44 thoughts on LeBron James Lakers' move

It's true: LeBron James has agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers.

This is just as overwhelming as it sounds. There is no corner of the NBA untouched by the decision. This is certainly the most important event since Kevin Durant joined the Warriors two years ago, although that will not immediately change the equation of the championship as it did.

With this in mind, here is a wide range of 43 thoughts elicited by LeBron's announcement Sunday.

1. The Cleveland Cavaliers lost the best player in the world in free will – receiving nothing for him – twice . We saw how it could be crippling in 2010 when it first happened. Now it has happened again, eight years later. What a devastation!

2. Of course, Cleveland was lucky enough to be adjacent to the city where LeBron was born and raised, and had the chance to win the NBA Draft Lottery the year LeBron entered the league, and had the lucky to get it back in 2014. It's easy to forget how Cleveland was lucky to get LeBron in 2003 and to welcome his incredible basketball ability for 11 years. The Cavaliers are in great shape now, but they have been really, really lucky.

3. Dan Gilbert will be pilloried for losing LeBron twice. This is already happening, as evidenced by Howard Beck's report. There is a segment of the fandom – both Ohio supporters and neutrals of nonconformism elsewhere – who will recall that Gilbert spent record amounts to add and keep talent around LeBron. It's a just statement to make. Gilbert has indeed spent what is needed to put a competitive list around LeBron.

4. That said, money is not the only factor by which you can judge the quality of a franchise owner. And the payroll of the players is not the only place where money counts. Notably, Gilbert let general manager David Griffin walk at the end of the 2016-17 season, at a critical time when Kyrie Irving had asked for an exchange and LeBron 's free agency was only one day. a year away. LeBron loved, appreciated and trusted Griffin. But Griffin wanted more money and security, and Gilbert does not invest in general managers. This is one of his calling cards as a franchise owner.

5. This is not cut and dry. Dan Gilbert is not to blame for LeBron to leave Cleveland. Clearly, LeBron wanted, on one level, to be in Los Angeles. But James' disenchantment with Gilbert is not a secret and has a rational basis, and this can not be ignored.

6. Guess who is back in our lives?

Really, he never left.

7. If Kyrie Irving did not want to spend his career playing in the shadow of LeBron, he could have gone around Cleveland another year and get his wish. Or maybe the Cavaliers could have refused to exchange it until LeBron did what he would do this summer, even if it meant that Irving was sabotaging the season (as threatened ) of an operation.

Really, having a player like LeBron on a short contract is just strange and disorienting unlike any other in the league. You can not exchange it even if it has no non-exchange clause. You do not have perfect information about the intentions of your best player, or something close. So, how are you supposed to make rational and forward-thinking decisions all the time? It must be so hard, and the whole Kyrie saga confirms it.

9. Pour one for Kevin Love, who's going to have an All-Star season for the Cavaliers if they do not trade it, and will be grouped with the lesser Cleveland players like LeBron have fun in Los Angeles. The heat became really strange after LeBron left because of Chris Bosh's health problems and Dwyane Wade's rapid decline, but Love is still pretty young and very good. We will hear his name a lot more times. And hey, he's familiar with L.A. himself from the university. Maybe he'll join LeBron in time.

Photo by Maddie Meyer / Getty Images

10. Will Tyronn Lue stay in Cleveland? Is it worth it, after the glories of 2016 and the 2018 events, to come back and fight again? It will be a miserable season as it will take at least a year, if not two, for the Cavaliers to adapt to a post-LeBron reality. The alignment is awful: it looks a bit like post-Kobe Lakers alignments, and only partly because of Jordan Clarkson's presence. Read took leave at the end of last season because of health problems, and wondering if a full year of rest before returning to the ranks of coaches would be a good decision.

11. LeBron was so excited by the time offers of these Cavaliers, including one who brings back two Lakers to Cleveland, and now LeBron leaves these former Lakers to join their remaining teammates. Unbelievable.

12. The Cavaliers helped the Lakers gain the flexibility to sign LeBron and, potentially, another star! We knew it was possible at that time, and that was a major reason why the Lakers were so well regarded despite the abandonment of Larry Nance, Jr. C is when even amazing to see that it's really happened, even if the Lakers do not end up signing another great player.

13. Poor Isaiah Thomas. There is no chance he will pick up the Lakers this summer, and honestly, his best option was for the Lakers to eliminate the free agents and sign him for a one year contract. This can not happen now, both because most of L.A.'s space is gone and because of how his brief partnership with LeBron went last season. What an incredible turning point for his career

Photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images

14. If Lonzo Ball actually plays with LeBron, the dynamics with LaVar Ball will be extraordinary to watch. The Lakers have shown that a minor ability to keep LaVar quiet last season, in part by limiting the places where reporters could go to Staples Center. You wonder if the old balloon will filter at all now that his son's best chance is to become a LeBron co-star. However, nothing in LaVar suggests that he has the self-awareness required to do it.

