Return of The King: Lebron to Cleveland

TheProfessor · Post #1 » by **TheProfessor** » Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:18 pm

Cleveland IN: Lebron James
Cleveland Out: Garland, Strus

James is still a top 10 player and age does not look to stop, Cleveland sells this as a last dance type of thing. Dan Gilbert sells a billion tickets, Win- WIn. I also don't think Garland will resign from Cleveland after his contract. So it's 1-2 years of Lebron for 3 years of Garland. Also get off Strus's contract.

LA in: Garland, Strus
LA out: Lebron James

LA gets younger and increase their window.

This trade is contingent upon Lebron A) waiving his no trade B) Agreeing to play for 2 years. Also assume this is an offseason trade, and that both LA and Cleveland flames out in the playoffs.

redslastlaugh · Post #2 » by **redslastlaugh** » Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:24 pm

From oncourt basketball perspective, some deal or variation of deal like this could/would make sense. From a business perspective it does not make any sense at all. LeBron and Klutch Sports have such a good working relationship with the Lakers ownership, I can’t see LeBron ever wanting to leave.

toooskies · Post #3 » by **toooskies** » Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:28 pm

LeBron can come return to Cleveland as a free agent if he wants another run at a title in CLE.

TheProfessor · Post #4 » by **TheProfessor** » Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:33 pm

redslastlaugh wrote:From oncourt basketball perspective, some deal or variation of deal like this could/would make sense. From a business perspective it does not make any sense at all. LeBron and Klutch Sports have such a good working relationship with the Lakers ownership, I can’t see LeBron ever wanting to leave.

Well from a marketing stand point, its amazing. King returns home to give his home town team a ring as he rides off into the sunset. The amount of documentaries/publicity Lebron would get from this would be legendary.

But I agree, Lebron would need to agree, that's why I said its contingent on Lebron agreeing to wave his no trade clause.

redslastlaugh · Post #5 » by **redslastlaugh** » Sun Nov 24, 2024 8:37 pm

Yea but think about Bronny, think about the other Klutch clients on the roster because of LeBron, and so forth. Seems pretty unlikely Lebron would want to jump ship, but if he does maybe Cleveland the only place he’d leave to go…

Post #6 » by **jbk1234** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 2:02 am

toooskies wrote:LeBron can come return to Cleveland as a free agent if he wants another run at a title in CLE.

Yeah, he's already talking about retiring. If he wants to come back, the door's open this summer. If he doesn't, he'll just retire.

TheProfessor · Post #7 » by **TheProfessor** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 2:55 am

jbk1234 wrote:
toooskies wrote:LeBron can come return to Cleveland as a free agent if he wants another run at a title in CLE.

Yeah, he's already talking about retiring. If he wants to come back, the door's open this summer. If he doesn't, he'll just retire.

I think LBJ would still like his 50m, I don't think Cleveland has the cap space. Also Lbj said he plans to play 1-2 more seasons.

toooskies · Post #8 » by **toooskies** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 3:23 am

TheProfessor wrote:
jbk1234 wrote:
toooskies wrote:LeBron can come return to Cleveland as a free agent if he wants another run at a title in CLE.

Yeah, he's already talking about retiring. If he wants to come back, the door's open this summer. If he doesn't, he'll just retire.

I think LBJ would still like his 50m, I don't think Cleveland has the cap space. Also Lbj said he plans to play 1-2 more seasons.

Cleveland should not destroy their long-term core to chase a title for 1-2 years with a 40 year-old.

Karmaloop · Post #9 » by **Karmaloop** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 3:27 am

Short of LeBron asking Jeanie to trade him back to Cleveland, he's going to retire a Laker.

Post #10 » by **jbk1234** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 3:53 am

TheProfessor wrote:
jbk1234 wrote:
toooskies wrote:LeBron can come return to Cleveland as a free agent if he wants another run at a title in CLE.

Yeah, he's already talking about retiring. If he wants to come back, the door's open this summer. If he doesn't, he'll just retire.

I think LBJ would still like his 50m, I don't think Cleveland has the cap space. Also Lbj said he plans to play 1-2 more seasons.

The Cavs aren't trading a young all star PG for a 40-year old LBJ. If LBJ wants to retire in Cleveland, he can make that happen with or without the Lakers help next summer. If he wants to retire a Laker, he'll retire a Laker.

tidho · Post #11 » by **tidho** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 4:45 pm

No thanks.

hugepatsfan · Post #12 » by **hugepatsfan** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 6:27 pm

You'd have to include the make-a-wish kid with Lebron for him to accept this, but small detail unless it has some big salary matching impact.

Lebron is still a much, much, MUCH better player than Garland and CLE has the best record in the NBA right now but are still probably viewed by most as 2nd in their conference behind Boston. Garland is obviously way younger but this seems a pretty obvious title chasing move to make for CLE purely basketball wise.

Post #13 » by **jbk1234** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 7:23 pm

hugepatsfan wrote:You'd have to include the make-a-wish kid with Lebron for him to accept this, but small detail unless it has some big salary matching impact.

Lebron is still a much, much, MUCH better player than Garland and CLE has the best record in the NBA right now but are still probably viewed by most as 2nd in their conference behind Boston. Garland is obviously way younger but this seems a pretty obvious title chasing move to make for CLE purely basketball wise.

The fundamental problem is that every team LBJ has been on since he was drafted was built around him. The question isn't whether he's better than Garland now, it's whether the Cavs as currently constructed will be better with LBJ in place of Garland and Strus and I submit to you that people are being overly reductive in their analysis.

Atkinson has this team off to a 17-1 start. The chemistry is great. Guys like playing with each other. The Cavs are beating other good teams which is something they struggled with under JBB. What happens if LBJ disagrees with Atkinson? What happens if LBJ doesn't like the spacing with Allen and Mobley on the floor? The Cavs aren't firing the coach or deconstructing the entire roster so that it can be remade to suit LBJ.

The door is certainly open for LBJ to come home for a swan song season if he'd like to do that, but he's not going to be driving the car like he's done in the past. He's the NBA"s Sinatra. He does it his way. Jeannie Buss has been very clear that she's going to let him. I suspect he retires a Laker.

toooskies · Post #14 » by **toooskies** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 9:06 pm

hugepatsfan wrote:You'd have to include the make-a-wish kid with Lebron for him to accept this, but small detail unless it has some big salary matching impact.

Lebron is still a much, much, MUCH better player than Garland and CLE has the best record in the NBA right now but are still probably viewed by most as 2nd in their conference behind Boston. Garland is obviously way younger but this seems a pretty obvious title chasing move to make for CLE purely basketball wise.

Is LeBron that much better? While the traditional stats and some advanced stats (EPM, BPM, VORP) favor LeBron, others (LEBRON(!), WS, WS/48, +/-, on/off) favor Garland. Garland has been significantly better this year.

LeBron is 40, rarely plays both ends of the floor, and isn't built to play in an offense where he isn't the focal point. It's not a guarantee that LeBron even makes the Cavs better, in the same way adding a 35 year-old Shaq didn't make the Suns better when you subtracted Shawn Marion.

axeman23 · Post #15 » by **axeman23** » Tue Nov 26, 2024 11:06 pm

I'd love to have 1 more run with Lebron before he hangs them up, but I'd be offering salary cap relief and non-Core4 pieces for him, or waiting to see if he wants to give it 1 more run when he hits free agency. If not, I'm ok...