The Cleveland Cavaliers are going Hollywood.
Sources confirmed to Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon that LeBron James will host his usual pre-training camp workouts from Los Angeles some time in September:
LeBron James will host his annual pre-training camp workouts for his Cavaliers teammates in Los Angeles in September, multiple sources told cleveland.com.
Since James returned to Cleveland in 2014, he’s gathered the Cavs to prepare for the upcoming season with a series of informal workouts that typically start around Labor Day. Last year the workouts were in Miami, where James filmed a documentary chronicling his personal preparations for what ended up being a championship season.
In 2014, the workouts were in Independence, where the Cavs practice near James’ home in Bath Township. Hosting the sessions in Los Angeles this summer makes sense – that’s where James has spent most of his break, living in his new, $21 million Brentwood mansion.
Well, crap. LeBron has a new $21 million mansion. That’s something.
Most of the Cavaliers’ players, per Vardon, are expected to attend this optional (but not really) party. Which is hardly surprising. Could you imagine trying to tell LeBron no? Especially after he just carried Cleveland to its first-ever NBA title?
It remains to be seen, though, whether J.R. Smith will be there. September is still a ways off, but he and the Cavaliers have yet to hash out a contract agreement. If his future isn’t signed, sealed and official by the time LeBron summons his Cleveland brethren, will he still work out with his running mates?
Either way, this little meet-up is good for the Cavaliers. Plenty of star players do something like this for their team at some point over the offseason. It’s a way to build camaraderie and get back in shape and the requisite state of mind, together.
