We have ourselves a shortlist, folks.
Thursday morning began with an eye-opening report that LeBron James would entertain a meeting with the mighty Golden State Warriors in free agency this summer. The Cleveland Cavaliers forward will have plenty of other options, though, and it appears there are six teams that could catch his ear this offseason, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.
.@ChrisBHaynes tells us now on @ESPNLosAngeles if these teams had a max slot LeBron would listen to them b/c he respects them. Teams are the Warriors, Spurs, & less so the Heat (b/c he's been there done that). Wouldn't rule out Lakers, Cavs & Rockets. No Clippers.
— Jorge Sedano 🐺 (@Sedano) February 1, 2018
To sum up: The Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Miami Heat — who employed him for four seasons from 2010 to 2014 — all are in play, as are his current team, the Cavs. The Los Angeles Clippers, meanwhile, are out, per Haynes.
There aren’t many surprises on this list. L.A. long has been a rumored destination for James, who owns two homes in the city. Houston and San Antonio both are successful, stable franchises, a quality that James reportedly covets. A Heat reunion seems less likely, but LeBron does have a relationship with team president Pat Riley, and we can’t rule out the 33-year-old staying in his hometown of Cleveland despite the current drama surrounding the team.
James is expected to opt out of the final year of his contract this offseason, at which point the scramble to acquire one of the best players in NBA history will begin. Buckle up.
