Only the Cavaliers Can SAVE LeBron James’ GOAT Case

Only the Cavaliers Can SAVE LeBron James’ GOAT Case

I personally believe, I said this the last time I was with you, I am not certain that LeBron will ever return to the Los Angeles Lakers and wear their jersey. I still hold to that. He is not making the trip with them on this fivegame upcoming road trip and I think they are working behind the scenes to get him out. I really and truly believe that. I’ll go down in flames if I’m wrong. I do not see any way that he benefits. First of all, if you inject him and his toxicity and everything that comes with him into this 7-2 start and they’re humming right now, there is not a positive outcome to this one. He’s not going to take a back seat to any player, white, black, or indifferent. You cannot be one way for 23 years in the NBA or your whole life and then suddenly change that overnight. He’s not going to be this guy that becomes humbled and say, “All right, I have four rings. Let me get five, maybe six, maybe seven. No pun intended. I don’t think he’s going to sit there. And if he comes back, they worsen overnight. JJ Reick said it two, three weeks ago when they asked him the question. They said, “What’s going on with LeBron?” And they he said he his response and a total monotone face was he’s on his own schedule. There is no sciatica injury. This was all his plan to sit back and monitor the team and everything. and I think he wanted to be ingratiated back because they would fail and then he would come be the savior. The complete opposite has happened. What I think is going to happen, I believe there’s only one team that’s interested in taking him back and I think that’s Dan Gilbert. And I think it’s a good story that the league will follow and I honestly believe that Cleveland may need him more than the Lakers do. And so it makes sense. You’re saying he would destroy the Lakers so the Lakers don’t need him at all. And so you’re saying that Cleveland does he would help Cleveland would be your argument. I’m saying he has it there is a much better uh indicator that he could help Cleveland versus the Lakers. How do you bring another ball dominant guy and a guy who must have the shine as Jay said and the spotlight on him and bring him into this equation. It doesn’t work. It will it will backtrack it. They all Donovan Mitchell doesn’t need the ball. Has two two ball. Donovan Mitchell doesn’t need the ball. Yeah, Donovan Mitchell needs the ball. Yes. Second fiddle to Donovan Mitchell. You would think in Cleveland at And maybe what Scap, hop in. What do you think about the Cleveland scenario? I I don’t see this happening. I I just I don’t see any way they move him at all to be honest with you. I It’s just too complex right now. If Le wanted LeBron, the Lakers did not want LeBron to activate his player option in the summer. I I don’t think that that’s not a secret at this point. I I I think they’ve indirectly said it or acknowledged it. Uh key figures within the organization and I think it’s obvious now at this point the way they began and with LeBron sitting out right now with whatever fake injury he he claims. I I I agree that I don’t really think that his sciatica has been this bad that he’s still sitting out. He is not making that trip with them as Paul highlighted, but he is cleared for five on five activity. So I’m I think look, it’s too complicated because the contract is too big. It’s $55 million. It’s practically untradable. It you’d have to engage like three or four different teams to make the the the salaries match up. And I just don’t see that level of complexity uh being able to be executed to bring in LeBron James at this stage of his career. And then sprinkle on uh and compound it with the fact that what are you doing with Bronny James? I think that that was a major reason why LeBron activated his player player option this summer because there was no way like how is he going to force Bronny into whatever franchise that he goes to? He’s he’s contractually obligated to the Lakers for like three more seasons now. Bronny is. So, it’s just it’s just too difficult in my estimation to make the deal happen. Look, in a vacuum, if let’s say the Lakers just bought him out like outright and just said, “Look, we don’t even we don’t need anything back. Like, just go ahead. Like, we’ll pay you whatever they come to.” Maybe let’s say they agree to pay 40 of the 55 million just for him to go away. uh you still have the Bronny component. So maybe they have to pay Bronny out too somehow. Uh and then even then if they’re both free. I don’t know even even if uh no team has to give up major assets that they want him back. Like I guess maybe Cleveland because they won the East last year technically. They had the best record in the Eastern Eastern Conference, second best in the NBA and they’re struggling this year. But they’ve had some injury concerns and issues. Uh they’re getting whole now and they played very well last night. I I don’t I just don’t see a contender right now that wants LeBron James. Quite frankly, what you’re describing could be the most embarrassing ending for a superstar athlete. I’m I I’m trying to think, you know, there’s I’m not old enough, but they said Willie Mays ran around in the outfield for far too long, but I’m not sure if they considered that embarrassing because he was in the outfield playing. LeBron, you’re talking about LeBron James just sitting out his last year and no one wanting him or thinking he’s worth the hassle or worth the money. I I I’m trying to think of this in real time. you guys in the chat uh help me out. What would be this ending? What could it be compared to? And and it seems like Nike or somebody would have to figure out a way. Hey, we can’t have it go out this way that the guy’s just uh sitting in LA and the cuz what what you guys are