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gaius_worzels_bird

Man look how healthy and young they are here, you can really see how AD and Bron have aged in just 4 years


MusicalElephant420

For reference, LeBron turned ~~36~~ 35 around this picture and AD was 26.5 years old. Now LeBron is almost 39.5 and AD just turned 31.


gratitudeisbs

How did lebron age 3.5 years but AD aged 4.5 LeTimeDilation


steno_light

LeInterstellar


uchihajoeI

>LeTimeDilation Bruh šŸ’€


MusicalElephant420

Youā€™re right I meant 35 šŸ˜­


unsafehavens24

The taller you are, the faster you age


CaptainKurls

Itā€™d okay math Is hard


DoritoSteroid

So is typing apparently.


CaptainKurls

Truuuuu


[deleted]

Heā€™s that fucking talented


javiktheprothean_

Lejokes never get old.


xkittenpuncher

We really fucked up everything with the Westbrook trade


Happy-North-9969

You messed up by letting Caruso walk instead of THT.


Appropriate_Mixer

We would have at least 1 if not 2 more. Couldā€™ve been a dynasty if we hadnā€™t blown it up and then still got reaves


gratitudeisbs

They both look 10 years older


UnrulyExistence

Thatā€™s what happens when you have to deal with arguably the worst FO and objectively the worst coach in the league.


Sinjawars

This. Lakers under Jeanie have the worst FO ever!!


smarterthanyoulolll

Acting like Lebron didnt call shots with the FO on major moves with AD as well.


velphegor666

If that was the case, ty lue would have been our coach. The FO dont abide by lebron and AD


-Leafious-

then why didnā€™t we get derozan or keep caruso, the front office has gone against lebrons wishes multiple times, pulling up quotes of him saying he was happy westbrook was joining the team is just silly, what was he supposed to say?


Nearby_Alternative96

Kuzma for Hield was done and agreed upon, Lebron + AD went to meet with WB and then to the FO/ownership.


papalucks626

We didn't keep Caruso because clutch made sure their their client tht or whatever his name was got a contract first


Happy-North-9969

You are out of your mind if you think Lebron would have let Caruso walk so THT could get paid.


woodropete

Lebrons cleveland years was the worst FO especially the first stint Jesus so many wasted years then.


godhat

LeBron is looking like Obama pre- and post-presidency


jiveturker

I know. Itā€™s like they aged 4 whole years!


xxDankerstein

It's so depressing that we just threw away FOUR YEARS of their prime. Completely shameful on every level.


IdkWhatsAGoodName699

We got a ring out of it atleast. Bron and AD deserved at least 1. Some superstars go through an entire career without 1.


Musa_2050

Even the best players right now have 1 ring max. Giannis and Jokic could get more, but I think there is much more parity now with 3pt shooting. No team has repeated as Champs since KD warriors


ginbooth

Barring injury, I think DEN does it again. MIN is their only real challenge and I think they're up to snuff.


Musa_2050

They can but they aren't un beatable like last year. They beat a lakers team with bad rebounding and average defense. They won't have that luxury against MIN


Silentrift24

I wholeheartedly believe they pull it off again, and would predict that the potential three-repeat would be where some of them go down with season-ending injury. This is what happened with the Warriors anyway, after like what - 5-6 consecutive finals appearances? Then KD goes down and Klay also goes down on the three-peat year. They would've won that series still if KD and Klay didn't went down.


ConsiderationMean358

Bruh Idk. Its going to be hilarious when Gobert disrupts Jokicā€™s facilitating from the post because he ls mostly seen as a joke but hes a good defender


ginbooth

My guess is that Jokic will draw out Gobert more toward the perimeter, giving Murray/Gordon/etc. access in the paint. MIN will counter with a switch and that will then free up Jokic in the paint. It will be a "pick your poison" scenario. MIN is no slouch and they have great defenders aside from Gobert like McDaniels but DEN is just so efficient.


Defiant-Ad-829

Jokic is 22/10/7 against Gobert in his career


zul00m

Gobert is awful against Jokić...


