Report: LeBron had been considering joining the Lakers since January

LeBron James had been considering leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers since January.

LeBron James had been considering leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Los Angeles Lakers since January, according to James’ friend and high school teammate Romeo Travis.

Per Marc Berman of the New York Post:

"Travis heard the Lakers rumblings from his inner circle before February’s trade deadline. Travis is close with James’ manager, Akron native Maverick Carter, who was in Europe a couple of weeks ago and attended one of Travis’ championship games in France.“I was hearing the Lakers since January,” Travis admitted. “I was hoping he didn’t go personally. He’s got a mansion out there in Brentwood. Everything LA has to offer, it’s hard not to like LA, the weather and the opportunity for what’s next after basketball."

Travis also noted James’ lack of faith in the Cavs’ roster and future, so that James was considering making a move to L.A. as early as January is unsurprising.

It was just after James played against Lonzo Ball and the Lakers for the first time, praising the Chino Hills product afterward. Ball had a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists while Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram scored a combined 46 points.

That’s around the time the Napoleonic Isaiah Thomas was suiting up and turning into a disruptive force on the Cavaliers team too. As James asked the Cavs not to trade Kyrie Irving — which resulted in the acquisition of Thomas — you would have to imagine there were plenty of thoughts swirling around James’ head at the time.

Namely finding a team with a front office he could trust to build a championship contender.

After the Cavs and former general manager David Griffin — a person James had the utmost confidence in as a general manager — decided on a mutual split, the inexperienced Koby Altman (who would be promoted to general manager after ESPN analyst, long-time NBA point guard and NBA champion Chauncey Billups opted against taking the job) and the seemingly universally disliked owner Dan Gilbert would be the ones running the show.

Unlike Griffin, they seemed more focused on the future than the present.

Starting with trading their All-Star point guard for a point guard who, though immensely talented, wouldn’t be healthy until December at the earliest and their reluctance to trade the Brooklyn Nets draft pick. Trading for three 25-year-old players with the players acquired from the Irving deal provided much-needed youth to an aged roster but was also a clear sign that the Cavaliers were intrigued by a youth movement.

Interestingly enough, James opted to join a team full of young players in Los Angeles.

There seems to be only be a slight difference in talent and the young Lakers — Ball, Kuzma and Ingram —  have higher ceilings as players than Jordan Clarkson, Rodney Hood and Collin Sexton but the biggest reason James likely opted to sign in Los Angeles is the cap room the Lakers have.

Enough to sign another max free agent, like Kawhi Leonard. A player who certainly would be a difference-maker against the Golden State Warriors in ways Love couldn’t.

There are other factors as well:

The persona of and business model he has in Magic Johnson; the Los Angeles weather; the ability to send his kids to a school where they would get maximum exposure alongside the sons of former NBA stars; the rich history of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise.

Related Story: Why the Cavs should trade for Carmelo

Nonetheless, James’ consideration of the Lakers prior to the trade deadline provides clarity as to why he left the Cleveland Cavaliers.