The biggest NBA rumors circulating through the league – specifically with the Cleveland Cavaliers – is the eventual fate of LeBron James. The King is in the final year of his contract with the Cavaliers and he will make his decision at the end of the season concerning where he plans to play in 2018. LeBron also holds all the cards. He has a no-trade clause built into his contract so all the Cavaliers can do is sit and hope he leads them to the NBA Finals one more time, with an outside chance he could stick with the team after the season ends.
When Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard J.R.
Smith was asked by TMZ about what he thought the future held for LeBron James, he was blunt. “LeBron’s gone man. Deal with it.” He then went on to say that LeBron will end up laying “wherever the f**k he wanna.”
LeBron James and 2017-18
When it comes to the 2017-18 NBA season, the Cleveland Cavaliers can do nothing but wait. The fact of the matter is that LeBron James led Cleveland to three straight NBA title appearances, although he lost two of those to the Golden State Warriors. This season, the Cavaliers had two choices. They could have stocked the team with even more talent to help them try to overcome the Warriors and win a second NBA Championship or they could hold steady.
They chose the second option – at first – and that might be why LeBron James will leave when the season comes to a close.
The problem with Cleveland fans is that they know they can’t trade LeBron James because he will not give up his no-trade clause. That means that, if LeBron leaves after the season, Cleveland gets nothing in return and are left with a gaping hole that no player will ever fill.
The Cavaliers did make a move to bring in Isaiah Thomas and picked up what could be a very high 2018 NBA Draft pick that they can trade for a superstar later in the season as well.
However, the Cavaliers look to just hope they can win an NBA title before James leaves at the end of the season and have enough talent to still compete in the Eastern Conference after LeBron races out of town again.
The Los Angeles Lakers
The entire idea is that LeBron James could join the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. Lonzo Ball is the new face of the franchise but he will take a backseat to LeBron if this move happens.
There are also a ton of rumors that James will bring friends with him in the form of Paul George and possibly even DeMarcus Cousins, to create a super-team in one of the NBA’s most legendary franchises. If any team can afford this influx of superstars, it is the Lakers – one of the biggest market teams in the league.