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LeBron James has been a lone "warrior" for Cleveland these playoffs. He is averaging a ridiculous 34 points per game (PPG), never mind the rest of the numbers. He has been the single most dominant force in basketball since Michael Jordan and some would say, Kobe Bryant. The King (James), is now raising questions as to whether or not he is the greatest to ever play the game. At the age of 33, he is still unstoppable and has averaged 41.3 minutes (MIN) per game, as he is all set to go up against the Golden State Warriors for a fourth consecutive time in the NBA Finals.
Speaking of the NBA Finals, a lot of questions have been raised on where LeBron will be next season. None would be surprised to see him leave the city he was drafted by for the second time in his career. The Cavs are aging and highly dependent on the King himself. Without Kevin Love, sometimes even LeBron's efforts fall short.
So, what are the prospective moves for James come next season?
Also read: 5 possible destinations for LeBron James
1. Stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Of course, this is an option! If the Cavs do somehow manage to win the NBA Championships this time around against the Golden State Warriors then that would definitely tempt LeBron to stay. It would help Cleveland acquire a couple more stars during the offseason, to refresh an old team.
Another reason for LeBron to stay with The Land could simply be his true love for Cleveland. After bringing the city its first-ever NBA title in 2016, King James may want to carry on his legacy.
Having said all of this, regardless of King James winning or losing a ring this year, he could still bid adieu to the Cleveland faithful. He is hungry (and rightfully so), for more NBA championships. He may want to move on to what may seem like greener pastures in hope of building on the three rings he has won so far in his illustrious and highly decorated career. The Cavaliers are up against it as they face off against the Warriors. It seems likely that the fourth ring that James is in search of is going to elude him this year as well.
Any team would welcome LeBron James with open arms but there are not too many teams that can afford his services. Another pressing question is which team would interest the King?
2. Join the young core of the Philadelphia 76ers
The young team from Philly did something truly special in the regular season. They finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference and dismantled the Miami Heat 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. In the semifinals, the lack of experience showed as they were humbled by the Boston Celtics 1-4, in a series where they clearly looked like they were no match for their opponents.
Having said that, to finish 3rd in the conference is an incredible feat and one can be certain that having Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the prospective franchise players for years to come, the 76ers have the foundations in place to win a few rings in the near future. They can definitely become a dominant force if they can build around their young stars.
LeBron James would not only add superstar status to Philadelphia but also would set up a Big Three that could challenge any team on any given day in the league. Having this young core would help lower the burden LeBron is currently carrying with the Cavs. A slight drop in minutes would mean an increase in James' efficiency. It would also benefit the 33-year-old's longevity.
The future is definitely bright for Philly with or without James but it is now up to the King to consider whether or not he wants to join this bandwagon.
3. Hollywood calling?
What a headline this would be - LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers!
It definitely is a possibility. The Lakers had a season which saw them finish a respectable 11th in a tough Western Conference with so many heavyweight teams. They were competitive in nearly all of the 82 games this season and have shown promising signs of growth under their young head coach, Luke Walton.
The Lakers have acquired some fine talent over the last 3 years through the NBA Draft in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart who seem likely to become the franchise players of the Lakers post the Kobe Bryant era. James would help lay the foundations for the future of the franchise.
The Lakers are the youngest team in the league along with the Phoenix Suns, as they look to rebuild post the Kobe Bryant era and bring back Showtime to LA.
The Lakers seem like the most likely destination for LeBron James. They have cleared up enough cap space to be able to max out James' contract and meet his salary demands.
Another factor to consider is the reputation of the Lakers. They have 16 NBA Championships and so many iconic legends of the game have worn the Purple & Gold. One of the most popular sports franchises in the world, it is hard to refuse the opportunity to join the Los Angeles Lakers. With Magic Johnson being at the helm of the Lakers as the President of Basketball Operations, the chances of the Lakers again becoming a force to reckon with is highly plausible.
The Lakers are likely to pick up Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder to add to the young core. King James joining the team at Staples Center would make them a direct playoff team that could go deep in the postseason as well.
It is going to be interesting to see how things play out and if the Lakers do come calling for James, then it is going to be hard to resist for the King.
4. How about the Spurs?
The San Antonio Spurs are known as one of the best and most consistent franchises in NBA history, winning multiple championships, especially under the leadership of long term head coach, Gregg Popovich. "Pop", as he is popularly known, has led the way in showing how basketball should be played. The Spurs are a joy to watch even though they are one of the slower teams in the league. They are known for their ball movement and have thrived on experience.
The recent retirement of one of their mainstays, Tim Duncan, an ageing Tony Parker and a definitely not so young, Manu Ginobili, have all meant that the Big Three of the boys from Texas that played together for 15 years and brought 4 NBA Championships to San Antonio, is definitely coming to an end.
This has shifted the mantle to their next big star, Kawhi Leonard, who was out for most of the season and it looks unlikely that he will remain with the Spurs. The Lakers seem like his likely destination.
With or without Kawhi, the Spurs have been competitive and will remain competitive. LeBron James could be the solution to Pop's problems. Having mentioned several times his desire to play under Gregg Popovich, LeBron could fulfill his desire by joining San Antonio this offseason.
If Kawhi decides to stay then LeBron and Kawhi would be a fearsome duo to deal with and the entire league is sure to be on their toes. This could become the most lethal pairing since Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
But if Kawhi chooses to leave and does end up joining the Lakers then what would be interesting is to see if the Lakers would then still choose to pursue LeBron or not.
There are definitely other possibilities as well but these look like the only likely destinations for the King and every NBA fan will be looking forward to this offseason to see how things unfold. Not to forget that there are some very talented rookies who will be coming into the league following the NBA Draft.
Only LeBron James knows what his future holds. But for now, all the King will be concentrating on is trying to win ring #4 with his Cleveland Cavaliers.
Guess the Lakers players!
