Stephen A Smith: Rockets not willing to GUT team for LeBron James

I'd give Bron the max before I would CP3...

Lol at the 'don't wants' for LBJ... thats just crazy talk... If LBJ wants to come here - I'd move anybody not named harden to make it happen...

 

Would prefer a younger 3 like Paul George. Lebron at this age would be declining as harden gets better. With Paul also older I'd rather us go younger

 

Just getting a the best player available is how disasters happen chemistry wise. I'd take PG over Lebron any day

 

If true it's not just about chemistry, you have to worry about the Lakers attempting lure CP3 in addition to LeBron.

 

deserves its own Kellerman thread

 

So SAS doesn't realize when he's being lied to?

 

Ask LeBron to sign a 20M/year contract. We trade Anderson for him. Problem solved!

 

Does he have sources or is he speculating?

 

I would gut the team for Lebron, PG, or Durant. We gutted the team for CP3 and found suitable role players. DM could fill out the roster and we would be just fine.

Harden, CP3, and 3rd all-star, can make a bunch of scrubs look really good.

 

This is really exciting except that SAS is full of **** and shouldn't ever be taken seriously.

 

Always remember. . . . First Take in particular the Media in general's 1st priority is for Houston to never have a Dynasty
so they will do or report anything to mess it up

Rocket River

 

What he says make sense if you have enough context. The Rockets aren't going to just clear up capspace to sign LeBron to the max. They'd have to give up way too much to do that. What they will offer LeBron is something more like $25-30mil and a wink wink deal to make sure he gets taken care of for as long as he wants in the future. It would make sense for everyone involved, LeBron, CP3, Rockets, that they don't gut the team. Because LeBron isn't going to sacrifice a better chance at a title just for a few mil that he can make back easily through other means. They can also try to do a opt-in and trade with Cleveland but obviously in that scenario they wouldnt' gut the team, just likely all their future picks.

That said, the only way I see LeBron coming here is if we lose to the Warriors in the WCFs. If we lose before that then we're probably not good enough for him. If we get to the finals and (likely) win that, he's not joining a team that won already.

 

What does the potato say though?

 

Priority 1 is to ditch Anderson.
then good things can happen.

 

let's get lebrick and put out cp, lebrick, nene, jj and ariza, the oldest lineup in the league! worriers gonna be worry!

 

The team's priority this offseason will be

1) Clint's contract
2) CP3's contract
3) Re-signing Ariza
4) Luc's contract


Ariza is a big cog in the teams chemistry and while he is older he can still play a huge role for the team, even off the bench (if they re-sign Luc and have him start)

As for LeBron - I would be a fool to say I do not want him on the Rockets, I do, but at what cost? If it was just Ryno and future picks its a no brainer, but Gordon is a big piece of our bench scoring and versatility. Also while LeBron has been ridiculously amazing and efficient at his age (considering how many years he has played and the mileage on his body in terms of games and minutes played) at some point he is going to decline. He should have way less wear and tear on this team of course. Lastly LeBron does bring with him a lot of off court drama - not necessarily personal issues but in terms of wanting to dictate locker room and front office items. Riley was able to keep him in check in Miami considering the structure he put in place there, but LeBron's entourage was not happy. With a new owner who has been so far really good and a progressive front office I am not sure how much they will want to "bend the knee" to the King.

So do I want LeBron? HELL YEAH - but not at any cost (if he was 29 it would be a different story). Depending on how far the Rockets advance this off season will determine if I want him even more now. If they lose earlier than the WCF then yeah I would want LeBron more. If they lose a hard fought series in the WCF - maybe a different player at a lower cost could be the difference maker. Same with if they lose in the Finals (but quite frankly if they make it to the Finals they SHOULD win)

 

Priority 4 - pick up a second rebounding, pick-and-roll capable big

 

Man, I've said this repeatedly and get no love lol.

I LOVE Lebron the talent, but my GOD there is more drama around that man than an all girl's high school theater group!

No player in history has ever thrown his team under the bus as much as Lebron does. He gets coaches fired, he publicly attacks his front office for not getting him enough help (even when he is playing with multiple PRIME ALL-STARS!!!), questions them for being CHEAP when they have the highest payroll in history, demands his role player friends get paid like stars then tantrums when they don't play stars, gets guys traded, sours the chemistry...

Stalin thinks Lebron takes the scorched earth strategy a little too far.

 

They need to get another dynamic player on the team somewhere and they need a backup guard.

Playoffs just started. I think by the end of them we will all be in agreement that we need another dynamic player.