LeBron (trade) to SAS...

[3ball]

(all of Lebron's teammates had higher TS% alongside him, and Mo Williams was an all-star alongside Lebron)

The bolded is true - Lebron's teammates normally have higher efficiency alongside Lebron.. But that's because Lebron significantly lowers his teammates' APG, while increasing their assisted rate, [COLOR="blue"]proving he turns them from play-makers into play-finishers.. Play-finishers have higher efficiency[/COLOR], but don't have the capacity to play as well at the highest levels of competition (Finals)..

Ultimately, Lebron's ball-dominance turns teammates from lower efficiency play-makers that add deeper dimensions to the team, into higher efficiency play-finishers that make the team more solvable.. Lebron's easily solvable ball-dominance is why his teams lost 3 straight games to finish out each of his 4 Finals losses.. The opponent quickly figured out his team's rudimentary approach, and proceeded to destroy him, with no counter-adjustment possible out of the rigid, basic Lebron-ball.

Furthermore, Lebron-ball's effect of lowering teammates' assists and playmaking (turning teammates from playmakers into play-finishers) prevents the kind of equal-opportunity offenses that the the Mavs, Spurs, Warriors, and 90's Bulls used, where all five guys SHARE the playmaking duties more equally.. But in Lebron's case, since his monopolization of the playmaking prevents the best brand of basketball, various equal or less-talented teams have pulled upsets by playing a better brand of basketball (2009, 2011, 2014)..

Cav's before LeBron: Lottery
Cav's with LeBron: [COLOR="Red"]Underachievers - repeatedly lost as 1 seed[/COLOR]
Cav's after losing [COLOR="Red"]LeBron, Zydrunas, Shaq, Delonte, Varejao, Mo Williams[/COLOR] : Lottery

Fixed

Heat before LeBron ('09-'10): 1st round exit
Heat with LeBron: 4 straight Finals and 2 rings
Heat after LeBron: Lottery

In 2014, the Heat's 53-win record proved they would've barely made the playoffs if they were in the West, while their world-record Finals loss confirmed they were a 1st or 2nd Western Conference team at best.

This is completely legitimate - the Heat were not a very good team in 2014 - only a 1st or 2nd Round Western Conference team.. Falling from 1st Round Western Conference team to lottery is barely any drop-off at all, especially since Wade/Bosh were hurt much of the year.

[COLOR="black"]Possessions per assist:[/COLOR]


2010 Miami Heat - 4.75
2009 Miami Heat - 4.41
2008 Miami Heat - 4.50

2014 Heat: 4.05
2013 Heat: 3.94
2012 Heat: 4.56
2011 Heat: 4.55

[COLOR="Green"]Avg. with LeBron:[/COLOR] [COLOR="Green"]4.27[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Green"]Without LeBron:[/COLOR] [COLOR="Green"]4.55[/COLOR]
____________________
0.28 improvement with Lebron



2011 Cavaliers - 4.43
2012 Cavaliers - 4.61
2013 Cavaliers - 4.47
2014 Cavaliers - 4.41

2010 Cavs: 4.08
2009 Cavs: 4.37
2008 Cavs: 4.51
2007 Cavs: 4.37
2006 Cavs: 4.72

[COLOR="Green"]With LeBron:[/COLOR] [COLOR="Green"]4.41[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Green"]Without LeBron:[/COLOR] [COLOR="Green"]4.48[/COLOR]
___________________
0.07 improvement with Lebron

1998 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.74[/COLOR]
1997 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.45[/COLOR]
1996 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.67[/COLOR]
1993 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.56[/COLOR]
1992 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.40[/COLOR]
1991 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.54[/COLOR]
1990 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.65[/COLOR]
1989 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.59[/COLOR]
1988 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.65[/COLOR]
1987 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.67[/COLOR]
1985 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.09[/COLOR]
____________________
1984 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.91[/COLOR]
1983 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.18[/COLOR]
1982 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.98[/COLOR]
1981 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.28[/COLOR]
1980 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.89[/COLOR]
1979 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.88[/COLOR]
1978 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]3.93[/COLOR]
1977 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.12[/COLOR]
1976 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.82[/COLOR]
1975 Bulls: [COLOR="Blue"]4.45[/COLOR]

[COLOR="Blue"]With MJ:[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]3.64[/COLOR]
[COLOR="Blue"]Without MJ:[/COLOR] [COLOR="blue"]4.14[/COLOR]
___________________
0.50 improvement with MJ - MJ improved Bulls' assist frequency more


Source: basketball-reference.com


Remember, starting fives normally have only 1 ball-dominant, low-assisted player that teammates rarely throw assists to - the point guard.. But Lebron's point guard style from the forward position adds a 2nd low-assisted player that teammates can't throw assists to - he turns a normally high assisted forward position into a low assisted one, which lowers the assist capacity of the team relative to other teams whose forwards are highly-assisted.. Not surprisingly, Lebron's presence as an additional, low-assisted player didn't materially improve the assist frequency of his Heat and Cavs teams.. Otoh, MJ was a highly-assisted, off-ball player, so his presence significantly increased the assist frequency of his teams, as the data above shows.

No wonder MJ's role players never underperformed - his relentless off-ball game made it easier for teammates to playmake.

LeBron led offenses:

'09 - 4
'10 - 6
'11 - 3
'12 - 8
'13 - 5
'14 - 2
'15 - 3

Jordan-led offenses:

'90 - 5
'91 - 1
'92 - 1
'93 - 2
'96 - 1
'97 - 1


The fact that Lebron usually leads a top 5 offense is not noteworthy.. Nash, Kevin Johnson, Karl Malone and many other players have led top 5 offenses as well, with similarly sparkling stats to support it.. It means nothing..

Otoh, Lebron's stats lack integrity because he accumulates them at the expense of teammates, as demonstrated by his teammates lower APG and PPG.. His stat accumulation is also helped by employing a stat-friendly, easily-solvable, playground style, which is far less impressive than the superior, nuanced skill MJ needed to achieve stats within an equal-opportunity offense that can actually win.. MJ could've been a ball-dominant, low-assisted player that achieved stats at the expense of teammates too - but then he wouldn't be 6/6.

[aj1987]

I keep posting completely irrelevant horseshit.

Agreed.

[Alamо]

God no

[Paul George 24]

Your Spurs? You're a Turkish Paul George stan, heh.

U ALWAYS WRONG