Just when we thought we had heard and seen it all in the NBA; just when we thought what a super-team meant, the NBA could yet again baffle us in the most surprising way ever. Two apparent foes, the two-time champions Golden State Warriors and the three-time champion LeBron James, could join forces this summer against all odds. This is what is being reported by ESPN. League sources have told ESPN that the Warriors could be willing to create the necessary cap space in order to attract the 'King.' In addition, it is said that LeBron would not shy away from listening to the Warriors in a potential meeting.
LeBron moving his talents again?
We have already recognized in recent years that the NBA has become a place for 'buddy ball.' Many stars choose to play with each other rather than compete against each other. Long gone are the days when players blindly chose to stay loyal to their teams during the good and bad times. LeBron James has personified this change in culture in the NBA. When things begin to go south, LeBron has usually decided to take his talents to a better situation. Now, the best situation out there is the defending champion Golden State Warriors, the team that has deprived him of two NBA championships in the last three years.
LeBron is in a privileged position in the weak Eastern Conference. The Cleveland Cavaliers can sustain turmoil year after year and easily make their way to the NBA Finals. But how much patience can LeBron have with a dysfunctional organization, a stubborn owner in Dan Gilbert, and an aged team that might not be able to improve much compared to the Warriors?
Durant, Curry, and LeBron?
Could LeBron James actually decide to join forces with Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry? If you can't beat your enemy join him, right? While LeBron could possibly hurt his legacy by fleeing a sinking ship and finding himself a better one yet again, the idea of sharing the floor and probably multiple NBA championships with Durant and Curry is alluring to anyone.
But not all is in the hands of King James this time. Warriors' management would have to come up with an even better magic trick in order to squeeze LeBron's max deal into its payroll. The most probable scenario would include a sign-and-trade with the Cavs that would send the likes of Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala to Cleveland. The Warriors would still need to rid themselves of several other smaller contracts and, most importantly, they might need to do some magic again and convince Durant to not pick up his player option and rather take a bit less, yet again. This summer should be fun for NBA fans.