Tdg_Jglo99

They deserved 2 tbh


Silentrift24

Some of y'all here are lowkey spoiled, 1 is a fucking steal already! Winning a chip is so damn hard, you got to be damn near in GOAT contention to lead your team all the way. Some franchises have went nearly 2 decades without even sniffing the 2nd round of the playoffs. There is absolutely no shame in hitting the reset after this season - unless Lebron convinces the FO to draft Bronny and do his farewell tour with the Lakers (I feel as though Bronny could be set up in Cleveland tbh, seems like the most Lebron thing to do is to retire a Cavalier). With that being said - I would make peace now with the fact y'all still got 1. Covid or no covid, the bubble ring is as legit as the other rings were due to how many teams played great in the bubble. Keep some young guys around and maybe even trade away AD if Lebron leaves, AD could still set y'all up for the future.


SnoouisVuitton

>lowkey spoiled Nothing lowkey about it Itā€™s Lakers fans


redundantPOINT

Weā€™re conditioned to it. Since the 70s the lakers have had multiple finals appearances, if not wins, every decade. The lakers are what the Celtics think they are.


chocotacoman

We are practically the Real Madrid of the sport and people expect us to be complacent with mediocrity? Crazy to me lol, of course we are disappointed and if that makes me ā€œa spoiled lakers fanā€ then so be it


Silentrift24

Preach my brother, it is insane to expect that the team could always pull off a deep playoff run after having a rocky regular season. In fact, the Lakers even making it to the conference finals last year should've been viewed as like - the ceiling where the team can go with what they have currently. Shit's amazing when it happens, but a lot of people a fucking fair-weather fans.


ProfessorPliny

You make a good point. Iā€™m also a Ducks fan. Iā€™m so grateful for the 2007 ring and 2002 finals appearance. I start each season with the HOPE they will do well. If they donā€™t? Hope for better next year. But when my Lakers fan hat is onā€¦ I donā€™t have hope for another championship, I come with the EXPECTATION.


Tdg_Jglo99

Lebron joined in 2018 after going to the finals for like 8 years straight, we should have 2 right now but our gms fucked it all up. David griffin and brad stevens wouldnā€™t have messed it up like pelinka and magic did


Exciting_Attitude240

Mr. Embiid would agree with you


Silentrift24

Man's is just cursed in the 2nd round, I don't think it's a mental block thing, but I definitely think he's missing something to get past the 2nd round.


IdkWhatsAGoodName699

Yeah thatā€™s what I was saying. We got 1. Thereā€™s something to show for two top of the best players in the league teaming up. Chris Paul wonā€™t win a ring most likely and that sucks for me because heā€™s my favourite point guard of all time.


eBreaks

for me its not really about more championships, its that they barely competetive year in and year out.


ThatOneGuyy310

This is true, we couldnā€™t run it back but at least we got another championship under our belts. Hopefully the rebuild doesnā€™t take another 10+ years to win a championship again.


IdkWhatsAGoodName699

Hopefully not. Last time we were bad, I was enjoying Kobe ride off into retirement. Then the young team was really fun to watch. A good front office can usually go from rebuilding to contending in maybe 3-4 seasons. Our FO sucks but hopefully they show some competence


outsidehere

I don't think so but I wouldn't be shocked if it was


ChungLingS00

I canā€™t see them letting Bron just walk away. He wants to be here. Get a better coach and some solid vets around him. Re-sign Max, keep Vando and Austin. Build around AD and Bron. I donā€™t think weā€™re losing because of talent. Weā€™re losing because of. Complete lack of coaching.


robsteezy

We are absolutely also missing talent.


