Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James can become a free agent at the end of this season, it’s true. NBA experts and analysts have been trying to decipher where the three-time champion might go — if anywhere at all. One team that has recently been in the discussion is the Houston Rockets.
As most hoops fans know, the Rockets acquired one of James’ best friends (Chris Paul) in the 2017 offseason, which has led to rumors of the two players joining forces in H-Town. However, according to a recent report from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne, talk of James and Paul wanting to play together has been “overstated.”
“The Rockets have also been added to the James futures market with their new star duo of James Harden and Chris Paul looking awesome. But three key players — Paul, Clint Capela and Trevor Ariza — will be free agents next summer, and there isn’t enough room for all of them if James gets his max.
“There’s reason to pay attention to the Houston connection. James and Paul have been friends since high school, won two gold medals together and recently led the players’ union through CBA negotiations with Paul as president and James as VP. They are in position to be free agents at the same time for the first time in their careers next summer.
“However, league sources called the concept that James and Paul want to spend their golden years as teammates an overstated assumption.”
It’s safe to say that several teams will be rolling out the red carpet for James this offseason. In fact, the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, and New York Knicks (to name a few) have all been tossed into the conversation. However, as of today, most of them (aside from the Lakers) do not have the $35 million required in cap space to cover his salary.
James and the Cavs, winners in 15 of their last 16 games, have their own set of issues. Prior to the start of this season, they added several new faces to their rotation — the oldest lineup in the NBA. So far, the new additions have come together quite well. However, of all the teams that will be interested in James’ services at the end of this season, Cleveland is the only one who can offer him a five-year max deal. Or, if he so desires, James could opt for a one-year deal.
As of today, no one knows James’ true intentions for the 2018 offseason. He seems to be happy in Cleveland, and as long as they can remain competitive, he’ll likely stay on-board.