Rumors of a 3rd LeBron James stint in Cleveland are heating up, however one nameless NBA scout isn’t shopping for it.
“I maintain listening to their curiosity is minimal, if they’ve any in any respect,” the scout advised Sam Amico of HoopsWire. “So I’m not even positive the place that report originated. Who’s the supply on it? Wealthy Paul’s cleansing girl?… I don’t assume 40-year-old LeBron is the goal. He’s nonetheless superb most nights, no less than offensively, but it surely doesn’t work for a few thousand causes. And you can begin with the very fact he’s below contract for like 53 million bucks.”
The Cavaliers have reportedly been floated as a possible touchdown spot for James after he opted into his $52.6 million greenback participant choice with the Lakers. But the scout believes Cleveland is targeted by itself younger core.
“He’s not going wherever and if he does go someplace, it received’t be Cleveland,” the scout added. “The Cavaliers don’t want him. They’re constructing one thing actually nice there. I don’t assume he places them excessive at this stage of his profession anyway.”
Even so, “a handful of groups” checked on James after Wealthy Paul mentioned his shopper needs to remain in rivalry for championships, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne reported.
“One Japanese Convention government was satisfied James wished out of LA,” Windhorst and Shelburne reported. “A handful of groups – together with the Golden State Warriors, who tried to commerce for James in 2023-24 – thought-about once more whether or not to make a proposal, sources mentioned. One Western Convention government chalked it as much as an elaborate pout as a result of the Lakers hadn’t supplied James a brand new contract extension.”
Windhorst later doubled down throughout an look on ESPN Cleveland.
“And if the Lakers are buying and selling LeBron James, they’re going to need actually great things for it,” he mentioned. “With a straight face, I can’t say that it’s unattainable, however you need to perceive, they will’t feasibly commerce for him.”
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