gilbert had no leverage because miami was capable of signing lebron as a free agent without cleveland's cooperation so they just decided to get poo poo back rather than nothing the leverage for lebron has to be his willingness to go to philly and I'm not sure if gilbert will call him on it. we'll see. it'd be one thing if we had an asset like a crappy teams 1st to give them but even if gilbert wants to be nice and help lebron, why would he want ryan anderson?
What difference would it make? They are going to be in tanking mode anyway....but even if not, there are enough teams that are looking to pick up picks and tank that could give back expiring and non-guaranteed deals to give to Cleveland instead if they prefer. As you said, he could just walk and give them nothing, so there's incentive to make the deal happen.
We could make it work by trading Gordon for a mid range pick, perhaps 10 to philly or 13 to the clippers. Adding that pick would help along with a future first of our own in 2020 and 2022
i sincerely hope it happens and I'm not discounting the possibility of it happening. vegas has us as the favorites for a reason. I just think gilberts willingness to play along is a very big factor in this equation. maybe ryan anderson + eric gordon and 2 1st round picks can get it done. they can exchange eric gordon for another pick or some younger asset from another team around the deadline perhaps. It might make sense for them to do that rather than letting lebron walk.
No he wouldn’t be serious, if he goes there it’s because they are building a superteam just like he required to go home to Cleveland
If he went to LA it would be a team that wouldn't get past the Warriors OR the Rockets.....so he'd be throwing the rest of his career away.
You’re making a ridiculous claim without any facts. You don’t know what the la team would look like, but I can guarantee he isn’t going anywhere that doesn’t get other stars.
Well actually I back track. Houston can sign shooters on the cheap and then sign Ariza, CP3 & Capela....going way over the luxury. Lakers will have a ceiling. Throw away everything? LeBron has been a Laker fan since a kid. As Paul George has. Lakers without Dr Buss and no stars has been a tough sell for other stars in the league.. you put LeBron and Paul George on the Lakers....players will play for peanuts to lay for them and be in L.A.. Sorry, I grew up in Houston, I love Houston......but I hear L.A. has more lure. LeBron has a home there. Private schools for his kids probably have armed guards every ten feet. They are use to protecting celebrities kids. I dot know about the private Houston schools....guess they would allow body guards for LeBrons kids. I had this discussion with basketballholic a third into the season.....Holic said CP3 made Harden and 3-pt shooting better by his ball handing. I told him the greater threat of 3-pt shooters made Harden and CP3 better by allowing space to create greater efficiency (in Harden/CP3). If Houston gets LeBron but lose Ariza/Luc MaM/Eric Gordon/GG in the process.....LeBron may be throwing away the rest of his career (away from home.....L.A. home). Away from where his wife last summer supposedly asked LeBron to take her back to. Who is to say CP3/Harden/Houston lures more than LeBron/Paul George/L.A Lakers? You act like Ariza/Eric Gordon/GG/Luc MaM staying with team is a given. You guarantee Capela stays. LeBon knows that’s a ton of money and the window will be small in Houston. Magic Johnson will play a big factor in this. LeBron loved the “Showtime Years”. Now the GM.
Lakers actually remind me a lot of the Heat when he signed there. Plenty of cap space to add lebron plus some. It is like he gets to pick his squad. LA is also a "place to be." Beaches, high life, Hollywood, etc. I also wonder...given his diva personality...if he will be turned off by having to make a decision to opt in quickly in order to make it work with us. He will want to take his time and asses and not be pigeon holed in any sort of way. Let's just hope the friend he takes with him this time isn't CP3. I hate it...but it seems like the laker to me.
I don't believe that to be the case …. Lebron is the most dominant player I've seen play this game - Ever. He carried a crap team to the finals … Add him to Harden and Capela and the window is wide open 4-5 years assuming the three remain healthy - CP3 is just the icing on the talent cake because they have more than enough to beat anyone with Harden / Capela / LBJ and the supporting cast we had this season. Might win 75 games.
Good for him, Savannah has not aged a bit with this face while he looked 30 coming into the league. Hope it wasn't an affair.
You are underestimating Houston chances.. It's a whole off season where Lebron can live in L.A. He lives in Akron now.. You don't think Houston don't have private schools on the level of Akron and Cleveland? If he can live in there he surely can live in Sugarland..
I imagine he will wait a long time before making a decision as to where he'll go in free agency. It won't happen on the first day.
+220 for LA +200 for HOU So it’s looking like if LA can convince other stars to come, vs DM ability to create cap space