LeBron to Boston pipe dream may not be that crazy if latest report is true

Less than three weeks into the offseason, the first indirect link between the Boston Celtics and LeBron James is upon us.

During his Monday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s NBA Insider Shams Charania shed some light on what the market for James is shaping up to be as he enters free agency this summer.

"I do know a lot of teams are calling him and his camp,” Charania told McAfee. “I spoke to Rich Paul the other day at the Chicago Draft Combine last week and he told me like every contender in the NBA has essentially since the season ended placed a call. So, that line is going to continue to be open."

While, again, indirect, “every contender in the NBA” does include the Celtics. Boston finished second in the Eastern Conference. They won 56 games. Even as they marched towards their Game 7 demise two weeks ago, they remained the favorites to emerge from the East.

If that’s not a contender, then what is?

How valuable is Shams' latest LeBron intel?

As for how reliable this intel is, that’s a different story. First and foremost, there should be no doubt that what Charania is sharing is true. Rich Paul almost certainly spoke with him at the combine and told him that the market for LeBron as he approaches his 24th season in the league is a robust one.

Paul is James’ longtime agent. Of course he’s going to get the word out that business is good. It’s in his best interest to drum up, well, interest, for his client. It’s a natural human reaction to hear that others are interested in something and have your own interest piqued as a result. Paul is playing off of that -- even if NBA general managers are more complex individuals.

Is it possible that the Celtics made a call on LeBron?

Yes, absolutely. If nothing else, it’s Brad Stevens’ responsibility to get an idea what the market it is for impending free agents. Boston will have money to spend this summer for the first time in what feels like forever, after they ducked the luxury tax at the trade deadline and opened up the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception for themselves.

In a world where James, who is now a billionaire, per Forbes, is willing to take a pay cut and sign for a measly $15 million, then, yes, the Cs could make a push with their MLE. They also could use their $27 million traded-player exception to absorb LeBron in a potential sign-and-trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

However, that simply doesn’t feel likely. James has effectively had a career-long rivalry with the Celtics, faced off against the Cs seven times in the postseason, and has spoken poorly on the city of Boston at every opportunity.

Frankly, it’d be shocking if he chose to play there.

Not to mention the circus that comes along with signing James if you’re the Celtics. Whenever the team does well it’s thanks to him. Whenever they lose it’s everyone else’s fault.

It’s not worth the headache.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow