With LeBron James On His Way Out of Cleveland, Could He Actually Land in LA?
If I were a part of the Cavaliers ownership group I would be seriously mad at myself right now, and coming from someone in me who could care less about the Cavs this a serious statement. According to Chris Seridan, an NBA source has said that this is LeBron’s final season in Cleveland. To even hear that he is “100 percent” leaving is insane, and to hear the relationship with owners is “beyond repair” doesn’t seem like LeBron at all.
Even rival superstar Kevin Durant weighed in and gave his take, saying to rapper Lil’ Dicky that “u can’t trade a legend. He is Cleveland, he gets to hold the cards.”
Let’s face it, maybe this is something that is becoming a reality. James said the reason he came back to the land was to win a championship, and he did it. The relationship that LeBron had with David Griffin and what he has now with Dan Gilbert is nothing compared to what he could have with Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka.
The expectation for LeBron is to make the move to LA and suite up in the purple and gold. But does it actually make sense? You can ask every single team in the NBA that wasn’t the Warriors that in free agency they were trying to build a team that could contend with them. LeBron even making the move to LA would take him a step back in effort to be the greatest, none the less beat the Warriors. It would make sense to pair LeBron with Lonzo and company but now that puts you in a stacked Western Conference where you have to be nearly perfect to beat the Warriors or even the Spurs for that 1 spot. Either way, East or West, you have to go through the Warriors. It also would force LeBron to take a step back in being better than Jordan, 6 rings vs. 3 rings? Some people can argue this statement because is LeBron just ready to surrender to Jordan. No way, and if LeBron would, he wouldn’t be in the NBA anymore, it just isn’t who he is.
With Kyrie Irving on his way out of Cleveland too, this scenario just makes it worse. Now you will most likely lose someone that is the key to your success in the backcourt. If the Cavs wanted to make moves for LeBron to stay, the would have done it already. Trade away the last piece of the big three in Kevin Love and get someone who could give LeBron a shot. The Cavs are at the ceiling, they have gotten to where they wanted too, they won the championship, and now everyone is realizing that and moving on. James certainly isn’t helping in the recruiting process seeing has he wants out, making no moves what so ever, and with the season less than two months away, it doesn’t look like they are bringing anyone in.
As far as how it would look on the Lakers side for LeBron to join in is just logical. They have more than 45M in cap space, giving you LeBron and still something to work with. Try and go out and land Paul George if he doesn’t resign with OKC in 2018. LeBron just has that power that if he hops on the train to sunny sunny Los Angeles, he could bring whoever he wants, just like how he brought Kevin Love and JR and even Iman Shumpert into the big picture for the Cavs. The lineup for the Lakers with James you would still give a few years to develop, but with guys like Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram, they for sure have the potential. Everything is in place for LA to make LeBron happy, you have a solid GM, a good young core and a team that is looking to get back on top. When do we start burning the jerseys?
- Jake Martino
