LeBron James is attempting to be as secretive as possible when it comes to free agency and teams his agents are going to meet with. This could be an indication that there are other teams, outside of those we have heard about, that could potentially land the two-time NBA champion.
Let’s take a quick look at some of those teams and how LeBron might fit into their plans moving forward.
Los Angeles Clippers
It may be a long shot but the Clippers aren't done dreaming about LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony. https://t.co/vdUuCMh39S
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) July 3, 2014
The Clippers would have to work out a sign-and-trade with Miami in order to land King James. They have the mid-level exception, but that’s not going to help out at all when it comes to pitching James. In order to work out a trade with the Heat, Doc Rivers and Co. would have to send some attractive pieces to South Beach. And that’s where it gets interesting.
With a salary of $11.4 million next season, DeAndre Jordan would have to be a part of any sign-and-trade. Outside of being a tremendous defensive force inside, his expiring contract might be attractive to Pat Riley. In addition to that, former Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford would have to be moved in any potential deal. Crawford averaged 18.6 points per game last season. Also look for J.J. Redick or Matt Barnes to be used as a filler. Most of these names have been mentioned in a potential sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets for Paul Pierce.
Adding James to the mix would make most teams instant contenders, but that is magnified with a Clippers team that already boasts two of the best players in the NBA in the form of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. This would be a real Big Three and likely more enticing to LeBron than pairing up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh again.
Memphis Grizzlies
Courtesy of Pro Basketball Talk: Memphis is an under-the-radar option for James.
Yet another team that doesn’t have the money to sign James outright, the Grizzlies could use some valuable assets to lure Miami into a deal should LeBron choose to give the Grizzlies a chance to acquire him. The idea here would be to team James up with Mike Conley and Zach Randolph. While not nearly as attractive as other options, it could be enough to peak James’ interest.
The parts going to Miami in a sign-and-trade would likely be Marc Gasol, Tayshaun Prince, Courtney Lee and a couple of draft picks. The money aligns perfect in that scenario, especially if (as reported) James wants nothing less than a max deal.
Phoenix Suns
Sources: LeBron's agent, Rich Paul, met with Suns, Rockets, Mavericks, Cavaliers this week.http://t.co/Aw7xgRHbvT pic.twitter.com/EEmJyHZG5s
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 4, 2014
James’ agent reportedly met with the Suns, which is an indication that there is some interest here. While Phoenix is perceived as an up-and-coming team, it’s still below the elite status of some of the best units in the Western Conference. It remains to be seen whether adding James to the mix would push Phoenix up to that status. A team consisting of Eric Bledsoe (who is also a free agent), Goran Dragic, LeBron and the Morris twins would be pretty interesting.
In addition to that, the Suns pitched James’ agent the idea of teaming him up with Chris Bosh or Carmelo Anthony. If that ended up working out, they would immediately become one of the top teams in the Western Conference. It might be a pipe dream, but why not try? After all, Phoenix has the money to sign James outright.
Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry: Warriors ‘an enticing place to play’ for free agents such as LeBron James http://t.co/LGVBWZBpBc
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) June 29, 2014
This isn’t as far-fetched as some would like to think. It was previously reported that the Warriors were kicking around the idea of adding both Kevin Love and James to the mix. This is a scenario that seems to have some legs behind it, especially if you delve further into it.
The idea would be to send Klay Thompson, David Lee and fillers to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Love. At which point, Golden State could conduct a sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat for James. The parts going to Miami would include Harrison Barnes, Andre Iguodala, Marreese Speights and a couple fillers in addition to a 2015 first-round pick.
This might leave Golden State’s bench a bit thin, but it would create the best starting five in the NBA. Stephen Curry, Kevin Martin, Andrew Bogut, Kevin Love and LeBron James. My word, that would be an instant NBA title contender right there.
Photo: Total Sports Live