Someone like LJ, who was on that cusp of elite role player and low level star is an interesting case study today. Would he simply be a PJ Tucker level role player or something more? His post game wouldn’t fit today and his 3pt shooting was slow and mechanical. His shooting was viewed as a bonus then, but today he would likely be seen as somewhere between passable and liability. So let’s assume in another world he doesn’t dramatically change his game to adjust to 2021 and he sort of is what he is skill wise, what is his role in today’s game and how much success would he have based on his Knicks years ?

role player in today's game, if not retired.

Nalod wrote:I'd say at the very top of some evolutionary growth is Zion. Power and explosion. LJ in college and first few years was muscular for the day. But Larry did not exceed Charles Barkley. Charles in fact is really under rated if you look up the stats he hung. Zion is still so young and has yet to play a full season so don't want to get ahead of ourselves.

In a way Blake Griffith had the power and for a while put it all together with a decent outside shot before his injuries started to aggregate.
We also underestimate the no 2 alltime leading scorer who at PF was Karl Malone. Had good midrange.

At 6-8, 260 Lebron really is the evolved choice. He is not a SF, a PF, A 2 or a 1. He is what ever was needed that night.
These guys kind of make LJ a bit small in comparison. LJ had a great low post game for that era. His HOrnets days he could explode to the rim.

He was a star in Charlotte. I’m talking more so in NY where his primary talents were toughness on both ends and leadership. He wasn’t elite at anything at that point. He was a role player who could play a little inside and out and averaged 12 and 6. My original question narrows down to is he still a role player today like a Jae Crowder/ PJ Tucker, or is he not an nba player?

Don't see GrandMama ever relegating himself to a Taj Gibson role... doing the "LJ" after setting a nasty screen?

fishmike wrote:its RJ... he's got the frame to put on line backer caliber muscles. He gets into getting jacked and suddenly we have this 6'7 player who drains 3s, has a good handle and is a lefty slasher built like Brandon Jacobs. Sure... do step in the lane. He loves physical play and pushing his elbows into his opponents backs.

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RJ + 5 years + 20 lbs of muscle = phuckin monster

LJ didn’t really have a ton of skills on the ball. He had his moved but not a lot of creativity off the dribble. Obviously Barrett has that. I think Jae Crowder is the closest thing we have to the LJ that arrived in NY before injuries set in even more.

Knixkik wrote:

Kemet wrote:INJURY PRONE Larry Johnson were a star in Charllotte and BUST in N.Y. !!!
We gave up a healthy Winning star Anthony Mason for a 5 yr Injury-Prone BUST Larry Johnson.
I dont recall Larry Johnson as a starter over Oakley, or Camby as a Knicks.

LJ was a full time starter with the Knicks until he retired. His first 2 years he played SF alongside Oakley and for his final 3 years he shifted to PF. Camby played some center but LJ started over him at PF. He wasn’t the same player as he was in Charlotte but he was far from a bust.

It's difficult to compare players from different eras. The defense was much tougher back then. Stephen Curry would be like his father and not a hall of famer if he had played in the 90's, that's not to say he is a bad player. The players today are not inherently better than the one from the previous era, they have the benefit of a more scientific approach to the game.
If LJ had played in today's NBA, he would have benefited from the same training, the same doctors. LJ was very athletic in Charlotte and shot reasonably well 3pts shots when it was not a crucial shot in the players arsenal. He brought what was needed to the team.

LJ/Mourning looked they could dominate for a while. I think we played them in the 2nd round of the playoffs in our 60 win season under Riles- we were the 1 seed. I just remember all of those games being really close and Mourning basically looking like Junior Patrick Ewing in every way. Basically had all same moves and played the game the exact same way. It was crazy. Later when Zo went to Miami he became more of a defensive force, but that early Zo in Charlotte was a Ewing Mini me. LJ was one of these guys that was incredibly hard to guard because he was a tweener who was strong and athletic that no one could really match up with him (except maybe Mase ironically). Muggsy also used to really give the Knicks PG's problems with his D too.

Knixkik wrote:

Kemet wrote:INJURY PRONE Larry Johnson were a star in Charllotte and BUST in N.Y. !!!
We gave up a healthy Winning star Anthony Mason for a 5 yr Injury-Prone BUST Larry Johnson.
I dont recall Larry Johnson as a starter over Oakley, or Camby as a Knicks.

LJ was a full time starter with the Knicks until he retired. His first 2 years he played SF alongside Oakley and for his final 3 years he shifted to PF. Camby played some center but LJ started over him at PF. He wasn’t the same player as he was in Charlotte but he was far from a bust.

Mase for LJ was an excellent trade for us. I loved Mase but the guy literally couldn’t put the ball in the ocean on offense and had to modify his free throw shooting for just to get that up to 73%

LJ is a big reason we get to the 1999 Finals

Im doing a lot of “Maybe’s” but from what I recall this was the environment at the time of the trade.

Lets not forget the strike short season we finished 8th was a disappointment that was about to get JVG fired. Instead the ball bounces in, coach unleashes what he got and makes the finals giving JVG a in contract automatic two year 2mm per extension which gets Grunfeld fired instead. That clause and playoff run changed his life forever. That kind of money 20 years ago was a life changer and the run gave him the status for the Rockets job that paid him very well.

With earnie gone you got Layden in, or a GM with a coach he did not pick with a roster not really suited for his style. Layden had good cred coming out of Utah, son of Frank who both did very well in SLC. But he was young and a neophyte to Dolan who was driving the ship and did not have a clue. This by hindsight and his own admission years later around the time he hired Phil. This is my theme for years that the fans ire toward Layden and Walsh for the blunders are on Dolan. Thats the constant. We were no in the room but I suggest that 100mm decisions and the lure of the starphuch were not how small market Utah and Indy kept long relevance in there respective eras. Isiah had great influence on Dolan but that direction was in step with Dolan before and after, so I’d say Dolan hired him to do what he wanted. Use the money advantage to rebuild quickly. It went badly. Donnie was forced on to Dolan after embarrassing lawsuits and 23 win season Larry and him warred, and the teams cap was embarrassingly 40mil or damn near 50% greater then the 2nd highest team and many picks traded. Picks that were Lamarcus Aldridge and Noah.

Fire Nellie to resign Ewing was shortsighted. But that moment was a big contributor to why Larry came to NY. It was a Dolanesque Starphuch. His contract was massive in the day.

fishmike wrote:its RJ... he's got the frame to put on line backer caliber muscles. He gets into getting jacked and suddenly we have this 6'7 player who drains 3s, has a good handle and is a lefty slasher built like Brandon Jacobs. Sure... do step in the lane. He loves physical play and pushing his elbows into his opponents backs.

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://twitter.com/i/status/883768038788669445

RJ + 5 years + 20 lbs of muscle = phuckin monster

If RJ puts in 20lbs of muscle in five years he's retiring and replacing the Rock in Fast 13.

Lets just just Lebron is from another planet regarding his body and longevity.