The Cavaliers are one game away from being swept by the Warriors, and Chris Mannix of The Vertical makes the case that Cleveland won’t have a legit chance to knock off Golden State anytime soon. In fact, Mannix suggests that if they hadn’t won last year’s Finals, the Cavs would likely be headed for a Buffalo Bills-esque run — good enough to come out of their conference, but not to win the championship.
With that in mind, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer explores the idea that LeBron’s second stint in Cleveland may not be permanent. James came back to the Cavs with a goal of bringing a title to Cleveland, and did so last year, meaning there likely wouldn’t be as much animosity if elected to take his talents elsewhere for a second time.
According to O’Connor, there are rumblings around the NBA about the possibility of LeBron heading out west when he becomes eligible to opt out of his contract in 2018. Multiple league sources that spoke to O’Connor suggests that Los Angeles is a potential destination for the reigning Finals MVP, with both the Lakers or Clippers as viable possibilities.
O’Connor lays out both of those hypothetical scenarios, writing that LeBron could theoretically team with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Paul George for the Lakers, or with his “Banana Boat” friends – Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony – for the Clippers.
At this point, both of those outcomes seem like long shots. Either L.A. team would have to complete a series of challenging roster moves to put together the groups O’Connor mentions, and there’s certainly no guarantee that LeBron will leave Cleveland anyway when he has the opportunity to reach free agency next summer. Heading west also wouldn’t necessarily improve his chances of toppling the Warriors, since he’d be in their division rather than in another conference.
Still, with the Cavs on the verge of defeat in this year’s Finals, it’s an interesting subject of speculation. What do you think? Will LeBron finish his career with the Cavaliers, or do you expect to see him eventually change teams again? If he heads elsewhere, are the Lakers and Clippers the most likely landing spots?
Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts!
I literally created an account just so that I could comment how ludicrous this is. I’m a Cavs fan (and maybe a biased one, which I’d be willing to admit), but this is an insane suggestion. Besides, even if LeBron *did* leave the Cavs, why would he go to the West where he’d have to beat the Warriors to even make the Finals? if he ever leaves Cleveland again (which won’t happen but let’s be hypothetical), it’ll be to play for another team in the East.
yeah I don’t see him going west,unless it’s to the Spurs
LA is a nicer place to live.
Women are prettier
It doesn’t matter!! Warriors will be champs for quite some time. Unless the league steps in and enforces a real cap without luxury tax.
your right,but I don’t see them doing that
A stupid article. A year away.
You’re entitled to your opinion, but I don’t think it should be ignored because it’s a year away. Paul George will become a free agent at the same time and we’ve been talking about him for months.
Exactly. Great Article
Agreed.
NBA created this mess. From warriors stand point it’s what you do, home grow them add a key free agent. But let’s be real, this is about kd needing Steph to hold his hand and put his ring on for him. And kd tells us don’t watch the NBA if we don’t like it. Kevin Durant you took the cowards way to a ring.
That’s partially right. I can’t blame the NBA for the great drafting of Steph, Klay, and Draymond. Every team had a shot at Draymond, 10 other teams had a shot at Klay, and 6 other teams had a chance at Steph (especially Minnesota who took Jonny Flynn over him).
You can hate the way Durant did it; I certainly do. I think it was beyond a soft move by him. That said, I can’t fault the league or the Warriors when their foundation was based on phenomenal scouting and drafting.
Well the league is definitely responsible because none of this happens without the excessive salary restrictions in place.
A salary cap encourages these types of things because no one can really outbid each other so everyone just picks their favorite team.
I didn’t blame the NBA for drafting in fact I credited the warriors for it. they created cap room to allow super teams
I love how everyone’s hating saying this is a dumb, stupid, or pointless article. Luke Adams is just doing his job and writing what he’s heard. Why do you gotta be so negative.
He would go West to be close to his home because he lives right next to Staples Center
Who are you referring to? LBJ? His “home” is not in LA, in the sense that he doesn’t live year-round in LA. He has as much attachment to LA as he might to Miami had he not sold his home.
Who knows if LBJ would leave again. I think as he gets older he probably wants to be closer to the roots his family has in Ohio. His kid plays for a team in Akron and I don’t know if he would want to uproot his family nor be away from them (in terms of living apart from them thru the months of October-June),
That being said, and as others have stated, going West doesn’t make sense for a number of reasons. He can dominate, or at least be the top predator in the East. In the West, he has to contend with the very team impeding him for a chip right now in GSW. Also, we can count on the Spurs finding away to revamp (replace Tony Parker and settle the Paul Gasol/LaMarcus Aldridge dynamic) their lineup around Kawhi.
