Lebron James to only sign with one of these 4 teams?

[pwaldo]

https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2018/03/...our-teams.html

LeBron James‘ list of potential free agent destinations for this summer is believed to only include four teams for now, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. In addition to the Cavaliers, sources tell O’Connor that James is expected to listen to pitches from the Lakers, Sixers and Rockets.

James is considered certain to opt out of a $35.6MM salary for next season and enter free agency for the third time since returning to Cleveland. He said earlier this season that he will be seeking a full max contract, which will start at $35MM+ per season, wherever he decides to go.

[WilyWestbrook0]

I don't buy for a second that he's interested in the Lakers, or even the Sixers. LeBron is nearing the end of his prime dominance years, and he can't wait around for a young team to develop into a title contender. He needs rings ASAP, and title teams always are led by veterans. Rockets make sense; they're a title contender already, and have vet superstars in Harden and Paul. But I'd think the Spurs would be on top of the list. He wants to play for a disciplined coach like Pop, and if Kawhi can recover from his injury, a LeBron/Kawhi Spurs team coached by Pop would immediately be a title contender again.

[BoLane]

Agreed. I think he'll go for a team like the Rockets. Spurs would be a good choice but I don't think we'll ever see LeBron in a San Antonio jersey. I do know one thing ... we'll take him over here in Portland! :)

I don't buy for a second that he's interested in the Lakers, or even the Sixers. LeBron is nearing the end of his prime dominance years, and he can't wait around for a young team to develop into a title contender. He needs rings ASAP, and title teams always are led by veterans. Rockets make sense; they're a title contender already, and have vet superstars in Harden and Paul. But I'd think the Spurs would be on top of the list. He wants to play for a disciplined coach like Pop, and if Kawhi can recover from his injury, a LeBron/Kawhi Spurs team coached by Pop would immediately be a title contender again.

[Jameis1of1]

Warriors make most sense if he wants more rings than Jordan

Rockets make most sense if he wants to win more rings and play with his buddy CP3 and maintain his stats

Cavs/Sixers make most sense if he wants to stay in the East and guarantee himself the most title appearances at least ... and maintain his stats

Lakers ... don't make much sense now though I could see him playing a couple years there in the future as I think he'll play at least 6 more years ...

[WilyWestbrook0]

Earlier, LeBron said emphatically that reports of him going to the Warriors were nonsense:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nse/301255002/

He wants more rings, but not in that context, which would be embarrassing the fans of the game. I'm sure LeBron is already aware of how defecting to the Warriors would be viewed, especially in light of the criticism he experienced when he left for Miami earlier in his career, and then the criticism leveled toward Durant going from OKC to the Warriors. A superteam with him, Durant, Curry, etc. would be unfair to the league, and no one would want to watch such a lopsided circus. No dignity and honor in getting rings that way. Even LeBron is competitive enough to understand that.

[pwaldo]

Earlier, LeBron said emphatically that reports of him going to the Warriors were nonsense:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nse/301255002/

He'd never go to the Warriors because his ego couldn't take the thought of him being the 3rd option on a team. Anyway my opinion on the 4 teams he did list.

Lakers-
Pros: Lakers are probably the most famous basket franchise
Cons: Taxes will eat his salary, they stink, and he'd have to play in the West

Rockets-
Pros: Team would be good, he'd get to keep all of his income tax playing in Texas
Cons: They play in the West

Cavs-
Pros: They play in the East and he is their god
Cons: The team is/was imploding

Sixers:
Pros: They play in the East and may have a better roster than the Cavs
Cons: He'd burn the Cavs AGAIN

So I think it will come down to how well or poorly the Cavs and other teams do in the playoffs. I mean if the Rockets get bounced in the second round and the Cavs make it deep in the playoffs he may just stay with the Cavs. But if the Cavs lose in the first round he could bolt to the Sixers or Rockets easily.

