The only way LeBron James is going to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for a Western Conference team is if said Western Conference team would have an immediate shot at competing with the Golden State Warriors. As rumors continue to pile up, it sounds like the Los Angeles Lakers have an outside chance to be that team.
Speculation has existed for a while that LeBron could sign with the Lakers when he becomes a free agent next summer. Many believe Paul George is destined to wind up in purple and gold, which would certainly help L.A. sign James. But if George and Westbrook both decided to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Lakers together, would that seal the deal for King James?
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said recently that the Lakers will be a possible landing spot for Westbrook if he does not sign the contract extension the Thunder have offered him.
“Paul George is from L.A. Russell Westbrook’s from L.A. They’re going to be playing together. If they want to stay together, they could just come to the Lakers or Clippers,” Shelburne said. “The what-ifs — the dominos that start falling if (Westbrook) does not sign that contract extension by the start of the regular season…”
On paper, a Lakers team comprised of LeBron, Westbrook, George, Lonzo Ball and some other young up-and-coming players would obviously sound like enough to contend with Golden State. It would also require some serious salary cap gymnastics, but that’s something Magic Johnson would make sure his team figured out if all of the aforementioned superstars were interested in playing together in L.A.
James would supposedly love to team up with Westbrook, and one reporter went out on a limb last week with a prediction about LeBron’s future.
We’ve seen enough crazy things happen in the NBA recently to know nothing should be ruled out, but Westbrook would look like quite the hypocrite if he left OKC for the same reasons Kevin Durant did. That said, the Thunder have to prove they are committed to competing. There must be a reason Westbrook hasn’t signed his extension yet.
