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Why Cavs must do whatever it takes to bring back LeBron James for retirement tour after Lakers exit
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- Why Cavs must do whatever it takes to bring back LeBron James for retirement tour after Lakers exit
Why Cavs must do whatever it takes to bring back LeBron James for retirement tour after Lakers exit appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
After wide speculation, it is official: LeBron James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers and entering free agency. While it feels as if his staying in the Western Conference and going to the Golden State Warriors is inevitable, the Cleveland Cavaliers have long been discussed in NBA circles as one of the most logical options for LeBron in his final years in the league.
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The Cavaliers experienced mixed success this past season, acquiring James Harden and winning two successive seven-game series against the Toronto Raptors and the top-seeded Detroit Pistons . They ultimately flamed out against the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks . It was clear that they needed a little bit more to truly contend for an NBA championship.
If Cleveland does indeed want to maximize its championship window with Donovan Mitchell , Evan Mobley , and now James Harden, it needs to do whatever it takes to land LeBron James on its roster. James' return to the Cavaliers wouldn't just be a serendipitous ending to one of the greatest athletic careers we've ever seen. It would legitimately raise their floor should James continue the high level of play he's displayed over the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.
At times during the playoffs, it was clear that the Cavaliers lacked playmaking and true imagination in how they ran their offense. They relied too much on isolation plays against set defenses and on taking 3-pointers at seemingly the most inopportune times. While the addition of a player like James won't change the habits of all the players on the team, or even what Kenny Atkinson is willing to allow , James's playmaking and ability to drive the basketball would create a different dynamic for the Cleveland Cavaliers .
LeBron James' ability to generate attention from his drive to the basket can easily open up lobs for Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen . If both of them were still on the team in James' hypothetical return, that level of rim pressure would open up the floor for shooters such as Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus and James Harden to get the easiest shots of their careers. James can quite easily take over the primary playmaking duties from Harden and allow him to revert to his roots as one of the most talented scorers we've seen in the league.
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But more than anything, the Cavaliers need his leadership. If he were to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, it would be his third stint with the organization. He's seen the highs and lows of how it feels to be in a Cavaliers jersey. He's felt the heartbreak of not meeting lofty expectations and the basketball nirvana of winning a championship with your back against the wall.
That was needed for a Cavaliers team that certainly exceeded expectations in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals. What we saw against the New York Knicks following Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was a team that seemed to be listless and in need of a leader. I believe that change would level-set this Cavaliers team well.
Leadership and the seamless fit between James' game and this particular Cavaliers team are why Cleveland should do everything they can to become James' next basketball destination. He's already in Ohio, riding around and working out. You might as well give him the sign and the dotted line and bolster your chances in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference that looks to be getting even better.
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