In this week’s edition of NBA Rumors, we will explore a dream that LeBon James will try to make a reality.
Super teams are the norm of the NBA today. It can be traced all the way back to the Houston Rockets that put three aging superstars on a team with Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and Clyde Drexler. The Los Angeles Lakers tried their hand with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone and Gary Payton, but it was the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat that really set the stage.
James has gone on record as saying he will love to play with Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony before his career is up:
“I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together,” James said. “At least one, maybe one or two seasons—me, Melo D-Wade, CP—we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that.”
James holds sway in the NBA, what he wants, he gets and if he wants to have ANOTHER super team then who’s the NBA to tell him no? Wade is obviously out the picture for the moment but Anthony and Paul are very much in play. But the question is: How will this work?
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I can’t see James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers again, so that means that the new recruits will be forced to join him in Cleveland. The Cavs are tied up in huge contracts at the moment but it can be done and James statement above describes how. All parties will have to take a pay cut for this to happen.
The players that will be involved have been in the league over 10 years and have made their fair share of a fortune. At this point, much like it was for Barkley, Malone, and LeBron, it’s no longer about the financial part of the game, it’s about the legacy and rings. Paul will become a free agent at the end of this year and can go anywhere he chooses. Anthony can become free in 2018, but as long as the Cavs have Kevin Love, there is a slight possibility a trade can be worked out earlier. If not, then the Cavs will have to wait a season until Melo is free.
This can work. Love will be moved, either this season or next which will leave the PF position open for LeBron, giving Anthony his normal SF option. Kyrie Irving will be a great play at the SG position, as Paul will take over PG duties giving the Cavs, possibly the best starting 5 in NBA history.
Thanks to LeBron pulling the “Decision”, then winning a championship during his return, the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers have no chance at being the host for this super team.