10 Reasons why LeBron should Stay in Cleveland in 2018
As we covered before, there are numerous rumors surrounding LeBron James and the 2018 offseason. Many reports have him going to either the LA Lakers or Clippers, while there’s a remote possibility that he could sign elsewhere.
But should James leave? Does any other team give him this good a chance to beat the Golden State Warriors?
Let’s discuss this matter by looking at 10 reasons why James should stay put in Cleveland.
1. LeBron Already Has a Great Team in Cleveland
If 2017 proved anything, it’s that adding a top-3 talent to a team that won 73 regular season games makes you unbeatable. Kevin Durant and the Warriors crushed the league, and dominated Cleveland in the NBA Finals.
But LeBron will have trouble finding the grass any greener elsewhere. No NBA team currently has the combination of cap space to sign James, and talent to contend with Golden State.
Cleveland may swing and miss again in the 2017-18 season. But at least they still have the talent to get to the Finals and give themselves another chance.
2. Irving & Love Mesh Well with LeBron
There’s been lots of talk on how LeBron can form a superteam elsewhere. But will he find any players that mesh as well with him as Irving and Love?
Kyrie has the offensive skills to take over games and give LeBron a rest. Furthermore, he can make clutch shots when needed.
Love is a nice complement to both Irving and LeBron because he can rebound, defend the post, and shoot three’s. The latter is crucial because LeBron and Kryie dominate the ball, meaning Love’s spot-up shooting ability is greatly appreciated.
3. LeBron will Have to Blend His Game with New Players
When James went to the Miami Heat in the 2010 offseason – joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh – everybody were ready to anoint them the champions.
But Miami lost handily to the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals. And James learned that even with great players, it takes a while to intertwine your games.
The same was true in 2015, when LeBron went back to Cleveland. And the same will be true if he goes somewhere else and forms a superteam.
The only time this isn’t true is when, as mentioned before, you add Durant to a 73-win team.
4. The LA Lakers are Bad
Most rumors have LeBron going to the Lakers because he has a home and business interests there. But if he wants to chase titles, this may not be the best place to do it.
LA has intriguing young talent in Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr, and Lonzo Ball. But none of these players are ready to win now.
The Lakers need to trade these players for other superstars and/or work the free agent market in 2018 – when players like DeMarcus Cousins, Paul George and Russell Westbrook become available.
Of course, this becomes harder when considering that they still have Luol Deng’s terrible contract on their books.
They can use the stretch provision to space Deng’s money out, or they can give up another asset to get rid of him – like they did by trading D’Angelo Russell along with Timofey Mozgov and his bad contract.
Either way, the Lakers are far from a dream right now.
5. Clippers are Old & Full of Uncertainty
What about the other LA team?
The Clippers have had solid results over the past few seasons. And perhaps LeBron could take them over the top. But there are two problems:
- The Clippers have an old roster.
- They must re-sign Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.
Neither of the re-signings are a given, especially with Paul considering several teams in free agency.
As for the old part, Paul is 32 and hasn’t finished the last two seasons healthy. Griffin (28) is aging poorly and is in the same boat as Paul with regard to injuries.
Then there’s Jamal Crawford (37) who, after years of strong play, seems like he’s finally on the decline.
6. Cleveland has Room to Improve
As Bleacher Report points out, Cleveland can get better by adding certain pieces.
One would be a really good perimeter defender (Tony Allen?) who’d take a cheaper deal. Another is a sixth-man facilitator like Ty Lawson, who can run the offense and let Irving play shooting guard more often.
7. Cleveland could Make a Big Trade
Many rumors have tied the Cavs to Paul George. Although the Pacers star has said he’s leaving for the Lakers in free agency, Cleveland feels like they can convince him to stay if LeBron does in 2018.
The catch, though, is that Cleveland needs a third team to facilitate a trade because Indiana isn’t interested in the 28-year-old Love for their rebuild.
8. The East is Easier than the West
Until the Boston Celtics finally pull the trigger and use their draft picks/young players to bring in established stars, Cleveland clearly rules the East.
And given how the Cavs dismantled their Eastern Conference opponents in the playoffs, LeBron has an easier path to the Finals right now.
9. Golden State may Not Dominate Forever
The way it looks now, the Warriors are poised to dominate forever and LeBron had better jump to a better team ASAP. However, there are no guarantees that Golden State will remain atop for years to come.
First off, they could lose Andre Iguodala in free agency this summer. Even if this doesn’t happen, they have other key bench free agents who could leave.
Then there’s always the chance of one of the Big 4 getting injured. Durant already hurt his knee and was out for weeks during the 2017 regular season.
In any case, LeBron may be better off waiting in the wings at Cleveland. If something happens, the Cavs could step in and claim the title.
10. Cleveland’s Core is on Contract
Irving, Love, Tristan Thompson, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert are all locked up for at least 2 more seasons. This means that LeBron won’t have to worry about Cleveland’s key pieces bolting for free agency in the near future.
