Yannis: Believe it or not, I think with the right follow up moves, the Phoenix Suns could even be a little bit closer – and frankly their top-notch medical staff alone makes them worth considering. LeBron’s logging a lot of wear and tear, which at some point is going to catch up to him.
Alex: I see what you’re saying. While I think Houston does have some intriguing elements, I do realize that there are some cons associated with the Rockets as well.
You mentioned Phoenix, and this is honestly my favorite non-Miami destination for LeBron. Nobody has been talking about the Suns because Phoenix isn’t known as a big-time free agent destination, but I think they’re a serious contender to land James.
They have two max contracts to offer, so they could sign LeBron to the salary he wants as well as another star such as Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh, or they could try to swing a trade for Kevin Love with all of their assets (because, remember, Suns GM Ryan McDonough has been amazing when it comes stockpiling young players and first-round picks). They could bring in James and a second star, and then have an amazing supporting cast that consists of an All-Star Goran Dragic and re-signed Eric Bledsoe, as well as solid role players like Markieff Morris, Miles Plumlee, Gerald Green, Alex Len, T.J. Warren, Tyler Ennis and others. Or, if James doesn’t want Phoenix to sign a second star, he could have them use their remaining cap space on two or three cheaper free agents and help construct the roster however he sees fit. This would be a team that has a very interesting mix of youth and veterans, capable of competing right away and for years to come.
Not to mention, he’d be playing for a great head coach in Jeff Hornacek, who did an excellent job last year. This is a Suns team that exceeded all expectations last season and nearly made the playoffs in the ridiculously talented Western Conference with a roster that was expected to be one of the worst in the league. They’d be scary good with LeBron at small forward. Also, they play an exciting brand of basketball and James would fit right in with their up-tempo system. The Bledsoe connection is interesting as well, since he is close with LeBron and they share the same agent (Rich Paul).
With that said, does LeBron really walk away from Miami, where he has won two championships, to go to an up-and-coming team like Phoenix that hasn’t been to the playoffs in several years and that features so many young players and inexperienced management? It’s pretty risky to go there, leaving behind Pat Riley, Erik Spoelstra and his battle-tested teammates. Phoenix is definitely an attractive situation and one that I would give a lot of thought to if I were LeBron, but I’m just sure if LeBron is ready to make the jump to the Suns.
Yannis: Eric Bledsoe is the point guard that LeBron has deserved to play with his entire career. And, I don’t think there’s any question that Chris Bosh would join him there in a heartbeat, because they’d give him the max too – something the HEAT may not do. I love the fact that they have such a top-notch training staff too. Did you know they grew a completely new foot for Grant Hill when they got there? I’m not sure if they practice witchcraft or what, but they do something that other teams don’t do and could potentially extend James’ career by a few years.
If Pat Riley had the kind of supporting cast in place that the Suns could offer, we wouldn’t even be talking about any other possibilities right now. It’d be a done deal that he’s staying in Miami. Jeff Hornacek is unproven, but he’s got potential. If LeBron can turn Erik Spoelstra into a top-tier coach, he should be able to turn Hornacek into a star as well.
Here’s the one thing that the Suns have working against them that pretty much kills their chances: Robert Sarver. He’s had a championship-caliber team before, but he tried to save money instead of spending to get them over the hump. LeBron can’t trust him with three or four of the most important years of his career. Can the Suns trade Sarver for Mark Cuban?
Alex: You’re right about Sarver. LeBron was reportedly frustrated with Miami’s cost-cutting moves like amnestying Mike Miller and not using the mid-level exception last year, so imagine how he’d react to some of Sarver’s cheap moves?
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