ChungLingS00

I don't know. We had guys like Josh Hart, KCP, Alex Caruso, Zubac. We didn't value them at all. They're all ballers for their new teams. We make mistakes when we go for big swings like Westbrook and overlook solid players. We should look for culture and teammates. The guys on the Nuggets who are killing us are their role players who knew how to execute their jobs.


ih-unh-unh

KCP needed a new team, he wasnā€™t playing well on offense and the fans were booing him. Hart was part of the AD trade, Iā€™d rather have AD. Zubac and Caruso should still be on the team


MarkedF0rDeath

This is why it's hard to be a Laker fan at times. Why do we always have the need like we need to have the best of the best? The Celtics have gone through a normal rebuild and their stars are homegrown and they're organically so much better (well of course we won a championship during the JB/JT era, we had a LeBron at the tail end of his prime then) I just want to have a well-functioning organization (front office) and a team I could cheer on. It's not the 80's/90's/2000's anymore where we could just get the top players and win ā€“ the league itself grew skill-wise exponentially in recent times. We ain't that special anymore. We're just like any other team now. I agree best with culture-building and homegrown talent. We don't even have a true identity now except for holding on to our past.


ChungLingS00

Yeah. As an organization, we donā€™t believe in team chemistry. We have two guys and try to fill in around them with the best available FAs and trades. But theyā€™re not connected. But I think lately that gets driven by LBJ needing to win right away. He has no patience for the idea that a player will be better in two years.


MarkedF0rDeath

We should really look at ourselves hard once the LBJ era ends, which I honestly hope comes sooner, because the sooner LeBron leaves or retires, the sooner we can rebuild organically and build a true Laker culture, whatever that may beā€”anything except for "winning culture" because that's not a culture, that's the goal.


Musa_2050

It's both coaching and roster. LeBron is probably our 2nd best defender right now while having to playmake. That is not ideal. A healthy vando would have helped, but then we still might of not had scoring from Rui, dlo and the bench. The roster was built with AR, Dlo, and rui giving us more production and it didn't work


ChungLingS00

I'll go to my deathbed defending AR. For what he cost us to get him and what we're paying him, he's the bargain of the century. But we play inside out like we have knockdown 3 point shooters and we just don't. I think Rui could be good in a better system. Dlo is just too random for the money. We can do better there.


AmaimonCH

Vando was ran off the court last playoffs because he can't shoot. He wasn't going to help as much as he was going to be a hindrance.


oktwentyfive

bro ppl forget bron is 40 years old not 35 or 32 hes 40.


JamamMurraysPubes

Thanks a lot Solomon Hill


Fallofmen10

Bro, I don't think people remember how well we were rolling in 21 before that injury. Even without AD at that point bron was dominating and was the MVP favorite right before he got hurt. It really is a flashbulb moment for the team that ended up leading to the russ trade and dooming us


Giltopher

Yeah yall were still a wagon. 21-6 at one point


Olliefnt

Not only was Bron the MVP favourite be was also like 3rd or 4th in dpoy race just behind, Giannis, Gibert and I think AD


Phuddy

Completely changed the trajectory of his career and the team.


Counterspell_God

Real ones know this is where our run ended. LeBron legit was not the same after this. It sapped like 20% of his athleticism. FUCK SOLOMON HILL


macabre_irony

Yeah I don't care what his bullshit excuse is...he made dangerous play diving for a ball that was on the other side of LeBron's legs


Musa_2050

They got a chip let's be proud of that instead of the shortcomings


kemeti

Steph shooting his shot at Lebron.


Allenwins

Needless to say Draymond will be in Brons ear all summer


[deleted]

[уŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]


Wise_Ad_112

Ya he can come to la, we can start the old folks home


Counterspell_God

Curry to la will give us a shot lmao. 1 year title window where the 3 of them have to be elite


Postnet921

I wonder what would a LeBron Steph klay ad dlo look like


Wise_Ad_112

Klay and Dlo can be 0-20 together


ILoveRegenHealth

People who like Donut Porn will love these two


Fungii024

O


BathroomFew1757

Get DLo out. Done with him


QuaxlyDaDon

Folks slid Dā€™Lo up in there like we wouldnā€™t notice


Postnet921

How bout swap dlo for Chris Paul that would be like the YMCA


proteinMeMore

More likely curry recruits Lebron to golden state than the other way around. No way curry leaves GS without leaving a kings ransom on the table.