[Jameis1of1]

Earlier, LeBron said emphatically that reports of him going to the Warriors were nonsense:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...nse/301255002/

He did, but I don't trust LeBron's public statements ... the guy is like a politician imho.

He wants more rings, but not in that context, which would be embarrassing the fans of the game. I'm sure LeBron is already aware of how defecting to the Warriors would be viewed, especially in light of the criticism he experienced when he left for Miami earlier in his career, and then the criticism leveled toward Durant going from OKC to the Warriors. A superteam with him, Durant, Curry, etc. would be unfair to the league, and no one would want to watch such a lopsided circus. No dignity and honor in getting rings that way. Even LeBron is competitive enough to understand that.

I personally agree, but, the Warriors are already a Super Team and the media is filled with loons ... they all crushed Durant for joining the Warriors and said he was just punking out and guaranteeing himself a title ... and then when he won it, they all fawned over him and said he was great ... absurd.

IMHO it's media goofs like Stephen A Smith and the like, who run with the narrative that all that matters is how many rings one has, that has created the modern player's mindset, and that's a shame.

He'd never go to the Warriors because his ego couldn't take the thought of him being the 3rd option on a team. Anyway my opinion on the 4 teams he did list.

LeBron would instantly be "the man" on the Warriors though ...

Lakers-
Pros: Lakers are probably the most famous basket franchise
Cons: Taxes will eat his salary, they stink, and he'd have to play in the West

All true ... however, I can't believe no one in the media is mentioning the possibility that LeBron, PG13 AND Kawhi Leonard could all be on the Lakers next year. The Lakers can easily just sign LeBron and PG13 to max contracts, and as for Kawhi, it does seem like the Spurs will trade him this summer, and the Lakers could give them a great package including Lonzo, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Luol Deng (to make the salaries work) and that would be a great return for Kawhi and Pop could do wonders with those three young players. The Lakers would then have the two best players in the NBA and PG13 and could easily fill in the rest of their roster with ring-chasing veterans willing to play for the veteran's minimum. NO ONE seems to be talking about this which is just crazy.

Rockets-
Pros: Team would be good, he'd get to keep all of his income tax playing in Texas
Cons: They play in the West

All true ... I have a feeling he wouldn't get along with Harden as well ... I'm not even sure why I feel that way, I just do.

Cavs-
Pros: They play in the East and he is their god
Cons: The team is/was imploding

The media may crush him for leaving ... but the easy thing to do is to just stay, it would take guts to leave again ... and he could become the first player in history to win a ring with 3 separate teams I believe, which could be a great legacy builder.

Sixers:
Pros: They play in the East and may have a better roster than the Cavs
Cons: He'd burn the Cavs AGAIN

If he could win a title in Philly that would be huge for his legacy, and Embiid and Simmons are bad, bad boys ... if only Fultz had panned out ...

So I think it will come down to how well or poorly the Cavs and other teams do in the playoffs. I mean if the Rockets get bounced in the second round and the Cavs make it deep in the playoffs he may just stay with the Cavs. But if the Cavs lose in the first round he could bolt to the Sixers or Rockets easily.

Yeah, if the Cavs get knocked out in the Eastern Conference Playoffs I could definitely see him leaving ... I guess the Draft Lottery also could have a great impact as if the Cavs get the #1 pick (and therefore Deandre Ayton) that could definitely keep him in Cleveland ... even a top 7 pick could as the draft seems to have 7 players with legit star potential in Ayton, Bagley, Porter Jr., Bamba, Young, Doncic and Jackson ...

[WilyWestbrook0]

Jon Niednagel, the Celtics' brain evaluating scout, typed him as an ESFP, a type that is never in politics. They are too down-to-Earth and emotions-centered for the kind of abstract conceptualizing that goes on in politics. LeBron wouldn't say what he did about the Warriors and then go back on his statement. Fans and media would kill him over that -- not just for lying and going back on his word, but for taking the easiest way out in sports history -- and LeBron wouldn't be able to take it. He knows what his legacy is, and how people would view it if he left for the Warriors, and how people would view him in comparison to a competitor like Jordan. No type cares more about how people view them than ESFP -- they need love, adoration, and praise more than any other type (politicians are almost universally ENTP and ENTJ, per Niednagel, types that don't need this kind of emotional affirmation).

