No, if you were planning on Parsons coming off the bench, you'd just let him go in FA and save the money.
Bulls and Houston are Lebron's best options. Houston has 2 certified all-stars, and inside-out combo. Only downside is they don't play defense. Bulls has a shut down defense that will be even scarier with Lebron. Only downside is they can't score for crap (unless DRose returns to his own form). He's not going to the Clippers.
I think the Bulls are a terrible option. If he want's to go to a defensive team he should go to the Grizzlies, they have a PG who can actually stay on the court.
Save what money? We would be going over the cap to retain Parsons. The Rockets wouldn't be able to spend that money on any other player except Parsons.
Let's start off with the obvious: unless the Clips include Blake Griffin, there is no way on earth the Heat would trade LeBron there. If LeBron is leaving, the Heat would prefer cap space over middling veterans, which is really all the Clips would have to make the numbers work. And though a deal might be possible if you include Griffin, I'd imagine that kills the interest on LeBron's end. The only way LeBron gets to LAC is if the Clippers can shed the salaries to sign him outright. It's not impossible. but I don't think it's automatic. http://data.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/clippers.jsp Even if everyone with an option opts out, they're still at $72 million in salaries. That means you have to shed at least $25 million or so to even get in the vicinity of LeBron's contract. Considering Paul, Griffin ($38 million combined) and minimum cap holds, that essentially means jettisoning the whole roster... including Jordan, Redick, Dudley and Barnes. And the only "assets" the Clips would have as sweeteners are future 1st round picks likely to be in the 20s. Is that enough to move all of them? Not completely impossible, but far from a certainty.
I get that, but you'd be paying a bench guy like 10 mil a year. If Lebron comes to Houston and Parsons is still on the roster, Lebron will play the 4
Would they? That clippers team won 3 more games than the rockets. To get lebron they'd have to part with either (DJ or Blake) + fillers. So you're talking about taking away one of their starters vs a rockets team where all the major starters stay in tact. The loss of a rim protector is a huge deal even if you add lbj to that.....
Such a drastic change from Woj. Reaction to the news LeBron is opting out. Why? Not surprising. Several reasons he did it. Look at the market or restructure a new deal in Miami. Now the key will be to sit with Wade and Bosh and see what they want to do. No sit down yet. What do you make of that? Nothing to read into it. It's coming in the next few days. They gotta talk to Riley. For Wade, it will cost him a lot of money. If he opts out, it's $40 million plus. There's no market for him. My sources tell me is they want to have a good idea before free agency if they're going forward together or in different directions. How much pressure for Wade to opt out and take less and will he do so? If he wants to keep this together, he has to. Bosh can go out and get a max deal elsewhere. People have told me Wade's value did decline in the Finals. There will have to be sacrifices. They need to upgrade the roster. They lost to the Spurs because of players four to nine were dominated. What to make of Riley's press conference? Risky. People around the league and the Heat are concerned about it and how it will be received. Riley knows his audience and LeBron. We'll find out. I don't know how LeBron took it. I do know there are plenty of people who are worried about how it was received. Before that, teams around the league felt like we didn't have a chance{; now maybe slightly better.} If he leaves Miami? That's the hard part. I believe the place most intriguing are the Clippers. There's no easy way to get there. Riley has no inclination to do a sign and trade. Riley has to dare LeBron to go elsewhere. Clippers can't sign him. Blake Griffin sign and trade? There's no replacement for LeBron. I think they all stay, even on shorter deals but if LeBron will try the Clipper route, it's difficult. What is appealing is the market, Chris Paul and Doc Rivers. If not a direct path to LA, the Cavaliers? I would say there's always a chance and it's been discussed with his group. I don't see how a return to Cleveland puts him in championship contention. To be able to win a championship, in his prime and not lose a couple of years waiting on a young team, unless he said to Cleveland this is something I want to do and trade that number one pick, I guess but right now, nowhere near. Chase a ring, Houston could get the space. That's a place he could win right away but don't know if that holds any appeal to him.
Yes, and easier road to the finals, but probably an easy road to another finals defeat. The goal isn't getting to the finals, it's winning.
True, but there is no way I would team up with injury-prone Rose and his huge contract (plus the whole playing in Jordan's shadow thing). And I really doubt he wants to make it to the finals just to lose to a better west team again.