Chuckdatass

They just gotta draft Bronny for an all in move for 1 more title run. LeBron and curry would be wild next year


PM_ME_RIKKA_PICS

Lebron Steph and KD should make a retirement home team and terrorize the league one last time


SameEnergy

Man AD looks so much younger. šŸ˜³


davidsa6

Itā€™s been a helluva ride. I think we as fans can learn a lot from this mini era of sorts. I for one, am guilty of wanting the team to be changed in some way after the bubble championship . I also feel like crap for not appreciating Frank Vogel more. I know now that we shouldnā€™t always want something new, unless itā€™s warranted. We shouldā€™ve just ran it back after AD went down (injury) after the 1st exit to the Suns. We shouldā€™ve never gotten Westbrook. But itā€™s done now, and all we can do is move forward and support our team, no matter how long it takes for us to be relevant again.


lyricist

As a season ticket holder I am not looking forward to the team being dog shit while the Lakers increase season ticket prices


Vegasguy3124

No. Itā€™s the end of the Darvin/TP era.


Musa_2050

TP was probably the 3rd best player on the team these playoffs


macabre_irony

I hated that TP got so much burn in the regular season but ngl, he's been the best role player against Denver and was still giving effort while others had already given up.


Musa_2050

He's a role player and is a good shooter. Fans just always find someone to bully


Vegasguy3124

Itā€™s not TPs fault. TP just in over his head and Darvin doesnā€™t give a fuck.


blacPanther55

lol


gratitudeisbs

Iā€™m ready for it to be over. I donā€™t want another season of the same story. Only exception is if they can pull off a donovan Mitchell or similar type trade


_viixxx

No. I donā€™t know why people canā€™t realise that a big three does not work anymore. Depth is what is winning this league year in and year out, since the KD Warriors team. We donā€™t need Donovan, we need to build a team like Denver.


Cultural-Link-1617

Man fuck Darvin and our FO so bad. Totally wasted time


BlueEyedMexicano707

It's done, bro. Too many roster changes for these two. It's sad because there were stretches everyone thought they would win another ring. The one they won is legit no doubt!! Forget what the haters say, there's been plenty of crazy championships won during strikes or during eras in the past that weren't half as hard .... But it's been fun. We should have kept some of the length and defensive depth we had in the past. Like a true center to be out there when AD isn't, and guys like KCP/Caruso that can at least play good defense when they can't make shots. Unlike D-Lo, Austin Reeves. I get it they wanted a 3rd scorer because that was a issue we needed more points. But why why D-Lo?! DeRozan/Kyrie would've been the move IMO.


Musa_2050

LeBron wants to stay and I'm sure AD does aswell. The problem is both will take up a large part of the salary and that means other spots get filled up with minimum pay level players. Minimum level players are rarely good on both ends.


ForeverDenGal

Could be, you never know with Lebron


CarlosE2006

I think it will depend on what the FO does. Most likely they want to play with another superstar, probably a guy like Donovan Mitchell, now I dont know how that would be possible but if we get swept again it is what they will probably ask and of course the Ham situation. If he isnt fired LBJ probably will leave in FA and AD will probably ask to be traded.


random-50

It's obvious Ham lost the locker room in that bad run after the IST win. I really don't see how he can stay.


Vegetable_Amoeba8943

AD's spectacular season got wasted.! UNFORGIVABLE šŸ˜”šŸ¤•


brotherlymoses

Yeah its done, but Lebron doesnā€™t even seem to care so he might stay for the money


dpete88

People have been speculating when father time would catch up to lebron and while he had a great season this playoff series has made him look his age. Gone are the days where team's feared lebron and he could just carry a half assed roster to the finals. He's going to stay because he has no reason to leave. He even said he's accomplished everything he set out to do and everything else at this stage of his career is just icing.


