LeBron James, The Decision: Pt. 3?

In the summer of 2010, all-time great LeBron James made a decision that completely shook the NBA landscape, by joining Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in South Beach. James leaving was not much of a surprise to fans, because of the Cavaliers' inability to surround James with compatible teammates.  Many consider this to be the beginning of the "super team" trend, and the "Heatles" would go on to win 2 championships.

James' decision was nationally televised. but his decision to return to Cleveland in the summer of 2014 was reported by Sports Illustrated senior writer Lee Jenkins in an essay written by the 14 time all-star. Both decisions were taken very seriously, as "The King" was first leaving his home team, then deciding to rejoin his home team Cavaliers. Those decisions were also influenced by one thing, a championship. James was seeking glory with his first decision, but his next was out of love for home.

"When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission. I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn't had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what's most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio."

No matter what, LeBron's decision will once again impact the league. If he stays, the Cavaliers will once again have to make decisions like they did at this previous trade deadline. A team that gets swept in the NBA Finals definitely needs a rebuild, but with James that rebuild will be a tad more difficult. His taste of teammates is very distinct and critical, and we all know that the Cavaliers will obey to whatever "The Chosen One" wants.

One can only assume that LeBron will reevaluate his stay in Cleveland after the Cavaliers' disappointing ability to put a championship caliber team in place after the departure of Kyrie Irving (who the front office traded themselves). You can give the team a break for losing in 2015 because of the injury of Irving and Kevin Love. Along with the dominance of the Golden State Warriors and other super teams in the league, James' frustration may have hit it's peak, and he may be prepared for a change in scenery.

Recently, sports television personality and journalist Stephen A. Smith released a list of seven teams that LeBron James is having conversations with this offseason.

From @stephenasmith Instagram

I will be taking these teams and ranking them by how likely LeBron will join them, with no sort of bias or inside details on the situation.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
If LeBron wants to stay home, this choice makes the most sense for him and the organization. Without LeBron, the Cavs are nearly desolate. After Kevin Love, the talent level drops tremendously to a sub-40 win team. Even if Kevin Love became the 2013 double-double machine we saw on the Minnesota Timberwolves again, it'd be about the same situation. "Empty" statistics on a losing team.

Salary cap wise, the Cavaliers are already second in the league for their total player salary at $137 million. LeBron is the greatest player in the world at this time, and will demand a Stephen Curry or Russell Westbrook level contract at $40 million annually. Cutting off James for salary cap decisions is definitely not in the Cavaliers' plans, they would make the room.

The one knock against LeBron with the Cavs is the apparent chemistry issues, as there have been many examples of James being frustrated with the organization, teammates, and coaches. The meme "LeGM" is no joke, as his opinion on players tends to affect the length of stay on the team (Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder were traded very quickly after under performing in their first few months as a Cavalier).

If the Cavaliers can lay out a plan to establish a team around LeBron, the Cavaliers could possibly go back to at least competing with the Warriors in the championship. However, LeBron did stick with his word of bringing one championship to Cleveland. I do not see Cleveland winning another championship anytime soon, as the organization has dug a hole of bad salaries and average to above average players. This team may be the best fit for James for staying home, but winning is another story.

2. Philadelphia 76ers
Come on, you can't deny that this team would be incredible to watch. A revolutionary center in Joel Embiid, a comparably younger version of LeBron James in Ben Simmons, playing alongside LeBron James. That's one interesting big three. Simmons and James are already friends, as they have been seen working out together, meaning one less chemistry issue. To complement those stars, great role players like Robert Covington and Dario Saric would mesh with LeBron's game just like they do Simmons', three point shooters that are just fine letting the stars do their work and being there for the open shot. Along with budding rookie Markelle Fultz, this team could be menacing in the East.

