Podcast Episode 149: LeBron James vs. The NBA
2017-11-07https://soundcloud.com/ctb-5/episode-149-lebron-james-vs-the-nba
As we look at what ails the Cavs, your conclusion might be that LeBron might have to take on the whole NBA this year. Nate Smith sits down with Clevelander and bestselling author, Brendan Bowers to talk about his new book with a title that conjures exactly that idea, LeBron James vs. the NBA. The book’s and our main topic of conversation: where does LeBron currently rank among the greatest players of all time?
Brendan and I talk about some of the all time NBA greats, the Cavs’ “eventful” summer, what this season looks like for the Cleveland, and how well we think they’ll shake out of their doldrums. Finally, we ask, how long will The King reign, will Ty Lue coach LeBron his whole career, and where and how will LeBron take his place among the greatest of all time when it’s all said and done?
You can pre-order LeBron James vs. the NBA wherever books are sold and look for Brendan at a Cleveland area book signing in the next couple months at your local Barnes and Noble.
You can listen above, on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts or Google Play.
https://twitter.com/PDcavsinsider/status/927958063440678912
So LeBron getting ousted sending private messages on Instagram to hot chicks…
Didn’t he do that a few years ago?
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hotnewhiphop.com/instagram-model-shows-how-lebron-james-slid-into-her-dms-news.39246.html%3f_amp
Info came out last night and he wasn’t involved with the team today. Probably dealing with the situation at home.
I’m sure he and Savanna have some sort of arrangement.
?
Is Gilbert gonna bring his posse of Cleveland radio personalities that he’s controlling with him to the draft lottery? ATTABOY NICKY!
Too early to think about the draft. Just 10 games into the season!
Hot take of the day. The Cavs are number one in defending the ball-handler of a pick and roll… How’s that for shocking.
Cut Rose. Cut Calderon. Trade or cut Shump. Trade maybe Cedi and pieces (TT) for George Hill.
Trade 1 of 2 playable big men for another PG? Sweet!
You missed the part where we cut two crappy PGs.
I didn’t miss the part where we cut 1 of 2 big men that are playable.
“Maybe”
I saw George Hill in couple of games, George Hill has regressed. He wouldn’t be of much help.
Bledsoe is a slasher. He is a below average three point shooter for his career. Giannis will likely struggle more in lineups without Brogdon’s spacing. The key for the bucks is having an open lane for him. I would think 4 out lineups would be more beneficial. It could be a defensive upgrade to start Bledsoe over Brogdon, but Giannis may have a tougher time on offense I think because as of right now teams just can’t leave Brogdon space. They can say more with Bledsoe.
Sag
Maybe but three out p/r gonna be deadly
True. Giannis Bledsoe p and r could be problematic for a lot of teams.
Who is Corby? Koby Altman? Someone explain this to me.
Why do I feel that if the Cavs traded Shump for Delly, Shump would be a competent role player again?
Because Cleveland.
Bring. Delly. Home.
100% behind this idea.
He would help the team play tougher that’s for sure
He also is a good fit for Lebron and TT…wish I could say the same for some other PGs…
The Cavs could’ve probably beat the offer with Cedi and their own pick. But did the suns want to take on Shump’s, salary? Maybe Frye plus cedi and a first gets it done. Idk.
George Hill will probably be available in December. That would be a good target.
Hill maybe, but he has been terrible so far….yeah, I know it’s early…
No. He’s been hurt. But he’s shooting the lights out.
What’s his defense like these days? I seem to recall it may have fallen off a bit last year. Of course I am sure he would still be the best defensive guard on this team.
Hasn’t been good with Kings (to be generous), but still small sample, obviously…
#TeamGeorgeHill
So basically we’re f***ed this season, right? I don’t see what options we have to make our team better. Doesn’t look like we’re going to part with that Brooklyn pick. Man, what a waste of what’s left of Lebron’s peak.
Hmm. It’s still waaaay early.
Yeah, a little dramatic.
Guilty as charged. I guess it’s already January. But seriously though, this isn’t looking good, guys.
