FanPost

LeBron, Teamwork and Winning in the Era of Superstar Empowerment

The era of "player empowerment" is a misnomer, as it is actually the era of "superstar empowerment." Superstars have inordinate leverage compared to the owners & FOs. An even wider gap separates superstars fr their role player teammates. If Daniel House had been Anthony Davis, do you really think there would have been a strict interpretation of the bubble rules by the league? The Rockets and 80% of fans are probably unconvinced.

The rather hollow nature of the supermax is revealing some of what is wrong w/the current league. Teams can offer massive contracts but not better odds of winning. Superstars are not slaves to the cash. Glory sits squarely alongside financial considerations. All of this raises far more fundamental questions abt team-building, roster continuity & the relationship btwn superstars and their role player teammates.

Let’s start by straying into somewhat controversial territory. I don’t think there’s much of a GOAT debate. Bill Russell’s 11 championships in 13 yrs sounds too good to be true; they were certainly won in a very different league & postseason. The talent pool of the NBA was limited then. In 1961 the Celtics had a bye in the semis & so won a ring after winning a mere two playoff series. Russell tallied 165 playoff games over 13 seasons; his highest single-season total was 19 games in 1968. Almost twenty yrs ago the league switched the 1st rd fr best of 5 to best of 7. The WC bubble & playoffs have been the equivalent of a wind tunnel inside a cage match. It is only a little better during a normal season. One of the Suns most iconic playoff victories was in 1990, a 4-1 drubbing of the Lakers in the WCF semis. The Lakers had played the equivalent of full seasons worth of playoff games since the early 1980s, so fatigue surely factored into the loss. Perhaps MJ’s strongest case for GOAT is that in his prime he participated in only a handful of G7s, and never in the Finals. Bron’s case will be dramatically boosted if he adds a 4th title. The cohesiveness of the squad is a prominent feature. Kuzma has previously been terrible on defense, but no longer. Bron has become a transcendent passer, delivering laser assists. Between the downhill running, jumping and mid-air body control, it’s like watching basketball merge with football, gymnastics and a circus act.

So why do I think Bron can barely hope to catch MJ? It has little to do w/total # of titles & more to do w/how each treated teammates. The NBA’s nonstop marketing blitz of its superstars continually undermines the importance of the team element in the game. "What if Curry doesn’t race down the court in G7 & try to outdo Irving?" It’s a great question. However, there are hundreds of earlier sequences that also contributed to the ‘16 series outcome. It’s why twice three-peating is another peacock feather in MJ’s cap. Those teams found a groove & personal comfort level w/each other that is extraordinarily rare in sports. The only team since then that has come close to matching the Bulls’ level of cohesiveness is the Warriors. And it should not surprise b/c Kerr openly modeled so much of Phil Jackson’s operation.

Where has LeBron been deficient? Superstar players need a healthy ego, yet Bron has often slid towards megalomania. He tattooed "Chosen One" on his back. He declared himself the GOAT. He has manipulated rosters, angering numerous teammates while also driving away others who might have joined him. It’s still not appreciated just how much Bosh & KLove sacrificed to play alongside Bron. Irving’s trade request blindsided Bron b/c he either was ignorant of his co-superstar’s unhappiness or thought it was the harmless kvetching of a younger brother acting out. All of the passive aggressive behavior limited the ceiling of his Cavs teams. In ‘18 Bron said prior to the trade deadline as he was finagling for help fr Griffin that his squad was "top-heavy as f***." How else are role player teammates supposed to interpret those comments? "We are the chicken legs on this fat bird." By being so relentlessly ball-dominant, especially in close games, doesn’t Bron bear some blame for the underwhelming play of many playmaking teammates? Finally, Bron and the Cavs also made roster errors, paying big $ to TT, a player more helpful in making the Finals than matching up against the most likely nemesis, the Warriors. Teamwork has often been a talking pt for Bron, scaffolding that beautifies the facade but will be removed for public viewing.

To his credit, recent behavior w/this Lakers squad has involved greater care & sensitivity. Perhaps as he sees his own career end come into view he can sympathize w/less talented teammates trying to earn the next contract and keep up with his pace. Maybe it’s the relaxed smile of a man who has already shipped out the perceived weak links. After all, the previous Lakers season revolved around major chemistry problems—were the young players going to be traded for AD? Was it even a true rebuild? Did Bron respect the coach? Kuzma can only now relax and focus on the game, not whether Bron wants him gone.

And yet Bron has an outsized and somewhat insecure ego, as seen by his most recent comments on being "pissed" abt Giannis winning MVP. His comments disparaging a B2B MVP seem driven by jealousy. I wholeheartedly agree with Barkley, who slammed Bron for ignoring the impact of having AD as his sidekick, something Giannis lacked. Even participating in these debates seems petty and below a self-proclaimed GOAT. Is he trying to gain an advantage over Giannis in the future?

Anyone who followed MJ or watched The Last Dance should key in on the turning point in his career: the aftermath of the ‘90 ECF loss to the Pistons. The last two losses were by 14 (G5) and 19 (G7) pts! This was the last season before the first Bulls three-peat. His personal talent was undeniable. And so the team shortcomings were all the more glaring. MJ had no choice but to listen to Phil and become more of a facilitator and supportive teammate. He was at his personal breaking point.

Bron has never had a breaking point b/c he will simply depart for another challenge. His breaking point arguably came after losing in ‘18 and seeing KD earn B2B Finals MVPs. MJ was wily and learned to play some of the FO game indirectly. Bron has played the ultimate FO hardball since ‘10, leaving GMs and owners fawning over a greatness and money-making machine that they do not want to squander or piss off into leaving. Bron bets on himself—always. His conditioning and intelligence is his leverage over inferior competition on and off the court. It all leaves him isolated and pretty reliant on his inner circle.

A massive irony awaits if Bron meets the Heat in the ‘20 Finals: the player who won not one but two rings (and also lost not one but two rings) in Miami had decided by ‘14 that he could no longer trust Riley to sustain a winner. Riley right now is motivated by that snub as much as anything. It’s why they were so ecstatic to snag Jimmy Butler, a very Bron-like wing, last summer.

Bron’s career arc is quite fixed and even a fourth ring would fit the contours of his current legacy. After that victory would be when everything gets much more complicated. Players like Kawhi, Embiid, Lowry and Book in FA should consider their attitude and gratitude towards all teammates, not just the stars and superstars.