There’s a good chance LeBron will run into James Devin Booker or Damian Lillard in the playoffs – maybe even both.
There is no chance that he underestimated one of them.
After this year’s NBA All-Star reserves were announced, without James Booker, James joined the charge and declared the Phoenix Suns guard a sniff. He did not use the word ‘snub’. But his timing and message were clear.
Devin Booker is the most disrespectful player in our league !!! As simple as that.
– LeBron James (@KingJames) 24 February 2021
He follows up on the 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 honor came too late – that Lillard should have been a starter last week. Count James among them.
Lillard barely missed the starting lineup thanks to a draw among voters, players and media. NBA coaches selected the reserves and decided Booker did not cut them.
Who would cut LeBron then?
While James on Tuesday showed his respect for Booker and Lillard, he did not want to name names to cut. Of course, you can not add a player to a limited rankings without deleting one.
And we can not really blame James. Speaking out to your opponents is one thing. Its reduction is another – though a much more interesting prospect.
Most critics named Luka Doncic as the best candidate to pull out of the starting lineup in favor of Lillard – Doncic was among them. To add Booker means to drop one of Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Zion Williamson or Paul George. We know James does not mention Davis. Would he dare to leave old friend and Paul’s teammate Paul in favor of his partner?
Here it is speculated that James will never say. At least not in public.
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