NBA: LeBron 2018-2019

[cycopath25]

Where does Lebron play next season?


Per Rototworld.com
LeBron James - F - Cavaliers
LeBron James is expected to speak with the Heat, Lakers, Cavs, 76ers and Spurs during free agency.

Chris Paul is a big factor here, as he's very close with LeBron James and was quoted saying he was already recruiting LBJ once the Rockets got bounced out of the Western Conference Finals. Daryl Morey would need to move around some contracts to make the numbers work, but it wouldn't be impossible for him to add James to the core of James Harden, CP3 and Clint Capela. James could also partner up with Paul in Los Angeles, or he could go to San Antonio to play under a coach he's openly admired.
Related: 76ers, Spurs, Rockets, Lakers, Heat

Source: New York Times

 

[ClonesFTW]

He likes the spotlight and his wife loves the beach; LA seems to be the most plausible spot at this point especially since they already own a home there.

I don't think he would enjoy his role as a spot shooter if he played with iso-ball Chris Paul and James Harden. He would also be gambling with injury-prone Embiid if he goes to Philly.

 

[IASTATE07]

I have no idea where he'll go, but I think the team he plays for next year will be somewhat unexpected. I'll say Spurs, Cavs, or Celtics.

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

Rockets

 

[Sigmapolis]

Boston Celtics

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2018/6/8/17440192/lebron-james-boston-celtics-offseason

-- stay in the East, break the record for most Finals appearences
-- Stevens is the best young coach in the league
-- if Kyrie is over it, keep him
-- if Kyrie pouts about it, trade him again, somebody will take him in a threeway
-- LeBron can play PG, keep Scary Terry as a backup
-- LeBron with Tatum, Brown, Hayward, and Horford would be a salacious defensive unit with length and flexibility everywhere on the court
-- Tatum can lighten LeBron's scoring load and take over as superstar
-- Brown can guard the opponents' best guard/wing for them
-- Hayward can do a lot of both
-- Boston has the cap room for all of this with all of their young players
-- they have the picks/assets to do a sign-and-trade and recoup some of their losses by trading either Kyrie or Hayward when they do it
-- still have the ammo to go after Anthony Davis in a year after this

Here is a good analysis of the roster that LA can put around him...



Do not color me too impressed. I doubt that beats the Warriors or the Rockets.

Hence, I think LeBron goes elsewhere, despite the other "fit" things about LA.

 

[3GenClone]

I voted Spurs, even though it is unlikely he ends up there. I think he wants to find the right balance of coaching, location and roster. He can sign a short-term deal to play for the Spurs to play for Pop, which you would think might convince Kawai to re-sign. Also, LaMarcus Aldridge isn't a slouch and might start playing better if teamed up with LeBron. Finally, there is no Income Tax in Texas, so that would be another bonus of going to San Antonio.

 

[VeloClone]

Serbia

 

[jbindm]

Birmingham Barons.

 

[YeahBuddy]

I wonder if Big Baller will reach out.

 

[Doc]

I think it’s the Lakers. I’m hoping Spurs or Lakers.

Getting him to Houston would take a lot of creativity. With Paul and LeBron being heavily involved in the players union I’m not sure they would take pay cuts, and without that I’m not sure they can keep Capela.

 

[CychiatricWard]

I like the Boston angle. Kyrie's knees are balky, so trade him, and get something back. With their young guns, and Stevens, they are dangerous.

 

[Rabbuk]

I'll take the field

 

[Cyinthenorth]

NOP with Boogie Cousins and the Brow, who is inferior to Royce White,

 

[BigJCy]

LeBron going to be saying:

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Do we have a CyBookie going on this? We should.

 

[LLCoolCY]

I like the Boston angle. Kyrie's knees are balky, so trade him, and get something back. With their young guns, and Stevens, they are dangerous.

Except LeBron has a lot of bad vibes with Boston and their fan base. A lot of heated back and forth during his couple of losses ending his first stint with Cleveland and then carried over to to his Heat and after. He has lived to beat down Boston ever since (and has succeeded). I don't see him softening on the city even with new players. That doesn't take into account the whole Kyrie scenerio.

I think it LA (son just committed to playing HS there), or Cleveland with an outside possibly 76ers.
LBJ going to Philli would set up some epic Celtic/Sixer battles for the next couple of years could be the most fun IMO.

 

[FarminCy]

If Lebron were to go to the Lakers how would the team and him handle the distraction that is Lavar. I’d think that is a side circus that Lebron wouldn’t want and the Lakers would have to give him some guarantees on how the Ball family will be handled. Lonzo is not nearly good enough to be worth that baggage to a team.

Even Lebron haters have to admit he handles himself professionally and would seemingly want nothing to do with Lavar around his team.

 

[Sigmapolis]

Except LeBron has a lot of bad vibes with Boston and their fan base. A lot of heated back and forth during his couple of losses ending his first stint with Cleveland and then carried over to to his Heat and after. He has lived to beat down Boston ever since (and has succeeded). I don't see him softening on the city even with new players. That doesn't take into account the whole Kyrie scenerio.

I think it LA (son just committed to playing HS there), or Cleveland with an outside possibly 76ers.
LBJ going to Philli would set up some epic Celtic/Sixer battles for the next couple of years could be the most fun IMO.

He had a terrible relationship with his owner (still does), a dope for a coach (ditto), and had fans that were burning his jersey for leaving four years earlier...

...when he went back to Cleveland.

KD lived to beat Golden State... until he joined them.

Nothing Boston has done is half as bad as that. The guys that LeBron had the beefs with the likes of PP, KG, Doc Rivers, and Rondo are long gone, and LeBron obviously had and has a good relationship with Ray Allen, if there is maybe an angle there to work.

LeBron likes Stevens and has spoken highly of him. The stuff that Boston fans put him through is the stuff that Boston fans do. The second he was in green and white, they would warm up to him as "one of their own" from now until forever.

Boston could sign-and-trade for LeBron then trade Kyrie to a third-party and end up with the same war chest of cap space and picks that they had before.

They could flip all that into Anthony Davis to replace Al Horford eventually.

The East is still terrible and is going to stay that way. Philadelphia has some potential, but we are not sure their ceiling given how the pieces might fit together (or not), based on Embiid's dodgy health, and we have no idea what is going on with Fultz.

If LeBron wants to win, Boston is going to be his best bet.

 

[rholtgraves]

I don't think he goes to the West. I think he either stays with the Cavs but I believe that he would require some roster upgrades or he knew he could get someone to come there or he goes to 76ers.

 

[octaviouspoon]

He stays in the East. He wants to get to the finals and have a chance at titles. He's not going to want to get booted by Warriors every year in the conference finals or before.