Going to the Clippers would be the WORST team to go with and is probably they most difficult. The idea of LBJ (32)/Paul (32)/Wade (35)/Carmelo (33) coming together in any combination, along with I assume DeAndre Jordan, is laughable as they would be a nightmarish collection to go against the GSW whose oldest player of their core is Durant who’s only 28 and in his prime. Not to mention the salary and resource challenges to acquire those players.
As for the Lakers, I can’t see LBJ going to them because of an unproven core of whoever they draft this year + Ingram and whoever. And as for Paul and LBJ at the same position, who would play PF? LBJ and PG are just too similar players and wouldn’t compliment each other. Say what you want about Kyrie and Love but they are still young. Love is 28 and in the start of his prime years and Irving is only 25. And they both complement his game.
Certainly the Cavs need to improve (and I’m sad to see how we emphasize this race to arms) but they probably represent his best chance to going back to the finals unless he takes a cut to go to the Celtics or Wizards which I don’t see happening.
He has every right to leave if he wants. Lets not forget that time always wins and who knows what he will have left in the tank at that point. As a Cavs fan I would hold no grudge especially if it good business for him. What’s important is the Cavs response this off season as the Cavs will have good chance to win the east again next season.
I don’t see him leaving. If it’s true that the Warriors have become this unbeatable dynasty, his quest for topping MJs 6 titles goes away. Thus his legacy really makes a home with his returning to Cleveland and fulfilling his promise to bring us a title. The rest of his story rests on all the beneficial contributions he makes to the Northeast Ohio area, his legendary talents as a NBA player and his realistic goal of becoming a billionaire athlete and entrepreneur. Not bad for a local boy from Akron Ohio.
He should go to the Warriors for the veteran minimum
He’s obviously joining the Sixers to form the biggest, most electric lineup in the league:
1-Ben Simmons
2-Whoever they draft this year
3-LeBron James
4-Dario Saric
5-Joel Embiid
Besides, everyone know James has been a Process truther since day one.
– A very shameful Sixers fan
Yes
Sorry bud. You got the lineup wrong.
1- Simmons
2- Jackson
3- PG13
4- LBJ
5- Embiid
6th – Saric
Of course, how could I forget that they’re getting George, too?
Yes and Melo comes off the Bench
I’d literally **** my pants if that happened the process would finally be over and on to beating the GSW with that lineup.
If any thing he goes to a team in the east with the most cap room so he can play with all of his friends melo, cp3, d wade
Lebron would be crazy to leave a scorer like Irving. Lets stop blaming Love and Irving because they played really good, it’s Smith,Shumpert, and Tristan stinking up the joint and the reason they are down 3-0 right now. Also Lebron not going right at the Warriors the last 5 minutes and deferring, anywhere Lebron goes their will need to be alpha he can go to because he clearly does not want to be a 1st option. Dont see Melo leaving NY either, thats where he wants to be.
Love played WAY better in the Boston series. And TT… and Smith… and D-Will… and Korver
Yes I’m still bitter.
Seriously though, Love played out of his mind against Boston so it’s surprising to see his game regress this much. Even when he’s given wide open looks, he just isn’t connecting.
No! Lebron will stay with Cleveland. Any team Will see unforeseen occurrences. Just 8 weeks ago KD knee injury could have ended Kevin Durant season 2016-17. Do the math! Cav have 3 Allstate, the Warriors 4! If the cav could pick up a Caliber player like Paul George! The Warriors will be down 3 instead of the Cav. David West is playing for free, Val McGee is playing for free I mean the minimum! Who knows Chris Bosh, others who might want a ring! Any player can get hurt like Kawhi Leonard! Lebron is still the greatest of all time!
He’s staying put. There’s no team in the east that can beat the cavs. He’ll be to busy FA shopping this summer!
MJ 6 Magic Kobe 5 L. James 3 he’s not the goat!
Magic had Kareem the all time scoring leader and even Vegas thinks showtime Lakers beat GSW. Kobe had Shaq the most dominant big man outside of Wilt. Michael had Pippen top 50 all time in his prime for all 6. Wade was on the back-end of his prime but probably in the convo for top 50 ever. Kyrie Love Bosh probably get in hof but really are hall of very good. Pull all those guys off the team during the main runs and you have a playoff team. Pull LBJ off and the team is what 4-22?
LBJ to Golden State when KD leaves
Paul, Wade, LeBron and Melo will play together at one point. I think it will b with the Cavs. Paul plays better D the Kyrie, but he’s not as good offensively obviously. If they can keep Frye, Jefferson and Korver and add a guy who can guard at the 4/5 then they would beat the warriors. They won’t with Kyries bad D. And Love is not a good matchup with Draymond. Thompson is useless this series.