Brian Windhorst eyes Warriors as likeliest non-Lakers LeBron James destination: “I’d watch Golden State. He played with Steph Curry and Steve Kerr on the Olympics. You know he’s close with Draymond Green.
Media is bored. He’s resigning with the lakers
Lakers fans should hope not. Time to free up that money and build Luka’s team.
They cant hear you over retirement tour money
If he plays 5 more years then that is going to be awful for Luka era. Whole point of Luka is he is still relatively young. You wait 5 years to build a team around Luka and AR? Idk
Lebron isnt playing 5 more years
He and his agent have said they expect to play 5 more years
No they both said he could play 5 more years, and lebron even said he wasn’t gonna do that
He’s been very clear on Mind the Game and other places that he expects to play, that is why he doesn’t want to take minimum
Acting like he is gonna retire tomorrow 😅
Either way a long contract hurts Luka/Lakers future
I love that in your mind there’s no difference between not playing 5 more years at 42 and retiring tomorrow.
When was the last time lebron signed a long contract?
I don’t think Bron has signed a long contract in a decade lmao I remember him doing 1+1 deals in his second stint with Cleveland to put pressure on the FO.
he’s not eligible for a long contract.
You think the Lakers would make more money from a LeBron retirement tour rather than a competitive team built around Luka?
Unless the Lakers win another ship, yes
You think Luka wants to waste a couple of years of title shots with a better roster so that LeBron who already has four championships can sip on wine and build legacy points with throwing lobs to Bronny?
I’m with you. The Lakers need to realize this is Luka’s team now.
Lakers fans and lakers front office agrees. It’s the LeBron Stan’s who are still talking like this.
Do we think the Lakers could realistically be a title contending team this year?
What moves do you think they can do that makes them actual contenders that includes not signing Lebron?
We will see. They have a lot of cap, and 3 picks to trade. We have no clue what teams are looking to offload major salary or what other teams cap situation will be
There is no combination of players available they could get with the freed up salary that could match what Lebron brings to the team even in his forties.
People are genuinely stupid about this subject and don’t realize the cap situation, or the FA available when they say the Lakers should pass on Lebron
that’s the thing. as much as “move on and build around Luka” sounds good, I don’t see any possible scenario currently where this team is better next year without LeBron, even when he’s 42.
Yeah that’s cool but how about looking towards the future with prime Luka
Then give Bron a one year contract? Like, who are they gonna sign this summer that matches his value?
Someone that helps the future not a one year retirement tour lol
Name those players then.
There is no better roster move than resigning LeBron for another year. Anyone arguing for this, please tell me what the better move is.
Nice try Pelinka.
Idk I think the lakers have several good options depending on what salary LeBron is able to demand, although I agree most people are severely undervaluing him.
Best option would definitely be to get Giannis, but that’s unlikely without Pelinka pulling off another crazy trade.
Another option is lose LeBron and sign a starting caliber center and PoA defender in the ~20-35M range each, which should be possible if lakers can trade away some of their contracts and get AR on a reasonable deal. So a starting 5 of Luka, AR, someone like Lu Dort, Rui, and a good defensive center. This allows AR and Rui to guard their natural positions where I think they can be at least average defenders.
Otherwise with Lebron I think we’d have to pick 2 players between a starting POA defender, starting center, and Rui — but even that would probably require LeBron and AR both taking team friendly contracts, along with some advantageous trades to open up additional cap space. I think it’d be hard to get a good enough center in this case but if everything works out perfectly it has really good potential.
The other issue with resigning LeBron is that we’ll still have to figure out how to replace his production in 1-2 years and we’ll probably be in a worse position to do so then.
Since they have ARs Bird Rights, they can resign him to \(40 million & still have like \)35 mil in cap space if there’s no LeBron.
For a Luka team, I would try hard to pry Ayo Dosunmu from the Wolves (unrestricted FA), and Lu Dort (Thunder likely forced to cut him to get under second apron), or guys like Mitchell Robinson, Coby White, Timelord (UFAs)
If you can split that \(35 mil between any two of Ayo/Dort/Mitchell/Timelord/Coby White, that might be a better Lakers team than LeBron at \)40 mil and a bunch of minimums. Lakers need 3&D guys, off ball shooters, and rim runners around Luka & AR, not a third offense initiator.
