LeBron James at the Lakers was all about choosing the best story

LeBron James is a Laker.

Sit down with that for a moment. Whip it like a glass of his favorite wine. Bask in the unknown aroma. The tannins will hit your dormant senses like ancient and ancestral history.

Sunday we are witnessing an old tradition: the unification of the NBA royalty.

The Lakers and LeBron, having the same obstinacy in hanging on to their grand ambitions, were destined for each other, especially after the warriors had thrown them away. out of the perch that they supposed was their birthright. Of course the man who calls himself King since the age of 18 will join the franchise whose success rests on mysticism – the durability of the Lakers' exceptionalism . Together, they will try to restore the old order, restore the Lakers as an NBA class, and James as a champion.

LeBron could have ended up with Chris Paul and James Harden in Houston, or completed the process with the 76ers. But like all of his decisions, LeBron did not sign with Los Angeles just to win a title. Exploiting the multiplier impact of a captivating story was just as important.

A 17th banner will not match the catharsis of the Cavaliers portrait, hand-grown and salt, which won its first title in 52 years of history, but Los Angeles is a prestigious franchise that could give LeBron a chapter in the persistent rivalry of the NBA: the Lakers against the Celtics. Even by exempting this possibility, everything is bigger and noisier in Hollywood.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY'S HUI Sports

As he enters a city that values ​​storytelling as much as he does, LeBron finally mastered the # 39; s.

Eight years after The Decision, James' agency, Klutch Sports, announced that he was joining the Lakers by tweeting a 39-word press release. LeBron then posted an Instagram story thanking Northeast Ohio for four wonderful years, followed by a black-and-white image of his school I Promise that will target "kids who risk falling behind their peers academically "And" take into account the struggles and traumas in students' lives while providing "socio-emotional learning" and wrap-around series for children and their families, "according to Theresa Cottom of the Akron Beacon Journal .

When the school officially opens, LeBron will hold his first press conference since he announced that he is signing with the Lakers. Any questions about the possibility of leaving your local team a second time will be dealt with against a backdrop that reminds everyone of everything he has done for the place. Not that LeBron owes nothing to anyone, but the optics is far from a special one – hour show with the Boys & Girls Club kids in the background. will. LeBron is not only famous, it is fascinating. Each new destination reveals a new layer and invokes a new incarnation of it. Threading the needle and flipping jumps never seen before … patiently manipulate the angles and throw the ball where only his teammates can catch him. To get zoned and shoot Mid-Post's weak spots on Jason Kidd … to reach nearly 37 percent of his three. From making marginal passes to disputed fire jumps … to taking responsibility for scoring when things go down. Over the past 10 years, the league has changed several times, only to watch LeBron continually assert his dominance as the world's best player, the brightest star in his orbit.

In Los Angeles, LeBron will (probably) find Lonzo Ball – a pure playmaker and fast machine – alongside coach Luke Walton, a disciple of Steve Kerr who learned to love basketball when his father, Bill Walton, played for Boston Celtics by Larry Bird. Can Luke combine LeBron's greatness with a team approach that minimizes ball dominance that flattens his team-mates' qualifications? Can he convince James to trust someone beyond himself to create shots, to finally give up control and exploit the loot of the beautiful game?

James signed a four-year contract, the longest since Miami. at least will not be annual free agency on the Lakers as he did the Cavs. Hell, Possibly Owner of Cavs Dan Gilbert is the only person that LeBron will not trust in his long-term security. LeBron also assured the Lakers that "it was a long-term play and his decision would not be affected by a transaction they could make under time pressure", according to in Ramona Shelburne of ESPN

. on the other hand, the Lakers have already signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a customer of Klutch Sports, for a one-year contract of $ 12 million. LeBron's influence in Los Angeles s & # 39; 39; still extends beyond the court.)

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY'S HUI Sports

To be successful, James and the front office will have to find a balance. The good news for L.A .: Magic Johnson is only suited to the task.

LeBron has always been more magical than Michael Jordan, not just on the court. Johnson is a media mogul, a local leader, a beloved national icon. As a player, he was not afraid to shed his weight. At the start of his third year, Johnson was bickering with coach Paul Westhead, who was already on the hot seat, and demanded an exchange. The match after Westhead was fired, Forum Lakers fans hooted Magic relentlessly.

The omnipresence of James in the social media era usurped Johnson even at the height of Showtime, but Magic can understand the gifts and burdens of LeBron's ambitions. At the very least, he must understand that LeBron did not decide to plant his flag in the city of manuscripts just to concede the feather to someone else.

Two of the brightest fixtures in the league have converged, and it's about James and Johnson to navigate their attributes and build a team that can transform the luster of the Lakers, Los Angeles, LeBron, even LaVar Ball – a collection of L – in a big W.

Now it will be fun.