Obvious rumor: LeBron to Lakers
Stay tuned for more ‘current’ reports as James’ next decision approaches.
It’s got such a perfect look and sound that it’s almost a shame to waste.
LABron.
Do you think the Los Angeles Lakers could have any marketing fun with that, mashing the name of the NBA’s best player with that of America’s celebrity heaven?
With the Cleveland Cavaliers in L.A. all weekend — Friday night against the Clippers and Sunday night against the Lakers — this crazy rumor is getting crazy play.
Can’t say that the notion of LeBron James winding up as a Laker next season is anything new, but it got another boost this week when Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer website wrote “I’ve consistently heard from multiple league sources that LeBron currently has only four teams on his list: the Cavaliers, Lakers, Rockets, and 76ers.”
Maybe that’s true, but it’s important to remember that “currently” comes off as the operative word in any of the thousands of free agency headlines that LeBron and his camp have launched through the years.
The man revels in it, and why not? LeBron is 33 and still turning the whole league on its ear every summer, first as an NBA Finals monster and then as a potential free agent demanding to be paid whatever he wishes, and on his annual
George Dave George
“We’re going to see about that. I won’t forget about that.”
Whiteside saw it differently.
“I was falling forward, he tried to throw an elbow,” he said. “I put my hand up and my hand hit my face.”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra thought the play warranted a double foul.
“They got tangled up, Embiid grabbed Hassan and Hassan is actually the one that yanked his arm and hit himself,” Spoelstra said. “He gave himself a flagrant foul.”
Embiid, who is having an All-NBA season, was outplayed by Whiteside for the first time in their head-tohead meetings this season. Whiteside led the Heat with 26 points and eight rebounds, making 9-of-12 shots. Embiid was 5 of 18 from floor while scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds.
In their head-to-head meetings this season, Embiid is averaging 19.0 points and 8.7 rebounds, Whiteside is averaging 15.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. The teams split the four-game season series, but the Heat won 2 of 3 in which both centers played.
“I love the Hassan Whiteside we saw last night out there competing, fierce, playing to an empty tank,” Spoelstra said. “Those were 28 full minutes. I don’t know if he could have played over 30 minutes at the intensity he was playing last night.
“He has been putting in a lot of time. It’s about his approach, his behavior, his habits every single day. Eventually, you get the results you’re looking for. I’m really encouraged with the way he’s been going in that direction. The competition level was high and fierce. I like that guy.”
TNT analyst Charles Barkley said on “Inside the NBA” that Whiteside kicked Embiid’s “ass.”
Embiid believed he should not have even been assessed a personal foul on the play. It was his fourth and he came out of the game.
“I didn’t think I touched him,” Embiid said. “But then they called a technical foul on him because obviously he’s the one that made a dirty play.”
Embiid then got personal, as he has in the past.
“He hits really soft, so I didn’t feel anything,” Embiid said. “But just the action of him trying to do that I think is pretty messed up. I don’t care what we have outside of basketball, but at the same time, you’ve got to respect the rules of basketball and play basketball and have fun doing it. But I’m not worried about it. We lost the game. Right now, I’m worried about are we going to get better.”
The two centers got into a Twitter beef during the preseason when less than three minutes into the game in Kansas City, Whiteside fouled Embiid, who then gestured that the Heat should remove Whiteside from the game.
Whiteside is averaging 14.8 points and 11.8 rebounds this season. Embiid, who was voted in as a starter for the All-Star game, is averaging 23.4 points and 11.0 rebounds. Embiid has played 53 games, six more than Whiteside.