im reading a lot of bullshit about places lebron can go to, without discussing cap room or REALISTIC moves to pursue to make them compete with the warriors.
So let’s start a thread where the newbies can refer to before they make senseless remarks.
Let’s discuss cap situations + realistic moves for the following teams (LeBron’s potential shortlist- not in any order)
1. Rockets
2. Philly
3. Cavaliers
4. Spurs
5. Lakers
6. Heat
Have at it, cap-savvy posters!
Here is the best look at cap space after July 1:
http://heathoops.com/salary-index/team-salary-2018-19/
Trades can happen before then. LeBron cannot be traded before then unless he picks up his option. If he picks up his option, LeBron can be traded before the league year turns over and before the draft.
Draft picks can only be traded before the draft. They cannot be traded during the draft - but rights can be traded at this time. So any move for picks and desiring to fully control who gets picked has to happen before the draft begins.
Rockets - Rockets need a third team in all likelihood to land LeBron. Cavs are not going to be willing to eat bad salaries like Anderson, though the Rockets could make a trade without moving Anderson. It is unlikely they can clear enough space to sign LeBron outright without paying a huge amount and it's easier to just deal with a third team and play the salary cap game to make things work. The Cavs will want cheaper contracts and draft picks. Atlanta could be a potential fit for a three way deal.
Philly - Philly is $10M shy from the Max if they clear out a lot of players. It also means they have no shot to re-sign Reddick or anyone else. Best solution for them is a trade as well. The positive is they will have cap room, so they have a nice cache of picks and young talent that they can spell. Fultz immediately jumps to mind considering they have Simmons and McConnell. They also could benefit from moving Bayless and Covington with picks. If LeBron leaves, Philly has the most to offer and can do so without sacrificing a lot of depth AND could re-sign Johnson and others with some form of exception if they do a trade or even lure another big name free agent (not PG quality, but there's a lot of talent out there). If LeBron leaves, Cavs fans should hope for a trade to Philly because it could jump start a rebuild - and they could theoretically be really good with James. Could argue that sending Love, LeBron, and Korver there could make a lot of sense and add the veteran leadership needed.
Cavaliers - They have the tax payer MLE, league min, and 8th pick. They could trade the pick for something, but hard to do that if you don't know if LeBron is staying. They could try to move pieces around or see if they can turn one piece into a better fit - like Love. They could also see about moving Clarkson in trade to a team where he could be a SG off the bench - a role I think he could work well in with a solid guy running PG. Not a lot of flex to fix the roster, but could the roster be made better through coaching? LeBron spoke of basketball IQ. That matters with players and coaches, so guys like JR could be moved (he's and ending deal, so there will be some market). Some things can be done, but they'll have to be creative.
Of course another player could change all this. PG could opt in a force a trade for expiring assets and draft picks. OKC would be forced to do that or get nothing and the wheels could be greased to shift some salary around, but that would require PG to force the issue. The miracle would be keeping LeBron, keeping #8, adding PG, and maybe even finding some decent depth in the late first and early 2nd rounder through essentially purchasing picks (the Warriors way). There are some possibilities here, but they would rely on George forcing the issue and would probably have to happen before July 1 through back channels.
Spurs - Would be a nice fit for LeBron. Great culture. Great coach. Likely would need a third team and the Spurs would have to move either Aldridge or Kawhi or Pau. Kawhi may commit if LeBron is there and they could move Aldridge as the big salary. Aldridge and Love next to each other would be interesting, though would leave the Cavs with a massive hole. They'd be best to draft a SF like one of the Bridges or Knox if they knew this was coming. Possible and Aldridge could get moved to a third team. I would suspect the Cavs would still prefer a reboot here.
Lakers - They could clear space for two max deals by renouncing Randle, but will they risk it? They also have enough assets that they could swing a couple of trades to make a LBJ, PG, and CP3 team happen, but it would take some work. Is that team built to last and would Magic go for it or would he prefer to be patient - add a single big name and then go from there? I doubt LeBron would go there alone. PG might consider it.
Heat - No cap space and no real way to clear it. Do we want Whiteside for two years or is Whiteside moved to another team? Not as many draft assets, though some interesting younger players that could help. Any trade would be centered around Whiteside in some way. With Dedmon possibly leaving, Whiteside might be of interest to Atlanta depending on who they pick at the top and they have plenty of draft picks lying around this year.
