2575
by TFIR
I think he can re up after 3 years?
Lloyd: LeBron James restored his hometown team. Now he’s off to do it again
Jason Lloyd
LeBron James returned to Cleveland four years ago determined to deliver greatness to a region starving for a championship. Now he’s off again, this time determined to restore greatness to one of the proudest franchises in NBA history.
The fact James is leaving Cleveland for the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t terribly surprising. The Cavs have expected for two years now this day was coming. The fact he agreed to a contract Sunday longer than anything he has signed in Cleveland since 2006 is another indictment of the level of mistrust between he and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.
James is on record multiple times saying that the league is better when its marquee franchises such as the Lakers and Boston Celtics are title contenders. But the Lakers haven’t been viable contenders since they beat the Celtics in the Finals in 2010. James has appeared in every Finals since.
Now, however, that streak is in grave danger.
James is playing the long game here. He leaves Cleveland for a Lakers franchise not yet ready to compete with the Warriors, and thus far he is going alone. After forming super teams in Miami and Cleveland in his past two free-agency moves, this time James has no assurance anyone else will join him.
Paul George has already declared he’s staying in Oklahoma City. Chris Paul, as expected, is staying in Houston. Unless the Lakers can acquire Kawhi Leonard in a trade, it’s likely James will be the only marquee star headed to Los Angeles this summer.
He’s well aware of that, and according to one source with knowledge of his thinking, James isn’t bothered by it. He is trying to build something sustainable over the twilight of his career and he’s doing it with one of the most legendary teams in sports; it’s the equivalent to playing for the Yankees in baseball.
If that means his Lakers aren’t ready to topple the Warriors next May, and his Finals streak ends at eight in a row, so be it. If it takes him until next summer’s star-studded free-agent class to find help, he’s willing to wait. The roster in Los Angeles is similar to what the Cavs looked like when he returned in 2014. Only there is no assurance a Kevin Love-type star is coming anytime soon.
James will eventually have to answer for insisting on multiple occasions he’d finish his career in Cleveland. But it won’t be anytime soon. He is packing again, headed to Europe this week for another vacation, multiple sources said. He returned from one tropical vacation and landed in Los Angeles just long enough to say his goodbyes to the Cavs over the phone at the start of free agency and then meet with Magic Johnson at James’ mansion Sunday night.
After Klutch Sports declared James was leaving with a simple one sentence, 36-word statement — no one-hour special this time, no heartwarming letter describing a return home, either — Gilbert responded with his own statement.
No vitriol this time, nothing about a cowardly betrayal. This time, Gilbert thanked James and his family, spoke fondly of the championship and concluded by dreaming of the night the Cavs retire his No. 23.
“LeBron, you came home and delivered the ultimate goal,” Gilbert said in the statement. “Nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything you put into every moment you spent in a Cavaliers uniform.”
So what about the Cavs?
They’re certainly no longer championship contenders. Despite insistence from the organization that they are not interested in trading Love, multiple sources from around the league insist they are indeed open to moving him. It makes perfect sense to deal him now.
The Cavs’ first-round pick for next year is top 10 protected, meaning they can keep it if it falls within the top 10. Otherwise, they’ll lose it to the Atlanta Hawks as compensation for the Kyle Korver deal. Moving Love and launching a full-scale rebuild would almost assure the Cavs of finishing in the top 10 of the draft.
Those are decisions to make another day. For now, the Cavs are facing the reality they’ve been expecting for the last year. They made the Kyrie Irving deal with the Boston Celtics preparing for this day, which is why they made the draft pick that ultimately became Collin Sexton the centerpiece of the deal.
The Cavs have been frustrated for years that James would never commit to them long term. And despite Gilbert’s eloquent farewell this time, make no mistake, the relationship between owner and star player was never really restored.
James clearly trusts Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka more than he ever trusted Gilbert. The four-year, $154 million deal he agreed to Sunday includes three guaranteed years. The fourth year is a player option, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. The last time he gave Cleveland a three-year commitment was 12 years ago when he was coming off his rookie deal. He even gave the Miami Heat and Pat Riley four years guaranteed in 2010. Despite his willingness to spend, James never trusted Gilbert enough to give the Cavs the same lengthy commitment.
As James departs with a much cleaner separation this time, it’s fair to say both Gilbert and James held up their ends of the agreement. Gilbert pledged to spend whatever it took to win a championship. He did. Then James delivered that title.
LeBron already restored one franchise. Now he’s off to do it again. Hollywood awaits.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain