LABron James Discussion: The Final Year?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...s-rockets-76ers-on-free-agency-list?share=sms

LeBron James Rumors: Cavaliers, Lakers, Rockets, 76ers on Free Agency List
MIKE CHIARIMARCH 8, 2018





David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James reportedly has a four-team wish list for when he hits free agency this summer.

According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, James is currently considering the Cavs, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers as potential landing spots.

The 33-year-old James is having another MVP-caliber season, as he is averaging 27.0 points, 9.0 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game.

LeBron already left Cleveland once in favor of the Miami Heat, and he accomplished his stated goal in returning to the Cavs by leading them to a championship during the 2015-16 season.

The Cavaliers have struggled this season in comparison to previous years, as they are third in the Eastern Conference, but the trade-deadline additions of Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., George Hill and Rodney Hood have seemingly energized the team.

If James doesn't re-sign with the Cavs, the Lakers, Rockets and Sixers have all emerged as rumored options.

LeBron has a home in L.A., and one fan recently bought four billboards in an attempt to lure him in free agency, per ESPN.com's Ohm Youngmisuk.

USA Today's Sam Amick reported in December that some "in Rockets circles" believe Houston has a legitimate chance of signing James. The Rockets are currently first in the Western Conference, and LeBron would have a chance to play with one of his close friends in point guard Chris Paul.

Sixers color commentator Alaa Abdelnaby said James was in Philadelphia during the All-Star break to look at private schools for his children, but LeBron denied that, per Tom Withers of the Associated Press.

In Philly, James would join a talented, young core that includes Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

James undoubtedly will be the crown jewel of free agency if he opts out as expected. Whichever team is fortunate enough to land the four-time MVP and three-time NBA champion could vault into immediate title contention.

 

Honestly our pitch is going to be strong as all hell.

Let's start with a quick analysis of the other teams on your list LeBron:

Houston Pros- Play with your buddy Chris Paul and a MVP player in Harden, nice city, a recent history of manipulating the roster to maintain competitive edge (not unlike Riles did with Miami for you). Houston also would help your sway in China selling those shoes as well as provide a great market for you and your other business ventures.

Cons- Houston is essentially a swamp town, Harden has proven he can't get a team over the top, your good friend Chris Paul is 136 and no amount of manipulation will help build good depth on that team. You're an amazing player even at your age, but how many minutes are you trying to play every night during the NBA season?

Sixers Pros- Similar to us, they've got a tremendous young cast, they're energetic, they're hungry. The city has a storied past and you'd be a hero there, come to lead them to the light.

Cons- You might be retired by the time Simmons and Embiid play a full season (especially Embiid). Their brand is at best tarnished by years of tanking and at worst broken. Look what they did with Fultz. You're a veteran. How can you trust their organization to take care of you down the stretch? They'll provide you a solid basis, but are you truly competitive here?

Cleveland Pros- It's your home town, they've got a solid group of young role players to build around you, and Kevin Love is still there.

Cons- Dan Gilbert, they're strapped with cash now to players that aren't performing up to the level they need to, Dan Gilbert lives there, their young cast are very solid, but not stars, and of course Dan Gilbert; f*** that guy, right?

Now let's look at what we can provide for you:

1) Let's talk on-court production first. Our young players are all extraordinarily exciting and I'm sure you've seen that first hand. Lonzo is more like Jason Kidd than Jason Kidd is, Ingram looks like what the Wolves wanted Wiggins to be. Randle is the kind of kid you can lean on to lean on the opposition. Oh and we're going to bring in Paul George with you of course so you have a guy you know you can rely on right now; someone who has gotten his team to the ECF before and lost only to you and yours. Now he's on your side and he's still only 28 years old. We learned from our experience with Kobe that it takes a combination of veterans to keep the ship steady and youth to keep the veterans hungry and competitive. We've got that and there's nobody else who can compete with it on the market right now.

2) We've got a brand new, state-of-the-art facility for you to train and recover in. Listen, we don't want to harp on your age because age is just a number, but if you're going to age like a fine wine, you need to have every opportunity and resource to do so. Our training facility is the greatest around. There's nothing like it in any other city and it's all for you. There's hot tubs, cold tubs, tubs of icy hot, Ricardo Tubbs, any kind of tub you need. It's got deprivation chambers, isolation chambers, and Wilt Chamber-lain's ashes are around here somewhere. Whatever you need, this place has it. We'd love if you moved in here. Free of rent of course.

3) Our style of play is perfect for you. Move the ball, move the ball, move the ball. We're running. We're gunning. We're switching defensively and breaking out. This takes what we did with Showtime to a new level: everyone can be the "Magic" on our breaks. You, George, Lonzo, Ingram, Randle, whoever. Grab, go, and find the open guy for three or throw the ball at the rim and let one of you go get it. We've got defensive versatility and athleticism oozing out of the hardwood. We've got shooting with George, Ingram, and Lonzo, and you of course. We're going to bring back Brook Lopez and Channing Frye (maybe, we can talk about it) so they can rim protect and shoot as well. In the half-court we've got players who can take the ball out of your hands when you need it or let you operate when you need that too. We'll let Luke get into the specifics after this.

4) Of course there's no better team in the league than the Lakers for your business needs. We have connections literally across all fields. We've got the personal phone number of every major studio head in Hollywood. You want to be in the next Marvel movie? Fast and Furious? Another rom-com? We got you. We have Elon Musk's personal hologram number. LA is the second biggest market in the United States and the greatest market for entertainment, which you're a natural at. Not just domestically, but the Lakers are by far the strongest brand internationally. I'm sure you're already aware, but we can push your brand alongside Kobe's in China and the two of you can own that market. Literally they'll build statues of you two (we'll get back to that later). There's no better place to be for your off-the-court needs than the Lakers because we win on the floor and we win off the floor. You could try New York, but after about 15 games, you'd be sympathizing with Phil Jackson on a lake in Montana somewhere. Not here. Here we'll give you the best of the best.

5) Finally, we'll treat you like family here and when it's all said and done and you've won another title or two wearing the purple and gold, we'll put your number up there next to all the greats that came before you. You'll join something special here, something historic. No team in the history of the NBA has housed more superstars. No team has had our level of consistent success over the nearly 100 years the NBA has existed. You can be right up there with Chamberlain, West, Bryant, Shaq, Kareem, and of course me (Magic!). You bring a ring here and they'll build a statue of you out front right next to all of us.

 

The Lakers had nothing to do with these signs though.

 

True, but it's not that great at an advantage anymore. The C Bags and Raptors are both very much ahead of the Sixers. With LeBron, you're maybe drawing even again with those guys, but with the Lakers you've got Paul George and a young cast that's one of the winningest teams since the start of the new year while also a top defensive team.

 

Another good read from Ramona. Probably could have gone in the Luke thread too.

 

You know I almost included him, but he's from Ohio.

 

Not her best work, but they bring up the point: do Lonzo and the Lakers fit LeBron's needs?

No. They don't. Lonzo, the Lakers, and Paul George do though.

 

Tubbs from Miami Vice (was going to include him in my "tub" rant).

 

He said “process” 14 seconds into the video. LeBron to Philly confirmed.