Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018
DECEMBER 3: The Lakers have officially announced James’s contract extension in a press release. “LeBron James is a transcendent basketball player, and human being,” GM Rob Pelinka said in a. LeBron James is set to be a free agent, and his decision on where to play next season could shake up the NBA once again. So where will the King find his throne? We look at the most likely options.
The NBA season isn’t to the All-Star break, but that hasn’t sent stopped rumors speculating on which NBA team LeBron James will play for in 2018.
James is in the final year of his current Cleveland Cavaliers contract. Although he has a player option for next season, there is little chance he will be wearing a Cavs’ uniform after this season.
James is currently third in points per game (28.2) and he has been a big part of the Cavs’ recent surge in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland has won nine of its last 10 games, and the team has closed the gap on the first place Boston Celtics.
Despite James’ great play, there are problems off the court. James and the Cavs’ owners have a very strained relationship. NBA insiders have stated it is “beyond repair”, and that James will leave the Cavs in the summer of 2018. Of course, it will make the second time James has left Cleveland. He famously left the team to win the NBA title with the Miami Heat. Unbelievably, he returned to the Cavs and led them to the last three NBA Finals. However, the Cavs have won just one of those finals.
Speculation is rife that James will head out west. The NBA’s Western Conference is strong, and James may want one final challenge by going to a conference he hasn’t played in previously.
Of course, when a big name free agent comes onto the market, the Los Angeles Lakers are the first team linked. The Lakers have a great chance of signing the NBA’s highest paid player, and it would give James the opportunity to play in La-La Land. It would also give the Lakers a better chance of beating the Golden State Warriors in the regular season to knock off their rivals in the Western Conference Finals.
If the Eastern Conference and the Cavs lose James, it would be another major blow to the right side of the NBA. The East saw an exodus of star power during the 2017 offseason. However, no loss would be felt as greatly as the loss of James. Of course, it would open the door for another team to win the conference.
Sportsbooks have listed the Cavs as having the best odds currently (+125) of signing James despite the alleged tattered relationship between the player and owners. That is mostly down to the fact that he has a player option. The Lakers are second best in odds at +275. The combination of James and Lonzo Ball is mouthwatering. Add in Julius Randle, Andrew Bogut and Corey Brewer, and the Lakers suddenly elevate themselves to the elite level of Western Conference teams.
Los Angeles is currently 11th in the West. The addition of James would completely change the team’s hopes of making the playoffs in a year’s time.
Cleveland Cavaliers +125
Los Angeles Lakers +275
Houston Rockets +500
Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018
Minnesota Timberwolves +1000
San Antonio Spurs +1200
Golden State Warriors +1600
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Philadelphia 76ers
One big priority for a star player looking for his next team is the ability to instantly contend for the NBA championship. Having won over 50 games and beaten the Heat in the first round of the playoffs, the 76ers could be poised for a deep playoff run after adding a key piece. Adding LeBron James at the SF position allows him to share ball handling responsibilities with Ben Simmons and round out a dangerous starting five (Simmons, Redick, James, Saric, Embiid). This team would be a great fit for LeBron, has some cap space available, and is ready to contend next year.
Potential Cap Space: $31m
Cleveland Cavaliers
“There’s no place like home” absolutely rings true for LeBron James as he considers his options for the 2018-2019 NBA season. Born in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers and went on to bring a championship to the Land after some other stuff happened in between. One of these in-between occurrences was LeBron becoming vice president of the NBA players’ association, where he and previously mentioned friend Chris Paul negotiated a new rule that basically allows them to make more money. Thanks to this rule, which James negotiated himself, the Cavs can offer LeBron a 5-year contract worth over $200m. No other team can make such an offer and since LeBron and CP3 worked to change the rule it is possible that James will take advantage of it and remain in Cleveland. Furthermore, the Cavaliers can go over the salary cap to resign James. One argument against LeBron staying is that the roster is too weak to contend for an NBA championship, especially against the Warriors. This is a valid argument and LeBron can use his extra $50m to dry his tears after his 9th NBA finals appearance in as many years.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are one of the most talked about teams when it comes to free agent destinations for the King, and this is for a good reason: they are absolutely flush with cash. With the ability to potentially sign two max contract players or a handful of highly effective role players at worst, one should expect the Lakers to be high up on the list of teams James is considering. However, the question remains: Can this team contend in the West? Since the Western conference is so much stronger than the East, fulfilling his manifest destiny and going west presents LeBron with a much harder path to the NBA Finals than he has faced in the better part of the last decade when he has steamrolled his was to a conference finals victory much more often than not.
Potential Cap Space: $59m
Houston Rockets
The Rockets would be another great destination for LeBron because they have a great team and a weak rotation at the small forward position. Adding LeBron into the starting five with future MVP James Harden and long-time all-star and friend Chris Paul would move Trevor Ariza (if they keep him) to the bench, strengthening an already great bench that features Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon. This would make the Rockets a major threat to win the championship in 2019 and thus would theoretically make a lot of sense for LeBron’s next move. The issue is that the Rockets will be over the salary cap next year and would have to make major roster changes to accommodate a max contract.
Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018 Nfl
Potential Cap Space: $17m
Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018 2020
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are another great team out West, and there are a few different reasons LeBron could consider switching conferences to join them. For one, they have a strong roster and perennially make the playoffs. One complication for the Spurs has been their tenuous relationship with their star Kawhi Leonard, who sat out the entire playoffs this year despite being cleared to play by the team doctors. Some have suggested this could be indicative of a strained relationship between Leonard and the team. If this is true, a trade involving Leonard could add valuable players in return while simultaneously making way for LeBron to fill the newly vacated starting SF role.
Potential Cap Space: $18m
Utah Jazz
Like the Rockets and the Spurs, the Jazz are a playoff team in the West with the potential to have some cap space available this offseason. With some roster adjustments, they could make the $14m of room needed to afford a max contract. With a good core of Gobert, Ingles, Mitchell, and Rubio they are potential contenders to win LeBron James this summer.
Potential Cap Space: $22m
Indiana Pacers
In the Eastern Conference, not many teams have the right formula of cap space and strong performances to have the chance of signing LeBron. Another great fit within this mold would be Indiana, having the potential to have more than a max contract of space and the ability to be a playoff team next year with or without LeBron. Thanks to the breakout performance of Victor Oladipo and the excellent work on acquisitions and trades by the Pacers front office, the Pacers are positioned to be a nice new home for LeBron next season.
Potential Cap Space: $54m
Summary
Likely: Philadelphia, Cleveland
Possible: LA Lakers, Houston
Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018 2019
Longshots: San Antonio, Utah, Indiana
References
Where Will Lebron Sign In 2018 Nba
- Smith, Keith P. “Projected 2018 Cap Space for All 30 NBA Teams”. RealGM. https://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/249237/Projected-2018-Cap-Space-For-All-30-NBA-Teams