Would LeBron go to the Clippers?

[LarBrd33]

I know I had thought of this before, but it came back to me after thinking about the "teams you hope do not recover and become sellers" thread.

I just looked at the Clippers situation again.  Does anyone else think they could possibly be a big player in the 2010 free agent class? 

Everyone has been saying that Bron would jump ship from the Cavs so he could play in a "big market" like Jersey (brooklyn) or New York.   Some people dismiss this by bringing up how terrible both of those rosters are and that Bron wouldn't want to leave a solid team in Cleveland to hook up with a bunch of losers in NY where he'd have no chance to succeed.


Well... Last I checked, Los Angeles is also a pretty big market....

Looks like they will have significant cap room http://hoopshype.com/salaries/la_clippers.htm .  They could offer Bron a max contract right?..

And the players there, honestly... not looking so bad.

PG - Baron Davis (fringe allstar) He's as good as Mo Williams, right?

SG - Eric Gordon -  This kid looks pretty good.  20 years old, he's averaging 19 points and he's shooting 50% (46% from three).  The season is still young, but... wouldn't Gordon be a perfect "shooter" to play with Bron??  GOtta be better than ANthony Parker or Delonte, right? 

SF -  Bron?  ... I'm guessing this would move Al Thornton to the bench. 

PF - Blake Griffin - I have no reason to believe this kid isn't going to be close to a 20 and 10 player.  He looked legit to me.   Easily the best player on the team in preseason.  No reason to believe he's not going to be a star player in the league... and he's 20 years old.  Would you rather have him or Anderson V as your PF? 

C - Chris Kaman - Well right now he's averaging 22.3 points, 9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.   A couple years ago he averaged 15.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.   Kinda injury prone... but come on... LeBron is currently playing with Shaq and Big Z as centers.  Would you rather have those guys or this 27 year old?

Doesn't that seem like a nice little roster Bron could fit in?  Doesn't it seem like the right mix of ages for him to grow old with?  Look, I don't expect Bron to play anywhere other than Cleveland, but... shouldn't the Clippers at least be considered a more logical choice than NY or NJ?

If not LeBron... maybe one of 2nd tier star free agents of the class of 2010?  Any ideas?  Joe Johnson, maybe?

[rondohondo]

I agree 100% I made a similar post last year. They would become immediate contenders in the West. Plus we all know how much of an ego Lebron has so what more would he want than to go to a franchise that is considered cursed and make them into champions. Not to mention the fact that he would be playing in the same city and stadium as Kobe who he wants to overtake as the best player in the NBA.

If I was cleveland I would make sure that is a sign and trade rather just letting him walk away. Possibly getting back Gordon or Blake Griffin

[the_Bird]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the talent that the Clippers have.

Would you really trust your future to Donald Sterling?  REALLY?

[wjb3000]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the talent that the Clippers have.

Would you really trust your future to Donald Sterling?  REALLY?

I completely agree with The Bird.  Sure the roster looks good now, and it is a big market, but what is going to happen in 2 years when Gordon is lookoing for a big contract, and 3 years when Griffin will likely be seeking a max?  Sterling has a history of both financial and ethical misdeeds, and I think LeBron is to smart to take that type of risk.

That being said, it would be pretty amazing to see Kobe and LeBron playing in the same city.    

Sorry, but no way this happens unless LeBron wants to get into acting and star in Kazaam 2: Electric Boogaloo

[KungPoweChicken]

Your hypothetical starting lineup with Lebron could easily contend as the best five man unit in the game, and Al Thornton as the sixth man would be beast. Though I dislike Dunleavy as a coach, I would like to see Lebron play there, but it might put an end to the Clippers being the joke of the league, which would make me sad.

[PosImpos]

Wouldn't happen unless they do really well this year and they get a different coach.

[Roy Hobbs]

I don't think he'll go to LA to be second fiddle to Kobe, where he'd be playing for one of the worst owners in sports.

I think if he leaves, he ends up in New Jersey, and eventually Brooklyn.

[LarBrd33]

I don't think he'll go to LA to be second fiddle to Kobe, where he'd be playing for one of the worst owners in sports.

I think if he leaves, he ends up in New Jersey, and eventually Brooklyn.

Yeah I think the fact that he'd be playing in a city that belongs to Kobe is a bigger deal than the fact he'd be playing for a crappy owner.

