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The revealing clue was easy to miss in the chaos of Quicken Loans Arena, while LeBron James waved his sweet cast, triggering endless camera clicks, and the Warriors were celebrating their second consecutive title with champagne in a neighboring hallway. James had spent the entire season delicately deleting the questions and dropping the breadcrumbs, being careful not to let his hand fall while making sure his free agency decision would not make the big ones. titles
. for a postgame discussion, covering his mouth to go up the plot. He was there in March, swarmed by a bunch of reporters jostling each other in the locker room visiting the Staples Center, refusing to bite when asked about the possibility of moving to the west. While he was breaking NBA records and releasing catchy numbers throughout a heroic race, James pondered the importance of playing with high-level teammates, the central role of his team. family in The Decision III and his desire to stay "Championship Mode" at the age of 33.
But by the time he asked the final question of his final press conference of the season, James revealed that, though he had not yet on his sixth defeat in nine tries, he had other things in his mind. He was questioned about the prospect of one day owning an NBA team, and his frustration on his bruised right hand and a sweep of the finals broke for a minute
"Well, this price was published last week and I was sixth, "said James. "I'm not in any way putting myself in the position of owning a team."
His delivery amounted to an attempt at self-deprecation, which was not exactly the default setting of a man dubbed The King and the Elect. Before falling back on uncompromising platitudes, James noted his photographic memory, noting that boxer Floyd Mayweather was sitting on the annual list of the best sports list with $ 252 million. The figure clearly impressed a man who is hard to impress. "I love to compete," he had said the night before, and now he was mentioning Mayweather's first place with respect, almost as if it was a target.
If James's only goal this summer was to match Michael Jordan's six rings, it would have taken weeks to sort out the possibilities, machinations and sacrifices needed to land him in Houston, Boston, Philadelphia or San Antonio. If he was still completely absorbed in the pursuit of the "Chicago Ghost", James would have needed to opt for the last year to facilitate an exchange, or he would have been forced to consider a discounted offer for help stack a list that could compete with the Warriors.
But if James wanted instead to run to Mayweather, raising himself to an even higher and more profitable level of glory, there was only one choice: the Lakers. On Sunday night, less than 24 hours from the free agency period of 2018, James was making his decision public in a single press release from his agency, Klutch Sports. This time, he did not attract attention or televised his thought process, he simply let his tectonic choice speak for himself.
"LeBron James, four-time NBA MVP, triple NBA final player, fourteen-time NBA The two-time Olympic gold medalist has accepted a $ 154 million four-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, "reads the press release.
Later, on Instagram, James posted a picture of himself surrounded by fans following the Cleveland 2016 title. "Thank you Northeast Ohio for an amazing four seasons", the legend read. "It will always be at home."
Ohio is home, the place where he broke a curse and built a school. As James carried the ramshackle Cavaliers through the 2018 playoffs, it became clear that Cleveland had nothing left to offer. He had completed his narrative arc, delivered the signature highlight of his career with the block, and played in all 82 games during his last race. James had held his share of the market many times, and yet he was sliding.
The Warriors crushed him in the Consecutive Finals. Kyrie Irving gave up. Stephen Curry surpassed him for the NBA's best-selling jersey last month. Giannis Antetokounmpo almost eclipsed it in the All-Star votes. And the Celtics and Sixers were skyrocketing, threatening to end his run of eight consecutive trips to the final in 2019.
LA does not necessarily give James the best opportunity to claim a fourth ring, but it offers a platform and location that makes Cleveland, and almost everywhere else, ashamed. James, almost certainly, will lead the league in magazine covers, jersey sales and All-Star votes next season. All his moves on and off the field will be followed as never before, not even at the beginning of the Heatles, whether or not Lonzo and LaVar Ball are there to provide grain of salt to the gossip mill. Look no further than Kobe Bryant's three-ring retreat circus to prove that LA is a great place for a superstar to age gracefully or otherwise.
As a student of the game, James will surely bathe in the rich history of the franchise. from Mikan to Chamberlain to Abdul-Jabbar to Johnson to O. Neal to Bryant. As a student of the conference room, he will partner with President Magic Johnson to relentlessly sell the reborn Lakers to prospective co-stars and fans around the world. As a student of the entertainment industry, he will be free to pursue his televised, cinematographic and musical projects to the content of his heart and his wallet. And as a buzz student, he will surely enjoy in front of Jack Nicholson, Rihanna and, yes, Mayweather every night.
The first true Basketball star will own Hollywood because this scenario is written: a generational superstar infiltrates the city to restore glory to a formerly proud franchise.
It remains to be seen whether this will end up being a satisfactory chapter or an empty show. With Paul George and other stars signing elsewhere, James must find a way to build a winner from a list filled with unproven parts and unexpected pick-ups, like Lance Stephenson and JaVale McGee. He must be ready to take his pieces next season, considering his move to the more difficult Western Conference, where the Warriors and Rockets are profiling themselves as favorites. Most importantly, he needs to avoid Bryant's late career pitfalls: injuries, of course, but also the cult of toxic idols that made it difficult for the Lakers to attract and support supporting talent
. His second brought closure. Now his third will bring him maximum wealth and fame. After 15 seasons, a series of short-term contracts and two consecutive losses in the final, James decided that it was time to cash it out.
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