Back in 2010, LeBron James became a free agent for the first time in his career and decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh at Miami Heat. However, as it turns out, Heat was not James’ first choice.

According to influential American sports analyst and writer Bill Simmons, when James entered the free agency process 10 years ago, he favored the New York Knicks.

“From everyone that I’ve talked to in the know since then, it’s clear that the Knicks were the first choice,” said Simmons on his The Bill Simmons Podcast.

However, James changed his mind after he met with the Knicks’ brass that included owner James Dolan. Simmons explains that the Knicks came unprepared and that the meeting ended up being a “disaster.”

After that, James reportedly also considered staying with the Cavs or heading to Chicago Bulls, but eventually, chose Miami. The Heat offered him a chance to play with two other All-Stars, something that other organizations would have trouble pulling off.

Missing on James was just the beginning of New York Knicks’ failures in the free agency in the 2010s. The most recent was missing out on superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who rejected the Knicks and instead joined their cross-town rivals Brooklyn Nets.

The post LeBron James Reportedly Favored the Knicks Before Joining Heat in 2010 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The saga about the future of best basketball player in the world is over. LeBron James is taking his talents to Los Angeles and has agreed to a 4-Year, $153 million deal with Lakers. The announcement was made by James’ agency, Klutch Sports.

pic.twitter.com/zgz8YO7BPn

— Klutch Sports Group (@KlutchSports) July 2, 2018

According to ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst, the fourth year of the deal is a player option. The length of the deal is somewhat surprising since previous three deals LeBron James has signed were for three years or less.

In an Instagram story, James has said goodbye to his hometown area and city of Cleveland by writing: “Thank you Northeast Ohio for an incredible 4 seasons. This will always be home.” and posting a photo of Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Champions parade.

LeBron James spent first seven years of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before signing with the Miami Heat in 2010, where he teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in order to try and win an NBA title. James managed to fulfill his goal and win two championships before deciding to go back to Cavs in 2014. He won one NBA title with the Cavaliers and made four straight NBA Finals trips during his second stint in Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said goodbye to his star player via a statement published on Cavs’ official website.

“Words do not express the meaning and the feeling this accomplishment brought to the people of Northeast Ohio,” – said Gilbert in a statement. “None of this would have happened if LeBron James did not agree to come back home and lead the Cavaliers to the promised land.”

“LeBron, you came home and delivered the ultimate goal. Nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything you put into every moment you spent in a Cavaliers uniform. We look forward to the retirement of the famous #23 Cavs jersey one day down the line …” – he added.

A very different statement from Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. pic.twitter.com/wC3LxU0M0g

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) July 2, 2018

According to sources close to LeBron James, joining Los Angeles Lakers was more family and business than a basketball decision. With the current way Lakers are constructed, it is hard to see them winning a championship. But, the organization is still aggressively pursuing a trade for Kawhi Leonard and trying to sign free agent DeMarcus Cousins, so things could change soon enough.

The post LeBron James Agrees to 4-Year, $154 Million Deal With Lakers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James is set to become a free-agent this summer, and will most likely look to join a team that gives him the best chance to win additional NBA championships. But according to Hall of Famer and current NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal, James is already a legend and shouldn’t chase more NBA championship.

“Somebody told me a long time ago — they said your book is already set [before the later stages of your career]. You can add index pages toward the end, but your book is already set. So LeBron’s book is already set,” – O’Neal told ESPN. “He did already passed up legends; he done already made his mark — he has three rings. His mentality now is probably: I want to get four before [Golden State Warriors guard] Steph [Curry] does. That’s probably his mentality now. But if I was him, I wouldn’t be trying to get four, five and six because it ain’t going to matter. It’s just something else to talk about, something else to add to the pages. He’s a legend, talked about as who is the best between he and Michael Jordan, so he’s set.“

Shaquille O’Neal then described how he was chasing championships late in his career and that it didn’t turn out so great.

“My problem toward the end of my career was I was trying to shut everybody up and I was greedy [for more championships],” – he explained. “After I got to three [titles], everybody was saying I couldn’t get another. So I got four. After I got the fourth, they were saying I couldn’t get another one. So I was trying to make quick stops to get it. Phoenix, Cleveland, Boston.“

Despite being the best basketball player in the world in more than 10 years, LeBron James only managed to get three NBA titles from nine trips to the finals. He won two with the Miami Heat and one with Cleveland Cavaliers.

The post Shaquille O’Neal: LeBron James Doesn’t Need to Chase More Championships appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After his Cleveland Cavaliers got swept by the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 NBA Finals, LeBron James has a tough decision to make. Whether to stay in Cleveland and try to do it once again by himself, or use his right as unrestricted free agent and go to a team where he will have a better chance of winning another NBA title.

