Rumor: LeBron James Stays In Cleveland If Cavs Acquire Kemba Walker
LeBron James is expected to decline his player option ($35.6 million) and become an unrestricted free agent. The possibility of resigning with the Cavs is more than given, but LeBron will most likely also meet with other teams. While both Los Angeles teams have been rumored as a potential candidate to sign LeBron, Houston, Philadelphia and San Antonio apparently also are interested in landing James. We previously were breaking down each team’s chances of acquiring LeBron.
The feel good story for James and the league is he remains in Cleveland, and finishes his career there.
As it stands, he has an inconsistent supporting cast, an incompetent head coach, an unproven general manager and a dysfunctional and egotistic owner. These are all ingredients to drive away any superstar, and James wouldn’t be there if he wasn’t already a hometown hero and biggest thing to ever come out of Cleveland. For James to remain with the Cavs a whole lot would need to happen. It’s possible but it’s going to require a colossal amount of work.
A great first step was drafting Collin Sexton, the next big step could be the addition of Kemba Walker, which according to a b/r source is the only way LeBron James would stay in Cleveland.
Via Bleacher Report:
The Cavs continue to explore the possibility of working a deal with the Charlotte Hornets for two-time All-Star Kemba Walker, two league sources told B/R on Thursday night. Their best chance at such a deal would seem to have involved the eighth pick in the draft, which didn’t happen. One person close to Walker said Thursday night that he still believes such a deal is “possible.”
Another league source pushed the notion of a trade for Walker one step further when it comes to the Cavs’ chances of keeping LeBron: Acquiring Walker, the person said, “is the only way LeBron stays.”