While they may not even be in the chase anymore, a surprising rumor claims the San Antonio Spurs checked in about bringing LeBron James to Texas next season.
This has been a very active offseason for the league. Before and after last month’s NBA Draft, we have seen quite a few top stars change uniforms, including Giannis Antetokounmpo being traded to the Miami Heat and Jaylen Brown getting shockingly sent to the Philadelphia 76ers. The next major NBA star to get a zip code change soon is expected to be James.
In June, the 22-time All-Star informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he would not return to the franchise for a ninth season. That decision immediately kicked off a huge free agent sweepstakes to land one of the top three greatest players in NBA history. From the start, teams like the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Heat, and 76ers were viewed as the top suitors. However, his agent, Rich Paul, claimed earlier this month that he had spoken to over 20 teams about his client’s future.
Well, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, it seems you can add the Western Conference champion Spurs to that list.
“My understanding is there was some sort of Spurs dialogue. I don’t know whether it was pitching, but it was some sort of dialogue.”
– Dave McMenamin
Would LeBron James seriously consider joining the San Antonio Spurs?
The Cavaliers, Heat, and Warriors are seen as the favorites for James for obvious reasons. If this ends up being his NBA swan song, Cleveland offers the chance to end his career where it all started and compete for a championship. The Heat offer similar familiarity and the chance to team up with Antetokounmpo. While the Warriors would allow the four-time MVP to play alongside long time pals Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
San Antonio would certainly offer the future Hall of Famer as good a chance as any team can to win a championship in 2026-27. Furthermore, the Spurs are a well-respected organization that still has legendary coach Gregg Popovich playing a key role as an advisor. The idea of the grizzled NBA icon helping this very young team get over the title hump would be very intriguing.
However, that massive age divide is probably the biggest issue for James. Even though their team is a top contender to win it all next season, the 41-year-old will surely want to compete with other proven veterans he has a connection with. It’s why the Warriors have such a strong chance of winning the sweepstakes. James is unlikely to sign with the Spurs, but since he is open to signing a discount deal, the Spurs checking in about the possibility was a smart move.
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After earning his journalism degree in 2017, Jason Burgos served as a contributor to several sites, including MMA Sucka ... More about Jason Burgos