LeBron James and Ben Simmons: A history of their friendship - SBNation.com

Many people will argue that LeBron joining this youth will ruin "the process," and I can understand that. After the 4-1 series loss to the Boston Celtics in the second round, it was proven that the 76ers weren't quite ready for that maturity leap, due to lack of experience in the playoffs. However, if you add LeBron, someone who has been to the finals for eight. Straight. Years. There will be a large leap in the right direction.

With the amount of youth on the team, the cap space for the team is already in the bottom 1/3 of the NBA. Next year, they will be one of five teams that are at $70 million or below in salary. That leaves enough money to sign one max player, and that one player might as well be LeBron James.

The reasoning behind LeBron coming to Philadelphia make it very obvious what decision would be smartest for LeBron. However, the 76ers may not want to invest their money into someone at age 33 for a long term deal when there are players like Paul George also on the market. With the sway of Joel Embiid's twitter fingers, however, do expect the team and LeBron to be very open towards negotiating a deal.

3. Miami Heat
Another reunion, just a different team? This isn't a long shot by any means, as the Heat would definitely appreciate the the best in the league to come back, and could definitely make room. No one on this team is untouchable by any means, as their second best player (Dragic is so underrated it's ridiculous)  Hassan Whiteside has recently voiced his frustration with his playing time, but would definitely not decline his $27 million player option with how his last season went. Lots of trades would have to be done, but there are many players LeBron would enjoy playing with, such as longtime friend Dwayne Wade, Goran Dragic, and floor spacer Kelly Olynyk.

The Heat are fourth in the league with player salaries currently, but next year they will be first by a landslide, and that is before possibly resigning Whiteside to a contract, at $145 million. Many of their contracts could be considered poor compared to the production output of the players, such as Tyler Johnson, who is about to be paid nearly $20 million after averaging 11.7 PPG and 2.3 APG. With no cap space and a large luxury tax, the team would have to be transformed greatly to make room for the King.

James already has great chemistry with this organization, as Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra are still intact. Along with old teammate Dwayne Wade, LeBron would feel welcomed by South Beach. The fans may seem upset now by LeBron leaving, but having him come back would be no issue for fans when they see the win column rise. This is also seen as another home for LeBron, and he has made it very clear that he'll listen to what his family wants and what's home to him before anything else.

Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James Miami Heat- Heat Nation

It would take reconstruction for the Heat to welcome LeBron back, but it would most likely result in success. It may not be Wade and Bosh, but Dragic is definitely no slouch. Whiteside not being relied on so heavily for offense may also help Whiteside's case for returning, which would create quite the trifecta. Along with solid bench pieces, the wins could accumulate with time. However, winning a championship would be a stretch, as LeBron is 33. There is about a five year window for this core to compete with the warriors and be better than them, along with other up and coming teams. Although wins are a high possibility, the Heat may be too old to compete amongst the juggernauts of the NBA.

4. Los Angeles Lakers
With a big market team like the Lakers, you can't blame the fans for having faith. A popular city, rich and winning history, you can't go wrong in L.A. There have been rumors of LeBron coming to the Lakers because of his home in the city, but his fit in the team may be a real issue. With the development of Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma still in place, General Manager Magic Johnson may not want to interrupt that process. LeBron also demands control of the ball at most times, which entails that Lonzo Ball will be forced to play off-ball frequently, a bad move because of his shooting struggles. However, Zo may be able to develop his jumpshot, and James can also use another ball handler like Ball to take some stress off his shoulders on offense.

The cap situation for the Lakers is ridiculously good, as next season they will have room for TWO max offers. This means that LeBron's contract could easily be taken in, along with room for another superstar, while retaining important pieces.

The possibility of LeBron joining the Lakers is good, but not as good as the teams above. The Lakers may be too underdeveloped to win now, as we have all seen the struggles LeBron has had with a team not ready to take the big stage. If the young pieces of the Lakers' core were a couple years older and more developed, this team would easily be on top of the list, but the timeline of the Lakers and LeBron just don't match up.

