Could LeBron James Wind Up In Boston This Summer?

It’s time to crank up the rumor mill yet again. The newest juice on the NBA streets involves the league’s best player joining a team he has beaten three out of the last four postseasons.

LeBron James is the bane of the many NBA fans’ existence. This much is to be expected when a player is dominant for as many years as James has been and basks in the spotlight of being one of America’s most recognizable athletes.

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But, the brunt of the heat James receives comes from New Englanders. The originators of the “LeBron is a b***h” shirts as James clashed with the Big Three in 2008 and 2010, Boston Celtics fans have gotten a front row seat to the trajectory of James’ career. They “witnessed” his first era in Cleveland conclude at TD Garden in 2010 when an immature James gave up on a lackluster supporting cast of Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and an ancient Shaq in Game 6 of the conference semifinals.

Green Teamers were some of the first to chide James when he evacuated Dan Gilbert’s dumpster fire for Miami that summer, only to see James put the nail in the Big Three’s coffin with a gentleman’s sweep of the Celtics in 2011 and a 45-point coming-out party in the Garden in a career-defining Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals a year later.

Just as the Celtics rejuvenated themselves under head coach Brad Stevens, James was there to meet the franchise at the rim again, this time having returned to the wine-and-gold. James’ Cavaliers went 8-1 against Boston in two playoff series in 2015 and 2017. This spring, the upstart Celtics, missing both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, had James right where they wanted him with leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

However, James put a dagger in the hearts of Celtics fans yet again with 46 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in Game 6 and 35 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists two nights later in a sobering Game 7.

Celtics fans have seen the best and worst moments of James’ career up close in personal. Regardless of where James ends up in free agency this summer, his familiarity with the Celtics is likely to continue. But what if this intimacy is fed by him becoming a member of the Green?

More I think about LeBron James to #Celtics report, most interesting detail to me is no reputable, plugged in #NBA reporters have squashed the possibility.

All that means is this: James landing in Boston still VERY unlikely, but a conversation with Danny Ainge seems inevitable.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) June 9, 2018

Boston seems to be the only fan base that doesn’t want to see the 37-time Eastern Conference Player of the Month join their troop. Fans down in Philadelphia would give their first-born to see James complete “The Process.” Don’t even get me started on the New Yorkers who have been Photoshopping Knicks No. 6 jerseys on pictures of James for the last eight years.

Regardless of what the reaction from the local crowd would be, James coming to Boston is far-fetched but is not out of the realm of possibility. The Celtics are projected to be $6.4 million over the salary cap next season with $107.4 million tied up. The luxury tax threshold is expected to be $123 million, meaning there’s no chance of Boston going out and signing James in free agency without being charged with the harsh penalties associated with this line.

However, as The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks states here, James could opt into the final season of his contract with Cleveland at $35.6 million and be shipped to Boston in a sign-and-trade. This is where general manager Danny Ainge would have to strip himself off all attachments to the marquee players on his roster as he did in sending Isaiah Thomas to the Cavaliers last offseason.

Jalen Rose on Get Up: "If LeBron James goes to any basketball team that's not the Boston Celtics or not the Golden State Warriors, he won't win a championship next year anyway."
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) June 11, 2018

In order for the money to match up, Ainge would need to send Irving, Hayward or Al Horford to Cleveland in addition to a batch of expiring contracts, such as Marcus Morris or Terry Rozier, and a pick from their still-burgeoning stash of first-rounders over the next few years.

There is no easy decision here, as all three plan to anchor the most loaded roster Boston has had to begin a season since 2007-08 with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown flocking them. However, James averaged 27.5 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds on 54.2 percent shooting in 82 games during the regular season before having the best postseason anyone has ever seen.

Giving up any of these three to land the best player in the game is a no-brainer. Irving would probably be the one Ainge would look to deal, as his contract expires following the 2018-19 campaign and he has yet to guarantee a return to Boston. However, do the Cavaliers want to be the team Irving deserts following the season?

Per multiple sources, there is a slim chance #LeBron will sign with either the #Celtics or #Warriors. The thought process is that chasing Kyrie or KD will not be particularly appealing at this point in his career.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 10, 2018

Since Horford’s contract is too hefty for a player you can’t build around if you wish to get past the second round of the playoffs, Hayward would probably be the sought after commodity for Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman. He is the priciest of the three, commanding 29 percent of the Celtics salary cap this year with a figure of $31.2 million.

But, he is under team control for the next two seasons before a $34.1 million player option in the summer of 2020. Throw in a healthy Hayward to a rotation with Kevin Love, who averaged 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds this season while shooting 41.5 percent from three-point range, and you have yourself a solid core that can challenge for 50 wins in the Eastern Conference. If Cleveland uses the eighth pick in this month’s draft to add Michael Porter Jr., Wendell Carter or Collin Sexton, it could make for an attractive roster, especially considering that dishing James to the Celtics could also net them Morris or Rozier.

Is giving up Hayward, Morris and Rozier to land James worth it? No doubt. There is no other player in the NBA capable of playing at the level James does.

However, Ainge would have to understand the risks of this move, especially when offering a package including Hayward. If James opts in to his player option and is dealt to Boston, he will hit unrestricted free agency once again following the 2018-19 season. Trading two seasons of Hayward for one campaign with James is a worthwhile proposition.

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But, it’s awfully tough to send Hayward away in a move like this without getting to see how he gels with the rest of this Celtics team. Plus, Rozier and Morris were crucial leaders on a team that reached Game 7 of the conference finals this season, and trading for James would involve passing on a full year of their services as well.