The dynamics on the ground with Lonzo is also interesting. Ball is a smuggler and defender who can not shoot. While putting a good smuggler with LeBron is new and nice, Lonzo is not going to have a lot of ball. LeBron needed additional playmakers, yes – it was a huge problem for the Cavaliers in the playoffs – but he really needed shooters and defenders. There is not much shooting on the list right now. Lonzo is expected to take 1000 threes every day this summer.

16. Lakers vs. Celtics now means LeBron vs. Kyrie. And Kyrie's Celtics are significantly better at this point. And they could still have Kawhi Leonard.

17. Ah, Kawhi Leonard. And now? Can his side convince the other contenders – including the Celtics and the Sixers – that he will join LeBron in LA next summer, regardless of the season in Boston or Philadelphia? Does this movement make L.A. de Kawhi's thirst stronger or weaker?

18. Gregg Popovich can he really press an agreement to strengthen the hated Lakers, even if they have the best offer? People forget that Pop was actually one of the most virulent critics of the Pau Gasol's old Lakers deal with the Grizzlies. He does not like this franchise at all.

19. Can the Lakers strengthen their offer for Kawhi now? With LeBron, Kawhi and Kyle Kuzma, can L.A. not afford to give up Brandon Ingram? Or because LeBron will handle the ball most of the time, can you pack Lonzo and Kuzma and keep Ingram to learn at the feet of King James? These are fascinating questions that depend entirely on what the Spurs (or a third team) want.

20. LeBron flew to Europe with his wife shortly after informing the Lakers that he would join them. It is not expected for a moment. If you were a member of the Lakers organization … you'd be a little nervous until he signed his contract, did not he? Does the NBA allow contracts to be faxed or sent overnight? Do they allow digital signatures these days? Or should it be a wet signature? I'm just saying …

21. My kingdom for a recording of the conversation between Magic Johnson and LeBron when the name of Lance Stephenson appeared. It's so weird and hilarious.

22. That said, Lance will lead at least one crazy Warrior and Rocket in the playoffs. Lance has been in the East Conference all his career – now the stars of the West have a taste of his bizarre behavior. Of course, Lance is only a decent player when he is a Pacer, so we'll see.

23. Until they add another star, the Lakers are not even as good as the Rockets, let alone the Warriors. Golden State is so scary that I'm not really interested in seeing this Lakers team face them until LeBron has a real co-star. But it would be interesting to see how the Rockets – now without Trevor Ariza, do not bother you – deal with LeBron and the Lakers.

24. Can the Raptors give up driving Dwane Casey, bring him back and make another run at the NBA Finals? Do you like it? No offense to Nick Nurse, but Casey deserves it.

25. The Eastern Conference is not really open because there are clearly three top teams. It's just that there is not a boogeyman who is dedicated to bringing down the imminent challengers. The East is as heavy as ever, and will become more biting if the Celtics or the Sixers get Kawhi.

26. There is a renewed grassroots cry for the abolition of conferences. He should not have taken LeBron to the Lakers for these calls to the surface! Of course, conferences should be abolished: East is better in recent years, but any system that systematically opposes the top two teams in the league against each other before the championship round is flawed. Whatever the case may be, the NBA is slowly moving on these big issues, which should not happen in the four years that LeBron has signed with the Lakers.

27. If the Lakers get Kawhi or another co-star, yes, the West is going to be a bloodbath. Can you imagine Warriors vs. Lakers or Rockets vs. Lakers in the second round? This is reminiscent of the first-round epic of Spurs-Clippers a few years ago, except with the superstars that the general public likes.

28. This is great news for fans of West Conference cities who have not had much chance of seeing LeBron live over the years. He will visit cities like Sacramento, Portland, Denver, Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City and Phoenix twice a year instead of once. It's a small thing, but getting to see it up close will provide a little more grain to its legend.

29. Of course, this assumes that every LeBron Road crowd experiences in the West Conference will not be 75% of Lakers fans. It will be.

30. Is not it fascinating that there are so many high stars in Southern California in the NBA today, and it's the north kid of Ohio who finally breaks the seal and chooses the Lakers in free will? James Harden and Russell Westbrook have a long-term commitment to Houston and Oklahoma City, respectively. Paul George decided to stay at OKC. Of course, Kawhi could break the line, but there is something to be said about the status of the hometown that does not really matter.