Asked by the reporters about his future, the 33-year-old said that he will first discuss that decision with his family and currently doesn’t have an answer on the question.

“The one thing that I’ve always done is considered, obviously, my family,” –James told reporters after the defeat against the Warriors. “Understanding especially where my boys are at this point in their age. They were a lot younger the last time I made a decision like this four years ago. I’ve got a teenage boy, a preteen and a little girl that wasn’t around as well. So sitting down and considering everything, my family is a huge part of whatever I’ll decide to do in my career, and it will continue to be that. So I don’t have an answer for you right now as far as that.“

While his family will have the biggest influence on the decision, the opportunity to win another championship will also play a major part in it.

“For me, I still have so much to give to the game,” – said James. “When you have a goal and you’re able to accomplish that goal, it actually–for me, personally–it made me even more hungry to continue to try to win championships, and I still want to be in championship mode. I think I’ve shown this year why I will still continue to be in championship mode.“

LeBron James has a player option for the 2018-19 season in his contract, but he will likely opt-out and become a free agent in the summer. He has time until the end of June to inform the Cavs about his decision.

The post LeBron James on His Future: “I don’t have an answer” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James will become a free agent after this season, and almost any team would love to have him on their roster. Also, almost every basketball fan in the U.S. would like for James to play his home games in their city. Well, some more than others.

Philadelphia 76ers fans already started recruiting James in the hope he will come and play with their talented young squad. They have rented three billboards, approximately 7 miles from the Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, with subtle messages. First has a number “#23” with a crown featured in the starting line-up with numbers that match those of 76ers starts Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Robert Covington. The second one says “Complete The Process”, while the third billboard is more straightforward and says “#PhillyWantsLeBron.” According to the reports, the billboards will be there for three months. Take a look below.

Check out the billboards that have popped up right near Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland! #PhillyWantsLeBron #CompleteTheProcess pic.twitter.com/yVgamarjFe

— Jamie Apody (@JamieApody) February 26, 2018

LeBron James himself didn’t see the billboards, but he said he has heard of them. “You can say it’s a distraction — it’s not. Not a distraction,” – said James on Tuesday. “It is actually very flattering that I’m sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys — I don’t want to say teams because that becomes tampering. But people in their respective city want me to play for them. That’s cool I think. That’s dope.“

The post 76ers Fans Invite LeBron James to Philadelphia via Billboards appeared first on SportzBonanza.

We are half a year away from that moment, but the free agency of LeBron James is still one of the hottest topics in the NBA. The fact is that James himself probably doesn’t know where he will be playing in the 2018-19 NBA season, but that didn’t stop people to speculate that he could stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers, end up with the Los Angeles Lakers or god forbid, go to the Golden State Warriors. But, none of these options are good for him. The King should go to the San Antonio Spurs and get that GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) label he dreams about.

What is LeBron James chasing at this moment? The shadow of Michael Jordan, who is currently considered the greatest basketball player of all time. In order for James to catch it, he needs more rings. He won’t get that in Cleveland but in San Antonio? That would be an entirely different story. With Gregg Popovich as coach and Kawhi Leonard as his sidekick, James would cruise to at least three more NBA titles. No disrespect to Tyron Lue or Erik Spoelstra, but they are not all-time greats. LeBron needs an opportunity to be coached by one of the best coaches in the history of the game. MJ had always had that advantage over LeBron. Without Phil Jackson in Chicago, Jordan spent first three years of his professional career being eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs.

There are plenty of positives for LeBron in case he makes the move. He would be a part of a functional, well-oiled machine that always wants to win, opposite to the mess he is now in. He wouldn’t have to guard the opponent’s best player every night, Kawhi could do that. Also, if there is a coach that can find an answer to the offensive explosiveness of the Warriors, that is Pop. Popovich makes average players good and good players great. Imagine what he could do with a transcendent player of James’ caliber. Finally, other top free agents would follow LeBron to the Spurs. Playing with Kawhi didn’t draw people to San Antonio so far, but Kawhi and The King combo would certainly do the trick.

The negatives are that the Spurs would have to gut their bench in order to get LeBron. The King wants to be the GOAT but not so much that he would be willing to get a hefty pay cut. Also, James wouldn’t have the influence on the front office he has in Cleveland. There is no one above the Spurs organization.

As you see, the positives overpower the negatives, but unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that LeBron James will leave Cleveland. Although he should. He brought them their first NBA championship and three straight NBA finals trips. The King doesn’t owe them anything anymore.

The post Opinion: LeBron James Should Go to the San Antonio Spurs appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Back in 2010, LeBron James became a free agent for the first time in his career and decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers to join forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh at Miami Heat. However, as it turns out, Heat was not James’ first choice.

