re: In all seriousness, this all thanks to AD right?

And what do you know about them other than the takes you have heard from witty Twitter people?

I know, for instance, Griffin really respects Rich Paul. Not just when he speaks in public, but behind the scenes. I know Rich Paul has done some things for clients that has actually gone against what is best for Lebron. So, he doesn't just do everything with Lebron in mind.

I just don't see how you guys all acknowledge how much better the franchise is now, yet can't seem to wrap your head around how bad AD should've wanted out, no matter what it took. You must be blocked by emotion because there is no logical connection you can make between those points

I'm really having a problem figuring out what the ultimate goal is for some of the "trade his arse" crowd. If it's to win a championship, it seems to me that even a "show me" AD (if it's an AD playing in all-in mode) teamed with Jrue and Zion gets you closer than does, IMO, than would most of the trade packages I've seen speculated upon here and elsewhere. I say this because it's always seemed to me that historically speaking the assets gained in trades seem to pan out as envisioned less than half of the time. I have no statistical data to back this up beyond 40+ years following the Association, so we certainly have room (or gray area, if you're not one of the black-or-white absolutists) to argue percentages. But I've seen way too many folks who overvalue the asset they don't have while undervaluing that which they already have. Those two birds in the shrub in the next yard with the really healthy lawn and all that.
Of course, if the real goal is to show AD who's boss, then by all means proceed.