Not so sure. Check what odds the pros are giving the Cavs to reach the finals. I am pretty sure the Cavs are the only team with LeBron.
Lol the Suns got Greg Monroe.
They traded for bucks #1 pick.
Even more laughable. A lottery protected pick in the East. Solid trade.
He will greatly assist their tanking campaign…prolly going to be them and Kings neck and neck all year…
IN REALITY COULD WE HAVE MATCHED WHAT THE BUCKS GAVE TO THE SUNS ( DON’T INCLUDE THAT BROOKLYN PICK )—??—-MAYBE T.T./ SHUMP AND OUR 1ST ROUND PICK—I DON’T KNOW
TT is way too vital to this team without a single other true big who has the capability to guard switches and bang with centers. James Jones knows what shump is.
TT being capable of guarding anyone right now seems in the air.
True, but I would have to imagine that in the long run he will be better than zizic this season. We also can’t just have two true bigs and would need to replace him with another quality big.
BELIEVE THE ” HANDWRITING ” IS ON THE WALL —EVEN GILBERT REALIZES THIS TEAM ISN’T GOING ANYWHERE THIS SEASON——THAT BROOKLYN PICK OR ANY FUTURE ASSETS ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE —-THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE SQUAD WE ARE GOING TO BE WATCHING ALL SEASON —ALBEIT MAYBE A FEW MINOR PICK UPS / BUY OUTS ETC ——-I AM OK AS LONG AS I DON’T SEE THE CELTICS IN THE FINALS
Withe the Bucks now having 3 point guards, they certainly need another shooting guard , right? Shump for Delly would be great. Although Shump should be called a Dribbling, Erratic Shooting guard.
Shump should be called what he is: “Playmaker”.
He just needs to play his game and be more aggressive…
WAS THAT MOVE TO LURE LEBRON EVEN MORE TO MILWAUKEE—-THAT IS A GOOD YOUNG NUCLEUS—-IF NOTHING ELSE —IF CAVS GO INTO “REBUILD ” MODE I AM “ALL IN ” ROOTING FOR THE BUCKS TO ” FEAR THE DEER INTO THOSE CELTICS
One bright spot, Bledsoe won’t be with Bucks tonight…one less guy who can go off for 25…
The plot thickens:
https://twitter.com/RealGM/status/927930183860047872
Dan Gilbert is like the Trump Administration. He doesn’t believe in science! #SummerOfCorby #ComicSansFranchise
#WinterofCorby #CutRose
https://twitter.com/Ryan_Mourton/status/927923525201137664
Are those all negative numbers or a dash to separate name from number.
Gotta be a dash….Rose is an MVP PG!
Those are negative numbers. Rose would do well in golf!
https://twitter.com/Steve_R_Walker/status/927926945739870208
The Suns just earned an enemy in Corby #WinterOfCorby
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/927927139864842240
Probable for a trade?
https://twitter.com/joevardon/status/927926052957114370
Anthony Davis wants out…I thank Iman for everything he’s done for the Cavs, but this move could be good for both players…
trade him for Lou Deng. Lou Deng will play D.
Deng had a stint in CLE already and he hated it. I doubt he wants anything to do with this organization.
He’s been pretty crappy, too, although better than Shump…
He was upset that his couch wasn’t delivered to Cleveland in time and mad that Gilbert fired Grant after imploding to the Lakers who had 4 guys on the floor.
He isn’t the same defensive player he was in Chicago.
Maybe the Bucks will want to send out Delly to the Cavs now? Delly for Shump?
That would be great.
I’m not convinced the Cavs could have gotten this done with the Suns’ disdain for Rich Paul. Not sure the suns wanted him going here.
Good point!
Paul is the Scott Boras of the NBA. He gets his guys deals because a lot of them are good players, not because he’s some ninja at negotiation. I wouldn’t want to deal with him either.
And the East gets better. The Bucks are looking like the faves out of the East to me.
You be trippin.
Not really. The Cavs, as they are currently assembled, are not a finals teams. Shoot, I would say they don’t get past the first round.