Anyway, his staying in Cleveland definitely hinges upon how well they do in the playoffs. Right now, Love is back, and they are looking good again, like they did immediately after the trades. Beating the Raptors the other night was huge since Toronto had the top record in the East. If the Cavs make the Finals again, even if they lose (provided it's close), I see him staying and hoping another year with this "newer" bunch pays off. If they don't make the Finals, though, he won't want to stick around, because that would be too much regression. Rockets would be a tempting choice. And depending on what happens to players like Kawhi and PG13, he could follow them if they land on the same team.

Wherever James goes, everything depends on how well the Cavs do, and moves other teams make. But he isn't joining the Warriors, that much is certain.

[Jameis1of1]

Jon Niednagel, the Celtics' brain evaluating scout, typed him as an ESFP, a type that is never in politics. They are too down-to-Earth and emotions-centered for the kind of abstract conceptualizing that goes on in politics. LeBron wouldn't say what he did about the Warriors and then go back on his statement.

Yup, and it wouldn't surprise me if LeBron paid Niednagel to come up with that opinion ... LeBron is famous for always trying to control the narrative, putting out stories he wants put out, etc ... he is the biggest politician in the entire NBA imho. He ran around stumping for Hilary Clinton, messes with Trump, makes grandiose statements all the time, etc., etc., etc., ... he's the POTUS of the NBA. And I say all of this as a huge LeBron fan and a guy who roots for him to win the title this year, but it is what it is ... he doesn't come off as "down to earth" at all and comes off as extremely duplicitous, manipulative and "politician-like".

Fans and media would kill him over that -- not just for lying and going back on his word, but for taking the easiest way out in sports history -- and LeBron wouldn't be able to take it.

Yes they would, just as they did with Durant ... and then when he won another ring and got Finals MVP the media narrative would instantly change, just like it did with Durant ... the media is fickle.

He knows what his legacy is, and how people would view it if he left for the Warriors, and how people would view him in comparison to a competitor like Jordan. No type cares more about how people view them than ESFP -- they need love, adoration, and praise more than any other type (politicians are almost universally ENTP and ENTJ, per Niednagel, types that don't need this kind of emotional affirmation).

LeBron's legacy is "movement and influence", it's not merely "winning". He knows he probably has no shot to top Jordan's ring-count if he stays in Cleveland, so why not top it by moving and joining a super-team as your legacy is already moving, winning at least one title on multiple teams, and forming super-teams? Personaly, I think he'd like to stay in the Easter Conference and would prefer to stay in Cleveland ... but not if he feels there's no chance at winning more titles. Even winning titles in Golden State would trump that future!

As for the Politician thing ... modern Politicians aren't the same as historical politicians ... LeBron is more like Trump and Obama than Washington and Lincoln. Modern politicians seem much more attention and love-craving and much more thin-skinned than they used to.

Anyway, his staying in Cleveland definitely hinges upon how well they do in the playoffs. Right now, Love is back, and they are looking good again, like they did immediately after the trades. Beating the Raptors the other night was huge since Toronto had the top record in the East. If the Cavs make the Finals again, even if they lose (provided it's close), I see him staying and hoping another year with this "newer" bunch pays off. If they don't make the Finals, though, he won't want to stick around, because that would be too much regression. Rockets would be a tempting choice. And depending on what happens to players like Kawhi and PG13, he could follow them if they land on the same team.

I agree 100%

Wherever James goes, everything depends on how well the Cavs do, and moves other teams make. But he isn't joining the Warriors, that much is certain.

I wouldn't say "certain" ... crazier things have happened, like Jordan playing baseball and Stephon Marbury carving out a HOF career in China, hahahaha.