Richard Jefferson believes Kevin Durant’s Nets team is what LeBron James would have wished for
LeBron James admitted a few games into the LA Lakers’ season that his team didn’t have “lasers.” They’re currently dead last in the NBA in three-point shooting with 30.6%, but at one point, they were just 21.2% from long distance.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets possess several of the league’s deadliest three-point artists. And yet, the Nets are struggling.
Richard Jefferson, on “The Ryen Russillo Podcast,” had this to say about how “King James” would fare in New York:
“It’s all kind of there. I guarantee you that LeBron James if you would have taken Kevin Durant off of this team [Nets] and put LeBron James on this team, LeBron James would have greatly appreciated this roster.
"He would greatly have appreciated this roster versus the roster [Lakers] that he’s currently working with right now. I’m talking about talent, with the shooting, the versatility because that’s what he craves.”
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LeBron James has built a reputation over the years for maximizing the best out of his squad as long as he has shooters around him. The LA Lakers, who had the oldest roster last season, infused their supporting cast with youth. Somehow, GM Rob Pelinka forgot to add shooting, which is what James has always had during his championship runs.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets are ninth with a three-point shooting percentage of 37.1%. Joe Harris and Seth Curry still finding their form after offseason surgeries and should shoot even better. The Nets have also missed Kyrie Irving for a couple of games already after he was suspended without pay.
Even without someone like James, the Nets can still turn their season around if they put things together, according to Richard Jefferson:
“I think they’re at the bottom of the contender list. … The way you would look at them and evaluate it, they have two of the best shooters as role players, Joe Harris and Seth Curry, two of the best in NBA history.
“They’re next to KD and Kyrie, two of the best to ever do it. … You don’t have size but your 2/3 man in Kevin Durant is seven feet tall. Then you have Claxton who’s serviceable but Ben Simmons can be the guy that guards Giannis, he can be the guy that guards multiple different players. I think it’s all there. Royce O’Neale is a great pick up, Watanabe, what he is doing.”
The Brooklyn Nets aren’t looking like winners, but they have a stronger team on paper than what LeBron James has with the Lakers.
LeBron James’ LA Lakers will need to buck the trend to win the NBA title
No NBA team has ever won the title with a net rating that’s outside of the top 10. The 2011 Dallas Mavericks and the 2001 LA Lakers were eighth in that category and still won their respective championships.
The 2001 Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant Lakers were particularly interesting. They had the top offense during that season but were only 22nd in defense. The current version of the Lakers is sixth (108.8) in defensive rating and 29th (106.3) on offense.
LeBron James’ Lakers also have an embarrassing -2.5 net rating, ranking 25th in the NBA.
The season is still somewhat young and the Lakers can still turn it around. Anthony Davis' elite play has greatly helped. However, if their offense continues to bleed for points and efficiency, then the task of at least making the playoffs will be very tough.