Really though... laker fans aren't real fans anyways.  It's just a bunch of people who want to see a good show.   LeBron would just end up being the new hot ticket in LA.

So LeBron's unlikely... but the Clippers seem to have a solid core and enough caproom to offer a max contract.  I wonder what they'll do with that.

[Who]

Definitely ... if the Clippers have someone who can sell it to him.

I don't think the Clippers have that person. But that's a fixable problem.

[huzy]

Nice Thread, TP.

I like the idea. However, here’s the catch, Lebron is a 7 year vet. While on paper it looks like a placing him in a situation with two young guys like Gordon (20 years old) and Griffin (21 years old) would be ideal, I don’t think Lebron views his ideal situation as joining a team with young talent.

In regards to Baron Davis, I don’t think he’s the type of PG someone will go out of their way to play with because of his shoot first mentality.

Lebron wants to be surrounded by veterans. While there is a fair amount of talent on the Clippers, the growing trend in the NBA is for proven players to gravitate towards other proven players. The C’s set the trend and there’s been a domino effect since. No star wants to take a franchise from the ground up.

Here’s a scenario I think is completely plausible. Miami.

Looking at the following statement from Chad Ford, they have some room to work with:

The Heat are also poised to have some serious cap room next year. If Dwyane Wade opts out, they technically won't have one guaranteed contract on their books. More realistically, though, they'll pick up options on Michael Beasley, Daequan Cook and Mario Chalmers and keep Wade's cap hold -- putting them at between $20 million and $22 million under the cap next season. (This number comes with an assumption that they waive a few guys, including James Jones.)

I’ll try to curb my conspiracy theory, but could there be some connection between Lebron publicly stating that he will switch to #6 to celebrate Jordan and the only NBA franchise outside of Chicago that has retired the number in his honor?

This is a shot in the dark, but I won’t be shocked to see the headline “Lebron opts to join Wade in Miami” come next summer.

[Donoghus]

I've stated it before but I think he resigns with Cleveland.

[PosImpos]

I’ll try to curb my conspiracy theory, but could there be some connection between Lebron publicly stating that he will switch to #6 to celebrate Jordan and the only NBA franchise outside of Chicago that has retired the number in his honor?

This is a shot in the dark, but I won’t be shocked to see the headline “Lebron opts to join Wade in Miami” come next summer.

I see this as the most likely scenario.

The Heat wind up with LeBron, Wade, and one other 7-10 million dollar guy, along with Beasley and Chalmers.

Scary team.

I think LeBron goes somewhere besides Cleveland - unless the Cavs manage to win the championship.

[rondohondo]

I've stated it before but I think he resigns with Cleveland.

There is no way, he is gone .Just look at their cap situation

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9195

They will be right at the cap already next year if Lebron resigns. Leaving them with a starting Center(Old Shaq?)needing to be signed and no other money to add to their Roster. It is a terrible roster compared what he would be going to if he joined the Clippers, Heat or even NJ.

The only way he stays is if they can somehow send Shaq or Ilgauskus' huge expiring contracts away and get actual talent that can still play at both ends in return. Get a salary dump trade like Gasol to LA .

[Roy Hobbs]

I've stated it before but I think he resigns with Cleveland.

There is no way, he is gone .Just look at their cap situation

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9195

They will be right at the cap already next year if Lebron resigns. Leaving them with a starting Center(Old Shaq?)needing to be signed and no other money to add to their Roster. It is a terrible roster compared what he would be going to if he joined the Clippers, Heat or even NJ.

The only way he stays is if they can somehow send Shaq or Ilgauskus' huge expiring contracts away and get actual talent that can still play at both ends in return. Get a salary dump trade like Gasol to LA .

Keep in mind that only $500k of Delonte's deal is guaranteed (i.e., he's gone), and that they can cut ties with Powe, Jackson, and Green.  They really only have about $45 million committed, even if they re-sign Lebron.

Of course, that doesn't leave them much room, but they're not necessarily at the cap, either (although to get the cap space, they'd have to renounce their MLE and LLE.)

[CelticG1]

LA is all about the Lakers not the Clippers. No matter what Lebron did for the Clippers even winning multiple championships would not change the fact that LA is a Lakers town and always will be. I don't think Lebron wants to play, as Roy said, second fiddle to Kobe. I also don't know if he wants to be constantly compared to Kobe when the Lakers are smoking the Clips 4 times a year with everyone saying Kobe > Lebron.