Congrats, Cavaliers fans: At least one person inside the NBA’s vast circle would be shocked to see LeBron James leave Cleveland in free agency this summer.
From The Undefeated’s Marc J. Spears:
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he stays in Cleveland now,” one high-ranking Eastern Conference team executive said. “The Cavaliers put a really good team around him. The Cavaliers have made it really tough for him to decide to leave Cleveland again. The Lakers might have helped them keep LeBron.”
This is the other side of the trade-deadline argument. Yes, the Cavaliers helped the Lakers clear out cap space by absorbing Jordan Clarkson’s deal. But as many have pointed out, if LeBron really wants to sign in Los Angeles, he will find a way. Passing on that deal wouldn’t have stopped him.
On the flip side, getting Clarkson and Nance deepens the Cavaliers’ pool of complementary talent. That, in theory, helps them pitch James on a long-term future. So it may be the Lakers who, in fact, helped keep James in Cleveland.
But that doesn’t mean Magic Johnson and company should beat themselves up. They did well to get a first-round pick and partial-year look at Isaiah Thomas as part of the process. And really, the NBA’s competitive landscape is what may do in them and LeBron’s other suitors.
Most think James will only leave Cleveland for something close to a sure thing. And failing a forced trade to the Golden State Warriors, that situation doesn’t exist. He could find his way to the Houston Rockets, but they’d first need to gut their roster or he and Chris Paul must accept appreciable pay cuts. People think the Philadelphia 76ers and Lakers themselves are interesting landing spots, but they’re both assembled around young cores.
Perhaps a dark-horse candidate emerges in the coming months. For now, though, the Cavaliers remain LeBron’s ticket to an annual NBA Finals appearance, and that must make them the prohibitive favorites to keep him.
