LeBron dismisses link to Warriors as ‘nonsense’
LeBron James wanted to make a few things crystal clear on Friday: He hasn’t started to ponder his potential free agency in July, any insinuation that he is considering a meeting with the Golden State Warriors is “nonsense” and the only thing on his mind right now is rallying the slumping Cleveland Cavaliers to a fourthstraight NBA Finals appearance.
“The first thing I did I started laughing, actually,” James said when he saw a notification on his phone about the ESPN story published late Wednesday night that detailed his supposed interest in the Warriors. “And then I thought about it I think it’s doing [a disservice], it’s nonsense, and it’s a non-story.”
James continued, speaking for nearly three minutes without interruption to explain where his head is at with the trade deadline six days away and the start of free agency six months away.
“I think it’s a discredit to what I’m trying to do here,” James said. “It’s a discredit to my teammates and the coaching staff here. My only focus right now is trying to figure out how we can become a championship-caliber team in these next few months. It’s been so many stories about me in the last few months, in the last few days, about where I’m going and where I’m at and what place I’m in. I’m here, I’m right here, I’m right now and this is my present and this is where I’m at. If you don’t hear something coming from my voice, then it’s not true.
“I don’t give a damn how close they are [as a source], I don’t care if it’s my kids, or my wife or whatever. If it’s not from me, it’s not true, so. Not even like upset right now about it. I think it’s just a discredit to my teammates because I’m the leader of these guys and for them to have to hear that stuff every single day about my free agency, I apologize to them. I will handle my summer situation when my summer gets here, and I will not handle it now.”