LeBron is still the face of the NBA, whether you like him or not. He has the popularity and skill, even at his age, to draw in viewers and make members of his fanbase hop on the bandwagon of any team he joins. That possibility is no more prevalent than it is now, with James looking to depart Los Angeles in the off-season and take his talents to a potential fourth home.
LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, outlined some defining factors that we'll be going into the decision;
- Team needs to pay more than the minimum to obtain LeBron
- Team needs to have an already established identity and not need to break apart to afford LeBron
- Team needs to be a contender for a championship
Without these factors, it's hard to see LeBron go to a franchise that doesn't line up with his career trajectory of still wanting to play meaningful basketball, even if it's only for one or two years.
Here are some of the destinations I can see LeBron ending up in by the end of the offseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers
A return home definitely looks like the most probable place for the King to end his career. Playing 11 years for Cleveland, Lebron fulfilled his promise to the team that drafted him with the first overall pick in 2003 and ended up winning them a championship during their 2016 run.
His work may not be done just yet, with part of his decision-making process being directed by where his family will be comfortable and what better place to be than the city that he started that same family in. It helps that he fits position-wise into their already established conference finals lineup alongside Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Evan Mobley.
Cleveland does have some payroll concerns, though, as they are projected to be over the NBA's second apron and can only offer James a minimum contract of below $4 million. To overcome this and sign-in-trade scenario will have to take form, most likely involving Cleveland's Jarrett Allen, but it's probably worth it if you get LeBron in return.