But also they just need to draft better; they could’ve had Kyshawn George, Yves Missi, or Jaylon Tyson playing real minutes on rookie contracts rn instead of Dalton Knecht being completely useless
LeBron has stated that he will take a paycut if its needed for another player, but will obviously take the max if the Lakers don’t sign anyone. He did this once before but LA didn’t manage to sign anyone so he took the max
Ah yes the mythical paycut he never takes with vague strings attached. Then his fans cry the team didn’t build a better roster with the money he didn’t give the team with a paycut
And he’ll do the same thing again. There are no moves the Lakers can make that will impress LeBron enough to take 20-30M less. Saying something ≠ doing something.
Free up that money just to give Reaves 40 million?
Who can they sign that’s better than LeBron?
Don’t think there’s a path were the lakers are a better team this upcoming season without LeBron.
NBA is a business first. Let LeBron walk and miss out on 100’s of millions from his last season? Not a chance.
Who do they replace him with?
Yeah they should clear the space to give CJ McCollum or Ayo Dosunmo a big contract. /s
There’s no real downside to giving Bron a short term contract, especially considering there’s not a single better FA on the market rn. Just make sure it’s a one year or at most two year deal.
Doesn’t matter anyway, a Luka team is not beating OKC or the spurs atp. And good luck with Wolves and Nuggets.
Resigning? So he’s stepping down?
ESPN is that you?
Windhorst says himself at the end of this clip, “I still think it’s Lakers. I think 51% Lakers”
Thats what these “experts” always do. So when Lebron re signs with Lakers he can say “thats what i expected” or if he goes to GS he can say, “thats what i predicted back in June.”
Very important in this specific situation to use re-signing, because resigning would mean the media is right
And going where?
Imagine Bron turning in his resignation notice
He should leave so Luka can be on a winning team again
Windhorst: “I’m telling you he wants to leave his son after dreaming of playing with him for years!”
Lakers wouldn’t even meet with him last off season to talk about an extension.
Olden State Warriors
I think it’s fun if the dubs are the old heads team next season, plus podz, gui santos, and… aday mara
What do you mean next season? They already have been for the last three seasons.
They won in ‘22 as the old team lol They been old and they still are
This joke keeps getting made but it makes me laugh every time. Is this scenario in any way similar to the Lakers team that had Karl Malone and Gary Payton was it? Or was it Steve Nash? I can’t remember. Please someone correct me.
Damnit, beat me to it. They’ll need additional masseurs and physios.
Windy doesn’t know shit about what brons up to ever since he called him weird lmao
Plus this ruins both their legacies
They gotta get you on ESPN. 42 year old LeBron needs to STEP UP! Or his legacy is OVER!
They are 41 and 38 their legacies are cemented brother
Yes but it would definitely tarnish it. Teaming up and winning or not
Windy has been riding on the coattails of LeBron since SVSM.
There’s two things Bron’s looking for:
- he wants to be in a winning situation
- he and his family want to be comfortable, like, be in a place where he and his family don’t have to move around
Among the teams that are realistic options, the Lakers are unironically the closest thing that checks all the boxes he’s looking for, but we’ll just have to wait and see what he decides to do
I think it’s Lakers, Warriors, a massive gulf and then the Clippers. If the Lakers really lowball him don’t be shocked if he goes the spite route.
There’s still a massive gulf but I think its more likely he moves his family back out and signs with Cleveland than signs with the Clippers
his kids are grown now, I don’t think he’d bother moving them to play in Cleveland for a year
Can the warriors contend though?
The only realistic contender is the Lakers if he doesn’t want to move city.
Can the Lakers?
I’d put Warriors with LeBron over Lakers with LeBron. I don’t like either to make it out of the second round though.
His only realistic path to contention is somehow get into OKC/SAS or move back to the East.
Realistically no one can, except for the big dogs which are OKC, Spurs, etc. But imo Lakers have the better personnel.
Lakers might have better record, but Warriors have more variance. And you’re gonna need a high variance scenario to win with either of them.
