PURPLE REIGN
King rules quickly: He’s a Laker
It wasn’t too long ago that LeBron James said he’d finish his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Instead, he finished the Cavs and made the Los Angeles Lakers relevant again with one bold move on the first night of NBA free agency.
The Summer of LeBron ended on the same day it began when James announced that he was signing a four-year, $153.3 million contract with the Lakers.
The free agent deal dramatically alters the landscape in the NBA, particularly in the Eastern Conference, where LeBron has ruled for the last eight years.
Las Vegas has already installed the Boston Celtics as the favorite to reach the NBA Finals next season. The Golden State Warriors are still favored to win a third straight championship, but the Lakers’ odds with LeBron to win the title are 7-2, the same as the Celtics.
This is certainly a disappointing night for the Cleveland Cavaliers, but for the other 14 teams in the East it is a joyous occasion. LeBron had reached eight straight NBA Finals: four with Miami and four with Cleveland.
His departure leaves the East wide open next season for teams like Boston, Philadelphia and even Toronto. Even the Knicks should feel fortunate. The dream of one day signing LeBron to play at Madison Square Garden is essentially over, but with James out of the picture, the Knicks’ rebuild just received a huge boost.
The Knicks are setting themselves up for free agency next summer. The 2019 class includes Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. If the Knicks could land either one, they suddenly become players in the East.
LeBron’s impact in the Western Conference is just as profound. For rebuilding teams like Dallas and Phoenix, LeBron’s arrival is a crushing blow. For middle-of-theroad playoff teams like Oklahoma City, this is a setback. As for the Warriors, they now have another challenge in front of them.
The length of LeBron’s deal gives Lakers president Magic Johnson the opportunity to be patient and perhaps allow some of the club’s younger players to develop. The Lakers remain committed to acquiring the Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard, but if Los Angeles can’t complete a deal there are other options available, including signing free agent DeMarcus Cousins.
Late Sunday, the Lakers signed free agent Lance Stephenson, the former Pacers guard who famously blew in LeBron’s ear during a playoff game. It may be the oddest pairing since the Bulls acquired Dennis Rodman to play with Michael Jordan. That partnership resulted in three titles.
The move for LeBron, rumored for more than a year, is not without some potential issues. LeBron will turn 34 in December and he put a lot of miles on his legs. In fact, he’s appeared in 239 playoff games or the equivalent of three full NBA seasons. There is a bit of a risk that LeBron may not be at the top of his game in the third year of his contract.
But the Lakers have gone five seasons without reaching the playoffs. Their brand had taken a bit of a hit. Signing LeBron changes that. The purple and gold have a huge following worldwide and they’ll play a lot of games on national television.
The Lakers matter again, while the Cavs may fade into oblivion. LeBron thanked the greater Cleveland area in an Instagram post, saying “Thank you Northeast Ohio for an incredible 4 seasons. This will always be home."
The accompanying photo was from the Cavs’ 2016 NBA victory parade. LeBron reached four straight Finals with the Cavs, losing three times to the Golden State Warriors. The four-time MVP and 14-time All Star received a loud ovation when he left the floor for the final time in the closing minutes of Game 4.
They seemed to come to grips with LeBron potentially leaving. His run in Cleveland is over, while the Lakers are most definitely back.