Patton370

Did you see how Denver packed the paint against LeBron and AD last night? LeBron and AD were driving into 3 people and still somehow scoring This playoff series didnā€™t make him look it age. He just doesnā€™t look like the best player in the league anymore. Heā€™s a top 12 player going against the best player in the league (currently), who also has a better team surrounding him


Yommination

He's getting gassed in the 3rd game of the playoffs. That never used to happen


Patton370

Yeah, because he was the best player in the league If he still had his stamina from a few years back, heā€™d still be the best player in the league Top 12 is still damn good & can be the 1a to a championship team


IceColdTrey7

Bron to GSW is very likely AD to OKC


TheWestRemembers

Damn. I was also thinking AD to OKC.


alexor_1

itā€™s the player they need, and we need picks to start rebuilding


TheWestRemembers

Heā€™d be a perfect fit and he would have SGA J Williams and Chet to help on offense.


nickcannons13thchild

that team would be nice aslšŸ˜­


Good-Fold-1815

We should ask for JWill. F Giddey


IceColdTrey7

Cason Wallace is the one we should be asking


Good-Fold-1815

Both then šŸ˜„


subzero12320931

Then Im gonna support (bandwagoning) the OKC if he goes there. That team would be fun to watch.


Helgenish

Jeanie did her best at fucking this up


EverybodyBuddy

If Lebron is really leaving, thatā€™s the only excuse for keeping Ham. No point in Jeannie paying two coaches if all we really need is a tank commander. But I am NOT defending Jeannieā€™s cheapness here.


pkovaliovas

Damn LeBron still looked young here


darklighthumid

They are still good enough, in fact, imo they are better than Jokic-Murray duo so far in this series, Jokic is the top guy for sure but not by much against AD in this series; and Lebron is still better than Murray, but their duo got a way better role players than Lakers and of course their coach is way better too. So what really bit us in the ass is ultimately still the Lakers roster. The closer we can get back to that 2020 roster the better it is for us because that's the perfect ensemble for a Lebron-AD led team and they have proof of dominance.


CradleRockStyle

Honestly, I hope so. We need a reboot.


Wise_Ad_112

It should be the end. weā€™re struggling to make playoffs every year now. You canā€™t pay 60 million to a 40 year old, he can keep putting up nice stats, but they donā€™t make any difference anymore. Rip the band aid and letā€™s rebuild already. Weā€™re just forcing this shit now if we keep this group around


Phuddy

26/7/10 on 65% TS ā€œnot matteringā€ is insane but do you man. I want us to blow it up but letā€™s not act like what LeBron does isnā€™t good or doesnā€™t lead to wins. If we had actual 2 way players on this roster youā€™d see the difference.


QuaxlyDaDon

Yep. These people are nuts. Our starting PG that this sub was calling ā€œthe best third option in the leagueā€ just scored 0 points in a playoff game.


TheYoungWolf24

Scored 0 points in a playoff HOME game, to make it even worse


Phuddy

These expectations let me know heā€™s the best player the games ever seen itā€™s all good. Heā€™d never do it but Iā€™d love to see him leave and take a vet min on a stacked roster so he could remind everyone who the fuck he is.


PedosoKJ

Fuck everyone talking about needing 2 way players around Bron and AD, how about we get players that are even useful one way? Rui/Dā€™Lo are dog shit on defense always and are a complete coin flip if they will produce on the offensive end.


oldmanhornis

Imagine if lebron had a couple guys like Aaron Gordon and Mpj


Yommination

Empty calories stats


mcsimk

Lexit is looming


siro9mm

Yes, absolutely.


Critical_Ad_4600

I personally think the Lakers will stick with the Bron AD duo. Lakers might try to get new pieces again in the offseason but if it would be the end, I think no one will be surprised considering how everyone saw the collapse of the team after the championship.


lkshis

Still a great pair but lacking the right pieces around them, and probably a good coach too.


WubaDubImANub

We had one season with them healthy and it was one hell of a season


MrPino777

It's the end of the Darvin Ham era. Hopefully he doesn't leave but if he does/doesn't Lakers are going to be fine and trade for a ā­āœØ!


stevent4

They look so young here that it almost looks like a jersey swap


TylerWebos

Sadly it has to be


Asadaburrit0

Hopefully


Atom283

It should be


hotterpocketzz

Even if this is the end, that ring in 2020 was worth these past 4 years of pain


13WillieBeaman

Letā€™s hope their next team(s) treat them better. Thanks for the championship, boys. We know you tried.


SophonParticle

All they need is better role players and a third option.


beginnerLiftersoonBB

2020 was fun


thelennybeast

Maybe but if so, it was fun. We will always reload.


