What if LeBron had been drafted by the Spurs

[cwick925]

What if poop was blue?

[JasonJohnHorn]

This has happened more often than you think. The Spurs themselves got the number one pick when they drafted Duncan. The Lakers were a contender when they drafted Magic. Boston had just won the championship when they draft Len Bias at number 2. So yes it does happen.

[JasonJohnHorn]

Well, as deep as that team would have been at the time, I don't think LBJ would have been in a position to win ROY. That would have went to Melo. The reason he won was because Cleveland leaned on him so much. He certainly would have been in the conversation, but with players who were more efficient, he would have been scoring a lot less.

As his talent progressed, he would have been lucky to play with guys like Parker and Duncan and Ginobili who are willing to share the ball, but that would have been contagious for LBJ and he would have trusted his teammates more. He would never average more than 25 a game as a Spur, but he obviously would have won a number of titles, and in all likelihood would have won finals MVPs and a couple of regular season MVP (Duncan and Shaq both won with Robinson and Kobe on their teams respectively). I think by this current season, had he stayed with them, that he would be carrying a heavier load by this point and he would be putting up numbers not to far off from what he has done in Miami so far in terms or rebounding and assists, but his scoring I think would be down a little, 22-25 range. We might even see more assists.

But yeah, key thing is rings. I can't see the Spurs not winning practically every year. I mean, they won it in 05 and o7 without him. Can you imagine what they would have been able to do with him? I doubt Miami would have been able to beat them in 06. 04 might have seen the Lakers and Pistons fall to SA. The 08 season would have been interesting. But after that, is there anyway the Spurs with LBJ and Duncan lose to LAL? Or Dallas? And obviously last season would have been a wrap. LBJ would likely be chasing history and have no less than 5 or 6 rings at this point. And the sad thing is, this is something Kobe could have done himself if he were capable of having a more harmonious relationship with Shaq.

Given that the Spurs have won 2 titles since 04, I think it is safe to say that LBJ would certainly have helped them win no less than four, and likely more. He personal stats wouldn't be where they were throughout the first 4 or 5 seasons, but I think they would, by this point, be somewhere around where they currently are.

[Becks2307]

Here is a question:

What legacy is better? Lebron now with 1 ring and absolutely gaudy stats (and a title as the number 1 guy)
OR Lebron with "Grant Hill in his prime" like stats but with 4 rings? On a team with 3 other Hofs

[sodaddicted]

There would have been a log jam for sure. Bruce Bowen was the starting SF from 03-09 and a huge factor in the 3 championships the Spurs had already won. Assuming Pop moved Lebron to the power forward position (small ball wasn't even a dominant aspect 10 years ago, but then again Pop is a mad scientist):

C Duncan
PF Lebron
SF Bowen
SG Whoever
PG Parker

Manu still off the bench

2004, his rookie year. Fisher's fluke .04 wouldn't have happened and the Spurs would have won that series solidly. But idk if they beat the Pistons in the finals. Detroit that year was just on another level. At best I'd call that a pick 'em finals, 7 games certainly within reason.

2005, a repeat on the curbstomping of the up and coming Suns and a finals rematch against the Pistons. I would assume the Spurs winning.

2006 was basically "Spurs vs Mavs for the finals" (well, SUPPOSED to be lol). Manu's foul in game7 wouldn't have happened. Wouldn't be an easy series, but I think the Spurs would win and then destroy Miami in the finals.

2007, Assuming Warriors upset the Mavs, Suns would still be a difficult series but same result. No Lebron game5 heroics from the ECF, so would be another Pistons rematch. Still Spurs probably.

2008, Lakers got Pau Gasol and were clicking fast. WCF between Spurs and Lakers would have been EPIC (much better then the fisher no-call on barry). Assuming the Spurs even won that, Celtics were a whole different beast that year as well. Probably have to call both of those series a pick 'em (might end the 5-peat if assume they won in 04).

2009, Spurs vs Lakers would be the likely difference, with yet another pick 'em. However, if the Spurs were to win, a curbstomp would ensue against Orlando for the title.

2010, yet ANOTHER repeat vs Lakers in the WCF, followed by another showdown against the Celtics. I'd call both series a pick 'em.

2011, even if you assume the Griz don't upset the Spurs, was still a tough playoffs in the western conference. If the Spurs beat Mem/OKC/Dallas, Boston vs Chicago would have been the ECF (no miami obv). I do think they'd beat whoever they played in the finals, though.

2012, OKC would have been an even more epic series than it already was, though Spurs would probably win. With Drose injury, Boston vs Indiana for ECF. I would assume Boston winning, with Spurs winning the finals matchup.

