Planning For Life Without LeBron, D-Wade & Bosh
Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh & LeBron James (photo. Nike)
While the NBA Playoffs are still going on, all of the big ticket free agents in the Summer of 2010 (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh) are watching from home. Knowing that those franchises will do everything in their power to get them to stay, it’s more likely that they’ll be going elsewhere for next season. Looking forward to the future, this got me thinking… Which team would win more games without their superstar?
Note: While some of these players are currently free agents, this is what the starting lineups would look like sans James, Wade and Bosh.
Cleveland
PG: Mo Williams
SG: Anthony Parker
SF: Antawn Jamison
PF: J.J. Hickson
C: Anderson Varejao
Miami
PG: Mario Chalmers
SG: Quentin Richardson
SF: Michael Beasley
PF: Udonis Haslem
C: Jermaine O’Neal
Toronto
PG: Jarret Jack
SG: DeMar DeRozan
SF: Hedo Turkoglu
PF: Amir Johnson
C: Andrea Bargnani
What do you think? Which team would win the most games? Which team would win the fewest games?
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May 21st, 2010 at 10:57 am
k to da mart says:
FIRST B!TCH3S!!!!!!
May 21st, 2010 at 11:02 am
control says:
Toronto would win more games without their star.
Cleveland’s roster without LeBron is a pure disgrace to rosters worldwide.
Miami’s roster without Wade is very very sad as well.
Toronto’s roster without Bosh isn’t that bad, assuming Hedo actually does something. If he doesn’t step up very quickly, then the Raps need to ship him off, kill him, or just bench/buy him out.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:02 am
loganlight says:
I think Toronto would probably win the most games… but these teams are borderline lottery teams. The only way they would see success is if they had a great offensive coach who could put sets together to get points on the board AND these teams have to sell out on D. Either way, I put them in this order:
Toronto
Cleavland
Miami
Miami gets the lottery pick for sure.
LL
May 21st, 2010 at 11:03 am
Joel says:
Toronto has already proven that they suck without Bosh.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:09 am
Soopa says:
Cant understand the posters above me.
To me Toronto is by far the weakest team of the group. Hedo is done. Amir and Derozan are active and trying but they arent anywhere near stars and only borderline starters. Jack is a starter, nothing more.
Miami is almsot just as weak.
Cleveland has a shooter (Parker), an elite defensive big man (Andy – and yeah he is an elite defender), a promesing young pf in Hickson and two proven scorers in Mo and Jamison.
Its not even close.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:24 am
LMNOP says:
Seeing as Toronto will probably sign and trade Bosh and MIA and Cleveland have buckets of cap space isn’t this whole article irrelevant?
When Cleveland loose LBJ they aint gonna stick their hands in their pockets, kick the dust and say, shit, we better hope Andy learns to ball over the summer.
May 21st, 2010 at 11:34 am
loganlight says:
@ Soopa
You really believe that the Cavs would win 30-40 games with that roster? Without LBJ to run the show, Andy tries to take over in the post, Mo guns the team out of as many games as he might win, Jamison has been in lala land for the past 2 months so turning him into a legit option would take work, and Hickson needs a creator to be valuable.
Not saying that they wouldn’t have a chance, but there is no way that they get 30 wins with that squad.
LL
May 21st, 2010 at 11:38 am
K Dizzle says:
For sure, Toronto is the strongest without their star. Cleveland without Bron and Miami without Wade hurt more because those two did EVERYTHING for their squads. You think Parker gettin off without Lebron to draw attention?
This is the disconnect that’s gonna make Bosh go get his love down south. The posts made sense til I got to #5 who somehow put a cap on the careers of young prospects Amir and Derozan and didn’t even mention Bargnani, who’s the next best player after Bosh, Wade, and Bron. Definitely, more potential than Beasley and Mo’s potential was last year. If Turkoglu plays this upcomin season like he finished off last season, then this is no contest. I didn’t even get to the Raps bench backcourt of Sonny Weems(their absolute best perimeter player last season), former coulda been all-star Calderon and Antoine Wright, who was the only guy apart from Jack, Bosh, and Weems who played defense.
How anyone could think the Heat or Cavs without their franchise players are stronger than Toronto without Bosh is amazing SMH
Good article, Rey. This friday is just draggin…
May 21st, 2010 at 11:51 am
KWAME says:
omg miami would be soooo bad
May 21st, 2010 at 11:53 am
jlee9 says:
Of these teams, I think Cleveland has the best record. Toronto’s nice but I’m not sold on turkoglu or bargnani. And, as a Miami fan, I must admit that the Heat are straight garbage without Wade (unless Beasley somehow gets the knuckles out of his head and starts playing like the player he could be). But I like how you gloss over a statement like “it’s more likely that they’ll be going elsewhere for next season”. I don’t think it’s more than likely at all. Miami may even retain Wade and get one of these other stars
May 21st, 2010 at 11:55 am
JAY says:
@Joel
“Toronto has already proven that they suck without Bosh.”
They’ve proven stink WITH him too.
