LeBron to the Lakers makes sense and here’s why
By JR DePierro
LeBron James took over the Staples Center during the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday and won his third All-Star Game MVP. Who knows, Los Angeles may have gotten a glimpse of what they could see on a nightly basis in the future.
As of now there’s no evidence LeBron James is leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. That said, it also remains unknown whether he will join the Los Angeles Lakers. Chances are, LeBron himself doesn’t know where he will end up this summer.
Whether or not he knows, it seems like joining Los Angeles would make the most sense if he does decide to leave Cleveland.
Why it makes sense
LeBron is regarded as the best player in the world and few would argue against that. At 33-years-old, he isn’t slowing down even with all of the wear and tear on his body. However, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind having another star on his team who could draw attention similar to how he does.
Kevin Love is a great player but he lacks the athletic ability to drive to the basket and draw double-teams. Love can spread the floor well but LeBron is usually the one drawing the attention that results in an open shot for teammates. This leads me to the star player that would be a perfect fit to play alongside LeBron.
Summer of 2018
Paul George of the Oklahoma City Thunder will most likely opt out of his contract this summer and test free agency. With George having strong ties to Los Angeles, it makes this summer more exciting for the Lakers organization.
If George decides to join the Lakers this summer, LeBron would have a player on his team who can spread the floor, drive to the basket and play excellent defense. Not to mention he’s an athletic 6-foot-9 forward who can guard every position other than center. Defensive switches between George and LeBron would be a nightmare for opposing teams.
Keep in mind, the Lakers would still have Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball. These are three solid young players who could develop into something very special.
Speaking of Ball, there has been a rumor swirling that LeBron wants nothing to do with Lavar Ball’s nonsense. If this were true, the Lakers could possibly move the 20-year-old point guard.
Here’s a potential option that could really benefit the Lakers if they feel it is necessary to move Ball.
During the summer, the Lakers could find a trade partner with some serious salary cap space. The Chicago Bulls came to mind when I thought about this potential trade.
The Lakers could offer Luol Deng (owed 36.8 million dollars over the next two seasons), Ball and a first-round pick. The Lakers wouldn’t get much in return but would create a lot of cap space.
There’s no guarantee Chicago would take this deal but in this case they have nothing to lose. They are gaining a solid point guard who can rotate with Kris Dunn. They would also have a first-round pick and only have to wait two seasons before they can wipe their hands clean of Deng.
It’s not like they are going to be contending anytime soon. Zach Lavine will continue to develop and Chicago will have lottery picks in the next couple of NBA drafts.
From this point on the Lakers could acquire George, LeBron and a solid supporting cast. All of this while keeping Kuzma and Ingram.
Summer of 2019
It doesn’t end there. If the Lakers are smart, they can try to sign most of their surrounding cast to generous one year contracts. As long as the Lakers allow enough remaining salary to sign one more max player in the summer of 2019, they could make another big move. Can you guess who?
Klay Thompson is going to be one of the major free agents in the summer of 2019. Although he may opt to re-sign with the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers will do everything they can to bring the Los Angeles-native home.
Assuming this all works out, the Lakers would at the very least have LeBron, George, Thompson, Ingram and Kuzma. Sounds pretty good to me.
There are a lot of unanswered questions however: How well will Kuzma and Ingram develop, especially with LeBron and George starting in their positions? When will LeBron begin to slow down (34-years-old in the summer of 2019)? Can the Lakers attract solid role and bench players?
The reality of it all
At the end of the day nothing is certain.
I don’t see LeBron going to the Houston Rockets. They would have to break up the solid dynamic of the team in order to sign LeBron to a max contract. At the end of the day he wants a reliable bench and this team wouldn’t have one if he were to sign there. Depending on how far Houston goes into the postseason, I wouldn’t be surprised if they are hesitant to acquire LeBron.
The Philadelphia 76ers have potential but I’m not convinced they are built for a championship run anytime soon.
The San Antonio Spurs are old. Also, as much as I would love to see Coach Popovich and LeBron together, the organization itself isn’t as attractive as the Lakers.
Finally, I refuse to give my prediction on whether LeBron will leave Cleveland or not. My decision will come at a later time based off of the postseason run Cleveland has.
I’ll say this much, Cleveland has just as good of a chance as any of the other teams do in regard to signing LeBron.
Whether LeBron leaves or not, nobody can say he gave up on his team. He helped to bring a championship to Cleveland and ended a 52-year title drought. LeBron came back home for that reason and that reason only. He accomplished his goal, he made fans cheer like they’ve never cheered before and has left his mark on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a way no other player has.
It’s only a matter of time until he decides where he will have the best opportunity to win more championships.