Giannis is only going to get better throughout the season and with Bledsoe, now they have a PG they can lead them.
I see their probability of coming out of the current East higher than anyone else at the moment.
I don’t. Bledsoe doesn’t move the needle enough as a shooter. And Monroe was the centerpiece of their bench lineups (at least till this year) Of course Delly is probably available now.
I don’t either unless when Parker comes back he is minimally the same player or even better. With Parker playing as well or better they could possibly a challenge.
https://twitter.com/joevardon/status/927662221433475073
The Cavs should start the 2018 Brooklyn pick at SG tonight. #WinterOfCorby
LeBron could also be irritated that Corby didn’t trade for Bledsoe:
https://twitter.com/tytsports/status/927749100216360961
They didn’t even have to give up Middleton… Bledsoe, Middleton, Giannis yikes…
Wow. The Cavs were never going to trade for him. They now how 3 legit PG’s.
Sorry, with IT’s health a big question mark (yeah, he’s ‘ahead of schedule’, or whatever…unless it turns out he can’t play, or gets hurt again), this is not a great look for Cavs FO. Not like they’ve had a good look since the end of the season.
Essentially for bucks pick which may not end up as much higher than Cavs.
Bucks vs. Warriors — 2018 Finals.
lol, unless Lebron hurt, I can see him lead Cavs to finals but the road is tough, not easy cruise as before, so won’t be as fresh in finals as was before.
Well, this is disappointing
That is definitely going to help them.
Wow. That should be really good for the Bucks.
Regarding the podcast and the book, I think you have MJ as A1 and LeBron at A2. Hard to pick one over the other if you were starting an NBA team and they were side by side, in their prime. As far as the Cavs, I have no idea how to rectify the issues they are currently having. My coping mechanism is to imagine having IT in play and daydreaming about how he would fit and make the team better. I think it’s possible, at least on the offensive end, but I don’t see how it translates to better defense.… Read more »
I think in regards to LeBron I have a hard time seeing people who don’t put him at least even with MJ. First of all, basketball is a team sport and LeBron has had some pretty putrid teams. Second, when you talk about someone who can do everything on the court, nobody has ever been able to do as many things as he can. He can do everything. I actually read an article today that was pretty interesting. The Cavs rank 10th in opponents fast break points. I figured that number was WAY higher. 20th in midrange shots made (figured… Read more »
I have made my views on Jordan and the competition those championship bulls teams faced known on this blog before. In sum, the 90s bulls never faced teams like the 80s Lakers, Celtics, and 76ers, or the Warriors, the 2007-2008 Celtics, Miami in 2012 and 2013, and possibly the 2014 Spurs. I don’t put the Knicks, Magic, Blazers, Seattle, Utah, Suns, or Houston on that level. The lakers were already a shell of what they were in the 80s. A lot of those teams had a single superstar and another all star, but none of them in my opinion would… Read more »
Jordan faced some pretty good competition.
Whats the line on tonight’s game? Are the Bucks favored?
Looks like Bucks by 4.5-5, depending on who you are looking at…
I’m sorry, make that the Cavs favored by 4.5-5. At least I think that’s right, I’m not a gambler.
I have tickets for tonight’s game and I’m trying to sell them.
LeBron James’ mood!!!
SAW SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF CELTS GAME—–AS OF RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE TO GIVE KUDOS TO KYRIE / STEVENS / CELTS —-THIS IS WHERE I THINK STEVENS HAS A HUGE ADVANTAGE OVER KYRIE—HOW TO MOTIVATE PLAYERS——I WAS THINKING LAST NIGHT – ( I DO THAT ON OCCASSION ) _ WOULDN’T LEBRON TAKE THIS ( CELTS -KY’S SUCCESS AND THE WAY THE CAVS ARE PLAYING ) SOMEWHAT PERSONNEL —-RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE KY WAS RIGHT —I DON’T NEED LEBRON BUT HE AND THE CAVS NEED ME —–THINK LEBRON WOULD DO LIKE HE DID AGAINST THE WIZ EVERYNIGHT_ ( IF THAT IS… Read more »