5. Houston Rockets
If LeBron truly wanted to win a championship straight away, this would be the easiest destination. Two Hall of Famers in Chris Paul and James Harden would definitely take the league by storm, but what about the rest of the team? The Rockets are a fully established team with an identity. Tear apart defenses with ball movement, pick and rolls with Capela, shoot the lights out from behind the arc, and have a second unit for any situation. Two of those four traits would stay, and that's purely because of Chris Paul refusing to not share the ball with the entire team and nearly everyone on the team can shoot the rock. Capela is going to demand a hefty amount of money this offseason, and to afford LeBron the Rockets would have to let go of their big man. An important part of their bench, former Sixth Man of the Year Eric Gordon would have to be traded to create more room for LeBron as well, making their bench weaker.

The salary cap situation of the Rockets is definitely on the poor side, considering they will likely have to give two max contracts to Paul and Capela. There is no possible way of signing Lebron, unless they make the room for four max contracts (one of those being Harden's historically large deal).

The combination of those players would create the most menacing wing trio in history, but not leave much else on the team. It would also leave them in a poor situation in the future, with no salary cap space and aging players with max contracts. This could be LeBron's ideal place to win, but this is not the ideal contract to sign for the Rockets. The salaries between the two sides do not match up, yet they  would easily compete with the Warriors for most entertaining team in the league.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul resume their banana boat tradition - SBNation.com

But who wouldn't love to see the banana boat reunion between Paul and James?

6. Boston Celtics
The Celtics would obviously become the best team in the NBA if LeBron were to join, instantly. The talent pool would be flooding over. They made it to the eastern conference finals without their two top stars, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. Yet there are a multitude of problems that would come with LeBron deciding to join the Celtics.

For starters, the roster is so filled up on the wing already that the team is considering either trading Terry Rozier or letting Marcus Smart walk in free agency. Even with one of those moves, their prized youngster Jayson Tatum will be moved to the power forward position to make room for Hayward in the starting lineup. The roster simply has no room for another forward. The Celtics would be much better off focusing on bench depth. General Manager Danny Ainge, however, is a man known for letting anyone go no matter their talent ability. It would not be surprising to see him shake up his roster for James, but he will most likely make the wise decision and let a HEALTHY roster run wild in the Eastern Conference. Also, Jayson Tatum is a freaking monster.

Remember how Kyrie Irving requested a trade from Cleveland to avoid being in the shadow of LeBron James? There is extreme doubt that the chemistry of that situation could ever be alleviated. James is also quoted as saying, "You're either with us or against us," when asked about advice for Irving after his departure from the team. Also, the Celtics have always been heated rivals with James on his quest to the Finals, with countless playoffs matchups. Why would LeBron ever consider joining a team he has that sort of relationship and background with?

It's very confusing as to why people believe that LeBron would ever join this team. The roster doesn't match up, the chemistry issues are tremendous, and salaries weren't even discussed (it wouldn't match up at all for another max contract). The Celtics are a team that should focus on the roster they have now, and give the players to develop together as a unit, and as individual players.

7. Golden State Warriors
This one is quick and simple. No. The Warriors have a culture and fan base, comprised entirely of their core four. Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Recently adding another championship to their mantle, why would the Warriors ever consider shaking up that core? Even trading half of that core away would leave no room to sign another max contract. The chemistry would also be a major issue, as LeBron has to have some sort of hatred in his blood for the organization after losing to them three times in four Final's matchups. With no bias towards the organization in this opinion, no. The Warriors would not be a good fit for LeBron, and LeBron would not be a good fit for the Warriors.

Destination in Mind: Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers may be best groomed to add LeBron to the team, and also one of the best places to go to win a championship. A fifty win team with their two top stars under age 25 will have another offseason of workouts and improvement tacked on, and if you add the best basketball player in the world to that mix, the rest of the NBA should be terrified. The cap space situation has room for one max contract, and if the 76ers want a championship sooner than later and a mentor towards Ben Simmons, then now is the time for "The Process" to be completed.