Why does LeBron and AD continue to get a pass?

[RashardA]

I've been a diehard Lakers fan for 35+ years.

I'm old enough to have witnessed multiple superstar, all-time great dynamic duos in the purple and gold.

Magic and Kareem, Kobe and Shaq, Kobe and Pau.

Magic and Kareem won 5 titles when they were the faces of the franchise.

Even when they weren't winning titles, they were almost always in contention.

In the playoffs, or in the finals.

Same for Shaq and Kobe.

They brought 3 STRAIGHT titles to LA.

Even when they didn't win the title, they were winning 50/60 + games every season.

Always in the playoffs or in the finals.

Infact, I'm pretty sure Shaq never missed the playoffs while in a Lakers uniform.

Fast forward to Kobe and Pau.

3 straight finals appearances and they won back to back.

Pau was traded to the Lakers in 2008 and the Lakers won the division in '08,'09,'10,'11'12.

If memory serves me correct, the Lakers never missed the playoffs while Pau was in a Lakers uniform.

That brings me to LeBron and AD.

Yes, they did win a championship.

However, you are lying to yourself if you say that championship is not as respected due to the circumstances in which they won it.

Outside of the pandemic season, the Lakers have CONSISTENTLY been a losing team.

Two of the worst Lakers seasons ever ( in relation to expectations) have come on AD's and LeBron's watch.

That's last season and this season.

Why are they not being called out on this?

Why are excuses always made for them?

Why is the greatest franchise in the history of the game tolerating so much losing?

It's not just about the supporting cast.

YOU ARE WHO YOUR BEST PLAYERS ARE.

And more often than not, we are a LOSING TEAM.

What does that tell you?

I could not imagine this amount of consistent losing being tolerated or accepted during any other era when the Lakers had multiple superstars on the roster.
_________________
Everyting negative - pressure, challenges - is all an opportunity for me to rise.
-Kobe Bryant

[governator]

Because we already went all in. At least we broke even with the chip, blowing it up might not get us adequate assets back. It is what it is, try to squeeze one more run, somehow

[ocho]

[ArminNBA]

We've forgiven LeBron and LeBron/AD for missing the playoffs in 2019 and 2022 because of the roster and injury circumstances. But I don't think fans will be as forgiving if the Lakers miss the playoffs in 2023.

[activeverb]

[RusselDoeee01]

Because its much easier for people to just blame Pelinka, even tho 99% of what has happened is because of AD/Bron and their wants and needs.

I understand they are injured but that doesnt change the fact they are taking up all our cap space, and not performing..

Bron doesnt care about basketball anymore, and ADs body is failing him.. It sucks, but thats the reality..

The sooner we accept this, the better we will be.

Again, 90% of the fan base will stilll ride and did for AD and Bron and keep making excuses for them

[KindCrippler2000]

I think the media covers for them more than anything. General perception is that Lebron has no help and that the team sucks without him, which just isn't true. No team will survive without their star players, unless you are an analytically sound Celtics team run by Brad Stevens. Long before media social media existed, we'd get on Shaq for missing games and getting surgery on "company time", and the media was in lockstep with the high expectations for the team. That level of laziness from Shaq percolated into the 03 playoffs, which led to the Lakers being spanked by the Spurs. It was monumental when the Spurs prevented a 4 peat.

[Brawn13]

If you’re holding it against them that they can’t stay healthy…fine they don’t get a pass. But you’re acting like they don’t produce like top 10 players when healthy.

They’re not available as often as we’d want them to be which is a BIG problem. But it’s not like they’re healthy and just stinking up the joint.

Knock them for their availability…that’s one of the main reasons we suck.

[Halflife]

Bron isnt going anywhere by choice and we wont trade him. AD should have been moved in the off season. His value will never be what we paid but for us it was worth it for the bubble chip.

get draft capital and a solid player in return.
_________________
Kobe.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Clw9scopegx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[Hanging from Rafters]

[RashardA]

[activeverb]

[troy]

Lebron has done his job. If anyone, AD is the one who has not been consistent. He may play well 1 or 2 games, and then he play soft and ineffective for a few games. And if he's not doing the aforementioned, it's because he's hurt.

[Ksig]

I think they get a pass for two reasons (well 3 if you count Pelinka)

1. They won a chip. If they didnt woo boy I can only imagine the negative attention that they would get being in LA.

2. There have been a lot of superstar duo failures the past couple years that have taken the heat off of them. If Kawhi/PG or if KD/Kyrie were winning it would put the spotlight on Lebron/AD. But both of those failures were even bigger than ours AND none of them won a chip so its kind of lowered the bar in a sense.

[LakerSD]

They shouldn’t get a pass.

You want the 2 star model? Your 2 stars have to be available.

And I would say the same about Kawhi/PG and Kyrie/KD too.

[BadGuy]

[RashardA]

[troy]

Lebron gets a pass because he's old, and yet still the best player on this Lakers team, by far. I don't fault him for injuries because he's high impact whenever he's on the court.

I give NO pass for Mr. Anthony Marshon Davis Jr. He's a highly talented player that is physically and mentally fragile and cannot be relied upon. That said, he's a solid 2nd option. His ills only become noticeable when he's called on to be a primary option. The other issue with Davis is that his peers tend to out play him (Joker, Greek, Joel, Kat). Even 2nd tier bigs are starting to outplay him (Randle, Bam, Sebonis, Ayton).

So, what's to do with AD? He gives you the good numbers, but he falters during "Winning time". Maybe pair him with an alpha (Kyrie, post Lebron era) and some decent role players?

[RI Laker]

Lebron would be better if he realized that he should not be a 3 point chucker, if he got back on D, and if he didn't eat the shot clock up. I have enjoyed the ball movement while he has been out TBH. He is still our best player, but unfortunately that means little.

[activeverb]

Lebron and AD are routinely criticized on this board. People are routinely frustrated with their injuries and performance.

My sense is the only people who think they get "a pass" are their most extreme critics who want to roast them 24-7.

There are a small group of people on LG for whom Lebron and AD can do no right, and a small group for whom they can do no wrong. Those two groups seem to constantly be having strawman arguments with one another.

[Halflife]

Bron is making 50 mil next season. No one will say anything but anyone else will be crucified. Bron has gotten a pass since year 1 when he led us the lottery.


Ride this wave as long as we can this season and then move AD.

Btw- you can bet if we had a 4 month break starting now we would probably have a better chance when playoffs started.

No straw man here.
_________________
Kobe.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Clw9scopegx/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

[venturalakersfan]

A pass on what? Lebron is old, AD is an injury prone second banana, that is what we signed up for. Their window was 1.5-2 years and they got a Mickey Mouse trophy out of it. I haven’t expected them to be in the running for a trophy the past couple of seasons so they haven’t disappointed me. They sell tickets and the organization makes money so ownership is happy. I won’t criticize the pair because they are giving pretty much what I expect.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[Halflife]

[venturalakersfan]

First of all I am paying $0 for Lebron, what him and the FO work out between them is their business. I was happy when he came here but assumed that we might get 2-3 top post-prime years from him and we have. I don’t expect a 38 yo player to be a top 10 player in the league, it is a young man’s game. I would like to see the team win more but expected around 38 wins this season and that is still doable.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[BILBJH]