The Cavs would be really really bad and same with the Heat. The Raps, on the other hand, still wouldn’t make playoffs but i can see that team winning 30 games without Bosh. As opposed to 20 each for Cle and Mia.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:03 pm
JAY says:
It’s funny to me how some people don’t give Andrea any credit. Without Bosh and the benefit of a full-training camp and pre-season, Andrea will flourish. Book it. Having joined the Raps after Bosh was given the keys to the city, Bargnani had to take a backseat. They both play in the same space so Andrea hasn’t been able to do his things offensively. He’s a shitty defender but he can definitely score when given the green light.
…cue the hate…
May 21st, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Dan Dickau says:
Why LeBron James won’t be a Cavalier next season:
http://www.makeyourfreethrows.com/blog
May 21st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Scott says:
This is when Toronto fans can start enjoying the fact that their team didn’t make the playoffs. At least the Raps have a lotto pick, be it a late lotto pick. If Wade leaves the Heat, it’s a sad day.
If LBJ leaves for nothing, man, the Cavs fans will need to be put on suicide notice. Last years Wizards team with Jamison was better than that Cavs squad with Jamison, and look how well they did. lol.
May 21st, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Soopa says:
@ LL
Dont know about the 30 wins and they arent a playoff team, but its the most talented of these 3 for sure.
@ K Dizzle
I didnt mention Bargs because he didnt fit in with the point i was trying to make. He could turn into a 24/9/5 guy no doubt, but Amir isnt involving into a starter, he would fit perfectly in a “energy of the bench for a good team”-role.
Derozan has talent, but im not sold on him. Isnt he “just” Shawn Marion v2 who needs an elite PG a la Nash to do any damage?
May 21st, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Brown says:
Toronto, simply because they would still have fairly decent offensive ability. Miami and Cleveland would struggle to score 60-70 points a game.
May 21st, 2010 at 1:05 pm
HBooyah says:
Umm . . . are we missing the point that Toronto couldn’t even make the playoffs WITH Bosh – one of the top tier free agents of this class? They will definitely be absolutely AWFUL without him. Hedo’s done, Bargnani can’t grab more than 5 boards, DeRozan can’t shoot, Johnson wouldn’t start on at least 20 of the other teams in the NBA . . . the bright spot is Jack who averages something like 13 and 6. Turrible.
May 21st, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Soopa says:
Amen HBooyah! Thats my point exactly!
May 21st, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Chise says:
Cleveland hands down. Toronto’s lineup is bad, not the worst in the league. Miami, would rival the worst record in NBA history.
May 21st, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Jau says:
Cavs n raps r tied. Heat look horrible
May 21st, 2010 at 2:27 pm
dagwaller says:
LOLOLOOLOLOLOL@ these roster bahahahahaha…I think that the Nets could beat any of those teams.
May 21st, 2010 at 3:04 pm
thrillah says:
Lebron didn’t play all 82 games this season, and they almost beat boston without him. Toronto was abismal after Bosh was injured and dropped out of the standings. The miami heat is just as garbage with out D.WADE.
1.Cleveland
2.Miami/Toronto
3.Toronto/Miami
May 21st, 2010 at 5:26 pm
quest??? says:
@ rey mario chalmers failed at pg last year. Arroyo was the pg of the heat
May 21st, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Breezy45SWHS. says:
Okay the best team without their star players is the Cavs. Yes presence will be deeply missed but there has been game where Mo rather than Lebron steeping up and leading the team to victory. I believe Mo, JJ, & Jamison could lead the cavs to a 7, 8th seed in East Conf. Playoffs.
Miami would be the second best without a go to player like Wade and Toranto would overall just be horrible.
May 21st, 2010 at 7:39 pm
K Dizzle says:
@ Soopa
Some good points, but I don’t understand how you can make a point about which team is best without discussin their remaining best player. Agreein that Bargnani would only avg 5 boards is like sayin Aldridge and Amare don’t rebound or Nash don’t play defense. What about what they do well? If Bosh leaves, Bargnani WILL blow up. Comin into a season knowin you’re the main man is different than knowin you got a player to lean on. Ask Andray Blatche.
My basic point is this: Mia and Clev can’t replace Wade or Bron unless they trade them for each other. Bosh is the most easily replaced. 24 and 10 is easier to replace than 30pts, 8rbs and 8 as. Why can’t Amir Johnson start? Dude avg’d like 19 and 6 for the last 4 games of the season. Turkoglu played like ass and I don’t know why dudes are sayin he’s done like they work out with him and he can’t bounce back.
What I’m gettin from posts sayin that Cleveland would be good is that they forgettin Lebron avg’d 8 assists per. Next dude was Mo at 5 per. Who’s gonna be passin the ball? Mo’s goin back to his Milwaukee days without Lebron.
Raps already used to playin without Bosh. Cleveland(1-5 w/o Bron) and Miami(1-4 w/o Flash) have never had to go extended periods without LBJ or Flash. Raps (5-8) without Bosh already been there and this year they won’t be addin 9 new players…
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:46 am
jheck says:
i think raptors has a chance to play in the post season…with their line up andrea could emerge as a beast w/o their main man….
May 22nd, 2010 at 7:54 am
Rey J says:
thanks 4 the love @K Dizzle its definitely appreciated and @quest??? while that may be true I don’t think they start Arroyo next year…just a personnel feeling, thanks for the comments!