LeBron James already looking to form another superteam - report
If these Stephen A. Smith reports come to fruition, the NBA may as well say goodbye to whatever shred of competitive balance the league has left.
According to Smith, LeBron James already has lined up several interviews with teams as he prepares to hit free agency.
Much to the chagrin of Cleveland Cavaliers fans, the teams being circulated all provide vast talent improvements compared with James’ current squad.
First, the big one — the Golden State Warriors.
Stephen A. Smith says LeBron James will have a conversation with the Warriors this summer.
Also says the Warriors don’t expect Kevin Durant to go elsewhere this summer.
— Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) June 6, 2018
As absurd as it is to think about James joining the Warriors, if he really wants to chase or surpass Michael Jordan’s championship total, he’s not going to have a better opportunity than by taking his talents to Northern California.
Of course, there are numerous logistical issues with his joining the Warriors. James has said on numerous occasions that he will not entertain any contract worth less than the max, and Golden State has no cap space to offer such a deal.
If James were to somehow become a Warrior, it assuredly would involve a sign and trade, likely involving Klay Thompson and/or Draymond Green. It’s very fair to question Smith’s report based solely on that fact. As great of a basketball player as James is, is he better than Thompson and Green?
Still, the trio of Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and James is a terrifying one, and more than capable of winning a championship.
The other teams mentioned are all on the cusp of title contention, if they’re not already there.
Smith also reports James will have conversations with the Celtics, Rockets and Sixers during free agency.
— Clevis Murray (@ClevisMurray) June 6, 2018
The Houston Rockets have the same logistical problems as the Warriors, with James’ dear friend Chris Paul likely to command an exorbitant $47 million per year contract and precious little cap space.
The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers make a little more sense than the Warriors and Rockets at this point. Both teams can carve out some cap space without having to blow up their core. But even then, there are issues with James joining either team.
The Celtics have the issue of incumbent star Kyrie Irving, who infamously wanted to get away from James and the Cavaliers last offseason. Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but it’s unlikely he would embrace James becoming a Celtic.
The Sixers, meanwhile, already have Ben Simmons. The budding star is a horrific shooter and needs the ball in his hands to be effective. James is used to operating as the primary ball handler. Considering the significant skills overlap, would it be worth stunting the 21-year-old Simmons’ growth for James? Frankly, the answer is probably yes, but still a cause to pause.
Two teams conspicuous by their absences are the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cavaliers. James will likely give Cleveland some sort of interview, if only out of courtesy, but it’s hard to imagine the Cavs closing the talent gap with James’ other prospective teams.
Which brings us to the Lakers, a team that very well could be James’ end game. It’s been a poorly kept secret that LA has been biding its time to make a massive splash in free agency, and this would be the year to do it. A dream scenario for the Lakers would be James and free agent forward Paul George joining forces in the purple and gold. With a minor move or two, the Lakers would have the requisite cap space to offer both James and George max contracts.
Would a team featuring James, George, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram be enough in the loaded West? Quite possibly.
For now, James has to keep his attention on the NBA Finals. His Cavaliers squad is facing a 2-0 deficit and will try to avoid the dreaded 3-0 hole on Wednesday night.
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