Lakers Rumors: Executives believe LeBron James will head to Los Angeles
Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: NBA Executives believe LeBron James will be leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lakers is where they believe he will end up.
Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors will make fans very happy. The tampering charges brought against the team were a bit of a bummer, but when rumors involving LeBron James pop up, fans get excited.
The Lakers have been named as a team to keep an eye on since rumors began circulating earlier this offseason that James could leave the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018. Fuel has only been added to that fire as the offseason has worn on.
Earlier in August, it was reported that James was a lock to leave Cleveland as a free agent. That rumor was pushed once again this week, as NBA executives believe that James will leave Cleveland as well.
More from Lakers Rumors
- 3 teams that will trade for Buddy Hield before the Lakers have a chance
- NBA rumors: How the Lakers can trade for Buddy Hield
- NBA rumors: Warriors work out multiple players from Lakers’ scrap heap
- NBA Rumors: Lakers looking to potentially pull off blockbuster trade
- Hideous Lakers jerseys for 2023-24 season have potentially been leaked
Now, this is the part where Lakers fans will get excited. As a free agent, James will be courted by every team in the NBA. Despite turning 33 years old later this year, James is still the best player in the NBA. He would transform any franchise that he decides to sign with, and those same NBA executives believe that team will be the Lakers.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report talked to some executives that believe he is as good as gone from Cleveland. In that same article, the executives shared that they believe James will ultimately end up out west with the Lakers.
Bucher said there were a number of reasons listed by the executives for James landing with the Lakers, but shared the top three.
"• Setting up his post-playing career in TV and movie production.• Attempting the unique feat of leading three different teams to a championship.• Creating a path to an ownership stake in the Lakers."
As Bucher pointed out, Hall of Famers Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain are the only Hall of Famers that have led multiple teams to NBA Championships. Robert Horry and John Salley have won with three teams, but they were very good role players, never the leaders or MVP caliber players like the others mentioned.
As for the reasons Bucher shared, they all make sense. James has already begun planning for life after basketball, and signing with the Lakers will help push that even further.
James already has a house and lives in Los Angeles, so it wouldn’t be too drastic of a move. His production company is based there, so it would help him work on both if he is playing half of his games in the same city.
A lot can happen between now and when free agency starts in 2018. Maybe James is convinced the Cavaliers are the team he should stick with. Or he decides that staying in the Eastern Conference is best for business and joins the Washington Wizards or New York Knicks.
Next: 10 Greatest Free Agent Signings In Lakers History
That could happen, but until a decision is made, Lakers fans will remain optimistic they will ultimately be the landing spot as many people are saying will happen.