvp · Star Player Joined: 13 Apr 2008 Posts: 3798

can you name 10 players under 5'10 who played in the nba in the last 10 years?

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Hector the Pup · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:56 am Post subject:

This question got to 4 pages?

Did I miss something and the offseason already started?

MIMLaker · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:22 am Post subject:

IT or LBJ? Obviously, the HOFer who combines Magic Johnson's skills and Karl Malone's body.

BUT, if the question is:

(a) Paul George at MAX
Julius Randle at reasonably competitive rate
Isaiah Thomas for a Brinks economy car (instead of a full-on truck)
Stretching Deng to free up Randle salary room
Signing Brook Lopez to a cap exemption

versus

(b) Paul George at MAX
Losing Julius Randle while waiting for LeBron James to make up his mind
Watching the press conference where James says he's keeping his talents in the Land
Signing Isaiah to a mercenary KCP-type 1-year rental deal just to save face.

I'll take (a) any day of the freaking week.

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