describing makes me think like Luca Donets doesn’t want LeBron back. That absolutely that could be a that could be part of the problem as well. They’ve all but said it, Jason. I Where does an insecure person run for a hug? And the only place or people or persons is where his family and friends are and in Cleveland where he’s been twice. That is a place and I believe the only place it’s not the Knicks. That’s a place where he would feel comfortable on the surface and somebody that might embrace him. I don’t think this comes down to money. I don’t think the Lakers want anything in return. I think they want it to go away. personally without him or with him, they’re not winning the title this year in my opinion. They have a much greater chance though to compete and be legitimate and take the next steps in growth and build. You know, he’s a distraction. If you put him in there less effective if either way they don’t win, if he wants a chance to win, that would mean that he needs to sit back and take the 18 20 minutes as you said and be a here and there type of player, which would be very embarrassing. and I don’t think he can handle that. So go to Cleveland. They will inject him because he’s the Cleveland guy and he brought them the championship. I and and he doesn’t need the money. I don’t think he wants the money. He’s going to take what he can get. But Mark Walter is a very smart man and Mark Walter understands the risk by keeping him around whether he sits on the bench and makes a fool of himself like he is now or he comes back. He’s talking about the new I think there’s only one. Hold for one second, Scap. Hold for one second, Cap. I just want to get the audience. Mark Walters just recently purchased the Lakers and so he’s talking about the owner there who’s loaded with money and could cut a check for LeBron into 40 million and not care. Anyway, now Scab, hop in. I think there’s only one way out of this and let me tell you guys a quick story. um when the redeem team was being put together, remember uh back after the the US team USA’s humiliating romp through international play which netted them two bronze uh uh medals in in back-to back uh international tournaments and they decided we need to go out and get Kobe Bryant and Mike Shasheesky was that was helming that team at the time and you know he I’ve seen him speak about this on the record and he said like I didn’t really know how to integrate Kobe Bryant He was a lone wolf. He was the best player on the team, the best player in the world at that time. And he led the league in scoring uh the previous two years. And I didn’t know how uh we were going to make him fit on that team. And Kobe showed up on day one, went up to Shasheesky and said, “I’m just I want to defend. Put me on the best player on the other team every night. I don’t need to shoot.” And Bryant pulled he throttled back his his offense until he was needed in the gold medal game against Spain. and then he scored like 16 of the last 18 points uh to take them over the finish line. That is the only way for LeBron to save face here is to just go to JJ Reick and say, “Put me in, coach.” Like, I can still defend. I’ll take the best guy on the other team. Like, I’ll look if if someone’s out that night and you need more of my offense. If I might have it going one night, we can lean on me some somewhat. Other than that, I’ll just hit the fast breaks. I’ll just be slashing to the basket. I’ll do whatever I can do to help this team win. That’s the only way he can save face. Like there’s no other pathway at this point this season that makes sense. He either sits out pouting for half the year in LA and then sabotages them when he gets on the court or he goes to some team that’s really not a contender just to jack up shots and get fat in the box score uh this season. Like really just a little dose of humility and taking a step back is the answer. But I just don’t think I am so utterly confident from watching this guy for over two decades now. I just doubt his ability to do it. Jay, can I just can I just ask you a question, Jay? Why do you believe he’s staying back on this fivegame trip? Cuz I don’t buy that he’s going to get the, you know, the physical training attention. He could get that on the road. Well, I I think there’s a chance given his current mindset that Luca Donuch is like I don’t don’t this is oil and water and and LeBron’s not feeling where we’re going and Luca’s like, man, I done lost 30 35 pounds. I’m all in. Uh we’re saddled with LeBron’s kid. ju just like everybody involved including JJ Reic who got the job through LeBron. But you know people will change up on you once they get the job. And I’m not even bad mouthing JJ Reic. JJ’s sitting there like man if I drop LeBron into this with his current mindset. This will not work. And and I’ve got Luca all in. He’s playing at the weight that we want. And I got Austin Reeves all in. And this is all going well. and DeAndre A cuz there’s always been a headache with LeBron, the younger LeBron, middleage LeBron, older LeBron, he, you know, his passive aggressive motivational tactics and what, you know, cuz he thinks he’s a genius and, you know, he’s not a genius. I’ll just leave it at that. If you enjoyed that video, be sure to hit the like button and subscribe so you never miss a moment of Fearless. [Music]

LeBron James has evidently been biding his time on injured reserve on the sideline, but coming back to play for the Lakers won’t be the great comeback he thinks it will be; only a trade to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers will save his GOAT legacy.

CLICK here to Subscribe to Jason Whitlock’s YouTube: https://bit.ly/3jFL36G
CLICK here to Listen to Jason Whitlock’s podcast: https://apple.co/3zHaeLT
CLICK here to Follow Jason Whitlock on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3hvSjiJ