LeBron James is reportedly holding out hope that he can team with Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul for at least one season before they all retire. James, 31, and Wade, 34, can hit free agency this summer, but the 30-year-old Paul’s locked in with the Clippers through next season and Anthony, 31, doesn’t have an opt-out in his deal until the summer of 2018. “I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together,” James told Howard Beck of Bleacher Report just before the All-Star break last month. “At least one, maybe one or two seasons — me, Melo, D-Wade, CP — we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that.”
It would be extremely difficult for any team to fit the quartet on its roster within the salary cap, even with the projected increase that is set to take effect this summer. If James truly wishes for this to occur, he would likely be the player who would need to make the largest financial sacrifice. Unless Anthony and Paul were willing to agree to buyout arrangements with their current teams, which is a highly unlikely scenario, LeBron would need to be the player who takes the hit. Wade isn’t a max player any more, unless Miami is feeling deeply sentimental come this offseason, so any sacrifice of income he made would pale in comparison to what James would likely need to give up to make this theoretical grouping of star players a reality.
There also remains the question of where the quartet would play. The only franchise that I could realistically see making this work in the immediate future given the players’ current salaries is the Cavaliers. Cleveland could theoretically trade Kevin Love to the Knicks for Anthony and ship Kyrie Irving to the Clippers for Paul, though in both instances the Cavs would be taking on more salary than they shipped out. It’s also not a given that Los Angeles and New York would agree to such deals, though the Knicks taking on Love in exchange for Anthony isn’t as far-fetched to me as the Clippers flipping Paul for Irving. Then it would be up to Wade to leave Miami, a city where he has played his entire NBA career, for the much colder climate of Ohio, and he’d have to take a pay cut to do so.
Which brings me to the topic(s) for today: Do you think that LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade will ever play together? If so, what team do you think they would suit up for? Would this grouping of stars guarantee an NBA title?
Take to the comments section to share your thoughts, trade ideas and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
Lebron works out in Miami, his wife has a business in miami, he loves Miami…. Dwyane Wade has said a billion times he never wants to leave Miami and his goal has always been to wear only 1 uniform…. Carmelo Anthony said it would do this only in a “warm place”…. all that being said… they’ll all sign with the Timberwolves of course! LOL…. I doubt it ever happens, but if it did, it would be with the Heat. Much more realistically Lebron returns to Miami next season to take advantage of the new Heat team core with Whiteside, Winslow, Richardson etc etc. I think Joe Johnson choosing Miami of Cleveland was the straw that broke the camels back on that.
Meh. Wade also said it will never happen. For that team to assemble, it’s likely broken down old Wade signing for the vet min to a superteam while chasing a final ring.
Kyrie for Paul. Love to Celtics bkn pick to Knicks Melo to cavs (not the whole deal but the main parts of the deal of course) wade signs and lebron resigns. Only possible way I can see it happen or the olympics!
That deal makes sense, so of course it will never happen.
Shaq, Kobe, Payton, Malone. That really worked…
These stars would certainly be a title contender right away, but it would be difficult to find a team that could realistically acquire them all.
Let’s play the what if game though. What if Wade agreed to end his career in Cleveland in exchange for LeBron coming to Miami a few years ago. And what if the clips lose in the first round this year and see an opportunity to acquire Kyrie in exchange for Paul. In that scenario, would Melo waive his no trade clause to come to Cleveland? It would take many moving parts to land the proper players in the right place.
Lakers
Trade Russell
1. Melo goes to LAC, Blake Griffin to Bos, with Smart, Amir Johnson, and picks to New York.
2. LeBron does a sign and trade with LAC for DeAndre to Cleveland.
3. Wade does a sign and trade with LAC with JJ going to MIA.
Paul, Wade, LeBron, and Melo are in LA.
LAC then can sign minimum salary players to fill out the roster.
Guys, he said by the end of his career, not next year. Chill out.
Bosh sitting in the corner having a cry he wasn’t named