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Welcome to Day 2 of LeBron Week, a five-part look at every aspect of LeBron James' journey through free agency. On Tuesday, David Thorpe constructs a team around James, outlining both the style of play and types of players LeBron should have at his disposal to reach his full potential.
LeBron James' size, speed, talent, skills and personality allow him to shine in any possible basketball style and with almost any kind of personnel around him. But in a perfect world in which we could build a team from scratch, there is one brand of basketball, and a certain crop of players, that would energize LeBron to new levels.
Lace up your track shoes, because we're going for a run. Or, rather, a prolonged sprint.
The System
LeBron is arguably the most talented player in the league in nearly every facet of his game, but his speed, in particular, is unmatched at his position, especially considering his height and weight. LeBron, on the wing, at full gallop, is probably the surest bucket in basketball, which makes it all the more odd that the Cleveland Cavaliers played at the sixth-slowest pace in the league this season.
So, goal No. 1 for our new team is running at every opportunity. Makes or misses, it matters not. Our rule will be simple: If LeBron gets the rebound or a steal, he utilizes his exemplary playmaking skills to lead the break. If not, he has to fly and we have to find our point guard, who'll look for LBJ immediately. James is not just the best player in the world; he's also the best decoy. If his teammates join him in sprinting the floor, they will get easy buckets, because the defense will be keyed on slowing LeBron first. Bigs are especially useful if they're runners; they'll occupy the first defenders back in the paint, allowing 3-point shooters to get open looks.
In the halfcourt, the Cavs' offense relies heavily on isolation sets and two-man pick-and-rolls, which can often take other players out of the game. We're instead going to run a flowing offense that keeps players moving and cutting, not unlike Utah's motion offense, in which all five players move in a pattern with options galore. Sure, we'll isolate LeBron or a teammate here and there, and he'll run his share of ball screens, too, but it's hard to scout/shut down a team that runs a motion offense in which every player is a threat to score.
On defense, LeBron is going to spearhead a fast, trapping, pressure-oriented scheme, one that hopes to entice our opponents into the frenzied game we are hoping to play. (Think less college press and more what Philadelphia tried to do this season.) In order to keep those points-per-possession numbers in check, however, it's essential this team have a good shot blocker patrolling the paint.
The Team
Now that we have our system in place, who will run with King James? The common denominator for all our players will be, of course, speed -- every player we acquire has to be able to race the floor and have the mindset to do so at any moment. We also want players with size, toughness, a coachable attitude and the willingness to be, at best, the second-best player on the team.
We do need some natural scorers around LBJ. He's great at leading guys to buckets, but we don't want to have to feature him at all times. And defenses will force us to score in the halfcourt too, so that's where we need to tighten our search even further.
Point Guard
Some point guards, like Jameer Nelson, are better controlling the game at a more moderate tempo, and while they surely can be successful next to LeBron, they're not right for this style. Our guy has to be a pace pusher who relentlessly attacks the basket in the mold of Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook. They are both great one-on-one scorers and have big bodies that can punish guards in the paint off cuts and seals, making them perfect receivers for LeBron in the halfcourt.
Deron Williams is probably the best fit overall, but we don't need an exceptional passer at the 1 to be successful, thanks to what LeBron can do for us in that department. Nevertheless, we are willing to pay big dollars for a player at this position, because a scoring point guard (even one who does not have great passing skills) will have a huge impact on our team in taking some of pressure off James on offense. Mo Williams fills this role somewhat for Cleveland, but he isn't special in the way he'd need to be here.
Shooting Guard
Our 2-guard has to be a lights-out 3-point shooter. We could pay more for someone who can slash and/or guard wings well, so that LeBron doesn't always have to defend a scorer, but with much of our secondary financial resources likely going to the point, we have to save some money at this position.
To best take advantage of our passing game, we're looking for guys who can pass and play, not just shoot. I like Kyle Korver and Anthony Morrow -- guys who are relatively cheap but great teammates and dead-eye shooters, not to mention available this summer as free agents themselves. They are also smart players with good feel, so they can find LeBron when he needs the ball and flow to open spots when there is dribble penetration.
Power Forward and Center
Our bigs will need to be rebounding sprinters with good hands and the ability to seal off the paint on defense. At least one of them will have to be a good shot blocker. It goes without saying that guys like Chris Bosh and Dwight Howard both would be great partners to LeBron. But they are not the only ones who would be perfect complements on this team.
David Lee would be an interesting guy to have, with his great hands and underrated passing skills. But we could also look at a guy like Channing Frye, who will also be available this summer. Signing Frye would give us our trail 3-point specialist, a must for a sprinting team, but then we'd have to get a monster rebounder/defender at the other big spot.
My dream pairing, however, is Al Horford and Joakim Noah, two selfless guys who are incredible leaders on their respective teams. The former Florida teammates can run, rebound, pass, screen, seal inside and lock in on defense. Horford is also a very effective shooter from 16-to-23 feet, making 48 percent of his attempts. (Dirk Nowitzki, by comparison, shot just 46 percent.) And Noah (43 percent) has the tools to learn to be a better shooter, opening the lanes for LeBron and our point guard that much more.
Believe it or not, should the New Jersey Nets get the No. 1 pick in the lottery and land John Wall, they might be the best equipped to be the team we just described. Courtney Lee is an ideal 2 for this team and Brook Lopez is a great prospect down low. Yi Jianlian came on strong at season's end (13 ppg, nine rpg and two bpg in April) and looks like he can be a legit 3-point shooter in time. They're a young team that could end up being very good, even without LeBron.
Or really good, should the Nets win another lottery this summer.
David Thorpe is an NBA analyst for ESPN.com's Scouts Inc. and the executive director of the Pro Training Center in Clearwater, Fla., where he oversees the player development program for NBA and college players.
_________________ spanky wrote: Elmhurst Steve wrote: In the grand SCEME (not scope, Dumbass) pf things Awesome.
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