While the LeBron James rumor mill hasn’t really picked up in earnest yet, there has already been plenty of speculation about where he’ll sign when he becomes a free agent in 2018, and it’s a storyline that figures to pick up steam over the course of the season.
Over at SI.com, Richard Deitsch takes an early look at James’ options, soliciting opinions from basketball writers like Howard Beck of Bleacher Report, Michael Lee of The Vertical, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times, Candace Buckner of The Washington Post, and more. Asked to predict LeBron’s 2018 landing spot, Beck stresses that no one knows yet where the four-time MVP will play next season, but the group overwhelmingly votes in favor of the Lakers, with the Cavaliers as the runner-up.
Meanwhile, Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) also explores the LeBron sweepstakes in a roundabout way, examining which clubs will have the cap flexibility next summer to make a run at a maximum-salary free agent. While teams like the Sixers, Mavericks, Hawks, and Bulls project to have significant cap room, no team will have more room than the Lakers, who could potentially open up two max-salary slots with a little help.
Here’s more on the Cavs:
- After losing to the Nets on Wednesday night, James points out to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com that Brooklyn’s 2018 first-rounder – currently held by the Cavs – “might not even be that good of a pick.” Given the Nets’ record over the last couple seasons, their unprotected 2018 first-rounder was considered the crown jewel of the Cavs’ trade with the Celtics this summer, but Brooklyn is off to a good start this season, with a 3-2 record. “We’re running around here worrying about getting the Brooklyn pick, they might want our pick,” said head coach Tyronn Lue.
- The Cavaliers are giving Derrick Rose what the Knicks didn’t last season, according to Alex Squadron of The New York Post, who explains that Lue’s offensive system gives the former MVP far more freedom than he ever had in the triangle. “Coach Lue and the team have been doing a great job of letting me play the way that I want to play,” Rose said. “So I can’t complain at all.”
- Lue hopes to get Rose – who has been sidelined with an ankle injury – back in the lineup on Saturday, per Ashish Mathur of AmicoHoops.net.
- Moves like the Kyrie Irving trade and the Dwyane Wade signing overshadowed the Cavs’ offseason signing of Jeff Green, but the team is relying upon the veteran forward to be a defensive stopper early in the season, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com details.
If lebron signs with the lakers hes signing with a bad team, why would he do that if he wants to win..? Plus he is just joining the west where he will be knocked out in the conference finals
Lebron with a gifted passer at the point, PG on the wing, kuzma, Ingram, randle, and a whole bunch of guys who want to play with the GOAT is a team that will be very scary. Look at lebrons team this year. They suck. They still winning 50 cause of the king. Lakers will be scary good
I can’t see him leaving Cleveland, but I can see him opting out to resign the super max and solidify his position as player/coach/GM
He doesn’t have to opt out, he is a free agent after the season. But I see him resigning another 1+1 or 2+1 deal to keep the pressure on Cavs Front Office to kewp team competitive.
Very small chance LeBron leaves Cleveland. I do see Lakers as sort of a threat though. If he can take another star with him to pair up with Lonzo.
He hates LaVar Ball.. why would he go there??? Everyone over looks that.
Not a surprise the nets won last night. I actually had them winning. Part of why I picked LeBron for MVP this year is that his team is terrible. For him to win games, he needs to take over in the regular season for the first time in a while
Just shows how foolhardy it is to trade a player like KI and have the “crown jewel” of the return package be a remote draft pick. The way the Nets played the last month of last season, plus the weakness of the middle to bottom of the Eastern conference, it was never likely the Nets 2018 pick would be even a top 5 pick. If they didn’t think it was a real possibility that LeBron would leave, then I doubt they’d have taken the Boston package (or they’d have flipped the Nets pick for an upgrade to the roster while some still assumed it was a sure fire lottery winner).
I didn’t really understand why people felt like it was a guaranteed top pick. They lost a lot of close games last year, and were better with Lin on the floor. He obviously got hurt this year too, but they added a lot of depth, and addressed certain areas of weakness, at least a bit. They still have defensive issues, but that’s a much better team. Since the new front office and coaching staff came in, they have a much better system, and have done a good job of developing players, which is a strength of Kenny Atkinson. I had them somewhere in that group fighting for 7-12 in the east
You dudes saying the Cavs are terrible this year really have bit on the cheese. Watch the Cavs in the finals once again.
Coach Lue blew that game and the task of organizing all the new talent is over his head. JR Smith complained about his PT… and got crucial PT at the end of the game. But ol’ Neck-tats is declining. The 14th-year SG shot 33% last year and 24% this year but thinks he should be out there. His complete absense from the roster would be the most helpful, but so many folks think he’s the same.
That was a key early game, since the Cavs have their pick, and the Nets needed to be prevented from building momentum and fan support. Also the Cavs can’t be counted on to beat strong teams yet given their turnover, short preseason, etc. But Lue is not prepared to think strategies and the team was indifferent. They are overconfident and Lue is happy to be one of the cool kids.
And have I been talking about Dinwiddie… 22 pts incl. the winner. Yes I have. Brk. has length like Milw.
Cousins, George, and Lebron to Lakers