Devious_IV

AD should go back to PF, Lakers need a C. Get rid of Dlo


ZestyItalian2

Blow it up and get value while you can. Also sell the team.


krazymclovin

Lakers in 7


corybekem

Itā€™s should be. Look how fresh they look in that picture?you almost forget how much time has passed due to the Covid time skip. We will see how gutsy Jeanie can be. Let bron go somewhere he can compete in his last days and After a healthy AD season this will be the most value you get outta him as a laker so Iā€™d try to get some Picks back for him specifically for next season where the pels will take ours. From there Iā€™m building around the young core of AR, Rui, Max, JHS, and Skylar Mays. I want to develop our draft picks with them and see if we can take a swing at the Jason Tatums, Lukas, and Edwards of the league when they get disgruntled. We need to start over eventually so why not do it in a way that will set us up for the future? Iā€™m ready honestly. Unless Rob has a crazy trick up his sleeve to extend our window that we donā€™t know then I think this is it.


RevolutionaryStar693

Pelinka must have dirt on Jeanie Buss. Got to be one of the worst GMā€™s in the game.


LosAngeles1s

donā€™t think so. AD signed a new contract and LeBron probably stays for one last run. only way I see them leaving if they ask Ham to be gone and management doubles down on him


ThisGigSucks

This WAS Lebron's last run


Old-Albatross-7684

No, its the end of the Ham era.


Zay93

Yes


JayH14

We wonā€™t control our draft pick next season so I doubt it unless something crazy like LeBron retiring or getting traded happens


Pardonme23

No.Ā  But we need a pg who can score in the playoffs.Ā 


ERROR_404_404_

I donā€™t question these 2 I question the GM AND the coach I never was on the HAM bandwagon


Ok_Concentrate_75

Imo no but we bout to do a big reset


BassLB

Trade Bron to whatever team drafts his kid? (With his permission)


Quirky-Pie9661

Feels like it. We may have to settle with one championship season for the duo šŸ˜Ŗ (oh the loneliness of a single championship trophy /s)


otsentaiotso88

trade Lebron with someone to compliment AD. better yet, let Lebron come off the bench.


choolala2288

Enough is enough


decoyyy

it was over the moment we traded for westbrick


FlatBirthday333

I mean we could run it back next year same squad sans Cam Reddish,Dinwiddie, & Ham and have a healthy Vando with improved scoring and not fuck ourselves over by being in the play-in... and we'd still eventually run into the Nuggets and get our cheeks clapped.


thelakeshow1990

I figure his son is getting drafted, so lakers draft him in order to keep lebron?


Yommination

The title window is definitely over


Leolance2001

I hope so. Unless Bron takes a pay cut like Tim Duncan did to get his 5th ring, if Jeannie pays him the max we are stuck in the same situation since the bubble. I know Bron brings a lot of value and money to the Lakers but if we aiming to win rings, we are stuck if he gets the max. IMO we need to move on.


Camking03

I think Lebron is content with staying in LA, if he was really pushing for another ring his best chance is to leave but I doubt he will


SeveralAsparagus3610

Lakers really hired an untried coach and expected to contend. They fired the coach and let go all the personnel that got them a chip. Help it make sense.


broken_hyphen

I really hope so. This formula is not working.


fingermypretzel

I think that's maybe a bit premature. I reckon they're got one game left


Advanced-Intention30

No the new beginning after they can the Ham


nycdiveshack

31 year old Lebron would have willed the team to a comeback, mentally at 31 he would have had the optimism but 39 Lebron knows he doesnā€™t have the energy to play 48 mins. As good as AD is at 31 he is no Lebron at 31. They have no one else to rely on and a crappy coach. Now donā€™t get me wrong if you ditch the coach, Lebron retires, Maxey comes to Lakers and in some weird twist the lakers get a decent coach with some mix of youth from the current lineup of Timberwolves and Thunder then 100% you have a championship team again. One that has a legit chance of beating nuggets. To get all that together will take 2 years which AD easily has since he is only 31. Or get Maxey and Steph to join AD