According to influential American sports analyst and writer Bill Simmons, when James entered the free agency process 10 years ago, he favored the New York Knicks.

“From everyone that I’ve talked to in the know since then, it’s clear that the Knicks were the first choice,” said Simmons on his The Bill Simmons Podcast.

However, James changed his mind after he met with the Knicks’ brass that included owner James Dolan. Simmons explains that the Knicks came unprepared and that the meeting ended up being a “disaster.”

After that, James reportedly also considered staying with the Cavs or heading to Chicago Bulls, but eventually, chose Miami. The Heat offered him a chance to play with two other All-Stars, something that other organizations would have trouble pulling off.

Missing on James was just the beginning of New York Knicks’ failures in the free agency in the 2010s. The most recent was missing out on superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, who rejected the Knicks and instead joined their cross-town rivals Brooklyn Nets.

The post LeBron James Reportedly Favored the Knicks Before Joining Heat in 2010 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The saga about the future of best basketball player in the world is over. LeBron James is taking his talents to Los Angeles and has agreed to a 4-Year, $153 million deal with Lakers. The announcement was made by James’ agency, Klutch Sports.

pic.twitter.com/zgz8YO7BPn

— Klutch Sports Group (@KlutchSports) July 2, 2018

According to ESPN‘s Brian Windhorst, the fourth year of the deal is a player option. The length of the deal is somewhat surprising since previous three deals LeBron James has signed were for three years or less.

In an Instagram story, James has said goodbye to his hometown area and city of Cleveland by writing: “Thank you Northeast Ohio for an incredible 4 seasons. This will always be home.” and posting a photo of Cavaliers’ 2016 NBA Champions parade.

LeBron James spent first seven years of his NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before signing with the Miami Heat in 2010, where he teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in order to try and win an NBA title. James managed to fulfill his goal and win two championships before deciding to go back to Cavs in 2014. He won one NBA title with the Cavaliers and made four straight NBA Finals trips during his second stint in Cleveland.

Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said goodbye to his star player via a statement published on Cavs’ official website.

“Words do not express the meaning and the feeling this accomplishment brought to the people of Northeast Ohio,” – said Gilbert in a statement. “None of this would have happened if LeBron James did not agree to come back home and lead the Cavaliers to the promised land.”

“LeBron, you came home and delivered the ultimate goal. Nothing but appreciation and gratitude for everything you put into every moment you spent in a Cavaliers uniform. We look forward to the retirement of the famous #23 Cavs jersey one day down the line …” – he added.

A very different statement from Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. pic.twitter.com/wC3LxU0M0g

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) July 2, 2018

According to sources close to LeBron James, joining Los Angeles Lakers was more family and business than a basketball decision. With the current way Lakers are constructed, it is hard to see them winning a championship. But, the organization is still aggressively pursuing a trade for Kawhi Leonard and trying to sign free agent DeMarcus Cousins, so things could change soon enough.

The post LeBron James Agrees to 4-Year, $154 Million Deal With Lakers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James is set to become a free-agent this summer, and will most likely look to join a team that gives him the best chance to win additional NBA championships. But according to Hall of Famer and current NBA on TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal, James is already a legend and shouldn’t chase more NBA championship.

“Somebody told me a long time ago — they said your book is already set [before the later stages of your career]. You can add index pages toward the end, but your book is already set. So LeBron’s book is already set,” – O’Neal told ESPN. “He did already passed up legends; he done already made his mark — he has three rings. His mentality now is probably: I want to get four before [Golden State Warriors guard] Steph [Curry] does. That’s probably his mentality now. But if I was him, I wouldn’t be trying to get four, five and six because it ain’t going to matter. It’s just something else to talk about, something else to add to the pages. He’s a legend, talked about as who is the best between he and Michael Jordan, so he’s set.“

Shaquille O’Neal then described how he was chasing championships late in his career and that it didn’t turn out so great.

“My problem toward the end of my career was I was trying to shut everybody up and I was greedy [for more championships],” – he explained. “After I got to three [titles], everybody was saying I couldn’t get another. So I got four. After I got the fourth, they were saying I couldn’t get another one. So I was trying to make quick stops to get it. Phoenix, Cleveland, Boston.“

Despite being the best basketball player in the world in more than 10 years, LeBron James only managed to get three NBA titles from nine trips to the finals. He won two with the Miami Heat and one with Cleveland Cavaliers.

The post Shaquille O’Neal: LeBron James Doesn’t Need to Chase More Championships appeared first on SportzBonanza.

After his Cleveland Cavaliers got swept by the Golden State Warriors in the 2018 NBA Finals, LeBron James has a tough decision to make. Whether to stay in Cleveland and try to do it once again by himself, or use his right as unrestricted free agent and go to a team where he will have a better chance of winning another NBA title.