I mean, we say this every year. In the end who really knows. No one thought the Spurs would be in the Finals this year either
Should go back to the Cavs that would be a fun farewell tour
I wish, but I wonder how he does that while his home and family is out in LA. He could easily just get a temporary spot out here but idk if he’d like to spend that kinda time away from family. He does have a jet, but going back and forth constantly sounds draining too.
he is an nba player. most of them do this then spend the offseason with them. he doesn’t have many years left, so its not permanent. its obvoiusly not ideal but still, its part of the job.
if he truly values that, then he should (re-)sign with the lakers or clippers for less money. in my opinion, the warriors idea seems more like a negotiating strategy for the lakers, an attempt to get some sort of leverage.
cuz while its only a 45 minute flight, it is not great on your body to fly so frequently. its easier than cleveland, sure, but the commuting from SF idea is kind of ridiculous. adding like 50 hours of flying (one return trip/week for 6 months) will put a toll on a body that is constantly in need of recovery. and thats on top of all the other flying nba players do (and the fact that his aging body is in need of recovery more than ever before…something he has talked about). he of course has every resource available to him to make it work, but it just wouldn’t be great (and to my mind, worth it…i’d just live where i play and try to get my family around whenever possible)
Yeah I agree, and I also agree that NBA players do this often and its not out of the norm at all. I just wonder at his age if its more about comfort than anything else.
that’s why i think this reporting is more about getting leverage on the lakers (he could go somewhere else). but the comfort you get from being around family doesn’t obviously outweigh the discomfort of so much flying.
but again, maybe i have no idea how nice it is to have as much money as lebron and they can just deliver him in his hyperbolic chamber after a game in SF to his house in LA
Yeah true in all likelihood he stays on the Lakers
The Cavs are a contending team trying to win. Best to focus on that vs the distraction that’d be while not getting them any closer to their goal.
It would definitely come with distractions, but LeBron absolutely brings us closer to contending legitimately
I don’t think a LeBron, Curry team can get it done at this point. Not with the Spurs and OKC in the conference.
They won’t win it all but I’d want to watch every game. That team would have endless content for ESPN lol
I think it depends on how the roster fills out. Gotta wonder who’d be lining up to join those two on a team
I don’t see how they’d be able to fill out the roster’s athleticism and defensive issues with Lebron/Reaves/Luka max contracts. Thunder should be healthier and have two top 20 picks and the Spurs will be better even if they do nothing.
I suppose you are right, they might get some decent players willing yo take a massive pay cut to go to LA, but I imagine ring chasers would have much more realistic options available to them
The person you’re replying to was saying people would line up to join the Warriors if Bron came over
Anthony Davis.
Give them all steroids and hope for the best imo
and some Metamucil? Dog I think they could do it
Everything this guy does is about legacy he’s either re-signing with the Lakers or goes back to Cleveland.
His legacy was literally winning them a championship. It means nothing for him to go back to Cleveland now.
Legacy wise, it makes much more sense to go to a 4th team and win a championship with them.
No player in NBA history has won a championship with 4 different teams.
If that’s truly the goal, I don’t see how it happens with the Warriors though.
He at least body blocks Steph from either getting his 5th ring with him, or not getting one at all LOL
Correct. Going to his main rival for the final season of his career just for vibes is not the ending he’d want
He ain’t going anywhere lol. This isn’t the 2010s where every team wants Lebron.
The lakers don’t really want him back either though especially not anywhere near the money he will demand.
He’s actually kinda stuck. Most teams don’t have cap to sign him and the teams that do aren’t a 40 year old bron away from a title. He’d either have to accept a sign and trade somewhere or take an mle or vet min
There’s not even source here, “I’d watch golden state”
“He played with Steph 1 one time at the Olympics”
“He’s friends with Draymond”
NBA media is a massive circle jerk
You either die a hero
After listening to Jefferson and TT talk about the 2016 Cavs, it feels like there was a bit of professional distance between LeBron and the rest of the team. Not in a negative way tho more like there was a clear leader-follower dynamic and a certain level of awe around him. I guess GSW’s appeal is for once he’d get to just kick it with other legends as a peer.
That said, those former Cavs guys still clearly see the Warriors as their archrival. The bad blood is long gone. There’s a ton of respect now, but the rivalry is still part of their identity. So it’d be probably feel a lil weird seeing him on the other side
I mean RJ played for both teams himself..
Is this how espn survives? By bot spamming reddit with clips? Outside of the tv in gym lockers, I’ve never seen anyone watching this.
