Here we go… The circus is finally in session. After months of debating where LeBron James will take his talents this summer, he has officially opted out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers to become an unrestricted free agent. The thought around the league has been that LeBron is pretty much a goner because of the dysfunction around the Cavs organization. Plus… their roster sucks too. However, all the fun and games start now. With James officially set to enter the market, what does it mean for his suitors around the league?
First, let’s start with the LeBrockets dream that has died before it ever had a chance to begin. To have any chance of landing LeBron, the Rockets would have had to execute a sign and trade deal to seal the acquisition. Including the likes of Eric Gordon and many others would have been part of it. That deal is pretty much no longer on the table unless they can find a third team to eat a lot of cash (NO ONE HAS CAP SPACE) and then still execute a sign and trade with the Cavs despite the fact that he already opted out. The fact that he opted out in the first place probably signaled the end for Houston’s hopes in the first place.
Second, the Lakers are now in prime position to land James. They can easily slip his $35 million cap figure into space. No other team in the league can just fit James into cap space without making any moves except for the Cavs. That’s only because they have his bird rights. It may just be a two-horse race. Cleveland obviously still holds a special place in his heart. Then there’s LA where he owns two homes and gives him a lot of off the court opportunities in Hollywood.
At the end of the day, maybe the 76ers also get a meeting but LeBron looks more than likely to land with the Lakers. The question will be if he goes alone if they strikeout on Paul George and Kawhi Leonard? Stay tuned!