Asked by the reporters about his future, the 33-year-old said that he will first discuss that decision with his family and currently doesn’t have an answer on the question.

“The one thing that I’ve always done is considered, obviously, my family,” –James told reporters after the defeat against the Warriors. “Understanding especially where my boys are at this point in their age. They were a lot younger the last time I made a decision like this four years ago. I’ve got a teenage boy, a preteen and a little girl that wasn’t around as well. So sitting down and considering everything, my family is a huge part of whatever I’ll decide to do in my career, and it will continue to be that. So I don’t have an answer for you right now as far as that.“

While his family will have the biggest influence on the decision, the opportunity to win another championship will also play a major part in it.

“For me, I still have so much to give to the game,” – said James. “When you have a goal and you’re able to accomplish that goal, it actually–for me, personally–it made me even more hungry to continue to try to win championships, and I still want to be in championship mode. I think I’ve shown this year why I will still continue to be in championship mode.“

LeBron James has a player option for the 2018-19 season in his contract, but he will likely opt-out and become a free agent in the summer. He has time until the end of June to inform the Cavs about his decision.

The post LeBron James on His Future: “I don’t have an answer” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

LeBron James will become a free agent after this season, and almost any team would love to have him on their roster. Also, almost every basketball fan in the U.S. would like for James to play his home games in their city. Well, some more than others.

Philadelphia 76ers fans already started recruiting James in the hope he will come and play with their talented young squad. They have rented three billboards, approximately 7 miles from the Cleveland Cavaliers Quicken Loans Arena, with subtle messages. First has a number “#23” with a crown featured in the starting line-up with numbers that match those of 76ers starts Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Robert Covington. The second one says “Complete The Process”, while the third billboard is more straightforward and says “#PhillyWantsLeBron.” According to the reports, the billboards will be there for three months. Take a look below.

Check out the billboards that have popped up right near Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland! #PhillyWantsLeBron #CompleteTheProcess pic.twitter.com/yVgamarjFe

— Jamie Apody (@JamieApody) February 26, 2018

LeBron James himself didn’t see the billboards, but he said he has heard of them. “You can say it’s a distraction — it’s not. Not a distraction,” – said James on Tuesday. “It is actually very flattering that I’m sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys — I don’t want to say teams because that becomes tampering. But people in their respective city want me to play for them. That’s cool I think. That’s dope.“

The post 76ers Fans Invite LeBron James to Philadelphia via Billboards appeared first on SportzBonanza.

We are half a year away from that moment, but the free agency of LeBron James is still one of the hottest topics in the NBA. The fact is that James himself probably doesn’t know where he will be playing in the 2018-19 NBA season, but that didn’t stop people to speculate that he could stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers, end up with the Los Angeles Lakers or god forbid, go to the Golden State Warriors. But, none of these options are good for him. The King should go to the San Antonio Spurs and get that GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) label he dreams about.

What is LeBron James chasing at this moment? The shadow of Michael Jordan, who is currently considered the greatest basketball player of all time. In order for James to catch it, he needs more rings. He won’t get that in Cleveland but in San Antonio? That would be an entirely different story. With Gregg Popovich as coach and Kawhi Leonard as his sidekick, James would cruise to at least three more NBA titles. No disrespect to Tyron Lue or Erik Spoelstra, but they are not all-time greats. LeBron needs an opportunity to be coached by one of the best coaches in the history of the game. MJ had always had that advantage over LeBron. Without Phil Jackson in Chicago, Jordan spent first three years of his professional career being eliminated in the First Round of the playoffs.

There are plenty of positives for LeBron in case he makes the move. He would be a part of a functional, well-oiled machine that always wants to win, opposite to the mess he is now in. He wouldn’t have to guard the opponent’s best player every night, Kawhi could do that. Also, if there is a coach that can find an answer to the offensive explosiveness of the Warriors, that is Pop. Popovich makes average players good and good players great. Imagine what he could do with a transcendent player of James’ caliber. Finally, other top free agents would follow LeBron to the Spurs. Playing with Kawhi didn’t draw people to San Antonio so far, but Kawhi and The King combo would certainly do the trick.

The negatives are that the Spurs would have to gut their bench in order to get LeBron. The King wants to be the GOAT but not so much that he would be willing to get a hefty pay cut. Also, James wouldn’t have the influence on the front office he has in Cleveland. There is no one above the Spurs organization.

As you see, the positives overpower the negatives, but unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that LeBron James will leave Cleveland. Although he should. He brought them their first NBA championship and three straight NBA finals trips. The King doesn’t owe them anything anymore.

The post Opinion: LeBron James Should Go to the San Antonio Spurs appeared first on SportzBonanza.