Pat McAfee did the alt cast for Game 3, they’re paying the Inside guys to be the ‘analysts’… yes, yes they are doing this to survive.
mcafee is about to be paid 60m a year
…. wow they put this guy on tv to say the most common reason anyone with half a brain could conclude?
Lebron on vet minimum returns to LA
LeBron on the court is worth 40+ million. He’s not taking $3mil a year out of the goodness of his heart
It’s not for the goodness of his heart, you think Brunson isn’t worth more money? Someone gotta make a sacrifice to win. Lebron really doesn’t need the money, I don’t think. Taking less to get other stars paid to pair up with Luka… might be the winning strategy LeBron would need for another chip. But what ever if you as an LA fan would rather pay him up go nuts
If the Lakers offer him a vet min, he walks and goes to play somewhere on the MLE. There’s a MASSIVE difference between a 3 mil vet min and a 15-25 mil dollar deal
it’s a massive difference to us mere mortals
is it a MASSIVE difference to billionaire Lebron?
It’s funny how the finals are happening and this is what’s focused on
LeBitch always has to have the spotlight on him, It was never different
I hope it happens
🤦🏿♂️
Does this guy actually have inside info or is he just going “hmmmm well I think this team will do that and this player will go there.”
He’s been chatting shit about my Wolves recently.
Cavs would be the best destination ngl
Please stay West Bron
If he goes to the Warriors they’ll win less than 40 games. He’s not going to anyway, he’s not taking any discount, regardless of team.
It would make sense for the Warriors to be the ultimate vet team. Also since the Warriors are stagnating in recent years. But still, not sure, if I like the idea of LeBron playing there
Nah he’s going to save Memphis
Unc Avengers, attempt to assemble!
Steph, LBJ, and Green is the obvious choice for sure, but what do they do with Butler?
Trade him for KD, go full Unc
That would be so crazy 😅😅😅
How bad of a person do you have to be to be close with draymond green?
I figured it was more like a Stan kind of relationship.
Bron will go wherever he can play the most golf
Lol Lebron at Golden State
God I can’t belive we have to here this brought up all summer yes💀 out of all teams GS is as bad as the wizards to go to. They are old as dirt, they have no bench, and he would be taking a huge pay cut if yall don’t see this as a 0% chance happening then you don’t know ball.
His foot is real close with Draymond
I don’t understand why they want to make a retirement home team unless they just think it will be fun to hang out for a year. That team would be a 2nd round exit at best.
“Makes sense to me” journalism
Why would he go to a worse situation lmao
for the lulz
Golden State Terracota Warriors coz they are old.
LeBron is not changing his number
No no no. He needs to go to a young team with legs. Not an aging team. Especially one with a popped acl. Tho I wouldn’t mind seeing what happening when Draymond starts running his mouth to Lebron.
I think he’ll go back to the lakers. But this would be a fun close to his career. Makes sense on paper too.
Doesn’t Brain have type 2 diabetes as well?? How is he still on the show??
Draymond gotta change jersey number
Watching LeBron and Steph on the same NBA team would break basketball internet for months.
Once he leaves, Bronny gonna be handing out the water
LeBron to San Antonio for the vet min
They should bring KD and Harden in too.
They can break the ‘Oldest team’ record!
LeTirement Home
Shut up piggy 🐽
This shit disgusts me
If the Knicks lose the finals, it’s the Knicks. He won’t pass up the chance this time. Adding Lebron to the existing roster clears the rest of the east.
Talks vaguely about friendships, doesn’t talk about how the Warriors would make this fit the salary cap.
This is the preferred media destination
Golden Times Warriors🥀
What’s the point of going anywhere besides Knicks, Spurs, and Thunder?
Draymond Green was sporting a very LeBron-esque beard on Inside the NBA the other night.
I love this because I can’t relate. I’m in front of customers sometimes. I gotta say something. You need to riff. We know Brian likes the Prime Riff
Yes please. I just wanna see these two play together again. Two close to retirement but can still hoop legends. Coached by ex Bull too. Haha. Yes. Now!
his best destination is by far the spurs
Draymond was extra close with Bron in the 2018 Finals when Dray thumbnailed him in the eye. James battled eye infection for the whole Finals, his eye got bloodshot to hell and many on social media thought Dray had pre-“dookied” that thumb (anybody remember?) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdSfimjFwTE