SteemSports Presenter:@mateonav53
SteemSports Editor:@scottybuckets
By the time you've read this, you've probably heard: LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in free agency and joined the Los Angeles Lakers for a four-year, 153.3 million dollar contract. In a surprising move, he was the first major free agent to join the Los Angeles Lakers this off season. He didn't come with any other co-stars in place like he did with Wade/Bosh in Miami and Love/Irving in Cleveland.
It was announced via Twitter on Sunday through a simple press release by his agency Klutch Sports Group. It was then confirmed by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Yahoo's Shams Charania. It's baffling to think how about many of the top tier all-time greats have worn Lakers uniforms. You have Mikan, West, Baylor, Wilt, Kareem, Magic, Shaq, Kobe, and now LeBron.
According to multiple reports, the main person who sold LeBron on the idea of the Lakers was none other than Lakers legend and executive Magic Johnson. They're very similar in their pass-first game play and their larger than life personalities. LeBron definitely wants to gain wisdom from Magic for on-court situations, but he's also looking at it as an opportunity to set up his life after basketball. He is looking at building an empire and being an even more accomplished businessman, just like arguably the biggest post-career businessman in Magic Johnson. There's a mutual respect between them, and from that standpoint, it seems like a match made in heaven.
The cutoff time for teams to talk with NBA players directly regarding free agency was 9 PM on Saturday (midnight on the East Coast). Apparently, Magic showed up at LeBron's doorstep in Brentwood at no later than 9:01 PM. They discussed their common ground, like growing up in Midwestern states like Ohio and Michigan. They then started talking on the state of the Lakers as they currently stand, to which LeBron said he has high hopes about the young kids they already have. He needs another All-Star like Kawhi Leonard to come for the Lakers to be a true contender, but he made it clear to Magic that he doesn't need to rush to trade for someone like Kawhi right now.
That's an odd sentiment for LeBron compared to his previous situations in Cleveland and Miami. There was always this pressure on management to win immediately and make moves that sacrifice future for a chance at being competitive now. And he isn't getting any younger too. He'll be 34 in December. Maybe in his advanced age, he wants to take a different, slower approach to build a contender - one that can last through the four-year contract that he just signed (his longest since his 6-year in Miami). Kawhi Leonard is set on joining the Lakers and is a free agent in 2019 anyway, so maybe he wants to wait to get him without sacrificing the young kids in a trade now.
At the same time, you have to consider what Paul George just did to the Lakers. He re-signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder a couple days ago after apparently mumbling about a trade to the Lakers midseason. The Lakers heard the rumors that he loved LA and must've assumed they could easily sign him this summer. The Paul George situation makes you think twice about waiting for another superstar who has expressed interest in the team right now. They're in a bit of a pickle. Trade the young core now for Kawhi (who we aren't sure is 100% healthy) or wait to acquire him next year without giving anyone up, which would risk him falling in love with another team?
Whatever happens, it's just a good thing for the league that the Lakers are relevant again. Hate the Lakers? Great! It creates more intrigue and gets more eyeballs on the screen. If you love them then I don't even need to say how good this is for you. This is only the beginning of the LeBron and LA madness. I can't believe the universe dealt us the cards that put LeBron on the same team as Lavar Ball. Well, here we are. Here's to this being a memorable moment in NBA history.
Thank you for following @steemsports and you can find me @mateonav53
Interesting but I don’t think it’ll work. LBJ needs shooters. Kuz Ball Rondo and Lance cant shoot for their life. Lets see how it goes.
Agree with you a hundred percent my friend. I don't know what the hell the Lakers are doing with these pickups
Edit: I didn't realize you lumped kuz in the group of guys that can't shoot. I don't know his percentages off the top of my head but out of all the guys mentioned he can actually shoot. Has the best potential to become a better shooter
SHOCKED. Can’t beieve Boogie went to GSW!
Man.... I was fucking heated yesterday. What the fuck is the NBA coming to.
I'll be honest, I was pretty surprised by this.
Me too man. LA whiffed on so many free agents the past few seasons I honestly didn't get my hopes up
I think that this is a great opportunity for the Lakers to come back. Western Conference is not easy as the Eastern one.
Magic chooses LBJ to build a great team around him, but he is old and he needs other good players with him.
Indeed! His age concerns me and he has been pretty durable, but the likelihood of that changing in an instant increases the older he gets... Who knows what he will be capable of by the end of this contract
Well, I remember some articles during the recent past season relating that LBJ would join the Lakers this summer. They were based on mainly two points.
1°) LBJ bought a home in L.A. during the 2017-2018 season.
2°) He tweeted a Birthday message to Lonzo Ball
These two point were feeding rumors which in the end became true.
As I saw the new this morning I was surprised. This time without a special TV show on a national TV for this decision.
Obviously he is not getting younger, like everybody. But he knows to improve his game with time and last season was his best on an individual aspect.
L.A. is also a good spot for him when he gets contract to play in Theatre Movies, no long ride back home to make. May be he will also use a bicycle to go at work, like he did in Miami.
Yea those were a couple things that fueled speculation, but they could've been interpreted otherwise so I brushed stuff like that off. I think he had his mind made up for a while now though. He just knew he couldn't win it again in Cleveland after kyrie left. Warriors were too good, and Cleveland didn't have the flexibility to get better. Also I didn't know he took a bike to work that's cool, he did that often?
Yeah, without great players around him he could not win. The discussion were lasting since the Cavs first title. At least there was no drama. It is also known that he and the GM or the owner did not agree on a lot of points.
One thing that needs to be observed is will he want the club to be built around him or help the young players to evolve and become title ready.
Yeah he often used the bike to go at work in Miami. You can find related articles on espn.com
By the way free agency is unfolding, it looks like they're building around him and trying to win in 2019. Kawhi and Jimmy butler will be free agents. But damn, it's risky given LeBrons age. These pickups for the Lakers the last few days have been weird. They have playoff tested veterans, but where are the shooters?
I blame Cleveland for this, and I think it was a smart move for LeBrons post NBA career. I doubt he'll win another championship, at least not as long as the Warriors keep their current roster.
I know. No one is beating them in the current state of all teams unless Houston can stay healthy and they retain capela. If LA manages to pull kawhi I think there could be a chance, but then you'd have to have a ton of other things break right for you too. It occurred to me that maybe deep down he doesn't want to face the warriors right now. He knows better than anyone how they are in the finals and maybe he's tired from eight in a row. Maybe he's waiting out this shitty warriors Era until a year or two passes when they're all a bit older and he can get kawhi in free agency 2019 without giving up any young Lakers in a trade. Who knows hahaha. Just a crazy conspiracy theory I had.