________________________________

I'd probably call it as:

04 Finals (Epic series vs Detroit)
05 Championship
06 Championship
07 Championship
08-10 pickem vs Lakers/Celtics
11 pickem vs OKC/Dallas
12 Championship

[Hellcrooner]

I see waht you did there?

how bout if instead their owner ahd put a phil jackson, a pippen a rodman, and eveyrthing else around him?

[sodaddicted]

Or you could just say "Dude, championship every year"
08-12 the Spurs were hit with the injury bug it seemed like every single playoffs, which is what I factored in. 100% healthy then yea, Spurs could have possibly 9-peated.

[Bring The Heat]

There would have been a log jam for sure. Bruce Bowen was the starting SF from 03-09 and a huge factor in the 3 championships the Spurs had already won. Assuming Pop moved Lebron to the power forward position (small ball wasn't even a dominant aspect 10 years ago, but then again Pop is a mad scientist):



2004, his rookie year. Fisher's fluke .04 wouldn't have happened and the Spurs would have won that series solidly. But idk if they beat the Pistons in the finals. Detroit that year was just on another level. At best I'd call that a pick 'em finals, 7 games certainly within reason.

2005, a repeat on the curbstomping of the up and coming Suns and a finals rematch against the Pistons. I would assume the Spurs winning.

2006 was basically "Spurs vs Mavs for the finals" (well, SUPPOSED to be lol). Manu's foul in game7 wouldn't have happened. Wouldn't be an easy series, but I think the Spurs would win and then destroy Miami in the finals.

2007, Assuming Warriors upset the Mavs, Suns would still be a difficult series but same result. No Lebron game5 heroics from the ECF, so would be another Pistons rematch. Still Spurs probably.

2008, Lakers got Pau Gasol and were clicking fast. WCF between Spurs and Lakers would have been EPIC (much better then the fisher no-call on barry). Assuming the Spurs even won that, Celtics were a whole different beast that year as well. Probably have to call both of those series a pick 'em (might end the 5-peat if assume they won in 04).

2009, Spurs vs Lakers would be the likely difference, with yet another pick 'em. However, if the Spurs were to win, a curbstomp would ensue against Orlando for the title.

2010, yet ANOTHER repeat vs Lakers in the WCF, followed by another showdown against the Celtics. I'd call both series a pick 'em.

2011, even if you assume the Griz don't upset the Spurs, was still a tough playoffs in the western conference. If the Spurs beat Mem/OKC/Dallas, Boston vs Chicago would have been the ECF (no miami obv). I do think they'd beat whoever they played in the finals, though.

2012, OKC would have been an even more epic series than it already was, though Spurs would probably win. With Drose injury, Boston vs Indiana for ECF. I would assume Boston winning, with Spurs winning the finals matchup.

________________________________

I'd probably call it as:

04 Finals (Epic series vs Detroit)
05 Championship
06 Championship
07 Championship
08-10 pickem vs Lakers/Celtics
11 pickem vs OKC/Dallas
12 Championship

in 2006 would've destroyed Miami in finals lol.... You do realize the Spurs lost to Dallas in 7 games and the Heat beat them in 5... Keep dreaming buddy

[seikou8]

in 2006 would've destroyed Miami in finals lol.... You do realize the Spurs lost to Dallas in 7 games and the Heat beat them in 5... Keep dreaming buddy

heat beat them in 6 and it would not be the same series if lebron is on the spurs in 06.

[Raps08-09 Champ]

Better play maker, extremely better defender early in his career. He'd probably score low 20's for the first 4-6 years before stepping it up to mid to high 20's.

He'd honestly have 3-4 titles by now if he was on the Spurs with 1-2 MVP's. He'd probably be higher in the all time rankings. He's alreayd about 10-12th now. He'd probably be in the top 10 if he played with TD.

[Dade County]

If Detroit drafted Melo

[Kashmir13579]

If Bron were given the gift many Superstars were afforded, the gift of being drafted to an instant contender, how differently would his career look to this point?

with Manu and crew? at least 7, AT LEAST

[Kashmir13579]

If Detroit drafted Melo

If Detroit drafted anyone.

[Hellcrooner]

If Detroit drafted Melo

Larry brown would have destroyed him and would be known as a bust right now.

same for Bosh or anybody in the class, he simply does not play rookies, much less on a championship team with a solid as a rock starting line up.
So any of them would have rotten in the bench, lose faith and bust.
The only excpetion would have been lebron maybe 50-50 chance.

[TrueFan420]

He would play reduced minutes under Pop, his scoring would probably hover in the low 20's, same or higher efficiency, but his playmaking skills would have been legendary, along with his defensive accolades. He would have a nice start on being a top 2-3 player ever if drafted straight into a contender, like Duncan, Bird, Magic, or Kobe.

I would guess a 22-9-7 type line, with multiple championships, and a couple finals MVP's to date.

I was gonna say this... We'd be looking at a magic Johnson like career/ stats if Lebron was drafted by the spurs