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LeBron James, in the 15th year of his career, has played some of the most inspiring basketball we have ever seen him play in the regular season - whilst continuing to do the same in the postseason too.
But even after surpassing all expectations, LeBron might again still not have enough around him to win another title this year. His agent Rich Paul has gone on record, saying that nothing is more important than winning titles at this stage in the 33-year-old's career.
James himself has stated that he is chasing the ghost of Michael Jordan. The three-time champion has reaffirmed his desire to win titles and with that in mind, we have listed five of the best possible destinations which would put him in the best place possible to win another ring, or give him the best chance to do it yet.
#5 San Antonio Spurs
LeBron James in his 15 years as an NBA player has played for multiple teams and more importantly, multiple coaches. But what he is yet to do during his career, is play for a coach like Gregg Popovich.
LeBron has been public about his reverence for Pop and also stated that he is not only the league's best right now, but also one of the all-time greats. Imagine the partnership they could develop, LeBron under a mastermind like Popovich.
Despite the fact that Spurs are not one of the most popular markets in the NBA, they are known for being a world-class organisation. The Spurs have much less to work with regarding cap space - only $million to spare. All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard's contract is one of the big things which continues to hang over their heads.
In order to create cap space for LeBron, they would need to say goodbye to Tony Parker whilst hoping both Danny Green and Rudy Gay do not pick up their player options, extending their existing deals.
They would also ideally like to trade Pau Gasol to a team with cap space available. With all of that in mind, the easiest way for them to complete this deal would be if LeBron himself opts-in.
They could then construct a trade offer around LaMarcus Aldridge, other veteran players like the aforementioned duo or some talented young pieces for "The King". The trade would have to be a really alluring one for the Cavaliers front office to consider, as they themselves would be unwilling to take on significant luxury tax penalties for a side that are unable to show results.
The chances of this happening are slim, but if Kawhi and the Spurs are able to solve their differences and they convince LeBron to join, a trio alongside Pop has deadly potential and would be unlike anything we've previously seen in the league.
#4 Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers are the most talked about destination when it comes to free agency and LeBron James. Rumors of James taking his talents to Hollywood has been looming around for a very long time now.
The Lakers have created a powerful young roster amid the powerhouses in the West. LeBron has spoken highly of the rookie Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram has proved to be a great future prospect this past season, Kyle Kuzma has been a revelation following an excellent debut year and Julius Randle could develop into a double-double machine if he is retained.
Even with all of this though, LeBron is entering the twilight of his career and naturally looking for rings. The names mentioned above could well become superstars of the future, but he doesn't have much time in his hands to wait for their development.
The Lakers freed up nearly $15m in cap space for the upcoming season, having traded both Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to LeBron's Cavs during the mid-season trade. Magic Johnson and the front office are committed to just $34.6m in salary for 2018/19 as a result.
The Lakers are therefore the only team amongst all these contenders that not only will be able to pay LeBron a max deal, but also have enough left over to attract another max-level superstar.
If LeBron plays alongside another superstar-calibre level player, coupled with a young and athletic supporting cast, he might have a better shot at winning a title. That's even before mentioning his multiple properties in Los Angeles, relationship with Magic Johnson and the Lakers' sheer level of marketability could prove pivotal in luring LeBron this summer.
#3 Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers blew up their roster midway through the season, having replaced some of their older members with fresh, young talent in the form of Clarkson, Nance Jr and Rodney Hood. With this move, the Cavaliers did get better, but simply not good enough.
LeBron has been able to somehow lead this depleted roster into the NBA Finals this postseason, against all odds. His ability to make everyone better around him cannot be understated, but that still might not be enough to overcome a stacked and star-studded Warriors roster this term.
This postseason proved that the teams in the East are going to improve on a yearly basis and the Cavaliers themselves will have to significantly develop their roster to have any chance of beating young, motivated sides within - let alone facing the Western Conference juggernauts.
James can opt out of his final contract at the end of this season, putting more pressure on Dan Gilbert and the front office to make significant improvements in their roster to stay more competitive. He could also sign a five-year max deal, worth over $205m - a difference of $50m in comparison to what he could get elsewhere.
So with that in mind, staying in Cleveland may be the best option for LeBron if he wants to keep making Finals appearances and try his luck in winning one or two of them while still being his team's driving force. Also, remaining in Cleveland also means he would stay close to his friends and family, which is an important but understated factor in decision-making.
#2 Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers, having played so well at the end of the regular season, failed to meet their own high expectations in the postseason. They fell to another young and talented roster in the Boston Celtics over five games.
Nevertheless, the Sixers - blessed with great perimeter shooting and impressive overall team defence, justified they are a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, their two stars, still have plenty to improve upon too.
If LeBron decides to stay in the East and win more championships, Philadelphia appears to be the most exciting option. A core of James, Embiid and Simmons makes the Sixers a championship treat instantly while they have the necessary cap space to achieve that.
With the kind of shooters currently present in their roster, LeBron would fit perfectly into the Sixers' system. Three of their four highest-paid players this season are set to come off their books in July.
So, they will be entering the summer months with close to a max cap slot ($30.5m). Some small adjustments here and there within their roster would allow them to offer LeBron a max contract - a much easier process than the one they took to acquire both Embiid and Simmons.
The Philadelphia 76ers would not only contend with LeBron in their roster but also allow the 33-year-old to age gracefully into the twilight of his illustrious career.
#1 Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets took the reigning defending champions to a game 7 in the Western Conference Finals and lost, with Chris Paul sitting on the sidelines during their final two games.
Not to mention the fact that Steph Curry and Klay Thompson went out of their minds shooting the ball from beyond the arc and had to bring out their A game to defeat them. Looking at the Western Conference Finals, it is possible to say that if LeBron was in this Rockets side, they would definitely be in the NBA Finals.
A combination of James, Paul and James Harden would form a trio as formidable as there currently is in the NBA right now. Although LeBron would be facing the Warriors earlier in the postseason than he is used to, he'd definitely have the help and firepower around him to beat them this time around, than in previous Finals match-ups. Not to mention the fact that Paul and LeBron are the best of friends and therefore, he could definitely play a role in luring James into H-Town.
As of now, the Rockets do not have the cap space (close to $22m) to sign a player of LeBron's quality, but GM Daryl Morey has proved himself to be one of the league's best and would do his utmost to complete a deal if there was sufficient interest on both sides.
As good as Clint Capela has played for the Rockets this season, playing in the Western Conference means playing a lot of small ball - especially against the Warriors. If LeBron opts-in, the Rockets could offer a trade centring Capela and Eric Gordon whilst still maintaining their core group of players to add LeBron.
Switching to the West after 15 years in the East and winning while playing in the Western Conference is naturally going to be difficult, but he could well be the final nail in the coffin to propel both Harden and Paul towards their first championship - while adding more rings on his fingers.
Guess the Lakers players!
