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Report: LeBron didn’t have faith in Cavs players, future

By Quenton S. Albertie

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers sits on the floor after defeating the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the 2018 NBA Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers sits on the floor after defeating the Boston Celtics 87-79 in Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the 2018 NBA Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James couldn’t put his trust in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ present or future.

According to Romeo Travis, a close friend and confidant of LeBron James, the former Cleveland Cavaliers forward didn’t have faith in the team’s ability to win championships or build a championship team.

Travis would make these comments in an interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post.

"“They had a good roster, but to win, they would’ve had to play perfect,” said Travis, who is on a regular group text with James and a handful of high school teammates. “Those guys are good professionals. To beat a team of that caliber, they would have had to play perfect. They didn’t play perfect — mental mistakes, defensive mistakes.”According to Travis, James didn’t envision the Cavaliers being capable of making the offseason moves necessary to dethrone the Warriors and win his second title in Cleveland."

Travis contends that the Cavaliers had a good roster. Just not one that James felt he could gamble his immediate future on.

"“Now they don’t have cap space,” Travis said. “Nobody wants the guys they have. It’s been tough for them to get better from a roster standpoint. And it might be tough for him to have another amazing year like that, put them on his back again. His teammates are professionals, and you hope they play better next year, but it’s hard to gamble your career on that.”"

Nor could the Cavs, footing one of the ingest luxury tax bills and fielding a team with more than a few players on contracts that exceed their on-court value and diminishes their trade value.

Even the Cavaliers’ best player outside of James, Kevin Love, couldn’t fetch much on the market.

In the end, by botching trade of former Cav Kyrie Irving — winding up with a hobbled and malcontent Isaiah Thomas and ill-fitting Jae Crowder as the headliners of the deal — the Cavaliers were doomed from the start.

At the trade deadline, Thomas, fan favorite Channing Frye and a first-round pick would be sent to the Los Angeles Lakers in a move that would net them Jordan Clarkson and Cavs legacy player Larry Nance Jr.

The deal also freed up cap room the Lakers to sign James in the offseason.

They arguably got a better deal by trading Crowder and Derrick Rose to the Utah Jazz and Iman Shumpert to the Sacramento Kings in a three-team deal that brought them George Hill and Rodney Hood. Considering that Thomas was an MVP candidate just the season prior, the return they got for him could be seen as disheartening despite the health and attitude he displayed while in Cleveland.

James was initially excited about the arrivals of Clarkson, Nance Jr., Hood and Hill.

However his expectations may have been tempered early in the postseason. A far cry from the potential they displayed in the regular season, each of the four had struggles in the playoffs that would plague them throughout the Cavs’ run to the NBA Finals.

In order of their ability to handle the pressure and produce, Nance Jr. and Hill were the only two to show any real consistency.

Hood had a stellar showing in the NBA Finals but found himself benched in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Clarkson was aggressive on both ends but never seemed to want to pass despite his shooting woes.

In the end, few players did well enough to keep James’ confidence though.

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Even trusted veterans like Kevin Love, who was rendered ineffective by Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young in the first round, and Kyle Korver, who scored three total points in the 2018 NBA Finals, had disappearing acts when the team needed them most.

They weren’t able to with James re-signing but, ironically, with James leaving, the Cavaliers are now in position to clear cap room and target max contract free agents by 2019.

James will place his faith in Lonzo Ball, a talented young point guard who had an up-and-down rookie season, power forward Kyle Kuzma, who had an outstanding rookie season and swingman Brandon Ingram, who had a career year last season.

The Lakers are also largely expected to acquire two-time Finals MVP and two-time Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard by the 2019 offseason.

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Combine that talent with the charm and magic of Hall of Fame point guard and Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, who can lure players in ways Cavs head men Dan Gilbert and Koby Altman can’t, and James’ perspective makes a lot of sense.