31. LeBron had drawn his free agency in previous years, and announced his decision on July 1 this summer. This Cave decision on Anguilla is magical.

32. If Cousins ​​announces its free agent destination in the next two days (quite possible) and if the Kawhi case is settled by then (ehh), the NBA authors could really have a relaxing and stress-free rest. For the first time? Come across, Boogie and Pop!

33. The LeBron-Kobe relationship (or lack thereof) will be absolutely fascinating. Kobe has no official role in the Lakers organization, and his relationship with Magic Johnson has always been a mystery. But Kobe communicates with various journalists around the Lakers, and of course his longtime agent Rob Pelinka is GM of the team. He has a strong relationship with the owner of the franchise, Jeanie Buss. Kobe is still here. Is he threatened by LeBron's gravity? Is he emboldened? Will he try to be useful or ruin? Will LeBron be receptive? Did LeBron read these Kobe quotes about losing LeBron in the finals? It's so weird!

34. Each single 22:30 Tip ET on ESPN and TNT will play the Lakers and / or the Warriors. Book.

35. The opening night of the NBA season could take many forms. The league made remakes of the conference finals last season. But you want the Lakers to be involved and they need to eject the Cavaliers. Could you go Warriors vs. Lakers (forcing LeBron to watch the Golden State ring ceremony) and Celtics vs. Rockets? Or Celtics vs. Sixers and relegate Houston to a prominent spot on Day 2 against thunder or pelicans (if they keep Boogie)? Can you blow Lakers against the Celtics at the opening night knowing that you only have one match between the teams all season long?

Photo of Adam Glanzman / Getty Images

36. LeBron's return to Cleveland will not be as interesting (or perilous) as the 2010 edition, but it's going to be great to see the standing ovation for him. Wondering if the Cavaliers will plan something special for him, or hope they will eventually sign another one – year contract with Cleveland before retiring.

37. Another schedule thought: Christmas Day. I think you need Lakers vs. Celtics and Warriors vs. Rockets for that. It works better than the night of opening. The problem is that now you need another sheet for the Sixers – maybe the Raptors, or even the Thunder or Timberwolves. No matter what the NBA does with these five renowned teams (Boston, L.A., Golden State, Houston and Philadelphia), it will be great.

38. Reports suggest that LeBron told Magic not to rush or panic in pursuit of a second star. Does that mean that LeBron is waiting, in a way, for the Warriors? The list of Golden State becomes incredibly expensive, Klay Thompson becoming free agency in one year. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are in their 30s and, unlike LeBron, have major injuries in their stories. Warriors may not be invincible in two years. LeBron, having dominated the East for eight years, might prefer to slowly build and stop running in this particular brick wall at the finals.

Debates over the fact that LeBron's finals series is more impressive than the impeccable records of the legendary finals are about to come true. Assuming the Lakers do not qualify for the finals, LeBron's fans will have to reconcile their argument that losing to a higher competition before the finals is less impressive than getting through. The truth is that the context is important and that the finals series, though impressive, requires some context of Western superiority for most (but not all) of this race.

Reports suggest that LeBron and Magic discussed more basketball late Saturday at James' home in Brentwood. Magic's out-of-court success and his work in social capital have been of particular interest to LeBron. This is a reminder that Magic is probably the most successful American athlete of all time. He builds this legacy every day.

41. Word to Jeanie Buss, who made the brave and bold decision to shoot her brother from a proverbial gun and install Magic at the head of basketball operations in early 2017. She has waged a court battle in which two her brothers tried to take control of her franchise. She beat their buttocks in court proceedings and took full control. And now, she has delivered LeBron to the fandom. It's a damn boss.

42. It's time for another reform of the vote of the stars, is not it? The NBA has changed things to get rid of East vs. West last year, but we really can not yet choose 12 All-Stars from each conference for the pool now, is not it? You're going to have All-NBA caliber players being forgotten in the West while Goran Dragic makes his glorious comeback at the All-Star weekend out of the East. (No offense to Goran Dragic.) Just take the top 28 players through the voting system you're cooking, and let Steph Curry and LeBron choose live teams.

43. Speaking of which, if the NBA does not change things, the race between Steph and LeBron for the No. 1 spot in the All-Star poll will be absolutely crazy, unless the Lakers' global devotees only overwhelm the Warriors supporters. I look forward to seeing this proxy for the growth of LeBron's personal fandom.

44. It only takes one star. The Lakers have been trying to sign big names as free agents since the Pau Gasol-Andrew Bynum dynasty collapsed and hit each year. But it only takes one. The Lakers finally got this star. Now everything has changed. Once you have one – especially this – everything changes. Keep this in mind when considering the future of other teams.