There is a reasonable chance that LeBron James will find Devin Booker or Damian Lillard in the playoffs – maybe even both.
There is no chance that he would underestimate any of them.
After this year’s NBA All-Star reservations were announced on Tuesday without Booker, James joined the prosecution by declaring the Phoenix Suns guard to be neglected. He did not use the word “snob”. But his timing and message were clear.
Devin Booker is the most disrespected player in our league !!! That simple.
– LeBron James (@KingJames) February 24, 2021
He followed that tweet with his thoughts on Lillard.
Lillard – unlike Booker – was named to the All-Star team on Tuesday. But many in the NBA believed that the tribute came too late – that Lillard should have been named as a starter last week. Count James is among them.
Lillard narrowly missed the initial lineup thanks to a tie between fan, player and media vote. NBA coaches selected the reserves and decided that Booker did not cut them.
So who would LeBron cut?
While James showed his respect for Booker and Lillard on Tuesday, he declined to name names to cut. Obviously, you cannot add a player to a limited list without removing another.
And we can’t blame James. Talking to your rivals is one thing. Cutting them off is another – albeit a much more interesting prospect.
Most critics pointed to Luka Doncic as the main candidate to leave the starting team in favor of Lillard – Doncic was among them. Adding Booker means leaving out one of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Zion Williamson or Paul George. We know that James is not naming Davis. Would he dare to leave Booker’s old friend and teammate, Paul, in favor of his defense mate?
Here’s the hunch that James will never say. At least not publicly.
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